bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stem xylem conductivity is key to plant water balance across Australian angiosperm species
Authors: Gleason Sean M. , Butler Don W. , Ziemińska Kasia , Waryszak Paweł , Westoby Mark
Published: February 2012

1. Plants must balance water expenditure from their crown with water supplied through root and stem tissues. Although many different combinations of hydraulic traits could accomplish water balance, we ask whether variation across species in stem hydraulic traits has been concentrated along few, or many, dimensions of trait variation.

2. We measured stem hydraulic traits for 120 woody dicot species across a range of different biomes in eastern Australia. Mean annual temperatures ranged from 10 to 27 °C and aridity (precipitation/potential evapotranspiration) from 0·33 to 1·02 across study sites.

3. Xylem‐specific conductivity, species’ height and ratio of leaf area to xylem area were positively correlated, manifesting as a single axis of trait variation, with other traits mostly orthogonal to this axis. Thus, as height and ratio of leaf area to xylem area increased across species and habitats (increasing resistance per leaf area), xylem‐specific conductivity partially compensated for this resistance. Xylem‐specific conductivity was well predicted by increasing height (r2 = 0·45) and ratio of leaf area to xylem area (r2 = 0·36). This three‐trait axis was positively correlated with increasing precipitation (r2 = 0·28) and temperature (r2 = 0·15), but most of the explained variance lay within sites (39%) rather than across sites (10%). Thus, the spread of species’ traits along this functional axis reflected structural and hydraulic differences among co‐occurring species, at least as much as it reflected differences associated with contrasting climates.

4. High xylem‐specific conductivity in stems was accomplished by high vessel diameter to number ratio (r2 = 0·32) and/or by high vessel lumen fraction (r2 = 0·13). Low midday water potential (higher xylem tension) was associated with low ratio of vessel diameter to number (r2 = 0·25), whereas low specific gravity (r2 = 0·18) and stiffness (r2 = 0·12) were associated with high vessel lumen fraction.

5. Light capture (i.e. increasing height and leafiness) may be facilitated by high xylem‐specific conductivity, but marked increases in xylem‐specific conductivity may also be associated with reduced hydraulic and mechanical safety. Although the trade‐offs associated with increasing xylem‐specific conductivity remain unclear, our data suggest that xylem‐specific conductivity is important for maintaining water balance across a large range of species and biomes.
Large‐scale 3D inversion of potential field data
Authors: Čuma Martin , Wilson Glenn A. , Zhdanov Michael S.
Published: February 2012

Inversion of gravity and/or magnetic data attempts to recover the density and/or magnetic susceptibility distribution in a 3D earth model for subsequent geological interpretation. This is a challenging problem for a number of reasons. First, airborne gravity and magnetic surveys are characterized by very large data volumes. Second, the 3D modelling of data from large‐scale surveys is a computationally challenging problem. Third, gravity and magnetic data are finite and noisy and their inversion is ill posed so regularization must be introduced for the recovery of the most geologically plausible solutions from an infinite number of mathematically equivalent solutions. These difficulties and how they can be addressed in terms of large‐scale 3D potential field inversion are discussed in this paper. Since potential fields are linear, they lend themselves to full parallelization with near‐linear scaling on modern parallel computers. Moreover, we exploit the fact that an instrument’s sensitivity (or footprint) is considerably smaller than the survey area. As multiple footprints superimpose themselves over the same 3D earth model, the sensitivity matrix for the entire earth model is constructed. We use the re‐weighted regularized conjugate gradient method for minimizing the objective functional and incorporate a wide variety of regularization options. We demonstrate our approach with the 3D inversion of 1743 line km of FALCON gravity gradiometry and magnetic data acquired over the Timmins district in Ontario, Canada. Our results are shown to be in good agreement with independent interpretations of the same data.
A frozen feast: thawing permafrost increases plant‐available nitrogen in subarctic peatlands
Authors: Keuper Frida , van Bodegom Peter M. , Dorrepaal Ellen , Weedon James T. , van Hal Jurgen , van Logtestijn Richard S. P. , Aerts Rien
Published: February 2012

