bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Managing Weather Risks: The Case of J. League Soccer Teams in Japan
Authors: Ito Haruyoshi , Ai Jing , Ozawa Akihiko
Published: March 2015

Weather‐related risks present significant concerns for businesses worldwide. This article studies the impact weather conditions have on the financial performance of sports teams and proposes a hedging mechanism to manage the exposure. We analyze a unique game attendance data set supplied by the Japanese premier soccer association, J. League. Our analysis shows that precipitation has a significantly adverse impact on game attendance and team profits. We then design a hedging mechanism for this risk exposure and examine its contribution to the corporate value of the teams. In particular, we use the Wang transform model to incorporate the decision makers' risk preferences in the evaluation of the weather derivatives, where the risk aversion parameters are obtained from a survey of J. League managers. We find that the proposed weather derivatives contribute significantly to team value. Our analysis and results provide insights for weather risk management for sports teams in the international markets.
Effect of Inoculum Density on Verticillium Wilt Incidence in Commercial Olive Orchards
Authors: Roca Luis Fernando , Moral Juan , Trapero Carlos , Blanco‐López Miguel Ángel , López‐Escudero Francisco J.
Published: March 2015

Verticillium wilt, caused by Verticillium dahliae Kleb., is presently the most destructive disease of olive, particularly in Andalucía (southern Spain). ‘Picual’ and ‘Arbequina’ are the dominant cultivars being planted in Spain. Both cultivars are highly susceptible to the defoliating pathotype of V. dahliae when artificially inoculated by root‐dipping or stem injection. Conversely, ‘Arbequina’ is considered more resistant than ‘Picual’ based on field observations and farmer's experience. In this study, the differential reaction between of cultivars was confirmed by surveys of naturally infested orchards with different inoculum densities of the pathogen. The average percentage of affected olive trees of ‘Picual’ was 60.2%, while only 13.1% of trees of ‘Arbequina’ showed disease symptoms. Overall, the pathogen caused extensive wilting of branches and defoliation on the trees of ‘Picual’, whereas ‘Arbequina’‐infected trees showed chlorotic symptoms and slight defoliation. The relationship between inoculum density and disease incidence fit a logarithmic function for both cultivars. The percentage of affected trees of ‘Arbequina’ per year increased linearly (y = 0.3559x, R2 = 0.5652, and P = 0.0195) with the inoculum density in the soil, whereas this relationship was not observed for the ‘Picual’. Planting density had no effect on disease incidence for any of the two cultivars.
Polysaccharide fraction isolated from P
assiflora edulis inhibits the inflammatory response and the oxidative stress in mice
Authors: Silva Renan O , Damasceno Samara R B , Brito Tarcísio V , Dias Jordana M , Fontenele Amanda M , Braúna Isabela S , Júnior José S C , Maciel Jeanny S , de Paula Regina C M , Ribeiro Ronaldo A , Souza Marcellus H L P , Freitas Ana L P , Medeiros Jand-Venes R , Silva Draulio C , Barbosa André L R
Published: March 2015

Objectives

The aim of the study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antinociceptive actions of PFPe, a polysaccharide fraction isolated from the dried fruit of the Passiflora edulis.

Methods

Animals were pretreated with PFPe (0.3, 1 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) 1 h before induction of paw oedema by carrageenan, histamine, serotonin, compound 48/80 or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Neutrophil migration and vascular permeability were measured after carrageenan injection into the peritoneum, and the action of the PFPe on the tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), myeloperoxidase (MPO), glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels was also evaluated. To assay nociception, we examined acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced paw licking and response latency in the hot plate test.

Key findings

Pretreatment with PFPe significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced paw oedema. PFPe also reduced paw oedema induced by compound 48/80, histamine, serotonin, and PGE2 and compound 48/80-induced vascular permeability. In addition, PFPe significantly reduced the MPO activity, MDA and GSH concentrations, and IL-1β level. In the nociception tests, PFPe reduced acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced paw licking and did not increase the response latency time.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that PFPe administration reduces the inflammatory response by modulation of the liberation or synthesis of histamine and serotonin, by reduction of neutrophil migration, IL-1β levels, and oxidative stress and nociception.
Effects of bergamot essential oil and its extractive fractions on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cell growth
Authors: Navarra Michele , Ferlazzo Nadia , Cirmi Santa , Trapasso Elena , Bramanti Placido , Lombardo Giovanni Enrico , Minciullo Paola Lucia , Calapai Gioacchino , Gangemi Sebastiano
Published: March 2015

Objectives

The goals were to investigate the mechanisms underlying the antiproliferative effects of bergamot essential oil (BEO) and to identify the compounds mainly responsible for its SH-SY5Y cells growth rate inhibition.

Methods

Five BEO extractive fractions (BEOs) differing in their chemical composition were used. Cell proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and cell count assays. Trypan blue exclusion test and Annexin V/PI staining were performed to assess their cytotoxic activity. Genotoxicity was detected by comet assay. The cell cycle was checked cytofluorimetrically. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and Δψm were measured fluorimetrically. Western blotting analyses for some apoptosis-related proteins were carried out.

