bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D inhibits the growth of and virulence factor gene expression byPorphyromonas gingivalisand blocks activation of the nuclear factor kappa B transcription factor in monocytes
Authors: Grenier D. , Morin M.‐P. , Fournier‐Larente J. , Chen H.
Published: August 2015

Background and Objective

Increasing evidence suggests that 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3(1,25(OH)2D3), a fat‐soluble secosteroid hormone, has a positive impact on periodontal health through diverse mechanisms. The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3on the growth of and virulence factor gene expression by the periodontopathogenic bacteriumPorphyromonas gingivalis. The effect of 1,25(OH)2D3onP. gingivalis‐mediated activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF‐κB) transcription factor in monocytes was also assessed.

Material and Methods

A broth microdilution assay was used to determine the antibacterial activity of 1,25(OH)2D3. The modulation of virulence factor gene expression inP. gingivaliswas assessed by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. NF‐κB activation was assessed using a human monocytic cell line stably transfected with a luciferase reporter containing NF‐κB binding sites.

Results

Minimal inhibitory concentrations of 1,25(OH)2D3againstP. gingivalisranged from 3.125 to 6.25 μg/mL. Moreover, a partial synergistic effect was observed when 1,25(OH)2D3was used in association with metronidazole. 1,25(OH)2D3attenuated the virulence ofP. gingivalisby reducing the expression of genes coding for important virulence factors, including adhesins (fimA,hagAandhagB) and proteinases (rgpA,rgpBandkgp). 1,25(OH)2D3dose‐dependently preventedP. gingivalis‐induced NF‐κB activation in a monocyte model.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that 1,25(OH)2D3selectively inhibits the growth of and virulence factor gene expression byP. gingivalis, in addition to attenuating NF‐κB activation by this periodontopathogen. This dual action onP. gingivalisand the inflammatory response of host cells may be of particular interest with a view to developing a novel and inexpensive preventive/therapeutic strategy.
Annual plant functional traits explain shrub facilitation in a desert community
Authors: Rolhauser Andrés G. , Pucheta Eduardo
Published: August 2015

Question

For a desert where winter is the driest, harshest season we asked: does the effect of dominant shrubs (Bulnesia retama) on annual species depend on (1) the functional traits of the latter, (2) the season of the year, or (3) the activity of livestock?

Location

A low‐density goat farm in central‐northern Monte Desert, Argentina.

Methods

We estimated the effect of shrubs using a log response ratio based on annual species population sizes underneath shrub canopies and in open spaces. We collected density data of annual species in 18 visits between Aug 2010 and Apr 2013 in permanent 50‐cm square areas laid out according to a split‐plot design, in which the activity of livestock (fenced and unfenced; plots were 10‐m squares) was the main factor, and microsite type (shrub and open) was the subordinate factor, with 20 replicates for each combination. We also gathered data on eight functional traits (characterizing whole plants, leaves, roots and seeds) from annual plants collected in the study site following standardized protocols.

Results

Annual species with acquisitive attributes (high specific leaf area, intermediate‐to‐low leaf dry matter content, large leaves and high specific root volume) were more benefited by shrubs compared to species with the opposite, relatively conservative attributes. Facilitative influences of shrubs were pervasive during winter, while competitive influences increased in frequency during summer, when total plant density was higher. This pattern was not affected by livestock.

Conclusions

The outcome of species interactions depended on the interplay between plant strategies and abiotic stress: facilitated species were mostly acquisitive, and shrub facilitation was more important during the harshest season (winter). Specific root volume, along with widely used functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf dry matter content, leaf size) delineated such strategies. This underlines the importance of considering below‐ground traits when studying plant–plant interactions. Single traits achieved superior explanatory power of shrub effects than composite ones (i.e. principal component axes based on single traits), reinforcing the idea that single functional traits are themselves meaningful indicators of complex physiological trade‐offs that ultimately affect community structure and dynamics.
Ranavirus infection in northern leopard frogs: the timing and number of exposures matter
Authors: Echaubard P. , Pauli B. D. , Trudeau V. L. , Lesbarrères D.
Published: August 2015

Transmission is a central feature of pathogen fitness and influences host population dynamics. The form and magnitude of transmission rates determine whether a pathogen establishes itself in a host population and the proportion of a population that becomes infected. While the effects of environmental variation on pathogen transmission dynamics have received substantial attention, the time and number of pathogen exposure in relation to host ontogeny has been relatively less investigated. Such understanding is particularly important in host species exhibiting distinct life‐history stages such as amphibians as this temporal variation in infection modulates transmission trends at the population level. We investigated the role of the timing and number of ranavirus (FV3) exposures on infection rate and mortality patterns inLithobates pipienstadpoles in a two‐step laboratory experiment with four treatments: individuals exposed as hatchlings but not as tadpoles, individuals not exposed as hatchlings but exposed as tadpoles, individuals exposed both as hatchlings and tadpoles and individuals that were never exposed. Our results indicate that individuals exposed twice presented higher infection and mortality rates over individuals exposed only once (infection: 40 vs. 16%; mortality: 16.8 vs. 8.1%, respectively). Among individuals exposed only once, but at different time, no difference in mortality was observed; yet, dissimilar infection rates indicate a differential capacity to carry and transmit virions among various developmental stages suggesting distinct epidemiological roles. Our results stress the importance of considering stage‐dependent host susceptibility to better understand infection patterns and transmission dynamics and advocate its incorporation in models and field study designs.
Food web's backbones and energy delivery in ecosystems
Authors: Bellingeri Michele , Bodini Antonio
Published: August 2015