Many of the world's northern peatlands are underlain by rapidly thawing permafrost. Because plant production in these peatlands is often nitrogen (N)‐limited, a release of N stored in permafrost may stimulate net primary production or change species composition if it is plant‐available. In this study, we aimed to quantify plant‐available N in thawing permafrost soils of subarctic peatlands. We compared plant‐available N‐pools and ‐fluxes in near‐surface permafrost (0–10 cm below the thawfront) to those taken from a current rooting zone layer (5–15 cm depth) across five representative peatlands in subarctic Sweden. A range of complementary methods was used: extractions of inorganic and organic N, inorganic and organic N‐release measurements at 0.5 and 11 °C (over 120 days, relevant to different thaw‐development scenarios) and a bioassay with Poa alpina test plants. All extraction methods, across all peatlands, consistently showed up to seven times more plant‐available N in near‐surface permafrost soil compared to the current rooting zone layer. These results were supported by the bioassay experiment, with an eightfold larger plant N‐uptake from permafrost soil than from other N‐sources such as current rooting zone soil or fresh litter substrates. Moreover, net mineralization rates were much higher in permafrost soils compared to soils from the current rooting zone layer (273 mg N m−2 and 1348 mg N m−2 per growing season for near‐surface permafrost at 0.5 °C and 11 °C respectively, compared to −30 mg N m−2 for current rooting zone soil at 11 °C). Hence, our results demonstrate that near‐surface permafrost soil of subarctic peatlands can release a biologically relevant amount of plant available nitrogen, both directly upon thawing as well as over the course of a growing season through continued microbial mineralization of organically bound N. Given the nitrogen‐limited nature of northern peatlands, this release may have impacts on both plant productivity and species composition.
Prey‐race drives differentiation of biotypes in ant‐eating spiders
Authors: Pekár S. , Šmerda J. , Hrušková M. , Šedo O. , Muster C. , Cardoso P. , Zdráhal Z. , Korenko S. , Bureš P. , Líznarová E. , Sentenská L.
Published: February 2012

1. Disruptive natural selection resulting from specialization on different hosts is recognized as one of the most important driving forces in the diversification of herbivores and parasites. It has been proposed that a similar mechanism could apply to carnivorous predators too, although the evidence is still lacking.

2. Here, we show that the differentiation of biotypes of specialized ant‐eating spiders of the genusZodarionhas probably been induced by prey‐shifting. We focused on two forms of one speciesZ. styliferumfrom the Iberian Peninsula that presumably represent ecological races. We conducted geographic, ecological, venom‐oriented, reproductive and genetic divergence analysis among multiple populations collected at a number of sites across Portugal and Madeira.

3. Geographic analysis revealed that the two forms occur in mosaic sympatry. Each form was found to associate in nature with a different ant species in a different habitat. Specifically, thestyliferumform hunted predominantlyMessorants, and theextraneumform hunted mainlyCamponotusants. Laboratory experiments revealed that the two forms exhibit a significant preference for attacking focal ants, demonstrating higher paralysis efficiency, and also show different venom composition. Cross‐mating of the two forms was significantly less likely than between pairs of the same form, suggesting moderate assortative mating. Phylogenetic analyses indicate low genetic differentiation of the two forms and parallel‐repeated evolution of biotypes.

4. Adaptive prey‐shifting correlated with habitat preference are at present the most valid explanations for biotype formation inZodarion. The speciation of ant‐eatingZodarionspiders thus appears to follow a scenario similar to that of host‐shifting in parasites and herbivores.
Sex at the origin: an Asian population of the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae reproduces sexually
Authors: SALEH DOUNIA , XU PENG , SHEN YING , LI CHENGUYN , ADREIT HENRI , MILAZZO JOËLLE , RAVIGNÉ VIRGINIE , BAZIN ERIC , NOTTÉGHEM JEAN‐LOUP , FOURNIER ELISABETH , THARREAU DIDIER
Published: February 2012

