bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
John Tavener; Manchester International Festival 2013
Authors: Mottershead Tim
Published: January 2014

This concert at the Bridgewater Hall, by the BBC Philharmonic under conductor Tecwyn Evans, featured three world premieres commissioned by MIF 2013 from the late John Tavener, together with Mahamatar from 2000 (featuring Sufi singer Abida Parveen, following a rare UK appearance the previous evening, and performed to a screening of Werner Herzog's 2001 film Pilgrimage) and his 1968 choral piece In Alium.
On two new K2FeF5 forms
Authors: Le Bail Armel
Published: January 2014

Two additional forms of K2FeF5 are disclosed and characterized by powder diffraction. One (form-IV) adopts a new A2MF5 structural type, space group C2/m, a = 13.0919(2) Å, b = 5.7311(1) Å, c = 7.3114(1) Å, β = 118.241(1), and Z = 4, it is obtained from the thermal evolution of form-III, isostructural with Rb2FeF5, space group Pnma, a = 7.3964(2)  Å, b = 5.6779(1) Å, c = 11.5445(3) Å, and Z = 4. Both forms are compared to two previously reported polymorphs. The III → IV transition is topotactic, conserving the same zigzag cis-connected octahedral (FeF5)n2n− chains after an ~90° rotation and 1/2b translation of half of them.
Three new structural forms of thiocolchicoside, a muscle relaxant, as shown by X-ray powder diffraction
Authors: Toro R. , Contreras J. , Díaz de Delgado G. , Delgado J. M. , Pinto J.L. , Henao J.A.
Published: January 2014

Thiocolchicoside (THC) is an important active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) used as a muscle relaxant because of its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. The only entry for a THC-related compound present in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) corresponds to a THC ethanol solvate hydrate (refcode: THCLCS). The diffraction pattern recorded for the THC raw material (C27H33NO10S·xH2O) is different from the pattern calculated using the THCLCS crystallographic data contained in the CSD. The indexing of the THC raw material pattern, produced an orthorhombic unit cell with a = 28.018(7) Å, b = 12.519(2) Å, c = 8.519(1) Å, and V = 2988.01 Å3. All the diffraction maxima of the powder pattern of a phase recrystallized in water (C27H33NO10S·2H2O) can be indexed in an orthorhombic cell with a = 25.264(4) Å, b = 13.537(3) Å, c = 8.553(1) Å, and V = 2925.12 Å3. Thermogravimetric analysis shows that this compound is a dihydrate phase. Upon heating, a new anhydrous phase (C27H33NO10S) with a monoclinic cell and unit cell parameters: a = 17.090(5) Å, b = 19.485(5) Å, c = 8.526(3) Å, β = 100.30(2)°, and V = 2793.34 Å3 is obtained.
PUBLIC TALES WAG THE DOG
Authors: Rose Tricia
Published: January 2014

This essay examines the case of Kelley Williams-Bolar—an African American single mother from Akron, Ohio—who in 2011 was arrested, charged with a felony, and jailed for sending her two daughters to a predominantly White suburban public school in Copley Township without meeting the township's residency requirements. This essay closely examines the case with particular attention paid to the important but often unacknowledged intersections of race, gender, economic privilege, spatial containment, and racialized criminalization that shaped the case. The Williams-Bolar case became a public site of contesting narratives, some obscuring these intersections, others acknowledging them. Those who supported Copley Township's prosecution of Williams-Bolar relied on a law and order mandate and fiscal responsibility that supported the dominant racial narrative while appearing to be race, gender, and class neutral. But many were critical of Williams-Bolar's arrest and the story used to justify it. Their response was a massive and heated online challenge that inspired existing and newly outraged parents and educational activists from a wide range of backgrounds, triggering petitions signed by hundreds of thousands of people requesting that the Governor of Ohio pardon Williams-Bolar.

This essay places the case in the context of what I call the “invisible intersections of colorblind racism,” the racial privileges of housing and educational resource hoarding via private property taxes for suburban upper-middle-class Whites and the expanded application of the criminalization of the Black poor to Black mothers who receive state assistance by the judicial system, in political discourse and mass media narrative. Williams-Bolar's supporters used the power of social media to build community activism and to generate alternative narratives that countered the discursive and structural forces that were at work. Finally, this article considers the value and impact of alternative narratives about Williams-Bolar and her actions as generated by supporters.
RACE, IMMIGRATION, AND PATTERNS OF INCORPORATION IN THE EARLY AMERICAN WELFARE STATE
Authors: Chen Anthony S.
Published: January 2014

Thanks to the work of numerous scholars, it is now well understood that African Americans were incorporated into the early twentieth-century welfare state—as it was then constituted—on a decidedly unequal basis. If African Americans were not altogether excluded by design from some programs, government officials were frequently less generous in determining the scope and extent of the benefits received by them compared to those received by Whites.
Untangling the Racialization of Disabilities
Authors: Artiles Alfredo J.
Published: January 2014

