bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Shipboard measurements of gaseous elemental mercury along the coast of Central and Southern California
Authors: Weiss‐Penzias P. S. , Williams E. J. , Lerner B. M. , Bates T. S. , Gaston C. , Prather K. , Vlasenko A. , Li S. M.
Published: November 2012

Gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) in the atmosphere was measured during an oceanographic cruise in coastal waters between San Diego and San Francisco, California during the CalNex 2010 campaign. The goal of the measurements was to quantify GEM in the various environments that the ship encountered, from urban outflow, the Port of Long Beach and associated shipping lanes, coastal waters affected by upwelling, the San Francisco Bay, and the Sacramento ship channel. Mean GEM for the whole cruise was 1.41 ± 0.20 ng m–3, indicating that background concentrations were predominantly observed. The ship's position was most often in waters off the coast of Los Angeles (74% of time with latitude < 34.3°N) and mean GEM for this section was not significantly (P > 0.05) higher than the whole cruise mean. South of 34.3°N, GEM was observed to vary diurnally and as a function of wind direction, displaying significantly higher concentrations at night and in the morning associated with general transport from the land to the sea. GEM and CO concentrations were positively correlated with a slope of 0.0011 ng m–3 ppbv–1 (1.23 × 10–7 mol mol–1) during periods identified as “Los Angeles urban outflow”, which given the inventoried CO emissions for the region, suggests a larger source of GEM than is accounted for by the inventory. The timing of the diel maximum in GEM (9:00 local time) was intermediate between the maxima of CO and NO2 (6:00) and that of NO and SO2 (10:00–12:00), suggesting that a mixture of urban and industrial sources were contributing to GEM. There was no observable postsunrise dip in GEM concentrations due to reaction with atomic chlorine in the polluted coastal atmosphere. On three occasions, significantly higher GEM concentrations were observed while in the Port of Long Beach (~ 7 ng m–3), and analyses of wind directions, ratios of GEM with other copollutants, and the composition of single particles, suggest that these plumes originated from the local waste incinerator in the Port area. A plume encounter from a large cargo ship allowed for the estimation of a mass‐based emission factor for GEM (0.05 ± 0.01 mg kg–1 fuel burned). GEM enhancements observed in the Carquinez Straits, were lower than expected based on the observed NOx/SO2 ratios in the plumes and emissions inventories of the nearest oil refineries. In a region north of Monterey Bay known for upwelling, GEM in the air was positively correlated with dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in seawater and in the air. Using the observed GEM/DMS(g) relationship and the calculated mean DMS ocean‐atmosphere flux for the cruise, an ocean‐atmosphere flux of GEM of 0.017 ± 0.009 µmol m–2 d–1 was estimated. This flux was on the upper end of previously reported GEM ocean‐atmosphere fluxes and should be verified with further measurements of Hg species in seawater and air.
Modeling the influence of changing storm patterns on the ability of a salt marsh to keep pace with sea level rise
Authors: Schuerch M. , Vafeidis A. , Slawig T. , Temmerman S.
Published: November 2012

Previous predictions on the ability of coastal salt marshes to adapt to future sea level rise (SLR) neglect the influence of changing storm activity that is expected in many regions of the world due to climate change. We present a new modeling approach to quantify this influence on the ability of salt marshes to survive projected SLR, namely, we investigate the separate influence of storm frequency and storm intensity. The model is applied to a salt marsh on the German island of Sylt and is run for a simulation period from 2010 to 2100 for a total of 13 storm scenarios and 48 SLR scenarios. The critical SLR rate for marsh survival, being the maximum rate at which the salt marsh survives until 2100, lies between 19 and 22 mm yr‐1. Model results indicate that an increase in storminess can increase the ability of the salt marsh to accrete with sea level rise by up to 3 mm yr‐1, if the increase in storminess is triggered by an increase in the number of storm events (storm frequency). Meanwhile, increasing storminess, triggered by an increase in the mean storm strength (storm intensity), is shown to increase the critical SLR rate for which the marsh survives until 2100 by up to 1 mm yr‐1 only. On the basis of our results, we suggest that the relative importance of storm intensity and storm frequency for marsh survival strongly depends on the availability of erodible fine‐grained material in the tidal area adjacent to the salt marsh.
Combined evaluation of MPI‐ESM land surface water and energy fluxes
Authors: Hagemann Stefan , Loew Alexander , Andersson A.
Published: November 2012

