bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology and Management of Fusarium Wilt of China Asters
Authors: Elmer Wade H. , McGovern Robert J.
Published: October 2012

The epidemiology and strategies for management of Fusarium wilt of China aster (Callistephus chinensis) were studied in Connecticut and Florida, USA, by examining seed contamination, on-farm disease incidence, sanitation, host resistance, and various soil treatments. Five out of 25 commercial seed packages from three separate distribution companies assayed in Connecticut had seeds contaminated with the pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. callistephi. Farm surveys of two cut-flower farms in Connecticut had disease incidences of 32 and 58%, while in Florida, the incidence of the disease ranged from 0.002 to 71.2% in two cut-flower operations. All pathogenic isolates from seed and symptomatic plants in Connecticut were vegetatively compatible, suggesting a common origin. Pathogenic isolates from Florida and nonpathogenic isolates fell into different vegetative compatibility groups and may have had another origin. Sodium hypochlorite solutions (1%) eliminated the fungus from seeds and Styrofoam when applied as a soak or spray, respectively. Soil fumigation with methyl bromide + chloropicrin, 1,3-dichloropropene + chloropicrin, or metam sodium maintained Fusarium wilt at low levels at a Florida cut-flower production facility. Evaluations of disease resistance of 44 cultivars in the greenhouse identified eight cultivars with moderate resistance. Four cultivars were identified with moderate resistance in field trials and thus could serve as a source of resistant germplasm for future breeding programs. These findings should encourage growers to use sanitation protocols to prevent entry of the pathogen into their fields and to choose commercially available cultivars that have moderate resistance.
Fine Mapping of Leaf Rust Resistance Gene LrZH84 Using Expressed Sequence Tag and Sequence-Tagged Site Markers, and Allelism with Other Genes on Wheat Chromosome 1B
Authors: Zhou Yue , Xia Xianchun , He Zhonghu , Li Xing , Li Zaifeng , Liu Daqun
Published: October 2012

Zhou 8425B, possessing the leaf rust resistance gene LrZH84, is an elite wheat (Triticum aestivum) parental line in the Yellow-Huai Valley region of China. In the present study, 2,086 F2 plants derived from Zhou 8425B/Chinese Spring were used for fine mapping of LrZH84 with expressed sequence tag (EST) and sequence-tagged site (STS) markers. Seventy inter-simple sequence repeat EST and STS markers on 1BL were used to screen the two parents and resistant and susceptible bulks; those polymorphic were used to analyze the entire F2 population. Three EST markers (BF474863, BE497107, and CD373538) were closely linked to LrZH84, with genetic distances of 0.7, 0.7, and 1.7 cM, respectively. STS marker Hbsf-1 was developed from the sequences of polymerase chain reaction fragments amplified from EST marker BF474863. LrZH84 was 8.19 cM proximal to Lr44, but may be allelic to LrXi and LrG98 although they showed different reactions with some Puccinia triticina pathotypes.
The Results of the Enclose II Proximal Anastomotic Device in 178 Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgeries
Authors: Seto Yuki , Yokoyama Hitoshi , Takase Shinya , Tanji Masahiro , Takahashi Koki , Takahashi Shoichi , Hirota Jun , Kondo Shunichi , Hagiwara Kenichi , Watanabe Masaaki
Published: November 2012

Objective

Enclose II is a new device for proximal coronary artery bypass anastomoses. We evaluated the safety and effectiveness of Enclose II in patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods

Enclose II was used for isolated off-pump CABG in 178 patients at six heart centers between October 2005 and December 2009. The preoperative characteristics of the patients, complications related to Enclose II, and early graft patency rates were examined.

Results

A total of 222 proximal anastomoses were performed in 178 patients using Enclose II. Forty-four of these patients had two proximal anastomoses using this device. New cerebral infarction that arose in two patients (1.1%) was not related to Enclose II. No aortic injury occurred. The graft patency rate was 96.4% at 1 year after surgery.

Conclusions

Enclose II is a safe and useful assist device for proximal anastomoses in patients undergoing off-pump CABG.
Successful Treatment of Lone Persistent Atrial Fibrillation by Means of a Hybrid Thoracoscopic-Transcatheter Approach
Authors: Muneretto Claudio , Bisleri Gianluigi , Bontempi Luca , Cheema Faisal H. , Curnis Antonio
Published: November 2012

Objective

Ablation strategies for the treatment of lone persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) have rapidly evolved during the past decade both with electrophysiological (EP) and surgical approaches. We investigated the safety and efficacy of a novel staged hybrid approach combining surgical thoracoscopic and EP ablation in patients with lone persistent AF.

Methods

Twenty-four consecutive patients with either persistent (three patients, 12.5%) or long-standing persistent (21 patients, 87.5%) isolated AF were prospectively enrolled: the mean age was 63.2 ± 9.3 years, the mean left atrial dimension was 50.5 ± 8 mm, and the mean AF duration was 82.7 months (range, 7–240 months). The surgical procedure consisted of a monolateral, right-sided, thoracoscopic closed-chest approach to perform a “box” lesion set with a temperature-controlled, internally cooled, radiofrequency monopolar device with suction adherence (Cobra Adhere XL; Estech, San Ramon, CA USA). A continuous monitoring rhythm device (Reveal XT; Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN USA) was implanted at the time of surgery in all patients for continuous long-term monitoring of the heart rhythm.

