bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Roles of individual radicals generated by a submerged dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor during Escherichia coli O157:H7 inactivation
Authors: Khan Muhammad Saiful Islam , Lee Eun-Jung , Kim Yun-Ji
Published: October 2015

A submerged dielectric barrier discharge plasma reactor (underwater DBD) has been used on Escherichia coli O157:H7 (ATCC 35150). Plasma treatment was carried out using clean dry air gas to investigate the individual effects of the radicals produced by underwater DBD on an E. coli O157:H7 suspension (8.0 log CFU/ml). E. coli O157:H7 was reduced by 6.0 log CFU/ml for 2 min of underwater DBD plasma treatment. Optical Emission Spectra (OES) shows that OH and NO (α, β) radicals, generated by underwater DBD along with ozone gas. E. coli O157:H7 were reduced by 2.3 log CFU/ml for 10 min of underwater DBD plasma treatment with the terephthalic acid (TA) OH radical scavenger solution, which is significantly lower (3.7 log CFU/ml) than the result obtained without using the OH radical scavenger. A maximum of 1.5 ppm of ozone gas was produced during the discharge of underwater DBD, and the obtained reduction difference in E.coli O157:H7 in presence and in absence of ozone gas was 1.68 log CFU/ml. The remainder of the 0.62 log CFU/ml reduction might be due to the effect of the NO (α, β) radicals or due to the combined effect of all the radicals produced by underwater DBD. A small amount of hydrogen peroxide was also generated but does not play any role in E. coli O157:H7 inactivation.
Quasiparticle dynamics across the full Brillouin zone of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ traced with ultrafast time and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
Authors: Dakovski Georgi L. , Durakiewicz Tomasz , Zhu Jian-Xin , Riseborough Peter S. , Gu Genda , Gilbertson Steve M. , Taylor Antoinette , Rodriguez George
Published: October 2015

A hallmark in the cuprate family of high-temperature superconductors is the nodal-antinodal dichotomy. In this regard, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) has proven especially powerful, providing band structure information directly in energy-momentum space. Time-resolved ARPES (trARPES) holds great promise of adding ultrafast temporal information, in an attempt to identify different interaction channels in the time domain. Previous studies of the cuprates using trARPES were handicapped by the low probing energy, which significantly limits the accessible momentum space. Using 20.15 eV, 12 fs pulses, we show for the first time the evolution of quasiparticles in the antinodal region of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+δ and demonstrate that non-monotonic relaxation dynamics dominates above a certain fluence threshold. The dynamics is heavily influenced by transient modification of the electron-phonon interaction and phase space restrictions, in stark contrast to the monotonic relaxation in the nodal and off-nodal regions.
Caudal vena cava progesterone and LH release patterns on Day 14 of gestation in primiparous sows
Authors: Hoving L. L. , Haen S. M. , Laurenssen B. F. A. , Peltoniemi O. A. T. , Kemp B. , Soede N. M.
Published: October 2015

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between systemic and local progesterone secretion and LH pulsatility during implantation in the pig. Differences in progesterone concentrations measured locally in the caudal vena cava and systemically in the jugular vein were studied in eight primiparous sows on Day 14 of pregnancy. LH pulsatility was analysed for its effects on the local progesterone-releasing pattern. Mean (± s.d.) progesterone concentrations in the vena cava (65.5 ± 19.8 ng mL–1) were approximately double basal concentrations (33.6 ± 13.1 ng mL–1). Basal concentrations of progesterone and LH were calculated as the average of the lowest six values. Basal caudal vena cava and mean jugular (27.6 ± 1.5 ng mL–1) progesterone concentrations did not differ significantly. Pre- and postprandial jugular progesterone concentrations were significantly different in the morning and afternoon (P = 0.025 and 0.023). Mean LH ranged from 0.24 to 0.43 ng mL–1 and was approximately double as high as basal LH in individual sows. In 60.8% of cases, LH pulses were followed by a progesterone pulse within 1 h. In conclusion, the present study showed that corpus luteum function appears to respond to LH pulsatility on Day 14 of pregnancy. However, the response varies at the level of individual sows. In addition, systemic postprandial decreases in progesterone were confirmed on Day 14 of pregnancy.
Measuring the impact of Ebola control measures in Sierra Leone
Authors: Kucharski Adam J. , Camacho Anton , Flasche Stefan , Glover Rebecca E. , Edmunds W. John , Funk Sebastian
Published: October 2015

Significance

Between June 2014 and February 2015, thousands of Ebola treatment beds were introduced in Sierra Leone, alongside other infection control measures. However, there has been criticism of the timing and focus of this response, and it remains unclear how much it contributed to curbing the 2014–2015 Ebola epidemic. Using a mathematical model, we estimated how many Ebola virus disease cases the response averted in each district of Sierra Leone. We estimated that 56,600 (95% credible interval: 48,300–84,500) Ebola cases were averted in Sierra Leone as a direct result of additional treatment beds. Moreover, the number of cases averted would have been even greater had beds been available 1 month earlier.
Learner agency in language planning
Authors: Brown Jeff
Published: October 2015