Key findings

Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with some types of BEOs decreased cell growth rate by a mechanism correlated to both apoptotic and necrotic cell death. Coloured BEOs act by increasing ROS generation, responsible for the drop in Δψm, and modulate p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK ½) mitogen-activated protein kinases, p53, Bcl-2 and Bax signalling pathways. Finally, we identify bergamottin and 5-geranyloxy-7-methoxycoumarin as the bioactive molecules that could play a pivotal role in the antiproliferative effects exerted by coloured BEOs.

Conclusions

Our study provides novel insights into the field of the antiproliferative effects of BEO, which could be exploited in the context of a multitarget pharmacological strategy.
The Rural Obstetric Workforce in US Hospitals: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Kozhimannil Katy B. , Casey Michelle M. , Hung Peiyin , Han Xinxin , Prasad Shailendra , Moscovice Ira S.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to describe the types and combinations of clinicians who are delivering babies in rural hospitals, their employment status, the relationship between hospital birth volume and staffing models, and the staffing challenges faced by rural hospitals.

Methods

We conducted a telephone survey of 306 rural hospitals in 9 states: Colorado, Iowa, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin, from November 2013 to March 2014 to assess their obstetric workforce. Bivariate associations between hospitals’ annual birth volume and obstetric workforce characteristics were examined, as well as qualitative analysis of workforce changes and staffing challenges.

Findings

Hospitals with lower birth volume (<240 births per year) are more likely to have family physicians and general surgeons attending deliveries, while those with a higher birth volume more frequently have obstetricians and midwives attending deliveries. Reported staffing challenges include scheduling, training, census fluctuation, recruitment and retention, and intrahospital relationships.

Conclusions

Individual hospitals working in isolation may struggle to address staffing challenges. Federal and state policy makers, regional collaboratives, and health care delivery systems can facilitate solutions through programs such as telehealth, simulation training, and interprofessional education.
Understanding the key mechanisms that govern climber/hemiepiphyte responses to a hurricane
Authors: Schnitzler Annik , Arnold Claire , Walter Jean‐Michel
Published: March 2015

Question

In dense tropical forests, climbers and hemiepiphytes depend on the quantity and quality of direct light more than other plant life forms. What are their responses with respect to quantitative changes of canopy structure and light regime after a hurricane? Here, we study their contribution to closure of the canopy and changes in light regime, with the help of hemispherical photography. Their change in space and time may serve as an illustration and measure of key processes after repetitive large disturbances.

Location

Martinique, the Plateau Concorde, in an evergreen montane forest.

Methods

After Hurricane Dean, a diachronic study (2008–2012) was carried out. Four parallel surface areas 50 × 10 m were set up. Canopy structure and light conditions were assessed with hemispherical photographs, using a polar projection fisheye lens. All standing trees >5 cm DBH, and all climbers and hemiepiphytes were mapped and identified to species. Correspondence analysis (CA) using selected life traits illustrated the distribution of climbers present on trees per category (a total of four). The number of individuals and species which have disappeared or appeared per category was calculated.

Results

From 2009 to 2012, the total number of climbers and hemiepiphytes decreased from 248 to 225, but in different proportions according to strata. Climbers were classified into categories in function of the range of responses (i.e. resistance and responsiveness).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates the potential to detect climber/hemiepiphyte strategies after a large disturbance using hemispherical photography and plant traits.
Extended survival of patients with persistently suppressed hepatitis B transplanted for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Viganò Mauro , Bhoori Sherrie , Lampertico Pietro , Donato Maria Francesca , Iavarone Massimo , Grossi Glenda , Facciorusso Antonio , Caccamo Lucio , Rossi Giorgio , Colombo Massimo , Mazzaferro Vincenzo
Published: March 2015

Background & Aims

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a major cause of liver‐related death and indication to liver transplantation (LT) in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection following the widespread adoption of antiviral therapy with nucleos(t)ide analogs (NUCs). Yet, the long‐term outcome of patients undergoing liver transplantation for an HCC developed during effective NUC treatment is unknown.

Methods

We evaluated 101 patients with persistently compensated cirrhosis who were consecutively transplanted for HCC in two centers in Milan. At LT, 91 (90%) patients had undetectable serum HBV DNA (<12 IU/ml) and 90 (89%) were within Milan criteria (MC). All patients received post‐transplant HBV prophylaxis with specific immunoglobulins (HBIgs) and NUCs. End‐points were long‐term patient survival and recurrence of HCC and HBV.

Results

During 106 (range 3–165) months following LT, HCC recurred in 11 (11%) patients (nine beyond MC at explant, two with HBV recurrence). Age (HR 1.1, 95%CI 1.0–1.2, P = 0.04) and exceeding MC (HR 9.6, 95%CI 2.9–32, P < 0.0001) were the only independent pretransplant predictors of tumour recurrence. The 10‐year cumulative rate of HCC recurrence was 7% among patients transplanted within MC compared with 45% among those beyond MC at LT (P = 0.004). Overall, 18 patients (18%, nine HCC, nine non liver‐related events) died with a 10‐year cumulative probability of overall and liver‐related survival of 79% and 89% respectively.

