bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impacts of survival and reproductive success on the long-term population viability of reintroduced great bustards Otis tarda in the UK
Authors: Ashbrook Kate , Taylor Andrew , Jane Louise , Carter Ian , Székely Tamás
Published: June 2015

Reintroductions aim to re-establish species within their historical ranges through the release of wild- or captive-bred individuals following extirpation (or extinction) in the wild. There is no general agreement on what constitutes a successful reintroduction but the probability of the population achieving long-term persistence should be addressed. Here we review a 10-year trial reintroduction of the great bustard Otis tarda, a globally threatened bird species, to the UK and assess the long-term population viability. Despite changes in rearing and release strategy, initial post-release survival probability remained consistently low, with only 11.3% of bustards (n = 167) surviving from release to 1 year post-release. Nineteen breeding attempts were made by eight females; however, only one chick survived > 100 days after hatching, and no wild juveniles have recruited into the population. Using demographic rates from the UK population and wild populations elsewhere, and stochastic population modelling, we investigate the viability of this reintroduced population by predicting population size over the next 10 years. Under current demographic rates the population was predicted to decline rapidly. Self-sufficiency was predicted only using the highest estimates from the UK population for first-year and adult survival, and recruitment rates from wild populations elsewhere. Although changes have been made in rearing, release strategies, habitat management and release sites used, these changes appear to have a modest effect on long-term viability. Substantial improvements in survival rates and productivity are necessary to establish a viable great bustard population in the UK, and we consider this unlikely.
Seed dispersal by rodents in a lowland forest in central Panama
Authors: Dittel Jacob W. , Lambert Thomas D. , Adler Gregory H.
Published: June 2015

We studied the removal of seeds of three species of large-seeded tree (Astrocaryum standleyanum, Attalea butyraceaandDipteryx oleifera) from three different heights within six study plots in a lowland forest in central Panama. Fresh fruits with intact seeds fitted with industrial sewing bobbins were placed within semi-permeable exclosures. Removed seeds were tracked to deposition sites, and seed fate was determined. Removals were likely perpetrated by two small rodents, the strictly terrestrialProechimys semispinosusand the scansorialSciurus granatensis, because they were the most abundant small rodents in the study site during the study period and were of sufficient size to remove large seeds. Rodent abundance and fruit availability were estimated by conducting censuses. Nine microhabitat variables were measured at each deposition site to determine if these two rodents were preferentially depositing seeds in sites with certain characteristics or were randomly depositing seeds. During the study, rodents handled 98 seeds, 85 of which were not predated upon and could potentially germinate. Removal rates were not influenced by rodent abundance or fruit availability. Seeds were most frequently moved <3 m and deposited with the fruit eaten and the seed intact. However, some seeds did experience relatively long-distance dispersal (>10 m). Rodents preferentially deposited seeds in locations with large logs (>10 cm diameter), dense herbaceous cover, and an intact canopy. The number of large logs was different from random locations. Despite not being able to determine long-term fate (greater thanc. 1 y), we show that these small rodents are not primarily seed predators and may in fact be important mutualists by dispersing seeds relatively long distances to favourable germination sites.
Trend of Japanese encephalitis in Uttar Pradesh, India from 2011 to 2013
Authors: JAIN P. , SINGH A. K. , KHAN D. N. , PANDEY M. , KUMAR R. , GARG R. , JAIN A.
Published: June 2015

As indicated by the sporadic Japanese encephalitis (JE) cases reported from the districts of Uttar Pradesh (UP), India, the disease is endemic in the state despite the fact that a JE vaccination programme has been ongoing in the state since 2006. Hence, the present study was undertaken to study the annual trend of JE in UP during January 2011 to December 2013. CSF and/or serum samples collected from acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) cases were referred to the virology laboratory at King George's Medical University, Lucknow and were tested for anti-JEV IgM antibodies by JEV MAC-ELISA kit. The study reveals that 26·9%, 9·9% and 14·8% of AES cases were positive for anti-JEV IgM in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively. Of the total JE confirmed cases, 30% were adults. Males were more commonly affected than females. A distinct peak of JE was seen in the monsoon and post-monsoon season, although sporadic cases were also reported in other months. JE vaccination by district in UP is discussed. This study reports that the proportion of JE positives in AES cases is decreasing in UP although the number of AES cases has not decreased. The study also discusses the probable causes of this decrease, including JE vaccination and natural periodicity due to herd immunity.
Does the weather play a role in the spread of pandemic influenza? A study of H1N1pdm09 infections in France during 2009–2010
Authors: VITTECOQ M. , ROCHE B. , COHEN J.-M. , RENAUD F. , THOMAS F. , GAUTHIER-CLERC M.
Published: June 2015

Understanding patterns of influenza spread and persistence is crucial for pandemic preparedness. The H1N1pdm09 virus caused the first influenza pandemic of the 21st century which resulted in at least 18500 deaths. Based on laboratory-confirmed primary-care case reports we investigated the role of weather conditions and socio-demographic variables in its initial spread and subsequent presence in France. Our findings suggest that low relative humidity and high population density were determinants in shaping the early spread of the virus at the national level. Those conditions also favoured the persistence of viral presence throughout the first 33 weeks of the pandemic. Additionally this persistence was significantly favoured by low insolation. These results confirm the increasingly recognized role of humidity in influenza dynamics and underlie the concomitant effect of insolation. Therefore climatic factors should be taken into account when designing influenza control and prevention measures.
Within-herd prevalence thresholds for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis-positive dairy herds using boot swabs and liquid manure samples
Authors: DONAT K. , HAHN N. , EISENBERG T. , SCHLEZ K. , KÖHLER H. , WOLTER W. , ROHDE M. , PÜTZSCHEL R. , RÖSLER U. , FAILING K. , ZSCHÖCK P. M.
Published: June 2015