The role of language teacher agency in language policy and planning (LPP) enactment and implementation at the micro-level has received increasing treatment in the literature. Under-addressed in this context, however, is the role of the learner and the extent to which learner activity can be agentive. Seeking to redress this situation, this paper focusses on learner agency in LPP. After establishing a general ecology of language context, issues related to the problematic concept of ‘agency’ are addressed. This discussion draws upon poststructuralist critiques as well as the insights of sociocultural theory. A poststructuralist perspective provides a broad philosophical base for problematizing learner agency and supplies a critique of the limited structuralist approach characteristic of traditional LPP. A sociocultural lens supplies a more concrete conceptualization of how agentive learner activity operates interactively with teacher agency. The final section of the paper focusses on ethnography as a research methodology; ethnographic research yields qualitative data on learner agency that can be drawn upon in micro planning and policy-making. A relevant case study employing ethnographic methodology is discussed. The conclusion is that learner agency should be given more prominence in LPP research and literature.
Postcolonial Affect: Ambiguous Relationality in Robert Casteels's L’(autre) fille aux cheveux de Bali
Authors: Lee Gavin
Published: October 2015

This article examines postcolonial affect as expressed in the Belgian-born Singaporean citizen Robert Casteels's L’(autre) fille aux cheveux de Bali (2002), in which it is shown that sonic identities (gamelan and Chinese instruments; quotations from Debussy and Bartók) give way to the ambiguous, modulating relationality of dis/affiliation, dis/affinity and a/proximity. Micro-changes in musical affect lead to the loosening of enculturated or acculturated emotional and perceptual responses associated with established identities. Musical affect thus serves as a corrective to neatly differentiated identities that are constructed in narratives of imperial exoticism, postcolonial autonomy or multicultural harmony.
Morphogenetic and phenological changes in phenolic content of Hypericum leptophyllum, an endemic Turkish species
Authors: Seyis Fatih , Radusiene Jolita , Ivanauskas Liudas , Jakstas Valdas , Cirak Cuneyt
Published: October 2015

The present study was conducted to determine the morphogenetic and phenologic variations in the content of the main bioactive compounds in Hypericum leptophyllum Hochst., an endemic species from Turkish flora. Wild plants were harvested at five phenological stages: vegetative, floral budding, full flowering, fresh fruiting, and mature fruiting, and assayed for chemical content by HPLC. Results indicated that H. leptophyllum did not accumulate hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperforin, and adhyperforin. The phenolic content in whole plants increased generally during plant phenology and higher accumulation levels were observed at flowering. Among the reproductive organs, amentoflavone, quercetin, avicularin, and hyperoside contents were the highest in floral buds (2.09, 2.18, 0.55, and 2.62 mg g−1 dry mass (DM), respectively). Leaves harvested at the floral budding stage produced the highest content of chlorogenic acid, neochlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and isoquercetin (53.32, 6.25, 0.03, and 1.91 mg g−1 DM, respectively), while leaves of plants at the vegetative stage of plant development accumulated the highest content of 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and quercitrin (0.29 and 0.54 mg g–1 DM, respectively). This is the first report of the presence of avicularin, rutin, (+)-catechin, (–)-epicatechin, amentoflavone, caffeic acid, neochlorogenic acid, and 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid in this species. Such data could be useful for the evaluation of new sources of bioactive compounds, as well as for increasing phytotaxonomic knowledge for the poorly studied Hypericum species.
Early group bias in the Faroe Islands: Cultural variation in children's group-based reasoning
Authors: Schug Mariah G. , Shusterman Anna , Barth Hilary , Patalano Andrea L.
Published: October 2015

Recent developmental research demonstrates that group bias emerges early in childhood. However, little is known about the extent to which bias in minimal (i.e., arbitrarily assigned) groups varies with children's environment and experience, and whether such bias is universal across cultures. In this study, the development of group bias was investigated using a minimal groups paradigm with 46 four- to six-year-olds from the Faroe Islands. Children observed in-group and out-group members exhibiting varying degrees of prosocial behaviour (egalitarian or stingy sharing). Children did not prefer their in-group in the pretest, but a pro-in-group and anti-out-group sentiment emerged in both conditions in the posttest. Faroese children's response patterns differ from those of American children [Schug, M. G., Shusterman, A., Barth, H., & Patalano, A. L. (2013). Minimal-group membership influences children's responses to novel experience with group members. Developmental Science, 16(1), 47–55], suggesting that intergroup bias shows cultural variation even in a minimal groups context.
Plato’s Hermaphrodite and a Vindication of the Sense of Touch in the Sixteenth Century
Authors: Maurette Pablo
Published: October 2015