Results

Successful completion of the procedure was achieved in all cases, with a mean ablation time of 29 ± 9 minutes and an overall procedural time of 84 ± 16 minutes. After surgical ablation, the exit block was documented in all cases, whereas the entrance block was achieved in 87.5% (21 of 24 patients). No intensive care unit stay was required, and no complications occurred postoperatively; hospital mortality was 0%. At a mean interval of 33 ± 2 days after surgery, an EP study was performed: bidirectional block was confirmed in 79.1% (19 of 24 patients), whereas gaps at the level of the box lesion were observed in 20.8% of the patients (5 of 24 patients). Additional transcatheter endocardial right- and left-sided lesions were performed in 62.5% of cases (15 of 24 patients). At a mean follow-up of 28 months (range, 1–55 months), 87.5% of the patients (21 of 24 patients) are in sinus rhythm, and the incidence of left atrial flutter was 0%.

Conclusions

The combination of thoracoscopic box lesion and transcatheter ablation in a staged hybrid approach proved to be safe, providing excellent mid-term clinical outcomes in patients with long-standing, isolated, persistent AF. Moreover, the implantable loop recorders documented such incremental benefits in sinus rhythm restoration for up to 28 months.
Minimally Invasive Implantation of the Myopore Sutureless Myocardial Pacing Lead
Authors: Ceresa Fabrizio , Sansone Fabrizio , Calvagna Giuseppe , Maiorana Maria Paola , Busà Giuseppe , Patanè Santina , Evola Rosario , Patanè Francesco
Published: November 2012

Cardiac resynchronization therapy improves symptoms and survival of patients with congestive heart failure. Usually, the transvenous placement of the left ventricular lead is feasible, but in case of anatomic abnormalities of the coronary sinus, an unintended left phrenic nerve stimulation, a dislodgement of the percutaneous electrode, or a loss of capture of the electrode, surgical treatment should be considered. From January 2010 to September 2011, 15 patients underwent surgical implantation of the left ventricular lead after failure of transvenous placement. The MyoPore sutureless myocardial pacing lead (MSMPL) was implanted through a left minithoracotomy (~5 cm) under selective right lung ventilation. Time of surgery was 38.5 ± 3.0 minutes, and no surgical complications or early deaths are reported so far. After 10.7 ± 8.3 months of follow-up, no cases of late mortality, dislodgement, or loss of capture of the electrode are described. The use of the MSMPL is not novel, although the association with a minimally invasive approach may represent an alternative for a high-risk population. The screw-in of the lead ensures low impedance and threshold of stimulation (1.1 ± 0.6 V at 0.5 milliseconds) both in early and medium terms. In conclusion, in case of failure of the transvenous approach, the MSMPL may be easily implanted through a left minithoracotomy, and the results are noteworthy.
Decreasing the Mitochondrial Synthesis of Malate in Potato Tubers Does Not Affect Plastidial Starch Synthesis, Suggesting That the Physiological Regulation of ADPglucose Pyrophosphorylase Is Context Dependent
Authors: Szecowka Marek , Osorio Sonia , Obata Toshihiro , Araújo Wagner L. , Rohrmann Johannes , Nunes-Nesi Adriano , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: October 2012

Modulation of the malate content of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit by altering the expression of mitochondrially localized enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle resulted in enhanced transitory starch accumulation and subsequent effects on postharvest fruit physiology. In this study, we assessed whether such a manipulation would similarly affect starch biosynthesis in an organ that displays a linear, as opposed to a transient, kinetic of starch accumulation. For this purpose, we used RNA interference to down-regulate the expression of fumarase in potato (Solanum tuberosum) under the control of the tuber-specific B33 promoter. Despite displaying similar reductions in both fumarase activity and malate content as observed in tomato fruit expressing the same construct, the resultant transformants were neither characterized by an increased flux to, or accumulation of, starch, nor by alteration in yield parameters. Since the effect in tomato was mechanistically linked to derepression of the reaction catalyzed by ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, we evaluated whether the lack of effect on starch biosynthesis was due to differences in enzymatic properties of the enzyme from potato and tomato or rather due to differential subcellular compartmentation of reductant in the different organs. The results are discussed in the context both of current models of metabolic compartmentation and engineering.
A cross‐country perspective on professional oversight, education standards and countries' perceived level of corruption
Authors: Albrecht Chad , Malagueno Ricardo , Holland Daniel , Sanders Matt
Published: October 2012

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the existence of a professional oversight body and certain country‐specific education regulations in auditing are associated with a country's perceived level of corruption.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on data from the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) database, the authors used the Mann‐Whitney U analysis technique to test the difference between countries' perceived level of corruption based on whether they have or have not developed professional oversight bodies and licensing regulations.

Findings

Results suggest that countries that have established an audit profession oversight body are, indeed, perceived to be less corrupt. Similarly, countries that require practical experience, academic study, and a licensing examination in order to practice auditing are perceived to be less corrupt. On the other hand, the analysis shows that requiring auditors to fulfil continuing education requirements is not significantly related to a perception of lower levels of corruption.