The control of Johne's disease requires the identification of Mycobacterium avium ssp. paratuberculosis (MAP)-positive herds. Boot swabs and liquid manure samples have been suggested as an easy-to-use alternative to sampling individual animals in order to diagnose subclinical Johne's disease at the herd level, but there is a need to evaluate performance of this approach in the field. Using a logistic regression model, this study aimed to calculate the threshold level of the apparent within-herd prevalence as determined by individual faecal culture, thus allowing the detection of whether a herd is MAP positive. A total of 77 boot swabs and 75 liquid manure samples were taken from 19 certified negative and 58 positive dairy herds. Faecal culture, three different polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and the combination of faecal culture with PCR were applied in order to detect MAP. For 50% probability of detection, a within-herd prevalence threshold of 1·5% was calculated for testing both matrices simultaneously by faecal culture and PCR, with the threshold increased to 4·0% for 90% probability of detection. The results encourage the use of boot swabs or liquid manure samples, or a combination both, for identifying MAP-positive herds and, to a certain extent, for monitoring certified Johne's disease-negative cattle herds.
Dissemination of clonally related multidrug-resistantKlebsiella pneumoniaein Ireland
Authors: MORRIS D. , O'CONNOR M. , IZDEBSKI R. , CORCORAN M. , LUDDEN C. E. , McGRATH E. , BUCKLEY V. , CRYAN B. , GNIADKOWSKI M. , CORMICAN M.
Published: June 2015

In October 2012, an outbreak of gentamicin-resistant, ciprofloxacin non-susceptible extended-spectrumβ-lactamase (ESBL)-producingKlebsiella pneumoniaeoccurred in a neonatal intensive care unit in Ireland. In order to determine whether the outbreak strain was more widely dispersed in the country, 137 isolates ofK. pneumoniaewith this resistance phenotype collected from 17 hospitals throughout Ireland between January 2011 and July 2013 were examined. ESBL production was confirmed phenotypically and all isolates were screened for susceptibility to 19 antimicrobial agents and for the presence of genes encodingblaTEM,blaSHV,blaOXA, andblaCTX-M; 22 isolates were also screened forblaKPC,blaNDM,blaVIM,blaIMPandblaOXA-48genes. All isolates harbouredblaSHVandblaCTX-Mand were resistant to ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, amoxicillin-clavulanate, and cefpodoxime; 15 were resistant to ertapenem, seven to meropenem and five isolates were confirmed as carbapenemase producers. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of all isolates identified 16 major clusters, with two clusters comprising 61% of the entire collection. Multilocus sequence typing of a subset of these isolates identified a novel type, ST1236, a single locus variant of ST48. Data suggest that two major clonal groups, ST1236/ST48 (CG43) and ST15/ST14 (CG15) have been circulating in Ireland since at least January 2011.
The prevalence of HSV-2 infection in HIV-1 discordant couples
Authors: DUAN S. , DING Y. , WU Z. , ROU K. , YANG Y. , WANG J. , GAO M. , YE R. , XIANG L. , HE N.
Published: June 2015

We aimed to investigate the prevalence and associated factors of HSV-2 discordance and concordance in HIV-1-discordant couples. This study used the baseline data from a cohort study of HIV-1-discordant couples in Dehong prefecture of Yunnan province, China. Of 954 participating couples, 42·4% were affected by HSV-2, of which 20·4% were HSV-2-concordant positive, 7·6% were HSV-2-discordant where the male was HSV-2 positive, and 14·4% were HSV-2 discordant where the female was HSV-2 positive. Compared to HSV-2-negative concordance, HSV-2 discordance with an HSV-2-positive male spouse was significantly associated with characteristics of the male spouse, including Han ethnicity and being in a second marriage. HSV-2 discordance with an HSV-2-positive female spouse was significantly associated with characteristics of the female spouse, including Han ethnicity, having engaged in commercial sex, having a sexual relationship of <3 years and being HIV-1 infected. Compared to HSV-2 discordance, HSV-2-positive concordance was significantly associated with an education level of middle school or higher for both spouses, a sexual relationship of ⩾3 years, more frequent sex and having an HIV-1-infected male spouse. The findings highlight the need for HSV-2 prevention and treatment efforts to reduce HSV-2 transmission in this population, and emphasize the importance of implementing prevention interventions early in couples' relationships.
Mucosal immunization of BALB/c mice with DNA vaccines encoding the SEN1002 and SEN1395 open reading frames of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis induces protective immunity
Authors: BELLO J. , SÁEZ D. , ESCALONA E. , VELOZO P. , SANTIVIAGO C. A. , CONTRERAS I. , OÑATE Á.
Published: June 2015

