bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The impact of library preparation protocols on the consistency of allele frequency estimates in Pool‐Seq data
Authors: Kofler Robert , Nolte Viola , Schlötterer Christian
Published: May 2015

Sequencing pools of individuals (Pool‐Seq) is a cost‐effective method to determine genome‐wide allele frequency estimates. Given the importance of meta‐analyses combining data sets, we determined the influence of different genomic library preparation protocols on the consistency of allele frequency estimates. We found that typically no more than 1% of the variation in allele frequency estimates could be attributed to differences in library preparation. Also read length had only a minor effect on the consistency of allele frequency estimates. By far, the most pronounced influence could be attributed to sequence coverage. Increasing the coverage from 30‐ to 50‐fold improved the consistency of allele frequency estimates by at least 27%. We conclude that Pool‐Seq data can be easily combined across different library preparation methods, but sufficient sequence coverage is key to reliable results.
Identification of lung adenocarcinoma mutation status based on histologic subtype: Retrospective analysis of 269 patients
Authors: Lu Fangliang , Li Shaolei , Dong Bin , Zhang Shanyuan , Lv Chao , Yang Yue
Published: May 2015

Background

To evaluate differences in the clinical characteristics and molecular pathology of lung adenocarcinoma subtypes as defined by the new International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer/American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society international histological classification.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 269 patients with initial primary lung adenocarcinoma who had undergone complete resection at our department from August 2013 to December 2014, focusing on the new histologic subtype classification, clinical characteristics, and molecular pathology.

Results

All specimens were invasive adenocarcinoma, and were lepidic (13.0%), papillary (19.7%), acinar (51.7%), solid (8.6%), micropapillary (1.1%) or mucinous predominant (5.9%). Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations were detected in 132 cases (60.3%). Female patients and non‐smokers had higher EGFR mutation rates (P = 0.022 and 0.026, respectively). The lepidic, papillary, acinar, solid, micropapillary, and mucinous predominant patterns had EGFR mutation rates of 70.6%, 64.8%, 72.5%, 33.3%, 100%, and 5.9%, respectively. The exon mutation distribution differed according to serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels (P = 0.018). v‐Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) mutations were detected in 20 cases (9.2%), and were frequently found in the mucinous and solid predominant subtypes. The serum CEA levels differed among the subtypes.

Conclusions

In China, there are significant differences between lung adenocarcinoma histologic subtypes. The presence of well‐differentiated components in lung adenocarcinoma indicates higher EGFR mutation rates; the presence of solid or mucinous components indicates higher KRAS mutation rates. Serum CEA levels are associated with histologic subtype and EGFR exon mutations.
Durable dermatology life quality index improvements in patients on biologics associated with psoriasis areas and severity index: a longitudinal study
Authors: Chaptini Cassandra , Quinn Steve , Marshman Gillian
Published: May 2015

Background/Objectives

Patients with psoriasis experience higher rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal ideation than the general population. With effective treatment, there is evidence that with the initial decrease in the psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score, patients' quality of life (QoL), measured by the dermatology life quality index (DLQI) improves. However, to date, there have been no studies demonstrating that patients' QoL remains improved. We investigated the association between the DLQI and PASI of patients with psoriasis on biologic agents for an extended period of time of up to 6.5 years.

Methods

The data for this longitudinal, retrospective study was collected from a large tertiary teaching hospital in South Australia. Data was collected from all patients with psoriasis who had been on biologic agents for 2 or more years (n = 54).

Results

PASI and DLQI were highly correlated over all time points (ρ = 0.50), P < 0.001. DLQI scores significantly decreased by 0.8 (95% CI: 0.30, 1.26) units per year from 12 months to 6.5 years, P = 0.002. After 12 months, PASI scores declined by 0.19 (95% CI: 0.13, 0.52) units per year, P = 0.24.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates that DLQI and PASI remain low after 12 months, and, in fact, both gradually decline further with time. Patients on biologic agents for prolonged periods maintained their improvement in QoL for up to 6.5 years.
Patients presenting with fractures are likely to be vitamin D deficient: are we getting enough sun?
Authors: Mow Tyler C. , Stokes Christopher M. , Sutherland Alasdair G.
Published: May 2015

Background

25‐Hydroxyvitamin D serves a crucial role in bone metabolism through its role on osteoclast and osteoblastic function. To assess the implication of vitamin D and its relationship to bone fracture and fracture force, we have examined vitamin D levels in patients requiring inpatient fracture management.

Methods

We performed serological testing of vitamin D levels, calcium, parathyroid hormone and liver function tests on patients admitted to our rural institution in southeastern Australia for inpatient fracture management. All participants completed a questionnaire designed to screen for potential contributing factors to bony fragility. Demographic data were also obtained including age, gender and body mass index. Fracture location and the type of inpatient management as well as the force of injury were included in our analysis.

Results

We recruited 100 patients to the study, with a median age of 72 (range 22–98) of whom 66 were women. Most had low‐energy fractures (79%), treated by internal fixation (73%) or arthroplasty (9%) with 18 treated non‐operatively. The majority of the patients were at best vitamin D insufficient, <75 nmol/L (77%), and 38% were vitamin D deficient (<50 nmol/L). Only 14 patients had a formal diagnosis of osteoporosis at presentation, with 63 patients claiming daily sun exposure in line with recommendations for vitamin D sufficiency.