Practical implications

The paper provides important insights for policy makers, business leaders, education and the audit profession as a whole.

Originality/value

This paper provides some of the first empirical support for the relationship between corruption and the use of oversight bodies and licensing regulations in professional auditing at a country level.
Diel gene expression profiles of a phosphorus limited mountain lake using metatranscriptomics
Authors: Vila‐Costa Maria , Sharma Shalabh , Moran Mary Ann , Casamayor Emilio O.
Published: November 2012

The genetic basis of bacterial functionality in freshwater systems remains largely unexplored despite its relevance in biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we used metatranscriptomic sequencing to analyse day and night gene expression profiles of the bacterial planktonic assemblage from the phosphorus (P) limited Lake Llebreta (1620 m above sea level) in the Limnological Observatory of the Pyrenees (LOOP, Central Pyrenees). The goal of the study was to obtain clues about the ecological strategies of bacteria in a highly oligotrophic environment, particularly those related to processing P and energy capture. An average of 37 871 unique reads were obtained per treatment using 454 pyrosequencing of amplified messenger RNA (mRNA), of which ∼ 37% matched a protein function in BLASTx analysis against the NCBI RefSeq database. In general, an overabundance of transcripts for energy acquisition (e.g. photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, proteorhodopsins and bacteriochlorophyll a) was observed in the day compared with the night. Several different forms of P were metabolized by the community, with the relative abundance of transcripts related to phosphonate and phosphate uptake pointing to a major role of organic P in controlling this ecosystem. Bacteroidetes and Betaproteobacteria were the most actively transcribing phyla in the community, but showed different strategies for supplemental sources of energy: Bacteroidetes appeared to rely on creating H+ gradients across the membrane by using proteorhodopsins during the day and pyrophosphatases at night, whereas Betaproteobacteria appeared to be oxidizing carbon monoxide (CO) that potentially was generated by photooxidation of dissolved organic matter. When these diel freshwater metatranscriptomes were compared with those from two pelagic marine systems, gene expression patterns distinguished freshwater versus marine samples but showed common differences between day and night transcriptomes related to energy production.
Obstetric outcome after intervention for severe fear of childbirth in nulliparous women – randomised trial
Authors: Rouhe H , Salmela‐Aro K , Toivanen R , Tokola M , Halmesmäki E , Saisto T
Published: November 2012

Objective  To compare the numbers of vaginal deliveries and delivery satisfaction among women with fear of childbirth randomised to either psychoeducation or conventional surveillance during pregnancy.

Design  Randomised controlled trial.

Setting  Maternity unit of Helsinki University Central Hospital.

Population  Fear of childbirth was screened during early pregnancy by the Wijma Delivery Expectancy Questionnaire (W‐DEQ‐A). Of 4575 screened nulliparous women, 371 (8.1%) scored ≥100, showing severe fear of childbirth.

Methods  Women with W‐DEQ‐A ≥100 were randomised to intervention (n = 131) (psychoeducative group therapy, six sessions during pregnancy and one after childbirth) or control (n = 240) (care by community nurses and referral if necessary) groups. Obstetric data were collected from patient records and delivery satisfaction was examined by questionnaire.

Main outcome measures  Delivery mode and satisfaction.

Results  Women randomised to the intervention group more often had spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD) than did controls (63.4% versus 47.5%, P = 0.005) and fewer caesarean sections (CSs) (22.9% versus 32.5%, P = 0.05). SVD was more frequent and CSs were less frequent among those who actually participated in intervention (n = 90) compared with controls who had been referred to consultation (n = 106) (SVD: 65.6% versus 47.2%, P = 0.014; CS: 23.3% versus 38.7%, P = 0.031). Women in intervention more often had a very positive delivery experience (36.1% versus 22.8%, P = 0.04, n = 219).

Conclusions  To decrease the number of CSs, appropriate treatment for fear of childbirth is important. This study shows positive effects of psychoeducative group therapy in nulliparous women with severe fear of childbirth in terms of fewer CSs and more satisfactory delivery experiences relative to control women with a similar severe fear of childbirth.
Characteristics of HPV infection over time in European women who are HIV‐1 positive
Authors: Heard I , Cubie HA , Mesher D , Sasieni P ,   for the MACH‐1 Study Group
Published: November 2012

Objective  The objectives of the study were to investigate high‐risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) infection and type distribution in women infected with HIV‐1, and to determine the relevance of HR‐HPV positivity and persistence/loss to the development of high‐grade cervical disease.

Design  A total of 518 European women infected with HIV attending for routine gynaecological care consented to 6‐monthly follow‐up visits over 3 years, with surveillance of cytology, colposcopy and histopathology, where relevant, and longer follow‐up, where possible.

Setting  European women infected with HIV attending for routine gynaecological care.

Population or sample  518 European women infected with HIV attending for gynaecological care in 6 hospital‐based European centres ‐ Dublin, Edinburgh, London, Milan, Paris, and Warsaw.

Methods  Cervical screening was achieved by liquid‐based cytology (LBC) of brush samples in PreservCyt® medium. The HPV testing of residual samples was performed by Hybrid‐Capture II, with genotyping of positives using the HPV Line Blot Assay. Histology results were accessed where available.