To assess the robustness of projected changes of the hydrological cycle simulated by an Earth system model (ESM), it is fundamental to validate the ESM and to characterize its major deficits. As the hydrological cycle is closely coupled to the energy cycle, a common large‐scale evaluation of these fundamental components of the Earth system is highly beneficial, even though this has been rarely done up to now. Consequently, the purpose of the present study is the combined evaluation of land surface water and energy fluxes from the newest ESM version of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI‐ESM), which was used to produce an ensemble of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) simulations. With regard to energy fluxes, we especially make use of recent satellite data sets. Additionally, MPI‐ESM results are compared with CMIP3 results from the predecessor of MPI‐ESM, ECHAM5/MPIOM, as well as to results from the atmosphere/land part of MPI‐ESM (ECHAM6/JSBACH) forced by observed sea surface temperature (SST). Analyses focus on regions where notable differences occur between the two ESM versions as well as between the fully coupled and the uncoupled SST‐driven simulations. In general, our results show a considerable improvement of MPI‐ESM in simulating surface shortwave radiation fluxes. The precipitation of the fully coupled simulations notably differs from those of the SST‐forced simulations over a few river catchments. Over the Amazon catchment, the coupling to the ocean leads to a large negative precipitation bias, while for the Ganges/Brahmaputra, the coupling significantly improves the simulated precipitation.
On the characterization of radar receivers for meteor‐head echoes studies
Authors: Galindo F. R. , Urbina J. , Chau J. L. , Dyrud L. , Milla M.
Published: November 2012

We report the role that the ambiguity function (AF) plays on the determination of signal to noise ratio (SNR) collected from meteor head echoes. Theoretical analysis shows that any measured meteor SNR exhibits temporal ripples whose shape is related to both the transmitted pulse envelope and the filter impulse response of the receiver. These theoretical findings are corroborated with (1) experimental meteor data recorded with Jicamarca 50 MHz radar (11.95° S, 76.87° W) and (2) simulated meteor data obtained by replicating the acquisition system of Jicamarca. A statistical analysis of the experimental meteor data reveals that at least 14% of the population collected each day at Jicamarca exhibits these ripples. On the remaining 86% of meteor events, the ripples cannot be distinguished due to noise, contamination from other sources of scattering (i.e., nonspecular echoes), and ensemble average applied to the data. In general, these ripples demonstrate the importance of obtaining an accurate model of a radar system to avoid misinterpretation of SNR.
Src controls tumorigenesis via JNK‐dependent regulation of the Hippo pathway in Drosophila
Authors: Enomoto Masato , Igaki Tatsushi
Published: November 2012

Cell–cell interactions within the tumour microenvironment have crucial roles in epithelial tumorigenesis. Using Drosophila genetics, we show that the oncoprotein Src controls tumour microenvironment by Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK)‐dependent regulation of the Hippo pathway. Clones of cells with elevated Src expression activate the Rac‐Diaphanous and Ras‐mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways, which cooperatively induce F‐actin accumulation, thereby leading to activation of the Hippo pathway effector Yorkie (Yki). Simultaneously, Src activates the JNK pathway, which antagonizes the autonomous Yki activity and causes propagation of Yki activity to neighbouring cells, resulting in the overgrowth of surrounding tissue. Our data provide a mechanism to explain how oncogenic mutations regulate tumour microenvironment through cell–cell communication.
Integrated Forest Biorefineries: Product-Based Economic Factors
Authors: Cooper Brian L. , London Jeffrey R. , Mellon Robert J. , Behrens Michael A.
Published: November 2012

Chemicals and fuels produced from at a biorefinery require complex operations and often specialized equipment, especially in those cases where a hybrid process includes both biochemical operations (utilizing the carbohydrate content of the feedstock) and thermochemical processes (utilizing the residue after some or all of the carbohydrate has been removed). Given that the products of the two types of operation are not entirely fungible, comparative studies on the optimal balance of products from a biorefinery can be difficult. Because biochemical processes normally require a particular feedstock (monomeric sugars in solution) while thermochemical processes are relatively feedstock insensitive, it stands to reason that an optimization of an integrated process that includes both types of operation is possible by examining the downstream effect of variations in early process parameters. The question is essentially, can yield sacrifices in feed preparation for biochemical operations be recouped by lower operational costs and/or higher-quality thermochemical products? Examining the output of a biorefinery in terms of relative difficulty in processing and subsequent level of operational cost in the design phase can aid in making decisions about process paths, and potentially make the case for more operational flexibility.
Lignin Recovery and Lignin-Based Products
Authors: Gellerstedt Göran , Tomani Per , Axegård Peter , Backlund Birgit
Published: November 2012

An overview is given of the recovery and use of wood lignin. Most of the lignin produced today is lignosulfonate from sulfite pulping processes. Lignin from the more common kraft pulping process is also becoming available due to new technology. Another industrial source is as a byproduct from wood-based ethanol production. Isolated lignin can be refined into high-quality biofuel or used as raw material for materials and chemicals. Today, the most common use of lignin is in applications as dispersing/emulsifying agents or as adhesives/binders. Possible future applications for polymeric lignin is carbon fiber, activated carbon, polyurethanes, adhesives and complexing agents. The lignin macromolecule can also be depolymerized into phenolic monomers for the production of phenols or other aromatic compounds.
Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) in salivary glands of the rat: origin, and secretory and vascular effects
Authors: MIRFENDERESKI S. , TOBIN G. , HAKANSON R. , JEKSTRÖM J.
Published: November 2012