Conclusions

Our data suggest that the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency is common in patients presenting with fractures in southeastern Australia and is not confined to elderly patients. All patients with fractures should be assessed for vitamin D levels and treated in accordance with vitamin D deficiency guidelines.
An abattoir survey of equine dental abnormalities in Queensland, Australia
Authors: Chinkangsadarn T , Wilson GJ , Greer RM , Pollitt CC , Bird PS
Published: May 2015

Objective

A cadaver study to estimate the prevalence of dental disorders in horses presented at an abattoir in Queensland, Australia.

Methods

Cadaver heads at a Queensland abattoir were examined for the presence of dental abnormalities and categorised into age groups. The prevalence of abnormalities was analysed by binomial observation of observed proportion, Pearson's Chi‐square test or Fisher's exact correlation test. Strength of association was evaluated using Cramer's V test.

Results

Heads from horses (n = 400) estimated to be between 1 and 30 years of age were placed into four age groups. The most common abnormalities were sharp enamel points (55.3%) and hooks (43%). The highest frequency of dental diseases and abnormalities were in horses 11–15 years old (97.5%).

Conclusions

Common abnormalities were found in all groups and the prevalence increased with age. This study suggests that all horses should have regular complete dental examinations to detect and treat dental disorders in order to limit more severe dental pathologies later in life.
Acute renal failure associated withAmaranthusspecies ingestion by lambs
Authors: Kessell AE , Boulton J , Krebs GL , Quinn JC
Published: May 2015

Case report

This report documents an outbreak of acute renal failure in a flock of 9‐month‐old White Suffolk‐cross ewe lambs. The mortality rate was moderate but the morbidity was high. The lambs had grazed a wheat stubble paddock in which there were several weed species, includingAmaranthusspp.

Clinical significance

Renal failure in livestock has been reported internationally following the ingestion ofAmaranthusspp. and although it has previously been suspected in Australia no cases have been documented. It is important for Australian veterinarians and farmers to realise the toxic potential of this group of plants.
Canine neural angiostrongylosis: a case–control study in Sydney dogs
Authors: Walker AG , Spielman D , Malik R , Graham K , Ralph E , Linton M , Ward MP
Published: May 2015

Objective

To determine the risk factors for canine neural angiostrongylosis in dogs domiciled in Sydney, Australia; geographic location, age, sex, neuter status, weight and breed were assessed.

Procedure

Case and matched‐control dogs were selected from three veterinary clinics in Sydney. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with disease status. A scan statistic was used to identify disease clusters.

Results

Age (young dogs) and neuter status (entire dogs) were independent risk factors for neural angiostrongylosis diagnosis, and diagnoses predominantly occurred during autumn, with some evidence of spatial clustering.

Conclusions

Veterinarians in endemic areas should be aware of these risk factors when presented with suspect canine neural angiostrongylosis cases and also should consider advising clients of preventive treatment. Potential human health risks should be further investigated, because urban dog populations might represent a useful sentinel species for disease in humans.
Understorey plant community and light availability in conifer plantations and natural hardwood forests in Taiwan
Authors: Liu Tzu‐Yang , Lin Kuo‐Chuan , Vadeboncoeur Matthew A. , Chen Ming‐Zhen , Huang Meng‐Yuan , Lin Teng‐Chiu
Published: May 2015

Questions

What are the effects of replacing mixed species natural forests with Cryptomeria japonica plantations on understorey plant functional and species diversity? What is the role of the understorey light environment in determining understorey diversity and community in the two types of forest?

Location

Subtropical northeast Taiwan.

Methods

We examined light environments using hemispherical photography, and diversity and composition of understorey plants of a 35‐yr C. japonica plantation and an adjacent natural hardwood forest.

Results

Understorey plant species richness was similar in the two forests, but the communities were different; only 18 of the 91 recorded understorey plant species occurred in both forests. Relative abundance of plants among different functional groups differed between the two forests. Relative numbers of shade‐tolerant and shade‐intolerant seedling individuals were also different between the two forest types with only one shade‐intolerant seedling in the plantation compared to 23 seedlings belonging to two species in the natural forest. In the natural forest 11 species of tree seedling were found, while in the plantation only five were found, and the seedling density was only one third of that in the natural forest. Across plots in both forests, understorey plant richness and diversity were negatively correlated with direct sunlight but not indirect sunlight, possibly because direct light plays a more important role in understorey plant growth.

Conclusions

We report lower species and functional diversity and higher light availability in a natural hardwood forest than an adjacent 30‐yr C. japonica plantation, possibly due to the increased dominance of shade‐intolerant species associated with higher light availability. To maintain plant diversity, management efforts must be made to prevent localized losses of shade‐adapted understorey plants.
Savage, Jonathan (2015) Lesson planningRoutledge (New York & London) isbn978‐0‐415‐70896‐8 183 pp £19.99 http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9780415708968/
Authors: Latchem Colin
Published: May 2015

Lesson planning, while entering a very crowded market, contains useful and practical advice and reflective activities on its subject and is presented in a clear, logical manner. Unfortunately, it has little to say on using digital resources for teaching and learning, despite acknowledging that these can be very powerful, helpful and transformative. If you believe the content of this book is likely to be unusually relevant to you, take a look – but I advise that you will probably find only parts of it of interest or use.

