bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An introduced parasitic fly may lead to local extinction of Darwin's finch populations
Authors: Koop Jennifer A. H. , Kim Peter S. , Knutie Sarah A. , Adler Fred , Clayton Dale H.
Published: December 2015

Introduced pathogens and other parasites are often implicated in host population‐level declines and extinctions. However, such claims are rarely supported by rigorous real‐time data. Indeed, the threat of introduced parasites often goes unnoticed until after host populations have declined severely. The recent introduction of the parasitic nest fly, Philornis downsi, to the Galápagos Islands provides an opportunity to monitor the current impact of an invasive parasite on endemic land bird populations, including Darwin's finches.

In this paper, we present a population viability model to explore the potential long‐term effect of P. downsi on Darwin's finch populations. The goal of our study was to determine whether P. downsi has the potential to drive host populations to extinction and whether management efforts are likely to be effective.

Our model is based on data from five years of experimental field work documenting the effect of P. downsi on the reproductive success of medium ground finch Geospiza fortis populations on Santa Cruz Island. Under two of the three scenarios tested, the model predicted medium ground finches are at risk of extinction within the next century.

However, sensitivity analyses reveal that even a modest reduction in the prevalence of the parasite could improve the stability of finch populations. We discuss the practicality of several management options aimed at achieving this goal.

Synthesis and applications. Our study demonstrates the predicted high risk of local extinction of an abundant host species, the medium ground finch G. fortis due to an introduced parasite, P. downsi. However, our study further suggests that careful management practices aimed at reducing parasite prevalence have the potential to significantly lower the risk of host species extinction.
Quantifying relative fish abundance with eDNA: a promising tool for fisheries management
Authors: Lacoursière‐Roussel Anaïs , Côté Guillaume , Leclerc Véronique , Bernatchez Louis
Published: December 2015

Assessment and monitoring of exploited fish populations are challenged by costs, logistics and negative impacts on target populations. These factors therefore limit large‐scale effective management strategies.

Evidence is growing that the quantity of eDNA may be related not only to species presence/absence, but also to species abundance. In this study, the concentrations of environmental DNA (eDNA) from a highly prized sport fish species, Lake Trout Salvelinus namaycush (Walbaum 1792), were estimated in water samples from 12 natural lakes and compared to abundance and biomass data obtained from standardized gillnet catches as performed routinely for fisheries management purposes. To reduce environmental variability among lakes, all lakes were sampled in spring, between ice melt and water stratification.

The eDNA concentration did not vary significantly with water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH and turbidity, but was significantly positively correlated with relative fish abundance estimated as catch per unit effort (CPUE), whereas the relationship with biomass per unit effort (BPUE) was less pronounced.

The value of eDNA to inform about local aquatic species distribution was further supported by the similarity between the spatial heterogeneity of eDNA distribution and spatial variation in CPUE measured by the gillnet method.

Synthesis and applications. Large‐scale empirical evidence of the relationship between the eDNA concentration and species abundance allows for the assessment of the potential to integrate eDNA within fisheries management plans. As such, the eDNA quantitative method represents a promising population abundance assessment tool that could significantly reduce the costs associated with sampling and increase the power of detection, the spatial coverage and the frequency of sampling, without any negative impacts on fish populations.
International Reserves Holdings in the CEMAC Area: Adequacy and Motives
Authors: Cyrille Samba Michel
Published: December 2015

The main objective of this paper is to investigate CEMAC's demand for international reserves, with an emphasis on the role of the monetary disequilibrium. Prior to this task, we assess CEMAC's position in terms of reserve adequacy. Using some relevant measures of reserve adequacy, we find that CEMAC countries have sufficient international reserves to meet the minimum adequacy requirements. To better analyze CEMAC's international reserves demand, we extend the usual buffer stock model to account for overall economic growth and imports. Moreover, an importance is given to the devaluation of the CFA franc, the peg of this currency to the euro, and the effect of the recent Global Financial Crisis. Using quarterly data from 1985:1 to 2009:4, we show that the long‐run reserve demand in the CEMAC area can be described as a function of uncertainty and economic growth. It also appears that a disequilibrium in the money market significantly affects reserve demand in the CEMAC area. Moreover, both the devaluation of the CFA franc and the peg of this currency to the euro positively affect the demand for international reserves in the short run. Finally, there is evidence of an inertia in the reserve management of the central bank.
Association analysis between HFM1 variation and primary ovarian insufficiency in Chinese women
Authors: Pu D. , Wang C. , Cao J. , Shen Y. , Jiang H. , Liu J. , Wu B.L. , Zhang W. , Wu J.
Published: December 2015

HFM1 is a meiosis‐specific gene and expressed in germ‐line tissues. More recently, evidence has indicated that variations in HFM1 gene could be causative for primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), also known as premature ovarian failure. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between HFM1 gene variants and sporadic POI in Chinese women. A total of 138 POI patients and 316 healthy controls (matched for ethnic background, sex, and age of the patients) were recruited in this study. We screened the entire HFM1 coding region by direct sequencing in all subjects and identified six variants of HFM1 gene in POI group, namely c.148G>A/p.Glu50Lys, c.1241A>C/p.His414Pro, c.2325C>A/p.Phe775Leu, c.3367T>C/p.Ser1123Pro, c.3580C>T/p.Arg1194Cys, and c.1686‐1G>C. The variation rate of HFM1 in POI group is significantly higher than control group (p < 0.01). The p.His414Pro and p.Arg1194Cys were predicted to be probably damaging to the HFM1 protein function, while p.Glu50Lys, p.Phe775Leu and p.Ser1123Pro mutants might not have any deleterious effect on the structure or function of the protein by online predictors. Taken together, our data suggested that HFM1 gene might be associated with primary ovarian insufficiency in Chinese population.
OLD‐AGE PENSION AND EXTENDED FAMILIES: HOW IS ADULT CHILDREN'S INTERNAL MIGRATION AFFECTED?
Authors: Chen Xi
Published: December 2015