This essay considers readings of Plato’sSymposiumin sixteenth-centurytrattati d’amore(love treatises) — especially Francesco Patrizi’sL’amorosa filosofia— that offer an alternative to Marsilio Ficino’s pervasive interpretation as presented in hisDe amore. Against the backdrop of a larger debate concerning the role of the lower senses (touch, in particular) and the relationship between body and soul, these alternative readings of theSymposiumattempt to redeem the role of tactility in love matters. Whereas Ficino and his most influential followers — Pico della Mirandola, Pietro Bembo, and Baldassare Castiglione — center their exegesis on Diotima’s speech and privilege sight as the most noble sense, Patrizi’s reading — to a large extent preceded by those of Sperone Speroni, Agnolo Firenzuola, and Flaminio Nobili — focuses on Aristophanes’s myth and the figure of the hermaphrodite as the model for a different kind of human love that is both sensual and spiritual.
GGA3 mediates TrkA endocytic recycling to promote sustained Akt phosphorylation and cell survival
Authors: Li Xuezhi , Lavigne Pierre , Lavoie Christine
Published: October 2015

Although TrkA postendocytic sorting significantly influences neuronal cell survival and differentiation, the molecular mechanism underlying TrkA receptor sorting in the recycling or degradation pathways remains poorly understood. Here we demonstrate that Golgi-localized, γ adaptin-ear–containing ADP ribosylation factor-binding protein 3 (GGA3) interacts directly with the TrkA cytoplasmic tail through an internal DXXLL motif and mediates the functional recycling of TrkA to the plasma membrane. We find that GGA3 depletion by siRNA delays TrkA recycling, accelerates TrkA degradation, attenuates sustained NGF-induced Akt activation, and reduces cell survival. We also show that GGA3’s effect on TrkA recycling is dependent on the activation of Arf6. This work identifies GGA3 as a key player in a novel DXXLL-mediated endosomal sorting machinery that targets TrkA to the plasma membrane, where it prolongs the activation of Akt signaling and survival responses.
A multi-objective optimization approach accurately resolves protein domain architectures
Authors: Bernardes J.S. , Vieira F.R.J. , Zaverucha G. , Carbone A.
Published: October 2015

Motivation: Given a protein sequence and a number of potential domains matching it, what are the domain content and the most likely domain architecture for the sequence? This problem is of fundamental importance in protein annotation, constituting one of the main steps of all predictive annotation strategies. On the other hand, when potential domains are several and in conflict because of overlapping domain boundaries, finding a solution for the problem might become difficult. An accurate prediction of the domain architecture of a multi-domain protein provides important information for function prediction, comparative genomics and molecular evolution.

Results: We developed DAMA (Domain Annotation by a Multi-objective Approach), a novel approach that identifies architectures through a multi-objective optimization algorithm combining scores of domain matches, previously observed multi-domain co-occurrence and domain overlapping. DAMA has been validated on a known benchmark dataset based on CATH structural domain assignments and on the set of Plasmodium falciparum proteins. When compared with existing tools on both datasets, it outperforms all of them.

Availability and implementation: DAMA software is implemented in C++ and the source code can be found at http://www.lcqb.upmc.fr/DAMA.

Contact:  juliana.silva_bernardes@upmc.fr or alessandra.carbone@lip6.fr

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Prototheca wickerhamii in a Patient With Chronic Hepatitis C
Authors: Cooper Joseph David , Tyler William , Hoyos Carlos Mario Jaramillo , Medina Rowena Atienza
Published: October 2015

Protothecosis is an infection caused by members of the genus Prototheca. The organisms are achlorophyllic algae that are present in different environmental niches and are globally distributed. It is a rare cause of infection in humans with majority of reported cases occurring in immunocompromised individuals. More than half of the cases manifest as cutaneous lesions. Diagnosis is by microbiological culture and/or histopathology. Response to treatment, mostly with antifungal agents, is variable. We present a 66-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus, severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on intermittent corticosteroids, and untreated chronic hepatitis C who had a nonresolving rash. This consisted of generalized pruritic, scaly and erythematous papules, and plaques for 15 years. Subsequent skin biopsy and microbiological isolation revealed Prototheca wickerhamii. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second known case of cutaneous Prototheca infection in a patient with chronic hepatitis C.
Comparative Sensitivities and Specificities of Antibodies to Breast Markers GCDFP-15, Mammaglobin A, and Different Clones of Antibodies to GATA-3: A Study of 338 Tumors Using Whole Sections
Authors: Kandalaft Patricia L. , Simon Rochelle A. , Isacson Christina , Gown Allen M.
Published: October 2015

GATA-3 is a transcription factor that has recently been identified by immunohistochemistry to be highly expressed in urothelial and breast carcinomas (CAs). We sought to determine the potential utility of GATA-3 in identifying metastatic breast CA, and to compare its utility with the standard breast markers, GCDFP-15, and mammaglobin A. We identified an archival series of 338 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded whole-tissue sections of various CAs. Using standard immunohistochemical (IHC) techniques we used mouse monoclonal antibodies to GATA-3 (clones L50-823, HG3-31), GCDFP-15 (23A3), and mammaglobin A (31A5). Both clones of GATA-3 showed positivity in 96% of non–triple-negative breast carcinomas (TNBCs), L50-823 and HG3-31, demonstrating expression in 87% and 63% of TNBCs, respectively; GCDFP-15 and mammaglobin A were expressed in 69% and 61% of non-TNBCs, respectively, and 10% and 17%, of TNBCs, respectively. The L50-823 clone manifested a lower specificity in identifying breast CAs (84%) than did the HG3-31 clone (97%). Both monoclonal antibodies to GATA-3 are very sensitive reagents for the identification of breast CA, surpassing antibodies to GCDFP-15 and mammaglobin A, and offer a significant improvement in identifying TNBCs. However, the L50-823 clone showed a lower level of specificity, which may qualify its utility in the setting of CAs of unknown primary.
Asymmetric visual input and route recapitulation in homing pigeons
Authors: Martinho Antone , Biro Dora , Guilford Tim , Gagliardo Anna , Kacelnik Alex
Published: October 2015