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP)‐38. injected Lv. to the anaesthetized rat. evoked secretion of saliva from the three major salivary glands. the submandibular glands responding with the greatest and the sublingual glands with the smallest volumes. The parotid saliva was rich in amylase and protein. In vitro. pieces of parotid and submandibular gland tissues released K+ and protein in response to PACAP‐38. with atropine and adrenoceptor antagonists present. The blood flow in the submandibular gland increased in response to PACAP‐38. despite a marked fall in mean aortic blood pressure. PACAP is a vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)‐like neuropeptide. A comparison between the two peptides showed PACAP‐38 to be more effective than VIP with respect to vascular responses and less or equi‐effective with VIP with respect to the secretory responses. thus suggesting the involvement of PACAP type I and type II receptors. respectively PACAP‐38 and ‐27 were present in the parotid gland as judged by radioimmunoassay. the concentration of the former being about twice that of the latter. Parasympathetic denervation. by cutting the auricula‐temporal nerve. reduced the total parotid gland contents of PACAP‐38 and ‐27 by 23 and 44%. respectively (compared with a previously demonstrated 95% reduction of VIP). Sympathetic de nervation. section of the facial nerve or treatment with the sensory neurotoxin capsaicin did not affect the content of PACAP. The difference in efficacy between PACAP and VIP in the vascular and secretory responses as well as the difference in localization suggest that the two peptides play different physiological roles in the salivary glands.
The capillarity of the subendocardium of left ventricle in rats reared at a low temperature for many generations
Authors: GAO M. , BATRA S. , KOYAMA T. , YAHAT T. , KUROSHIMA A.
Published: November 2012

The cardiac capillarity in adult rats reared at 5°C for 68 generations was studied with a double staining method for alkaline phosphatase and dipeptidylpeptidase IV. Capillary density. proportions of arteriolar. intermediate and venular capillary portions and capillary domain area were measured in the left ventricular wall. Compared with the control rats which had been brought back from the low temperature at the 12th generation and reared at 25°C since then. the heart and the cardiac cells were hypertrophied. total capillary density increased and the capillary domain areas were reduced along the capillary path from the arteriolar to venular capillary portions. The number of the venular capillary portions showed no significant change but the arteriolar and intermediate capillary portions significantly increased. All these changes suggest that the cardiac capillary network was better developed in the cold‐reared rats than in control rats. In the cold‐adapted rats the hypertrophic changes in cardiac cells are thus accompanied by improvements in the oxygen delivery capacity. This adaptation provides a basis for the maintenance of increased thermogenesis in many organs. The changes cannot be established by several weeks exposure to low temperature. but only after rats have been bred in a cold room for generations. Keywords capillarity. capillary
Anatomical characterisation of the foliar colleters in Myrtoideae (Myrtaceae)
Authors: da Silva Cleber J. , Barbosa Luiz Cláudio de A. , Marques Ana E. , Baracat-Pereira Maria Cristina , Pinheiro Antônio L. , Meira Renata M. S. A.
Published: November 2012

Colleters are secretory structures that occur in vegetative or reproductive shoot apices of many botanical families. However, in the order Myrtales, reports of colleters have considered only external morphology. We therefore evaluated apical meristems of 52 species belonging to 17 genera from seven tribes of subfamily Myrtoideae (Myrtaceae), so as to analyse the incidence and morphological types of colleters. The samples were fixed for light and scanning electron microscopy. Histochemical tests were carried out on fresh and methacrylate-embedded material. Proteins of the colleter secretions were analysed by SDS-PAGE. We have classified and described the following three new colleter types: petaloid, conic and euryform. None of the species contained all three colleter types. The petaloid colleters were present in three tribes (Syzygieae, Melaleuceae and Lophostemoneae). The conic colleters were observed in three tribes (Leptospermeae, Myrteae and Melaleuceae) and the euryform type occurred in five tribes (Leptospermeae, Syncarpieae, Myrteae, Syzygieae and Melaleuceae). In the tribe Eucalypteae, we found no evidence of colleters. The presence of mucilaginous secretion that defines colleters was confirmed by histochemical tests, and no proteins were found in the secretion. The colleters in Myrtoideae may help clarify the phylogenetic relationships of the Myrtaceae family.
Effects of seed vernalisation and photoperiod on flowering induction in the halophyte Thellungiella halophila
Authors: Guo Yuhua , Wang Dian , Jia Wenjuan , Song Jie , Yang Jianchao , Wang Baoshan
Published: November 2012

Salt cress, Thellungiella halophila, is a late-flowering, halophytic plant that requires a prolonged period of vernalisation to flower. This poorly defined vernalisation requirement restricts the use of T. halophila as a model plant for the study of salt-stress tolerance. To facilitate research on T. halophila, the present study quantified the effects of seed vernalisation and photoperiod on its flowering. Imbibed seeds of T. halophila responded to a cold treatment (4°C), and flowering was optimal after 30 days of seed vernalisation. A longer vernalisation period shortened the time until the first flower appeared, increased the number of flowers and reduced expression of ThFLC (a repressor of flowering). Plants growing from seed that had been vernalised for 30 days did not flower when daylength was <9 h, and daylengths >9 h promoted flowering. Therefore, like for many plants in this clade of the Brassicaceae, vernalisation requirement and long-day response are features of T. halophila. These results will facilitate the use T. halophila as a model plant for the study of abiotic stress.
Gene expression changes governing extreme dehydration tolerance in an Antarctic insect
Authors: Teets Nicholas M. , Peyton Justin T. , Colinet Herve , Renault David , Kelley Joanna L. , Kawarasaki Yuta , Lee Richard E. , Denlinger David L.
Published: November 2012