Conclusions

Extended survival of HBV cirrhotics transplanted for HCC can be achieved by coupling MC at listing with persistent pharmacological suppression of HBV.
SNP genotyping and population genomics from expressed sequences – current advances and future possibilities
Authors: De Wit Pierre , Pespeni Melissa H. , Palumbi Stephen R.
Published: March 2015

With the rapid increase in production of genetic data from new sequencing technologies, a myriad of new ways to study genomic patterns in nonmodel organisms are currently possible. Because genome assembly still remains a complicated procedure, and because the functional role of much of the genome is unclear, focusing on SNP genotyping from expressed sequences provides a cost‐effective way to reduce complexity while still retaining functionally relevant information. This review summarizes current methods, identifies ways that using expressed sequence data benefits population genomic inference and explores how current practitioners evaluate and overcome challenges that are commonly encountered. We focus particularly on the additional power of functional analysis provided by expressed sequence data and how these analyses push beyond allele pattern data available from nonfunction genomic approaches. The massive data sets generated by these approaches create opportunities and problems as well – especially false positives. We discuss methods available to validate results from expressed SNP genotyping assays, new approaches that sidestep use of mRNA and review follow‐up experiments that can focus on evolutionary mechanisms acting across the genome.
Genomics in a changing arctic: critical questions await the molecular ecologist
Authors: Wullschleger Stan D. , Breen Amy L. , Iversen Colleen M. , Olson Matthew S. , Näsholm Torgny , Ganeteg Ulrika , Wallenstein Matthew D. , Weston David J.
Published: March 2015

Molecular ecology is poised to tackle a host of interesting questions in the coming years. The Arctic provides a unique and rapidly changing environment with a suite of emerging research needs that can be addressed through genetics and genomics. Here we highlight recent research on boreal and tundra ecosystems and put forth a series of questions related to plant and microbial responses to climate change that can benefit from technologies and analytical approaches contained within the molecular ecologist's toolbox. These questions include understanding (i) the mechanisms of plant acquisition and uptake of N in cold soils, (ii) how these processes are mediated by root traits, (iii) the role played by the plant microbiome in cycling C and nutrients within high‐latitude ecosystems and (iv) plant adaptation to extreme Arctic climates. We highlight how contributions can be made in these areas through studies that target model and nonmodel organisms and emphasize that the sequencing of the Populus and Salix genomes provides a valuable resource for scientific discoveries related to the plant microbiome and plant adaptation in the Arctic. Moreover, there exists an exciting role to play in model development, including incorporating genetic and evolutionary knowledge into ecosystem and Earth System Models. In this regard, the molecular ecologist provides a valuable perspective on plant genetics as a driver for community biodiversity, and how ecological and evolutionary forces govern community dynamics in a rapidly changing climate.
Diphenyl Phosphine Oxide‐1‐Sensitive K+ Channels Contribute to the Vascular Tone and Reactivity of Resistance Arteries From Brain and Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Fancher Ibra S. , Butcher Joshua T. , Brooks Steven D. , Rottgen Trey S. , Skaff Paulina R. , Frisbee Jefferson C. , Dick Gregory M.
Published: March 2015

Objective

Many types of vascular smooth muscle cells exhibit prominent KDR currents. These KDR currents may be mediated, at least in part, by KV1.5 channels, which are sensitive to inhibition by DPO‐1. We tested the hypothesis that DPO‐1‐sensitive KDR channels regulate the tone and reactivity of resistance‐sized vessels from rat brain (MCA) and skeletal muscle (GA).

Methods

Middle cerebral and gracilis arteries were isolated and subjected to three kinds of experimental analysis: (i) western blot/immunocytochemistry; (ii) patch clamp electrophysiology; and (iii) pressure myography.

Results

Western blot and immunocytochemistry experiments demonstrated KV1.5 immunoreactivity in arteries and smooth muscle cells isolated from them. Whole‐cell patch clamp experiments revealed smooth muscle cells from resistance‐sized arteries to possess a KDR current that was blocked by DPO‐1. Resistance arteries constricted in response to increasing concentrations of DPO‐1. DPO‐1 enhanced constrictions to PE and serotonin in gracilis and middle cerebral arteries, respectively. When examining the myogenic response, we found that DPO‐1 reduced the diameter at any given pressure. Dilations in response to ACh and SNP were reduced by DPO‐1.

Conclusion

We suggest that KV1.5, a DPO‐1‐sensitive KDR channel, plays a major role in determining microvascular tone and the response to vasoconstrictors and vasodilators.
Maritime territorialisation as performance of sovereignty and nationhood in the South China Sea
Authors: Roszko Edyta
Published: March 2015

The South China Sea (SCS) is a conflict‐ridden international arena of rivalry between China, the USA, India, and the other ASEAN countries over sovereignty, resources and security. In this geopolitical clash China is the dominant force and Vietnam its main challenger. While most analysts assume that the various claims to the mostly uninhabited islands are motivated by the presence of submarine mineral resources, the conflicts evoke strong nationalist feelings in Vietnam and China, fuelled by narratives of the historical presence of fisheries and navies. By analysing the tension between complex territorial claims, new technologies and forms of knowledge applied by these states to delineate their material borders on the sea and vernacular notions of social space, this paper explores how sovereignty and nationality is enacted on a day‐to‐day basis. Thus, I argue that maritime territorialisation is a paradox of treating the sea as ‘land’ produced by the performance of a socially constructed image of the state geo‐body capitalising on strong nationalistic sentiments in China and Vietnam.
Early pan‐Arabism in Egypt's July revolution: the Free Officers' political formation and policy‐making, 1946–54
Authors: Abou‐El‐Fadl Reem
Published: March 2015