Pigeons (Columba livia) display reliable homing behaviour, but their homing routes from familiar release points are individually idiosyncratic and tightly recapitulated, suggesting that learning plays a role in route establishment. In light of the fact that routes are learned, and that both ascending and descending visual pathways share visual inputs from each eye asymmetrically to the brain hemispheres, we investigated how information from each eye contributes to route establishment, and how information input is shared between left and right neural systems. Using on-board global positioning system loggers, we tested 12 pigeons' route fidelity when switching from learning a route with one eye to homing with the other, and back, in an A-B-A design. Two groups of birds, trained first with the left or first with the right eye, formed new idiosyncratic routes after switching eyes, but those that flew first with the left eye formed these routes nearer to their original routes. This confirms that vision plays a major role in homing from familiar sites and exposes a behavioural consequence of neuroanatomical asymmetry whose ontogeny is better understood than its functional significance.
Geographical matching of volatile signals and pollinator olfactory responses in a cycad brood-site mutualism
Authors: Suinyuy Terence N. , Donaldson John S. , Johnson Steven D.
Published: October 2015

Brood-site mutualisms represent extreme levels of reciprocal specialization between plants and insect pollinators, raising questions about whether these mutualisms are mediated by volatile signals and whether these signals and insect responses to them covary geographically in a manner expected from coevolution. Cycads are an ancient plant lineage in which almost all extant species are pollinated through brood-site mutualisms with insects. We investigated whether volatile emissions and insect olfactory responses are matched across the distribution range of the African cycad
Encephalartos villosus
. This cycad species is pollinated by the same beetle species across its distribution, but cone volatile emissions are dominated by alkenes in northern populations, and by monoterpenes and a pyrazine compound in southern populations. In reciprocal choice experiments, insects chose the scent of cones from the local region over that of cones from the other region. Antennae of beetles from northern populations responded mainly to alkenes, while those of beetles from southern populations responded mainly to pyrazine. In bioassay experiments, beetles were most strongly attracted to alkenes in northern populations and to the pyrazine compound in southern populations. Geographical matching of cone volatiles and pollinator olfactory preference is consistent with coevolution in this specialized mutualism.
Family Italian listed firms
Authors: Culasso Francesca , Giacosa Elisa , Broccardo Laura , Manzi Luca Maria
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to underscore the impact of the family variable on performance. The authors were interested in understanding whether the differences between Family Firms (FFs) and Non-Family Firms (NFFs), on the one hand, and between large FFs and medium-sized FFs, on the other, were reflected in the performance achieved.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this paper a sample of 80 industrial companies listed on the Italian Stock Market (FTSE MIB and STAR indexes) were considered, and mixed criteria to distinguish FFs and NFFs (Smyrnios-Romanoet al., 1998) were used. The empirical method allowed the development of some research hypotheses by exploiting the Pearson correlation.

Findings

– There are two main categories of FFs, which correspond to two different strategic and organizational categories, namely, the FFs listed on the large capitalized companies index (FTSE MIB) and the FFs listed on the medium-capitalized companies index (STAR). Each kind of FFs (large FFs and medium-sized FFs) has a specific effect on profitability and financial performance. Specifically, if a company is medium sized, family presence is a relevant variable in achieving better profitability and financial performance than NFFs of the same size; on the other hand, if the company expands to become a large one, the family presence is an irrelevant variable in terms of both profitability and financial leverage (debt ratio).

Research limitations/implications

– Limitations of the study concern the definition of the sample, as this paper focused on the industrial sector and the method adopted, as it could be integrated with some econometrical models. The implications of this paper are relevant for families and regulatory bodies because it helps them better understand the effects of governance and company size both on short- and long-term performance. Moreover, the findings of the study can influence the decision-making process of investors to identify the long-term outperformers listed on the Italian Stock Exchange.

Originality/value

– This study contributes to the literature on FFs by defining two different categories of FFs, namely, large and medium-sized. It seems that larger companies record a weaker family influence on short-term profitability.
Leader culpability, hopelessness, and learning during organizational crises
Authors: Kovoor-Misra Sarah , Olk Paul
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate followers’ judgments of leader culpability and learning during a crisis, and the extent to which judgments of culpability create hopelessness and reduce crisis learning. The authors also study factors that moderate these relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using the survey method the authors collected data from 354 individuals from a nonprofit organization that filed for bankruptcy. Respondents’ comments also provided qualitative data that was used to triangulate the findings.