Sexual reproduction may be cryptic or facultative in fungi and therefore difficult to detect. Magnaporthe oryzae, which causes blast, the most damaging fungal disease of rice, is thought to originate from southeast Asia. It reproduces asexually in all rice‐growing regions. Sexual reproduction has been suspected in limited areas of southeast Asia, but has never been demonstrated in contemporary populations. We characterized several M. oryzae populations worldwide both biologically and genetically, to identify candidate populations for sexual reproduction. The sexual cycle of M. oryzae requires two strains of opposite mating types, at least one of which is female‐fertile, to come into contact. In one Chinese population, the two mating types were found to be present at similar frequencies and almost all strains were female‐fertile. Compatible strains from this population completed the sexual cycle in vitro and produced viable progenies. Genotypic richness and linkage disequilibrium data also supported the existence of sexual reproduction in this population. We resampled this population the following year, and the data obtained confirmed the presence of all the biological and genetic characteristics of sexual reproduction. In particular, a considerable genetic reshuffling of alleles was observed between the 2 years. Computer simulations confirmed that the observed genetic characteristics were unlikely to have arisen in the absence of recombination. We therefore concluded that a contemporary population of M. oryzae, pathogenic on rice, reproduces sexually in natura in southeast Asia. Our findings provide evidence for the loss of sexual reproduction by a fungal plant pathogen outside its centre of origin.
Mycoheterotrophic interactions are not limited to a narrow phylogenetic range of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi
Authors: MERCKX VINCENT S. F. T. , JANSSENS STEVEN B. , HYNSON NICOLE A. , SPECHT CHELSEA D. , BRUNS THOMAS D. , SMETS ERIK F.
Published: February 2012

The majority of achlorophyllous mycoheterotrophic plant species associate with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Previous studies have shown that some species are highly specialized towards narrow lineages of AMF and have suggested that only particular lineages of these fungi are targeted by mycoheterotrophic plants. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed all available partial SSU sequences of AMF associated with mycoheterotrophic plants including data from 13 additional specimens from French Guiana, Gabon and Australia. Sequences were assigned to ‘virtual taxa’ (VT) according to the MaarjAM database. We found that 20% of all known Glomeromycota VT are involved in mycoheterotrophic interactions and the majority of associations involve Glomeraceae (Glomus Group A) fungi. While some mycoheterotrophic plant species have been found growing with only a single VT, many species are able to associate with a wide range of AMF. We calculated significant phylogenetic clustering of Glomeromycota VT involved in mycoheterotrophic interactions, suggesting that associations between mycoheterotrophic plants and AMF are influenced by the phylogenetic relationships of the fungi. Our results demonstrate that many lineages of AMF are prone to exploitation by mycoheterotrophic plants. However, mycoheterotrophs from different plant lineages and different geographical regions tend to be dependent on lineages of AMF that are phylogenetically related.
Brown midrib2 (Bmr2) encodes the major 4‐coumarate:coenzyme A ligase involved in lignin biosynthesis in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)
Authors: Saballos Ana , Sattler Scott E. , Sanchez Emiliano , Foster Timothy P. , Xin Zhanguo , Kang ChulHee , Pedersen Jeffrey F. , Vermerris Wilfred
Published: February 2012

Successful modification of plant cell‐wall composition without compromising plant integrity is dependent on being able to modify the expression of specific genes, but this can be very challenging when the target genes are members of multigene families. 4‐coumarate:CoA ligase (4CL) catalyzes the formation of 4‐coumaroyl CoA, a precursor of both flavonoids and monolignols, and is an attractive target for transgenic down‐regulation aimed at improving agro‐industrial properties. Inconsistent phenotypes of transgenic plants have been attributed to variable levels of down‐regulation of multiple 4CL genes. Phylogenetic analysis of the sorghum genome revealed 24 4CL(‐like) proteins, five of which cluster with bona fide 4CLs from other species. Using a map‐based cloning approach and analysis of two independent mutant alleles, the sorghum brown midrib2 (bmr2) locus was shown to encode 4CL. In vitro enzyme assays indicated that its preferred substrate is 4‐coumarate. Missense mutations in the two bmr2 alleles result in loss of 4CL activity, probably as a result of improper folding as indicated by molecular modeling. Bmr2 is the most highly expressed 4CL in sorghum stems, leaves and roots, both at the seedling stage and in pre‐flowering plants, but the products of several paralogs also display 4CL activity and compensate for some of the lost activity. The contribution of the paralogs varies between developmental stages and tissues. Gene expression assays indicated that Bmr2 is under auto‐regulatory control, as reduced 4CL activity results in over‐expression of the defective gene. Several 4CL paralogs are also up‐regulated in response to the mutation.
Selection of antibiotics for meticillin‐resistantStaphylococcus pseudintermedius: time to revisit some old drugs?
Authors: Papich Mark G.
Published: February 2012

The aim of this review is to consider systemic therapy options for meticillin‐resistantStaphylococcus pseudintermedius(MRSP).

Infections caused by MRSP in small animals – particularly dogs – have been frustrating veterinarians in recent years. After a susceptibility test is performed, veterinarians are left to select from drugs that have not been frequently encountered on a susceptibility report. Some of these are old drugs that have not been used regularly by veterinary dermatologists.