Main outcome measures  Description of high risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) infection and type distribution in HIV‐1 infected women.

Results  The estimated prevalence at baseline of any HR‐HPV type was 49.5% (46.3–52.8%): 10.2% for HPV 16 and 4.3% for HPV 18. The prevalence increased with increasing immunosuppression. Multiple infections were detected in 26.8%. HR‐HPV genotypes were detected in 34.9% of cases with normal cytology, in 77.2% of cases with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance/low‐grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (ASCUS/LSIL) and in 90.8% of cases with high‐grade SIL (HSIL). The prevalence of HPV 16 in HSIL was 38.5%, with the three most common types thereafter having prevalence rates of 19.2% (HPV 58), 19.2% (HPV 53) and 16.6% (HPV 52). The overall persistence of any high‐risk type was 55.8%. We found that 6 months persistence of HPV 16 occurred in 24 women. Seven cases of high‐grade cervical disease developed, and all were associated with initial/persistent HR‐HPV positivity.

Conclusions  A wide diversity of HPV types was evident, and multiple infections were common. Detection or persistence of any HR‐HPV was associated with a very low incidence of subsequent high‐grade disease.
Derivatives use and financial instrument disclosure in the extractives industry
Authors: Birt Jacqueline , Rankin Michaela , Song Chen L.
Published: November 2012

This article documents the use and disclosure of derivatives in the Australian extractives industry. We find that derivatives are used by 23 per cent of our sample, with mitigation of commodity risk and foreign exchange risk being the most common purposes for which derivatives are used. The most common types of derivatives used in the sector for hedging purposes are forward rate agreements and options. Results indicate that derivative use is positively associated with financial risk and firm size. We also examine the relation between firm characteristics and the extent of financial instrument disclosure, using a disclosure index based on the additional requirements in IFRS 7 Financial Instruments: Disclosures. Empirical results reveal that large firms with higher leverage, which use derivatives, and are audited by a Big 4 auditor provide more extensive disclosure of financial instruments.
Child and family factors associated with teacher‐reported behavior problems in young children of substance abusers
Authors: Conners‐Burrow Nicola A. , Kyzer Angela , Pemberton Joy , McKelvey Lorraine , Whiteside‐Mansell Leanne , Fulmer James
Published: October 2012

Background

We examined child and family factors associated with teacher‐reported behavior problems in 79 children of substance abusers (COSAs).

Method

Using regression models, we examined the impact of four family risk factors, cumulatively and individually, on children's behavior and explored children's engagement of adults as a protective factor.

Results

More than half (55%) of children had clinically elevated behavior problems. Cumulative family risks were associated with increased problems, whereas the presence of a father in the home and the child's ability to engage adults were protective.

Conclusions

These findings may help explain the variation in behavioral outcomes of COSAs.
Apoptosis signal‐regulating kinase‐1 inhibitor as a potent therapeutic drug for the treatment of gastric cancer
Authors: Hayakawa Yoku , Hirata Yoshihiro , Sakitani Kosuke , Nakagawa Hayato , Nakata Wachiko , Kinoshita Hiroto , Takahashi Ryota , Takeda Kohsuke , Ichijo Hidenori , Maeda Shin , Koike Kazuhiko
Published: October 2012

Aside from the human epidermal growth factor receptor‐2 (HER2)‐targeting agent trastuzumab, molecular targeting therapy for gastric cancer (GC) has not been established. We previously reported that apoptosis signal‐regulating kinase‐1 (ASK1) was upregulated in human GC and that overexpression of ASK1 promoted GC cell proliferation. Here, we investigated the effect of ASK1 inhibitor K811 on GC cells. K811 efficiently prevented cell proliferation in cell lines with high ASK1 expression and in HER2‐overexpressing GC cells. Treatment with K811 reduced sizes of xenograft tumors by downregulating proliferation markers. These results indicate that ASK1 inhibition prevents GC cell growth in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that ASK1 inhibitors can be potent therapeutic drugs for GC.
Changes in B cell immunophenotype in common variable immunodeficiency: cause or effect – is bronchiectasis indicative of undiagnosed immunodeficiency?
Authors: Bright P , Grigoriadou S , Kamperidis P , Buckland M , Hickey A , Longhurst H J
Published: November 2012

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most common severe primary immunodeficiency, but the pathology of this condition is poorly understood. CVID involves a defect in the production of immunoglobulin from B cells, with a subsequent predisposition to infections. Approximately 10–20% of cases are inherited, but even in families with a genetic defect the penetrance is far from complete. A classification system for CVID has been suggested (EUROclass) based on B cell immunophenotyping, but it has not been shown that altered B cell immunophenotype is not a consequence of the complications and treatment of CVID. This study compares the EUROclass B cell immunophenotype of CVID patients (n = 30) with suitable disease controls with bronchiectasis (n = 11), granulomatous disease (Crohn’s disease) (n = 9) and neurological patients on immunoglobulin treatment (n = 6). The results of this study correlate with previous literature, that alterations in B cell immunophenotype are associated strongly with CVID. Interestingly, three of the 11 bronchiectasis patients without known immunodeficiency had an altered B cell immunophenotype, suggesting the possibility of undiagnosed immunodeficiency, or that bronchiectasis may cause a secondary alteration in B cell immunophenotype. This study showed a significant difference in B cell immunophenotype between CVID patients compared to disease control groups of granulomatous disease and immunoglobulin treatment. This suggests that granulomatous disease (in Crohn’s disease) and immunoglobulin treatment (for chronic neurological conditions) are not causal of an altered B cell immunophenotype in these control populations.
Cell-based interventions to halt autoimmunity in type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Barcala Tabarrozzi A E , Castro C N , Dewey R A , Sogayar M C , Labriola L , Perone M J
Published: November 2012