This article advances an intersectional perspective in the analysis of racial inequities in special education so that theoretical refinement of this problem will strengthen educational equity research and theory. Racial disproportionality in some disability categories continues to affect a sizable number of students in the United States, with dire long-term consequences for the educational trajectories of these learners. After more than four decades, the problem continues to be debated in research, practice, and policy circles. There is consensus among researchers that the racialization of disability embodies complexities that defy linear explanations. But this debate has overlooked the potential of intersectionality to document complexity and to transcend the individual-structure binary that tends to permeate previous scholarship. Indeed, intersectionality's explicit attention to how the complexity of people's everyday experiences is connected to larger historical processes could offer key insights. I analyze how disproportionality research has addressed the intersections of race and disability (along with other markers of oppression) through a contrapuntal reading of works framed with medical, social, and cultural disability models. I conclude with reflections for future research on racial disparities in special education that is mindful of intersectional complexity.
Erfassung berufsbezogener Selbstkonzepte von angehenden Lehrkräften (ERBSE-L)
Authors: Retelsdorf Jan , Bauer Johannes , Gebauer S. Kristina , Kauper Tabea , Möller Jens
Published: January 2014

Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird ein Instrument zur mehrdimensionalen Erfassung berufsbezogener Selbstkonzepte von angehenden Lehrkräften (ERBSE-L) vorgestellt. In einer ersten Studie mit N = 484 Lehramtsstudierenden wurden mittels exploratorischer Faktorenanalysen die Selbstkonzeptdimensionen Fach, Innovation, Medien, Diagnostik, Erziehung und Beratung extrahiert. In einer zweiten Studie konnte diese faktorielle Struktur mittels konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalysen an einer Stichprobe von N = 5 802 Lehramtsstudierenden repliziert werden. In beiden Studien ergaben sich hinreichende interne Konsistenzen der sechs Dimensionen (α ≥ .71). Zudem konnte die Annahme von Messinvarianz der Selbstkonzeptdimensionen für Geschlecht, gymnasiales vs. nicht-gymnasiales Lehramt, Studienphase (Studienanfänger vs. fortgeschritten Studierende) und über die Zeit gestützt werden. Die Ergebnisse zu erwarteten Mittelwertsunterschieden zwischen den Geschlechtern bzw. zwischen den Lehrämtern sowie Zusammenhängen der Selbstkonzeptdimensionen mit der Studienwahlmotivation und Studienleistungen liefern weitere Hinweise auf die Validität der Skalen. Insgesamt erwies sich ERBSE-L als vielversprechendes Instrument für die Erfassung mehrerer Dimensionen des berufsbezogenen Selbstkonzepts von angehenden Lehrkräften.
Truxene-cored π-expanded triarylborane dyes as single- and two-photon fluorescent probes for fluoride
Authors: Yuan Mao-Sen , Wang Qi , Wang Wenji , Wang Dong-En , Wang Junru , Wang Jinyi
Published: January 2014

Two triarylboranes were synthesized and they exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity to fluoride as both single-photon and two-photon fluorescent probes.
Pharmacokinetic study of liquiritin in rat serum using molecularly imprinted solid-phase extraction combined with RP-HPLC
Authors: Yang Huang , Kang Li , Hui Kai Shao , Sheng Quan Liu , Fei Jun Xiang
Published: January 2014

A new method using MI-SPE-HPLC-UV for the determination of LQR in rat plasma demonstrates its applicability in analyzing pharmacokinetic parameters of LQR after a single oral administration of CLTs, so as to provide reliable data to support the safety in clinical applications.
A one-pot septanoside formation and glycosylation of acyclic dithioacetals derived from 1,2-cyclopropanated sugars
Authors: Venukumar Patteti , Sudharani Chalapala , Sridhar Perali Ramu
Published: January 2014

A one-pot septanoside formation and glycosylation of acyclic dithioacetals derived from 1,2-cyclopropanated sugars is reported.
Cobalt selenium oxohalides: catalysts for water oxidation
Authors: Rabbani Faiz , Svengren Henrik , Zimmermann Iwan , Hu Shichao , Laine Tanja , Hao Wenming , Åkermark Björn , Åkermark Torbjörn , Johnsson Mats
Published: January 2014

Two new oxohalides Co4Se3O9Cl2 and Co3Se4O10Cl2 have been synthesized by solid state reactions.
ESR study of the spin adducts of three analogues of DEPMPO substituted at C4or C3
Authors: Chalier Florence , Clément Jean-Louis , Hardy Micaël , Tordo Paul , Rockenbauer Antal
Published: January 2014

Average geometries of the nitroxide adducts of various radicals with three substituted DEPMPO nitrones allow the prediction of a correlation between the substitution and the trapping properties.
A novel route for the facile synthesis of hierarchically porous TiO2/graphitic carbon microspheres for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Zhang Chengli , Zhang Qianyu , Kang Shifei , Li Xi
Published: January 2014

