bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expression pattern and tissue localization of the class B scavenger receptor BmSCRBQ4 in Bombyx mori
Authors: Dong Zhan‐Peng , Chai Chun‐Li , Dai Fang‐Yin , Pan Min‐Hui , Huang Ping , Wang Wei , Liao Peng‐Fei , Liu Min , Lu Cheng
Published: August 2014

Class B scavenger receptors (SR‐Bs) are cell surface glycoproteins involved in various physiological processes in vivo, including the transport and metabolism of lipids, binding and phagocytosis of xenobiotics, and signaling. But little information is available about silkworm SR‐Bs; it is necessary to study these SR‐Bs for revealing their function. In this study, we cloned the full‐length coding sequence of BmSCRBQ4, a SR‐B gene from the silkworm Bombyx mori L. We found that the BmSCRBQ4 gene consists of nine exons and eight introns, with an open reading frame of 1371 bp encoding 456 amino acids. Gene expression studies determined that BmSCRBQ4 messenger RNA (mRNA) was expressed in unfertilized eggs, during embryonic development and throughout the majority of the larval period. Expression of mRNA was detected in the mid gut, middle silk gland, posterior silk gland, head, integumentum, fat body, testes and the ovaries of the larval B. mori Dazao strain, as well as in the silkworm cell lines BmN and BmE. Protein expression studies found BmSCRBQ4 protein was expressed only in the testes, fat body and middle silk gland of larvae, as well as in the silkworm cell lines BmN and BmE. The BmSCRBQ4 protein showed variability in banding patterns in different tissues and cells when analyzed by Western blotting. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the BmSCRBQ4 protein localizes to the constitutive membranes or cellular membranes of these tissues. These results indicated that BmSCRBQ4 gene may play some physiologically relevant roles at the cell surface in each tissue.
Pain management following the Nuss procedure: a survey of practice and review
Authors: MUHLY W. T. , MAXWELL L. G. , CRAVERO J. P.
Published: August 2014

Background

Pectus excavatum is the most common congenital chest wall deformity. The Nuss procedure is frequently used for surgical correction and this technique has been associated with severe and prolonged post‐operative pain. At the present time, the optimal analgesic strategy for managing patients following this procedure has not been determined.

Methods

A web‐based survey was sent to representatives from 108 primarily pediatric hospitals in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. One individual per institution was contacted to complete the survey on behalf of their department.

Results

Survey response rate was 54% and 55 institutions reported using the Nuss procedure for correction of pectus excavatum. Annual case volume is less than or equal to 25 cases in 57% of institutions, and the most common age of patients is 14 to 17 years old. A clinical protocol for patient post‐operative pain management is used in 45% of institutions. Thoracic epidural is utilized as a primary analgesic modality by 91% of institutions. Concomitant use of intravenous patient‐controlled analgesia is reported by 27% of institutions. Nine respondents (16%) reported that they had recently stopped performing epidurals because of surgeon preference. Referral of one or more patients annually for chronic pain management was reported in 22% of surveys.

Conclusions

Post‐operative pain management following the Nuss procedure is variable and poorly characterized. Clinical trials or large observational registries comparing the safety and efficacy of primary modalities and long‐term outcomes are needed to enable evidence‐based decision‐making for the management of these patients.
Topiramate Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder in Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Trial
Authors: Batki Steven L. , Pennington David L. , Lasher Brooke , Neylan Thomas C. , Metzler Thomas , Waldrop Angela , Delucchi Kevin , Herbst Ellen
Published: August 2014

Background

The course of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is frequently and severely complicated by co‐occurring alcohol use disorder (AUD), yet there are few reports of pharmacologic treatments for these comorbid conditions. The objective of this pilot study was to obtain a preliminary assessment of the efficacy and safety of topiramate in reducing alcohol use and PTSD symptoms in veterans with both disorders.

Methods

This was a prospective 12‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled pilot trial of flexible‐dose topiramate up to 300 mg/d in 30 veterans with PTSD and AUD. The primary outcome measure was frequency of drinking. Secondary outcomes consisted of other measures of alcohol use and PTSD symptom severity.

Results

Within‐group analyses showed that topiramate treatment was associated with significant reductions in frequency and amount of alcohol use and alcohol craving from baseline through week 12. Between‐group analyses showed that topiramate reduced frequency of alcohol use and alcohol craving significantly more than placebo and tended to reduce drinking amount. Topiramate treatment was also associated with decreased PTSD symptom severity and tended to reduce hyperarousal symptoms compared with placebo. Topiramate transiently impaired learning and memory, with significant recovery by the end of treatment.

Conclusions

These preliminary results indicate that in veterans with co‐occurring PTSD and AUD, topiramate may be effective in reducing alcohol consumption, alcohol craving, and PTSD symptom severity—particularly hyperarousal symptoms. Topiramate was associated with transient cognitive impairment but was otherwise well tolerated.
Fetal Sex‐Based Differences in Maternal Hormones, Angiogenic Factors, and Immune Mediators During Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period
Authors: Enninga Elizabeth Ann L. , Nevala Wendy K. , Creedon Douglas J. , Markovic Svetomir N. , Holtan Shernan G.
Published: August 2014

Problem

Several pregnancy complications have disparities based on the sex of the fetus. It is unknown whether the sex of the fetus differentially alters the maternal immune milieu, potentially contributing to the observed differences.