This article makes use of the most recent social pension reform in rural China to examine whether receipt of the pension payment equips adult children of pensioners to migrate. Employing a regression discontinuity (hereafter RD) design to a primary longitudinal survey, this article overcomes challenges in the literature that households eligible for pension payment might be systematically different from ineligible households and that it is difficult to separate the effect of pension from that of age or cohort heterogeneity. Around the pension eligibility age cutoff, results reveal large and significant increase among adult sons (but not daughters) to migrate out of their home county. Meanwhile, adult children are more likely to migrate out if their parents are healthy. Our Fuzzy RD estimations survive a standard set of key placebo tests and robustness checks. (JEL H55, I38 J14, J22)
Effect of niacin on triglyceride‐rich lipoprotein apolipoprotein B‐48 kinetics in statin‐treated patients with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Pang J. , Chan D. C. , Hamilton S. J. , Tenneti V. S. , Watts G. F. , Barrett P. H. R.
Published: December 2015

Aim

To investigate the effects of extended‐release (ER) niacin on apolipoprotein B‐48 (apoB‐48) kinetics in statin‐treated patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods

A total of 12 men with T2DM were randomized to rosuvastatin or rosuvastatin plus ER niacin for 12 weeks and then crossed to the alternate therapy. Postprandial metabolic studies were performed at the end of each treatment period. D3‐leucine tracer was administered as subjects consumed a high‐fat liquid meal. ApoB‐48 kinetics were determined using stable isotope tracer kinetics with fractional catabolic rates (FCRs) and secretion rates derived using a non‐steady‐state compartmental model. Area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC) and incremental AUC (iAUC) for plasma triglyceride and apoB‐48 were also calculated over the 10‐h period after ingestion of the fat meal.

Results

In statin‐treated patients with T2DM, apoB‐48 concentration was lower with ER niacin (8.24 ± 1.98 vs 5.48 ± 1.14 mg/l, p = 0.03) compared with statin alone. Postprandial triglyceride and apoB‐48 AUC were also significantly lower on ER niacin treatment (‐15 and ‐26%, respectively; p < 0.05), without any change to triglyceride and apoB‐48 iAUC. ApoB‐48 secretion rate in the basal state (3.21 ± 0.34 vs 2.50 ± 0.31 mg/kg/day; p = 0.04) and number of apoB‐48‐containing particles secreted in response to the fat load (1.35 ± 0.19 vs 0.84 ± 0.12 mg/kg; p = 0.02) were lower on ER niacin. ApoB‐48 FCR was not altered with ER niacin (8.78 ± 1.04 vs 9.17 ± 1.26 pools/day; p = 0.79).

Conclusions

ER niacin reduces apoB‐48 concentration by lowering fasting and postprandial apoB‐48 secretion rate. This effect may be beneficial for lowering atherogenic postprandial lipoproteins and may provide cardiovascular disease risk benefit in patients with T2DM.
Lymphoblastic lymphoma: an updated review on biology, diagnosis, and treatment
Authors: Bassan Renato , Maino Elena , Cortelazzo Sergio
Published: December 2015

Lymphoblastic lymphoma is a rare aggressive neoplasm of T‐/B‐precursors resembling acute lymphoblastic leukemia, with no or limited bone marrow involvement (<25%), that develops more frequently in children and young adults and is typically characterized by a grossly enlarged mediastinum, and whose diagnostic hallmark is the expression of a T‐/B‐precursor cell immunophenotype, the T‐cell subset accounting for 90% of all cases. The adoption of pediatric‐derived, intensive lymphoblastic leukemia‐like protocols led to significantly improved results, with survival rates of about 70% and 90% in adults and children, respectively. Adequate central nervous system prophylaxis and mediastinal irradiation contributed to the therapeutic success; however, the role of radiation therapy is debated due to toxicity concerns and the excellent results obtained with radiation‐free programs especially in pediatric patients. With these modern schedules, localized radiotherapy and/or hematopoietic stem cell transplants could be generally omitted, and considered only for high‐risk patients identified through postinduction computed tomography/positron‐emission tomography scans, minimal residual disease analysis, and new genetics and genomics. New clinical studies will have to confirm the value of these assays for risk‐oriented therapy, while further therapeutic progress is expected from the introduction of new drugs and targeting agents.
Unrelated bone marrow transplantation or immediate umbilical cord blood transplantation for patients with acute myeloid leukemia in first complete remission
Authors: Yanada Masamitsu , Kanda Junya , Ohtake Shigeki , Fukuda Takahiro , Sakamaki Hisashi , Miyamura Koichi , Miyawaki Shuichi , Uchida Naoyuki , Maeda Tomoya , Nagamura‐Inoue Tokiko , Asou Norio , Morishima Yasuo , Atsuta Yoshiko , Miyazaki Yasushi , Kimura Fumihiko , Kobayashi Yukio , Takami Akiyoshi , Naoe Tomoki , Kanda Yoshinobu
Published: December 2015

Background

While unrelated bone marrow transplantation (UBMT) has been widely used as alternative donor transplantation, the use of umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) is increasing recently.