Hierarchically porous TiO2/graphitic carbon microspheres synthesized by a colloidal crystal templating method, possess a specific structure and excellent electrochemical performance.
Is there a third order phase transition for supercritical fluids?
Authors: Zhu Jinglong , Zhang Pingwen , Wang Han , Site Luigi Delle
Published: January 2014

We prove that according to Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations of liquid mixtures of Lennard-Jones (L-J) particles, there is no third order phase transition in the supercritical regime beyond Andrew's critical point. This result is in open contrast with recent theoretical studies and experiments which instead suggest not only its existence but also its universality regarding the chemical nature of the fluid. We argue that our results are solid enough to go beyond the limitations of MD and the generic character of L-J models, thus suggesting a rather smooth liquid-vapor thermodynamic behavior of fluids in supercritical regime.
Designing heavy metal oxide glasses with threshold properties from network rigidity
Authors: Chakraborty Shibalik , Boolchand P. , Malki M. , Micoulaut M.
Published: January 2014

Here, we show that a new class of glasses composed of heavy metal oxides involving transition metals (V2O5–TeO2) can surprisingly be designed from very basic tools using topology and rigidity of their underlying molecular networks. When investigated as a function of composition, such glasses display abrupt changes in network packing and enthalpy of relaxation at Tg, underscoring presence of flexible to rigid elastic phase transitions. We find that these elastic phases are fully consistent with polaronic nature of electronic conductivity at high V2O5 content. Such observations have new implications for designing electronic glasses which differ from the traditional amorphous electrolytes having only mobile ions as charge carriers.
Reentrant spin-glass state in a geometrical frustrated multiferroic system: Role of disorder
Authors: Chattopadhyay S. , Giri S. , Majumdar S. , Ganesan V. , Venkateshwarlu D.
Published: January 2014

We investigated the effect of magnetic (Mn) and nonmagnetic (Ga) doping at the Cr site of the layered geometrically frustrated antiferromagnetic compound LiCrO2. 10% Ga doping at the Cr site does not invoke any metastability typical of a glassy magnetic state. However, similar amount of Mn doping drives the system to a spin glass (SG) state which is particularly evident from the magnetic memory and heat capacity studies. The onset of glassy state in 10% Mn doped sample is of reentrant type developing out of higher temperature antiferromagnetic state. The SG state in the Mn-doped sample shows a true reentry with the complete disappearance of the antiferromagnetic phase below the SG transition. The lack of SG state on Ga doping indicates the importance of random ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic bonds for the glassy ground state in LiCrO2.
Protein tyrosine phosphatase σ targets apical junction complex proteins in the intestine and regulates epithelial permeability
Authors: Murchie Ryan , Guo Cong-Hui , Persaud Avinash , Muise Aleixo , Rotin Daniela
Published: January 2014

Significance

Polymorphisms in the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)σ (PTPRS) gene were previously shown to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and PTPσ knockout mice exhibit an intestinal IBD phenotype, but how PTPσ is involved in IBD is unknown. Our studies here show that PTPσ knockout mice exhibit a leaky intestinal epithelium that may explain the observed IBD phenotype. We further identify the junctional protein ezrin as an in vivo intestinal substrate for PTPσ and identify specific tyrosine phosphorylation sites on ezrin that are targeted by PTPσ, leading to removal of ezrin from its plasma membrane localization. These studies help explain the role of PTPσ in IBD.
UV radiation as a new regulator of horticultural quality and yield - possibilities for innovation in crop production systems - mini review.
Authors: Wargent J. J.
Published: January 2014

Here we will explore the largely untapped potential for plant responses to ultraviolet radiation to be exploited as a means to regulate horticultural crop quality. Technological and scientific innovation will soon offer industry practitioners a tool-set to control plant quality and yield in a manner not previously achievable.
Issues and challenges in meeting well-being concerns of sows and litters.
Authors: Costa A. N. , Martins T. D. D.
Published: January 2014

The objective of this review is to provide an overview on the most frequent health and welfare issues that could compromise the health and well-being of sows and their litters on intensive production systems. Also, some farm challenges are discussed that might to be faced by producers, veterinarians and scientists in order to promote the balance in the hard equation between welfare and productivity that represent a way to respond to the demands of the regulatory bodies and markets, and also to the concerns of contemporary society.
Potential for using visual, auditory and olfactory cues to manage foraging behaviour and spatial distribution of rangeland livestock.
Authors: Howery L. D. , Cibils A. F. , Anderson D. M.
Published: January 2014