Salmonella Enteritidis is the main cause of foodborne salmonellosis worldwide. The limited effectiveness of current interventions against this pathogen has been the main incentive to develop new methods for the efficient control of this infection. To investigate the use of DNA vaccines against S. Enteritidis in humans, immune responses stimulated by two plasmids containing the genes designated SEN1002, located in the pathogenicity island SPI-19 and encoding a Hcp protein involved in transport mechanisms, and SEN1395, located in the genomic island ΦSE14 and encoding a protein of a new superfamily of lysozymes, were evaluated. Humoral and cellular responses following intranasal immunization of two groups of BALB/c mice with the plasmids pV1002 and pV1395 plus adjuvant were evaluated and it was observed that the IgG2a/IgG1 ratios were sixfold higher than control groups. Both plasmids stimulated specific secretory IgA production. Increased proliferation of lymphocytes and IFN-γ production were detected in both experimental groups. DNA-vaccinated mice developed protective immunity against a virulent strain of S. Enteritidis, with nearly 2 logs of protection level compared to the negative control values in the spleen. Therefore, DNA vaccines are efficient at stimulating cellular and humoral immune responses at systemic and mucosal levels.
A cluster of invasive meningococcal disease revealed by the characterization of a novel serogroup B meningococcal clone
Authors: VALINSKY L. , JAFFE J. , KELLER N. , BLOCK C. , ABRAMSON N. , STEIN-ZAMIR C.
Published: June 2015

The incidence of invasive infections due toNeisseria meningitidisin Israel is about 1/100 000 population annually. Three cases of meningococcal meningitis were reported in employees at a single plant; the first case appeared in March 2013 and the second and third cases appeared in December, almost 9 months later.N. meningitidisserogroup B was isolated from cerebrospinal fluid samples. Multilocus sequence typing assigned the three meningococcal isolates to ST10418, a new sequence type and a member of the ST32 clonal complex. The clonality was confirmed by performance of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Post-exposure antibiotic prophylaxis was administered to close contacts of the first case. Upon the diagnosis of the additional two cases, post-exposure prophylaxis was administered to all the plant employees. This report demonstrates the importance of combining public health measures and advanced laboratory studies to confirm clonality and to prevent further disease spread in a closed setting.
Wildlife conservation, labor supply and time values in rural Botswana
Authors: Larson Douglas M. , Pienaar Elizabeth F. , Jarvis Lovell S.
Published: June 2015

To improve wildlife conservation incentives in community-based natural resource management programs, a better understanding of rural communities' willingness to engage in wildlife conservation jobs is needed. We implement a discrete choice model explaining reservation wages for nine conservation jobs using contingent behavior data from rural Botswana residents. We present a model in which the conditional indirect utility function incorporates a more general value of time than has previously been used, and this specification outperforms the standard model. Sample estimates indicate that reservation wages are modestly higher for women than for men, and that residents have higher reservation wages for jobs requiring more exertion or involving more danger.
Navigating conflicting phonotactic constraints in bilingual speech perception
Authors: CARLSON MATTHEW T. , GOLDRICK MATTHEW , BLASINGAME MICHAEL , FINK ANGELA
Published: June 2015

Word-initial /s/-consonant clusters do not occur in Spanish. Confronted with such sequences (e.g., in loanwords), Spanish speakers tend to perceive an illusory initial /e/, ‘repairing’ the illicit sequence. In two experiments, both conducted in Spanish with Spanish-sounding nonwords, we ask whether knowledge of English, which has no restriction against this sound sequence, weakens this pattern of perceptual repair in fluent Spanish–English bilinguals, and whether the effects of English depend on language dominance. In both identification and discrimination tasks, bilinguals exhibited weaker perceptual repair effects relative to Spanish monolinguals. This was true even for bilinguals dominant in Spanish, though the weakening was more pronounced for English-dominant bilinguals. These results show that conflicting phonotactic systems can jointly influence bilinguals’ perceptual repair of the acoustic signal in the more restrictive language, even when it is the bilingual's dominant language, suggesting a degree of integration and mutual influence of knowledge between both their languages.
Mono-specific facies of Parazoanthus axinellae in Luiz Saldanha Marine Park
Authors: Gomes-Pereira J.N. , Vasco-Rodrigues N. , Afonso A. , Albuquerque M. , Berecibar E. , Bernardes L. , Calado A. , Castanheira A. , Tojeira I. , Tempera F. , Dias F.C. , Santos R.S. , Campos A.S.
Published: June 2015

We report the first mono-specific facies ofParazoanthus axinellaefrom the western Portuguese coast. The habitat was recorded using a MiniRov Observer on a large outcrop at ca. 55–60 m in the Luiz Saldanha Marine Park. A method to estimate the maximum uncertainty of the ROV position is illustrated and the occurrence of the facies is discussed.
Abnormal reproductive morphology in two species of spiny lobster: Jasus edwardsii and Jasus paulensis
Authors: Linnane Adrian , Pere Anthony , Gardner Caleb , Thellier Thibaut
Published: June 2015

Jasus edwardsiiandJasus paulensisare two species of spiny lobster that are distributed across south-eastern Australia and isolated islands of the southern Indian Ocean, respectively. We present rare examples of abnormal reproductive morphology in both species. ForJasus edwardsii, this included a female lobster captured in South Australia, which, in addition to the normal pair of gonopores at the base of the third pair of pereiopods, also exhibited a second a pair of gonopores on the coxopodites of the fourth pair of pereiopods. In Tasmania, a male individual exhibited the specialized pincer on the right propopodite, normally only observed in females. The frequency of abnormal morphological reproductive characteristics appeared higher inJasus paulensis. This included 14 individuals that exhibited a range of additional and abnormal gonopore locations in both males and females. We discuss the findings in relation to rare cases of gynandromorphism in crustaceans.
Inverted L-slot triple-band antenna with defected ground structure for WLAN and WiMAX applications
Authors: Kunwar Alaknanda , Gautam Anil Kumar , Kanaujia Binod Kumar
Published: June 2015