Between 1952 and 1970, Gamal Abdel Nasser and Egypt's Free Officers Movement established the paradigmatic pan‐Arabist revolution from above. Yet it has become something of a cliché to maintain that the Free Officers had no blueprint of action before seizing power and that they later instrumentalised pan‐Arabism in their foreign policy, thinly veiling their actual commitments to Egyptian nationalism and imperialism. By contrast, this contribution underlines the impact of the British colonial context on the Free Officers' political formation and their early identification with pan‐Arabism in turn. Drawing on pamphlets, speeches, media output and memoirs, it shows that the Free Officers developed a distinctive form of anticolonial nationalism that emphasised social justice and invoked overlapping Egyptian and Arab identities. Their aspirations for liberation thus entailed a connected foreign policy and nation building programme in which pan‐Arabism was a prime – and early – component.
Bortezomib in ABO‐incompatible kidney transplant desensitization: A case report
Authors: Wong Nikki L , O'Connell Philip , Chapman Jeremy R , Nankivell Brian , Kable Kathy , Webster AC , Wong Germaine
Published: March 2015

Positive B cell crossmatch accompanied by high levels of pre‐transplant human leukocyte antigen donor‐specific antibodies are associated with adverse graft outcomes in kidney transplant recipients. Targeting plasma cells, the main antibody producing cells, with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib may be a promising desensitization strategy. We report using a combination of bortezomib and plasmapheresis to desensitize a highly sensitized kidney transplant recipient for an ABO‐incompatible living donor kidney transplant. The flow cytometric B cell crossmatch was positive on presentation. After treatment, the anti‐A titres fell from 1:64 to 1:4, and a negative B flow cytometric crossmatch was achieved prior to transplantation. The combined approach of bortezomib to abrogate antibody production at the plasma cell level, followed by plasmapheresis and low‐dose intravenous immunoglobulin to remove in‐circulation alloantibodies, has proven to be effective in our case. Bortezomib may play a role in highly sensitized renal transplants.
Nursing home nurses conceptualize how to care for residents with cardiac vulnerability
Authors: Kim Mi So , Kim Hyun Ju , Choi Jung Eun , Kim Su Jin , Chang Sung Ok
Published: March 2015

Background

With ageing, older people face cardiovascular problems as the major cause of disability and death. Although immediate medical attention is a major factor in determining outcomes of cardiac problems, lack of personnel (i.e. registered nurse, certified nursing assistant and home care aide) in nursing homes without residing doctor limits the awareness of such problems, thus making it difficult to initiate timely and appropriate intervention.

Aim

The aim of this study was to conceptualize critical care for nursing home residents with cardiac vulnerability and develop practical knowledge in nursing practice.

Methods

Conventional content analysis was performed on date from interviews with 30 nurses from 10 nursing homes in South Korea between July and November 2010.

Results

The analysis revealed three major cardiac problems resulting from residents' cardiac vulnerability: angina, myocardial infarction (MI) and cardiogenic shock. Through content analysis, we extracted 6 themes and 21 subthemes for nurses' conceptualization of critical care for nursing home residents with cardiac vulnerability. In nursing homes without a residing doctor, nurses assessed the physical, functional and cognitive conditions along with the responses and symptoms of residents when emergency situations related to the cardiac problems occurred. Moreover, with a lack of infrastructures of a hospital, nurses provided critical care to the elderly by using personal practice strategies based on their personal experience in facilities along with practical knowledge of nurses while following the management principles of emergencies.

Conclusions and relevance to clinical practice

We found that nurses conceptualized critical nursing care for cardiac problems at nursing homes, which are different from those of general hospitals. The results of this study will provide basis for the development of care guidelines and educational materials that can be used by novice nurses or nursing students.
Inpatient burden of childhood functional GI disorders in the USA: an analysis of national trends in the USA from 1997 to 2009
Authors: Park R. , Mikami S. , LeClair J. , Bollom A. , Lembo C. , Sethi S. , Lembo A. , Jones M. , Cheng V. , Friedlander E. , Nurko S.
Published: March 2015

Background

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) are among the most common outpatient diagnoses in pediatric primary care and gastroenterology. There is limited data on the inpatient burden of childhood FGIDs in the USA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the inpatient admission rate, length of stay (LoS), and associated costs related to FGIDs from 1997 to 2009.

Methods

We analyzed the Kids’ Inpatient Sample Database (KID) for all subjects in which constipation (ICD‐9 codes: 564.0–564.09), abdominal pain (ICD‐9 codes: 789.0–789.09), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (ICD‐9 code: 564.1), abdominal migraine (ICD‐9 code: 346.80 and 346.81) dyspepsia (ICD‐9 code: 536.8), or fecal incontinence (ICD‐codes: 787.6–787.63) was the primary discharge diagnosis from 1997 to 2009. The KID is the largest publicly available all‐payer inpatient database in the USA, containing data from 2 to 3 million pediatric hospital stays yearly.