This paper reviews the literature and reports on the current state of knowledge regarding the potential for managers to use visual (VC), auditory (AC) and olfactory (OC) cues to manage foraging behaviour and spatial distribution of rangeland livestock. We present evidence that free-ranging livestock use these sensory cues to make decisions about foraging, drinking, habitat selection and spatial distribution, and to detect and avoid predators. This knowledge provides managers with opportunities to favourably alter behavioural patterns of rangeland ungulates. Opportunities to use sensory cues to shape livestock spatial distribution patterns arise primarily from the abilities of animals to: (a) learn to respond to cue-consequence associations that enhance their ability to adapt to changing foraging environments on rangelands, (b) generalize learned cue-consequence associations across spatial and temporal foraging scales and (c) influence one another's behaviour through social learning. Key literature on cue-consequence principles is initially reviewed from fine-scale studies (e.g., controlled studies conducted in mazes, arenas). Applications of cue-consequence principles are then highlighted from literature dealing with field-scale studies (e.g., controlled and observational studies conducted in large pastures or paddocks). We then discuss potential management implications derived from these studies. Finally, we summarize conclusions and recommendations for potential future research directions. The studies reviewed here suggest that VC, AC and OC associated with positive or negative reinforcers can be used to effectively direct livestock towards or away from selected areas. The feasibility of favourably altering grazing pressure on rangelands without having to build expensive, static fences has the potential to provide substantial economic and ecologic advantages.
Functional genomics: applications to production agriculture.
Authors: Buza T. , McCarthy F. M.
Published: January 2014

Functional genomics enables agricultural researchers to investigate how gene expression and regulation contributes to complex production traits at a genome-wide level. There are many different techniques for utilizing functional genomic approaches and new high-throughput technologies are accelerating the amount and complexity of data collected from functional genomics experiments. In this review, we highlight some of the different areas of functional genomics, including some emerging techniques, with a specific focus on how they are being applied to production livestock and aquaculture systems. We look at how transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, interactomics, epigenetics and nutrigenomics are applied to improve our understanding of complex production traits and how the environment affects these traits. We also discuss how changing technologies contribute to functional genomics and the resources agricultural researchers require to ensure that their functional genomics data are effectively translated into benefits for society.
Software and data resources for genetic association studies: Mini Review.
Authors: Thornton T. A. , Austin M. A.
Published: January 2014

In the last few years, tremendous resources have become available for genetic researchers. These include extensive software, genomic databases containing genotype and phenotype data, and population reference panels with genotyping and next-generation sequencing data. Navigating these resources can be challenging, especially in finding the appropriate software for the analysis of data and in identifying and gaining access to suitable genetic data. This review highlights a variety of currently available resources for genetic association studies.
Revealing Revisions: Fayd al-Kāshānī's Four Versions of al-Kalimāt al-Maknūna
Authors: Zargar Cyrus Ali
Published: January 2014

This article examines four mystical treatises by the Safavid scholar Fayd al-Kāshānī (d. 1090/1679). Of the four, al-Kalimāt al-Maknūna (“the Hidden Words”) serves as the basis for the three other versions, al-La'āli', Qurrat al-‘Uyūn, and al-Kalimāt al-Makhzūna, composed at different times for different audiences. Comparison of their structure and content reveals changes that occurred in Kāshānī's presentation of the thought of Ibn ‘Arabī and Mullā Sadrā. Kāshānī's later emphasis on Shi‘i hadith sources says much about the context in which he wrote and perhaps more about his later assessment of the place of sufi cosmology, Islamic philosophy, and scripture in scholarly and popular circles.
Where is mTOR and what is it doing there?
Authors: Betz Charles , Hall Michael N.
Published: January 2014

Target of rapamycin (TOR) forms two conserved, structurally distinct kinase complexes termed TOR complex 1 (TORC1) and TORC2. Each complex phosphorylates a different set of substrates to regulate cell growth. In mammals, mTOR is stimulated by nutrients and growth factors and inhibited by stress to ensure that cells grow only during favorable conditions. Studies in different organisms have reported localization of TOR to several distinct subcellular compartments. Notably, the finding that mTORC1 is localized to the lysosome has significantly enhanced our understanding of mTORC1 regulation. Subcellular localization may be a general principle used by TOR to enact precise spatial and temporal control of cell growth.
New approaches to simulating the complex interaction effects of multiple human impacts on the marine environment
Authors: Griffith Gary P. , Fulton Elizabeth A.
Published: January 2014

The interplay of anthropogenic effects presents significant challenges to modelling and managing marine resources. The increasing awareness of the complexity of the interaction of human impacts has led to a demand for end-to-end (E2E) models that attempt to include all major processes in a single framework. These whole-of-system models are potentially very useful as numerical laboratories to explore the potential spectrum of responses from the interplay of anthropogenic effects. However, despite their limitations and early stage of development, the output of E2E models is under increasing social pressure to provide “simple” answers to highly complex problems. Here, we suggest some approaches that can be included in E2E models for considering the potential effects of complex interactions on community and ecosystem services. We show how assumptions and parameterizations made in existing E2E models can be altered to allow processes to shift with the dynamic response to both natural and human drivers. Alternative ways for interpreting complex model output, non-linearity, handling uncertainty, and how to include multispecies interaction effects within a framework of ecosystem-based management are suggested. We point out parts of the marine system that have been neglected in model development, but now should be included to understand interaction effects from multiple anthropogenic stressors. The E2E model framework also needs to be further expanded from an often-skewed focus on ecological systems to a more even-handed treatment of socio-ecological systems, including cultural aspects. Future progress in E2E models will require an interdisciplinary framework involving both qualitative and quantitative approaches, closer cooperation between empiricists and modellers, and the development of consistent terminology.
Differential Transmission ofTriticum mosaic virusby Wheat Curl Mite Populations Collected in the Great Plains
Authors: McMechan Anthony J. , Tatineni Satyanarayana , French Roy , Hein Gary L.
Published: January 2014