Colin Latchem
Circulating plasma cells in newly diagnosed symptomatic multiple myeloma as a possible prognostic marker for patients with standard‐risk cytogenetics
Authors: Vagnoni Davide , Travaglini Fosco , Pezzoni Valerio , Ruggieri Miriana , Bigazzi Catia , Dalsass Alessia , Mestichelli Francesca , Troiani Emanuela , Falcioni Sadia , Mazzotta Serena , Natale Annalisa , Angelini Mario , Ferretti Silvia , Angelini Stefano , Galieni Piero
Published: May 2015

Detection of circulating plasma cells (PCs) in multiple myeloma (MM) patients is a well‐known prognostic factor. We evaluated circulatingPCs by flow cytometry (FC) in 104 patients with activeMMat diagnosis by gating onCD38+ CD45‐cells and examined their relationship with cytogenetic risk. Patients had an average follow‐up of 36 months. By using a receiver operating characteristics analysis, we estimated the optimal cut‐off of circulatingPCs for defining poor prognosis to be 41. Patients with high‐risk cytogenetics (n = 24) had poor prognosis, independently of circulatingPClevels [PC < 41 vs.PC ≥ 41: overall survival (OS) = 0% vs.OS = 17%,P = not significant (n.s.); progression‐free survival (PFS) = 0% vs. 17%,P = n.s.]. Patients with standard‐risk cytogenetics (n = 65) showed a better prognosis when associated with a lower number of circulatingPCs (PC < 41 vs.PC ≥ 41:OS = 62% vs. 24%,P = 0·008;PFS = 48% vs. 21%,P = 0·001). Multivariate analysis on the subgroup with standard‐risk cytogenetics confirmed that the co‐presence of circulatingPCs ≥ 41, older age, Durie‐Salmon stage >I and lack of maintenance adversely affectedPFS, whileOSwas adversely affected only by lactate dehydrogenase, older age and lack of maintenance. Our results indicate that the quantification of circulatingPCs by a simple two‐colourFCanalysis can provide useful prognostic information in newly diagnosedMMpatients with standard‐risk cytogenetics.
The continent‐ocean transition on the northwestern South China Sea
Authors: Cameselle Alejandra L. , Ranero César R. , Franke Dieter , Barckhausen Udo
Published: May 2015

Rifted margins are created as a result of stretching and breakup of continental lithosphere that eventually leads to oceanic spreading and formation of a new oceanic basin. A cornerstone for understanding what processes control the final transition to seafloor spreading is the nature of the continent‐ocean transition (COT). We reprocessed multichannel seismic profiles and use available gravity data to study the structure and variability of the COT along the Northwest subbasin (NWSB) of the South China Sea. We have interpreted the seismic images to discern continental from oceanic domains. The continental‐crust domain is characterized by tilted fault blocks generally overlain by thick syn‐rift sedimentary units, and underlain by fairly continuous Moho reflections typically at 8–10 s twtt. The thickness of the continental crust changes greatly across the basin, from ~20 to 25 km under the shelf and uppermost slope, to ~9–6 km under the lower slope. The oceanic‐crust domain is characterized by a highly reflective top of basement, little faulting, no syntectonic strata and fairly constant thickness (over tens to hundreds of km) of typically 6 km, but ranging from 4 to 8 km. The COT is imaged as a ~5–10 km wide zone where oceanic‐type features directly abut or lap on continental‐type structures. The South China margin continental crust is cut by abundant normal faults. Seismic profiles show an along‐strike variation in the tectonic structure of the continental margin. The NE‐most lines display ~20–40 km wide segments of intense faulting under the slope and associated continental‐crust thinning, giving way to a narrow COT and oceanic crust. Towards the SW, faulting and thinning of the continental crust occurs across a ~100–110 km wide segment with a narrow COT and abutting oceanic crust. We interpret this 3D structural variability and the narrow COT as a consequence of the abrupt termination of continental rifting tectonics by the NE to SW propagation of a spreading centre. We suggest that breakup occurred abruptly by spreading centre propagation rather than by thinning during continental rifting. We propose a kinematic evolution for the oceanic domain of the NWSB consisting of a southward spreading centre propagation followed by a first narrow ridge jump to the north, and then a younger larger jump to the SE, to abandon the NWSB and create the East subbasin of the South China Sea.
DPP‐4 Inhibitor Linagliptin Attenuates Aβ‐induced Cytotoxicity through Activation of AMPK in Neuronal Cells
Authors: Kornelius Edy , Lin Chih‐Li , Chang Hsiu‐Han , Li Hsin‐Hua , Huang Wen‐Nung , Yang Yi‐Sun , Lu Ying‐Li , Peng Chiung‐Huei , Huang Chien‐Ning
Published: May 2015

Aim

It is now clear that insulin signaling has important roles in regulation of neuronal functions in the brain. Dysregulation of brain insulin signaling has been linked to neurodegenerative disease, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this regard, there is evidence that improvement of neuronal insulin signaling has neuroprotective activity against amyloid β (Aβ)‐induced neurotoxicity for patients with AD. Linagliptin is an inhibitor of dipeptidylpeptidase‐4 (DPP‐4), which improves impaired insulin secretion and insulin downstream signaling in the in peripheral tissues. However, whether the protective effects of linagliptin involved in Aβ‐mediated neurotoxicity have not yet been investigated.