Method of study

Using maternal plasma collected during 38 uncomplicated pregnancies (19 males, 19 females), we compared levels of cytokines, sex hormones, and angiogenic factors throughout gestation and postpartum.

Results

Male fetal sex was associated with higher levels of proinflammatory cytokines (G‐CSF, IL‐12p70, IL‐21, and IL‐33) and angiogenic factors (PlGF and VEGF‐A) compared with female fetal sex at multiple timepoints. Female fetal sex was associated with higher levels of regulatory cytokines (IL‐5, IL‐9, IL‐17, and IL‐25). IL‐27 increased throughout pregnancy regardless of fetal sex. There was no fetal sex‐based difference in analyte concentrations at the postpartum measurement.

Conclusion

Women carrying a male fetus exhibit a more proinflammatory/proangiogenic immune milieu than women carrying a female fetus.
Efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein thrombosis: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Leng Jian‐Jun , Xu Yin‐Zhe , Dong Jia‐Hong
Published: August 2014

Background

Transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) is commonly used to treat advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but less is known regarding safety and efficacy of TACE in patients with HCC and portal vein tumour thrombosis (PVTT). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of TACE treatment on 1‐year survival in patients with HCC and PVTT.

Methods

Medline, EMBASE, CENTRAL databases (until July 2013) were searched for studies that evaluated the efficacy of TACE with regard to survival in patients with HCC and PVTT. One‐year survival rate, the primary end point, was compared between patients who received TACE and those who received control treatment.

Results

Five prospective studies were identified that assessed the efficacy of TACE on survival. These studies included 600 patients: 335 received TACE therapy and 226 received control treatments. Three of the five studies reported 1‐year survival data and were used in the meta‐analysis. The combined odds ratio (3.079, 95% confidence interval = 1.094–8.662) indicated that patients who received TACE had a significantly better 1‐year survival rate compared with patients in the control group (P = 0.033).

Conclusions

There are several limitations to this analysis that should be considered when interpreting the findings. The studies used different treatment regimens as controls or with TACE. These differences across the studies may have altered the 1‐year survival outcomes in each study and confounded our analysis. This meta‐analysis showed that TACE improves the 1‐year survival of patients with HCC and PVTT. However, additional prospective controlled trials are required to further substantiate these findings.
Neoplastic progression in short‐segment Barrett's oesophagus is associated with impairment of chemical clearance, but not inadequate acid suppression by proton pump inhibitor therapy
Authors: Frazzoni M. , Bertani H. , Conigliaro R. , Frazzoni L. , Losi L. , Melotti G.
Published: August 2014

Background

Pathophysiological mechanisms associated with neoplastic progression in patients with short‐segment Barrett's oesophagus (SSBO), who represent the vast majority of the Barrett population, have not been defined.

Aim

To evaluate pathophysiological characteristics of patients with SSBO and dysplasia detected at 3‐year surveillance endoscopy (incident dysplasia).

Methods

Patients with SSBO underwent impedance‐pH monitoring during heartburn‐suppressing PPI therapy. Fifteen patients (12 males, median age 62 years) with incident dysplasia and 50 patients (43 males, median age 59 years) without dysplasia were compared. Impedance‐pH parameters, including chemical clearance assessed by the post‐reflux swallow‐induced peristaltic wave (PSPW) index, were evaluated.

Results

All patients declared persisting heartburn suppression on maintenance PPI therapy at 3‐year follow‐up, 58/65 (89%) with standard dosages. The median gastric and oesophageal acid exposure time (GAET and OAET) did not differ between patients with and without incident dysplasia at the time of surveillance (36% and 0.6% vs. 33% and 0.5%) or index endoscopy (33% and 0.3% vs. 41% and 0.5%) (P > 0.05). Contrastingly, the median PSPW index was significantly lower in patients with than in patients without incident dysplasia at the time of surveillance (15%, vs. 32%) and index endoscopy (12% vs. 30%) (P = 0.001). The PSPW index, the GAET and the OAET did not vary over time (P > 0.05). A PSPW index <26% was predictive of incident dysplasia with a 75% accuracy.

Conclusions

Neoplastic progression in SSBO is associated with impairment of chemical clearance, but not inadequate acid suppression by PPI therapy. Neoplastic progression in SSBO can be predicted by a low PSPW index.
The ‘tiger of Indian rivers’: stakeholders' perspectives on the golden mahseer as a flagship fish species
Authors: Gupta Nishikant , Sivakumar K , Mathur Vinod B , Chadwick Michael A
Published: August 2014

Promoting a fish as a flagship species (i.e. a charismatic animal that promotes awareness) is a management tool to improve the effectiveness of conservation measures. However, to be successful this approach requires strong stakeholder support. To investigate the feasibility of the flagship species approach and degree of stakeholder support in India, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with forest managers, anglers and village members in Uttarakhand. Stakeholders were supportive of the flagship approach and the golden mahseer was favoured because of economic benefits associated with recreational angling.
Laparoscopic gastrectomy after coronary artery bypass grafting using the right gastroepiploic artery: A report of two cases
Authors: Kawamura Hideki , Takahashi Norihiko , Tahara Munenori , Takahashi Masahiro , Taketomi Akinobu
Published: July 2014

