bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In pursuit of homogeneity: the Lausanne Conference, minorities and the Turkish nation
Authors: Bayar Yeşim
Published: June 2013

Following World War I, the Allied Powers signed Minority Treaties with a number of Central and Eastern European states. These treaties delineated the status of religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities in their respective countries. Turkey would be one of the last states that sat down to the negotiation table with the Allied Powers. In the Turkish case, the Lausanne Treaty would be the defining document which set out a series of rights and freedoms for the non-Muslim minorities in the newly created nation. The present article explores how and why the non-Muslim minorities were situated in the fringes of the new nation. In doing so, the article highlights the content of the discussions in the Lausanne Conference and in the Turkish Grand National Assembly with an emphasis on the position of the Turkish political elite.
Spatiotemporal control of PopZ localization through cell cycle–coupled multimerization
Authors: Laloux Géraldine , Jacobs-Wagner Christine
Published: June 2013

Bacterial cell poles constitute defined subcellular domains where numerous proteins localize, often at specific times, to affect various physiological processes. How pole recognition occurs and what governs the timing of protein localization are often unknown. In this paper, we investigate the mechanisms governing the localization of PopZ, a chromosome-anchoring protein whose unipolar to bipolar localization pattern is critical for cell cycle progression in Caulobacter crescentus. We provide evidence that polar localization of PopZ relied on its self-assembly into a higher-order structure (matrix) and that the unipolar to bipolar transition was coupled to the asymmetric distribution of ParA during the translocation of the origin-proximal ParB–parS partition complex. Collectively, our data suggest a model in which a local increase of ParA concentration promotes the assembly of a PopZ matrix precisely when and where this matrix is needed. Such coupling of protein assembly with a cell cycle–associated molecular asymmetry may represent a principle of cellular organization for controlling protein localization in both time and space.
First Report of Watermelon mosaic virus Naturally Infecting Cucumis anguria
Authors: Romay G. , Lecoq H. , Desbiez C.
Published: June 2013

Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV, Potyvirus) is an important virus of cucurbit crops worldwide, although it is rarely found in tropical regions. Cucumis anguria L. is a native species from tropical regions of Africa and can be found as a volunteer or cultivated plant in the Neotropic (1). In Venezuela, C. anguria is a ubiquitous volunteer cucurbit that grows in crop fields year round and may serve as reservoir for viruses. In 2009 and 2010, during surveys for viruses in cultivated and wild cucurbits, WMV was found at a low frequency (3 out of 284 samples) and two out of three positive samples were C. anguria. One of these samples was used to mechanically inoculate WMV to melon (Cucumis melo L.) and zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) plants. Typical symptoms of WMV were observed 2 weeks after inoculation and viral identification was confirmed by double antibody sandwich (DAS)-ELISA. Based on whole genome sequences, three phylogenetic groups of WMV, namely groups G1 to G3, are defined (2). Since molecular characterization of this virus is scarce in South America, the complete sequence of a WMV isolate recovered from C. anguria (hereafter, VE10-99) was obtained. RNA extractions, amplification procedures, and sequencing analyses were performed according to Desbiez and Lecoq (2). The total sequence length of VE10-99 isolate was 10,039 nucleotides, excluding the polyadenylated tail (GenBank Accession No. KC292915). This isolate had the typical potyviral genome organization, exhibiting a unique large ORF with 9 putative cleavage sites. In a BLAST analysis, the isolate most closely related to VE10-99 was the Chilean isolate CHI87-620 (EU660580), sharing 96% nucleotide identity. Phylogenetic analyses showed that VE10-99 belongs to group G2 of WMV. No evidence for recombination was found in the genome of VE10-99. Although recombination events have been noticed between members of G1 and G3, recombinant isolates between members of G2 and G1 are more frequent (2). In fact, the isolate CHI87-620 had been the only bona fide member of G2 until the sequencing of VE10-99. G2/G1 recombinants seem to have almost completely replaced the parental isolates throughout the world, probably due to a better fitness (2). To our knowledge, WMV natural infections in C. anguria had not been described before. The finding of a bona fide G2 member in Venezuela raises the question about the origin of G2 group. Currently, the prevalence of WMV appears reduced compared to the previous survey performed in Venezuela in 1966 (16 WMV-positive plants out of 95 samples) (3).

References: (1) F. Chitty and R. Lopez. Acta Bot. Venez. 30:19, 2007. (2) C. Desbiez and H. Lecoq. Arch. Virol. 153:1749, 2008. (3) R. Lastra. Plant Dis. Rep. 52:171, 1968.

