bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Disputed episcopacy: Bede, Acca, and the relationship between Stephen's Life of St Wilfrid and the early prose Lives of St Cuthbert
Authors: Stancliffe Clare
Published: July 2013

This article investigates the relationship of the Wilfrid and Cuthbert Lives, confirming that Bede re-presented the life of Cuthbert in response to Wilfridian criticism. It then examines why that was necessary c. 720, arguing that it fits not just with a probable episcopal interregnum at Lindisfarne after Eadfrith's death, as suggested by Kirby, but also with Acca's promotion of St Oswald and Heavenfield, which undercut Lindisfarne's cult of St Cuthbert and status as the mother church of Bernicia. At stake were both Lindisfarne's survival as an episcopal see and its distinctive type of monkbishops. These represented a different model of episcopacy, championed by Bede, from that espoused by the Wilfridians.
Topological flatness of local models for ramified unitary groups. II. The even dimensional case
Authors: Smithling Brian D.
Published: July 2013

Local models are schemes, defined in terms of linear-algebraic moduli problems, which are used to model the étale-local structure of integral models of certain$p$-adic PEL Shimura varieties defined by Rapoport and Zink. In the case of a unitary similitude group whose localization at${ \mathbb{Q} }_{p} $is ramified, quasi-split$G{U}_{n} $, Pappas has observed that the original local models are typically not flat, and he and Rapoport have introduced new conditions to the original moduli problem which they conjecture to yield a flat scheme. In a previous paper, we proved that their new local models are topologically flat when$n$is odd. In the present paper, we prove topological flatness when$n$is even. Along the way, we characterize the$\mu $-admissible set for certain cocharacters$\mu $in types$B$and$D$, and we show that for these cocharacters admissibility can be characterized in a vertexwise way, confirming a conjecture of Pappas and Rapoport.
Oral Electromyography Activation Patterns for Speech Are Similar in Preschoolers Who Do and Do Not Stutter
Authors: Walsh Bridget , Smith Anne
Published: July 2013

Purpose

In this study, the authors determined whether basic patterns of muscle activation for speech were similar in preschool children who stutter and in their fluent peers.

Method

Right and left lower lip muscle activity were recorded during conversational speech and sentence repetition in 64 preschool children diagnosed as stuttering (CWS) and in 40 children who do not stutter (CWNS). Measures of electromyography (EMG) amplitude, right–left asymmetry, and bilateral coordination were computed for fluent speech. The potential presence of tremor-like oscillations during disfluencies of CWS was assessed, and EMG amplitudes of fluent and disfluent speech were compared in CWS.

Results

Across both speaking tasks, lip muscle activation was similar in CWS and CWNS in overall amplitude, bilateral synchrony, and degree of right–left asymmetry. EMG amplitude was reduced during disfluent compared with fluent conversational speech of CWS, and there was no evidence of tremor in the disfluencies of CWS.

Conclusion

These results support the assertion that stuttering in young children arises not from basic features of muscle contraction but rather from the command signals that control the timing and amplitude of muscle activity. The results indicate that no frank abnormality is present in muscle activation patterns in preschoolers who stutter.
Identification of spectral components in the line current of eccentric salient pole machines using a binomial series‐based inverse air‐gap function
Authors: Ilamparithi Thirumarai Chelvan , Nandi Subhasis
Published: July 2013

Current literature does not provide any generalised method for specific permeance – magneto‐motive force‐based approach to predict all possible harmonic components in the air‐gap flux and line current of an eccentric salient‐pole machine. This study provides an elegant solution to express specific permeance of an eccentric reluctance synchronous machine as a summation of constant coefficient co‐sinusoidal terms. Binomial series expansion has been used to achieve this. The analysis has been validated by matching the presence of the predicted harmonic components in the stator line current by coupled magnetic circuit simulation based on modified winding function approach and experimental results. It is also shown that the effect of sensor errors, machine asymmetry, supply harmonics etc. can be minimised by residual estimation to vastly improve detection sensitivity under all load conditions. Thereafter, a procedure to identify fault type and severity has been presented.
Design, analysis and prototyping of a low‐cost monopole machine
Authors: Kahourzade Solmaz , Mahmoudi Amin , Wooi Ping Hew
Published: July 2013

This study presents the design, analysis and prototyping of a low‐cost monopole machine capable of battery charging. The designed monopole machine encompasses a rotor disc including eight permanent magnets with the same magnetising direction and a stator consists of a magnetic core and three windings: power coil winding, trigger coil winding and recovery coil winding. This machine includes an electronic circuit as a trigger and a magnetic circuit that converts electrical energy to mechanical energy and vice versa. The machine captures energy in the form of back‐electromagnetic force generated by a collapsing field in the stator and rotor to avoid wasting energy and stores it in a battery. To simulate the machine, electromagnetic and electrical analyses were conducted simultaneously to predict the design parameters and machine performance: three‐dimensional finite element analysis via Vector Field Opera, and MATLAB/Simulink. To validate the simulation results accuracy, the machine was fabricated and tested. Experimental data were compared with simulation results, and showed good agreement with that of simulation.
Interleaved winding and suppression of natural frequencies
Authors: Pramanik Saurav , Anees Sana , Satish Lakshminarayana
Published: July 2013