We successfully executed laparoscopic distal gastrectomy in two patients who had previously undergone coronary artery bypass grafting using the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA). A laparoscopic distal gastrectomy preserving the RGEA graft with Roux‐en‐Y reconstruction was performed on two men, one 69 years of age and one 73 years of age. In both cases, the RGEA was used during coronary artery bypass grafting for the posterior descending branch. The laparoscopic approach helped avoid injury to the RGEA associated with laparotomy and retractor placement. In addition, the locations of ports necessary for laparoscopy were situated away from the RGEA graft and from adhesions resulting from bypass. Using typical laparoscopic settings, we were able to easily identify the grafted RGEA. Thus, laparoscopic distal gastrectomy is not only less invasive than open gastrectomy procedures, but it is also associated with a lower risk of injury to the RGEA graft.
Holocene salt‐marsh sedimentary infilling and relative sea‐level changes in West Brittany (France) using foraminifera‐based transfer functions
Authors: Stéphan Pierre , Goslin Jérôme , Pailler Yvan , Manceau Rose , Suanez Serge , Van Vliet‐Lanoë Brigitte , Hénaff Alain , Delacourt Christophe
Published: August 2014

In order to reconstruct former sea‐levels and to better characterize the history of Holocene salt‐marsh sedimentary infillings in West Brittany (western France), local foraminifera‐based transfer functions were developed using weighted‐average‐partial‐least‐squares (WAPLS) regression, based on a modern data set of 26 and 51 surface samples obtained from salt‐marshes in the bay of Tresseny and the bay of Brest, respectively. Fifty cores were retrieved from Tresseny, Porzguen, Troaon and Arun salt‐marshes, which were litho‐ and biostratigraphically analysed in order to reconstruct palaeoenvironmental changes. A total of 26 AMS 14C age determinations were performed within the sediment successions. The Holocene evolution of salt‐marsh environments can be subdivided into four stages: (i) a development of brackish to freshwater marshes (from c. 6400 to 4500 cal. a BP); (ii) salt‐marsh formation behind gravel barriers in the bay of Brest (from 4500 to 2900 cal. a BP); (iii) salt‐marsh erosion and rapid changes of infilling dynamics due to the destruction of coastal barriers by storm events (c. 2900−2700 cal. a BP); (iv) renewed salt‐marsh deposition and small environmental changes (from 2700 cal. a BP to present). From the application of transfer functions to fossil assemblages, 14 new sea‐level index points were obtained, indicating a mean relative sea‐level rise of around 0.90±0.12 mm a−1 since 6300 cal. a BP.
Mounier‐Kuhn syndrome: a systematic analysis of 128 cases published within last 25 years
Authors: Krustins Eduards
Published: August 2014

Background and Aims

Mounier‐Kuhn syndrome is a rare disease with abnormal enlargement of major airways, but epidemiological studies are lacking, and currently the most available data about it come from case reports, making it difficult to collate changes in a particular patient to those in previously published cases.

The aim of this work is to systematically review cases published in the last 25 years and to use descriptive statistics to summarize the patient demographic and clinical information therein in order to acquire details about patient clinical characteristics.

Methods

Cases published in world literature between 1987 and 2013 were sought and reviewed according to PRISMA guidelines. Cases were included only if patient's age was at least 18 years, and a computed tomography scan with tracheal measurements was available.

Results

An 8:1 male predominance was found in 89 identified reports (128 cases). Mean age was 53.9 years, and average tracheal diameter was 36.1 mm. No correlation between increasing age and increasing tracheal diameter was found. Bronchiectasis, tracheal diverticulosis and tracheobronchial dyskinesia were common (49.2%, 33.6% and 28.9%, respectively). Cough, dyspnea and recurrent respiratory infections (71.1%, 51.6% and 50.8%, respectively) were the most common complaints.

Conclusions

The data confirm that syndrome mostly manifests with nonspecific respiratory symptoms and is significantly more common in males. Importantly, there was no connection between age and airway diameter, a fact that could mean that the enlargement does not progress over time, and its severity depends on some other yet undetermined factors.
Toward a Dynamic Theory of Global Production Networks
Authors: Yeung Henry Wai‐chung , Coe Neil M.
Published: August 2014

Global production networks (GPN) are organizational platforms through which actors in different regional and national economies compete and cooperate for a greater share of value creation, transformation, and capture through geographically dispersed economic activity. Existing conceptual frameworks on global value chains (GVC) and what we termGPN1.0tend to under‐theorize the origins and dynamics of these organizational platforms and to overemphasize their governance typologies (e.g., modular, relational, and captive modes inGVCtheory) or analytical categories (e.g., power and embeddedness inGPN1.0). Building on this expanding literature, our article aims to contribute toward the reframing of existingGPN‐GVCdebates and the development of a more dynamic theory of global production networks that can better explain the emergence of different firm‐specific activities, strategic network effects, and territorial outcomes in the global economy. It is part of a wider initiative—GPN2.0 in short—that seeks to offer novel theoretical insights into why and how the organization and coordination of global production networks varies significantly within and across different industries, sectors, and economies. Taking an actor‐centered focus toward theory development, we tackle a significant gap in existing work by systematically conceptualizing thecausal driversof global production networks in terms of their competitive dynamics (optimizing cost‐capability ratios, market imperatives, and financial discipline) and risk environments. These capitalist dynamics are theorized as critical independent variables that shape the four main strategies adopted by economic actors in (re)configuring their global production networks and, ultimately, the developmental outcomes in different industries, regions, and countries.
Positionality Switch: Remapping Resource Communities in Russian Borderlands
Authors: Kortelainen Jarmo , Rannikko Pertti
Published: August 2014