A food web can be seen as a collection of pathways distributing energy to the ecological community. Because of thermodynamical as well as ecological constraints, some pathways are more important than others, as they carry a much larger share of the energy flow. Such pathways, composed of ‘strong’ links, might be hidden in the tangled network of trophic interactions. Due to thermodynamic efficiency, leading to considerable loss at every passage, we expect these important pathways to be short – i.e. of minimal length. Minimum length spanning trees, which are trees formed by the minimum number of links to keep food webs connected, have been indicated as main energy routes. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed 30 well‐resolved, weighted empirical food webs. From each food web, we extracted the minimum length spanning tree (MLST), and compared it to the maximum weight spanning tree (MWST) – a tree composed of connections of maximum strength. To have a robust comparison, we also computed the minimum weight spanning tree (MinWST), composed of the links of minimal strength. Finally, we extracted from each web 1000 random weighted spanning trees (RWSTs) to serve as a null model. We contrasted the different tree structures, and found that MWSTs are significantly shorter than random trees and MinWSTs, but always longer than MLSTs. In addition, MinWSTs are significantly longer than what expected from random trees. Our results show that in food webs, the bulk of energy travels along pathways that tend to be short, although they never coincide with the minimum length spanning trees.
Are variations of direct and indirect plant interactions along a climatic gradient dependent on species’ strategies? An experiment on tree seedlings
Authors: Defossez Emmanuel , Courbaud Benoît , Lasbouygues Olivier , Schiffers Katja , Kunstler Georges
Published: August 2015

Investigating how interactions among plants depend on environmental conditions is key to understand and predict plant communities’ response to climate change. However, while many studies have shown how direct interactions change along climatic gradients, indirect interactions have received far less attention. In this study, we aim at contributing to a more complete understanding of how biotic interactions are modulated by climatic conditions. We investigated both direct and indirect effects of adult tree canopy and ground vegetation on seedling growth and survival in five tree species in the French Alps. To explore the effect of environmental conditions, the experiment was carried out at 10 sites along a climatic gradient closely related to temperature.

While seedling growth was little affected by direct and indirect interactions, seedling survival showed significant patterns across multiple species. Ground vegetation had a strong direct competitive effect on seedling survival under warmer conditions. This effect decreased or shifted to facilitation at lower temperatures. While the confidence intervals were wider for the effect of adult canopy, it displayed the same pattern. The monitoring of micro‐environmental conditions revealed that competition by ground vegetation in warmer sites could be related to reduced water availability; and weak facilitation by adult canopy in colder sites to protection against frost. For a cold‐intolerant and shade‐tolerant species (Fagus sylvatica), adult canopy indirectly facilitated seedling survival by suppressing ground vegetation at high temperature sites. The other more cold tolerant species did not show this indirect effect (Pinus uncinata, Larix decidua and Abies alba).

Our results support the widely observed pattern of stronger direct competition in more productive climates. However, for shade tolerant species, the effect of direct competition may be buffered by tree canopies reducing the competition of ground vegetation, resulting in an opposite trend for indirect interactions across the climatic gradient.
Intermediate predation pressure leads to maximal complexity in food webs
Authors: Gauzens Benoit , Legendre Stéphane , Lazzaro Xavier , Lacroix Gérard
Published: August 2015

Responses of ecosystems to modifications of their environmental conditions are usually considered in terms of biodiversity or function. Maybe because they represent a hidden part of ecosystems, responses of ecological interactions are rarely studied. A more comprehensive view of the processes underlying the restructuring of food webs under environmental gradients appears crucial to understand how ecosystems functionalities are altered. We address this general issue in an experiment where trophic interactions are reorganized under a gradient of top–down effects (predation pressure) and bottom–up effects (nutrient availability). Unimodal relationships of species diversity are pervasive in ecology; we extend this principle to food‐web topology: in our study, most topological descriptor values peak at intermediate predation intensity. The same unimodal pattern holds for network complexity, measured by entropy and scaled entropy (a measure independent of species diversity). Moreover, food web complexity is maximized at higher fish abundance when nutrient availability is increased. We infer that whereas in absence of top predators, a mechanism of competitive exclusion takes place, and indirect facilitation process underlies systems with a moderate predation pressure. These results highlight the importance of the dynamic reorganization of trophic links in response to bottom–up and top–down effects. Interaction between bottom–up and top–down forces argue for multifactorial studies of ecological effects.
Species interactions and random dispersal rather than habitat filtering drive community assembly during early plant succession
Authors: Ulrich Werner , Zaplata Markus Klemens , Winter Susanne , Schaaf Wolfgang , Fischer Anton , Soliveres Santiago , Gotelli Nicholas J.
Published: August 2015