Methods

We conducted a decision analysis to address which transplantation procedure should be prioritized for younger patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) harboring high‐ or intermediate‐risk cytogenetics in first complete remission (CR1), when they lack a matched related donor but have immediate access to a suitable umbilical cord blood unit. Main sources for our analysis comprised the data from three phase III trials for a chemotherapy cohort (n = 907) and the registry data for a transplantation cohort (n = 752).

Results

The baseline analysis showed that when the 8/8 match was considered for UBMT, the expected 5‐year survival rate was higher for UBMT than for UCBT (58.1% vs. 51.8%). This ranking did not change even when the 7/8 match was considered for UBMT. Sensitivity analysis showed consistent superiority of UBMT over UCBT when the time elapsed between CR1 and UBMT was varied within a plausible range of 3–9 months.

Conclusions

These results suggest that 8/8 or 7/8 UBMT is a better transplantation option than UCBT even after allowing time required for donor coordination.
Tailoring the Thermal Expansion of Glass‐Ceramics by Controlled Twofold Crystallization of Li2Si2O5 and CsAlSi5O12
Authors: Rampf Markus , Fisch Martin , Dittmer Marc , Ritzberger Christian , Schweiger Marcel , Höland Wolfram
Published: December 2015

The mechanical and optical properties of Li2Si2O5 glass‐ceramics can be precisely controlled via the crystal morphology and content. However, the materials' coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) depends on the fraction as well as the CTE of Li2Si2O5 and the residual glass phase, and therefore covers a rather narrow range between 10.2 and 11.3 *10−6 K−1 (100–400°C). This study presents a way to tailor the CTE of lithium disilicate‐based glass‐ceramics by controlled twofold precipitation of Li2Si2O5 and CsAlSi5O12 as a minor crystal phase with high CTE from homogenous Cs2O comprising bulk base glasses. The Cs2O content in the base glass significantly influences the nucleation and crystallization process of Li2Si2O5 as well as the microstructure of the glass‐ceramic materials. While the precipitation of Li2SiO3 and Li2Si2O5 starts at temperatures ≤700°C, CsAlSi5O12 forms in parallel to the enhanced formation of Li2Si2O5 as a result of Li2SiO3 dissolution at crystallization temperatures >850°C. Glass‐ceramics with a CTE ranging from 11 to 13.1*10−6 K−1 (25–500°C) and a mean biaxial strength ≥370 MPa were produced. The preliminary study of this glass system proofs the potential of twofold crystallization to control the CTE of lithium disilicate glass‐ceramics.
Tonsillectomy and the risk of inflammatory bowel disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Sun Weili , Han Xiao , Wu Siyuan , Yang Chuanhua
Published: December 2015

Background and Aim:

Tonsillectomy remains a controversial environmental factor in the etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This meta‐analysis aims to elucidate a more defined role of tonsillectomy in the development of IBD.

Methods:

Four databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, were searched for studies exploring the association between tonsillectomy and the risk of IBD. The pooled estimates of odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random effects model. Heterogeneity was assessed using chi‐squared and I2 statistical analysis. A funnel plot was performed to assess publication bias.

Results:

A total of 23 observational studies involving 19 569 patients were included in our meta‐analysis. Of these, 17 studies investigated the association between tonsillectomy and Crohn's disease (CD), and 22 studies explored its relationship with ulcerative colitis (UC). Overall, a positive relationship between tonsillectomy and development of CD (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 1.16−1.62) was observed, while there was no association between tonsillectomy and UC (OR 0.94, 95% CI: 0.84−1.05). When ORs were adjusted for smoking, the pooled OR for CD increased to 1.66 (95% CI: 1.03−2.68) and, for UC, changed to 1.03 (95% CI: 0.74−1.44).

Conclusions:

This meta‐analysis demonstrates that tonsillectomy is associated with an increased risk of developing CD. We found no evidence to suggest that tonsillectomy exerts a protective effect on the development of UC, as is the case with appendectomy. Further prospective studies are required to confirm the validity of these observations.
The protective effect of melatonin on smoke‐induced vascular injury in rats and humans: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Wang Zhanqi , Ni Leng , Wang Jing , Lu Chengran , Ren Meng , Han Wei , Liu Changwei
Published: December 2015

Smoking is one of the most harmful lifestyles in the world. Very few studies have investigated the effects of melatonin in smoke‐induced vascular injury. This study was designed to investigate whether melatonin could protect rats and humans from smoke‐induced vascular injury. 32 male rats and a double‐blind randomized controlled trial (RCT) containing 63 participants formed the subjects of this study. In rats, 10 mg/kg of melatonin was intraperitoneally injected. Blood samples and abdominal artery were harvested two weeks later. Melatonin decreased the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 (CD31), intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1), vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) and endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) compared with the smoke exposed group (P < 0.05), whereas endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), nuclear erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2), NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO‐1), catalytic glutamate cysteine ligase (GCLC) and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) recovered markedly (P < 0.05). In humans, 3 mg/day of melatonin was taken orally by the participants. Blood samples were drawn at baseline and after two weeks of treatment. Compared with the oral placebo group, melatonin decreased the concentration of fibrinogen (Fbg) (P = 0.04) and free fatty acids (FFA) (P = 0.04) in smokers, along with the decreased expression of ICAM‐1, VCAM‐1 and ET‐1 (P = 0.004, P = 0.001, P < 0.0001, respectively). In contrast, Nrf2 and HO‐1 expression were markedly increased (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0049, respectively) after smokers took melatonin orally. In summary, our present data suggest that melatonin could ameliorate smoke‐induced vascular injury.
Atrial Fibrillation as a Prognostic Indicator in Medium to Large‐Sized Dogs with Myxomatous Mitral Valvular Degeneration and Congestive Heart Failure
Authors: Jung S.W. , Sun W. , Griffiths L.G. , Kittleson M.D.
Published: December 2015