This article elaborates on the contested periphery approach and related local models. Some economic geographers argue that the peculiarities of resource peripheries cannot be understood with the help of economic theories designed in economic cores. The contested periphery approach was developed specifically for resource economies and stresses the importance of geographically variable interactions of stakeholder groups that channel broad institutional values (industrialism, regulationism, environmentalism, and aboriginalism) into peripheries. Along with local features, they create local models, and changes in relations occasionally remap the conditions for resource utilization. The contested periphery approach is based on comparisons between large territorial regions, but we argue that this does not provide sufficient tools to recognize the relationally formed heterogeneity of peripheries. Instead, this article focuses on the changing positionalities of local communities. We introduce the concept of positionality switch to highlight the ways abrupt shifts in the direction of relations alter local positionalities. Empirically, we explore two Russian forestry communities in the Finnish‐Russian borderland. Cross‐border trade connections and the shifting semipermeability of the boundary have greatly influenced the local model and remapped borderland communities. Reestablished timber export in the 1990s began to create a local model shaped by imported forestry technologies and work organization systems. In the 2000s, higher customs duties for wood and deteriorating transportation links cut off both the cross‐border and domestic connections leaving the settlements in limbo. The article concludes by arguing that the contested periphery approach and local models should be localized and supplemented with the concepts of positionality and positionality switch as well as contextually relevant concepts because they help to better understand the particularities and specific relations of each local model.
DISCONTINUITY OF OUTPUT CONVERGENCE WITHIN THE UNITED STATES: WHY HAS THE COURSE CHANGED?
Authors: Choi Chi‐Young , Wang Xiaojun
Published: August 2014

Has the progress of output convergence changed within the United States? This article examines the output convergence among U.S. states for the last five decades by making several improvements over the extant literature. By applying a battery of convergence tests designed to capture nonlinear transitional dynamics to real output per worker data (i.e., nominal values deflated by state‐level price), we find that output convergence has not been a feature of the continental United States since the 1970s. Instead, output convergence has proceeded among four subgroups within which constituent states have certain characteristics in common. Our regression analysis suggests that state‐level characteristics related to technology and human capital play a crucial role in accounting for the formation and composition of convergence clubs, in agreement with the recent theoretical models of growth and development (e.g., Aghion et al. 2009; Gennaioli et al. 2013b). The level of technology, proxied by patents, turns out to be a consistently significant determinant even after controlling for endogeneity, suggesting that frictions in the diffusion of technology and human capital may have led to clustering of states with different levels of productivity. Our results therefore cast doubt on the common view that diffusion of knowledge and technology across state borders is frictionless. (JEL O47, O51)
Being a Family Systems Thinker: A Psychiatrist's Personal Odyssey
Authors: Combrinck‐Graham Lee
Published: July 2014

This account traces the development of family systems thinking from early pioneering thinking and practices, through the development of institutions and professional definitions, and through challenges to family systems thinking and practice from the biomedical points of view. Throughout there is a strong conviction that “thinking family” is an essential core of effective mental health treatment, because families can heal.
Social well‐being and environmental governance in urban neighbourhoods in Boston, MA
Authors: Foo Katherine , Martin Deborah , Polsky Colin , Wool Clara , Ziemer Martha
Published: August 2014

Well‐being is an holistic concept that examines individuals in their social, economic, and environmental contexts. In geographical settings where social deprivation is common, civil society organisations (CSOs) represent important actors in environmental governance, which refers to the suite of actions and discourses shaping environmental conditions or resources. These CSOs operate in neoliberal governance frameworks in which they act as formal partners of city governments in providing public services. In this study, we seek to shed light on the role of social interventions and environmental governance in promoting well‐being. We examine the social, political, and economic dimensions of environmental governance and social well‐being in urban neighbourhoods. We employ a relational place perspective to widen the analytical focus from the immediate boundaries of urban neighbourhoods towards larger social, political, and economic influences. This study describes exploratory focus groups with urban neighbourhood‐based CSOs working to improve urban neighbourhoods in Boston, MA in order to identify key social processes that may affect environmental outcomes in urban neighbourhoods. Focus groups examined relationships between neighbourhood well‐being and environmental perception, especially of urban land and water resources. We identify four critical factors shaping senses of well‐being among neighbourhood residents active in CSOs: stewardship; political and economic control; safety; and familiarity and social control.
Efficacy and safety of the anticoagulant drug, danaparoid sodium, in the treatment of portal vein thrombosis in patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Naeshiro Noriaki , Aikata Hiroshi , Hyogo Hideyuki , Kan Hiromi , Fujino Hatsue , Kobayashi Tomoki , Fukuhara Takayuki , Honda Yohji , Nakahara Takashi , Ohno Atsushi , Miyaki Daisuke , Murakami Eisuke , Kawaoka Tomokazu , Tsuge Masataka , Hiraga Nobuhiko , Hiramatsu Akira , Imamura Michio , Kawakami Yoshiiku , Ochi Hidenori , Chayama Kazuaki
Published: August 2014

Aim

To assess the efficacy and safety of the anticoagulant drug, danaparoid sodium, in the treatment of portal vein thrombosis (PVT) in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods

A consecutive 26 cirrhotic patients with PVT were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. The etiologies of cirrhosis were hepatitis B virus‐related, hepatitis C virus‐related, alcoholic and cryptogenic in five, 14, three and four patients, respectively. Child–Pugh grade A, B and C was noted in 13, eight and five patients, respectively. Patients were treated with 2 weeks' administration of danaparoid sodium followed by the evaluation of PVT reduction and adverse events.