As MRSP is, by definition, resistant to all β‐lactam antibiotics, including cephalosporins, penicillins and amoxicillin–clavulanate combinations, the β‐lactam drugs are not an option for systemic treatment. As most MRSPs are multidrug resistant, familiar drugs, such as trimethoprim–sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides and lincosamides (clindamycin), are also not usually an option for treatment.

Therefore, veterinarians are left with drugs such as rifampicin, chloramphenicol, tetracyclines, aminoglycosides and vancomycin to choose from on the basis of anin vitrosusceptibility test. Some of these drugs were originally approved over 50 years ago and may not be familiar to some veterinarians. Each of these drugs possesses unique properties and has particular advantages and disadvantages. Veterinarians should be particularly aware of the adverse effects, limitations and precautions when using these drugs.

New drugs also have been developed for meticillin‐resistantStaphylococcus aureusin humans. These include linezolid, ceftaroline, daptomycin and tigecycline. Although these drugs are very infrequently – if ever – considered for veterinary use, the properties of these drugs should also be known to veterinary dermatologists.
Serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL‐2R) as a marker of acute rejection in renal transplant children
Authors: García‐Roca P. , Vargas Y. A. , Fuentes Y. , Hernández A. M. , Ortiz L. , Valverde S. , Velásquez‐Jones L. , Romero‐Navarro B. , Ramón‐Garcia G. , Medeiros M.
Published: February 2012

García‐Roca P, Vargas YA, Fuentes Y, Hernández AM, Ortiz L, Valverde S, Velásquez‐Jones L, Romero‐Navarro B, Ramón‐Garcia G, Medeiros M. Serum soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL‐2R) as a marker of acute rejection in renal transplant children.

Abstract:  The aim of the study was to evaluate whether or not serum levels of soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL‐2R) predict acute rejection in pediatric recipients. We studied 51 pediatric renal transplant recipients divided into three groups: Group 1) Biopsy‐proven cellular acute rejection (n = 19), Group 2) Graft dysfunction with histological diagnosis other than acute rejection (n = 8) and Group 3) Patients with stable graft function, no biopsy (n = 24). Serum samples for sIL‐2R measurement by sandwich ELISA were obtained at the time of renal transplant and at the time of renal biopsy due to graft dysfunction (Groups 1 and 2) or at six months post‐transplant in the case of Group 3. The mean ± s.e. serum values of sIL‐2R were higher in patients during acute rejection (6539 ± 1802 pg/mL) compared to patients with other causes of graft dysfunction (2217 ± 256 pg/mL) or stable graft function at six months (2183 ± 283 pg/mL) (Kruskal–Wallis p = 0.004). When the sIL2‐R levels at the time of transplant were compared to those at the time of biopsy (Groups 1 and 2) or at six months post‐transplant in Group 3, there was no significant difference between baseline and biopsy in the acute rejection group (paired t‐test = 0.07), whereas there was a significant reduction in Groups 2 and 3.
Foxp3+ T cells in peripheral blood of renal transplant recipients and clinical correlations
Authors: LIN WEN X , CHRISTIANSEN DALE , FU LU L , ROBERTS MATTHEW A , SANDRIN MAURO S , IERINO FRANCESCO L
Published: February 2012

Aim:  Immunophenotype peripheral blood T cells from renal transplant recipients (RTR) using cellular markers of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and flow cytometry, including Foxp3, and correlate these findings with clinical parameters.

Methods:  Expression of phenotypic markers of Tregs was assessed by flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from (i) RTR (n = 95); (ii) patients with end‐stage renal failure (ESRF) awaiting transplantation (n = 17); and (iii) normal healthy controls (n = 18).

Results:  The percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells within the CD4+ cell population did not significantly alter at different time points post‐transplant. However, the percentage of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ cells within the CD4+ population was significantly lower in RTR compared with patients with ESRF. In contrast, RTR and ESRF had a similar percentage of CD4+CD25+ cells expressing Foxp3. Multivariate analysis of PBL and clinical parameters demonstrated (i) a positive linear relationship between the percentage CD4+CD25+ cells expressing Foxp3 and estimated glomerular filtration rate and (ii) a higher percentage of CD4+CD25+ cells in the CD4+ cell population in patients with malignancy (the majority were skin cancers). Malignancy also correlated strongly with time post‐transplant and age of the RTR.