Theory on plant succession predicts a temporal increase in the complexity of spatial community structure and of competitive interactions: initially random occurrences of early colonising species shift towards spatially and competitively structured plant associations in later successional stages. Here we use long‐term data on early plant succession in a German post mining area to disentangle the importance of random colonisation, habitat filtering, and competition on the temporal and spatial development of plant community structure. We used species co‐occurrence analysis and a recently developed method for assessing competitive strength and hierarchies (transitive versus intransitive competitive orders) in multispecies communities. We found that species turnover decreased through time within interaction neighbourhoods, but increased through time outside interaction neighbourhoods. Successional change did not lead to modular community structure. After accounting for species richness effects, the strength of competitive interactions and the proportion of transitive competitive hierarchies increased through time. Although effects of habitat filtering were weak, random colonization and subsequent competitive interactions had strong effects on community structure. Because competitive strength and transitivity were poorly correlated with soil characteristics, there was little evidence for context dependent competitive strength associated with intransitive competitive hierarchies.
The importance of terrestrial subsidies in stream food webs varies along a stream size gradient
Authors: Collins Sarah M. , Kohler Tyler J. , Thomas Steven A. , Fetzer William W. , Flecker Alexander S.
Published: August 2015

Cross system subsidies of energy and materials can be a substantial fraction of food web fluxes in ecosystems, especially when autochthonous production is strongly limited by light or nutrients. We explored whether assimilation of terrestrial energy varied in specific consumer taxa collected from streams of different sizes and resource availabilities. Since headwater streams are often unproductive, we expected that inputs from surrounding terrestrial systems (i.e. leaf litter, terrestrial invertebrates) would be a more important food source for consumers than in mid‐size rivers that have more open canopies and higher amounts of primary production available for consumers. We collected basal resources, invertebrates, and fish along a gradient in stream size in the Adirondack Mountains (NY, USA) and in Trinidad and Tobago and analyzed all samples for hydrogen isotopes as a means of differentiating biomass derived from allochthonous versus autochthonous sources. We found significant differences in allochthonous energy use within individual consumer taxa, showing that some taxa range from being entirely allochthonous to entirely autochthonous depending on where they were collected on the stream size gradient (grazers and collector–gatherer functional feeding groups), while other taxa are relatively fixed in the source of energy they assimilate (shredder and predator functional feeding groups). Consistent with expectations, allochthonous energy use was positively correlated with canopy cover in both regions for most feeding groups, with individuals from small, shaded streams having a more pronounced allochthonous signal than individuals collected from larger streams with less canopy cover. However, consumers in the shredder/detritivore feeding group did not vary among sites in their allochthonous energy use, and had a mostly allochthonous signal regardless of canopy cover and algal biomass. Our results demonstrate that the importance of energy from terrestrial subsidies can vary markedly but are similar in both temperate and tropical streams, suggesting a widely consistent pattern.
Safety and Tolerability of Biphasic Immediate‐Release/Extended‐Release Oxycodone/Acetaminophen Tablets: Analysis of 11 Clinical Trials
Authors: Barrett Thomas , Kostenbader Kenneth , Nalamachu Srinivas , Giuliani Michael , Young Jim L.
Published: August 2015

Objectives

To characterize the safety of immediate‐release (IR)/extended‐release (ER) oxycodone (OC)/acetaminophen (APAP).

Methods

Data were assessed from 9 phase 1 trials in healthy volunteers and recreational users of prescription opioids (N = 405), including 5 single‐dose and 3 multidose open‐label pharmacokinetic studies of IR/ER OC/APAP and active comparators; and 1 randomized, controlled, single‐dose human abuse potential (HAP) study comparing IR/ER OC/APAP, IR OC/APAP, and placebo in recreational users of opioids; and 2 phase 3 trials (N = 701) including a 48‐hour placebo‐controlled safety and efficacy study in patients with moderate to severe postbunionectomy pain with a 14‐day open‐label safety extension and a long‐term (≤ 35 days) open‐label safety study in patients with chronic osteoarthritis pain or chronic low back pain.

Results

Adverse events (AEs) experienced by ≥ 10% of participants receiving IR/ER OC/APAP in all trials were pruritus, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, and somnolence; these AEs occurred with similar frequency for equianalgesic doses of IR OC/APAP and IR OC but less frequently for IR tramadol HCl/APAP. In the HAP study, crushing IR/ER or IR OC/APAP tablets did not increase frequency of AEs. Constipation was experienced by < 10% of participants receiving IR/ER OC/APAP. No serious (SAE) or severe AEs were reported in phase 1 trials. In phase 3 trials of 8 reported SAEs, only 1 treatment‐related SAE (hypersensitivity to placebo) required treatment discontinuation. No clinically meaningful changes in vital signs, oxygen saturation, electrocardiograms, or laboratory values were reported.