Background

The prevalence and prognostic importance of atrial fibrillation (AF) on survival in nonsmall breed dogs with myxomatous mitral valvular disease (MMVD) and congestive heart failure (CHF) remain unknown.

Aim

To identify the prevalence ofAFin nonsmall breed dogs withCHFbecause ofMMVDand to characterize the impact ofAFon survival outcome.

Animal

Sixty‐four client‐owned dogs (>15 kg) withMMVDandCHF.

Methods

Retrospective review of medical records for dogs weighing >15 kg withMMVDtreated forCHF.

Results

Thirty‐three dogs presented withAFor developedAFduring follow‐up examinations, and 31 dogs were free ofAFuntil cardiac‐related death. For dogs withAF, median survival time (MST) was 142 days (range: 9–478) while dogs withoutAFlived 234 days (range: 13–879 days).AFincreased risk of cardiac‐related death (HR= 2.544; 95%CI= 1.41–4.59;P= .0019) when compared to dogs withoutAF.MSTwas significantly prolonged for dogs withAFwhose rates were adequately controlled (<160 bpm; 171 days; n = 13) when compared to dogs that failed to respond to negative chronotropic agents (61 days; n = 20;P= .032). The administration of combination treatment (diltiazem and digoxin) significantly decreased medianHRto 144 bpm (range: 84–218 bpm) in dogs withAFand significantly prolongedMST(diltiazem+digoxin: 130 days versus diltiazem: 35 days,P= .0241) when compared to diltiazem alone.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Inadequately controlledAFis associated with a higher rate of mortality. Optimization of therapeutic strategies for the rate control ofAFremains determined.
Centaurea rahiminejadii sp. nov. and a new record in the genus Centaurea (Asteraceae, Cardueae–Centaureinae) from Iran
Authors: Negaresh Kazem , Rahiminejad Mohammad Reza
Published: December 2015

A new species, Centaurea rahiminejadii Negaresh (Asteraceae) in C. sect. Cynaroides Boiss. ex Walp., is described and illustrated from the Kermanshah Province, west Iran. It is morphologically similar to Centaurea regia Boiss. subsp. regia. Diagnostic morphological of this and closely related taxa are discussed and presented. The ecology, habitat and conservation status of the new species are also described. In addition, Centaurea regia subsp. cynarocephala (Wagenitz) Wagenitz is reported as a new record to the flora of Iran. Finally, the geographic distribution of the new species and closely related species is presented and mapped.
Transcriptomic analysis suggests a key role for SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE,NAC and YUCCA genes in the heteroblastic development of the temperate rainforest tree Gevuina avellana (Proteaceae)
Authors: Ostria‐Gallardo Enrique , Ranjan Aashish , Chitwood Daniel H. , Kumar Ravi , Townsley Brad T. , Ichihashi Yasunori , Corcuera Luis J. , Sinha Neelima R.
Published: December 2015

Heteroblasty, the temporal development of the meristem, can produce diverse leaf shapes within a plant. Gevuina avellana, a tree from the South American temperate rainforest shows strong heteroblasty affecting leaf shape, transitioning from juvenile simple leaves to highly pinnate adult leaves. Light availability within the forest canopy also modulates its leaf size and complexity. Here we studied how the interaction between the light environment and the heteroblastic progression of leaves is coordinated in this species.

We used RNA‐seq on the Illumina platform to compare the range of transcriptional responses in leaf primordia of G. avellana at different heteroblastic stages and growing under different light environments.

We found a steady up‐regulation of SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN LIKE (SPL), NAC, YUCCA and AGAMOUS‐LIKE genes associated with increases in age, leaf complexity, and light availability. In contrast, expression of TCP, TPR and KNOTTED1 homeobox genes showed a sustained down‐regulation. Additionally, genes involved in auxin synthesis/transport and jasmonate activity were differentially expressed, indicating an active regulation of processes controlled by these hormones.

Our large‐scale transcriptional analysis of the leaf primordia of G. avellana sheds light on the integration of internal and external cues during heteroblastic development in this species.
Palliative care case conferences in long‐term care: views of family members
Authors: Parker Deborah , Clifton Karen , Tuckett Anthony , Walker Helen , Reymond Elizabeth , Prior Teresa , McAnelly Kristien , Jenkin Peter , Israel Fiona , Greeve Kim , Glaetzer Karen
Published: December 2015

Aims and objectives

This paper examines the use of structured Palliative Care Case Conferences in long‐term care. The issues families bring to the Palliative Care Case Conference, their level of distress prior to the conference, the extent to which these issues are addressed by staff and family satisfaction with this process are described.

Background

In most developed countries, up to 30% of older people die in long‐term care. A palliative approach generally refers to the resident and family as the ‘unit of care’. Interventions, which include family in palliative care, are required in this setting.