Ideally, it is desirable to design and manufacture a transformer winding that can render all its internal resonances non‐excitable. This study examines the effectiveness of an interleaved winding in achieving this goal. While investigating its effectiveness, it led to the establishment of a much desired theoretical basis that reinforces the reasons put forward in the literature to explain internal insulation failures observed in interleaved windings used in extra high voltage (EHV) transformers. Numerical calculations along with experimental verification on actual transformer windings are presented. This study reveals that most of the natural frequencies that are normally non‐excitable in the line and neutral current responses of an interleaved winding have been rendered excitable in the disk‐to‐disk voltages, thus, providing favourable conditions for insulation overstress because of resonant overvoltages. Prevalence of such a condition is an inherent characteristic of interleaved windings.
The modulation effects of charged dielectric thin films on two-dimensional electron gas in AlGaN/GaN heterostructure
Authors: Liu Xingzhao , Chen Chao , Zhu Jun , Zhang Wanli , Li Yanrong
Published: July 2013

This paper presents the modulation effects of charged dielectrics on performance of AlGaN/GaN metal-insulator-semiconductor high-electron mobility transistors (MIS HEMTs). Using fluorinated Al2O3 as gate dielectrics, the threshold voltage of the devices shifted from conventional depletion-mode (D-mode) MIS HEMTs to enhancement-mode (E-mode) MIS HEMTs. And the threshold voltage (Vth) increased more positively by using a successive deposition of Al2O3 layer on the fluorinated Al2O3 as a blocking oxide layer. It was found that not the surface potential but rather the negative charges in the Al2O3 gate dielectrics are primary factors responsible for conversion from D-mode MIS HEMTs to E-mode MIS HEMTs by using fluorinated Al2O3 as gate dielectrics. The positive Vth modulation was attributed to the built-in electric field which was introduced by the charged dielectrics.
Effect of Mn doping on structures and properties of chemical solution deposited lead zirconate titanate thick films with (100) preferential orientation
Authors: Xin Hong , Ren Wei , Wu Xiaoqing , Shi Peng
Published: July 2013

Mn doped PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3 (PZT) thick films with highly (100) preferential orientation have been prepared by chemical solution deposition according to doping concentration of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 mol. %. The effect of Mn-doping on structures and electrical properties of PZT thick films has been investigated. With increasing Mn doping concentration, the dielectric constant first increases and then decreases. PZT film with 0.5 mol. % Mn doping has a maximum value of 2252 and a dielectric loss of 0.011 at 1 kHz. Mn doping below 3 mol. % could effectively reduce the leakage current density of PZT films. The mechanism of Mn doping on dielectric and ferroelectric properties of PZT thick films has been investigated and discussed.
Whole-farm returns show true profitability of three different livestock management systems
Authors: Scott J. F. , Scott J. M. , Cacho O. J.
Published: July 2013

On the New South Wales Northern Tablelands, sheep, wool and beef cattle production account for most agricultural output. The industries have been challenged in recent years by environmental and economic factors and are therefore looking for modified or alternative livestock management systems that are capable of sustaining profitability. The Cicerone Project aimed to address these issues by comparing three different grazing and pasture improvement systems. Some recent livestock industry analyses have been based on gross margins which do not include overhead costs. This is an important limitation; economic analysis needs to report key whole-farm business performance measures since overhead costs can differ significantly between livestock management systems. A representative farm approach was used to compare the profitability of the three different livestock management systems. Commercial-scale whole-farm and cash flow analyses over a 5-year period were used to evaluate profitability. No particular system could be recommended to graziers because the test period was not sufficiently representative of the long-term climate to make an adequate assessment about their long-term profitability. Nevertheless, it is apparent that whole-farm level budgets are essential for comparing the overall profitability of different livestock management systems. It is concluded that analysts, consultants and graziers should use whole-farm and cash flow analyses to gauge profitability of different livestock management systems particularly where sustainability issues are important.
Statistical methodologies for drawing causal inference from an unreplicated farmlet experiment conducted by the Cicerone Project
Authors: Murison R. , Scott J. M.
Published: July 2013

The present paper explains the statistical inference that can be drawn from an unreplicated field experiment that investigated three different pasture and grazing management strategies. The experiment was intended to assess these three strategies as whole farmlet systems where scale of the experiment precluded replication. The experiment was planned so that farmlets were allocated to matched paddocks on the basis of background variables that were measured across each paddock before the start of the experiment. These conditioning variables were used in the statistical model so that farmlet effects could be discerned from the longitudinal profiles of the responses. The purpose is to explain the principles by which longitudinal data collected from the experiment were interpreted. Two datasets, including (1) botanical composition and (2) hogget liveweights, are used in the present paper as examples. Inferences from the experiment are guarded because we acknowledge that the use of conditioning variables and matched paddocks does not provide the same power as replication. We, nevertheless, conclude that the differences observed are more likely to have been due to treatment effects than to random variation or bias.
Molecular cloning and characterisation of an acyl carrier protein thioesterase gene (CocoFatB1) expressed in the endosperm of coconut (Cocos nucifera) and its heterologous expression in Nicotiana tabacum to engineer the accumulation of different fatty acids
Authors: Yuan Yijun , Chen Yinhua , Yan Shan , Liang Yuanxue , Zheng Yusheng , Dongdong Li
Published: July 2013