Results

All patients experienced reduction of PVT through the treatment. The median volume of PVT before and after treatment was 2.40 cm3 (range, 0.18–16.63) and 0.37 cm3 (range, 0–5.74), respectively. The median reduction rate of PVT volume was 77.3% (range, 18–100%). According to the reduction rate, complete reduction (CR), partial reduction (PR, ≥50%) and stable disease (SD, <50%) were observed in four (15%), 16 (62%) and six patients (23%), respectively. The median volume of PVT before treatment was significantly different between CR + PR and SD (2.09 vs 4.35 cm3, P = 0.045). No severe adverse events such as bleeding symptoms (e.g. gastrointestinal bleeding and cerebral hemorrhage) and thrombocytopenia were encountered.

Conclusion

Danaparoid sodium for the treatment of PVT in patients with liver cirrhosis was safe and effective. Therefore, anticoagulation therapy with danaparoid sodium could have potential as one of the treatment options in PVT accompanied by cirrhosis.
Public approval plus more wildlife: twin benefits of reduced mowing of amenity grass in a suburban public park in Saltdean, UK
Authors: Garbuzov Mihail , Fensome Katherine A. , Ratnieks Francis L. W.
Published: August 2014

We examined the effects of reduced mowing on wildflower bloom and flower‐visiting insects in the Saltdean Oval, a 6 ha suburban public park in Saltdean, UK.

In 2012, a novel management regime was initiated in which approximately half the grass area was left uncut, with the plan being to mow it once per year in autumn. In spring 2013, we set up four blocks, with each block subdivided into four 30 × 5 m strips treated under different mowing regimes: (a) regular mowing every 2 weeks all spring and summer, (b) regular mowing until 2 June, (c) regular mowing until 5 July, and (d) no mowing.

The abundance of both flowers and flower‐visiting insects increased significantly with reduced mowing, being ca. 3 and 5 times greater in (d) than (a), respectively, with (b) and (c) intermediate. Mowing intensity, however, had a weak effect on wildflower species richness, which was only lower in (a).

A 1 km bee, butterfly, and moth transect walk, 500 m within the long grass part of the park and 500 m within the short, recorded ca. 50× greater insect abundance in the long grass.

A questionnaire of public opinion found that 97% of park visitors favoured encouraging insects and wildflowers. In terms of enjoyment of the park, 26% said that it had increased, 64% said that it stayed the same, and 10% said that it decreased.

These results present an encouraging example of a potential win–win situation in urban land management change, where the interests of humans and wildlife are aligned, thereby making the goals of conservation easier to achieve.
Synthesis of Nanoparticulate In‐Doped BiVO4 for Enhanced Visible‐Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Dye
Authors: Karunakaran Chockalingam , Kalaivani Selvaraj
Published: August 2014

Indium (2.9, 3.5, and 4.9 at. %)‐doped and pristine monoclinic BiVO4 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal method. They were characterized by high‐resolution scanning electron, field emission scanning electron, transmission electron and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopies, powder X‐ray and selected‐area electron diffractometries, energy‐dispersive X‐ray, Raman, UV‐visible diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence, and solid‐state impedance spectroscopies. The band gap and near‐band‐gap emission of 4.9% In‐doped BiVO4 nanoparticles are larger than those of the rest of the nanomaterials. The charge‐transfer resistance of 4.9% In‐doped BiVO4 is the least. In‐doping enhances visible‐light photocatalytic activity.
Maternal obesity influences the relationship between location of neonate fat mass and total fat mass
Authors: Hull H. R. , Thornton J. , Paley C. , Navder K. , Gallagher D.
Published: August 2014

Background

It is suggested that maternal obesity perpetuates offspring obesity to future generations.

Objective

To determine whether location of neonate fat mass (FM: central vs. peripheral) is related to total neonate FM and whether maternal obesity influences this relationship.

Methods

Neonate body composition and skin‐fold thicknesses were assessed in healthy neonates (n = 371; 1–3 days old). Linear regression models examined the relationship between total FM and location of FM (central vs. peripheral). Location of FM was calculated by skin‐folds: peripheral was the sum of (biceps and triceps)/2 and central was represented by the subscapular skin‐fold.

Results

A significant interaction was found for location of FM and maternal obesity. Holding all predictors constant, in offspring born to non‐obese mothers, a 0.5 mm increase in central FM predicted a 15 g greater total FM, whereas a 0.5 mm increase in peripheral FM predicted a 66 g greater total FM. However, in offspring born to obese mothers, a 0.5 mm increase in central FM predicted a 56 g total FM, whereas a 0.5 mm increase in peripheral FM predicted a 14 g greater total FM.