Among terrestrial organisms, arthropods are especially susceptible to dehydration, given their small body size and high surface area to volume ratio. This challenge is particularly acute for polar arthropods that face near-constant desiccating conditions, as water is frozen and thus unavailable for much of the year. The molecular mechanisms that govern extreme dehydration tolerance in insects remain largely undefined. In this study, we used RNA sequencing to quantify transcriptional mechanisms of extreme dehydration tolerance in the Antarctic midge,Belgica antarctica,the world’s southernmost insect and only insect endemic to Antarctica. Larvae ofB. antarcticaare remarkably tolerant of dehydration, surviving losses up to 70% of their body water. Gene expression changes in response to dehydration indicated up-regulation of cellular recycling pathways including the ubiquitin-mediated proteasome and autophagy, with concurrent down-regulation of genes involved in general metabolism and ATP production. Metabolomics results revealed shifts in metabolite pools that correlated closely with changes in gene expression, indicating that coordinated changes in gene expression and metabolism are a critical component of the dehydration response. Finally, using comparative genomics, we compared our gene expression results with a transcriptomic dataset for the Arctic collembolan,Megaphorura arctica.AlthoughB. antarcticaandM. arcticaare adapted to similar environments, our analysis indicated very little overlap in expression profiles between these two arthropods. Whereas several orthologous genes showed similar expression patterns, transcriptional changes were largely species specific, indicating these polar arthropods have developed distinct transcriptional mechanisms to cope with similar desiccating conditions.
Centromere retention and loss during the descent of maize from a tetraploid ancestor
Authors: Wang Hao , Bennetzen Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2012

Although centromere function is highly conserved in eukaryotes, centromere sequences are highly variable. Only a few centromeres have been sequenced in higher eukaryotes because of their repetitive nature, thus hindering study of their structure and evolution. Conserved single-copy sequences in pericentromeres (CSCPs) of sorghum and maize were found to be diagnostic characteristics of adjacent centromeres. By analyzing comparative map data and CSCP sequences of sorghum, maize, and rice, the major evolutionary events related to centromere dynamics were discovered for the maize lineage after its divergence from a common ancestor with sorghum. (
i
) Remnants of ancient CSCP regions were found for the 10 lost ancestral centromeres, indicating that two ancient homeologous chromosome pairs did not contribute any centromeres to the current maize genome, whereas two other pairs contributed both of their centromeres. (
ii
) Five cases of long-distance, intrachromosome movement of CSCPs were detected in the retained centromeres, with inversion the major process involved. (
iii
) The 12 major chromosomal rearrangements that led to maize chromosome number reduction from 20 to 10 were uncovered. (
iv
) In addition to whole chromosome insertion near (but not always into) other centromeres, translocation and fusion were found to be important mechanisms underlying grass chromosome number reduction. (
v
) Comparison of chromosome structures confirms the polyploid event that led to the tetraploid ancestor of modern maize.
A look into the ballot box: Gaze following conveys information about implicit attitudes toward politicians
Authors: Liuzza MarcoTullio , Vecchione Michele , Dentale Francesco , Crostella Filippo , Barbaranelli Claudio , Caprara GianVittorio , Aglioti SalvatoreMaria
Published: November 2012

Although considered a predominantly automatic social behaviour, gaze following (GF) is sensitive to complex social factors like political affiliation and ideology. The present study aimed to determine whether the differential proneness to in-group leaders' gaze is related to attitudes towards politicians as measured by other implicit procedures. A GF paradigm was used to test the extent to which electors were prone to gaze following when attending to two female candidates who competed for the position of governor in an Italian election campaign. Results showed that GF significantly predicts voting intentions. Also, it was found that GF is significantly and positively correlated with the Implicit Association Test (IAT). Hierarchical multiple regression models illustrated that GF and IAT uniquely predict voting intentions, accounting for a substantial proportion of variance. Thus GF and IAT, even though significantly related, seem to account for different aspects of the attitudes towards candidates. A multivariate regression model showed that, while IAT scores are predicted by explicit emotions toward the candidate, GF is predicted by the candidates' perceived influence within their political coalition.
Synchronous combined effects of fishing and climate within a demersal community
Authors: Quetglas Antoni , Ordines Francesc , Hidalgo Manuel , Monserrat Sebastià , Ruiz Susana , Amores Ángel , Moranta Joan , Massutí Enric
Published: November 2012