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) contains large amounts of medium chain fatty acids, which mostly recognise acyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) thioesterases that hydrolyse acyl-ACP into free fatty acids to terminate acyl chain elongation during fatty acid biosynthesis. A full-length cDNA of an acyl-ACP thioesterase, designated CocoFatB1, was isolated from cDNA libraries prepared from coconut endosperm during fruit development. The gene contained an open reading frame of 1254 bp, encoding a 417-amino acid protein. The amino acid sequence of the CocoFatB1 protein showed 100% and 95% sequence similarity to CnFatB1 and oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) acyl-ACP thioesterases, respectively. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the CocoFatB1 transcript was most abundant in the endosperm from 8-month-old coconuts; the leaves and endosperm from 15-month-old coconuts had ~80% and ~10% of this level. The CocoFatB1 coding region was overexpressed in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) under the control of the seed-specific napin promoter following Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. CocoFatB1 transcript expression varied 20-fold between different transgenic plants, with 21 plants exhibiting detectable levels of CocoFatB1 expression. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of transgenic tobacco seeds showed that the levels of myristic acid (14 : 0), palmitic acid (16 : 0) and stearic acid (18 : 0) were increased by 25%, 34% and 17%, respectively, compared with untransformed plants. These results indicated that CocoFatB1 acts specifically on 14 : 0-ACP, 16 : 0-ACP and 18 : 0-ACP, and can increase medium chain saturated fatty acids. The gene may valuable for engineering fatty acid metabolism in crop improvement programmes.
Corrigendum to: What proportion of sexually transmissible infections and HIV are diagnosed in New South Wales’ public sexual health services compared with other services?
Authors: Bourne Chris , Allen Debbie , Brown Katherine , Davies Stephen C. , McNulty Anna , Smith Don E. , O'Connor Catherine C. , Couldwell Deborah , Jackson Eva , Bolton Michale , Rodgers Craig , Konecny Pam , Smith David J. , Parker Angela
Published: July 2013

Background: In New South Wales (NSW), publicly funded sexual health services (PFSHSs) target the populations at greatest risk for important sexually transmissible infections (STIs) and so may make a large contribution to the diagnosis of notifiable STIs. We aimed to determine the proportions of STIs diagnosed in PFSHSs and notified to the NSW Ministry of Health in 2009, and describe geographical variations. Methods: The number of notifiable STIs (infectious syphilis, gonorrhoea, HIV and chlamydia) diagnosed in 2009 was obtained for each Area Health Service (AHS) and each PFSHS. The proportion of diagnoses made by PFSHSs was calculated at the state and AHS level according to five geographical regions: inner and outer metropolitan, regional, rural and remote. Results: The overall proportions of diagnoses made by NSW PFSHSs were syphilis, 25%; gonorrhoea, 25%; HIV, 21%; and chlamydia, 14%. Within each zone, the proportions of these STIs were (respectively): (i) inner metropolitan: 32%, 26%, 21% and 13%; (ii) outer metropolitan: 41%, 24%, 43% and 9%; (iii) regional: 62%, 15%, 23% and 10%; (iv) rural: 8%, 29%, Conclusions: NSW PFSHSs contribute a large proportion of diagnoses for syphilis, gonorrhoea and HIV, but less so for chlamydia. Across AHSs and zones, there was considerable variation in the proportions. These data support the role of PFSHS in identifying and managing important STIs in high-risk populations.
Intracellular antibody receptor TRIM21 prevents fatal viral infection
Authors: Vaysburd Marina , Watkinson Ruth E. , Cooper Helen , Reed Martin , O’Connell Kevin , Smith Jackie , Cruickshanks James , James Leo C.
Published: July 2013

Host species have evolved mechanisms that can inhibit pathogen replication even after a cell has been successfully invaded. Here we show that tripartite-motif protein 21 (TRIM21), a ubiquitously expressed E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets viruses inside the cytosol, protects mice against fatal viral infection. Upon infection with mouse adenovirus-1, naive mice lacking TRIM21 succumb to encephalomyelitis within 7 d. In contrast, wild-type mice rapidly up-regulate TRIM21 and control viremia.
Trim21
heterozygous mice have a haploinsufficiency phenotype in which reduced TRIM21 expression leads to a viral load that is higher than wild types but lower than knockouts. TRIM21 is a high-affinity antibody receptor that allows antibodies to operate inside an infected cell. In passive transfer experiments at high viral dose, antisera that fully protects wild-type mice fails to protect most
Trim21
knockout animals. These results demonstrate that TRIM21 provides potent antiviral protection and forms an important part of the humoral immune response.
Structural insights into the regulation of sialic acid catabolism by the
Vibrio vulnificus
transcriptional repressor NanR
Authors: Hwang Jungwon , Kim Byoung Sik , Jang Song Yee , Lim Jong Gyu , You Dong-Ju , Jung Hyun Suk , Oh Tae-Kwang , Lee Jie-Oh , Choi Sang Ho , Kim Myung Hee
Published: July 2013

Significance

Pathogenic bacteria that experience limited nutrient availability in the host gut have evolved sophisticated systems to catabolize
N
-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac; sialic acid). This study reports the structural analysis of NanR, a repressor of the
N
-acetylneuraminate (
nan
) genes responsible for Neu5Ac catabolism, complexed with its regulatory ligand,
N
-acetylmannosamine 6-phosphate (ManNAc-6P). The interaction between NanR and the
nan
promoter is alleviated by the ManNAc-6P–mediated relocation of residues in the ligand-binding domain of NanR, which subsequently relieves the repressive effect of NanR and induces the transcription of
nan
genes. These events are required for survival and for
Vibrio vulnificus
pathogenesis.
Very long-term memories may be stored in the pattern of holes in the perineuronal net
Authors: Tsien Roger Y.
Published: July 2013