Conclusions

Safety and tolerability of IR/ER OC/APAP are similar to other low‐dose opioid/APAP analgesics.
Elm leaves ‘warned’ by insect egg deposition reduce survival of hatching larvae by a shift in their quantitative leaf metabolite pattern
Authors: Austel Nadine , Eilers Elisabeth J. , Meiners Torsten , Hilker Monika
Published: August 2015

Plants may take insect eggs on their leaves as a warning of future herbivory and intensify their defence against feeding larvae. Responsible agents are, however, largely unknown, and little knowledge is available on this phenomenon in perennial plants. We investigated how egg deposition affects the anti‐herbivore defence of elm against the multivoltine elm leaf beetle. Prior egg deposition caused changes in the quality of feeding‐damaged leaves that resulted in increased larval mortality and reduced reproductive capacity of the herbivore by harming especially female larvae. Chemical analyses of primary and secondary leaf metabolites in feeding‐damaged, egg‐free (F) and feeding‐damaged, egg‐deposited (EF)‐leaves revealed only small differences in concentrations when comparing metabolites singly. However, a pattern‐focused analysis showed clearly separable patterns of (F) and (EF)‐leaves because of concentration differences in especially nitrogen and phenolics, of which robinin was consumed in greater amounts by larvae on (EF) than on (F)‐leaves. Our study shows that insect egg deposition mediates a shift in the quantitative nutritional pattern of feeding‐damaged leaves, and thus might limit the herbivore's population growth by reducing the number of especially female herbivores. This may be a strategy that pays off in a long run particularly in perennial plants against multivoltine herbivores.
Ca2+‐regulated and diurnal rhythm‐regulated Na+/Ca2+ exchanger AtNCL affects flowering time and auxin signalling in Arabidopsis
Authors: Li Penghui , Zhang Gaoyang , Gonzales Naomi , Guo Yingqing , Hu Honghong , Park Sunghun , Zhao Jian
Published: August 2015

Calcium (Ca2+) is vital for plant growth, development, hormone response and adaptation to environmental stresses, yet the mechanisms regulating plant cytosolic Ca2+ homeostasis are not fully understood. Here, we characterize an Arabidopsis Ca2+‐regulated Na+/Ca2+ exchanger AtNCL that regulates Ca2+ and multiple physiological processes. AtNCL was localized to the tonoplast in yeast and plant cells. AtNCL appeared to mediate sodium (Na+) vacuolar sequestration and meanwhile Ca2+ release. The EF‐hand domains within AtNCL regulated Ca2+ binding and transport of Ca2+ and Na+. Plants with diminished AtNCL expression were more tolerant to high CaCl2 but more sensitive to both NaCl and auxin; heightened expression of AtNCL rendered plants more sensitive to CaCl2 but tolerant to NaCl. AtNCL expression appeared to be regulated by the diurnal rhythm and suppressed by auxin. DR5::GUS expression and root responses to auxin were altered in AtNCL mutants. The auxin‐induced suppression of AtNCL was attenuated in SLR/IAA14 and ARF6/8 mutants. The mutants with altered AtNCL expression also altered flowering time and FT and CO expression; FT may mediate AtNCL‐regulated flowering time change. Therefore, AtNCL is a vacuolar Ca2+‐regulated Na+/Ca2+ exchanger that regulates auxin responses and flowering time.
Integrated multi‐omics analysis supports role of lysophosphatidylcholine and related glycerophospholipids in theLotus japonicus–Glomus intraradicesmycorrhizal symbiosis
Authors: Vijayakumar Vinod , Liebisch Gerhard , Buer Benjamin , Xue Li , Gerlach Nina , Blau Samira , Schmitz Jessica , Bucher Marcel
Published: August 2015

Interaction of plant roots with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) is a complex trait resulting in cooperative interactions among the two symbionts including bidirectional exchange of resources. To study arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis (AMS) trait variation in the model plantLotus japonicus, we performed an integrated multi‐omics analysis with a focus on plant and fungal phospholipid (PL) metabolism and biological significance of lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC). Our results support the role of LPC as a bioactive compound eliciting cellular and molecular response mechanisms inLotus. Evidence is provided for large interspecific chemical diversity of LPC species among mycorrhizae with related AMF species. Lipid, gene expression and elemental profiling emphasize theLotus–Glomus intraradicesinteraction as distinct from other arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) interactions. InG. intraradices, genes involved in fatty acid (FA) elongation and biosynthesis of unsaturated FAs were enhanced, while inLotus, FA synthesis genes were up‐regulated during AMS. Furthermore, FAS protein localization to mitochondria suggests FA biosynthesis and elongation may also occur in AMF. Our results suggest the existence of interspecific partitioning of PL resources for generation of LPC and novel candidate bioactive PLs in theLotus–G. intraradicessymbiosis. Moreover, the data advocate research with phylogenetically diverse Glomeromycota species for a broader understanding of the molecular underpinnings of AMS.
Kant's Argument that Existence is not a Determination
Authors: Stang Nicholas F.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, I examine Kant's famous objection to the ontological argument: existence is not a determination. Previous commentators have not adequately explained what this claim means, how it undermines the ontological argument, or how Kant argues for it. I argue that the claim that existence is not a determination means that it is not possible for there to be non‐existent objects; necessarily, there are only existent objects. I argue further that Kant's target is not merely ontological arguments as such but the larger ‘ontotheist’ metaphysics they presuppose: the view that God necessarily exists in virtue of his essence being contained in, or logically entailed by, his essence. I show that the ontotheist explanation of divine necessity requires the assumption that existence is a determination, and I show that Descartes and Leibniz are implicitly committed to this in their published versions of the ontological argument. I consider the philosophical motivations for the claim that existence is a determination and then I examine Kant's arguments in the Critique of Pure Reason against it.
Product Modularity, Process Modularity, and New Product Introduction Performance: Does Complexity Matter?
Authors: Vickery Shawnee K. , Koufteros Xenophon , Dröge Cornelia , Calantone Roger
Published: August 2015