ERRATUM: A correction was made to this Disease Note on June 9, 2014. The author R. Gustavo was changed to G. Romay.
Quantitative Detection of Pathogen DNA of Verticillium Wilt on Smoke Tree Cotinus coggygria
Authors: Wang Yonglin , Wang Yan , Tian Chengming
Published: June 2013

Verticillium dahliae is a ubiquitous soilborne fungus and the causal agent of smoke tree vascular wilt, which presents a major threat to the famous “red-leaf” scenery of the Fragrant Hills Park in Beijing, China. In this study, we detected the presence of the fungus based on the amount of fungal DNA in planta and in the soil by using quantitative nested real-time polymerase chain reaction (QNRT-PCR). The QNRT-PCR assay results were highly specific for V. dahliae and could detect disease wilt dynamics over time in different plant tissues. Tests with QNRT-PCR in infested soils showed the detection of soil inoculum densities as low as 1 microsclerotium/g of soil. The QNRT-PCR data showed strong correlation between the quantity of pathogen DNA and the Verticillium wilt disease severity rating, suggesting that quantification of V. dahliae soil inoculum could be conducted to assess Verticillium wilt risk before planting. These data indicate that QNRT-PCR is a sensitive and reliable method to monitor the soilborne pathogen V. dahliae in planta and in soil. The results of this study can be useful in the development of new disease control measures for Verticillium wilt and assessment of the risk of V. dahliae infection of smoke tree before planting.
Sex allocation, pollen limitation and masting in whitebark pine
Authors: Rapp Joshua M. , McIntire Eliot J. B. , Crone Elizabeth E.
Published: June 2013

Masting, the synchronous and episodic production of seed crops, is thought to benefit plant reproductive success through positive density‐dependent effects on pollination, dispersal and seed survival. Of these, only increased pollination efficiency in mast years can be a proximate mechanism for masting by synchronizing reproductive effort across individuals through pollen coupling.

Increased pollination efficiency requires synchronous investment in male and female function during mast years. Sex allocation theory, however, predicts a trade‐off in investment between male and female reproductive allocation dependent on total resources invested in reproduction.

We describe patterns of sex allocation inPinus albicaulis(whitebark pine), using data on pollen and seed cone counts over 5 years for 29 trees across 7 sites in Montana, U.S.A.

Whitebark pine seed cone maturation increased with site pollen cone production, indicating pollen limitation, and pollen and seed cone production were positively correlated across years.

Simulating mature seed cone production from these empirical relationships resulted in greater average mature seed cone production than alternative scenarios of (i) no synchrony between pollen cone production and pollen cone initiation, (ii) negative correlation (trade‐off) between seed cone initiation and pollen cone production or (iii) no masting.

Synthesis. Our data support a role for pollination efficiency in both increasing long‐term seed production and as a proximate mechanism for synchronizing masting inPinus albicaulis. Increased pollination efficiency joins greater seed dispersal and survival in mast years seen in other studies, as an additional positive density‐dependent benefit of masting. Positive density‐dependent fitness benefits may therefore influence patterns of sex allocation in relation to total resources invested in reproduction. The pollen limitation found here combined with stand isolation and reduced tree density due to mortality from forest pests and other environmental stressors may lead to reduced seed cone maturation and changes in masting patterns.
The ‘Holy Mother’ and the shadow: revisiting Jung's work on the quaternity
Authors: Driver Christine
Published: June 2013

Through a series of clinical vignettes, this paper considers the impact of religious belief, specifically Roman Catholicism, on the psyche and development of mind; in particular, there will be a focus on the influences of the conflation of maternal beliefs with a Catholic belief system when the loss or absence of the father is a primary factor. Further, it will be shown in case examples that split off aspects of the personal shadow such as conflicted and aggressive emotions related to mother and father can conflate with the collective numinous and religious aspects of the ‘dark side’ of the God‐representation and result in ‘religious’ persecutory symptoms. This has a debilitating effect on the emerging personality, leaving it prone to fears, anxieties and psychotic pockets of experience when there is a numinous persecutory shadow in the background that affects and limits the individual's development. The implications and findings drawn from the clinical vignettes are used to consider the impact of an interrelationship and conflation between aspects of the psyche and religious beliefs. Jung's work on the Trinity and the ‘problem of the fourth’ (Jung 1942/1948/1991) is also reconsidered in relation to the role of the feminine, the maternal and the ‘reality of matter’. A diagram of the multiple levels of the quaternity is used to elaborate and expand on Jung's concept. © 2013, The Society of Analytical Psychology
Prevalence of Early Repolarization Patterns in a French Military Population at Low Cardiovascular Risk: Implications for Preventive Medicine
Authors: Vinsonneau Ulric , Pinon Barbara , Paleiron Nicolas , Rohel Gwenole , Piquemal Marie , Desideri‐Vaillant Catherine , Castellant Philippe , Abaléa Jérome , Valls‐Bertaut Valérie , Carré François , Mansourati Jacques , Paule Philippe
Published: June 2013

Background

Early repolarization pattern (ERP) associated with a risk of sudden death has recently been described. Very few studies have examined the prevalence of this pattern in a military population characterized by a predominance of young, active male subjects. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of ERP in a healthy military population free of heart disease but subjected to extreme and potentially arrhythmogenic physical activity.

Methods

This prospective, multicenter study was carried out from November 2010 to November 2011 and included 746 individuals undergoing ECG screening; 466 were men (62.4%) and 280 were women (37.5%). Each ECG was interpreted twice by trained cardiologists.

Results

The total prevalence of ERP was 13.8% (103/746); 16% (46/280) in women and 12% (57/466) in men (P > 0.05). It declined with age and the pattern of slurring in inferior location was the most common. Heart rate was significantly lower in military officers with ERP.