Findings

– The authors find that followers made judgments of leader culpability and reported crisis learning. However, followers’ judgments have no direct effect on their crisis learning, but have an indirect effect by increasing hopelessness. The authors also find that followers’ job satisfaction and perceptions of sufficient crisis communications moderate this relationship. The qualitative data provides insights into the areas on which leaders were judged, and what was learned during the crisis.

Research limitations/implications

– More research on internal stakeholders’ judgments of their leaders during organizational crises is important as they affect followers’ psychological states and behaviors. Future research can test the findings in a longitudinal study.

Practical implications

– Leaders need to pay attention to the judgments of their followers during a crisis as they could foster hopelessness and reduce learning. Providing sufficient crisis communications and enabling job satisfaction could lessen these negative effects.

Originality/value

– Extant research tends to focus on the judgments of external stakeholders during crises. This study is one of the first to examine the effects of internal stakeholders’ judgments of leader culpability on their sense of hopelessness and crisis learning, and the moderating factors that reduce their negative effects. The authors also contribute to understanding what aspects of leadership are judged by followers during a crisis, and what followers learn from a crisis. These are areas that have not been previously examined in crisis management research. The authors also provide evidence from individuals in an actual organization in crisis which tends not to be the norm in crisis attribution and crisis learning research.
Assessment of climatic risks for real estate
Authors: Hirsch Jens , Braun Thomas , Bienert Sven
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the functionality and main results of the ImmoRisk tool. The aim of the project of the Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS), in corporation with the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), was to develop a user-friendly tool that provides a sound basis with respect to the risk situation caused by extreme weather events.

Design/methodology/approach

– The tool calculates the annual expected losses (AEL) for different types of extreme weather hazard and the damage rate as the proportion of AEL on building value, based on a trinomial approach: natural hazard, vulnerability and the value of the property.

Findings

– The paper provides property-specific risk profiles of both the present and future risk situation caused by various extreme weather events.

Research limitations/implications

– The approach described in the paper can serve as a model for the realization of subsequent tools in further countries bound with other climatic risks.

Practical implications

– The real estate industry is affected by a significant rise in monetary damages caused by extreme weather events. Accordingly, the approach is suitable for implementation in the companies’ real estate risk management systems.

Social implications

– The tool offers homeowners a profound basis for investment decisions with regard to adaptation measures.

Originality/value

– The approach pioneers fourfold: first, by meeting the needs of the housing and real estate industry based on a trinomial approach; second, by using a property-specific bottom-up approach; third, by offering both a comprehensive risk assessment of the hazards storms, flood and hailstorm and finally, by providing results with respect to the future climatic risk situation.
Global Libraries impact planning and assessment progress
Authors: Al Umut , Andrade Blanco Pablo , Chiranov Marcel , Cruz Silva Lina Maria , Devetakova Luba Nikolaeva , Dewata Yulianto , Dryžaite Ieva , Farquharson Fiona , Kochanowicz Maciej , Liubyva Tetiana , López Naranjo Andrea , Phan Quynh Truc , Ralebipi-Simela Rocky , Soydal Irem , Streatfield David , Taolo Resego , Trần Tâm Thị Thanh , Tkachuk Yuliya
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to report on performance measurement and impact assessment progress made in 14 countries as part of the Global Libraries initiative, starting with the early country grants in Mexico and Chile. For the mature grants in Bulgaria, Botswana, Poland, Romania, Ukraine and Viet Nam which were recently completed or are approaching completion, the nature of the country program is outlined, before the impact assessment work is described and some recent results and conclusions are reported. A similar approach is adopted with pilot and new grants in Colombia, Indonesia, South Africa, Turkey and Lithuania.

Design/methodology/approach

– The country reports are presented as a series of case studies, in some cases supplementing those in an earlier special issue of this journal.

Findings

– Where appropriate, recent country-specific survey findings are reported.

Practical implications

– This paper shares Global Libraries IPA learning at country level with people in other countries who may be contemplating public library evaluation at regional, national or local level or who are interested in performance measurement and impact evaluation.

Originality/value

– These cases studies reflect concentrated impact assessment and performance measurement work at country level across a range of countries over more than 12 years.
Fewer new species colonize at low frequency N addition in a temperate grassland
Authors: Zhang Yunhai , Stevens Carly J. , Lü Xiaotao , He Nianpeng , Huang Jianhui , Han Xingguo
Published: October 2015

Biologically reactive nitrogen (Nr) enrichment threatens biodiversity in diverse ecosystems. Previous controlled N addition experiments may overestimate the effects of atmospheric Nr deposition on the rate of species loss, as it has been found that low frequency Nr additions, as used in traditional studies, lead to more rapid biodiversity loss. It remains unclear, however, whether the colonization of new species (gain) or extinction of old species (loss) is the cause of this difference.