Modularity has the potential to impact various facets of new product introduction performance including product development lead time, frequency of new product introduction, on time introduction and product innovation. The impact of modularity on new product introduction performance, however, may vary for different levels of product and process complexity. This study empirically investigates relationships between perceptual measures of product modularity, process modularity, and new product introduction performance and explores whether an objective product/process complexity measure moderates these relationships. Using survey‐based methodology we probe both manufacturers of technically simple products and technically complex products. Hierarchical regression models are used to test hypotheses concerning the main effects of product and process modularity and the effects of their interactions with complexity on new product introduction performance. The results show that the main effect of product modularity was positive and its interaction with complexity was disordinal and negative, suggesting that the positive effect of product modularity on new product introduction performance is dampened when complexity is high. For process modularity, only the interaction effect (positive) was statistically significant and it was also disordinal in nature. Thus, the effect of process modularity on new product introduction performance is heightened when complexity is high. The implications of these findings are discussed and more specific theoretical and managerial implications are delineated by examining the impacts of these main and interaction effects on individual measures of new product introduction performance (frequency of new product introduction, product development lead times, product innovation, and on‐time product launch).
Problem Formulation and Solution Mechanisms: A Behavioral Study of Humanitarian Transportation Planning
Authors: Gralla Erica , Goentzel Jarrod , Fine Charles
Published: August 2015

When dealing with urgent, ill‐defined problems, such as rapidly evolving emergency situations, operations managers have little time for problem formulation or solution. While the mechanisms by which humans formulate and solve problems have been described, mechanisms for rapid, concurrent formulating and solving are not well understood. This study investigates these mechanisms through a field study of transportation planning in a humanitarian response setting. The findings show that the problem is solved through greedy search and formulated through sensemaking, in which search enables updates to an evolving problem formulation, and the formulation directs and limits the search process. This study explores the implications of these findings for the development of better problem formulation processes and problem‐solving strategies for urgent and ill‐defined operations management problems.
A Stochastic Inventory Model With Fast‐Ship Commitments
Authors: Chen Hao‐Wei , Gupta Diwakar , Gurnani Haresh , Janakiraman Ganesh
Published: August 2015

We present a multiperiod model of a retail supply chain, consisting of a single supplier and a single retailer, in which regular replenishment occurs periodically but players have the option to support fast delivery when customers experience a stockout during a replenishment period. Because expedited shipments increase the supplier's transportation cost, and possibly production/inventory costs, the supplier typically charges a markup over and above the prevailing wholesale price for fast‐shipped items. When fast shipping is not supported, items are backordered if customers are willing to wait until the start of the next replenishment period. We characterize the retailers and the supplier's optimal stocking and production policies and then utilize our analytical framework to study how the two players respond to changes in supply chain parameters. We identify a sufficient condition such that the centralized supply chain is better off with the fast‐ship option. We find a range of markups for fast‐ship orders such that the fast‐ship option is preferred by both the supplier and the retailer in a decentralized chain. However, a markup that is a win–win for both players may not exist even when offering fast‐ship option is better for the centralized chain. Our analysis also shows that depending on how the markup is determined, greater customer participation in fast‐ship orders does not necessarily imply more profits for the two players. For some predetermined markups, the retailer's profit with the fast‐ship option is higher when more customers are willing to wait. However, the retailer may not be able to benefit from the fast‐ship option because the supplier may choose not to support the fast‐ship option when fast‐ship participation increases due to the fact that the fast‐ship participation rate adversely affects the initial order size.
Entry Deterrence of Capacitated Competition Using Price and Non‐Price Strategies
Authors: Wang Huaqing , Gurnani Haresh , Erkoc Murat
Published: August 2015