Quetglas, A., Ordines, F., Hidalgo, M., Monserrat, S., Ruiz, S., Amores, Á., Moranta, J., and Massutí, E. 2013. Synchronous combined effects of fishing and climate within a demersal community. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 319–328. Accumulating evidence shows that fishing exploitation and environmental variables can synergistically affect the population dynamics of exploited populations. Here, we document an interaction between fishing impact and climate variability that triggered a synchronic response in the population fluctuations of six exploited species in the Mediterranean from 1965–2008. Throughout this period, the fishing activity experienced a sharp increase in fishing effort, which caused all stocks to shift from an early period of underexploitation to a later period of overexploitation. This change altered the population resilience of the stocks and brought about an increase in the sensitivity of its dynamics to climate variability. Landings increased exponentially when underexploited but displayed an oscillatory behaviour once overexploited. Climatic indices, related to the Mediterranean mesoscale hydrography and large-scale north Atlantic climatic variability, seemed to affect the species with broader age structure and longer lifespan, while the global-scale El Niño Southern Oscillation index (ENSO) positively influenced the population abundances of species with a narrow age structure and short lifespan. The species affected by ENSO preferentially inhabit the continental shelf, suggesting that Mediterranean shelf ecosystems are sensitive to the hydroclimatic variability linked to global climate.
Do Labour Laws Protect Labour in India? Union Experiences of Workplace Employment Regulations in Maharashtra, India
Authors: Badigannavar Vidu , Kelly John
Published: November 2012

The debate over labour market regulations in India is highly polarised. Advocates of labour market deregulation suggest that the labour law framework in the country confers disproportionate powers on workers and trade unions in the formal sector of the economy, resulting in industrial conflicts and poor productivity. Using workplace union survey data from the state of Maharashtra, this paper examines the veracity of these claims. Maharashtra is recognised as a state with a broadly pro-worker labour law framework. We find that even pro-worker labour laws at best offer only weak protection to workers and unions in the formal sector establishments. Unions find themselves increasingly vulnerable to employer hostility. We discuss these findings in the context of the role of state and judiciary in employment relations and of union links with political parties.
Simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type I alters the proviral load and biodistribution of simian retrovirus type 2 in co-infected macaques, supporting advancement of immunosuppressive pathology
Authors: Mitchell Jane L. , Hood Simon , Mee Edward T. , Wigglesworth Erin , Sethi Meera , Auda Ghazi , Almond Neil M. , Rose Nicola J.
Published: November 2012

The infection dynamics and pathology of a retrovirus may be altered by one or more additional viruses. To investigate this further, this study characterized proviral load, biodistribution and the immune response in Macaca fascicularis naturally infected with combinations of simian retrovirus type 2 (SRV-2) and simian T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (STLV-I). As the mesenteric lymph node (MLN) and the spleen have been implicated previously in response to retroviral infection, the morphology and immunopathology of these tissues were assessed. The data revealed a significant change in SRV-2 biodistribution in macaques infected with STLV-I. Pathological changes were greater in the MLN and spleen of STLV-I-infected and co-infected macaques compared with the other groups. Immune-cell populations in co-infected macaque spleens were increased and there was an atypical distribution of B-cells. These findings suggest that the infection dynamics of each virus in a co-infected individual may be affected to a different extent and that STLV-I appears to be responsible for enhancing the biodistribution and associated pathological changes in SRV-2 in macaques.
DANPOS: Dynamic analysis of nucleosome position and occupancy by sequencing
Authors: Chen Kaifu , Xi Yuanxin , Pan Xuewen , Li Zhaoyu , Kaestner Klaus , Tyler Jessica , Dent Sharon , He Xiangwei , Li Wei
Published: November 2012

Recent developments in next-generation sequencing have enabled whole-genome profiling of nucleosome organizations. Although several algorithms for inferring nucleosome position from a single experimental condition have been available, it remains a challenge to accurately define dynamic nucleosomes associated with environmental changes. Here, we report a comprehensive bioinformatics pipeline, DANPOS, explicitly designed for dynamic nucleosome analysis at single-nucleotide resolution. Using both simulated and real nucleosome data, we demonstrated that bias correction in preliminary data processing and optimal statistical testing significantly enhances the functional interpretation of dynamic nucleosomes. The single-nucleotide resolution analysis of DANPOS allows us to detect all three categories of nucleosome dynamics, such as position shift, fuzziness change, and occupancy change, using a uniform statistical framework. Pathway analysis indicates that each category is involved in distinct biological functions. We also analyzed the influence of sequencing depth and suggest that even 200-fold coverage is probably not enough to identify all the dynamic nucleosomes. Finally, based on nucleosome data from the human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), we demonstrated that DANPOS is also robust in defining functional dynamic nucleosomes, not only in promoters, but also in distal regulatory regions in the mammalian genome.
An RNA-Seq Transcriptome Analysis of Orthophosphate-Deficient White Lupin Reveals Novel Insights into Phosphorus Acclimation in Plants
Authors: O’Rourke Jamie A. , Yang S. Samuel , Miller Susan S. , Bucciarelli Bruna , Liu Junqi , Rydeen Ariel , Bozsoki Zoltan , Uhde-Stone Claudia , Tu Zheng Jin , Allan Deborah , Gronwald John W. , Vance Carroll P.
Published: November 2012