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) results from death of insulin-secreting β cells mediated by self-immune cells, and the consequent inability of the body to maintain insulin levels for appropriate glucose homeostasis. Probably initiated by environmental factors, this disease takes place in genetically predisposed individuals. Given the autoimmune nature of T1DM, therapeutics targeting immune cells involved in disease progress have been explored over the last decade. Several high-cost trials have been attempted to prevent and/or reverse T1DM. Although a definitive solution to cure T1DM is not yet available, a large amount of information about its nature and development has contributed greatly to both the improvement of patient’s health care and design of new treatments. In this study, we discuss the role of different types of immune cells involved in T1DM pathogenesis and their therapeutic potential as targets and/or modified tools to treat patients. Recently, encouraging results and new approaches to sustain remnant β cell mass and to increase β cell proliferation by different cell-based means have emerged. Results coming from ongoing clinical trials employing cell therapy designed to arrest T1DM will probably proliferate in the next few years. Strategies under consideration include infusion of several types of stem cells, dendritic cells and regulatory T cells, either manipulated genetically ex vivo or non-manipulated. Their use in combination approaches is another therapeutic alternative. Cell-based interventions, without undesirable side effects, directed to block the uncontrollable autoimmune response may become a clinical reality in the next few years for the treatment of patients with T1DM.
Terlipressin in brain‐death donors
Authors: Piazza Ornella , Scarpati Giuliana , Rispoli Fabio , Iannuzzi Michele , Tufano Rosalba , De Robertis Edoardo
Published: November 2012

Background

Metabolic management of brain‐death organ donors includes correction of the hormonal perturbations that occur after cerebral death and impair circulatory function. Vasopressin is a hormone secreted by the posterior pituitary gland, which contributes to maintain systemic blood pressure by regulating urine secretion and small arteriole tonus. During brain death, the pituitary gland is damaged and hormone secretion rapidly ceases. Low‐dose vasopressin increases systemic blood pressure and decreases the need for catecholamines in brain‐dead organ donors but it is not available in many countries. Terlipressin is a synthetic analog of vasopressin characterized by greater selectivity for the V1 receptor than vasopressin. To date, the efficacy of terlipressin as a pressor agent in humans has been reported in a few studies.

Method

Pharmacology and literature about the use of terlipressin in shock and in particularly in neurogenic shock following brain death is summarized and our personal experience is reported.

Results and conclusion

Terlipressin is helpful in controlling severe hypotension; its use allowed to reduce the infusion rate of norepinephrine about 50% in two of three brain‐death organ donors, but there are not yet enough data to define its therapeutic range and incidence of collateral effects on the grafts.
A cross‐sectional study of hand sensation in adults with conservatively treated obstetric brachial plexus lesion
Authors: ANGUELOVA GALIA V , MALESSY MARTIJN J A , VAN DIJK J GERT
Published: November 2012

Aim  Sensory function is assumed to recover almost completely in obstetric brachial plexus lesion (OBPL), and is reported to recover much better than motor function. However, there is no obvious physiological reason why this should be so. Any persistent problems with sensory innervation might contribute to disability, therefore we aimed to assess sensory dysfunction in adults resulting from OBPL.

Method  Adults with conservatively treated OBPL (n=17; 12 females, five males; median age 38y; lesion levels: C5–C6, n=7; C5–C7, n=7; C5–C8, n=2; C5–Th1, n=1) and 19 healthy comparison persons (10 females, nine males; median age 23y) were investigated. Sensory function was measured using Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments, two‐point discrimination, object recognition, and a locognosia test.

Results  Scores of the Semmes‐Weinstein monofilaments and two‐point discrimination, but not object recognition or locognosia, were significantly worse in those with OBPL than in those without OBPL.