We analyze the role of pricing and branding in an incumbent firm's decision when facing competition from an entrant firm with limited capacity. We do so by studying two price competition models (Stackelberg and Nash), where we consider the incumbent's entry‐deterrence pricing strategy based on a potential entrant's capacity size. In an extension, we also study a branding model, where the incumbent firm, in addition to pricing, can also invest in influencing market preference for its product. With these models, we study conditions under which the incumbent firm may block the entrant (i.e., prevent entry without any market actions), deter the entrant (i.e., stop entry with suitable market actions) or accommodate the entrant (i.e., allow entry and compete), and how the entrant will allocate its limited capacity across its own and the new market, if entry occurs. We also study the timing difference between the two different dynamics of the price competition models and find that the incumbent's first‐mover advantage benefits both the incumbent and the entrant. Interestingly, the entrant firm's profits are not monotonically increasing in its capacity even when it is costless to build capacity. In the branding model, we show that in some cases, the incumbent may even increase its price and successfully deter entry by investing in consumer's preference for its product. Finally, we incorporate demand uncertainty into our model and show that the incumbent benefits from demand uncertainty while the entrant may be worse off depending on the magnitude of demand uncertainty and its capacity.
Nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and current practice of daily oral hygiene care to patients on acute aged care wards in two Australian hospitals
Authors: Gibney J. , Wright C. , Sharma A. , Naganathan V.
Published: August 2015

This study aimed to identify nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, and current practice in relation to oral hygiene (OH) by means of a questionnaire. It was conducted on the aged care wards of two acute tertiary referral hospitals in New South Wales, Australia.

We found that 74% of nurses have a set OH practice. Fifty‐four percent of nurses learn their OH practice at university or TAFE. The main nurse qualification is a registered nurse (72%). Denture cleaning, toothbrushing, and swabbing the mouth with a toothette are the main OH practices. Nurses (99%) considered OH to be important. The main barriers to conducting OH practices were patient behaviors, lack of time and staff, and patient physical difficulties.

Nurses considered OH important however patient behaviors impact on their ability to undertake the task. Education institutions and hospitals should consider the joint development of a formal OH procedure and training package that can be used on acute geriatric care wards.
Recognition of strong seasonality and climatic cyclicity in an ancient, fluvially dominated, tidally influenced point bar: Middle McMurray Formation, Lower Steepbank River, north‐eastern Alberta, Canada
Authors: Jablonski Bryce V. J. , Dalrymple Robert W.
Published: August 2015

Inclined heterolithic stratification in the Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation, exposed along the Steepbank River in north‐eastern Alberta, Canada, accumulated on point bars of a 30 to 40 m deep continental‐scale river in the fluvial–marine transition. This inclined heterolithic stratification consists of two alternating lithologies, sand and fine‐grained beds. Sand beds were deposited rapidly by unidirectional currents and contain little or no bioturbation. Fine‐grained beds contain rare tidal structures, and are intensely bioturbated by low‐diversity ichnofossil assemblages. The alternations between the sand and fine‐grained beds are probably caused by strong variations in fluvial discharge; that are believed to be seasonal (probably annual) in duration. The sand beds accumulated during river floods, under fluvially dominated conditions when the water was fresh, whereas the fine‐grained beds accumulated during the late stages of the river flood and deposition continued under tidally influenced brackish‐water conditions during times of low‐river flow (i.e. the interflood periods). These changes reflect the annual migration in the positions of the tidal and salinity limits within the fluvial–marine transition that result from changes in river discharge. Sand and fine‐grained beds are cyclically organized in the studied outcrops forming metre‐scale cycles. A single metre‐scale cycle is defined by a sharp base, an upward decrease in sand‐bed thickness and upward increases in the preservation of fine‐grained beds and the intensity of bioturbation. Metre‐scale cycles are interpreted to be the product of a longer term (decadal) cyclicity in fluvial discharge, probably caused by fluctuations in ocean or solar dynamics. The volumetric dominance of river‐flood deposits within the succession suggests that accumulation occurred in a relatively landward position within the fluvial–marine transition. This study shows that careful observation can reveal much about the interplay of processes within the fluvial–marine transition, which in turn provides a powerful tool for determining the palaeo‐environmental location of a deposit within the fluvial–marine transition.
Full‐length de novo assembly of RNA‐seq data in pea (Pisum sativum L.) provides a gene expression atlas and gives insights into root nodulation in this species
Authors: Alves‐Carvalho Susete , Aubert Grégoire , Carrère Sébastien , Cruaud Corinne , Brochot Anne‐Lise , Jacquin Françoise , Klein Anthony , Martin Chantal , Boucherot Karen , Kreplak Jonathan , da Silva Corinne , Moreau Sandra , Gamas Pascal , Wincker Patrick , Gouzy Jérôme , Burstin Judith
Published: August 2015