To incorporate two different communication standards in a single device, a compact triple-band antenna is proposed in this paper. The proposed antenna is formed by etching an inverted L-shaped slot on the patch with defected ground structure. The antenna is targeted to excite three separate bands first from 2.39–2.51, second from 3.15–3.91, and third from 4.91–6.08 GHz that covers entire Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) (2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) (2.5/3.5/5.5) bands. Thus, the proposed antenna provides feasibility to integrate WLAN and WiMAX communication standards in a single device with good radiation pattern quality. Furthermore, a prototype of the proposed antenna fabricated and measured to validate the design, shows a good agreement between simulated and measured results. The simulation and measurement results show that the designed antenna is capable of operating over the 2.39–2.51 GHz, 3.15–3.91 GHz, and 4.91–6.08 GHz frequency bands while rejecting frequency ranges between these three bands. The proposed antenna offers a compact size of 20 × 30 mm2 as compared with earlier reported papers.
William Harvey revisited
Authors: Steinke Hubert
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. William Harveys Entdeckung des Blutkreislaufs wird oft als ein Produkt der Scientific Revolution des 17. Jahrhunderts dargestellt. Die neueren Forschungen haben aber gezeigt, dass Harvey in der aristotelischen Forschungstradition stand und sich bemühte, durch die Untersuchung unterschiedlicher Tiere die grundlegenden Aufgaben der Organe herauszufinden. Seine Schrift von 1628 ist als ein naturphilosophisches Argument, genauer als eine Serie miteinander verknüpfter Beobachtungen, Experimente und Überlegungen zu lesen, aus denen als einzige logische Konsequenz die Existenz des Blutkreislaufs abzuleiten ist. Harvey wollte damit weder den Wert des Experiments über denjenigen der philosophischen Begründung stellen noch ein neues System der Medizin errichten. Überzeugt von der Lebendigkeit des Herzens und des Blutes, lehnte er den Empirismus von Francis Bacon und den mechanistischen Rationalismus von Descartes ab. Harveys Beitrag und Originalität lag weniger in seinen einzelnen Beobachtungen und Experimenten als in der Art, wie er diese mit kritischen Überlegungen verknüpfte, die sich daraus ergebende radikale Erkenntnis akzeptierte, präsentierte und gegen Widerstände verteidigte.
Die Konstruktion einer medizinischen Disziplin und ihre Herausforderungen: die Orthopädie in der Schweiz im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert
Authors: Kaba Mariama
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. Im Laufe des 19. Jahrhunderts praktizierten zahlreiche Protagonisten mit unterschiedlichen Qualifikationen die Orthopädie in vielfältiger Art und Weise: Ärzte, Chirurgen, Apparateentwickler und andere Empiriker widmeten sich manuellen Therapien, Massagen und chirurgischen Eingriffen und/oder dem Einsatz von Prothesen. Die mehrdeutige Interpretation der Orthopädie führte zu Interessenkonflikten, welche sich am Ende des Jahrhunderts verstärkten. Die Einführung einer universitären Ausbildung führte zu einer stärkeren Annäherung an die Chirurgie, welche die sogenannte moderne Medizin beherrschte. Im 20. Jahrhundert reklamierten verschiedene Fachgebiete unterschiedliche orthopädische Praktiken für sich. Dadurch wurde sogar die Spezialisierung des Fachs an sich bedroht. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Herausforderungen, welche die Geschichte der Orthopädie in der Schweiz prägten und berücksichtigt dabei auch die Anpassungsstrategien einer medizinischen und technischen Disziplin in einer sich wandelnden Gesellschaft.
Das weit gereiste Bild in neurologischen Lehrbüchern (1850 – 1920)
Authors: Rosselet Patricia
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. Bilder waren schon immer ein wichtiger Teil der Neurologie. Seit Beginn dieser Disziplin waren Skizzen oder Fotoaufnahmen Bestandteil von Lehrbüchern und kursierten in der gesamten westlichen Welt. Sie spielen eine Rolle in der Verbreitung, Autoritätsbildung und Vereinheitlichung der neurologischen Disziplin. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt die weltweite Verbreitung eines medizinischen Bildes durch die Lehrbücher.
Das gesunde Licht der Moderne – Kellogg vs. Finsen oder die kontroverse Ausrichtung der Lichttherapie um 1900
Authors: Ingold Niklaus
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. Die westliche Medizin hat unterschiedliche Vorstellungen über die gesundheitliche Bedeutung von Lichtstrahlen hervorgebracht. Seit den 1980er Jahren wird intensives helles Licht zur Behandlung psychischer Störungen eingesetzt. Zwischen dem Ersten und dem Zweiten Weltkrieg hingegen sahen Ärzte in den unsichtbaren Strahlen am violetten Ende des Lichtspektrums eine mächtige Einflussgrösse menschlicher Gesundheit. Diese Vorstellung gesunden Lichts hatte um 1900 Gestalt angenommen, als zwei lichttherapeutische Schulen unterschiedliche Bestrahlungsverfahren propagierten. Der Artikel folgt dieser Kontroverse und zeigt auf, wie die später zunehmend kritisierte Vorstellung des gesunden Ultraviolettlichts Stabilität erlangt hatte. Die Verfügbarkeit von elektrischem Licht wird als wichtige Bedingung dieses Prozesses betrachtet.
Bruch oder Konstante? Zum Verhältnis von Humangenetik und Eugenik im 20. Jahrhundert
Authors: Germann Pascal
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. Die Geschichte der Humangenetik stellte lange Zeit ein vernachlässigtes Gebiet der medizin- und wissenschaftshistorischen Forschung dar. Erst in jüngster Vergangenheit sind einige historische Arbeiten erschienen, die sich der Geschichte dieses medizinischen Forschungs- und Praxisfeldes widmen. Eine wichtige Forschungsfrage betrifft die Beziehung der Humangenetik zur Eugenik. Der vorliegende Beitrag greift diese Frage auf und zeigt anhand eines Schweizer Fallbeispiels zur Vererbung des Kropfes, dass zwischen der Humangenetik und der Eugenik im 20. Jahrhundert enge, aber auch widersprüchliche Beziehungen bestanden: Ergebnisse aus Vererbungsstudien widersprachen nicht selten eugenischen Postulaten, zugleich konnten aber dieselben humangenetischen Untersuchungen Visionen einer erbbiologischen Bevölkerungsüberwachung befeuern.
Krankenhausinfektionen und Antibiotikaresistenzen in englischen Krankenhäusern 1930 – 1960
Authors: Condrau Flurin
Published: June 2015