By independently manipulating the frequency (twice vs. monthly additions year−1) and the rate (from 0 to 50 g N m−2 year−1) of NH4NO3 inputs for six years in a temperate grassland of northern China, we aimed to examine the contribution of gain and loss of species to the reduction in species richness under different regimes of Nr inputs.

Results showed that the gain of new species was higher at a high frequency of N addition than that at a low addition frequency, while loss of existing species was similar between the two frequencies of N addition. The number of new species gained decreased and old species lost increased with the increasing rate of Nr addition at both annual and five‐year intervals. Cumulative gain of new species was negatively correlated with soil acidification, ammonium concentration and community biomass accumulation, whereas cumulative loss of old species was positively correlated with these variables.

Our results revealed lower new species colonization results in lower species richness at low frequency of Nr addition. Findings from this study highlight the important role of N addition frequency in regulating the effects of Nr addition on community dynamics. To assess the effects of atmospheric Nr deposition on ecosystem structure and functioning, it is necessary to assess not only the dose but also the frequency of N addition.
Least‐squares reverse‐time migration in a matrix‐based formulation
Authors: Yao Gang , Jakubowicz Helmut
Published: October 2015

This paper describes least‐squares reverse‐time migration. The method provides the exact adjoint operator pair for solving the linear inverse problem, thereby enhancing the convergence of gradient‐based iterative linear inversion methods. In this formulation, modified source wavelets are used to correct the source signature imprint in the predicted data. Moreover, a roughness constraint is applied to stabilise the inversion and reduce high‐wavenumber artefacts. It is also shown that least‐squares migration implicitly applies a deconvolution imaging condition. Three numerical experiments illustrate that this method is able to produce seismic reflectivity images with higher resolution, more accurate amplitudes, and fewer artefacts than conventional reverse‐time migration. The methodology is currently feasible in 2‐D and can naturally be extended to 3‐D when computational resources become more powerful.
The role of relationships and families in healing from trauma
Authors: López‐Zerón Gabriela , Blow Adrian
Published: October 2015

The effects of trauma and its treatment have a central role in health discussions in that trauma exposure is associated with an array of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Treatment approaches are varied, but most empirically based protocols are individually focused, targeting intrapersonal difficulties. Although these protocols are critical, they do not directly address the relationship difficulties that may arise for survivors. In addition, limited empirical evidence supports using systemic approaches in trauma treatment. This article addresses this issue by summarizing the most salient individual and relational evidence‐based trauma protocols and by providing a description of common factors among these approaches, while also challenging the field to generate more research that emphasizes systemic interventions as a core consideration in treatment. A case study is included to illustrate the global relevance and benefit of systemic trauma approaches.

Practitioner points

Trauma should be treated as an event that affects everyone in the family and is nested in societal and cultural contexts.

Close relationships can maintain or exacerbate problems, but they can also be a powerful source of healing.

Systemic protocols that not only address intrapersonal difficulties, but also focus on survivors’ relationships are critical for healing in the aftermath of trauma.
Miscibility of Quillaja Saponins with other Co‐surfactants under Different pH Values
Authors: Reichert Corina L. , Salminen Hanna , Leuenberger Bruno H. , Hinrichs Jörg , Weiss Jochen
Published: October 2015

The miscibility behavior of mixed surfactant systems and the influence of extrinsic parameters are crucial for their application as emulsifiers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the miscibility behavior of mixed systems composed of commercial Quillaja saponin and a co‐surfactant, namely sodium caseinate, pea protein, rapeseed lecithin, or egg lecithin. These mixtures were evaluated macro‐ and microscopically at different concentration ratios (maximum concentration 5% w/v) at pH 3, 5, and 7 at 25 °C. The individual ingredients were also assessed for their charge properties and surface hydrophobicity. The results showed that Quillaja saponin–caseinate mixtures were miscible only at pH 7, and showed aggregation and precipitation at lower pH due to increasing electrostatic attraction forces. Rheological measurements showed that Quillaja saponin‐pea protein mixtures formed gelled structures at all tested pH values mainly via association of hydrophobic patches. Quillaja saponins mixed with rapeseed lecithin were miscible at all tested pH values due to electrostatic repulsion. Quillaja saponin–egg lecithin mixtures aggregated independent of pH and concentration ratio. The microscopic analysis revealed that the lower the pH and the higher the Quillaja saponin ratio, the denser were the formed Quillaja saponin–egg lecithin aggregates. The results are summarized in ternary phase diagrams that provide a useful tool in selecting a surfactant system for food applications.
Is Impaired Comfort a Nursing Diagnosis?
Authors: Pinto Sara Maria Oliveira , Caldeira Berenguer Sílvia Maria Alves , Martins José Carlos Amado
Published: October 2015

Objective

Discussion of the “Impaired Comfort” nursing diagnosis.

Methods

Discussion paper based on the authors' ongoing PhD research about the development of comfort as a complex intervention.

Findings

When the patient has impaired comfort, the nursing intervention should be specific to the etiological factor. Some arguments are raised about impaired comfort as a nursing diagnosis and the discussion is led about the possibility of the referred diagnosis being considered a syndrome.