Wheat is an important food grain worldwide and the primary dryland crop in the western Great Plains. A complex of three wheat curl mite (WCM)-transmitted viruses (Wheat streak mosaic virus, High plains virus, and Triticum mosaic virus [TriMV]) is a cause of serious loss in winter wheat production in the Great Plains. TriMV was first reported in Kansas in 2006 and later found in most other Great Plains states. Currently, three populations of WCM have been identified by genetic characterization and differential responses to mite resistance genes in wheat. In this study, we examined TriMV transmission by these three WCM populations: ‘Nebraska’ (NE), ‘Montana’ (MT), and ‘South Dakota’ (SD). Mite transmission using single-mite transfers revealed that the NE WCM population transmitted TriMV at 41%, while the MT and SD WCM populations failed to transmit TriMV. In multi-mite transfers, the NE WCM population transmitted TriMV at 100% level compared with 2.5% transmission by MT and SD WCM populations. Interestingly, NE mites transferred during the quiescent stages following the first and second instar transmitted TriMV at a 39 to 40% rate, suggesting that immature mites were able to acquire the virus and maintain it through molting. In addition, mite survival for single-mite transfers was significantly lower for NE mites when transferred from TriMV-inoculated source plants (60%) compared with mock-inoculated source plants (84%). This demonstrates potentially negative effects on WCM survival from TriMV. TriMV transmission differences demonstrated in this study underscore the importance of identification of mite genotypes for future studies with TriMV.
Copper chloride induces antioxidant gene expression but reduces ability to mediate H2O2 toxicity in Xanthomonas campestris
Authors: Sornchuer Phornphan , Namchaiw Poommaree , Kerdwong Jarunee , Charoenlap Nisanart , Mongkolsuk Skorn , Vattanaviboon Paiboon
Published: January 2014

Copper (Cu)-based biocides are currently used as control measures for both fungal and bacterial diseases in agricultural fields. In this communication, we show that exposure of the bacterial plant pathogenXanthomonas campestristo nonlethal concentrations of Cu2+ions (75 µM) enhanced expression of genes in OxyR, OhrR and IscR regulons. High levels of catalase, Ohr peroxidase and superoxide dismutase diminished Cu2+-induced gene expression, suggesting that the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and organic hydroperoxides is responsible for Cu2+-induced gene expression. Despite high expression of antioxidant genes, the CuCl2-treated cells were more susceptible to H2O2killing treatment than the uninduced cells. This phenotype arose from lowered catalase activity in the CuCl2-pretreated cells. Thus, exposure to a nonlethal dose of Cu2+rendersX. campestrisvulnerable to H2O2, even when various genes for peroxide-metabolizing enzymes are highly expressed. Moreover, CuCl2-pretreated cells are sensitive to treatment with the redox cycling drug, menadione. No physiological cross-protection response was observed in CuCl2-treated cells in a subsequent challenge with killing concentrations of an organic hydroperoxide. As H2O2production is an important initial plant immune response, defects in H2O2protection are likely to reduce bacterial survival in plant hosts and enhance the usefulness of copper biocides in controlling bacterial pathogens.
Clinical Validation of the Nursing Diagnosis Caregiver Role Strain in the Czech Republic
Authors: Zeleníková Renáta , Kozáková Radka , Jarošová Darja
Published: January 2014

Purpose

The aim of the study was to clinically validate the defining characteristics of the nursing diagnosis caregiver role strain in the Czech Republic.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional study. The patient‐focused clinical diagnostic validity model was used for clinical validation.

Findings

Only two major defining characteristics were identified for caregiver role strain in a sample of 225 caregivers.

Conclusion

The study has identified the most frequently present defining characteristics related to the nursing diagnosis caregiver role strain in a caregiver population in the Czech Republic caring for their loved ones in home settings.

Implications for Nursing Practice

It is important that defining characteristics aid diagnosis and direct nursing interventions.
Expansion of CD4+HLA‐G+ T Cell in Human Pregnancy is Impaired in Pre‐eclampsia
Authors: Hsu Peter , Santner‐Nanan Brigitte , Joung Steven , Peek Michael J. , Nanan Ralph
Published: January 2014

Problem

The role of CD4+HLA‐G+ T cells in healthy pregnancy and pre‐eclampsia is unclear.

Method of study

CD4+HLA‐G+ T cells were analysed from peripheral blood and decidual samples from healthy pregnant and pre‐eclamptic women. In vitro T‐cell induction, trogocytosis and suppression assays were performed.