Key Results

From 1997 to 2009, the number of discharges with a FGID primary diagnosis increased slightly from 6 348 537 to 6 393 803. The total mean cost per discharge increased significantly from $6115 to $18 058 despite the LoS remaining relatively stable. Constipation and abdominal pain were the most common FGID discharge diagnoses. Abdominal pain and abdominal migraine discharges were most frequent in the 10–14 year age group. Constipation and fecal incontinence discharges were most frequent in the 5–9 year age group. IBS discharge was most common for the 15–17 year age group.

Conclusions & Inferences

Hospitalizations and associated costs in childhood FGIDs have increased in number and cost in the USA from 1997 to 2009. Further studies to determine optimal methods to avoid unnecessary hospitalizations and potentially harmful diagnostic testing are indicated.
Cell wall composition profiling of parasitic giant dodder (Cuscuta reflexa) and its hosts: a priori differences and induced changes
Authors: Johnsen Hanne R. , Striberny Bernd , Olsen Stian , Vidal‐Melgosa Silvia , Fangel Jonatan U. , Willats William G. T. , Rose Jocelyn K. C. , Krause Kirsten
Published: March 2015

Host plant penetration is the gateway to survival for holoparasitic Cuscuta and requires host cell wall degradation. Compositional differences of cell walls may explain why some hosts are amenable to such degradation while others can resist infection.

Antibody‐based techniques for comprehensive profiling of cell wall epitopes and cell wall‐modifying enzymes were applied to several susceptible hosts and a resistant host of Cuscuta reflexa and to the parasite itself.

Infected tissue of Pelargonium zonale contained high concentrations of de‐esterified homogalacturonans in the cell walls, particularly adjacent to the parasite's haustoria. High pectinolytic activity in haustorial extracts and high expression levels of pectate lyase genes suggest that the parasite contributes directly to wall remodeling. Mannan and xylan concentrations were low in P. zonale and in five susceptible tomato introgression lines, but high in the resistant Solanum lycopersicum cv M82, and in C. reflexa itself.

Knowledge of the composition of resistant host cell walls and the parasite's own cell walls is useful in developing strategies to prevent infection by parasitic plants.
Xylem development – from the cradle to the grave
Authors: Růžička Kamil , Ursache Robertas , Hejátko Jan , Helariutta Ykä
Published: March 2015

The development and growth of plants, as well as their successful adaptation to a variety of environments, is highly dependent on the conduction of water, nutrients and other important molecules throughout the plant body. Xylem is a specialized vascular tissue that serves as a conduit of water and minerals and provides mechanical support for upright growth. Wood, also known as secondary xylem, constitutes the major part of mature woody stems and roots. In the past two decades, a number of key factors including hormones, signal transducers and (post)transcriptional regulators have been shown to control xylem formation. We outline the main mechanisms shown to be essential for xylem development in various plant species, with an emphasis on Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as several tree species where xylem has a long history of investigation. We also summarize the processes which have been shown to be instrumental during xylem maturation. This includes mechanisms of cell wall formation and cell death which collectively complete xylem cell fate.

Contents

Summary
519

I.
Introduction
519

II.
Anatomy and various types of xylem in vascular tissue
520

III.
The birth of protoxylem – molecular factors determining xylem identity
520

IV.
Xylem maturation, secondary cell wall formation and cell death
527

V.
Conclusions
530

Acknowledgements
530

References
530
Contrasting growth phenology of native and invasive forest shrubs mediated by genome size
Authors: Fridley Jason D. , Craddock Alaä
Published: March 2015

Examination of the significance of genome size to plant invasions has been largely restricted to its association with growth rate. We investigated the novel hypothesis that genome size is related to forest invasions through its association with growth phenology, as a result of the ability of large‐genome species to grow more effectively through cell expansion at cool temperatures.

We monitored the spring leaf phenology of 54 species of eastern USA deciduous forests, including native and invasive shrubs of six common genera. We used new measurements of genome size to evaluate its association with spring budbreak, cell size, summer leaf production rate, and photosynthetic capacity.

In a phylogenetic hierarchical model that differentiated native and invasive species as a function of summer growth rate and spring budbreak timing, species with smaller genomes exhibited both faster growth and delayed budbreak compared with those with larger nuclear DNA content. Growth rate, but not budbreak timing, was associated with whether a species was native or invasive.

Our results support genome size as a broad indicator of the growth behavior of woody species. Surprisingly, invaders of deciduous forests show the same small‐genome tendencies of invaders of more open habitats, supporting genome size as a robust indicator of invasiveness.
Power and practices: questions concerning the legislation of health professions in Brazil
Authors: Velloso Isabela S. C. , Ceci Christine
Published: March 2015