Interpretation  There may be systematic abnormalities in sensory function in adults with conservatively treated OBPL. The existence of these impairments and their contribution to functional impairment needs to be acknowledged.
Drug interactions between antihypertensive drugs and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory agents: a descriptive study using the French Pharmacovigilance database
Authors: Fournier Jean‐Pascal , Sommet Agnès , Durrieu Geneviève , Poutrain Jean‐Christophe , Lapeyre‐Mestre Maryse , Montastruc Jean‐Louis
Published: November 2012

Drug–drug interactions (DDIs) between antihypertensive drugs and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can lead to adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Guidelines are available to help prescribers deal with these drug associations, but their implementation is not well evaluated. The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of NSAIDs exposure in patients treated with antihypertensive drugs, using the French Pharmacovigilance database, and explore the ADRs related to DDIs between antihypertensive drugs and NSAIDs. Over the 11, 442 notifications of ADRs recorded in this database in patients treated with oral antihypertensive drugs between 2008 and 2010, 517 (4.5 and 95% CI: 4.1–4.9) also included exposure to NSAIDs. These subjects were more frequently women, took more drugs in general, and were younger and less frequently treated with antiplatelet drugs. In 24.2% of them (125 patients), a DDI between NSAIDs and antihypertensive drugs was potentially the cause of the reported ADR. Acute renal failure caused by DDIs between NSAIDs and angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), or diuretics was the most frequently reported ADR (20.7%). Finally, in the French Pharmacovigilance database, around one‐fourth of associations NSAIDs  +  antihypertensive drugs are associated with a ‘serious’ ADR (mainly acute renal failure), suggesting that this well‐known DDI is not enough taken into account by prescribers.
Joint X‐ray crystallographic and molecular dynamics study of cellobiohydrolase I from Trichoderma harzianum: deciphering the structural features of cellobiohydrolase catalytic activity
Authors: Textor Larissa C. , Colussi Francieli , Silveira Rodrigo L. , Serpa Viviane , de Mello Bruno L. , Muniz João Renato C. , Squina Fabio M. , Pereira Nei , Skaf Munir S. , Polikarpov Igor
Published: October 2012

Aiming to contribute toward the characterization of new, biotechnologically relevant cellulolytic enzymes, we report here the first crystal structure of the catalytic core domain of Cel7A (cellobiohydrolase I) from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma harzianum IOC 3844. Our structural studies and molecular dynamics simulations show that the flexibility of Tyr260, in comparison with Tyr247 from the homologous Trichoderma reesei Cel7A, is enhanced as a result of the short side‐chains of adjacent Val216 and Ala384 residues and creates an additional gap at the side face of the catalytic tunnel. T. harzianum cellobiohydrolase I also has a shortened loop at the entrance of the cellulose‐binding tunnel, which has been described to interact with the substrate in T. reesei Cel7A. These structural features might explain why T. harzianum Cel7A displays higher kcat and Km values, and lower product inhibition on both glucoside and lactoside substrates, compared with T. reesei Cel7A.
Increasing influence of heat stress on French maize yields from the 1960s to the 2030s
Authors: Hawkins Ed , Fricker Thomas E. , Challinor Andrew J. , Ferro Christopher A. T. , Ho Chun Kit , Osborne Tom M.
Published: October 2012

Improved crop yield forecasts could enable more effective adaptation to climate variability and change. Here, we explore how to combine historical observations of crop yields and weather with climate model simulations to produce crop yield projections for decision relevant timescales. Firstly, the effects on historical crop yields of improved technology, precipitation and daily maximum temperatures are modelled empirically, accounting for a nonlinear technology trend and interactions between temperature and precipitation, and applied specifically for a case study of maize in France. The relative importance of precipitation variability for maize yields in France has decreased significantly since the 1960s, likely due to increased irrigation. In addition, heat stress is found to be as important for yield as precipitation since around 2000. A significant reduction in maize yield is found for each day with a maximum temperature above 32 °C, in broad agreement with previous estimates. The recent increase in such hot days has likely contributed to the observed yield stagnation. Furthermore, a general method for producing near‐term crop yield projections, based on climate model simulations, is developed and utilized. We use projections of future daily maximum temperatures to assess the likely change in yields due to variations in climate. Importantly, we calibrate the climate model projections using observed data to ensure both reliable temperature mean and daily variability characteristics, and demonstrate that these methods work using retrospective predictions. We conclude that, to offset the projected increased daily maximum temperatures over France, improved technology will need to increase base level yields by 12% to be confident about maintaining current levels of yield for the period 2016–2035; the current rate of yield technology increase is not sufficient to meet this target.
Stream isotherm shifts from climate change and implications for distributions of ectothermic organisms
Authors: Isaak Daniel J. , Rieman Bruce E.
Published: October 2012

Stream ecosystems are especially vulnerable to climate warming because most aquatic organisms are ectothermic and live in dendritic networks that are easily fragmented. Many bioclimatic models predict significant range contractions in stream biotas, but subsequent biological assessments have rarely been done to determine the accuracy of these predictions. Assessments are difficult because model predictions are either untestable or so imprecise that definitive answers may not be obtained within timespans relevant for effective conservation. Here, we develop the equations for calculating isotherm shift rates (ISRs) in streams that can be used to represent historic or future warming scenarios and be calibrated to individual streams using local measurements of stream temperature and slope. A set of reference equations and formulas are provided for application to most streams. Example calculations for streams with lapse rates of 0.8 °C/100 m and long‐term warming rates of 0.1–0.2 °C decade−1 indicate that isotherms shift upstream at 0.13–1.3 km decade−1 in steep streams (2–10% slope) and 1.3–25 km decade−1 in flat streams (0.1–1% slope). Used more generally with global scenarios, the equations predict isotherms shifted 1.5–43 km in many streams during the 20th Century as air temperatures increased by 0.6 °C and would shift another 5–143 km in the first half of the 21st Century if midrange projections of a 2 °C air temperature increase occur. Variability analysis suggests that short‐term variation associated with interannual stream temperature changes will mask long‐term isotherm shifts for several decades in most locations, so extended biological monitoring efforts are required to document anticipated distribution shifts. Resampling of historical sites could yield estimates of biological responses in the short term and should be prioritized to validate bioclimatic models and develop a better understanding about the effects of temperature increases on stream biotas.
Complement 5a stimulates hepatic stellate cells in vitro, and is increased in the plasma of patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Xu Ruonan , Lin Fang , He Jin , Jin Lei , Zhang Ji‐yuan , Fu Junliang , Liu Honghong , Wang Siyu , Zhang Zheng , Wang Fu‐Sheng
Published: October 2012