Results

In peripheral blood, CD4+HLA‐G+ T cells were significantly higher in pregnant women (mean ± S.E.M.: 7.98 ± 1.10%), compared with non‐pregnant controls (mean ± S.E.M.: 1.78 ± 0.30%) and pre‐eclamptic women (mean ± S.E.M.: 3.69 ± 0.51%). The presence of CD4+HLA‐G+ T cells is even more prominent in the decidua, suggestive of local induction and accumulation. Decidual CD14+DC‐SIGN+ antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) enhance the HLA‐G expression of cocultured CD4+ naïve T cells in vitro. IL‐10 augments expression of HLA‐G, ILT4 and DC‐SIGN in monocyte‐derived DCs (MoDCs), endowing them with a phenotype analogous to decidual CD14+DC‐SIGN+ APCs of healthy pregnancy. Furthermore, naïve T cells acquire HLA‐G from these IL‐10‐treated MoDCs via the process of trogocytosis.

Conclusions

Our data indicate that in addition to Foxp3+ Treg cells, CD4+ T cells acquire HLA‐G from decidual DCs and may play an important role in immune tolerance induction in pregnancy, a process which is impaired in pre‐eclampsia.
Measurement of skeletal muscle radiation attenuation and basis of its biological variation
Authors: Aubrey J. , Esfandiari N. , Baracos V. E. , Buteau F. A. , Frenette J. , Putman C. T. , Mazurak V. C.
Published: January 2014

Skeletal muscle contains intramyocellular lipid droplets within the cytoplasm of myocytes as well as intermuscular adipocytes. These depots exhibit physiological and pathological variation which has been revealed with the advent of diagnostic imaging approaches: magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, MR spectroscopy and computed tomography (CT). CT uses computer‐processed X‐rays and is now being applied in muscle physiology research. The purpose of this review is to present CT methodologies and summarize factors that influence muscle radiation attenuation, a parameter which is inversely related to muscle fat content. Pre‐defined radiation attenuation ranges are used to demarcate intermuscular adipose tissue [from −190 to −30 Hounsfield units (HU)] and muscle (−29 HU to +150 HU). Within the latter range, the mean muscle radiation attenuation [muscle (radio) density] is reported. Inconsistent criteria for the upper and lower HU cut‐offs used to characterize muscle attenuation limit comparisons between investigations. This area of research would benefit from standardized criteria for reporting muscle attenuation. Available evidence suggests that muscle attenuation is plastic with physiological variation induced by the process of ageing, as well as by aerobic training, which probably reflects accumulation of lipids to fuel aerobic work. Pathological variation in muscle attenuation reflects excess fat deposition in the tissue and is observed in people with obesity, diabetes type II, myositis, osteoarthritis, spinal stenosis and cancer. A poor prognosis and different types of morbidity are predicted by the presence of reduced mean muscle attenuation values in patients with these conditions; however, the biological features of muscle with these characteristics require further investigation.
How does vegetation sampling in different parts of the growing season influence classification results and analyses of beta diversity?
Authors: Vymazalová Marie , Tichý Lubomír , Axmanová Irena
Published: January 2014

Questions

Several studies have demonstrated that data sets that combine vegetation plots recorded in different parts of the growing season might contain significant seasonal variability. The effects of this variability might confound some data analyses, such as vegetation classifications or beta diversity estimates, but the magnitude of these effects is unknown. Here, we try to quantify how strong these effects are, depending on the range of seasonal variation within the data set.

Location

Southern Moravia, Czech Republic.

Methods

We used two data sets of permanent plots (Forests and Dry Grasslands from the Czech Republic, each recorded in spring, summer and autumn) to analyse the similarity of partitions in hierarchical classifications with (1) different parameter settings (transformations of cover data and the beta parameter of the Beta flexible clustering method), and (2) different proportions of plots recorded in different parts of the growing season (added non‐hierarchical k‐means classification).

Results

Single‐season classifications based on the summer records were mostly robust to various cover data transformations and Beta settings, whereas spring and autumn records showed high variability in the resulting partitions. The comparisons of partitions based on the same parameter settings, but using two‐ or three‐season data sets, revealed considerable discrepancies. In the analyses comparing summer records with seasonally heterogeneous data sets, the similarity of partitions rapidly declined after the substitution of a few plots recorded in different parts of the growing season, and non‐hierarchical clustering showed higher partition similarity than hierarchical clustering alone in the Dry Grasslands. Compared to single‐season data sets, we found higher beta diversity when combining spring and summer plots in both Forest and Dry Grassland data sets.