A hypothesis and the experiments to test it propose that very long-term memories, such as fear conditioning, are stored as the pattern of holes in the perineuronal net (PNN), a specialized ECM that envelops mature neurons and restricts synapse formation. The 3D intertwining of PNN and synapses would be imaged by serial-section EM. Lifetimes of PNN vs. intrasynaptic components would be compared with pulse-chase15N labeling in mice and14C content in human cadaver brains. Genetically encoded indicators and antineoepitope antibodies should improve spatial and temporal resolution of the in vivo activity of proteases that locally erode PNN. Further techniques suggested include genetic KOs, better pharmacological inhibitors, and a genetically encoded snapshot reporter, which will capture the pattern of activity throughout a large ensemble of neurons at a time precisely defined by the triggering illumination, drive expression of effector genes to mark those cells, and allow selective excitation, inhibition, or ablation to test their functional importance. The snapshot reporter should enable more precise inhibition or potentiation of PNN erosion to compare with behavioral consequences. Finally, biosynthesis of PNN components and proteases would be imaged.
Projected impacts of climate change on marine fish and fisheries
Authors: Hollowed Anne B. , Barange Manuel , Beamish Richard J. , Brander Keith , Cochrane Kevern , Drinkwater Kenneth , Foreman Michael G. G. , Hare Jonathan A. , Holt Jason , Ito Shin-ichi , Kim Suam , King Jacquelynne R. , Loeng Harald , MacKenzie Brian R. , Mueter Franz J. , Okey Thomas A. , Peck Myron A. , Radchenko Vladimir I. , Rice Jake C. , Schirripa Michael J. , Yatsu Akihiko , Yamanaka Yasuhiro
Published: July 2013

Hollowed, A. B., Barange, M., Beamish, R., Brander, K., Cochrane, K., Drinkwater, K., Foreman, M., Hare, J., Holt, J., Ito, S-I., Kim, S., King, J., Loeng, H., MacKenzie, B., Mueter, F., Okey, T., Peck, M. A., Radchenko, V., Rice, J., Schirripa, M., Yatsu, A., and Yamanaka, Y. 2013. Projected impacts of climate change on marine fish and fisheries. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 1023–1037. This paper reviews current literature on the projected effects of climate change on marine fish and shellfish, their fisheries, and fishery-dependent communities throughout the northern hemisphere. The review addresses the following issues: (i) expected impacts on ecosystem productivity and habitat quantity and quality; (ii) impacts of changes in production and habitat on marine fish and shellfish species including effects on the community species composition, spatial distributions, interactions, and vital rates of fish and shellfish; (iii) impacts on fisheries and their associated communities; (iv) implications for food security and associated changes; and (v) uncertainty and modelling skill assessment. Climate change will impact fish and shellfish, their fisheries, and fishery-dependent communities through a complex suite of linked processes. Integrated interdisciplinary research teams are forming in many regions to project these complex responses. National and international marine research organizations serve a key role in the coordination and integration of research to accelerate the production of projections of the effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and to move towards a future where relative impacts by region could be compared on a hemispheric or global level. Eight research foci were identified that will improve the projections of climate impacts on fish, fisheries, and fishery-dependent communities.
Suppression of amyloid‐β production by 24S‐hydroxycholesterol via inhibition of intracellular amyloid precursor protein trafficking
Authors: Urano Yasuomi , Ochiai Sachika , Noguchi Noriko
Published: July 2013

Cholesterol can be converted to 24S‐hydroxycholesterol (24SOHC) by neuronal cholesterol 24‐hydroxylase. In mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), increasing 24SOHC levels reduced AD pathology. However, mechanisms underlying the effects of 24SOHC on amyloid‐β (Aβ) production have remained unclear. Here we report that 24SOHC treatment reduces Aβ production and increases endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐resident immature amyloid precursor protein (APP) levels in human neuroblastoma SH‐SY5Y cells and CHO cells stably expressing human APP. Treatment with 1‐10 μM 24SOHC (equivalent to the concentrations detected in human brain homogenates) diminished Aβ production (IC50=4.6 μM for Aβ40) without affecting secretase activities. To evaluate the intracellular APP transport, we established an in vitro vesicle formation assay. We found that APP budding via COPII vesicles was diminished by 70% in 24SOHC‐treated cells. The proteomics and immunoblotting analysis revealed that 24SOHC induced the expression of glucose‐regulated protein 78 (GRP78), an ER chaperone, through unfolded protein response pathways, and enhanced the formation of the APP/GRP78 complex. Knockdown of GRP78 diminished the inhibitory effects of 24SOHC on Aβ production. These results suggest that 24SOHC down‐regulates APP trafficking via enhancement of the complex formation of APP with up‐regulated GRP78 in the ER, resulting in suppression of Aβ production.—Urano, Y., Ochiai, S., Noguchi, N., Suppression of amyloid‐β production by 24S‐hydroxycholesterovia inhibition of intracellular amyloid precursor protein trafficking. FASEB J. 27, 4305–4315 (2013). www.fasebj.org
Exiguobacterium alkaliphilum sp. nov. isolated from alkaline wastewater drained sludge of a beverage factory
Authors: Mohan Kulshreshtha Niha , Kumar Rita , Begum Zareena , Shivaji S. , Kumar Anil
Published: July 2013