Methods

In the present study, we evaluated the mechanisms by which linagliptin protects against Aβ‐induced impaired insulin signaling and cytotoxicity in cultured SK‐N‐MC human neuronal cells.

Results

Our results showed that Aβ impairs insulin signaling and causes cell death. However, linagliptin significantly protected against Aβ‐induced cytotoxicity, and prevented the activation of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) and tau hyperphosphorylation by restoring insulin downstream signaling. Furthermore, linagliptin alleviated Aβ‐induced mitochondrial dysfunction and intracellular ROS generation, which may be due to the activation of 5′ AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK)‐Sirt1 signaling. This upregulation of Sirt1 expression was also observed in diabetic patients with AD coadministration of linagliptin.

Conclusions

Taken together, our findings suggest linagliptin can restore the impaired insulin signaling caused by Aβ in neuronal cells, suggesting DPP‐4 inhibitors may have therapeutic potential for reducing Aβ‐induced impairment of insulin signaling and neurotoxicity in AD pathogenesis.
How Status Concerns Can Make Us Rich and Happy
Authors: Strulik Holger
Published: May 2015

This paper considers an overlapping generations model of economic growth populated by two types of individuals. Competitive types compare future consumption (i.e. wealth) with the mean. Self‐sufficient types derive utility simply from their own consumption and do not compare themselves with others. I derive a condition under which the utility (happiness) of both types increases when the economy is populated by a larger share of competitive types. I show that a sufficiently high share of competitive types in a society can be inevitable for long‐run economic growth to exist.
Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm after Aortic Valve Bypass Implantation
Authors: Søholm Helle , Hassager Christian , Vejlstrup Niels , Arendrup Henrik , Jensen Maiken , Lund Jens , Ihlemann Nikolaj
Published: May 2015

Mini‐Abstract

Aortic valve bypass (AVB)—a conduit from the apex of the left ventricle to the descending aorta containing a bioprosthetic valve—is a treatment option in severe aortic stenosis unsuitable for both surgical aortic valve replacement and transcatheter aortic valve replacement. An 82‐year‐old woman with severe aortic stenosis, porcelain aorta, and limited vascular access had an AVB inserted successfully. Imaging 3 months after implantation revealed a pseudoaneurysm at the AVB insertion site. Due to comorbidity and advanced age, the patient has been treated conservatively. Procedures with transapical insertions such as TAVI or AVB can lead to pseudoaneurysms, and the diagnosis often requires multiple imaging modalities.
Schooling in Capitalism: Navigating the Bleak Pathways of Structural Fate
Authors: Murray Kevin , Liston Daniel P.
Published: May 2015

In this review essay Kevin Murray and Dan Liston examine three texts in what this symposium has deemed the recent resurgence in neo‐Marxist accounts of schooling: David Blacker's The Falling Rate of Learning and the Neoliberal Endgame, Mike Cole's Marxism and Educational Theory, and John Marsh's Class Dismissed. Murray and Liston argue that Blacker, Cole, and Marsh provide a much‐needed structural delineation of schooling in capitalist society. All three works have substantial merit and are in need of minor adjustments. Blacker's vision is telling and chilling but may need some fine‐tuning; Cole's defense of Marxism is commendable but tends toward the disembodied abstract; and Marsh's text capably highlights educationists' blinders but seems to miss elements of a critical structural account. While recognizing real limitations on transformative education under capitalism, Murray and Liston nevertheless elaborate a variation of the radical humanist project. It is their skeletal attempt at an educationally and morally defensible reparative theory.
Mapping the Contours of Neoliberal Educational Restructuring: A Review of Recent Neo‐Marxist Studies of Education and Racial Capitalist Considerations
Authors: Pierce Clayton
Published: May 2015

In this article Clayton Pierce reviews three books representative of the recent neo‐Marxist literature on education: David Blacker's The Falling Rate of Learning and the Neoliberal Endgame, John Marsh's Class Dismissed: Why We Cannot Teach or Learn Our Way out of Inequality, and Pauline Lipman's The New Political Economy of Urban Education: Neoliberalism, Race, and the Right to the City. His analysis of these books focuses on how each author remains consistent or advances traditional Marxist interpretations of the role of education in capitalist society. In addition, he puts the arguments of each author into conversation with W. E. B. Du Bois's analysis of schooling in a racial capitalist society — what he called caste education — as a way to generate discussion around some of the inherent limitations of Marxist studies of education. Here, Pierce is particularly concerned with the ability of neo‐Marxist analyses of the neoliberal restructuring of education to articulate how white supremacy is preserved even in revolutionary critiques of capitalist schooling.
The cost of ant attendance and melezitose secretion in the black bean aphid Aphis fabae
Authors: VANTAUX AMÉLIE , SCHILLEWAERT SHARON , PARMENTIER THOMAS , VAN DEN ENDE WIM , BILLEN JOHAN , WENSELEERS TOM
Published: May 2015

1. The aphid Aphis fabae (Scopoli) is facultatively tended by Lasius niger (Linnaeus) ants. Previously, we found that A. fabae colonies can be made up of several clones, and that clones display significant differences in the composition of their honeydew sugars, especially in the amount of the ant attractant sugar melezitose that they produce.