Next‐generation sequencing technologies allow an almost exhaustive survey of the transcriptome, even in species with no available genome sequence. To produce a Unigene set representing most of the expressed genes of pea, 20 cDNA libraries produced from various plant tissues harvested at various developmental stages from plants grown under contrasting nitrogen conditions were sequenced. Around one billion reads and 100 Gb of sequence were de novo assembled. Following several steps of redundancy reduction, 46 099 contigs with N50 length of 1667 nt were identified. These constitute the ‘Caméor’ Unigene set. The high depth of sequencing allowed identification of rare transcripts and detected expression for approximately 80% of contigs in each library. The Unigene set is now available online (http://bios.dijon.inra.fr/FATAL/cgi/pscam.cgi), allowing (i) searches for pea orthologs of candidate genes based on gene sequences from other species, or based on annotation, (ii) determination of transcript expression patterns using various metrics, (iii) identification of uncharacterized genes with interesting patterns of expression, and (iv) comparison of gene ontology pathways between tissues. This resource has allowed identification of the pea orthologs of major nodulation genes characterized in recent years in model species, as a major step towards deciphering unresolved pea nodulation phenotypes. In addition to a remarkable conservation of the early transcriptome nodulation apparatus between pea and Medicago truncatula, some specific features were highlighted. The resource provides a reference for the pea exome, and will facilitate transcriptome and proteome approaches as well as SNP discovery in pea.
Heat‐shock protein expression in canine corneal wound healing
Authors: Peterson Cornelia W. M. , Carter Renee T. , Bentley Ellison , Murphy Christopher J. , Chandler Heather L.
Published: August 2015

Objective

Heat‐shock proteins, particularly the 70‐kDa member (Hsp70), have been implicated in facilitating wound healing in multiple tissues. Expression and localization of three HSPs were assessed in normal and wounded canine corneas to elucidate a role in epithelial healing.

Methods

Paraffin‐embedded normal corneas, acute and repeatedly abraded corneas, and keratectomies of spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs) were subjected to routine immunohistochemistry for Hsp27, 47, and 70 expression. Ex vivo corneal defects were created and treated with anti‐HSPs or IgG controls, and wound healing was monitored. Primary cultures of canine corneal stromal fibroblasts and corneal epithelial cells were treated with exogenous Hsp70, and an artificial wound was created in vitro to monitor restoration of the monolayer.

Results

Normal canine corneas exhibited constitutive expression of all HSPs evaluated. Inducible expression was demonstrated in acutely wounded tissues, and expression in the chronically abraded corneas was relocalized. All HSP expression was below the limits of detection in the epithelium of SCCED samples. Inhibition of HSPs in culture resulted in delayed wound healing when compared to controls. Hsp70‐treated fibroblasts demonstrated significantly (P < 0.001) increased migration and proliferation compared to the vehicle control; however, there was no significant effect of exogenous Hsp70 on corneal epithelial cells.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that HSPs are induced in the normal canine cornea during re‐epithelialization. Hsp70 expression is likely important for inducing the cytoarchitectural remodeling, migration, and proliferation necessary early in the canine corneal healing response, and suppressed expression may contribute to the pathophysiology of nonhealing defects.
Blindness in a wild American black bear cub (Ursus americanus)
Authors: Dombrowski Elizabeth , McGregor Glenna F. , Bauer Bianca S. , Parker Dennilyn , Grahn Bruce H.
Published: August 2015

An approximately six‐month‐old wild American black bear (Ursus americanus) was found wandering in Saskatchewan and was presented to the Veterinary Medical Centre of the Western College of Veterinary Medicine for apparent blindness. Clinical examination confirmed an inability to navigate a photopic maze, bilateral tapetal hyper‐reflectivity, fundi devoid of retinal vessels, and small pale optic nerve papillae. Single‐flash electroretinography revealed A and B‐wave amplitudes of approximately 40 and 140 microvolts, respectively, in both eyes. Histologic abnormalities included bilateral optic papillary mineralization and bilateral segmental optic nerve degeneration, with occasional intralesional lymphocytes confirmed with immunohistochemistry for CD3+. There was also bilateral multifocal retinal dysplasia, gliosis, lymphocytic retinitis, a complete lack of retinal blood vessels, an intravitreal vascular membrane, and a mild lymphocytic–plasmacytic uveitis with small pre‐iridal cellular membranes. The presence of a positive ERG in a blind bear with numerous retinal ganglion cells and degenerative changes in the optic nerve are most consistent with vision loss due to optic nerve injury, which given the young age of the bear likely occurred during ocular development. The presence of ocular inflammation suggests this injury resulted from an inflammatory/infectious process. The etiology could not be determined. Hepatic concentrations of vitamin A were within the normal reference range for domestic species. Pan‐herpesvirus PCR and immunohistochemistry for canine distemper virus and Toxoplasma gondii were negative, although this does not rule out these or other infectious etiologies. This represents the first case report of neonatal or congenital ocular abnormalities in an ursid species.
Leiomyoma of the third eyelid in a dog
Authors: Mathes Rachel L. , Noble Sarah J. , Ellis Angela E.
Published: August 2015