Conclusions

The relationship between total FM and location of FM is influenced by maternal obesity.
Use of Situational Judgment Tests in Personnel Selection: Are the different methods for scoring the response options equivalent?
Authors: St‐Sauveur Catherine , Girouard Sarah , Goyette Véronique
Published: August 2014

The different methods used to score the response options in situational judgment tests (SJTs) carried out as part of the personnel selection process were compared by creating different keys for a single SJT, and the potential benefits of an innovative method combining existing methods were examined. The results, based on a sample of 1,194 candidates, point to some interesting differences between scoring methods. First, the innovative method created the lowest mean, near 60%. Second, the single‐best‐answer method produced the largest variance. The curve of the rank‐ordering method was the closest to a normal distribution. Finally, evidence suggests that the best‐and‐worst‐answer method and the innovative method provide the best results regarding construct validity. In sum, although no clear conclusion could be drawn about which methods should be preferred to score SJTs, results indicate that the new method could prove to be very interesting.
Photosynthetic Apparatus Responses to Short‐term low‐temperature Flooding May Contribute to Freezing Tolerance Changes in Forage Grasses
Authors: Jurczyk B. , Rapacz M. , Krępski T.
Published: August 2014

Winter conditions are subjected to rapid climate changes. Increased precipitation and snow melting during warmer winters may result in low‐temperature flooding. These factors probably affect plant overwintering strategies. This study investigated the relationships between the photosynthetic adjustment and freezing tolerance following a short‐term low‐temperature flooding in two forage grasses (Lolium perenne and Festuca pratensis). The effect of flooding on the photosynthetic apparatus acclimation to cold was determined using chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements. Freezing tolerance was estimated using an electrolyte leakage test. It has been shown that genotypes activating non‐photochemical mechanisms of photosynthetic acclimation to cold during low‐temperature flooding may show increased freezing tolerance. Freezing tolerance reduction observed in Festuca pratensis was probably connected with decreased photochemical activity and photoinhibition of photosynthesis. It can be concluded that photosynthetic apparatus response to low‐temperature flooding may contribute to changes in the freezing tolerance. The direction of the changes is associated with different photosynthetic apparatus performance.
Combustion Synthesis of Boron Nitride via Magnesium Reduction Under Low Nitrogen Pressures
Authors: Chung Shyan‐Lung , Hsu Yu‐Hsiang
Published: August 2014

A combustion synthesis process was developed for the synthesis of h‐BN powder. B2O3, Mg, NH4Cl, and NaN3 were used as the reactants and they were mixed and pressed into a reactant compact, which was then wrapped up with an igniting agent (i.e., a mixed powder of Mg and Fe2O3). With the presence of NH4Cl and NaN3 in the reactant compact and the wrapping of the igniting agent, the combustion synthesis reaction could be carried out under low N2 pressures (<1.0 MPa) with high product yields (up to 79%) and high specific surface areas (SSA) of the product powder (up to 151 m2/g). Effects of process parameters on the product yield, SSA, and combustion temperature were investigated and a reaction mechanism was proposed to explain the effects. The synthesized h‐BN was platelike crystals and their SSA was found to increase with decreasing maximum combustion temperature under most of the experimental conditions. This is explained by the growth time of the crystals, which is considered to be shorter under the condition with a lower maximum combustion temperature.
Effect of Ba Nonstoichiometry in Bax(Zr0.8Y0.2)O3−δ on Population of 5‐Coordinated Y
Authors: Lee Joon‐Hyung , Gan Zhehong , Han Oc Hee
Published: August 2014

The local environments of Y in the Y‐substituted BaZrO3 of the starting compositions of Bax(Zr0.8Y0.2)O3−δ (x = 0.97, 1.0, 1.03, and 1.06) were analyzed by 89Y magic angle spinning NMR spectroscopy. The result showed a strong population dependence of 5‐coordinated Y3+ ions mostly at the B site on the Ba contents. The enhancement of Ba contents by 9 at% (from 0.97 to 1.06 in the starting Ba contents) in a nominal composition increased the amount of 5‐coordinated Y3+ ions from 35% ± 7% to 49% ± 5%, suggesting the importance of maximizing the Ba contents to populate more oxygen vacancies which is related to the concentration of protons incorporated during the hydration process. The wide variation in the lattice parameter of yttrium‐substituted BaZrO3 perovskite materials in previous reports was reinterpreted with the variation in the Ba contents resulting from the evaporation of BaO during the sintering processes. Y3+ ions were confirmed to replace mainly the Zr4+ ions, as expected, and a tendency of oxygen vacancy clustering near the Y3+ ions was discussed.
Twenty years of observed and predicted changes in subtidal red seaweed assemblages along a biogeographical transition zone: inferring potential causes from environmental data
Authors: Gallon Régis K. , Robuchon Marine , Leroy Boris , Le Gall Line , Valero Myriam , Feunteun Eric
Published: August 2014

Aim

To assess environmental changes within a marine biogeographical transition zone and how they have affected seaweed assemblages and distributions over the past two decades.

Location

Brittany (western France, Europe) – a biogeographical transition zone between cold‐temperate and warm‐temperate regions.