Conclusions

ERP was commonly found in this healthy military population. Preventing the risk of sudden death in this population requires systematic ECG screening, medical history analysis and clinical examination to identify symptomatic patients.
Maternal body mass index and the association between folic acid supplements and neural tube defects
Authors: Wang Meng , Wang Zhi‐Ping , Gao Li‐Jie , Gong Rui , Sun Xi‐Hong , Zhao Zhong‐Tang
Published: June 2013

Aim

To study the influence of maternal body mass index (BMI) on the association between folic acid supplementation and neural tube defects (NTDs) risk in offspring.

Methods

A hospital‐based, case–control study was conducted between 2006 and 2008 on 459 mothers with NTDs‐affected births and 459 mothers without NTDs‐affected births. Logistic regression models examined the associations between folic acid supplementation and the NTDs risk in offspring for all mothers, underweight/normal weight mothers (BMI<24.0) and overweight/obese mothers (BMI ≥24.0). The effects were evaluated by adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) with SAS 9.1.3 software.

Results

The overall AOR for periconceptional folic acid supplementation was 0.315 (95% CI = 0.172–0.577) when compared with no supplements. Stratified by maternal BMI, the AOR for periconceptional folic acid supplementation in overweight/obese mothers was greater than in underweight/normal weight mothers (0.646 vs. 0.208). The AOR for folic acid supplementation within 3 months before conception was 0.711 (95% CI = 0.323–1.563) in all mothers. Stratified by maternal BMI, the AOR for folic acid supplementation within 3 months before conception in overweight/obese mothers was greater than in underweight/normal weight mothers (0.658 vs. 0.527).

Conclusion

The association between folic acid supplementation and the reduced NTDs risk was weaker in overweight/obese mothers (BMI ≥24.0) than in underweight/normal weight mothers (BMI <24.0).
Sleep, its regulation and possible mechanisms of sleep disturbances
Authors: Porkka‐Heiskanen T. , Zitting K.‐M. , Wigren H.‐K.
Published: June 2013

The state of sleep consists of different phases that proceed in successive, tightly regulated order through the night forming a physiological program, which for each individual is different but stabile from one night to another. Failure to accomplish this program results in feeling of unrefreshing sleep and tiredness in the morning. The program core is constructed by genetic factors but regulated by circadian rhythm and duration and intensity of day time brain activity. Many environmental factors modulate sleep, including stress, health status and ingestion of vigilance‐affecting nutrients or medicines (e.g. caffeine). Acute sleep loss results in compromised cognitive performance, memory deficits, depressive mood and involuntary sleep episodes during the day. Moreover, prolonged sleep curtailment has many adverse health effects, as evidenced by both epidemiological and experimental studies. These effects include increased risk for depression, type II diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases. In addition to voluntary restriction of sleep, shift work, irregular working hours, jet lag and stress are important factors that induce curtailed or bad quality sleep and/or insomnia. This review covers the current theories on the function of normal sleep and describes current knowledge on the physiologic effects of sleep loss. It provides insights into the basic mechanisms of the regulation of wakefulness and sleep creating a theoretical background for understanding different disturbances of sleep.
Risk of oral antifungal agent‐induced liver injury in Taiwanese
Authors: Kao Wei‐Yu , Su Chien‐Wei , Huang Yi‐Shin , Chou Yueh‐Ching , Chen Yi‐Chih , Chung Wen‐Hung , Hou Ming‐Chih , Lin Han‐Chieh , Lee Fa‐Yauh , Wu Jaw‐Ching
Published: June 2013

Aim

Oral antifungal agent‐induced liver injury is a common safety concern that may lead to patients' hesitation in treating fungal infections such as onychomycosis. This study evaluated risk of drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) caused by oral antifungal agents in Taiwanese populations.

Methods

A population‐based study was conducted by analyzing who used oral antifungal agents from 2002 to 2008 from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database. A comparison control group was randomly extracted from the remainder of the original cohort.

Results

Of the 90 847 oral antifungal agents users, 52 patients had DILI. Twenty‐eight DILI cases used ketoconazole, 12 fluconazole, eight griseofulvin, three itraconazole and two terbinafine. The incidence rates (IR) of DILI per 10 000 persons were 31.6, 4.9, 4.3, 3.6 and 1.6 for fluconazole, ketoconazole, griseofulvin, itraconazole and terbinafine, respectively. Longer exposure duration increased the risk of DILI, with IR for exposure duration ≥ 60 defined daily dose (DDD) of 170.9, 62.5, and 36.1 per 10 000 persons for ketoconazole, itraconazole and terbinafine, respectively. Patients taking antifungal agents had higher incidences of developing DILI compared with those in the control group after adjusting for age, gender and co‐morbidities (relative risk 2.38, P < 0.001). All of the six patients with fatal DILI used fluconazole. Old age and fluconazole increased the risk of oral antifungal‐induced fatal DILI.