A facultatively anaerobic, alkaliphilic, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain 12/1T, isolated from alkaline wastewater drained sludge of a beverage industry facility located near New Delhi, India, was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that strain 12/1Tbelonged to the genusExiguobacteriumand was most closely related toExiguobacterium aurantiacumDSM 6208T(99.46 %),E. aquaticumIMTB-3094T(99.18 %),E. mexicanum8NT(99.06 %),E. profundum10CT(98.17 %),E. aestuariiTF-16T(98.1 %) andE. marinumTF-80T(98.03 %). The DNA G+C content of strain 12/1Twas 55.6 mol%, major respiratory isoprenoid quinone was MK-7, major polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine and the cell-wall peptidoglycan was of the A3αl-Lys–Gly type, characteristics consistent with its affiliation to the genusExiguobacterium. Strain 12/1Tshowed levels of DNA–DNA hybridization of less than 70 % with the closely related species of the genusExiguobacterium. Overall, the phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic data presented in this study suggest that strain 12/1Trepresents a novel species of the genusExiguobacterium, for which the nameExiguobacterium alkaliphilumsp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 12/1T( = CCM 8459T = DSM 21148T).
Amphibacillus iburiensis sp. nov., an alkaliphile that reduces an indigo dye
Authors: Hirota Kikue , Aino Kenichi , Yumoto Isao
Published: July 2013

An indigo-reducing alkaliphilic strain, designated strain N314T, was isolated from a fermented polygonum indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Lour.) liquor sample, aged for 10 months, that was obtained from Date City, Iburi Branch, Hokkaido, Japan. The 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny suggested that strain N314T is a member of the genus

Amphibacillus

, with the closest relatives being

Amphibacillus indicireducens

(98.9 % similarity to the type strain) and

Amphibacillus xylanus

(98.0 % similarity to the type strain), the only species with 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities higher than 97 % to strain N314T. The cells of the isolate stained Gram-positive and were facultatively anaerobic, straight rods that were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. The strain grew at 26–39 °C with optimum growth at 36 °C. It grew at pH 8.0–9.1, with optimum growth at pH 8.9–9.1. No isoprenoid quinone was detected, and the DNA G+C content was 38.4 mol%. The whole-cell fatty acid profile consisted mainly of iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. Analysis of DNA–DNA hybridization with the type strains of

A. indicireducens

and

A. xylanus

revealed 29±2 % and 10±2 % relatedness, respectively. Owing to differences in phenotypic characteristics from reported species of the genus

A.

and results of phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and DNA–DNA relatedness data, the isolate merits classification within a novel species, for which the name Amphibacillus iburiensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N314T ( = JCM 18529T = NCIMB 14823T).
Borrelia bavariensis sp. nov. is widely distributed in Europe and Asia
Authors: Margos Gabriele , Wilske Bettina , Sing Andreas , Hizo-Teufel Cecilia , Cao Wu-Chun , Chu Chenyi , Scholz Holger , Straubinger Reinhard K. , Fingerle Volker
Published: July 2013

Since the original description of Borrelia bavariensis sp. nov. in 2009, additional samples available from humans and ticks from Europe and Mongolia, respectively, have been used to further characterize

Borrelia

strains belonging to this group of spirochaetes that utilize rodents as reservoir hosts. These investigations suggested the presence of related strains in Europe and Asia and confirmed their status as representing a distinct species. Furthermore, samples that were investigated by researchers from China and Japan confirm the ecological relationship of members of this proposed species with rodents and suggest that it has a wide distribution in Eurasia. Here, we use phylogenetic and genetic distance analyses to validate B. bavariensis sp. nov. as a species within the

Borrelia burgdorferi

sensu
lato species complex. The type strain is PBiT ( = DSM 23469T = BAA-2496T).
Rosenbergiella nectarea gen. nov., sp. nov., in the family Enterobacteriaceae, isolated from floral nectar
Authors: Halpern Malka , Fridman Svetlana , Atamna-Ismaeel Nof , Izhaki Ido
Published: July 2013

Gram-negative, rod-shaped, oxidase-negative, facultatively anaerobic, yellow–orange-pigmented and motile bacterial strains, designated 8N4T, 9N2 and 10N3, were isolated from flower nectar of Amygdalus communis (almond) and Citrus paradisi (grapefruit). The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains shared highest sequence similarity of 97.0 % with that of

Phaseolibacter flectens

ATCC 12775T and lower similarity with sequences from other type strains of genera of the

Enterobacteriaceae

. A polyphasic approach that included determination of phenotypic properties and phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA, gyrB, rpoB and atpD gene sequences supported the classification of strains 8N4T, 9N2 and 10N3 within a novel species in a novel genus in the family

Enterobacteriaceae

. Strain 8N4T, and the reference strains of the novel species, grew at 4–35 °C (optimum, 28–30 °C), with 0–5.0 % NaCl (optimum, 3 % NaCl) and with 0–60 % sucrose (optimum, 10–25 % sucrose). Their major cellular fatty acids were C16 : 0, C17 : 0 cyclo, C18 : 1ω7c and summed feature 3 (C16 : 1ω7c and/or iso-C15 : 0 2-OH). The DNA G+C content of strain 8N4T was 46.8 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, the floral nectar isolates are classified within a novel species in a new genus in the family