Phosphorus, in its orthophosphate form (Pi), is one of the most limiting macronutrients in soils for plant growth and development. However, the whole-genome molecular mechanisms contributing to plant acclimation to Pi deficiency remain largely unknown. White lupin (Lupinus albus) has evolved unique adaptations for growth in Pi-deficient soils, including the development of cluster roots to increase root surface area. In this study, we utilized RNA-Seq technology to assess global gene expression in white lupin cluster roots, normal roots, and leaves in response to Pi supply. We de novo assembled 277,224,180 Illumina reads from 12 complementary DNA libraries to build what is to our knowledge the first white lupin gene index (LAGI 1.0). This index contains 125,821 unique sequences with an average length of 1,155 bp. Of these sequences, 50,734 were transcriptionally active (reads per kilobase per million reads ≥ 3), representing approximately 7.8% of the white lupin genome, using the predicted genome size of Lupinus angustifolius as a reference. We identified a total of 2,128 sequences differentially expressed in response to Pi deficiency with a 2-fold or greater change and P ≤ 0.05. Twelve sequences were consistently differentially expressed due to Pi deficiency stress in three species, Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and white lupin, making them ideal candidates to monitor the Pi status of plants. Additionally, classic physiological experiments were coupled with RNA-Seq data to examine the role of cytokinin and gibberellic acid in Pi deficiency-induced cluster root development. This global gene expression analysis provides new insights into the biochemical and molecular mechanisms involved in the acclimation to Pi deficiency.
A functional comparative approach to facilitation and its context dependence
Authors: Butterfield Bradley J. , Callaway Ragan M.
Published: November 2012

Our ability to generalize about broad patterns and outcomes of competitive interactions among plants has improved from a better understanding of functional traits. Facilitative interactions among plants also exhibit strong trait‐based patterns; however, very little empirical research has addressed the trait basis of different facilitative mechanisms or the applicability of traditionally defined functional strategies to facilitation.

We present a series of predictions regarding the trait basis of a variety of facilitative mechanisms based on empirical patterns of trait responses to environmental filters and knowledge of plant–environment feedbacks.

Using a leaf‐height‐seed framework to predict plant responses to facilitative effects of neighbours, we identify two categories of facilitative mechanisms based on similar predicted responses of specific leaf area (SLA), height and seed size: (i) facilitation of low‐SLA, large‐seeded and tall plants in environments typified by periodically unfavourable conditions; and (ii) facilitation of high‐SLA, small‐seeded and tall plants in persistently severe environments. We suggest that facilitation related to herbivory will be idiosyncratic with respect to these functional traits.

Competition for limiting resources is predicted to reinforce trait‐based responses to facilitation in periodically severe environments, particularly under light competition, but to offset facilitative effects to some degree in persistently severe environments. Thus, biotic interactions may have stronger consequences for shifts in trait distributions in environments typified by disturbance, pulsed soil moisture and short growing seasons limited by low temperatures.

Facilitative effects, in addition to facilitative responses, may also be regulated by functional traits, but there is much less empirical evidence for links between functional traits and ameliorative effects on the environment. However, we predict that leaf area index or other integrative traits related to canopy density are likely to be important effect traits for most facilitative mechanisms and should be integrated into more trait‐screening programs.

Based on the exceptional contribution that trait‐based approaches have made for understanding other interactions, we suggest that taking a functional comparative approach to facilitation is an opportunity to improve our ability to identify general patterns and consequences of positive interactions.
Are prenatal, obstetric, and infant complications associated with postpartum psychosis among women with pre‐conception psychiatric hospitalisations?
Authors: Hellerstedt WL , Phelan SM , Cnattingius S , Hultman CM , Harlow BL
Published: November 2012

Objective

To examine the associations of maternal and infant complications with postpartum hospitalisation for psychosis in women with a pre‐conception history of psychiatric hospitalisation.

Design

Population‐based study.

Setting

Swedish medical birth register.

Population

Primiparous women who gave birth between 1 January 1987 and 31 December 2001, and who had a pre‐conception history of psychiatric hospitalisation but who were not hospitalised during pregnancy (n = 1842).

Methods

International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes were used to identify prenatal, obstetric, postpartum maternal complications, and newborn health conditions. We used multivariable logistic regression to describe the associations between maternal and infant health conditions and the odds for postpartum hospitalisation for psychosis.

Main outcome measure

Psychiatric hospitalisation within 90 days of delivery.

Results

Compared with women who did not have a postpartum psychiatric hospitalisation, hospitalised women were at 2.3 times higher odds (95% CI 1.0–4.9) of having non‐psychiatric puerperium complications (e.g. infection, lactation problems or venous complications). No other maternal complications were associated with postpartum psychiatric hospitalisation. Although their infants were at no higher odds for health complications, the offspring of women who had a postpartum psychiatric hospitalisation were at 4.1 times higher odds (95% CI 1.3–12.6) of death within the first 365 days of life than those of women who were not hospitalised.

Conclusions

We found no prenatal indicators of postpartum risk for psychiatric hospitalisation among high‐risk women, but they had higher odds of postpartum pregnancy‐related medical problems and, rarely, offspring death.
Non‐obstetric vulval trauma
Authors: Jones Ian SC , O'Connor Alan
Published: November 2012

Objective

To describe the mechanism, injury pattern and management of women who present to the ED with non‐obstetric vulval trauma.