Methods

We assessed spatio‐temporal variation for three environmental parameters [sea‐surface temperature (SST), suspended inorganic matter and chlorophyll a] between 1992 and 2012 in five adjoining regions using generalized linear models. To investigate changes in assemblages and distributional patterns of red seaweeds based on sampling surveys conducted during two separate periods (1992–1998 and 2010–2012), we used two complementary approaches, multivariate data analysis and species distribution models (SDMs) with a set of modelling procedures.

Results

Coastal water temperature in Brittany has increased by 0.7 °C on average over the past two decades (0.35 °C per decade). At a finer scale, changes in SST showed that Brittany constitutes a mosaic of contrasting conditions, with the western and north‐western regions being colder and less affected by climate change than the other three regions. Our results suggest that increasing SST caused significant changes in subtidal red seaweed assemblages over the 20‐year period. Between the two periods, SDMs predicted significant species shifts for seven out of ten representative species, and reductions in the distribution ranges of most species.

Main conclusions

Our study confirmed important differences across the different regions of the studied biogeographical transition zone. Changes in abiotic parameters and red seaweed assemblages are expected to occur at varying extremes across these regions, with western and north‐western Brittany representing the most stable zones that might constitute a potential refuge for certain species when responding to global changes.
Reappraisal of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Idiopathic Outflow Tract Arrhythmias
Authors: MARKOWITZ STEVEN M. , WEINSAFT JONATHAN W. , WALDMAN LOUIS , PETASHNICK MAYA , LIU CHRISTOPHER F. , CHEUNG JIM W. , THOMAS GEORGE , IP JAMES E. , LERMAN BRUCE B.
Published: August 2014

CMR in Idiopathic RVOT Arrhythmias

Introduction

Because of prognostic and therapeutic implications, the distinction between idiopathic right ventricular (RV) outflow tract (iRVOT) and arrhythmogenic RV cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is clinically important. Over the last 2 decades multiple reports have identified RV abnormalities using CMR in patients with idiopathic VT, suggesting a link between these arrhythmias and ARVC. The purpose of this study was to assess for structural abnormalities in patients with iRVOT tachycardia using contemporary cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.

Methods and Results

CMR was performed in 46 patients with iRVOT tachycardia and 16 normal controls, with quantitative evaluation of RV and left ventricular volumes and function, as well as assessment of myocardial fat and scar. iRVOT patients were similar to controls with respect to RV end‐diastolic volumes (81 ± 19 mL/m2 vs. 79 ± 18 mL/m2, P = 0.77) and RV ejection fraction (57 ± 8% vs. 59 ± 7%, P = 0.31). The prevalence of RV chamber dilation, defined using ARVC major task force criteria, was uncommon among iRVOT patients (9%) and controls (7%; P = 1.0). Regional RV wall motion abnormalities were present in 2 iRVOT patients who had concomitant RV dilation or dysfunction. CMR tissue characterization demonstrated absence of both myocardial scar and fat infiltration in all patients and controls.

Conclusions

In patients with the clinical diagnosis of iRVOT tachycardia, CMR reveals RV structure, function, and myocardial tissue characteristics similar to normal controls. These findings suggest that the vast majority of patients with RVOT arrhythmias have a primary electrical disorder that is not a forme‐fruste of ARVC.
Vitiligo: characterization of melanocytes in repigmented skin after punch grafting
Authors: Kovacs D. , Abdel‐Raouf H. , Al‐Khayyat M. , Abdel‐Azeem E. , Hanna M.R. , Cota C. , Picardo M. , Anbar T.S.
Published: August 2014

Background

Punch grafting is a surgical technique mainly applied in therapy‐resistant, stable and circumscribed vitiligo.

Objective

(i) To characterize in detail the features of the repigmented skin among punch grafts; and (ii) to correlate the ex vivo results with clinical data and punch grafting outcome.

Methods

We evaluated by immunohistochemistry and image analysis the expression of a panel of specific melanocyte markers including HMB45, MITF, c‐kit, MART‐1 and TRP1, the proliferation marker Ki67 and the cell–cell adhesion molecule E‐cadherin in tissue samples collected from nine patients after punch grafting.

Results

Cells positive for MITF, c‐kit, MART‐1 and TRP1 were detected in the repigmented skin of all biopsies, whereas no reactivity was observed for HMB45. Melanocytes were identified along the entire length of the sections, and their mature state was assessed by the immuno‐reactivity for the differentiation marker MART‐1, the absence of cells positively stained for Ki67 and by the co‐expression of c‐kit and TRP1, a marker of a differentiated and pigmented state. Clinically, smaller punch grafts aimed at repigmenting lesional areas on the face gave the faster clinical results with no side‐effects. Patients subjected to bigger punch grafts on the knee exhibited a longer repigmentation time and presented cobble stoning.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that the repigmentation observed in the areas between the grafts is due to the activation of the melanocytes located in the donor sites. These cells start to horizontally migrate towards the lesional skin thanks to successively the enlargement of intercellular spaces in relation to a decrease of E‐cadherin reactivity and the up‐modulation of pro‐melanogenic mediators. Production and transfer of melanin in the surrounding keratinocytes and their persistence were assessed by the reactivity for MITF, c‐kit, MART‐1 and TRP1 but not for the pre‐melanosome marker (HMB45).
Response evaluation with endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated by definitive chemoradiotherapy
Authors: Chang Wei‐Lun , Wang Wen‐Lun , Chung Ta‐Jung , Lin Forn‐Chia , Yen Chia‐Jui , Lai Wu‐Wei , Yang Hsiao‐Bai , Sheu Bor‐Shyang
Published: August 2014

Background and Aim

We assessed the feasibility of combined endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography on response evaluation in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma treated by definitive chemoradiotherapy, and the impact of response on prognosis.