Developments in professional practice can be related to ongoing changes in relations of power among professionals, which often lead to changes in the boundaries of practices. The differing contexts of practices also influence these changing relations among health professionals. Legislation governing professional practice also differs from country to country. In Brazil, over the past 12 years, in a climate of deep disagreement, a new law to regulate medical practice has been discussed. It was sanctioned, or made into law, but with some notable changes, in July 2013. Of interest to us in this paper are the ways the proposed legislation, by setting out the boundaries and scope of medical practice, ‘interfered’ in the practices of other health professions, undermining many ‘independent’ practices that have developed over time. However, even taking into account the multiple routes through which practices are established and developed, the role of legislation that seems able to contradict and deny the historical realities of multiple, intersecting practices should be critically interrogated. In this paper, we use the theoretical resources of poststructuralist thinking to explore gaps, ambiguities, and power relations implicit in the discourses that constituted this law. We argue that although the new law can be understood as a social and political device that will interfere in the organization of other health professions’ practices, such legislation is only part of what constitutes change in a consolidated professional practice. And while it is important to understand the effects of such legislation, healthcare practices are also realized or ‘made real’ through ongoing relations of knowledge and power, including, as we will see in this case, activities of resistance. The problem, then, is to understand the practical arrangements, including legislation, traditions and routines, values and knowledge that come to shape the practices of nursing in a particular context.
The interface of depression and cardiovascular disease: therapeutic implications
Authors: Seligman Fred , Nemeroff Charles B.
Published: March 2015

Patients with major depression are at an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, respond more poorly to treatment, and exhibit worse outcomes, including increased morbidity and mortality. This article reviews the relationship between depression and heart disease, with an emphasis on epidemiology, biological substrates that likely underlie this relationship, and implications for treatment.
The 40‐Hz auditory steady‐state response: a selective biomarker for cortical NMDA function
Authors: Sivarao Digavalli V.
Published: March 2015

When subjected to a phasic input, sensory cortical neurons display a remarkable ability to entrain faithfully to the driving stimuli. The entrainment to rhythmic sound stimuli is often referred to as the auditory steady‐state response (ASSR) and can be captured using noninvasive techniques, such as scalp‐recorded electroencephalography (EEG). An ASSR to a driving frequency of approximately 40 Hz is particularly interesting in that it shows, in relative terms, maximal power, synchrony, and synaptic activity. Moreover, the 40‐Hz ASSR has been consistently found to be abnormal in schizophrenia patients across multiple studies. The nature of the reported abnormality has been less consistent; while most studies report a deficit in entrainment, several studies have reported increased signal power, particularly when there are concurrent positive symptoms, such as auditory hallucinations. However, the neuropharmacological basis for the 40‐Hz ASSR, as well as its dysfunction in schizophrenia, has been unclear until recently. On the basis of several recent reports, it is argued that the 40‐Hz ASSR represents a specific marker for cortical NMDA transmission. If confirmed, the 40‐Hz ASSR may be a simple and easy‐to‐access pharmacodynamic biomarker for testing the integrity of cortical NMDA neurotransmission that is robustly translational across species.
Acetaldehyde production by major oral microbes
Authors: Moritani K , Takeshita T , Shibata Y , Ninomiya T , Kiyohara Y , Yamashita Y
Published: March 2015

Objectives

To assess acetaldehyde (ACH) production by bacteria constituting the oral microbiota and the inhibitory effects of sugar alcohols on ACH production.

Materials and Methods

The predominant bacterial components of the salivary microbiota of 166 orally healthy subjects were determined by barcoded pyrosequencing analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. Bacterial ACH production from ethanol or glucose was measured using gas chromatography. In addition, inhibition by four sugars and five sugar alcohols of ACH production was assayed.

Results

Forty‐one species from 16 genera were selected as predominant and prevalent bacteria based on the following criteria: identification in ≥95% of the subjects, ≥1% of mean relative abundance or ≥5% of maximum relative abundance. All Neisseria species tested produced conspicuous amounts of ACH from ethanol, as did Rothia mucilaginosa, Streptococcus mitis and Prevotella histicola exhibited the ability to produce ACH. In addition, xylitol and sorbitol inhibited ACH production by Neisseria mucosa by more than 90%.

Conclusions

The oral microbiota of orally healthy subjects comprises considerable amounts of bacteria possessing the ability to produce ACH, an oral carcinogen. Consumption of sugar alcohols may regulate ACH production by oral microbes.
The INHANCE consortium: toward a better understanding of the causes and mechanisms of head and neck cancer
Authors: Winn DM , Lee Y‐CA , Hashibe M , Boffetta P ,   the INHANCE consortium
Published: March 2015

The International Head and Neck Cancer Epidemiology (INHANCE) consortium is a collaboration of research groups leading large epidemiology studies to improve the understanding of the causes and mechanisms of head and neck cancer. The consortium includes investigators of 35 studies who have pooled their data on 25 500 patients with head and neck cancer (i.e., cancers of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx) and 37 100 controls. The INHANCE analyses have confirmed that tobacco use and alcohol intake are key risk factors of these diseases and have provided precise estimates of risk and dose response, the benefit of quitting, and the hazard of smoking even a few cigarettes per day. Other risk factors include short height, lean body mass, low education and income, and a family history of head and neck cancer. Risk factors are generally similar for oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx, although the magnitude of risk may vary. Some major strengths of pooling data across studies include more precise estimates of risk and the ability to control for potentially confounding factors and to examine factors that may interact with each other. The INHANCE consortium provides evidence of the scientific productivity and discoveries that can be obtained from data pooling projects.
Virus‐induced gene silencing of Withania somnifera squalene synthase negatively regulates sterol and defence‐related genes resulting in reduced withanolides and biotic stress tolerance
Authors: Singh Anup Kumar , Dwivedi Varun , Rai Avanish , Pal Shaifali , Reddy Sajjalavarahalli Gangireddy Eswara , Rao Dodaghatta Krishnarao Venkata , Shasany Ajit Kumar , Nagegowda Dinesh A.
Published: March 2015

Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal is an important Indian medicinal plant that produces withanolides, which are triterpenoid steroidal lactones having diverse biological activities. To enable fast and efficient functional characterization of genes in this slow‐growing and difficult‐to‐transform plant, a virus‐induced gene silencing (VIGS) was established by silencing phytoene desaturase (PDS) and squalene synthase (SQS). VIGS of the gene encoding SQS, which provides precursors for triterpenoids, resulted in significant reduction of squalene and withanolides, demonstrating its application in studying withanolides biosynthesis in W. somnifera leaves. A comprehensive analysis of gene expression and sterol pathway intermediates in WsSQS‐vigs plants revealed transcriptional modulation with positive feedback regulation of mevalonate pathway genes, and negative feed‐forward regulation of downstream sterol pathway genes including DWF1 (delta‐24‐sterol reductase) and CYP710A1 (C‐22‐sterol desaturase), resulting in significant reduction of sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol. However, there was little effect of SQS silencing on cholesterol, indicating the contribution of sitosterol, campesterol and stigmasterol, but not of cholesterol, towards withanolides formation. Branch‐point oxidosqualene synthases in WsSQS‐vigs plants exhibited differential regulation with reduced CAS (cycloartenol synthase) and cycloartenol, and induced BAS (β‐amyrin synthase) and β‐amyrin. Moreover, SQS silencing also led to the down‐regulation of brassinosteroid‐6‐oxidase‐2 (BR6OX2), pathogenesis‐related (PR) and nonexpressor of PR (NPR) genes, resulting in reduced tolerance to bacterial and fungal infection as well as to insect feeding. Taken together, SQS silencing negatively regulated sterol and defence‐related genes leading to reduced phytosterols, withanolides and biotic stress tolerance, thus implicating the application of VIGS for functional analysis of genes related to withanolides formation in W. somnifera leaves.
Construction of high‐throughput genotyped chromosome segment substitution lines in rice (Oryza sativa L.) and QTL mapping for heading date
Authors: Zhu Jinyan , Niu Yongchao , Tao Yajun , Wang Jun , Jian Jianbo , Tai Shuaishuai , Li Jun , Yang Jie , Zhong Weigong , Zhou Yong , Liang Guohua
Published: March 2015

Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) provide ideal materials for quantitative trait loci (QTLs) mapping and genetic dissection of complex traits. In this study, we developed a set of CSSL population consisting of 175 lines, which were derived between the recipient ‘Guangluai 4’ and the donor ‘Nipponbare’. Based on 260 molecular markers, we firstly constructed a physical map of core 97 lines. Then, these 97 lines were further genotyped based on resequencing data, and a resequencing‐based physical map was constructed. Compared with the molecular marker‐based physical map, the resequencing‐based physical map of 97 lines contained 367 substituted segments with 252 newly discovered segments. The total size of the 367 substituted segments was 1,074 Mb, which was 2.81 times the size of rice genome. Using the 97 CSSLs as materials, we identified nine QTLs for heading date and three of them were firstly reported. All the QTLs had positive additive effects, ranging from 9.50 to 16.50 days. These CSSLs may greatly help forge a new resource for functional genomics studies and molecular breeding in rice.
Altered levels of LIL3 isoforms in Arabidopsis lead to disturbed pigment–protein assembly and chlorophyll synthesis, chlorotic phenotype and impaired photosynthetic performance
Authors: Lohscheider Jens N. , Rojas‐Stütz Marc C. , Rothbart Maxi , Andersson Ulrica , Funck Dietmar , Mendgen Kurt , Grimm Bernhard , Adamska Iwona
Published: March 2015

Light‐harvesting complex (LHC)‐like (LIL) proteins contain two transmembrane helices of which the first bears a chlorophyll (Chl)‐binding motif. They are widespread in photosynthetic organisms, but almost nothing is known about their expression and physiological functions. We show that two LIL3 paralogues (LIL3:1 and LIL3:2) in Arabidopsis thaliana are expressed in photosynthetically active tissues and their expression is differentially influenced by light stress. Localization studies demonstrate that both isoforms are associated with subcomplexes of LHC antenna of photosystem II. Transgenic plants with reduced amounts of LIL3:1 exhibited a slightly impaired growth and have reduced Chl and carotenoid contents as compared to wild‐type plants. Ectopic overexpression of either paralogue led to a developmentally regulated switch to co‐suppression of both LIL3 isoforms, resulting in a circular chlorosis of the leaf rosettes. Chlorotic sectors show severely diminished levels of LIL3 isoforms and other proteins, and thylakoid morphology was changed. Additionally, the levels of enzymes involved in Chl biosynthesis are altered in lil3 mutant plants. Our data support a role of LIL3 paralogues in the regulation of Chl biosynthesis under light stress and under standard growth conditions as well as in a coordinated ligation of newly synthesized and/or rescued Chl molecules to their target apoproteins.
Childbirth expense support and small‐for‐gestational‐age infants in Japan
Authors: Tsuchiya Sayaka , Ohashi Kazutomo
Published: March 2015

Background

Poor nutritional status during the fetal period could cause perinatal and lifelong health disadvantages in neonates. The aim of this study was to investigate the background of pregnant women receiving childbirth expense support (CES), pregnancy outcome, and neonatal anthropometric data.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted using 823 antenatal and delivery records in a perinatal center located in one of the poorest areas in Japan. Neonates who were small for gestational age (SGA) were compared between the CES and the non‐CES groups.