A 14‐year‐old neutered male Dachshund presented for the evaluation of oculus dexter (OD) third eyelid elevation ongoing for approximately 2 months. Complete ophthalmic examination revealed a large, nonpainful, well‐demarcated, soft mass at the base of the right third eyelid causing elevation and mild hyperemia. The mass was freely moveable with the third eyelid, and no right globe deviation was noted. No other abnormalities were noted on physical examination, routine blood chemistry, complete blood count, serum T4, urinalysis, or urine cortisol/creatinine ratio. Ocular B‐mode ultrasonography showed an anechoic, well‐demarcated, homogenous, soft tissue mass at the base of the third eyelid with no orbital extension. A leiomyoma was diagnosed after multiple punch biopsies were obtained from the palpebral surface of the mass. The right third eyelid was excised surgically. Histopathology confirmed a completely excised, nodular, unencapsulated, expansile mass within the third eyelid. Positive smooth muscle actin and negative S‐100 immunohistochemistry confirmed a leiomyoma. Bundles of normal smooth muscle were also present adjacent to the mass. The mass was compressing the adjacent lacrimal gland and associated with moderate dacryoadenitis. Twelve months postoperatively, the right globe position and motility remain normal with no evidence of mass regrowth. To the author's knowledge, this is the first reported case of a leiomyoma of the third eyelid in any species. In this case, the mass was completely excised and no regrowth has occurred twelve months after surgery. This case along with independently reviewed canine third eyelids clearly demonstrates the presence of smooth muscle within the canine third eyelid.
Medial humeral epicondylitis in clinically affected cats
Authors: Streubel Ronny , Bilzer Thomas , Grest Paula , Damur Daniel , Montavon Pierre M.
Published: August 2015

Objective

To describe the clinical signs and histologic changes in cats clinically affected with medial humeral epicondylitis (MHE) and evaluate long‐term outcome after either conservative or surgical treatment.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study.

Animals

Client‐owned cats (n = 17) with MHE.

Methods

Cats diagnosed with MHE, based on clinical signs, radiographs and computed tomography (CT), were prospectively recruited. Cats were treated conservatively for an initial 4 weeks, followed by either surgery or continued conservative treatment. Followup examinations were performed at 6 and 12 weeks and at 6–49 months.

Results

Cats had a mean age of 10.3 years and presented for chronic lameness. Examination revealed pain on palpation caudodistal to the medial epicondyle and by exerting antebrachial supination/pronation with elbow and carpal flexion. Lameness was restricted to 1 limb although CT revealed bilateral disease in 11/17 cats. Free mineralized joint bodies were identified in 9/17 cats. Nine cats were treated surgically and 8 cats were treated conservatively. Intraoperative findings included new bone formation at the origin of the humeral head of the flexor carpi ulnaris muscle with displacement and adhesions of the ulnar nerve. Microscopic examination revealed neurogenic myopathy in 4/9 cats treated surgically. Seven of 9 cats treated surgically were free from lameness by 12 weeks. Seven of 8 cats treated conservatively were chronically lame throughout the study.

Conclusions

Cats with forelimb lameness should be evaluated for MHE. This condition is associated with free joint bodies and neurogenic myopathy. Surgical treatment is associated with excellent outcome in the majority of cats.
A clinical trial of Integra Template for diabetic foot ulcer treatment
Authors: Driver Vickie R. , Lavery Lawrence A. , Reyzelman Alexander M. , Dutra Timothy G. , Dove Cyaandi R. , Kotsis Sandra V. , Kim Hyungjin Myra , Chung Kevin C.
Published: August 2015

Individuals with diabetes mellitus are at an increased risk of developing a diabetic foot ulcer (DFU). This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of Integra Dermal Regeneration Template (IDRT) for the treatment of nonhealing DFUs. The Foot Ulcer New Dermal Replacement Study was a multicenter, randomized, controlled, parallel group clinical trial conducted under an Investigational Device Exemption. Thirty‐two sites enrolled and randomized 307 subjects with at least one DFU. Consented patients were entered into the 14‐day run‐in phase where they were treated with the standard of care (0.9% sodium chloride gel) plus a secondary dressing and an offloading/protective device. Patients with less than 30% reepithelialization of the study ulcer after the run‐in phase were randomized into the treatment phase. The subjects were randomized to the control treatment group (0.9% sodium chloride gel; n = 153) or the active treatment group (IDRT, n = 154). The treatment phase was 16 weeks or until confirmation of complete wound closure (100% reepithelialization of the wound surface), whichever occurred first. Following the treatment phase, all subjects were followed for 12 weeks. Complete DFU closure during the treatment phase was significantly greater with IDRT treatment (51%) than control treatment (32%; p = 0.001) at sixteen weeks. The median time to complete DFU closure was 43 days for IDRT subjects and 78 days for control subjects in wounds that healed. The rate of wound size reduction was 7.2% per week for IDRT subjects vs. 4.8% per week for control subjects (p = 0.012). For the treatment of chronic DFUs, IDRT treatment decreased the time to complete wound closure, increased the rate of wound closure, improved components of quality of life and had less adverse events compared with the standard of care treatment. IDRT could greatly enhance the treatment of nonhealing DFUs.