Methods

Sixty patients treated by definitive chemoradiotherapy were followed by miniprobe endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography. The post‐treatment esophageal wall thickness was measured by miniprobe endoscopic ultrasound. Metastatic tumors were evaluated by computed tomography. The correlation between post‐treatment image findings and prognosis was evaluated.

Results

Twenty‐four patients (40%) had esophageal stricture after chemoradiotherapy, which limited complete evaluation by endoscopy. Miniprobe successfully penetrated all strictures to measure post‐treatment esophageal wall thickness. Both post‐treatment esophageal wall thickness < 8 mm measured by endoscopic ultrasound and no enlargement of metastatic tumor foci on computed tomography predicted good prognosis (P = 0.001). Combined evaluation with these two modalities improved survival prediction (P < 0.001). Patients who met the above two criteria after chemoradiotherapy had the longest survival compared with those who met only one or none of the criteria. The corresponding median survivals were > 30 months, 16.8 months and 7.1 months, respectively (P < 0.001). On multivariate analysis, treatment response is the strongest independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio 3.65, P = 0.006) regardless of baseline tumor‐node‐metastasis staging and chemoradiation regimen.

Conclusions

Response evaluation by miniprobe endoscopic ultrasound and computed tomography can predict the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients treated by definitive chemoradiotherapy. Those who were judged as poor responder should receive additional treatment to improve outcome.
Incidence and survival in late liver metastases of colorectal cancer
Authors: Landreau Pierre , Drouillard Antoine , Launoy Guy , Ortega‐Deballon Pablo , Jooste Valérie , Lepage Côme , Faivre Jean , Facy Olivier , Bouvier Anne‐Marie
Published: August 2014

Background and Aims

Data concerning the risk of long‐term liver metastasis following surgery of colorectal cancer in the general population are scarce. The 10‐year incidence and prognosis of metachronous liver metastases remain unknown.

Methods

Among 4584 patients resected for cure for colorectal cancer recorded in two French digestive population‐based cancer registries between 1985 and 2000, 602 presented metastases including liver metastases.

Results

The cumulated incidence of liver metastasis was 15% at 5 years and 17% at 10 years, and was mainly related to stage at diagnosis. The 10‐year cumulative incidence was 6% for stage I and 30% for stage III. The hazard ratio was 3.2 [2.4–4.3] for stage II and 6.9 [5.1–9.2] for stage III compared with stage I. Among survivors with no recurrence five years after diagnosis, 2.2% developed liver metastasis between 5 and 10 years. Resection for cure of liver metastases was performed in 35% of patients aged under 75 years and in 10% of patients over 75 (P < 0.001). After resection for cure, 10‐year relative survival improved from 21% during the period 1985–1997 to 34% during the period 1998–2011 (P = 0.023). Survival in patients with liver metastasis diagnosed between six and 12 months after surgery was less than half that in patients with metastasis diagnosed later (HR: 0.6 [0.4–1.0]).

Conclusion

Liver metastases from colorectal cancer remain a substantial problem and continue to occur long after five years. This study furnishes unbiased figures that can be used as a reference. Liver metastases that appear late have a better prognosis.
Clinical utility of a simple primary culture method in hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Authors: Lin Zu‐Yau , Wu Chun‐Chieh , Chuang Yen‐Hwang , Chuang Wan‐Long
Published: August 2014

Background and Aim

The clinical utility of our designed primary culture method in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was investigated.

Methods

Specimens obtained from ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration of 108 hepatocellular carcinoma patients were cultured. The associations of the cellular proliferative speeds with cancer invasiveness and 1‐year survivals were analyzed.

Results

Successful cultures were achieved in 105 patients (97.2%). Ten hepatocellular carcinoma and nine cancer‐associated fibroblast cell lines were established. The cells obtained from patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer TNM staging ≥ IIIB upon entering the study had higher proportion of rapidly proliferative cancer cells than those from patients with staging ≤ IIIA (P < 0.005). For Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification A or B patients receiving palliative transcatheter chemoembolization, patients with rapidly proliferative cancer‐associated fibroblasts showed higher incidence of cancer‐related death than patients with other proliferative patterns (P = 0.0385). The influence of the presence of rapidly proliferative cancer cells on survivals in this group could not be calculated due to a very small number of this kind of patients (9.5%). For Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer classification C patients receiving non‐curative treatment, the incidence of rapidly proliferative cancer cells was 45.2%. Patients with rapidly proliferative cancer cells showed higher incidence of cancer‐related death than patients with other proliferative patterns in patients receiving chemoembolization (P = 0.0452) and in patients receiving conservative treatment (P = 0.0206).

Conclusion

Our method can provide cells from individual patient for researches and predict outcomes in patients receiving non‐curative treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.