Results

The incidences of low birthweight (LBW) and SGA were significantly higher in the group receiving CES (14.6% and 14.6%, respectively). The adjusted OR of CES was 2.78 (95%CI: 1.32–5.87) and the adjusted OR of maternal smoking was 5.03 (95%CI: 2.74–9.21), indicating that CES and maternal smoking were directly associated with SGA.

Conclusions

CES recipients had a higher prevalence of SGA infants. CES was independently associated with SGA. Previous studies have shown that smoking is a major risk factor for SGA. Further studies are needed to identify risk factors of SGA specific to CES recipients.
Attractiveness and Facial Competence Bias Face‐Based Inferences of Candidate Ideology
Authors: Herrmann Michael , Shikano Susumu
Published: March 2015

Can voters infer candidates' political orientations from their faces? We report evidence that observers make systematic judgment errors, ascribing their own political views to attractive or competent‐looking candidates. Subjects judged headshot images of student candidates running in university elections (Experiment 1), as well as professional politicians from state election races in Germany (Experiment 2), according to whether the person(s) displayed held ideologically leftist or rightist views. While prediction accuracy was above chance level in both experiments, candidate attractiveness (Experiment 1) and perceived competence (Experiment 2) increased a subject's likelihood of attributing her political views to a candidate. These findings suggest that the value of face‐based inferences in choosing the candidate who best represents one's views is more limited than previously assumed. They also suggest that good looks may help extremist candidates in presenting themselves as more moderate.
Genetic analysis of the population structure of the rice false smut fungus, Villosiclava virens, in China using microsatellite markers mined from a genome assembly
Authors: Jia Q. , Gu Q. , Zheng L. , Hsiang T. , Luo C. , Huang J.
Published: March 2015

Studies on population genetics of Villosiclava virens are limited because of the lack of polymorphic markers. Based on a draft genome sequence of isolate HWD‐2 produced in this study, 20 of 403 potential simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci showed polymorphisms in preliminary screening using eight diverse V. virens isolates. Among polymorphic loci, most of them with tetra‐ to hexanucleotide unit motifs showed higher levels of polymorphism than loci with smaller motifs. After testing with 20 polymorphic SSR markers, the 87 isolates of V. virens from eight populations in China showed a high level of genetic diversity, with each as a unique haplotype. This differs from some previous findings showing little to no genetic variation based on random amplified polymorphic DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses. Among eight populations from major rice production areas of China, the population from Guangxi province in south China showed the highest levels of polymorphism, which led to the speculation that it might be closer to the centre of origin of this pathogen. The northern, central and eastern populations (Jilin, Liaoning, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang), when considered together as a group, showed significant molecular variation compared to the southern populations (Fujian and Guangxi) (ΦPT = 0·043, P = 0·037). A significant relationship (Mantel test, P = 0·027) but with low correlation (R2 = 0·23) was also found between geographic distance and genetic distance. The 20 polymorphic SSR primer pairs designed in this study provide a tool for further research on the population diversity of this emerging fungal pathogen of rice.
Two Boxing is not the Rational Option
Authors: Noonan Harold W.
Published: March 2015

In the standard Newcomb scenario two‐boxing is not the rational act and, in general, in Newcomb‐style cases the ‘two‐boxing’ choice is not the rational act. Hence any decision theory which recommends two‐boxing is unacceptable.
A Risk Assessment Scheme of Infection Transmission Indoors Incorporating the Impact of Resuspension
Authors: You Siming , Wan Man Pun
Published: March 2015

A new risk assessment scheme was developed to quantify the impact of resuspension to infection transmission indoors. Airborne and surface pathogenic particle concentration models including the effect of two major resuspension scenarios (airflow‐induced particle resuspension [AIPR] and walking‐induced particle resuspension [WIPR]) were derived based on two‐compartment mass balance models and validated against experimental data found in the literature. The inhalation exposure to pathogenic particles was estimated using the derived airborne concentration model, and subsequently incorporated into a dose‐response model to assess the infection risk. Using the proposed risk assessment scheme, the influences of resuspension towards indoor infection transmission were examined by two hypothetical case studies. In the case of AIPR, the infection risk increased from 0 to 0.54 during 0–0.5 hours and from 0.54 to 0.57 during 0.5–4 hours. In the case of WIPR, the infection risk increased from 0 to 0.87 during 0–0.5 hours and from 0.87 to 1 during 0.5–4 hours. Sensitivity analysis was conducted based on the design‐of‐experiments method and showed that the factors that are related to the inspiratory rate of viable pathogens and pathogen virulence have the most significant effect on the infection probability under the occurrence of AIPR and WIPR. The risk assessment scheme could serve as an effective tool for the risk assessment of infection transmission indoors.