Zusammenfassung. Dieser Aufsatz untersucht die Geschichte von Krankenhausinfektionen, die Einführung von Antibiotika und die Entdeckung der Antibiotikaresistenzen in englischen Krankenhäusern zwischen 1930 und 1960. Infektion erwies sich als fast konstantes Problem für das moderne, kurative Krankenhaus. Die Einführung von Sulfonamiden und später von Antibiotika bot eine kosten-effektive, gut verfügbare Gegenmassnahme, die zumindest kurzfristig sehr erfolgreich war. Die längerfristigen Konsequenzen waren allerdings weniger günstig, da schon früh resistente Keime im Krankenhaus auftraten. Rufe nach einem rationalen Umgang mit Antibiotika verhallten ungehört, stattdessen eskalierte das Problem. Der Schock von Staph 80/81, ein gegen alle damals verfügbaren Antibiotika resistenter Keim, sowie die Grippepandemie von 1957/58 beschleunigte die Entwicklung von Methicillin sowie die Durchsetzung strengerer Infektionsprophylaxe im Krankenhaus. Das Problem der Krankenhausinfektionen verschwand dann vorläufig von der Bildfläche.
The French Version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) in a Nonclinical Sample
Authors: Bouvard Martine , Denis Anne , Roulin Jean-Luc
Published: June 2015

This article investigates the psychometric properties of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). A group of 704 adolescents completed the questionnaires in their classrooms. This study examines potential confirmatory factor analysis factor models of the RCADS as well as the relationships between the RCADS and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders-Revised (SCARED-R). A subsample of 595 adolescents also completed an anxiety questionnaire (Fear Survey Schedule for Children-Revised, FSSC-R) and a depression questionnaire (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, CES-D). Confirmatory factor analysis of the RCADS suggests that the 6-factor model reasonably fits the data. All subscales were positively intercorrelated, with rs varying between .48 (generalized anxiety disorder-major depression disorder) and .65 (generalized anxiety disorder-social phobia/obsessive-compulsive disorder). The RCADS total score and all the RCADS scales were found to have good internal consistency (> .70). The correlations between the RCADS subscales and their SCARED-R counterparts are generally substantial. Convergent validity was found with the FSSC-R and the CES-D. The study included normal adolescents aged 10 to 19. Therefore, the findings cannot be extended to children under 10, nor to a clinical population. Altogether, the French version of the RCADS showed reasonable psychometric properties.
Academic and Social Adjustment During Adolescence as Precursors of Work-Related Uncertainties in Early Adulthood
Authors: Blumenthal Anja , Silbereisen Rainer K. , Pastorelli Concetta , Castellani Valeria
Published: June 2015

This 16-year longitudinal study examines individual uncertainties concerning work and career, as perceived by 213 employed and unemployed Italian young adults, and reflecting the precarious situation in the Italian labor market in times of globalization. Predictors were individuals’ academic and social adjustment during adolescence and current characteristics of educational achievement and employment status. As expected, a two-group path analysis revealed that those employed perceived a lower load of work-related uncertainties than those unemployed. Moreover, the employment status moderated the associations between earlier adjustment and perceived uncertainties in adulthood. Whereas better academic adjustment was significantly related to a lower load of perceived uncertainties in the unemployed group, the association was insignificant in the employed group. Likewise, better social adjustment was only relevant for a lower load of uncertainties in the employed group, but not in the unemployed. The results reveal the complex role of early adjustment risks for successfully establishing oneself in a precarious labor market characteristic of southern European countries.
Specificity and catalysis hardwired at the RNA–protein interface in a translational proofreading enzyme
Authors: Ahmad Sadeem , Muthukumar Sowndarya , Kuncha Santosh Kumar , Routh Satya Brata , Yerabham Antony S.K. , Hussain Tanweer , Kamarthapu Venu , Kruparani Shobha P , Sankaranarayanan Rajan
Published: June 2015

Proofreading modules of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are responsible for enforcing a high fidelity during translation of the genetic code. They use strategically positioned side chains for specifically targeting incorrect aminoacyl-tRNAs. Here, we show that a unique proofreading module possessing a D-aminoacyl-tRNA deacylase fold does not use side chains for imparting specificity or for catalysis, the two hallmark activities of enzymes. We show, using three distinct archaea, that a side-chain-stripped recognition site is fully capable of solving a subtle discrimination problem. While biochemical probing establishes that RNA plays the catalytic role, mechanistic insights from multiple high-resolution snapshots reveal that differential remodelling of the catalytic core at the RNA–peptide interface provides the determinants for correct proofreading activity. The functional crosstalk between RNA and protein elucidated here suggests how primordial enzyme functions could have emerged on RNA–peptide scaffolds before recruitment of specific side chains.
Socio-economic position as an intervention against overweight and obesity in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wu Shunquan , Ding Yingying , Wu Fuquan , Li Ruisheng , Hu Yan , Hou Jun , Mao Panyong
Published: June 2015