Design

Descriptive and thematic results from the intervention arm of a pre–post, sequential mixed method study.

Methods

Examination of documents of 32 resident/family dyads participating in a Palliative Care Case Conference, and interviews with the residents’ family postintervention.

Results

Main concerns raised by family members prior to a Palliative Care Case Conference were physical and medical needs, pain, end‐of‐life care planning and nutrition and hydration. Families rated a high level of concern, 7.5 on a 10‐point rating scale, prior to the Palliative Care Case Conference. A formalised Palliative Care Case Conference process ensured issues relating to end‐of‐life care planning, pastoral care, pain and comfort and physical and medical needs were well documented by staff. Issues relating to care processes and the family role in care were less well documented. All families, interviewed postintervention, recommended Palliative Care Case Conferences; and over 90% of families felt their issues were addressed to their satisfaction. Families also reported an increased understanding of the resident's current and future care.

Conclusions

The Palliative Care Case Conference in long‐term care provides an important platform for family to voice concerns. Palliative Care Case Conference documentation indicates that staff are attending to these issues, although more reference to concerns relating to care processes and the family role could be made.

Implications for practice

Increased communication between staff and family, in the form of a Palliative Care Case Conference, may reduce stress, anxiety and unwanted hospitalisations during the palliative phase.
Strengthening Community Capacity for Environmental Health Promotion through Photovoice
Authors: Postma Julie , Ramon Cristian
Published: December 2015

Objective(s)

The study aims were to: (1) Identify health promoters'; perceptions of housing issues faced by farmworker families in an agricultural community, and (2) Strengthen community capacity to promote healthy and affordable housing.

Design and Sample

Photovoice was used to identify participants'; perceptions about farmworker housing. Thematic analysis was used to analyze participant interviews. Freudenberg's “Community Capacity for Environmental Health Promotion” framework was used to organize activities that contributed to strengthening community capacity. Purposive sampling was used to recruit six bilingual health promoters into the study.

Measures

A demographic questionnaire was administered to characterize participants. An interview guide was used to inquire about housing conditions and the research process. A tracking tool was used to document capacity‐building activities 2 years post data collection.

Results

Housing issues faced by farmworker families included housing availability, poor conditions, and invisibility. All dimensions of community capacity were represented. Most occurred on an individual level.

Conclusions

Health promoters identified housing issues and built community capacity to support farmworker housing. Nurses can support housing initiatives by assessing housing status, using data to support healthy housing, supporting health promoter programs in new service delivery models, and leading coalitions to address housing as a social determinant of health.
A consortium of rhizobacterial strains and biochemical growth elicitors improve cold and drought stress tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Kakar K. U. , Ren X.‐l. , Nawaz Z. , Cui Z.‐Q. , Li B. , Xie G.‐L. , Hassan M. A. , Ali E. , Sun G.‐C.
Published: December 2015

In the present study, a consortium of two rhizobacteria Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Bk7 and Brevibacillus laterosporus B4, termed ‘BB’, biochemical elicitors salicylic acid and β‐aminobutyric acid (SB) and their mixture (BBSB) were investigated for cold and drought stress tolerance in rice plants. After withholding water for 16 days, rice plants treated with BBSB showed 100% survival, improved seedling height (35.4 cm), shoot number (6.12), and showed minimum symptoms of chlorosis (19%), wilting (4%), necrosis (6%) and rolling of leaves. Similarly, BB inoculation enhanced plant growth and reduced overall symptoms in rice seedlings subjected to 0 ± 5 °C for 24 h. Our results imply several mechanisms underlying BB‐ and BBSB‐elicited stress tolerance. In contrast to the control, both treatments significantly decreased leaf monodehydroascorbate (MDA) content and electrolyte leakage, and increased leaf proline and cholorophyll content. Moreover, activities of antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) increased 3.0‐ and 3.6‐fold, respectively. Moreover, expression of OsMYB3R‐2, OsDIL, OsDREB1A and OsCDPK13 genes was significantly up‐regulated, suggesting that these genes play important roles in abiotic stress tolerance of rice. In addition, bacterial strains Bk7 and B4 were able to produce high amounts of IAA and siderophores, and colonise the plant roots, while only strain Bk7 exhibited the capability to form biofilms and solubilise inorganic phosphate. This study indicates that the BB and BBSB bio‐formulations can be used to confer induced systematic tolerance and improve the health of rice plants subject to chilling and drought stress.
Early caregiving stress exposure moderates the relation between respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity at 1 month and biobehavioral outcomes at age 3
Authors: Conradt Elisabeth , Beauchaine Theodore , Abar Beau , Lagasse Linda , Shankaran Seetha , Bada Henrietta , Bauer Charles , Whitaker Toni , Hammond Jane , Lester Barry
Published: December 2015