2. These clonal differences could greatly impact the strength of the mutualistic interaction with ants as well as the aphids' fitness.

3. Hence, the aim of this study was to compare the fitness of different A. fabae clones that differed in their melezitose secretion, and whether or not they were tended by ants.

4. Individual fitness indices, colony growth, and alate production of single‐clone aphid colonies were analysed.

5. The results demonstrate that the fitness consequences of ant attendance critically depend on an interaction between levels of melezitose production. In particular, we show that high‐melezitose secreting clones produce fewer alates and hence might have a lower dispersal ability in the presence of ants.

6. Furthermore, these data confirm previous evidence that ant attendance is costly and results in the production of fewer apterae.
Rodologia: Genealogy as Therapy in Post‐Soviet Russia
Authors: Leykin Inna
Published: May 2015

The article examines how people in post‐Soviet Russia learn to interpret Soviet political genealogies as implicated in their own family histories. Based on long‐term fieldwork in a large provincial city in Russia, it focuses on a particular form of amateur genealogy calledRodologia(rodstvo= kinship). Informed by a burgeoning self‐help culture, Rodologia's followers argue that psychological “self‐realization” can be achieved by identifying the effects of state violence on family histories. Using a Lamarckian‐like idea of heredity, Rodologia argues that social and political upheavals, such as gulags, collectivization, and wars, “scar” people's genes and shape the behavior, self, and history of their descendants. The article demonstrates how popular attempts to attribute meanings to Soviet state violence are mediated by a surprising alliance of two cultural logics for articulating the self emerging in post‐Soviet Russia—a thriving therapeutic “self‐help” culture and a form of recollection inspired by genealogical imagination. A flourishing therapeutic culture and amateur genealogy, I show, emerge as a means to both organize one's relation to the Soviet past and to make sense of fundamental changes occurring in meanings of political order in post‐Soviet Russia.
Learning (by) Feeling: A Cross‐Cultural Comparison of the Socialization and Development of Emotions
Authors: Röttger‐Rössler Birgitt , Scheidecker Gabriel , Funk Leberecht , Holodynski Manfred
Published: May 2015

Although much has been written about “socialization” and “emotion” in different cultures, these two topics have rarely been systematically combined and analyzed from the perspective of ontogenetic development. Drawing on approaches from developmental psychology and cultural anthropology, we examine how cultural models of emotion and their corresponding emotionally arousing child‐rearing practices lead to culture‐specific pathways of emotion development among the Bara (Madagascar) and the Tao (Taiwan). We focus especially on socializing emotions, which we define in terms of their function to orient individuals toward cultural norms and values and to inculcate social conformity. Based on empirical data gathered in long‐term ethnographic field studies, we provide evidence that the Bara emphasize “fear” and the Tao “anxiety” as focal socializing emotions.
Nutritional management of hyperlipaemia
Authors: Durham A. E. , Thiemann A. K.
Published: May 2015

Hyperlipaemia is a disease resulting from excessive mobilisation of triglyceride stores such that plasma clearance processes become overwhelmed. Consequently increased plasma triglyceride concentrations (>5.6 mmol/l), visibly cloudy plasma and a sick, anorexic or hypophagic subject follow. Epidemiological studies have identified many predisposing and triggering factors and the attentive carer or veterinary surgeon should be alert to such risk factors so that the disease can be prevented, or at least identified and treated at an early stage. Hyperlipaemic subjects are invariably in a negative energy balance, and nutritional management therefore plays a central role in both the prevention and resolution of the disease.
Ultra‐low cycle torsion fatigue of annealed copper
Authors: Hofmann U. , Riedle J. , Altenberger I. , Cote A. , Burwell M.
Published: May 2015

Torsion experiments show that pure annealed copper is able to withstand very high plastic strain amplitudes when it is loaded cyclically with less than 30 cycles to failure. Under these ultra‐low cycle fatigue conditions, the performance of copper is significantly better than that of the annealed steels A36 and AISI 304, which were also tested in this study for comparison. The dependence of fatigue life on strain range can be described by a power law. In the case of an initial overloading, fatigue life can be estimated using the Palmgren–Miner rule. The long low cycle fatigue life of copper is explained by a thermally activated softening mechanism which takes place while the material heats up as a result of the cyclically repeated plastic deformation. The softening is accompanied by a change in microstructure. The low cycle fatigue properties of copper can be utilized for designing hysteretic dampers for seismic protection.
Simulated impact of the renewable fuels standard on US Conservation Reserve Program enrollment and conversion
Authors: Hellwinckel Chad , Clark Christopher , Langholtz Matthew , Eaton Laurence
Published: May 2015