Conclusion:  Immune monitoring of the PBL phenotype in RTR using CD4, CD25 and Foxp3 may stratify RTR and predict graft outcome and function, and risk of complications from immunosuppression. Longitudinal and functional studies of Tregs are essential to extend the findings of the present study.
Rapid eye movement and slow‐wave sleep rebound after one night of continuous positive airway pressure for obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: BRILLANTE RUBY , COSSA GAVINA , LIU PETER Y. , LAKS LEON
Published: February 2012

Background and objective:  Rebound of slow‐wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is observed in patients who are on continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA); but, neither have been objectively defined. The pressure titration study often represents the first recovery sleep period for patients with OSA. Our aim was to objectively define and identify predictors of SWS and REM sleep rebound following CPAP titration.

Methods:  Paired diagnostic polysomnography and pressure titration studies from 335 patients were reviewed.

Results:  The mean apnoea‐hypopnoea index was 40.7 ± 26.1, and minimum oxygen saturation was 76 ± 14.4%. Comparing eight incremental thresholds, a rebound of 20% in REM sleep and a 40% increase in SWS allowed the best separation of prediction models. A 20% rebound in REM sleep was predicted by REM sleep %, non‐REM arousal index (ArI) and total sleep time during diagnostic polysomnography, and male gender (R2 = 35.3%). A 40% rebound in SWS was predicted by SWS %, total ArI and REM sleep % during diagnostic polysomnography, and body mass index (R2 = 45.4%).

Conclusions:  A 40% rebound in SWS, but only a 20% rebound in REM sleep on the pressure titration study, is predicted by abnormal sleep architecture and sleep fragmentation prior to the commencement of treatment.
Combined single‐level subtotal corpectomy and decompression for cervical spondylotic myelopathy treatment
Authors: Wang Lei , Liu Cheng‐Yi , Tian Ji‐Wei , Tian Xia , Dong Shuang‐Hai , Zhao Qing‐Hua
Published: February 2012

Background:  The purpose of this study was to summarize outcomes of patients with refractory multisegmental cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) who were treated by combined single‐level subtotal corpectomy and decompression of the intervertebral space using the anterior approach.

Methods:  Forty‐five consecutive patients with multisegmental CSM were included; their ages ranged from 37 to 72 years. Seventeen (37.8%) patients had noncontiguous or ‘jumping’ multisegmental CSM and 28 (62.2%) had contiguous multisegmental CSM. The mean preoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score was 8.1 points. All patients underwent combined single‐level decompression of the involved intervertebral space and subtotal corpectomy together with subsequent fusion and internal fixation. An anterior approach was used for all patients. A cage filled with bone graft was inserted and internal fixation was performed after single‐level intervertebral space decompression. Mesh filled with bone graft was inserted and plate internal fixation was performed after subtotal corpectomy.

Results:  Follow‐up data (average follow‐up, 14 months) were available for all 45 patients; the mean postoperative JOA score was 13.2 points, which was significantly different from the preoperative JOA score. Bony fusion was achieved in all patients based on postoperative radiography, and no pseudoarthrosis was observed during follow‐up.

Conclusions:  An excellent outcome can be achieved with the combination of single‐level subtotal corpectomy and decompression of the intervertebral space using the anterior approach to treat multisegmental CSM.
Perineal hernia repair after abdominoperineal resection: a pooled analysis
Authors: Mjoli M. , Sloothaak D. A. M. , Buskens C. J. , Bemelman W. A. , Tanis P. J.
Published: February 2012

Aim  The purpose of this study was to determine treatment characteristics and clinical outcome for patients with perineal hernia after abdominoperineal excision (APE).

Method  A systematic search of the literature revealed 40 individually documented patients, published between 1944 and 2010. Three additional patients treated at our centre were added. Patient characteristics, type of repair and outcome were entered into a database and a pooled analysis of these 43 patients was performed.

Results  The pooled analysis revealed a median time interval of 8 months between APE and surgical repair of perineal hernia. The surgical approaches were perineal in 22 patients, open abdominal in 11, open abdominoperineal in three, laparoscopic in five and laparoscopic‐perineal in two patients. A primary recurrence was documented in 13 patients and a second recurrence in three. The recurrence rate was 5/25 for synthetic or biological mesh, 6/12 for primary closure and 2/6 for the remaining techniques. Recurrent perineal hernia was repaired using a synthetic or biological mesh (n = 6), primary closure (n = 5) or a muscle flap (gluteus or gracilis; n = 4).