Enterobacteriaceae

, for which the name Rosenbergiella nectarea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Rosenbergiella nectarea is 8N4T ( = LMG 26121T = DSM 24150T).
Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and gastric mucosal atrophy in Bhutan, a country with a high prevalence of gastric cancer
Authors: Shiota Seiji , Mahachai Varocha , Vilaichone Ratha-korn , Ratanachu-ek Thawee , Tshering Lotay , Uchida Tomohisa , Matsunari Osamu , Yamaoka Yoshio
Published: July 2013

Gastric cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in the world. Recently, serum Helicobacter pylori antibodies and pepsinogen (PG) have been used for gastric cancer screening. The incidence of gastric cancer in Bhutan is reported to be quite high compared with that in neighbouring countries. In this study, 381 subjects from three areas of Bhutan were assessed for gastric mucosal atrophy and serological parameters. Anti-H. pylori IgG, PG I, PG II and cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA) antibodies were measured using ELISA. Subjects were classified into four groups according to H. pylori and PG seropositivity: Group A (H. pylori-negative/PG-negative), Group B (H. pylori-positive/PG-negative), Group C (H. pylori-positive/PG-positive) and Group D (H. pylori-negative/PG-positive). The prevalence of H. pylori in the 381 subjects was 71.1 % (271/381), with high infection rates found in rural areas. The PG I/II ratio was significantly inversely correlated with the atrophy score in the antrum and the corpus (P<0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that the PG status was significantly associated with the presence of atrophy in the corpus. The prevalence of the PG-positive status was significantly higher among H. pylori-positive subjects than among H. pylori-negative subjects (P<0.001). Based on the ABC method, Group B was the most dominant, followed by Group A, Group C and Group D. The high incidence of gastric cancer in Bhutan can be attributed to the high prevalence of H. pylori infection and gastric mucosal atrophy.
Probing Arabidopsis Chloroplast Diacylglycerol Pools by Selectively Targeting Bacterial Diacylglycerol Kinase to Suborganellar Membranes
Authors: Muthan Bagyalakshmi , Roston Rebecca L. , Froehlich John E. , Benning Christoph
Published: July 2013

Diacylglycerol (DAG) is an intermediate in metabolism of both triacylglycerols and membrane lipids. Probing the steady-state pools of DAG and understanding how they contribute to the synthesis of different lipids is important when designing plants with altered lipid metabolism. However, traditional methods of assaying DAG pools are difficult, because its abundance is low and because fractionation of subcellular membranes affects DAG pools. To manipulate and probe DAG pools in an in vivo context, we generated multiple stable transgenic lines of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) that target an Escherichia coli  DAG kinase (DAGK) to each leaflet of each chloroplast envelope membrane. E. coli DAGK is small, self inserts into membranes, and has catalytic activity on only one side of each membrane. By comparing whole-tissue lipid profiles between our lines, we show that each line has an individual pattern of DAG, phosphatidic acid, phosphatidylcholine, and triacylglycerol steady-state levels, which supports an individual function of DAG in each membrane leaflet. Furthermore, conversion of DAG in the leaflets facing the chloroplast intermembrane space by DAGK impairs plant growth. As a result of DAGK presence in the outer leaflet of the outer envelope membrane, phosphatidic acid accumulation is not observed, likely because it is either converted into other lipids or removed to other membranes. Finally, we use the outer envelope-targeted DAGK line as a tool to probe the accessibility of DAG generated in response to osmotic stress.
Determinants of extinction‐colonization dynamics inMediterranean butterflies: the role of landscape, climate and local habitat features
Authors: Fernández‐Chacón Albert , Stefanescu Constantí , Genovart Meritxell , Nichols James D. , Hines James E. , Páramo Ferran , Turco Marco , Oro Daniel
Published: July 2013

Many species are found today in the form of fragmented populations occupying patches of remnant habitat in human‐altered landscapes. The persistence of these population networks requires a balance between extinction and colonization events assumed to be primarily related to patch area and isolation, but the contribution of factors such as the characteristics of patch and matrix habitats, the species' traits (habitat specialization and dispersal capabilities) and variation in climatic conditions have seldom been evaluated simultaneously.

The identification of environmental variables associated with patch occupancy and turnover may be especially useful to enhance the persistence of multiple species under current global change. However, for robust inference on occupancy and related parameters, we must account for detection errors, a commonly overlooked problem that leads to biased estimates and misleading conclusions about population dynamics.

Here, we provide direct empirical evidence of the effects of different environmental variables on the extinction and colonization rates of a rich butterfly community in the western Mediterranean. The analysis was based on a 17‐year data set containing detection/nondetection data on 73 butterfly species for 26 sites in north‐eastern Spain. Using multiseason occupancy models, which take into account species' detectability, we were able to obtain robust estimates of local extinction and colonization probabilities for each species and test the potential effects of site covariates such as the area of suitable habitat, topographic variability, landscape permeability around the site and climatic variability in aridity conditions.

Results revealed a general pattern across species with local habitat composition and landscape features as stronger predictors of occupancy dynamics compared with topography and local aridity. Increasing area of suitable habitat in a site strongly decreased local extinction risks and, for a number of species, both higher amounts of suitable habitat and more permeable landscapes increased colonization rates. Nevertheless, increased topographic variability decreased the extinction risk of bad dispersers, a group of species with significantly lower colonization rates.