There is a growing scientific interest in the psychophysiological functioning of children living in low‐socioeconomic status (SES) contexts, though this research is complicated by knowledge that physiology–behavior relations often operate differently in these environments among adults. Importantly, such research is made more difficult because SES may be a proxy for a wide range of risk factors including poor caregiving and exposure to parental substance use. We used factor analysis to organize risk‐exposure data collected from 827 children—many of whom were raised in low‐SES contexts and exposed to substances prenatally—into dissociable components including economic stress, caregiving stress (e.g., stress the caregiver may experience, including parental psychopathology), and postnatal substance exposure. These factors, along with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity at age 1 month, were used to predict behavior dysregulation and resting RSA at age 3 years. A significant RSA Reactivity × Caregiving Stress interaction indicated that infants who exhibited high RSA reactivity at 1 month experienced the greatest behavior dysregulation at 3 years, but only when they were exposed to high levels of caregiving stress. Among African Americans, the highest resting RSA at 3 years was found in infants with less RSA reactivity, but only if they also experienced less caregiving stress. Our work is consistent with biological sensitivity to context, adaptive calibration, and allostatic load models, and highlights the importance of studying Physiology × Environment interactions in low‐SES contexts for predicting behavior and resting RSA.
Tokens vs. Copies: Displacement Revisited
Authors: Krivochen Diego Gabriel
Published: December 2015

In this paper we will analyze the conceptual and computational motivations of the property ofdisplacementin natural languages from a revisited perspective. We will account fordisplacementphenomena proposing our own version ofdisplacement‐as‐external token Merge, as opposed to the traditionaldisplacement‐as‐literal movementor, more recently,displacement‐as‐copy and Merge(Chomsky; Kitahara; Nunes). As far as empirical data is concerned, we will provide a brief analysis of parasitic gaps and their derivation, comparing our proposal with previous accounts making particular stress on the idea that operations are not feature‐driven in a highly constrained syntactic component, but interface‐driven, syntax being free and unbounded.
Comparison of immune responses to a killed bivalent whole cell oral cholera vaccine between endemic and less endemic settings
Authors: Desai Sachin N. , Akalu Zenebe , Teferi Mekonnen , Manna Byomkesh , Teshome Samuel , Park Ju Yeon , Yang Jae Seung , Kim Deok Ryun , Kanungo Suman , Digilio Laura
Published: December 2015

Studies on safety, immunogenicity and efficacy of the killed, bivalent whole cell oral cholera vaccine (Shanchol) have been conducted in historically endemic settings of Asia. Recent cholera vaccination campaigns in Haiti and Guinea have also demonstrated favourable immunogenicity and effectiveness in nonendemic outbreak settings. We performed a secondary analysis, comparing immune responses of Shanchol from two randomised controlled trials performed in an endemic and a less endemic area (Addis Ababa) during a nonoutbreak setting. While Shanchol may offer some degree of immediate protection in primed populations living in cholera endemic areas, as well as being highly immunogenic in less endemic settings, understanding the characteristics of immune responses in each of these areas is vital in determining ideal dosing strategies that offer the greatest public health impact to populations from areas with varying degrees of cholera endemicity.
Paediatrician and Caregiver Awareness of Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis in Children: US Survey Responses
Authors: Munoz F. M. , Attias E. , Czinn S. J. , Black J. ,   the Persistent Diarrhea Working Group
Published: December 2015

There appears to be no published information concerning the awareness and knowledge about diarrhoea caused by Cryptosporidium spp. or Giardia lamblia among US paediatricians and caregivers of young children. Two concurrent, separate surveys were conducted among paediatricians and caregivers (~1000 respondents in each survey) of children ages 1–12 years concerning their knowledge, perceptions and attitudes in the diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diarrhoea. Awareness of parasite‐induced diarrhoea was low for specific aspects among both paediatricians and caregivers. Educational efforts to improve awareness on the appropriate clinical presentation, management and treatment of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis in children with persistent diarrhoea should be undertaken.
An orthopoxvirus-based vaccine reduces virus excretion after MERS-CoV infection in dromedary camels
Authors: Haagmans Bart L. , van den Brand Judith M. A. , Raj V. Stalin , Volz Asisa , Wohlsein Peter , Smits Saskia L. , Schipper Debby , Bestebroer Theo M. , Okba Nisreen , Fux Robert , Bensaid Albert , Solanes Foz David , Kuiken Thijs , Baumgärtner Wolfgang , Segalés Joaquim , Sutter Gerd , Osterhaus Albert D. M. E.
Published: December 2015

Coronaviruses in the Middle East

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe acute respiratory illness and kills about a third of people infected. The virus is common in dromedary camels, which can be a source of human infections. In a survey for MERSCoV in over 1300 Saudi Arabian camels, Sabir
et al.
found that dromedaries share three coronavirus species with humans. Diverse MERS lineages in camels have caused human infections, which suggests that transfer among host species occurs quite easily. Haagmans
et al.
made a MERS-CoV vaccine for use in camels, using poxvirus as a vehicle. The vaccine significantly reduced virus excretion, which should help reduce the potential for transmission to humans, and conferred cross-immunity to camelpox infections.

Science
, this issue p.
81
, p.
77
The evolution of antievolution policies after
Kitzmiller
versus
Dover
Authors: Matzke Nicholas J.
Published: December 2015

A phylogeny identifies ancestors of modern creationist legislation
Complete Genome Sequence of Mayaro Virus (
Togaviridae, Alphavirus
) Strain BeAr 20290 from Brazil
Authors: Espósito Danillo Lucas Alves , da Fonseca Benedito Antônio Lopes
Published: December 2015

We report here the complete genome sequence of Mayaro virus strain BeAr 20290 isolated from
Haemagogus
mosquitoes in 1960. The sequence presented here includes all nonstructural and structural proteins and the 5′- and 3′-untranslated (UTR) regions.
Draft Genome Sequences of Edwardsiella ictaluri Strains LADL11-100 and LADL11-194 Isolated from Zebrafish Danio rerio
Authors: Wang Rui , Tekedar Hasan C. , Lawrence Mark L. , Chouljenko Vladimir N. , Kim Joohyun , Kim Nayong , Kousoulas Konstantin G. , Hawke John P.
Published: December 2015