Complement 5a (C5a) is a critical modulator of liver immunity. In this study, we investigated the role of C5a and its receptor in liver fibrosis in patients with hepatitis B virus infection. We found that plasma C5a concentration was significantly increased in patients with chronic hepatitis B, particularly in those patients with higher grade and stage scores. Further analysis indicated that the increased C5a concentration was positively correlated with clinical parameters reflecting liver fibrosis severity, including type IV collagen and procollagen type III N‐terminal peptide. Our in vitro data indicated that the C5a receptor is highly expressed in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Addition of C5a significantly activated HSCs and up‐regulated α‐smooth muscle actin, hyaluronic acid and type IV collagen expression. Also, addition of C5a could inhibit the spontaneous and soluble tumour necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand‐induced apoptosis of HSCs. These findings highlight the potential role of C5a in the regulation of liver fibrosis.
CD26‐mediated co‐stimulation in human CD8+T cells provokes effector function via pro‐inflammatory cytokine production
Authors: Hatano Ryo , Ohnuma Kei , Yamamoto Junpei , Dang Nam H. , Morimoto Chikao
Published: October 2012

CD26 is an activation marker of human CD4+ T cells, and is associated with T‐cell signal transduction processes as a co‐stimulatory molecule. We have previously demonstrated that high CD26 cell surface expression on CD4+ T cells is correlated with the production of T helper type 1 cytokines, whereas CD26+ T helper cells stimulate antibody synthesis in B cells. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in CD26‐mediated CD4+ T‐cell activation have been extensively evaluated by our group and others, the role of CD26 in CD8+ T cells has not been clearly elucidated. In the present study, we examine the effector function of CD8+ T cells via CD26‐mediated co‐stimulation in comparison with CD28‐mediated co‐stimulation. We found that CD26high CD8+ T cells belong to the early effector memory T‐cell subset, and that CD26‐mediated co‐stimulation of CD8+ T cells exerts a cytotoxic effect preferentially via granzyme B, tumour necrosis factor‐α, interferon‐γ and Fas ligand. The effector function associated with CD26‐mediated co‐stimulation is enhanced compared with that obtained through CD28‐mediated co‐stimulation, suggesting that the CD26 co‐stimulation pathway in CD8+ T cells is distinct from the CD28 co‐stimulation pathway. Targeting CD26 in CD8+ T cells therefore has the potential to be useful in studies of immune responses to new vaccine candidates as well as innovative therapy for immune‐mediated diseases.
Othenio Abel (1875–1946) and “the phylogeny of the parts”1
Authors: Rieppel Olivier
Published: October 2012

The reconstruction of the evolutionary history of animal phyla was an integral part of Othenio Abel’s paleobiology (paleozoology). Abel took issue with those phylogeneticists who, following the lead of Haeckel, would draw up phylogenetic trees on the basis of transformation series of singular characters considered to be of particular importance. Abel highlighted Louis Dollo’s principle of the chevauchement des spécialisations (crossing of specializations), which transformed phylogenetics from a search for ancestor–descendant sequences to research into relative degrees of relationships. This replacement resolved the conflict, much discussed at the time, between the continuity of ancestor–descendant lineages and the discontinuity inherent in the natural (phylogenetic) system. Walter Zimmermann refined Abel’s methodology, which he called character‐phylogenetics (Merkmalsphylogenie), an approach that was eventually adopted by Willi Hennig.
Solidarity™: Student Activism, Affective Labor, and the Fair Trade Campaign in the United States
Authors: Wilson Bradley R. , Curnow Joe
Published: October 2012

Abstract:  Ethical labeling campaigns have become a central means for diffusing and negotiating conflicts between social movements and market actors. Fair Trade was a pioneering ethical label and, by many accounts, a success. For nearly a decade, United Students for Fair Trade (USFT) activists worked to build the reputation of the Fair Trade Certified (FTC) label, but in Fall 2011 they withdrew their support and urged ethical consumers to do the same. This paper is an urgent reflection on USFT's trajectory from guerrilla marketing to boycotting FTC products. While their actions may appear shortsighted and contradictory, their decision to withdraw support from the FTC label has roots in a long struggle for control of Fair Trade. We argue that their actions signal a new stage in consumer action, as activists lose faith in the legitimacy of ethical labels and instead target the agencies that own the ethical brandscape.
GOVERNANCE NETWORKS AND THE QUESTION OF TRANSFORMATION
Authors: CONSIDINE MARK
Published: November 2012