Conclusions

The sampling date might strongly affect the results of classifications of temperate deciduous forests and dry grasslands. Therefore, for classification, we highly recommend using only summer‐recorded plots. These plots are most robust with respect to various classification settings, correspond approximately to the phenological optimum of these vegetation types and are the most represented in vegetation databases from temperate regions. When the summer‐recorded plots are less represented, we suggest careful seasonal stratification and the inclusion of information concerning the seasonal ratio of analysed data sets into each study.
Predictive modelling and monitoring of Ellenberg moisture value validates restoration success in floodplain forests
Authors: Lang Petra , Ewald Jörg
Published: January 2014

Question

How does floodplain forest vegetation react to a changed hydrological regime induced by a restoration project? Is it possible to model the Ellenberg moisture value (mF) using variables representing site moisture conditions? Does mF help predict changes in vegetation composition and thus help in validating restoration success?

Location

Danube floodplain, Neuburg a. d. Donau, Bavaria, Germany.

Methods

A Generalized additive model (GAM) and a generalized linear model (GLM) were used for spatial prediction of mF using groundwater, relief and soil variables as predictors. Vegetation response to a changed hydrological regime was tested through replacing the old groundwater model with a new model representing the new water regime. With the help of a GIS, a spatial distribution and a scenario map of mF was produced. Model validation was done by cross‐validation and comparison between predicted and observed data from repeated vegetation sampling on permanent plots.

Results

Groundwater level (minima of 2009) and soil thickness entered the final model as significant predictors of mF. The GAM of mF showed good predictive power, with more than 57% of deviance explained. The corresponding GLM had slightly lower accuracy, with 51% of deviance explained. Using the new groundwater model (minima of 2011) it was possible to forecast mF after restoration. Changes in mF are to be expected in areas directly affected by restoration measures. The model validation has proven that the quality of model prediction is good and represents the reality fairly well.

Conclusions

The study has shown that mF is a useful indicator for a summary prediction of ecological change. It can be expected that restoration will turn overall conditions wetter, and vegetation will respond to these changes with an increase of wetland plant species. With the help of the model, it is possible to measure the success of the restoration project. It is demonstrated that GAM can be used for intensive data exploration, after which a less complex and easily computable GLM can be parameterized.
Is spring burning a viable management tool for species‐rich grasslands?
Authors: Milberg Per , Akoto Brenda , Bergman Karl‐Olof , Fogelfors Håkan , Paltto Heidi , Tälle Malin
Published: January 2014

Question

The management of species‐rich semi‐natural grasslands, a fragmented and threatened vegetation type in Europe, involves costs. Mowing is expensive and grazing can be difficult to achieve and maintain for logistical reasons. Is annual spring burning, which is potentially cheaper than mowing and grazing, a viable management tool for species‐rich grasslands?

Location

Long‐term field trials in 11 grasslands in southern Sweden.

Methods

We calculated the odds for a species being an indicator of good management, an indicator of poor management, or an indicator of nitrogen influence in spring‐burned plots, grazed plots and annually mowed plots. Odds ratios contrasting spring‐burned plots with grazed plots and spring‐burned plots with mowed plots were subjected to meta‐analyses in which we compared the odds ratios after 1, 8 and 14 spring burns. For a single trial, we also analysed data after 1, 8, 14, 28 and 39 spring burns.

Results

Compared with mowed and grazed plots, the odds of the four different indicators of good management decreased in spring‐burned plots, while the odds for the two indicators of poor management increased. There was no trend in the two indicators of excess nitrogen. Therefore, the conservation value of vegetation in spring‐burned plots becomes reduced over time relative to traditional management.

Conclusions

Spring burning is not an appropriate long‐term management method if the aim is to maintain the conservation value of the vegetation in traditionally managed semi‐natural grasslands.
Peri‐implant conditions around sintered porous‐surfaced (SPS) implants. A 36‐month prospective cohort study
Authors: Malchiodi Luciano , Ghensi Paolo , Cucchi Alessandro , Pieroni Stefano , Bertossi Dario
Published: January 2014

Objectives

The specific aim of this study was to assess sintered porous‐surfaced (SPS) implant system from a biological point of view, through a prospective study of the health status and the evolution of the peri‐implant tissues over time and analysis of the changes observed in the various peri‐implant parameters.

Material and Methods

Hundred and fifty‐one patients were treated consecutively from 2005 to 2007 using 280 SPS implants, which were restored with a single crown or a partial fixed denture. To accurately monitor the health and biological evolution of peri‐implant soft and hard tissues, a number of clinical parameters were adopted, such as the modified Plaque Index (mPI), the modified sulcus Bleeding Index (mBI), Peri‐implant Probing Depth (PPD), and Crestal Bone Level (CBL). Clinical and radiographic examinations were scheduled over a 36‐month follow‐up of functional loading according to a well‐established protocol generally applied to determine implant success rates and Peri‐implant Bone Loss (PBL). Statistical analysis was used to determine any significant differences or correlations (P = 0.05).

Results

A total of 259 SPS implants in 136 patients were followed up for 36 months. According to Buser's success criteria, the overall implant‐based success rate was 98.1% and the mean PBL was 0.48 ± 0.29 mm. MBI and mPI mean values showed statistically significant differences between baseline and follow‐up analyses (P < 0.001). No statistically significant differences in mean PPD values were found between baseline and control analyses (P = 0.060).