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of
Edwardsiella ictaluri
strains LADL11-100 and LADL11-194, two isolates from natural outbreaks of edwardsiellosis in the zebrafish
Danio rerio
, as well as the sequences of the plasmids carried by the zebrafish strain of
E. ictaluri.
Complete Genome Sequence of Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris Strain 17 from Taiwan
Authors: Liu Yi-Chung , Wang Shiuh-Chaun , Yu Yu-Jen , Fung Kit-Man , Yang Ming-Te , Tseng Yi-Hsiung , Tsai Shih-Feng , Sun H. Sunny , Lyu Ping-Chiang , Chou Shan-Ho
Published: December 2015

Xanthomonas campestris
pv. campestris 17 is a Gram-negative bacterium that is phytopathogenic to cruciferous plants in Taiwan. The 4,994,426-bp-long genome consists of 24 contigs with 4,050 protein-coding genes, 1 noncoding RNA (ncRNA) gene, 6 rRNA genes, and 55 tRNA genes.
Genome Sequences of Oblitimonas alkaliphila gen. nov. sp. nov. (Proposed), a Novel Bacterium of the
Pseudomonadaceae
Family
Authors: Lauer Ana C. , Nicholson Ainsley C. , Humrighouse Ben W. , Emery Brian , Drobish Adam , Juieng Phalasy , Loparev Vladimir , McQuiston John R.
Published: December 2015

Results obtained through 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phenotypic testing of eight related, but unidentified, isolates located in a historical collection at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggested that these isolates belong to a novel genera of bacteria. The genomes of the bacteria, to be named
Oblitimonas alkaphilia
gen. nov. sp. nov., were sequenced using Illumina technology. Closed genomes were produced for all eight isolates.
Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter baumannii Strain D36, an Antibiotic-Resistant Isolate from Lineage 2 of Global Clone 1
Authors: Hamidian Mohammad , Hawkey Jane , Holt Kathryn E. , Hall Ruth M.
Published: December 2015

Multiply antibiotic-resistant
Acinetobacter baumannii
isolate D36 was recovered in Australia in 2008 and belongs to a distinct lineage of global clone 1 (GC1). Here, we present the complete 4.13 Mbp genome sequence (chromosome plus 4 plasmids), generated via long read sequencing (PacBio).
De Novo
Genome Sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter solanacearum” from a Single Potato Psyllid in California
Authors: Wu F. , Deng X. , Liang G. , Wallis C. , Trumble J. T. , Prager S. , Chen J.
Published: December 2015

The draft genome sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter solanacearum” strain RSTM from a potato psyllid (
Bactericera cockerelli
) in California is reported here. The RSTM strain has a genome size of 1,286,787 bp, a G+C content of 35.1%, 1,211 predicted open reading frames (ORFs), and 43 RNA genes.
Clades of Photosynthetic Bacteria Belonging to the Genus
Rhodopseudomonas
Show Marked Diversity in Light-Harvesting Antenna Complex Gene Composition and Expression
Authors: Fixen Kathryn R. , Oda Yasuhiro , Harwood Caroline S.
Published: December 2015

Rhodopseudomonas palustris
is a phototrophic purple nonsulfur bacterium that adapts its photosystem to allow growth at a range of light intensities. It does this by adjusting the amount and composition of peripheral light-harvesting (LH) antenna complexes that it synthesizes.
Rhodopseudomonas
strains are notable for containing numerous sets of light-harvesting genes. We determined the diversity of LH complexes and their transcript levels during growth under high and low light intensities in 20 sequenced genomes of strains related to the species
Rhodopseudomonas palustris
. The data obtained are a resource for investigators with interests as wide-ranging as the biophysics of photosynthesis, the ecology of phototrophic bacteria, and the use of photosynthetic bacteria for biotechnology applications.
Natal teeth in premature dizygotic twin girls
Authors: Dahake Prasanna T , Shelke Anup U , Kale Yogesh J , Iyer Vidya Vijay
Published: December 2015

Presence or eruption of teeth immediately at or after birth is a rarely reported phenomenon. This condition is referred to as natal teeth, neonatal teeth, congenital teeth, fetal teeth, predeciduous teeth and dentitia praecox. The most affected teeth are lower primary central incisors with the incidence of 1:2000 for natal and 1:3500 for neonatal teeth. The aetiology of this anomaly is still not clear, however, attributes have been reported in relation to congenital teeth, multiple factors and some syndromes. The management of such cases depends on clinical characteristics of natal or neonatal teeth, as well as complications that they might cause. The aim of this paper is to discuss a rare case of occurrence of two natal teeth in both premature dizygotic twin female babies with specific emphasis on the literature review related to concerns regarding prevalence, aetiology, clinical characteristics, differential diagnosis, complications and management.
Cryptococcal eosinophilic meningitis in a patient with sarcoidosis
Authors: Hadid Hiba , Nona Paul , Usman Muhammad , Paje David
Published: December 2015