Governmental systems are deeply inscribed by processes of path dependence and lock‐ins, yet they are also required to play a central role in both policy reform and institutional transformation. This paper offers an account of governance networks and posits a solution to the traditional problem of dynamic inertia in governmental institutions and thus provides the foundations for a theory of transformation. By first identifying network governance as a typology of institutional ensembles, the paper describes how the ‘complementary configurations' of institutions may provide crucial pathways for change. Such networks are also identified as viable enabling structures for the learning, storage, and sharing of hidden alternatives to established institutional routines. The key to their success is identified in administrative rather than political authorization.
Screening for chronic comorbid diseases in people with HIV: the need for a strategic approach
Authors: Peters B , Post F , Wierzbicki AS , Phillips A , Power L , Das S , Johnson M , Moyle G , Hughes L , Wilkins E , McCloskey E , Compston J , Di Angelantonio E
Published: November 2012

Among people living with HIV, the proportion of deaths attributed to chronic noninfectious comorbid diseases has increased over the past 15 years. This is partly a result of increased longevity in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and also because HIV infection is related, causally or otherwise, to several chronic conditions. These comorbidities include conditions that are strongly associated with modifiable risk factors, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and renal and bone diseases, and increasingly management guidelines for HIV recommend risk evaluation for these conditions. The uptake of these screening approaches is often limited by the resources required for their application, and hence the management of risk reduction in most HIV‐infected populations falls below a reasonable standard. The situation is compounded by the fact that few risk calculators have been adjusted for specific use in HIV infection. There is substantial overlap of risk factors for the four common comorbid diseases listed above that are especially relevant in HIV infection, and this offers an opportunity to develop a simple screening approach that encompasses the key risk factors for lifestyle‐related chronic disease in people with HIV infection. This would identify those patients who require more in‐depth investigation, and facilitate a stepwise approach to targeted management. Such a tool could improve communication between patient and clinician. A significant proportion of people with HIV are sufficiently engaged with their care to participate in health promotion and take the lead in using patient‐centric screening measures. Health‐based social networking offers a mechanism for dissemination of such a tool and is able to embed educational messages and support within the process.
The GDP Value of Twentieth‐Century Health Improvements in Developed Economies: Initial Estimates for England
Authors: Hickson Kerry
Published: October 2012

Economists are aware that conventional measures of national income do not capture everything that is important to individuals. In particular, the value of huge improvements in health over the twentieth century has gone uncalculated. Usher and Nordhaus have emphasized the virtues of including mortality improvements in some form of extended national income measure. This article therefore sets out a methodology that can be used to calculate the value of mortality and morbidity improvements. The results for England indicate that the value of health improvements in developed economies have added at least 0.3 percent per annum to twentieth‐century GDP growth rates. The results demonstrate that those interested in understanding improvements in economic welfare need to pay much more attention to improvements in health.
Recognizing misplacement of a dialysis catheter in the azygos vein
Authors: Calviño Jesús , Bravo Juan , Martínez Lucía , Millán Beatriz , Pulpeiro José R
Published: October 2012

Uneventful central venous catheterization for hemodialysis patients may not always result in a correct tip position. A case of inadvertent cannulation of the azygos vein is described. Radiographic features for its early recognition are emphasized and mechanisms related with azygos unintended catheterization are discussed.
Prayer as Inner Sense Cultivation: An Attentional Learning Theory of Spiritual Experience
Authors: Luhrmann T. M. , Morgain Rachel
Published: November 2012

How does prayer change the person who prays? In this article, we report on a randomized controlled trial developed to test an ethnographic hypothesis. Our results suggest that prayer which uses the imagination—the kind of prayer practiced in many U.S. evangelical congregations—cultivates the inner senses, and that this cultivation has consequences. Mental imagery grows sharper. Inner experience seems more significant to the person praying. Feelings and sensations grow more intense. The person praying reports more unusual sensory experience and more unusual and more intense spiritual experience. In this work we explain in part why inner sense cultivation is found in so many spiritual traditions, and we illustrate the way spiritual practice affects spiritual experience. We contribute to the anthropology of religion by presenting an attentional learning theory of prayer.
Changing God, Changing Bodies: The Impact of New Prayer Practices on Elderly Catholic Nuns’ Embodied Experience
Authors: Corwin Anna I.
Published: November 2012

I focus this study on changes in the prayer lives of U.S. Catholic nuns following Vatican II; widespread institutional change in the Catholic Church that, among other things, transformed U.S. Catholic nuns’ lives. In the article, I combine a phenomenological model of embodiment with narrative analysis to show how institutional linguistic prayer practices transform elderly nuns’ embodied experience as they age. Drawing on naturalistic video‐ and audio‐recordings gathered over three years in a Catholic convent in the Midwestern United States, I show how changing communicative and embodied prayer practices following Vatican II have impacted U.S. Catholic nuns’ (1) understanding of the divine, (2) relationship with the divine, (3) embodied experience of the divine, and (4) how these changes have impacted their experiences of and interpretation of physical states including illness and pain. Overall, I offer insight into how changes in the nuns’ linguistic practice of prayer impact the nuns’ documented success in managing loneliness and chronic pain at the end of life.