Methods

A retrospective, single‐institution case series was carried out. Data were sourced from medical records of women who presented to the ED and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital between 2007 and 2011. Records of possible injuries to the vulva were assessed to determine incidence, age, site, type of injury, mechanism of injury and whether urinary retention required treatment. This information was analysed using the computer software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 11.0.

Results

Vulval non‐obstetric trauma was found in 19 of 519 cases, resulting in haematoma formation, lacerations, tears or a combination of the three in 16 of the 19 cases. Injuries were due to falling astride a firm object, consensual coitus, sexual assault, cold waxing and tight clothing. Urinary retention occurred in three cases. Site of injury, whether anterior or posterior, was evenly distributed irrespective of the mechanism of injury. Haematomas were treated conservatively and bleeding lacerations sutured. None required resuscitation.

Conclusions

Non‐obstetric vulval injuries are uncommon (incidence 3.7%). All cases require assessment for vaginal, urethral, anal and bony pelvis injuries. This might require examination under anaesthesia. Conservative management of haematomas in the absence of acute haematoma expansion is favoured. The need to screen for sexually transmissible infections and pregnancy is important. Social worker and psychological support is important to reduce the incidence of long‐term psychological problems.
Classification and regression tree analysis of patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer treated with gefitinib after chemotherapy
Authors: Sun Hongyan , Guo Jingfeng , Liu Yutao , Wang Ziping
Published: November 2012

Background

Many randomized studies have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR‐) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are apparently advantageous over standard chemotherapy in non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with EGFR active mutation in front‐line treatment. But which subgroup of advanced NSCLC could benefit from EGFR‐TKIs in the second‐or third‐line setting remains elusive. To explore predictive factors of advanced NSCLC patients with the unknown status of EGFR mutation treated by gefitinib in the second‐or third‐line setting, we used classification and regression tree (CART) analysis to screen which patients would benefit more.

Methods

One hundred and fifty‐five patients with advanced NSCLC previously unsuccessfully treated with platinum‐based chemotherapy were included in this study. Patients received gefitinib as part of the Expanded Access Program of the China Charity Federation between 2 March 2005 and 11 May 2011. Multivariate analysis of progression‐free survival (PFS) was performed using CART analysis. This method uses recursive partitioning to assess the effect of specific variables on PFS, thereby ultimately generating groups of patients with similar clinical features on PFS.

Results

The median PFS in patients with NSCLC who were treated with gefitinib after prior chemotherapy was 16 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 13.44–18.56). CART was performed with an initial split on adenocarcinoma differentiation, and four terminal subgroups were formed. The median PFS of the four subsets ranged from 12 to 42 months.

Conclusions

Adenocarcinoma differentiation, brain metastasis and prior thoracic radiotherapy are predictors of PFS in previously treated NSCLC patients. CART can be used to identify homogeneous patient populations in clinical practice and future clinical trials.
Dosage finding for low‐dose spinal anaesthesia using hyperbaric prilocaine in patients undergoing perianal outpatient surgery
Authors: GEBHARDT V. , HEROLD A. , WEISS C. , SAMAKAS A. , SCHMITTNER M. D.
Published: November 2012

Background

Hyperbaric prilocaine 20 mg/ml may be preferable for perianal outpatient surgery. The aim of this prospective, single‐centre, randomised, single‐blinded, controlled clinical trial was to determine the optimal dosage of hyperbaric prilocaine 20 mg/ml for a spinal anaesthesia (SPA) in patients undergoing perianal outpatient surgery.

Methods

One hundred and twenty patients (18–80 years/American Society of Anesthesiologists grade I–III) were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomised to receive 10, 20 or 30 mg of prilocaine for SPA. We measured expansion of the sensory and motor block, evaluated times to walk, void and being eligible for discharge, and determined the demand of analgesics.

Results

116/120 patients were available for analysis. The expansion of the sensory block gained with an increasing dosage: 10 mg: 3(1–6) dermatomes; 20 mg: 4(2–6) dermatomes; 30 mg: 5(3–7) dermatomes (P < 0.0001). Dermatomes were counted upwards beginning with S5. Also, the motor block gained with an increased dosage (Bromage score 1–3: 10 mg: n = 3, 20 mg: n = 8 and 30 mg: n = 18, P = 0.0002). Patients receiving 10 mg were ready for discharge earlier compared with both other groups (10 mg: 199 ± 39 min; 20 mg: 219 ± 47 min; 30 mg: 229 ± 32 min, P = 0.0039). Pain occurred earlier in the 10 mg group than in the 30 mg group (10 mg: 168 ± 36 min; 30 mg: 205 ± 33 min, P = 0.0427). The demand of additional analgesics was comparable in all dosage groups.

Conclusion

Hyperbaric prilocaine 20 mg/ml can be applied in dosages of 10, 20 and 30 mg for SPA in perianal surgery. Because of sufficient analgesia, missing motor block and shorter recovery times, 10 mg of hyperbaric prilocaine 20 mg/ml can be recommended for perianal outpatient surgery.
Did Rubens' Delilah have Mondor's disease?
Authors: King Burton , Shortis Amy , King Ashleigh‐Jean
Published: November 2012

Background

Rubens was a master of European Baroque painting and a practitioner of realism. A female model for his paintings of Samson and Delilah and the Three Graces has apparent right‐sided breast abnormalities.