A socioeconomic model is used to estimate the land‐use implications on the U.S. Conservation Reserve Program from potential increases in second‐generation biofuel production. A baseline scenario with no second‐generation biofuel production is compared to a scenario where the Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS2) volumes are met by 2022. We allow for the possibility of converting expiring CRP lands to alternative uses such as conventional crops, dedicated second‐generation biofuel crops, or harvesting existing CRP grasses for biomass. Results indicate that RFS2 volumes (RFS2‐v) can be met primarily with crop residues (78% of feedstock demand) and woody residues (19% of feedstock demand) compared with dedicated biomass (3% of feedstock demand), with only minimal conversion of cropland (0.27 million hectares, <1% of total cropland), pastureland (0.28 million hectares of pastureland, <1% of total pastureland), and CRP lands (0.29 million hectares of CRP lands, 3% of existing CRP lands) to biomass production. Meeting RFS2 volumes would reduce CRP re‐enrollment by 0.19 million hectares, or 4%, below the baseline scenario where RFS2 is not met. Yet under RFS2‐v scenario, expiring CRP lands are more likely to be converted to or maintain perennial cover, with 1.78 million hectares of CRP lands converting to hay production, and 0.29 million hectares being harvested for existing grasses. A small amount of CRP is harvested for existing biomass, but no conversion of CRP to dedicated biomass crops, such as switchgrass, are projected to occur. Although less land is enrolled in CRP under RFS2‐v scenario, total land in perennial cover increases by 0.15 million hectares, or 2%, under RFS2‐v. Sensitivity to yield, payment and residue retention assumptions are evaluated.
Latitudinal differences in species abundance distributions, rather than spatial aggregation, explain beta‐diversity along latitudinal gradients
Authors: Xu Wubing , Chen Guoke , Liu Canran , Ma Keping
Published: May 2015

Aim

Variation in species composition among sites (β‐diversity) generally decreases with increasing latitude, but the underlying mechanisms are ambiguous. Although both local and large‐scale processes may drive this pattern, they act all through influencing species abundance distribution (SAD) and spatial pattern of species. A null model incorporating SAD is often used to calculate expected β‐diversity, which accounts for most variation in β‐diversity. However, a recent study has shown that the deviation of observed β‐diversity from expected values (β‐deviation) increases with latitude. The latitudinal gradients in β‐deviation may be related to both latitudinal differences in SADs and the degrees of spatial aggregation. Our study aims to (1) investigate how β‐deviation varies with SAD and spatial aggregation, and (2) separate the contributions of SAD and aggregation in explaining latitudinal gradients in β‐deviation.

Location

Global.

Methods

197 forest plots (each containing 10 subplots) distributed along latitudinal gradients were used. Two β‐diversity models were derived for communities with randomly and nonrandomly distributed species. The two models were used to simulate relationships of β‐deviation with SAD and aggregation, and to separate the contributions of these two factors in explaining latitudinal gradients in β‐deviation.

Results

β‐deviation increased with the degree of aggregation and peaked at intermediate species abundance. The fraction of β‐deviation linked to SAD increased with latitude in global and regional analyses, whereas the fraction of β‐deviation linked to aggregation was only significantly correlated with latitude in New World south. The degree of aggregation increased with latitude in New World south, but not in global extent and New World north.

Main conclusions

The latitudinal gradients in β‐deviation are primarily explained by latitudinal differences in SADs. Additionally, the expected β‐diversity is determined solely by SAD. Therefore, we conclude that latitude‐β‐diversity gradients at local spatial scales appear to be explained by latitudinal differences in SADs.
Navigating Haiti's History: Saint‐Domingue and the Haitian Revolution
Authors: Taber Robert D.
Published: May 2015

The decade since the bicentennial of Haiti's independence has seen an outpouring of scholarship on its history, particularly on the course and impacts of the Haitian Revolution, which transformed the Atlantic world's most productive colony into the Americas’ second independent state and involved one of history's most successful slave rebellions. This new historical research builds upon a long, albeit scattered, historiography on Saint‐Domingue (colonial Haiti) and the Haitian Revolution. Haiti's colonial and revolutionary history has important implications for understanding the development of plantation society, Haiti's connections with the USA and the rest of Latin America, and current policy debates ranging from land use to education.
Epigenetic modulation of dental pulp stem cells: implications for regenerative endodontics
Authors: Duncan H. F. , Smith A. J. , Fleming G. J. P. , Cooper P. R.
Published: May 2015

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) offer significant potential for use in regenerative endodontics, and therefore, identifying cellular regulators that control stem cell fate is critical to devising novel treatment strategies. Stem cell lineage commitment and differentiation are regulated by an intricate range of host and environmental factors of which epigenetic influence is considered vital. Epigenetic modification of DNA and DNA‐associated histone proteins has been demonstrated to control cell phenotype and regulate the renewal and pluripotency of stem cell populations. The activities of the nuclear enzymes, histone deacetylases, are increasingly being recognized as potential targets for pharmacologically inducing stem cell differentiation and dedifferentiation. Depending on cell maturity and niche in vitro, low concentration histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) application can promote dedifferentiation of several post‐natal and mouse embryonic stem cell populations and conversely increase differentiation and accelerate mineralization in DPSC populations, whilst animal studies have shown an HDACi‐induced increase in stem cell marker expression during organ regeneration. Notably, both HDAC and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors have also been demonstrated to dramatically increase the reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) for use in regenerative therapeutic procedures. As the regulation of cell fate will likely remain the subject of intense future research activity, this review aims to describe the current knowledge relating to stem cell epigenetic modification, focusing on the role of HDACi on alteration of DPSC phenotype, whilst presenting the potential for therapeutic application as part of regenerative endodontic regimens.
Victorian Stroke Telemedicine Project: implementation of a new model of translational stroke care for Australia
Authors: Bladin C. F. , Molocijz N. , Ermel S. , Bagot K. L. , Kilkenny M. , Vu M. , Cadilhac D. A. ,   VST program investigators
Published: May 2015

Background

Stroke telemedicine is widely used to treat patients with acute stroke in Europe and North America but is seldom used in Australia. The Victorian Stroke Telemedicine (VST) programme aims to enhance acute stroke care in regional Australia.