Conclusions

New proposals are presented for the nursing classification based on theoretical knowledge development and current scientific evidence.

Implications for Nursing

The results can contribute to better decision‐making and clinical reasoning, namely in terms of the nursing process, and contribute to safer, rational, efficient, and effective nursing care.
Proteomic profiling of eggs from a hybrid abalone and its parental lines: Haliotis discus hannai Ino and Haliotis gigantea
Authors: Di Guilan , Luo Xuan , Huang Miaoqin , Chen Jun , Kong Xianghui , Miao Xiulian , Ke Caihuan
Published: October 2015

Proteomic analysis was performed on the eggs of hybrid abalone and their corresponding parental lines. A total of 915 ± 19 stained protein spots were detected from Haliotis discus hannai♀ × H. discus hannai♂ (DD), 935 ± 16 from H. gigantea♀ × H. gigantea♂ (GG) and 923 ± 13 from H. gigantea♀ × H. discus hannai♂ (GD). The spots from DD and GD were clustered together. The distance between DD and GG was maximal by hierarchical cluster analysis. A total of 112 protein gel spots were identified; of these, 59 were abalone proteins. The proteins were involved in major biological processes including energy metabolism, proliferation, apoptosis, signal transduction, immunity, lipid metabolism, electron carrier proteins, protein biosynthesis and decomposition, and cytoskeletal structure. Three of 20 differential expression protein spots involved in energy metabolism exhibited as upregulated in GD, 13 spots exhibited additivity, and four spots exhibited as downregulated in the offspring. Eleven protein spots were expressed at the highest level in DD. The proteins involved in stress responses included superoxide dismutase, peroxiredoxin 6, thioredoxin peroxidase and glutathione‐S‐transferase. Two of seven differential expression protein spots involved in response to stress exhibited as upregulated in GD, three exhibited additivity, and two exhibited as downregulated. These results might suggest that proteomic approaches are suitable for the analysis of hybrids and the functional prediction of abalone hybridization.
An exploration of the priority remote health personnel give to the development of the Indigenous Health Worker oral health role and why: Unexpected findings
Authors: Walker David , Tennant Marc , Short Stephanie D.
Published: October 2015

Objective

This research was undertaken to explore the priority given by remote area health personnel to the development of the oral health role of Indigenous Health Workers and the rationale for this prioritisation.

Design

Semistructured individual interviews and focus group interviews were undertaken with remote area health personnel working alongside Indigenous Health Workers.

Setting

Three Indigenous community clinics and two regional centres of remote northern Australia.

Participants

Interviews were conducted with 32 remote health personnel (11 dental, 14 nursing, 5 medical and 2 allied health personnel).

Results

The findings highlight the strong support found among remote health personnel for the development of the Indigenous Health Worker oral health role emphasising not only the perceived high impact of oral disease on the health of community members and community health resources, but also on the clinical practice of remote health personnel.

Conclusion

In identifying the high priority given to the development of this role, the study has also highlighted the impact of oral disease on the practice of remote health personnel and the need to develop training for remote health personnel to respond to oral disease.
Is the National Registration website (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) effective in tracking Australian medical graduates’ rural work?
Authors: Playford Denese , Power Phoebe , Boothroyd Alarna , Manickavasagar Usha , Ng Wen Qi , Riley Geoff
Published: October 2015

Objective

This study compared rural location identified through the National Registration (AHPRA) registry with location obtained through labour‐intensive personal contact.

Design

Longitudinal cohort study with two methods to identify the work locations of medical graduates from The Rural Clinical School of Western Australia (RCSWA).

Participants

Consenting alumni from the University of Western Australia and the University of Notre Dame Fremantle participating in RCSWA between 2002 and 2009 inclusive and available to contact in 2011.

Main outcome measure

Percentage location matches between two contact methods.

Results

There was 80% agreement for principal suburb, 92% agreement for principal city and 94% agreement for principal state between RCSWA personal contact and the AHPRA registry. AHPRA identified nearly two times as many graduate locations. However, there was only 31% agreement for a rural placement location (of any length). In more detail, for year‐long rural placement, personal contact was 88% concordant with AHPRA; work six months or more were less concordant (44% agreement); work less than six months were not concordant (4% agreement).

Conclusions

AHPRA data matched RCSWA alumni data only for graduates in full‐time rural work. Since medical alumni spend up to 10 years in pre‐vocational and vocational training, which includes many rural options, personal contact was able to pick up the myriad of rural choices, whereas the AHPRA database was not sensitive enough to identify them. Until graduates have stably finished training, the optimal method to identify rural work is through personal contact but statistical correction for missing data needs to be considered.
Asthenozoospermia and membrane remodeling enzymes: a new role for phospholipase A2
Authors: Anfuso C. D. , Olivieri M. , Bellanca S. , Salmeri M. , Motta C. , Scalia M. , Satriano C. , La Vignera S. , Burrello N. , Caporarello N. , Lupo G. , Calogero A. E.
Published: October 2015