Conclusions

Oral antifungal agents are associated with low incidence of acute liver injury, but which may be fatal, especially for the elderly. Longer treatment duration may increase the risk of antifungal agent‐induced liver injury, especially ketoconazole.
Portrayals ofColombian andVenezuelan Immigrant Organisations in theUnitedStates
Authors: SANCHEZ‐R MAGALY , AYSA‐LASTRA MARIA
Published: June 2013

This article compares the public images ofColombian andVenezuelan immigrant organisations in theUnitedStates. Immigrant organisations' web pages and the expression of their main aims and goals serve to identify their major concerns as they create public images not only for the organisation but for the immigrant community itself. To interpret the immigrant organisations' public images and their goals, we offer a multilevel study that considers immigrants' contexts of exit, which are related to the motivation to migrate and the particular socio‐demographic makeup of immigrant groups. This article adds theVenezuelan immigrant experience to the literature on immigrant organisations.
Upbeat nystagmus at caudal brainstem lesions in four cases with multiple sclerosis and its related disorders
Authors: Uzawa Akiyuki , Mori Masahiro , Masuda Saeko , Muto Mayumi , Uchida Tomohiko , Kuwabara Satoshi
Published: June 2013

Upbeat nystagmus (UBN) is relatively rare. Little is known about UBN in acute central nervous system inflammatory disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), neuromyelitis optica (NMO) and related disorders. We investigated two patients with MS, one with clinically isolated syndrome and one with brainstem inflammation possibly related to NMO who developed UBN because of brainstem lesions. Three of the four patients presented caudal medulla lesions and one presented a caudal pontomesencephalic lesion on magnetic resonance imaging. Caudal brainstem lesions may cause UBN in these disorders, probably by impairing the ventral tegmental tract.
Is interleukin‐27 a real candidate for immunotherapies of multiple sclerosis?
Authors: Matsumoto Yoh
Published: June 2013

As interleukin (IL)‐27 has immunosuppressive effects and blocks Th17 differentiation, some researchers have investigated the possibility of the use of IL‐27 for treatment of autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis. However, it has now been shown that the functions of IL‐27 are more pleomorphic than expected. Therefore, more detailed analysis is necessary before entering this phase.
Does salt exacerbate multiple sclerosis?
Authors: Takeuchi Hideyuki
Published: June 2013

Two reports published in Nature provided provocative data implicating “salt” as an important exacerbating factor in the development of autoimmune diseases. High‐salt conditions enhanced the differentiation of pathogenic interleukin‐17‐producing helper T cells and accelerated the pathology of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mice.
Environment surrounding the ganglioside clusters as immunological targets in Guillain–Barré syndrome
Authors: Kuwabara Satoshi , Misawa Sonoko , Mori Masahiro
Published: June 2013

Gangliosides, GM1 and GQ1b, are respectively major immunological target molecules in Guillain–Barré syndrome and Fisher syndrome. In enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, the addition of acidic phospholipids increases the activities of anti‐GM1 antibodies, but not of anti‐GQ1b antibodies, suggesting different physicochemical properties of GM1 and GQ1b. On the axolemma, gangliosides form clusters termed “rafts”, and the environment surrounding the clusters possibly modulates the activity of the autoantibodies.
Clinical evaluation of salivary periodontal pathogen levels by real‐time polymerase chain reaction in patients before dental implant treatment
Authors: Ito Taichi , Yasuda Masaaki , Kaneko Hajime , Sasaki Hodaka , Kato Tetsuo , Yajima Yasutomo
Published: June 2013

Objective

Periodontal pathogens in dental plaque are the main causative agents of periodontitis and peri‐implantitis. Detection of the presence of such periodontal pathogens early would serve as a useful tool in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether the periodontal pathogen levels in saliva were correlated with the periodontal status of patients receiving implant treatment.

Materials and Methods

A total of 291 patients visiting Tokyo Dental College Chiba Hospital were divided into four groups: a no‐periodontitis (np) group, a mild‐periodontitis (mip) group, a moderate‐periodontitis (mop) group, and a severe‐periodontitis (sp) group. The levels of the following five periodontal pathogens in saliva were evaluated using real‐time polymerase chain reaction: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, and Prevotella intermedia.

Results

The levels of P. gingivalis and T. forsythia were significantly higher in mop group than in np group (P < 0.05). The levels of all periodontal pathogens tested except A. actinomycetemcomitans were significantly higher in sp group than in np group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

The detection levels of the periodontal pathogens targeted in saliva samples were correlated with the periodontal status. This suggests that using saliva to screen for periodontopathic bacteria offers an easier‐to‐use clinical tool than the paper point method in the diagnosis and treatment of periodontitis and peri‐implantitis.
12‐minute consultation: an evidence‐based approach to the management of dysphagia
Authors: Al‐Hussaini A. , Latif E.H. , Singh V.
Published: June 2013

Background

Dysphagia is frequently encountered by the otolaryngologist and due to its diverse aetiologies often poses a diagnostic challenge. Of particular importance in diagnosis is to distinguish between oropharyngeal and oesophageal dysphagia. This article aims to provide a systematic, concise and evidence‐based method of managing the patient with dysphagia.