Studies that investigated the association between socio-economic position (SEP) and obesity in children suggest inconsistent results. The aim of this study is to summarize and quantify the current evidence on SEP and risks of overweight and obesity in children aged 0–15 years. Relevant studies published between 1990 to Sep 4, 2014 were searched in Medline, Web of Science, Embase and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Risk estimates from individual studies were pooled using random-effects models, according to lowest vs the highest SEP category. A total of 62 articles were included in the meta-analysis. The odds of both overweight risk and obesity risk were higher in the children with lowest SEP than in those with highest SEP (OR, 1.10, 95% CI: 1.03–1.17 and OR, 1.41, 95% CI: 1.29–1.55, respectively). Sub-group analyses showed that the inverse relationships between SEP and childhood overweight and obesity were only found in high-income countries and in more economic developed areas. In conclusion, our study suggests that children with lower SEP had higher risks of overweight and obesity and the increased risks were independent of the income levels of countries.
The Surtsey Magma Series
Authors: Schipper C. Ian , Jakobsson Sveinn P. , White James D.L. , Palin J. Michael , Bush-Marcinowski Tim
Published: June 2015

The volcanic island of Surtsey (Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland) is the product of a 3.5-year-long eruption that began in November 1963. Observations of magma-water interaction during pyroclastic episodes made Surtsey the type example of shallow-to-emergent phreatomagmatic eruptions. Here, in part to mark the 50thanniversary of this canonical eruption, we present previously unpublished major-element whole-rock compositions and new major and trace-element compositions of sideromelane glasses in tephra collected by observers and retrieved from the 1979 drill core. Compositions became progressively more primitive as the eruption progressed, with abrupt changes corresponding to shifts between the eruption’s four edifices. Trace-element ratios indicate that the chemical variation is best explained by mixing of different proportions of depleted ridge-like basalt, with ponded, enriched alkalic basalt similar to that of Iceland’s Eastern Volcanic Zone; however, the systematic offset of Surtsey compositions to lower Nb/Zr than other Vestmannaeyjar lavas indicates that these mixing end members are as-yet poorly contained by compositions in the literature. As the southwestern-most volcano in the Vestmannaeyjar, the geochemistry of the Surtsey Magma Series exemplifies processes occurring within ephemeral magma bodies on the extreme leading edge of a propagating off-axis rift in the vicinity of the Iceland plume.
Spider wrapping silk fibre architecture arising from its modular soluble protein precursor
Authors: Tremblay Marie-Laurence , Xu Lingling , Lefèvre Thierry , Sarker Muzaddid , Orrell Kathleen E. , Leclerc Jérémie , Meng Qing , Pézolet Michel , Auger Michèle , Liu Xiang-Qin , Rainey Jan K.
Published: June 2015

Spiders store spidroins in their silk glands as high concentration aqueous solutions, spinning these dopes into fibres with outstanding mechanical properties. Aciniform (or wrapping) silk is the toughest spider silk and is devoid of the short amino acid sequence motifs characteristic of the other spidroins. Using solution-state NMR spectroscopy, we demonstrate that the 200 amino acid Argiope trifasciata AcSp1 repeat unit contrasts with previously characterized spidroins, adopting a globular 5-helix bundle flanked by intrinsically disordered N- and C-terminal tails. Split-intein-mediated segmental NMR-active isotope-enrichment allowed unambiguous demonstration of modular and malleable “beads-on-a-string” concatemeric behaviour. Concatemers form fibres upon manual drawing with silk-like morphology and mechanical properties, alongside secondary structuring and orientation consistent with native AcSp1 fibres. AcSp1 structural stability varies locally, with the fifth helix denaturing most readily. The structural transition of aciniform spidroin from a mostly α-helical dope to a mixed α-helix/β-sheet-containing fibre can be directly related to spidroin architecture and stability.
Musical training, individual differences and the cocktail party problem
Authors: Swaminathan Jayaganesh , Mason Christine R. , Streeter Timothy M. , Best Virginia , Kidd, Jr Gerald , Patel Aniruddh D.
Published: June 2015

Are musicians better able to understand speech in noise than non-musicians? Recent findings have produced contradictory results. Here we addressed this question by asking musicians and non-musicians to understand target sentences masked by other sentences presented from different spatial locations, the classical ‘cocktail party problem’ in speech science. We found that musicians obtained a substantial benefit in this situation, with thresholds ~6 dB better than non-musicians. Large individual differences in performance were noted particularly for the non-musically trained group. Furthermore, in different conditions we manipulated the spatial location and intelligibility of the masking sentences, thus changing the amount of ‘informational masking’ (IM) while keeping the amount of ‘energetic masking’ (EM) relatively constant. When the maskers were unintelligible and spatially separated from the target (low in IM), musicians and non-musicians performed comparably. These results suggest that the characteristics of speech maskers and the amount of IM can influence the magnitude of the differences found between musicians and non-musicians in multiple-talker “cocktail party” environments. Furthermore, considering the task in terms of the EM-IM distinction provides a conceptual framework for future behavioral and neuroscientific studies which explore the underlying sensory and cognitive mechanisms contributing to enhanced “speech-in-noise” perception by musicians.
Preparation by alkaline treatment and detailed characterisation of empty hepatitis B virus core particles for vaccine and gene therapy applications
Authors: Strods Arnis , Ose Velta , Bogans Janis , Cielens Indulis , Kalnins Gints , Radovica Ilze , Kazaks Andris , Pumpens Paul , Renhofa Regina
Published: June 2015