Methods

Twelve‐month pilot prospective, historical‐controlled, implementation cohort study. Emergency Department (ED) at a large regional hospital in Victoria. Patients ≥18 years of age arriving <4.5 h in the ED with a possible diagnosis of acute stroke. Telemedicine consultation by a Melbourne‐based stroke specialist. Stroke thrombolysis rate, timelines for clinical processes, discharge outcomes.

Results

In the initial 12 month VST implementation, 62 patients arrived <4.5 h of stroke onset (60% male; median age 75 years). Compared to pre‐VST data (n = 58; 52% male; median age 77 years), stroke thrombolysis use increased from 17% to 26% (P = 0.26). Clinical process timelines improved including door to computed tomography time (reduced by 29 min, P = 0.006), and door to needle time (reduced by 21 min, P = 0.21). There was no significant increase in deaths (pre‐VST 7% vs VST 10%), or symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage (n = 1 tPA patient). More patients who received tPA were discharged to home or rehabilitation (pre‐VST 33% vs VST 80%, P = 0.02), with significantly fewer transfers to other acute care services.

Conclusions

The VST pilot implementation provides evidence that telemedicine can enhance the quality of acute stroke care in a regional hospital. Expanding VST to 16 regional hospitals, Australia's largest telestroke programme, will allow for a more comprehensive clinical and economic analysis.
Sexual rest and post‐meiotic sperm ageing in house mice
Authors: Firman R. C. , Young F. J. , Rowe D. C. , Duong H. T. , Gasparini C.
Published: May 2015

Fertilization by aged sperm can result in adverse fitness consequences for both males and females. Sperm storage during male sexual rest could provide an environment for post‐meiotic sperm senescence causing a deterioration in the quality of stored sperm, possibly impacting on both sperm performance (e.g. swimming ability) and DNA quality. Here, we compared the proportion of sperm with fragmented DNA, an indicator of structural damage of DNA within the sperm cell, among males that had been sexually rested for approximately 2 months, to that of males that had mated recently. We found no evidence of intra‐epididymal sperm DNA damage or any impairment in sperm performance, and consequently no evidence of post‐meiotic sperm senescence. Our results suggest that male house mice are likely to possess mechanisms that function to ensure that their sperm reserves remain stocked with ‘young’, viable sperm during periods of sexual inactivity. We also discuss the possibility that our experimental design leads to no difference in the age of sperm among males from the two mating treatments. Post‐meiotic sperm senescence is especially relevant under sperm competition. Thus, we sourced mice from populations that differed in their levels of post‐copulatory sexual selection, enabling us to gain insight into how selection for higher sperm production influences the rate of sperm ageing and levels of DNA fragmentation. We found that males from the population that produced the highest number of sperm also had the smallest proportion of DNA‐fragmented sperm and discuss this outcome in relation to selection acting upon males to ensure that they produce ejaculates with high‐quality sperm that are successful in achieving fertilizations under competitive conditions.
Agreement on intrapartum cardiotocogram recordings between expert obstetricians
Authors: Hruban Lukáš , Spilka Jiří , Chudáček Václav , Janků Petr , Huptych Michal , Burša Miroslav , Hudec Adam , Kacerovský Marian , Koucký Michal , Procházka Martin , Korečko Vladimír , Seget'a Jan , Šimetka Ondřej , Měchurová Alena , Lhotská Lenka
Published: May 2015

Rationale, aims and objectives

To evaluate obstetricians' inter‐ and intra‐observer agreement on intrapartum cardiotocogram (CTG) recordings and to examine obstetricians' evaluations with respect to umbilical artery pH and base deficit.

Methods

Nine experienced obstetricians annotated 634 intrapartum CTG recordings. The evaluation of each recording was divided into four steps: evaluation of two 30‐minute windows in the first stage of labour, evaluation of one window in the second stage of labour and labour outcome prediction. The complete set of evaluations used for this experiment is available online. The inter‐ and intra‐observer agreement was evaluated using proportion of agreement and kappa coefficient. Clinicians' sensitivity and specificity was computed with respect to umbilical artery pH, base deficit and to Apgar score at the fifth minute.

Results

The overall proportion of agreement between clinicians reached 48% with 95% confidence intervals (CI) (CI: 47–50). Regarding the different classes, proportion of agreement ranged from 57% (CI: 54–60) for normal to 41% (CI: 36–46) for pathological class. The sensitivity of clinicians' majority vote to objective outcome was 39% (CI: 16–63) for the umbilical artery base deficit and 27% (CI: 16–42) for pH. The specificity was 89% (CI: 86–92) for both types of objective outcome.