Method

This review was based on a literature search last undertaken on 15 January 2013. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched using the subject heading dysphagia in combination with classification, diagnosis, investigations, management, treatment and surgery. Results were limited to English language articles including case series, clinical trials, randomised controlled trials, meta‐analyses, systematic reviews and review articles. Relevant references from selected articles were also reviewed.

Results

The majority of published literature for dysphagia is of level II/III evidence, with 16 relevant randomised controlled trials identified. The clinical history is of paramount importance in delineating the cause of dysphagia. There is no significant difference regarding the diagnostic efficacy of fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing compared to videofluoroscopy, and where indicated and practicable, these investigations complement each other. In general, structural causes of dysphagia are managed surgically, whereas swallowing therapy is efficacious in managing dysphagia due to neuromyogenic disorders.

Conclusions

A structured history of dysphagia and its associated symptoms, flexible laryngoscopy and endoscopic assessment of swallowing where relevant in addition to targeted investigations should lead to the correct diagnosis and appropriate management.
Community Representatives’ Involvement in Clinical and Translational Science Awardee Activities
Authors: Wilkins Consuelo H. , Spofford Mark , Williams Neely , McKeever Corliss , Allen Shauntice , Brown Jen , Opp Jennifer , Richmond Alan , Strelnick A. Hal
Published: June 2013

Objectives

To understand the formal roles of community representatives (CRs) in Clinical and Translational Science Awardee (CTSA) activities, to evaluate the extent of integration into the organizational and governance structures and to identify barriers to effective integration.

Methods

The inventory tool was distributed to each of the 60 CTSAs using a secure web application.

Results

Forty‐seven (78%) completed the inventory. The mean number of CRs per CTSA is 21.4 (SD: 14.8). Most CTSAs had community advisory boards (89%) and 94% included CRs in Community Engagement (CE) cores. Only 11% reported a CR being a member of the CTSA leadership team and 19% reported that CRs advise core programs beyond CE.

CRs are compensated by 79% of CTSAs. Mean annual compensation is $753 (median: $400). Compensation directly correlated with the number of hours that CRs worked in CTSA activities (r = 0.64; P = 0.001).

Conclusions

This inventory allows CTSAs to better understand how CRs have engaged in activities and brings attention to the limited representation among cores and in leadership roles. CTSAs should, with substantive input from CRs, develop strategies to provide the resources and compensation necessary to better integrate the community in CTSA activities and fully realize the goals of the CTSA vision.
Observational Study of Contracts Processing at 29 CTSA Sites
Authors: Kiriakis James , Gaich Nicholas , Johnston S. Claiborne , Kitterman Darlene , Rosenblum Daniel , Salberg Libby , Rifkind Adam
Published: June 2013

We measured contracts final negotiation (FN) and full execution (FE) times using shared definitions in a prospective observational study of management of contracts for clinical trials at 29 CTSA institutions. Median FN and FE times were reached in 39 and 91 days, respectively; mean times for FN and FE were 55 and 103 days, respectively. Individual site medians ranged from 3 to 116 days for FN and 34 to 197 days for FE. The use of master agreements (MAs) and previously negotiated terms (PNTs) was associated with significant reduction of FN times by a mean of 33 days (p < 0) and 22 days (p < 0.001), respectively. PNTs, but not MAs, were associated with significantly reduced FE time (22 days, p < 0.007). Gap analysis revealed a gap of 22 days between contracts negotiation and Institutional Review Board (IRB) review and intervals of 33 days (contracts) and 48 days (IRB review) during which the process steps were being conducted alone, suggesting a potential benefit with parallel processing. These baseline data support a plan to investigate root causes of prolonged study start‐up time by examining causes of variation and outliers.
Epilepsy in Prader–Willi syndrome: experience of a national referral centre
Authors: Gilboa Tal , Gross‐Tsur Varda
Published: June 2013

Aim

The aim of the study was to characterize epilepsy, febrile seizures, electrographic features, and brain abnormalities in a large, national cohort of individuals with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS).

Method

This was an observational cohort study. Clinic charts of 126 individuals (63 males, 63 females) with genetically confirmed PWS (due to a deletion in 72 cases, to uniparental disomy [UPD] in 51 cases, and to an imprinting centre defect in two cases), aged from 1 month to 48 years (mean age 13y), were reviewed and 119 interviews conducted. Information regarding seizures, medication, imaging studies, and family history of seizures was collected. Ninety‐five individuals (aged 1mo–48y) underwent electroencephalography (EEG).

Results

Five individuals had epilepsy (4.0%), three of whom had major cerebral findings on imaging, and eight others had febrile seizures (6.4%). Of the three genetic abnormalities, deletion was associated with seizures. Focal epileptiform abnormalities were found in 12 out of 94 individuals, and five out of these 12 had a frank electrographic seizure pattern. Epileptogenic EEG abnormalities were associated with young age.