Method and Results

Examination of the images shows persistent changes. The clinical scenario suggests Mondor's disease, possibly related to rheumatoid arthritis or chronic infection.

Discussion

Visible breast changes such as distortion, skin retraction and nipple deviation warrant concern and require investigation.
Body mass index, perceived and actual physical competence: the relationship among young children
Authors: Spessato B. C. , Gabbard C. , Robinson L. , Valentini N. C.
Published: November 2012

Background

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between perceived physical competence (PPC), actual motor competence (MC) and body mass index (BMI) in young children.

Methods

We assessed MC (Test of Gross Motor Development – 2nd Edition), PPC (Pictorial Scale of Perceived Competence and Social Acceptance) and BMI (CDC calculator) of 178 young children ages 4–7 years.

Results

The linear regression model for the overall sample showed that BMI was a better predictor of PPC than MC. Also, obese children had lower PPC, but showed no differences in MC compared with leaner peers.

Conclusions

PPC of young obese children was lower than their leaner counterparts, yet their MC was similar. That outcome draws attention to the importance of promoting positive PPC in young children.
Respect for autonomy in the healthcare context: observations from a qualitative study of young adults with cerebral palsy
Authors: Racine E. , Larivière‐Bastien D. , Bell E. , Majnemer A. , Shevell M.
Published: November 2012

Background

Respect for patient autonomy is a cornerstone of contemporary medical ethics and clinical practice. In its different shapes and forms (e.g. being informed, being engaged in discussions and decisions about medical care and being supported in developing healthcare preferences and choices), patient autonomy has been fostered by both paediatric and adult professional societies. The transition from paediatric to adult care creates a complex situation where autonomy for medical decisions shifts to the developing adolescent. More specific challenges to respect for autonomy may be experienced by young adults with cerebral palsy in the transition period where, for example, language and motor impairments may affect communication skills and this may be conflated with cognitive disability.

Aim

To characterize perspectives towards autonomy in the healthcare context for young adults with cerebral palsy.

Method

We carried out semi‐structured interviews with 14 young adults (aged 18–25) with cerebral palsy. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a conventional thematic qualitative content analysis.

Results

Participants displayed a range of attitudes towards autonomy, suggesting that the value of autonomy is considered in light of competing values and of context. Testimonials from participants demonstrated that both contextual (e.g. ill‐adapted health care, lack of specialized public transport) and relational (e.g. attitudes towards parental involvement in decision making) factors negatively or positively impact autonomy.

Conclusion

We observed that there were four key elements interwoven in participants' characterization of autonomy: the coupling of decisional and physical autonomy, the influences of family and society on autonomy, the influence of healthcare professionals on autonomy and the need for preparation for autonomy.
Encapsulation of textile dyes and textile auxiliary agents into liposome systems and their use for polyamide dyeing
Authors: Prichystal Petr , Burgert Ladislav , Hrdina Radim , Purev Nasanjargal , Cerny Michal
Published: November 2012

The aim of this study was verification of the effect on the dyeing process of using microencapsulated forms of textile dyes and a textile auxiliary agent. Anionic dyes and ammonium sulphate were microencapsulated into the liposomic systems. Prepared liposomes were used for the dyeing of polyamide knitted goods. The ability of these microencapsulated forms to improve the uniformity of polyamide knitted goods dyeing was confirmed. This finding could be applied to the dyeing of polyamide substrates on an industrial scale, especially as the described process of microencapsulation is straightforward and could be performed in an industrial environment.
The cost of providing primary health‐care services from a needle and syringe program: A case study
Authors: Islam M. Mofizul , Shanahan Marian , Topp Libby , Conigrave Katherine M. , White Ann , Day Carolyn A.
Published: November 2012

Introduction and Aims

Targeted primary health‐care services for injecting drug users have been established in several countries to reduce barriers to health care, subsequent poor health outcomes and the considerable costs of emergency treatment. The long‐term sustainability of such services depends on the resources required and the coverage provided. This study assesses the additional cost required to operate a nurse‐led primary health care in an existing needle syringe program setting, estimates the costs per occasion of service and identifies key factors influencing improved service utilisation.

Design and Methods

Using standard costing methods and the funder perspective, this study estimates costs using the ‘ingredients’ approach where the costs of inputs are based on quantities and unit prices (the ingredients).

Results

During the 2009–2010 fiscal year, the primary health‐care clinic provided 1252 occasions of service to 220 individuals, who each made an average of 3.9 presentations. A total cost ofAU$250 626 was incurred, 69% of which was for personnel and 22% for pathology. During the study period the average cost per occasion of service wasAU$199.96, which could be as low asAU$93.32 if the clinic reached its full utilisation level.

Discussion and Conclusions

Although the average number of presentations per client was satisfactory, the clinic was underutilised during the study period. Proactive engagement of clients at the needle syringe program shopfront and an increased range of services offered by the clinic may help to attract more clients.