Conclusion

This prospective cohort study revealed that the biological behavior of SPS implant system was characterized by high tissue stability during the observation period, both as regards soft and hard tissues. In particular, the crestal bone remodeling pattern was very similar to that reported in other studies, confirming that the bone loss around SPS implants, at least at 36 months, seems to be predictable.
Potential impacts of oil and gas development and climate change on migratory reindeer calving grounds across the Russian Arctic
Authors: Kuemmerle Tobias , Baskin Leonid , Leitão Pedro J. , Prishchepov Alexander V. , Thonicke Kirsten , Radeloff Volker C.
Published: January 2014

Aim

Drivers of biodiversity loss are increasingly broad in scale, requiring conservation planning to move towards range‐wide assessments. This is especially challenging for migratory species, such as reindeer or caribou (Rangifer tarandus), which use only a small portion of their range at a given point in time, and for which some parts of their range, such as calving grounds, may be much more important than others. Our aim was to identify potential calving ground habitat of wild tundra reindeer populations throughout Russia, where scarce knowledge about seasonal reindeer habitat is an obstacle for conservation planning, and to assess possible impacts from oil and gas development and climate change.

Location

Northern Eurasia.

Method

We used occurrence data from known reindeer calving grounds using species distribution models to first assess calving grounds characteristics and second predict their distribution across the Russian Arctic. We then compared our calving ground map with maps of oil and gas development, and a range of climate change indicators.

Results

We found areas throughout the Russian Arctic that are suitable for calving, including for some wild reindeer populations where calving ground locations are unknown. Variables relating to resource availability in spring and predator avoidance were the strongest predictors in our model. Oil and gas development affects calving grounds especially in the Barents Sea region and in south‐western Siberia, whereas climate change affects calving grounds on Taymyr, Chukotka, and Kamchatka.

Main conclusions

We conducted the first assessment of calving grounds of Russia's wild reindeer populations, highlighting the spatial heterogeneity of the threats that they may face. Given the potentially strong impact of oil and gas development and climate change, conservation planning should aim for designing resilient conservation networks that would allow Arctic biodiversity to freely move in time and space and thus to adapt to changing environments.
Adaptive decision making or differential mortality: what causes offspring emergence in a gregarious parasitoid?
Authors: Koppik Mareike , Thiel Andra , Hoffmeister Thomas S.
Published: January 2014

Hosts represent a limited resource for the developing offspring of parasitic insects laying eggs in or on spatially discrete resources like fruits, seeds, or other insects. The quality of hosts differs with respect to the value and amount of resources they provide for the feeding larvae. Accordingly, the size of a clutch of eggs laid on a given host should be a function of host quality, because severe competition between developing larvae can lead to increased mortality and/or decreased size of the offspring, both causing a fitness loss for the offspring and the mother. Therefore, females should be selected for the ability to estimate host quality and to adjust their clutch size accordingly. Using the parasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) this study investigated the respective contribution of developmental mortality of offspring vs. the clutch size decision of the mother as a determinant of final offspring emergence per host. In addition, taking offspring size into account, the study examined the fitness consequences of female oviposition decisions. Developmental mortality was very low in all quality classes of hosts except previously frozen and thus dead host pupae. Females laid reduced clutch sizes on dead, previously parasitized, and smaller hosts. In contrast to offspring number, offspring size did not differ between host qualities. We conclude that females are able to sense the quality of a host and adjust the number of eggs they lay to mitigate larval competition.
Motor and sensory responses after percutaneous tibial nerve stimulation in multiple sclerosis patients with lower urinary tract symptoms treated in daily practice
Authors: Zecca C. , Digesu G. A. , Robshaw P. , Puccini F. , Khullar V. , Tubaro A. , Gobbi C.
Published: January 2014

Background and purpose

Posterior tibial nerve stimulation (PTNS) is an effective treatment option for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients.

Methods

Patients with MS and LUTS unresponsive to medical treatment received PTNS for 12 weeks after saline urodynamics to evaluate the prevalence of motor, sensory and combined responses during PTNS and to determine whether the type of response can predict treatment outcome. LUTS were also assessed using a 3‐day bladder diary, patient perception of bladder condition (PPBC) questionnaire, patient perception of intensity of urgency scale (PPIUS), Kings Health QOL questionnaire (KHQ) and Overactive Bladder Questionnaire (OAB‐q) before and after treatment. Patients were considered as “responders” if they reported an improvement >50% in their LUTS according to the PPBC. Sensory, motor and combined sensory/motor responses were compared between responders and non‐responders.

Results

Eighty‐three patients were included. 61% (51/83) of patients were responders. Sensory, motor and combined sensory/motor responses were found in 64% (53/83), 6% (5/83) and 30% (25/83) of patients respectively. A sensory response alone, or in combination with a motor response, was better associated with a successful outcome than the presence of a motor response alone (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

A sensory response, either alone or in combination with a motor response, is more frequent and seems to be better associated with a successful outcome of PTNS than motor response alone.