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) core (HBc) virus-like particles (VLPs) are one of the most powerful protein engineering tools utilised to expose immunological epitopes and/or cell-targeting signals and for the packaging of genetic material and immune stimulatory sequences. Although HBc VLPs and their numerous derivatives are produced in highly efficient bacterial and yeast expression systems, the existing purification and packaging protocols are not sufficiently optimised and standardised. Here, a simple alkaline treatment method was employed for the complete removal of internal RNA from bacteria- and yeast-produced HBc VLPs and for the conversion of these VLPs into empty particles, without any damage to the VLP structure. The empty HBc VLPs were able to effectively package the added DNA and RNA sequences. Furthermore, the alkaline hydrolysis technology appeared efficient for the purification and packaging of four different HBc variants carrying lysine residues on the HBc VLP spikes. Utilising the introduced lysine residues and the intrinsic aspartic and glutamic acid residues exposed on the tips of the HBc spikes for chemical coupling of the chosen peptide and/or nucleic acid sequences ensured a standard and easy protocol for the further development of versatile HBc VLP-based vaccine and gene therapy applications.
Using an in-vitro biofilm model to assess the virulence potential of Bacterial Vaginosis or non-Bacterial Vaginosis Gardnerella vaginalis isolates
Authors: Castro Joana , Alves Patrícia , Sousa Cármen , Cereija Tatiana , França Ângela , Jefferson Kimberly K. , Cerca Nuno
Published: June 2015

Gardnerella vaginalis is the most common species found in bacterial vaginosis (BV). However, it is also present in a significant proportion of healthy women and G. vaginalis vaginal colonization does not always lead to BV. In an effort to better understand the differences between G. vaginalis isolated from women with a positive (BV) versus a negative (non-BV) diagnosis of BV, we compared the virulence potential of 7 BV and 7 non-BV G. vaginalis isolates and assessed the virulence factors related to biofilm formation, namely: initial adhesion and cytotoxic effect, biofilm accumulation, susceptibility to antibiotics and transcript levels of the known vaginolysin and sialidase genes. Furthermore, we also determined the ability of G. vaginalis to displace lactobacilli previously adhered to HeLa cells. Our results showed that non-BV strains were less virulent than BV strains, as suggested by the lower cytotoxicity and initial adhesion to Hela cells. Significant differences in expression of known virulence genes were also detected, further suggesting a higher virulence potential of the BV associated G. vaginalis. Importantly, we demonstrated that BV associated G. vaginalis were able to displace pre-coated vaginal protective lactobacilli and we hypothesize this to be a trigger for BV development.
Precise Control of the Number of Layers of Graphene by Picosecond Laser Thinning
Authors: Lin Zhe , Ye Xiaohui , Han Jinpeng , Chen Qiao , Fan Peixun , Zhang Hongjun , Xie Dan , Zhu Hongwei , Zhong Minlin
Published: June 2015

The properties of graphene can vary as a function of the number of layers (NOL). Controlling the NOL in large area graphene is still challenging. In this work, we demonstrate a picosecond (ps) laser thinning removal of graphene layers from multi-layered graphene to obtain desired NOL when appropriate pulse threshold energy is adopted. The thinning process is conducted in atmosphere without any coating and it is applicable for graphene films on arbitrary substrates. This method provides many advantages such as one-step process, non-contact operation, substrate and environment-friendly and patternable, which will enable its potential applications in the manufacturing of graphene-based electronic devices.
Association genetics in Populus reveals the interactions between Pt-miR397a and its target genes
Authors: Chen Jinhui , Chen Beibei , Yang Xiaohui , Tian Jiaxing , Du Qingzhang , Zhang Deqiang
Published: June 2015

Recent studies have revealed associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA (miRNA) genes and diseases. However, association studies to decipher the interactions between miRNAs and their target genes remain to be conducted. Here, we investigated the association of growth and wood traits with SNPs in Pt-miR397a and its targets, in 261 individuals from a natural population of Populus tomentosa. Of the 57 SNPs identified in Pt-miR397a, three strongly affect its secondary stability and SNPs in target sites in Pt-LAC20 and Pt-HSP40 changed the binding affinity of Pt-miR397a. Single-SNP association analysis revealed that SNPs in Pt-miR397a significantly associated with α-cellulose content and stem volume and SNPs in target genes also associated with growth and wood-property traits. Multi-SNP association analysis with additive and dominant models found that SNPs in six potential target genes associated with at least one trait in common with Pt-miR397a, revealing a possible genetic interaction between Pt-miR397a and its targets. Furthermore, epistasis analysis revealed epistatic interactions between SNPs in Pt-miR397a and its target genes. Thus, our study indicated that SNPs in Pt-miR397a and six target genes affect wood formation and that association studies can reveal the interactions between miRNAs and their target genes.
Alopecia Areata Increases the Risk of Stroke: a 3-year Follow-Up Study
Authors: Kang Jiunn-Horng , Lin Herng-Ching , Kao Senyeong , Tsai Ming-Chieh , Chung Shiu-Dong
Published: June 2015