Interpretation

The risk of epilepsy and febrile seizures in PWS is significantly lower than in Angelman syndrome and is associated with brain abnormalities. Electrographic seizures and focal epileptiform activity were present in 5% of individuals and were associated with young age. The underpinnings of epileptiform abnormalities in PWS and how they differ from those of the Angelman syndrome should be studied further.
Do additional sugar sources affect the degree of attendance of Dysmicoccus brevipes by the fire ant Solenopsis geminata?
Authors: Carabalí‐Banguero Diana J. , Wyckhuys Kris A.G. , Montoya‐Lerma James , Kondo Takumasa , Lundgren Jonathan G.
Published: June 2013

Mutualistic interactions between ants and Hemiptera are mediated to a large extent by the amount and quality of sugar‐rich honeydew produced. Throughout the neotropics, the predaceous fire ant Solenopsis geminata (Fabricius) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is found in association with colonies of the pineapple mealybug, Dysmicoccus brevipes (Cockerell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), which they actively tend and protect from attack by natural enemies. In this study, we evaluate the effects of access to a sucrose solution on the mutualistic association between S. geminata and D. brevipes. Ten colonies of either species were established, with D. brevipes maintained on pumpkin, Cucurbita maxima Duchesne (Cucurbitaceae), in screen cages. Five of the S. geminata colonies were permitted access to vials with 20% sucrose solution and a pumpkin with 20 adult mealybugs. The remaining ant colonies were allowed access to mealybug‐infested pumpkins. Ant colonies with access to the sucrose solution attended mealybugs significantly less than those without additional sugar sources. Mealybug survival rates were similar under both treatments. Total body sugars and fructose were nearly twice as high in ants with access to honeydew and sucrose vs. those with access to honeydew and water. Fructose accumulated on the pumpkins over time in both treatments, suggesting that honeydew was not fully exploited by the ants. In conclusion, D. brevipes enjoy lower degrees of ant attendance when S. geminata have alternative sources of carbohydrates. We further discuss the significance of these findings for the conservation of predaceous ants and mealybug biological control.
Estimation of field capacity for aggregated soils using changes of the water retention curve under the effects of compaction
Authors: Aschonitis V. G. , Antonopoulos V. Z. , Lekakis E. H. , Litskas V. D. , Kotsopoulos S. A. , Karamouzis D. N.
Published: June 2013

The objective of this study is to present a new method for field capacity estimations using the CPV function (changes in pore volume). The method requires water retention data of an aggregated soil before and after a compaction event. The CPV function estimates the threshold of equivalent pore diameter (D‐threshold) between structural and textural porosity using changes in the water retention curve. The D‐threshold corresponds to a water potential associated with field capacity according to the TFC concept (textural field capacity), which assumes that (i) the textural pores define the field capacity conditions and (ii) the D‐threshold and consequently the water potential at field capacity are constant parameters for each soil regardless of its compaction state. Published datasets for different aggregated soils subjected to different compaction processes and data from a lysimeter drainage experiment were used to evaluate the method. The analysis of the drainage experiment was supported by the BUDGETv.6.2 model, which was used to estimate the optimum value of the water content at field capacity (parameter of the model) using observed soil water contents and drainage rates during the drainage experiment (concept of inverse problem). The results for different soils subjected to compaction showed that the estimated water potentials by the CPV method follow the commonly accepted assumptions that govern field capacity conditions, justifying also the assumptions of the TFC concept. The field capacity conditions estimated by the model demonstrated an adequate correspondence to the results of the CPV method, indicating its ability to assess the field capacity conditions of the lysimeter soils.
Rapid loss of efficacy to the antiseizure drugs lamotrigine and carbamazepine: A novel experimental model of pharmacoresistant epilepsy
Authors: Srivastava Ajay K. , Alex Anitha B. , Wilcox Karen S. , White H. Steve
Published: June 2013

Purpose

Kindling is a well‐established model of secondarily generalized partial seizures that is widely employed in the search for novel antiseizure drugs. During the kindling and postkindling acquisition phase, an active process of neuronal remodeling occurs. We tested the hypothesis that exposure to the voltage‐gated sodium channel blockers lamotrigine (LTG) and carbamazepine (CBZ) during the period of active remodeling will lead to a diminished therapeutic effect.

Methods

Two days after the last kindling stimulation, fully kindled rats were randomized to receive either 0.5% methyl cellulose (MC), LTG (30 mg/kg), or CBZ (40 mg/kg). The effect of LTG and CBZ on behavioral seizure severity and electrographic afterdischarge duration (ADD) was recorded. One week after this treatment, rats in both groups were rechallenged with LTG 30 or CBZ 40 mg/kg and their seizure score and ADD recorded. In vitro efficacy of LTG on neuronal action potentials was also evaluated using whole cell current clamp recording in hippocampal brain slices obtained from kindled control rats, LTG‐sensitive kindled rats, and LTG‐resistant kindled rats.

Key Findings

When acutely administered 48 h after the last kindling stimulation, LTG and CBZ blocked the expression of behavioral seizures and reduced the ADD. In contrast, a second challenge dose of LTG or CBZ administered after a 7‐day “no drug, no stimulation” period did not result in reduction of either the seizure score or the ADD. Interestingly, the potassium channel opener, ezogabine, also known as retigabine (EZG; 40 mg/kg), blocked the expression of behavioral seizures at both time points evaluated (i.e., 2 days and 9 days after last stimulation). In vivo resistance to LTG was associated with a similar reduction in the ability of LTG to limit action potential firing in CA1 neurons. LTG (50 μm) significantly decreased the number of action potentials generated by a depolarizing current pulse in neurons recorded from slices obtained from kindled control and LTG‐sensitive rats, but not in slices obtained from LTG‐resistant rats.