Phosholipase A2 (PLA2) activity in the seminal plasma and in sperm heads is closely related to sperm motility and male fertility. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of different isoforms of phospholipase in asthenozoospermia. To accomplish this, cPLA2, phospho‐cPLA2, iPLA2, and sPLA2 were evaluated by immunofluorescence and immunoblot analyses in spermatozoa obtained from 22 normozoospermic men and 28 asthenozoospermic patients. We found significant differences in cPLA2 and its phosphorylated/activated form, iPLA2, and sPLA2 content and distribution in normal and asthenozoospermic patients. cPLA2 was localized in heads, midpieces, and tails of all spermatozoa as constitutive enzyme, less expressed in the tail of spermatozoa with low progressive motility. While active phospho‐cPLA2 distribution was homogeneous throughout the cell body of control‐donor spermatozoa, lower levels were detected in the tails of asthenozoospermic patients, as opposed to its strong presence in heads. Low immunofluorescence signal for iPLA2 was found in astenozoospermic patients, whereas sPLA2 was significantly lower in the heads of asthenozoospermic patients. Spermatozoa with low progressive motility showed differences both in terms of total specific activity and of intracellular distribution. cPLA2, iPLA2, and sPLA2 specific activities correlated positively and in a significantly manner with sperm progressive motility both in normozoospermic men and asthenozoospermic patients. In conclusion, PLA2s are expressed in different areas of human spermatozoa. Spermatozoa with low motility showed differences in total specific activity and enzyme distributions. We speculated that PLA2 expression and/or different distribution could be potential biomarkers of asthenozoospermia, one of the major causes of male factor infertility.
Erectile dysfunction as a predictor of advanced vascular age
Authors: Djordjevic D. , Vukovic I. , Milenkovic Petronic D. , Radovanovic G. , Seferovic J. , Micic S. , Kisic Tepavcevic D.
Published: October 2015

Vascular age (VA) represents chronological age (CA) adjusted for individual's atherosclerotic burden. The presence of erectile dysfunction (ED) has been considered as a clinical sentinel of premature atherosclerosis. The objective of this study was to explore the predictive value of ED in assessing the discrepancy between VA and CA. In the period from 1 January 2014 to 1 January 2015, all consecutive men referring to the outpatient departments of the Clinics of Urology and Cardiology in Belgrade (Serbia) were considered for enrolment in this cross‐sectional study. General exclusion criteria were: age below 18, heart failure, history of myocardial infarction, impaired renal and liver function, acute infection, history of endocrine disease other than type 2 diabetes, pelvic surgery or trauma, and acute coronary syndrome within the last 6 months. According to the presence of ED, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and history of coronary artery disease participants were assigned into five study groups. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was conducted to identify the predictive value of ED in detection of advanced VA. The mean age of males enrolled in the study was 52.9 ± 7.7 years. The predominance of VA over CA was statistically significantly higher in the group of participants with coexistence of ED and hypertension compared to the group of patients with ED and type 2 diabetes (p = 0.027) and the group of patients with ED (p = 0.014) and control group (p < 0.01). Regression analysis highlighted that ED represented a highly important marker (p < 0.01) of advanced VA, which independently accounted for 6.1% of the variance in the discrepancy between VA and CA. Our study suggests that assessment of ED could be a part of a more comprehensive prediction of patients’ advanced VA. Screening among such a highly selected population may help identify those that would most benefit from drug treatments and life style changes.
The impact of high‐dose acetylcholine on bovine corneal epithelium
Authors: Ringvold Amund , Reubsaet J. Leon E.
Published: October 2015

Purpose

Ion channels are formed when acetylcholine (ACh) combines with specific receptors on the postsynaptic membrane. We are testing whether this occurs in vitro in corneal epithelial cells when exposed to ACh, using intracellular ascorbic acid (AA) as a tracer.

Methods

The corneal epithelium was separated from Bowman's membrane as an intact sheet with thermolysin (TL). These cells were incubated in a medium containing phospholine iodide (Phi) to block acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, and then, five different groups of specimens were examined: the basic level of ACh and AA in the cells was tested in groups I and II, respectively. In groups III‐V, the culture medium was supplemented with AA, ACh and ACh+AA, respectively, and following 2 hr of incubation the cells were tested for AA. AA was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection, and ACh by LC‐MS/MS.

Results

The ACh concentration in the corneal epithelial cells was 23.7 ng/mg wet weight. AA values were as follows: preexposure 0.17 mg/g. After exposure to AA, ACh and ACh+AA, the values were 0.30, 0.12 and 0.21 mg/g, respectively. The AA concentration mechanism of the corneal epithelium was intact despite exposure to Phi and ACh.

Conclusion

The main observation is that the AA content of the corneal epithelium drops in response to ACh exposure. Various explanations are discussed, in particular the possibility that ACh exposure may cause cell membrane leakage through pores (nicotinic receptors). This would be similar to the moderate membrane leakage (depolarization) in neural synapses in response to ACh release. Interesting in vivo consequences may occur when considering that AChE is extremely UV sensitive, as this substance could be a target at which actinic radiation may influence the ACh‐AChE complex in this epithelium.