The risk for stroke in alopecia areata (AA) patients is still unknown. This study aimed to investigate the risk for subsequent risk of a stroke in AA patients in a large-scale retrospective cohort study. We identified 3231 patients with AA included in the study group from 2004 to 2011 in the “Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000” in Taiwan. We randomly selected 16,155 matched patients as the comparison group. We individually tracked each patient for a 3-year period to identify patients who had received a diagnosis of stroke during the follow-up period. We found that incidence rates of stroke during the 3-year follow-up periods were 5.44 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.03 ~ 7.20) and 2.75 (95% CI = 2.30 ~ 3.27) per 1000 person-years for patients with and those without AA, respectively. Cox proportional hazard regressions showed that the adjusted hazard ratio for stroke for those patients with AA was 1.61 (95% CI = 1.13 ~ 2.30) within the follow-up period compared to the controls. We concluded that patients with AA were associated with a higher risk of stroke in the 3-year follow-up period.
Discovery of a non-cationic cell penetrating peptide derived from membrane-interacting human proteins and its potential as a protein delivery carrier
Authors: Young Kim Hyo , Young Yum Soo , Jang Goo , Ahn Dae-Ro
Published: June 2015

Cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) are peptides that can be translocated into cells and used as a carrier platform for the intracellular uptake of cargo molecules. Subject to the source of CPP sequences and their positively charged nature, the cytotoxicity and immunogenicity of conventional CPPs needs to be optimized to expand their utility for biomedical applications. In addition to these safety issues, the stability of CPPs needs to be addressed since their positively charged residues are prone to interact with the biological milieu. As an effort to overcome these limitations of the current CPP technology, we isolated CPP candidate sequences and synthesized peptides from twelve isoforms of annexin, a family of membrane-interacting human proteins. The candidate screen returned a CPP rich in hydrophobic residues that showed more efficient cellular uptake than TAT-CPP. We then investigated the uptake mechanism, subcellular localization and biophysical properties of the newly found CPP, verifying low cytotoxicity, long-term serum stability and non-immunogenicity. Finally, model proteins conjugated to this peptide were successfully delivered into mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo, indicating a potential use of the peptide as a carrier for the delivery of macromolecular cargos.
Seasonal spatial heterogeneity of warming rates on the Tibetan Plateau over the past 30 years
Authors: Duan Jianping , Li Lun , Fang Yongjie
Published: June 2015

Based on temperature data from 79 meteorological stations, we estimate the warming rate by season on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during 1984–2013. The warming rate was spatially heterogeneous across seasons over the past 30 years. The northern TP (NTP) experienced more warming than the southern TP (STP) (divided near 33°N) in all seasons. The greatest north-south difference in warming was 0.70 ± 0.11 °C for summer (June-August), while the smallest difference was 0.27 ± 0.14 °C for the cold season (November-April). Such seasonal and spatial heterogeneity in the warming rate is consistent with the seasonal precipitation patterns of the NTP and the STP. One possible cause for this phenomenon is that more precipitation occurs in the STP than in the NTP (especially for summer), accompanied by more low cloud cover, which may have slowed the warming rate. Our results imply that dry regions on the TP will possibly experience greater temperature increase than wet regions under future global warming and this will be more prominent in summer.
Porous organic hydrate crystals: structure and dynamic behaviour of water clusters
Authors: Yamada Shinji , Sako Nodoka , Yamada Kazuhiko , Deguchi Kenzo , Shimizu Tadashi
Published: June 2015

Infinite water clusters with a T5(2) motif were observed in porous crystals of 4-nitrostyrylpyridine hydrochloride, the behavior of which was revealed by solid-state17O NMR spectroscopic analyses.
Ionic liquid-based zwitterionic organic polymer monolithic column for capillary hydrophilic interaction chromatography
Authors: Wang Tingting , Chen Yihui , Ma Junfeng , Zhang Xiaodan , Zhang Lihua , Zhang Yukui
Published: June 2015

A novel ionic liquid-based zwitterionic organic polymer monolithic column was developed, by copolymerization in a quaternary porogenic solvent, for capillary hydrophilic interaction chromatography.
A bi-stable Pt(ii) based molecular turnstile
Authors: Zigon Nicolas , Hosseini Mir Wais
Published: June 2015

Playing with the competition between H- and coordination-bonds, a bi-stable unsymmetrical organometallic turnstile may be switched between two closed states.
[18F]–NHC–BF3 adducts as water stable radio-prosthetic groups for PET imaging
Authors: Chansaenpak Kantapat , Wang Mengzhe , Wu Zhanhong , Zaman Rehmat , Li Zibo , Gabbaï François P.
Published: June 2015

The radiofluorination of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) boron trifluoride adducts affords novel [18F]-positron emission tomography probes which resist hydrolytic fluoride release.
Co-self-assembled nanoaggregates of BODIPY amphiphiles for dual colour imaging of live cells
Authors: Fan Gang , Lin Yao-Xin , Yang Le , Gao Fu-Ping , Zhao Ying-Xi , Qiao Zeng-Ying , Zhao Qiong , Fan Yun-Shan , Chen Zhijian , Wang Hao
Published: June 2015

Co-self-assembled vesicular nanoparticles of two structurally comparable amphiphilic boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes with dequenchable dual colour fluorescence were prepared for ratiometric imaging of live cells.
Hopping intermittent contact-scanning electrochemical microscopy (HIC-SECM) as a new local dissolution kinetic probe: application to salicylic acid dissolution in aqueous solution
Authors: Perry Amelia R. , Lazenby Robert A. , Adobes-Vidal Maria , Peruffo Massimo , McKelvey Kim , Snowden Michael E. , Unwin Patrick R.
Published: June 2015

Transiently induced dissolution of salicylic acid crystals reveals initial intrinsic dissolution kinetics.