Significance

Collectively, results obtained from both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrate that even a single exposure to the sodium channel blockers LTG, or CBZ, during the postkindling remodeling phase leads to an altered pharmacologic response to these two ASDs, but not to EZG. The LTG‐ and CBZ‐resistant amygdala kindled rats may serve as a useful model of therapy‐resistant epilepsy.
Fight evolution with evolution: plasmid‐dependent phages with a wide host range prevent the spread of antibiotic resistance
Authors: Ojala Ville , Laitalainen Jarkko , Jalasvuori Matti
Published: June 2013

The emergence of pathogenic bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics is a serious worldwide public health concern. Whenever antibiotics are applied, the genes encoding for antibiotic resistance are selected for within bacterial populations. This has led to the prevalence of conjugative plasmids that carry resistance genes and can transfer themselves between diverse bacterial groups. In this study, we investigated whether it is feasible to attempt to prevent the spread of antibiotic resistances with a lytic bacteriophage, which can replicate in a wide range of gram‐negative bacteria harbouring conjugative drug resistance–conferring plasmids. The counter‐selection against the plasmid was shown to be effective, reducing the frequency of multidrug‐resistant bacteria that formed via horizontal transfer by several orders of magnitude. This was true also in the presence of an antibiotic against which the plasmid provided resistance. Majority of the multiresistant bacteria subjected to phage selection also lost their conjugation capability. Overall this study suggests that, while we are obligated to maintain the selection for the spread of the drug resistances, the ‘fight evolution with evolution’ approach could help us even out the outcome to our favour.
Random Prism: a noise‐tolerant alternative to Random Forests
Authors: Stahl Frederic , Bramer Max
Published: June 2013

Ensemble learning can be used to increase the overall classification accuracy of a classifier by generating multiple base classifiers and combining their classification results. A frequently used family of base classifiers for ensemble learning are decision trees. However, alternative approaches can potentially be used, such as the Prism family of algorithms that also induces classification rules. Compared with decision trees, Prism algorithms generate modular classification rules that cannot necessarily be represented in the form of a decision tree. Prism algorithms produce a similar classification accuracy compared with decision trees. However, in some cases, for example, if there is noise in the training and test data, Prism algorithms can outperform decision trees by achieving a higher classification accuracy. However, Prism still tends to overfit on noisy data; hence, ensemble learners have been adopted in this work to reduce the overfitting. This paper describes the development of an ensemble learner using a member of the Prism family as the base classifier to reduce the overfitting of Prism algorithms on noisy datasets. The developed ensemble classifier is compared with a stand‐alone Prism classifier in terms of classification accuracy and resistance to noise.
Epigenetic control of skeletal muscle regeneration
Authors: Giordani Lorenzo , Puri Pier Lorenzo
Published: June 2013

During embryonic development, pluripotent cells are genetically committed to specific lineages by the expression of cell‐type‐specific transcriptional activators that direct the formation of specialized tissues and organs in response to developmental cues. Chromatin‐modifying proteins are emerging as essential components of the epigenetic machinery, which establishes the nuclear landscape that ultimately determines the final identity and functional specialization of adult cells. Recent evidence has revealed that discrete populations of adult cells can retain the ability to adopt alternative cell fates in response to environmental cues. These cells include conventional adult stem cells and a still poorly defined collection of cell types endowed with facultative phenotype and functional plasticity. Under physiological conditions or adaptive states, these cells cooperate to support tissue and organ homeostasis, and to promote growth or compensatory regeneration. However, during chronic diseases and aging these cells can adopt a pathological phenotype and mediate maladaptive responses, such as the formation of fibrotic scars and fat deposition that progressively replaces structural and functional units of tissues and organs. The molecular determinants of these phenotypic transitions are only emerging from recent studies that reveal how dynamic chromatin states can generate flexible epigenetic landscapes, which confer on cells the ability to retain partial pluripotency and adapt to environmental changes. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the role of the epigenetic machinery as a ‘filter’ between genetic commitment and environmental signals in cell types that can alternatively promote skeletal muscle regeneration or fibro‐adipogenic degeneration.
Structural and functional diversity in the activity and regulation of DAPK‐related protein kinases
Authors: Temmerman Koen , Simon Bertrand , Wilmanns Matthias
Published: June 2013