Conclusions

The reported inter‐/intra‐observer variability is large and this holds irrespective of clinicians' experience or work place. The results support the need of modernized guidelines for CTG evaluation and/or objectivization and repeatability by introduction of a computerized approach that could standardize the process of CTG evaluation within the delivery ward.
Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis of the spine in a nine‐year‐old cat
Authors: Bossens K. , Bhatti S. , Van Soens I. , Gielen I. , Van Ham L.
Published: May 2015

A nine‐year‐old intact female domestic shorthair cat was evaluated for paraparesis, ataxia and severe spinal hyperaesthesia. Neurological examination indicated a T3‐L3 spinal cord segment lesion. Computed tomography of the thoracolumbar and lumbosacral vertebral column was performed. This showed contiguous smooth new bone formation ventral and lateral to the vertebrae extending from the cranial thoracic area to the lumbosacral junction and appearing similar to canine diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. There was also marked dorsolateral stenosis of the vertebral canal at the level of T4‐T5 because of degenerative changes of the facet joints. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first published report of feline diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis.
Relationship between Baked‐Cheese Sensory Properties and Melted‐Cheese Physical Characteristics
Authors: Banville Vincent , Power Nelson , Pouliot Yves , Britten Michel
Published: May 2015

Manufacturing conditions affect the sensory properties of baked Mozzarella cheese. However, instrumental analysis of cheese at room temperature does not fully correlate with the sensory properties of cheese after baking on a cooking dish. In this study, regular and stabilized pizza cheese were aged for 10, 25, 40 or 55 days before testing. A descriptive sensory analysis was performed on cheese baked on a pizza model and was related to the rheological properties of melted cheese. The sensory firmness, breakdown resistance, rubberiness and liquid release varied among cheese types and ages. Differences among cheese types and ages were also observed in small‐strain oscillatory shear moduli measured on melted cheese cooled at different temperatures. The multiple stress creep recovery test proved to provide the best correlation with baked‐cheese sensory terms. Partial dehydration of cheese before melting, to mimic the water loss during the baking process, was shown to increase correlations.

Practical Applications

Ingredient cheese that are baked on pizzas are required to have specific behaviors in order to meet consumer acceptance. Hence, understanding the effect of baking on cheese sensory properties and their relationship to mechanical properties should facilitate the development of new cheese functionalities. This study proposes a descriptive sensory evaluation of pizza cheese baked on a standardized pizza model. This approach increases the robustness of the quality evaluation of cheese properties. A novel method was also tested to probe the linear and nonlinear behavior of melted cheese in an effort to reduce the gap between standard rheological procedures and the sensations experienced during the rather complex action of oral processing.
The role of Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato saliva in the dissemination of Rickettsia conorii in C3H/HeJ mice
Authors: MILHANO N. , SAITO T. B. , BECHELLI J. , FANG R. , VILHENA M. , DE SOUSA R. , WALKER D. H.
Published: May 2015

Animal models have been developed for the study of rickettsial pathogenesis. However, to understand what occurs during the natural route of rickettsial transmission via the tick bite, the role of tick saliva should be considered in these models. To address this, we analysed the role of tick saliva in the transmission of Rickettsia conorii (Rickettsiales: Rickettsiaceae) in a murine host by intradermally (i.d.) inoculating two groups of susceptible C3H/HeJ mice with this Rickettsia, and infesting one group with nymphal Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (Ixodida: Ixodidae) ticks. Quantification of bacterial loads and mRNA levels of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), IL‐10 and NF‐κB was performed in C3H/HeJ lung samples by real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and real‐time reverse transcriptase PCR, respectively. Lung histology was examined to evaluate the pathological manifestations of infection. No statistically significant difference in bacterial load in the lungs of mice was observed between these two groups; however, a statistically significant difference was observed in levels of IL‐1β and NF‐κB, both of which were higher in the group inoculated with rickettsiae but not infected with ticks. Lung histology in both groups of animals revealed infiltration of inflammatory cells. Overall, this study showed that i.d. inoculation of R. conorii caused infection in the lungs of C3H/HeJ mice and tick saliva inhibited proinflammatory effects.
A New Method for Sham‐Controlled Acupuncture in Experimental Visceral Pain – a Randomized, Single‐Blinded Study
Authors: Juel Jacob , Liguori Stefano , Liguori Aldo , Valeriani Massimiliano , Graversen Carina , Olesen Søren S. , Drewes Asbjørn M.
Published: May 2015

Objective

Acupuncture is increasingly used as an alternative to medical therapy for various pain conditions. To study the effect of acupuncture in experimental and clinical studies, a control condition with sham acupuncture is needed. However, as such models have not been established in assessment of acupunctures effect against visceral pain, this study aimed to validate a new method for blinded sham acupuncture in experimental rectal pain.

Methods

Fifteen subjects underwent a sequence of either sham or real acupuncture in randomized order. In the sham arm, a hollow inner tube with a sharp tip was fitted into an outer tube and subjects were blinded to the stimulations. Before and after the intervention, pain was induced by rectal stimulation with an inflatable balloon distended until the subjects' pain threshold was reached. The resting electroencephalogram (EEG) was quantified by spectral power analysis to explore the central nervous system effects objectively. Additionally, after the second study day, the subject was asked to indicate the sequence of interventions.

Results

A significant increase in rectal balloon volume was observed after sham 12 ± 21 mL (P = 0.049) and acupuncture 17 ± 30 mL (P = 0.046). However, the change in volume was not different between groups (P = 0.6). No differences in EEG spectral power distributions between sham and acupuncture were seen (all P > 0.6). The correct sequence of sham and acupuncture was indicated by 36% of the subjects (P = 0.4).

Conclusions

The presented sham procedure provides a valid method for blinding of “sham acupuncture” and may be used in future blinded controlled trials of acupuncture for visceral pain.