A 51-year-old African-American man with underlying pulmonary, hepatic and splenic sarcoidosis, reported a 3-day history of headache, neck stiffness and photophobia. He was not using medication for chronic sarcoidosis. Physical examination was significant for nuchal rigidity. Lumbar puncture revealed marked eosinophilia in the cerebrospinal fluid, which, on further analysis, demonstrated a positive cryptococcal antigen. HIV antibody and PCR tests were negative. Bronchoscopy and fungal blood cultures were also negative. The patient was started on amphotericin B and flucytosine, with significant clinical improvement. He recovered well without any neurological sequelae and remained symptom-free at 2-week follow-up. Cryptococcal central nervous infections are uniformly fatal if left untreated. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is essential, to prevent the associated high morbidity and mortality.
Factors controlling inflorescence primordia formation of grapevine: their role in latent bud fruitfulness? A review
Authors: Li-Mallet Anna , Rabot Amélie , Geny Laurence
Published: December 2015

The grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is a widely cultivated species of major economic importance for wine production. The quality and quantity of grapes are criteria of prime importance to the wine industry, but they are highly variable from year to year. Unlike many perennial plants, cluster formation unfolds in two seasons: season 1 takes place in the bud until dormancy, and season 2 starts after budbreak in the following year. Season 1 corresponds to the initiation and differentiation of inflorescence primordia, controlled by many exogenous and endogenous factors, which explains up to 60% seasonal variation in yield. Season 2 consists of flowering and fruit development, which explains, respectively, 30% and 10% of seasonal variation in yield. It is therefore essential to understand the impact of these factors to better control the yield. This review aims to summarize past and present knowledge concerning the physiology of latent buds relating to their fruitfulness, and to assess the impact of environmental, hormonal, and regulation factors on the final yield. Avenues of further research to understand physiological, biochemical and molecular regulatory mechanisms of initiation and differentiation of clusters will be then proposed.
Potential to breed for mycorrhizal association in durum wheat
Authors: Ellouze Walid , Hamel Chantal , DePauw R.M. , Knox R.E. , Cuthbert Richard D. , Singh Asheesh K.
Published: December 2015

The selection of genotypes under high soil fertility may alter the effectiveness of mycorrhizal symbioses naturally forming between crop plants and the mycorrhizal fungi residing in cultivated fields. We tested the hypothesis that the mycorrhizal symbiosis of 5 landraces functions better than the mycorrhizal symbiosis of 27 cultivars of durum wheat that were bred after the development of the fertilizer industry. We examined the development of mycorrhiza and the response of these genotypes to mycorrhiza formation after 4 weeks of growth under high and low soil fertility levels in the greenhouse. The durum wheat genotypes were seeded in an established extraradical hyphal network of Rhizophagus irregularis and in a control soil free of mycorrhizal fungi. The percentage of root length colonized by mycorrhizal fungi was lower in landraces (21%) than in cultivars (27%; P = 0.04) and in the most recent releases (29%; P = 0.02), which were selected under high soil fertility levels. Plant growth response to mycorrhiza varied from –36% to +19%. Overall, durum wheat plant breeding in Canada has increased the mycorrhizal development in wheat grown at a low soil fertility level. However, breeding had inconsistent effects on mycorrhizal development and has led to the production of cultivars with patterns of regulation ranging from unimproved to inefficient.
Spatial ecology and resource selection of a high-elevation American marten (Martes americana) population in the northeastern United States
Authors: Sirén A.P.K. , Pekins P.J. , Ducey M.J. , Kilborn J.R.
Published: December 2015

High-elevation forests that contain mature, closed canopy stands are considered important habitat for American martens (Martes americana (Turton, 1806)) in the northeastern United States. To investigate this hypothesis, we monitored 15 radio-collared martens over a 2-year period and measured spatial use, as well as second- and third-order resource selection, from 33 seasonal home ranges and 889 telemetry locations. The population was composed primarily of adults that had small home-range size with average seasonal fidelity. During leaf-off seasons, martens selected against regenerating forest at both scales and selected for mixedwood and softwood forests and areas with rugged terrain within home ranges. Second-order selection was less pronounced during leaf-on seasons, yet martens exhibited greater selection for hardwood forest and areas with rugged terrain within home ranges. Home-range size was correlated positively with the amount of regenerating forest and body-condition index scores were lower during winter, indicating that these spatial and temporal attributes were influential. Although martens utilized low-elevation forest with extensive timber harvesting, contiguous, mature, and rugged high-elevation forest was used preferentially during winter. Land managers should minimize disturbance of montane ecosystems to ensure population viability for martens and other boreal forest species along distributional edges.
Detection, manipulation and post processing of circulating tumor cells using optical techniques
Authors: Bakhtiaridoost Somayyeh , Habibiyan Hamidreza , Ghafoorifard Hassan
Published: December 2015

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are malignant cells that are derived from a solid tumor in the metastasis stage and are shed into the blood stream. These cells hold great promise to be used as liquid biopsy that is less aggressive than traditional biopsy. Recently, detection and enumeration of these cells has received ever-increasing attention from researchers as a way of early detection of cancer metastasis, determining the effectiveness of treatment and studying the mechanism of formation of secondary tumors. CTCs are found in blood at low concentration, which is a major limitation of isolation and detection of these cells. Over the last few years, multifarious research studies have been conducted on accurate isolation and detection and post processing of CTCs. Among all the proposed systems, microfluidic systems seem to be more attractive for researchers due to their numerous advantages. On the other hand, recent developments in optical methods have made the possibility of cellular studies at single-cell level. Thus, accuracy and efficiency of separation, detection and manipulation of CTCs can be improved using optical techniques. In this review, we describe optical methods that have been used for CTC detection, manipulation and post processing.