Within the large group of calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinases (CAMKs) of the human kinome, there is a distinct branch of highly related kinases that includes three families: death‐associated protein‐related kinases, myosin light‐chain‐related kinases and triple functional domain protein‐related kinases. In this review, we refer to these collectively as DMT kinases. There are several functional features that span the three families, such as a broad involvement in apoptotic processes, cytoskeletal association and cellular plasticity. Other CAMKs contain a highly conserved HRD motif, which is a prerequisite for kinase regulation through activation‐loop phosphorylation, but in all 16 members of the DMT branch, this is replaced by an HF/LD motif. This DMT kinase signature motif substitutes phosphorylation‐dependent active‐site interactions with a local hydrophobic core that maintains an active kinase conformation. Only about half of the DMT kinases have an additional autoregulatory domain, C‐terminal to the kinase domain that binds calcium/calmodulin in order to regulate kinase activity. Protein substrates have been identified for some of the DMT kinases, but little is known about the mechanism of recognition. Substrate conformation could be an equally important parameter in substrate recognition as specific preferences in sequence position. Taking the data together, this kinase branch encapsulates a treasure trove of features that renders it distinct from many other protein kinases and calls for future research activities in this field.
The nucleotide cycle of spastin correlates with its microtubule‐binding properties
Authors: Wen Maorong , Wang Chunguang
Published: June 2013

Spastin is an AAA (ATPase associated with diverse cellular activities) protein with microtubule (MT)‐severing activity. The spastin‐encoding gene was identified as the most often mutated gene in the human neurodegenerative disease hereditary spastic paraplegia. Although the structure of the AAA domain of spastin has been determined, the mechanism by which spastin severs MTs remains elusive. Here, we studied the MT‐binding and nucleotide‐binding properties of spastin, as well as their interplay. The results suggest that ATP‐bound spastin interacts strongly and cooperatively with MTs; this interaction stimulates ATP hydrolysis by spastin. After ATP hydrolysis, spastin dissociates from MTs, and then exchanges ADP for ATP in solution for the next round of work. In particular, spastin in the ternary complex of MT–spastin–ATP is the most cooperative state during the working cycle, and is probably the force‐generating state that is responsible for MT severing. The results presented in this study establish the nucleotide cycle of spastin in correlation with its MT‐binding properties, and provide a biochemical framework for further studies of the working mechanism of spastin.
Diatoms can be an important exception to temperature–size rules at species and community levels of organization
Authors: Adams Georgina L. , Pichler Doris E. , Cox Eileen J. , O'Gorman Eoin J. , Seeney Alex , Woodward Guy , Reuman Daniel C.
Published: June 2013

Climate warming has been linked to an apparent general decrease in body sizes of ectotherms, both across and within taxa, especially in aquatic systems. Smaller body size in warmer geographical regions has also been widely observed. Since body size is a fundamental determinant of many biological attributes, climate‐warming‐related changes in size could ripple across multiple levels of ecological organization. Some recent studies have questioned the ubiquity of temperature–size rules, however, and certain widespread and abundant taxa, such as diatoms, may be important exceptions. We tested the hypothesis that diatoms are smaller at warmer temperatures using a system of geothermally heated streams. There was no consistent relationship between size and temperature at either the population or community level. These field data provide important counterexamples to both James’ and Bergmann's temperature–size rules, respectively, undermining the widely held assumption that warming favours the small. This study provides compelling new evidence that diatoms are an important exception to temperature–size rules for three reasons: (i) we use many more species than prior work; (ii) we examine both community and species levels of organization simultaneously; (iii) we work in a natural system with a wide temperature gradient but minimal variation in other factors, to achieve robust tests of hypotheses without relying on laboratory setups, which have limited realism. In addition, we show that interspecific effects were a bigger contributor to whole‐community size differences, and are probably more ecologically important than more commonly studied intraspecific effects. These findings highlight the need for multispecies approaches in future studies of climate warming and body size.
Drought‐induced saltwater incursion leads to increased wetland nitrogen export
Authors: Ardón Marcelo , Morse Jennifer L. , Colman Benjamin P. , Bernhardt Emily S.
Published: June 2013

Coastal wetlands have the capacity to retain and denitrify large quantities of reactive nitrogen (N), making them important in attenuating increased anthropogenic N flux to coastal ecosystems. The ability of coastal wetlands to retain and transform N is being reduced by wetland losses resulting from land development. Nitrogen retention in coastal wetlands is further threatened by the increasing frequency and spatial extent of saltwater inundation in historically freshwater ecosystems, due to the combined effects of dredging, declining river discharge to coastal areas due to human water use, increased drought frequency, and accelerating sea‐level rise. Because saltwater incursion may affect N cycling through multiple mechanisms, the impacts of salinization on coastal freshwater wetland N retention and transformation are not well understood. Here, we show that repeated annual saltwater incursion during late summer droughts in the coastal plain of North Carolina changed N export from organic to inorganic forms and led to a doubling of annual NH4+ export from a 440 hectare former agricultural field undergoing wetland restoration. Soil solution NH4+ concentrations in two mature wetlands also increased with salinization, but the magnitude of increase was smaller than that in the former agricultural field. Long‐term saltwater exposure experiments with intact soil columns demonstrated that much of the increase in reactive N released could be explained by exchange of salt cations with sediment NH4+. Using these findings together with the predicted flooding of 1661 km2 of wetlands along the NC coast by 2100, we estimate that saltwater incursion into these coastal areas could release up to 18 077 Mg N, or approximately half the annual NH4+ flux of the Mississippi River. Our results suggest that saltwater incursion into coastal freshwater wetlands globally could lead to increased N loading to sensitive coastal waters.