Our models predicted higher sensitivity of the butterfly assemblages to deterministic changes in habitat features rather than to stochastic weather patterns, with some relationships being clearly dependent on the species' traits.
Prostate bed motion may cause geographic miss in post‐prostatectomy image‐guided intensity‐modulated radiotherapy
Authors: Bell Linda J , Cox Jennifer , Eade Thomas , Rinks Marianne , Kneebone Andrew
Published: July 2013

Introduction

There is little data to guide radiation oncologists on appropriate margin selection in the post‐prostatectomy setting. The aim of this study was to quantify interfraction variation in motion of the prostate bed to determine these margins.

Methods

The superior and inferior surgical clips in the prostate bed were tracked on pretreatment cone beam CT images (n = 377) for 40 patients who had received post‐prostatectomy radiotherapy. Prostate bed motion was calculated for the upper and lower segments by measuring the position of surgical clips located close to midline relative to bony anatomy in the axial (translational) and sagittal (tilt) planes. The frequency of potential geographic misses was calculated for either 1 cm or 0.5 cm posterior planning target volume margins.

Results

The mean magnitude of movement of the prostate bed in the anterior–posterior, superior–inferior and left–right planes, respectively, were as follows: upper portion, 0.50 cm, 0.28 cm, 0.10 cm; lower portion, 0.18 cm, 0.18 cm, 0.08 cm. The random and systematic errors, respectively, of the prostate bed motion in the anterior–posterior, superior–inferior and left–right planes, respectively, were as follows: upper portion, 0.47 cm and 0.50 cm, 0.28 cm and 0.27 cm, 0.11 cm and 0.11 cm; lower portion, 0.17 cm and 0.18 cm, 0.17 cm and 0.19 cm, 0.08 cm and 0.10 cm. Most geographic misses occurred in the upper prostate bed in the anterior–posterior plane. The median prostate bed tilt was 1.8° (range −23.4° to 42.3°).

Conclusions

Variability was seen in all planes for the movement of both surgical clips. The greatest movement occurred in the anterior–posterior plane in the upper prostate bed, which could cause geographic miss of treatment delivery. The variability in the movement of the superior and inferior clips indicates a prostate bed tilt that would be difficult to correct with standard online matching techniques. This creates a strong argument for using anisotropic planning target volume margins in post‐prostatectomy radiotherapy.
Antecedents of manic versus other first psychotic episodes in 263 bipolar I disorder patients
Authors: Salvatore P. , Baldessarini R. J. , Khalsa H.‐M. K. , Vázquez G. , Perez J. , Faedda G. L. , Amore M. , Maggini C. , Tohen M.
Published: July 2013

Objective

As initial episode type can predict later morbidity in bipolar disorder, we tested the hypothesis that clinical antecedents might predict initial episode types.

Method

We studied 263 first‐episode, adult, DSM‐IV‐TR type I bipolar disorder (BD‐I) subjects within the McLean‐Harvard‐International First‐Episode Project. Based on blinded assessments of antecedents from SCID examinations and clinical records, we compared first lifetime manic vs. other (mixed, depressive, or non‐affective) major psychotic episodes.

Results

We identified 32 antecedents arising at early, intermediate or later times, starting 12.3 ± 10.7 years prior to first lifetime major psychotic episodes. Based on multivariate modeling, antecedents associated significantly and independently with other (n = 113) more than manic (n = 150) first lifetime major psychotic episodes ranked by odds ratio: more early attentional disturbances, more late depression, more early perplexity, more detoxification, more early unstable mixed affects, more antidepressants, more early dysphoria, more intermediate depression, more early impulsivity, more late anhedonia, longer early‐to‐intermediate intervals, more intermediate substance abuse, more family history of major depression, and younger at earliest antecedents. Antecedents selectively preceding manic more than other first psychotic episodes included more late behavioral problems and more risk of familial BD‐I.

Conclusion

Clinical antecedents in adult, BD‐I patients, beginning a decade before first major episodes and progressing through sequential stages were dissimilar in manic vs. other first psychotic episodes.
Sustained Increase in the Oral Bioavailability of Loperamide after a Single Oral Dose of HM30181, a P‐glycoprotein Inhibitor, in Healthy Male Participants
Authors: Cha Yu‐Jung , Lee Howard , Gu Namyi , Kim Tae‐Eun , Lim Kyoung S. , Yoon Seo H. , Chung Jae‐Yong , Jang In‐Jin , Shin Sang‐Goo , Yu Kyung‐Sang , Cho Joo‐Youn
Published: July 2013

HM30181 is a new P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibitor. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of HM30181 and its duration of action on P‐gp inhibition using loperamide as a probe drug. An open‐label, five‐period, fixed‐sequence, cross‐over study was conducted in 25 healthy Korean participants, who received a single oral dose of loperamide at 16 mg in five periods lasting for 17 days. In period II, participants also randomly received a single oral dose of HM30181 at 1, 5, 10, 15 mg simultaneously with loperamide. Serial pharmacokinetic blood samples were obtained up to 72 and 336 hr after loperamide and HM30181 administration, respectively. A mixed‐effects analysis was performed to compare the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve from time 0 to 72 hr (AUC0–72 hr) between periods and HM30181 dose groups. Tolerability was also assessed. The AUC0–72 hr of repeatedly administered loperamide was significantly increased 1.18–1.62 times for up to 14 days after a single oral administration of HM30181, particularly at doses ≥10 mg although the between‐group difference failed to reach statistical significance. Plasma HM30181 was not detected in many participants including none at any sampling points beyond 48 hr after administration. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild to moderate and resolved spontaneously. The oral bioavailability of loperamide was significantly enhanced by a single oral administration of HM30181, which was sustained for up to 14 days. HM30181 was well tolerated in this selected population.
How I manage heavy menstrual bleeding
Authors: Pai Menaka , Chan Anthony , Barr Ronald
Published: July 2013

Heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) is a common clinical problem; population‐based studies estimate that approximately 10–35% of women report this symptom during their lifetime, while about 5% of women consult a physician for evaluation of HMB. Patients with HMB account for 15% of all referrals to gynaecologists and are frequently seen by haematologists in bleeding disorder clinics as well. Heavy menstrual bleeding can be caused by a wide variety of local and systemic factors, so a careful clinical and laboratory evaluation is often necessary to determine the aetiology and guide appropriate management. This review discusses the definition, causes and clinical outcomes of HMB. It outlines a diagnostic approach and focuses on medical (as opposed to surgical) treatments. Throughout, areas of controversy and opportunities for further research are highlighted.
Imagine your bedroom is the entrance to the zoo
Authors: Hart Nick D. , Robbins Lorna
Published: July 2013

Accessible summary

Service users who have suffered from anxiety issues were offered relaxation sessions.

Three main techniques were used in a creative way.

Relaxation methods can help adults with learning difficulties reduce anxiety.

Over an 18‐month period, a group of adult service users with mild to moderate learning disabilities referred to the Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and who were identified as suffering from anxiety‐related disorders, attended a 12‐week course of relaxation therapy and the results recorded. To remain true to person‐centred values, a creative approach was taken in delivery of the core relaxation techniques. Three core techniques were used: controlled breathing; guided imagery; and progressive muscle relaxation. These were creatively adapted to each individual. Results were recorded using the Clinically Useful Anxiety Outcome Scale (CUXOS) measurement tool and pulse readings taken using a pulse oximeter. The results indicated an overall decrease in physical and psychological symptoms of anxiety. It was concluded that relaxation therapy can be beneficial to this client group, especially when used in a creative and person‐centred way.
Capturing the mammalian Hippo: Elucidating its role in cancer
Authors: Nishio Miki , Otsubo Kohei , Maehama Tomohiko , Mimori Koshi , Suzuki Akira
Published: July 2013

The Hippo pathway is an evolutionarily conserved kinase cascade involved in cell growth, apoptosis, development and migration. It is also crucial for stem cell self‐renewal and the maintenance of genomic stability. In addition, this pathway has the unique capacities to sense aspects of tissue architecture, such as cell polarity and mechanical tensions imposed by the surrounding microenvironment, and to control organ size and shape. All of these properties are frequently altered in tumor cells. In this review, we summarize how dysregulation of mammalian Hippo signaling is implicated in cancer.
Identification of genes specifically methylated in Epstein–Barr virus‐associated gastric carcinomas
Authors: Okada Toshiyuki , Nakamura Munetaka , Nishikawa Jun , Sakai Kouhei , Zhang Yibo , Saito Mari , Morishige Akihiro , Oga Atsunori , Sasaki Kosuke , Suehiro Yutaka , Hinoda Yuji , Sakaida Isao
Published: July 2013

We studied the comprehensive DNA methylation status in the naturally derived gastric adenocarcinoma cell line SNU‐719, which was infected with the Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) by methylated CpG island recovery on chip assay. To identify genes specifically methylated in EBV‐associated gastric carcinomas (EBVaGC), we focused on seven genes, TP73, BLU, FSD1, BCL7A, MARK1, SCRN1, and NKX3.1, based on the results of methylated CpG island recovery on chip assay. We confirmed DNA methylation of the genes by methylation‐specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing in SNU‐719. The expression of the genes, except for BCL7A, was upregulated by a combination of 5‐Aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine and trichostatin A treatment in SNU‐719. After the treatment, unmethylated DNA became detectable in all seven genes by methylation‐specific PCR. We verified DNA methylation of the genes in 75 primary gastric cancer tissues from 25 patients with EBVaGC and 50 EBV‐negative patients who were controls. The methylation frequencies of TP73, BLU, FSD1, BCL7A, MARK1, SCRN1, and NKX3.1 were significantly higher in EBVaGC than in EBV‐negative gastric carcinoma. We identified seven genes with promoter regions that were specifically methylated in EBVaGC. Inactivation of these genes may suppress their function as tumor suppressor genes or tumor‐associated antigens and help to develop and maintain EBVaGC.
Identification of three novel ECEL1 mutations in three families with distal arthrogryposis type 5D
Authors: Shaheen R. , Al‐Owain M. , Khan A.O. , Zaki M.S. , Hossni H.A.A. , Al‐Tassan R. , Eyaid W. , Alkuraya F.S.
Published: July 2013

Arthrogryposis refers to congenital contracture in at least two different body parts. When distal joints are primarily involved, the term distal arthrogryposis (DA) is used. The recognition of clinically distinct subtypes of DA has proven very useful in mapping the disease genes for this genetically heterogeneous condition. DA5D is characterized by ocular involvement usually in the form of ptosis and incomitant strabismus, but extraocular manifestations have also been reported. In a multiplex consanguineous family with DA5D, we combined autozygosity mapping and exome sequencing to identify a novel mutation in ECEL1. This was followed by targeted sequencing of this gene in another two extended consanguineous family with the same phenotype, which revealed two additional novel homozygous mutations. Our results support the recent identification of mutations in ECEL1 as a disease gene in DA5D and expand the clinical and allelic spectrum of this condition.