Conclusion  From these limited and biased data based on published case descriptions, it appears that the recurrence rate of primary perineal hernia repair after APE is lower with the use of a mesh or other assisted closure than with primary suture repair.
Molecular phylogeny reveals the existence of two sibling species in the aphid pestBrachycaudus helichrysi(Hemiptera: Aphididae)
Authors: Piffaretti Joséphine , Vanlerberghe‐Masutti Flavie , Tayeh Ashraf , Clamens Anne‐Laure , D’Acier Armelle Cœur , Jousselin Emmanuelle
Published: February 2012

Piffaretti, J., Vanlerberghe‐Masutti, F., Tayeh, A., Clamens, A.‐L., Cœur d’Acier, A. & Jousselin E. (2012). Molecular phylogeny reveals the existence of two sibling species in the aphid pestBrachycaudus helichrysi(Hemiptera: Aphididae). —Zoologica Scripta,41, 266–280.

Brachycaudus helichrysiis a worldwide polyphagous aphid pest that seriously damages its primary hosts (Prunusspp.) and the various cultivated plants among its secondary hosts (e.g. sunflower). A recent study of theBrachycaudusgenus suggested that this species might encompass two differentiated lineages. We tested this hypothesis, by carrying out a phylogenetic study of this aphid pest based on worldwide sampling and the evaluation of mitochondrial, nuclear andBuchnera aphidicolaDNA markers. We show that this species is actually an amalgamation of two sibling taxa,B. helichrysiH1 andB. helichrysiH2, that seem to have overlapping geographic ranges and herbaceous host plant preferences. These two taxa displayed levels of genetic divergence as great as those generally found between sister species in theBrachycaudusgenus, suggesting that they actually correspond to two distinct species. Our phylogenetic reconstructions revealed a degree of incongruence between the topologies obtained with the aphid gene data set and with data for a DNA marker from its primary endosymbiont. We identified possible reasons for this observation and discuss the ecological and genotypic data suggesting thatB. helichrysiH1 andB. helichrysiH2 have different life cycles.
A case‐control study on the association between chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and erectile dysfunction
Authors: Chung Shiu‐Dong , Keller Joseph J. , Lin Herng‐Ching
Published: February 2012

Study Type – Symptom prevalence (case control)

Level of Evidence 3a

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

In recent years, a number of studies have reported a high prevalence of erectile dysfunction (ED) among patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Several studies have reported that the prevalence of ED ranges from 15.0 to 40.5% in men in China with CP/CPPS; however, the previous studies focusing on the prevalence of ED among patients with CP/CPPS all neglected to explore the magnitude of this association.

Our study found an association between ED and previously diagnosed CP/CPPS. The odds of previous CP/CPPS were 3.62 times greater for cases than for controls, after adjusting for patient socio‐demographic characteristics, comorbidities, obesity, and alcohol abuse/alcohol dependence syndrome.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association between erectile dysfunction (ED) and a previous diagnosis of chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) using a population‐based dataset.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The data for this case–control study was obtained from the National Health Insurance database.

A total of 3194 males, who were ≥18 years of age when they first received a diagnosis of ED, were identified and 15 970 controls were randomly selected.

The prevalence and risk of CP/CPPS among cases and controls were calculated by using conditional logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 667 (3.5%) of the 19 164 sampled subjects had been diagnosed with CP/CPPS before the index date; CP/CPPS was found in 276 (8.6%) cases and in 391 (2.5%) controls (P < 0.001).

Regression analysis indicated that cases were more likely to have had previous CP/CPPS (odd ratio 3.62, 95% confidence interval 3.07–4.26) after adjusting for patient monthly income, geographical location and urbanization level, as well as hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, renal disease, obesity and alcohol abuse/alcohol dependence syndrome status, when compared with controls.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that there was an association between ED and having been previously diagnosed with CP/CPPS.

Urologists should be alert to the association between CP/CPPS and ED, and assess the erectile function of patients suffering from CP/CPPS.
Hypoglycaemia during pregnancy in women with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Ringholm L. , Pedersen‐Bjergaard U. , Thorsteinsson B. , Damm P. , Mathiesen E. R.
Published: February 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 558–566 (2012)

Aims  To explore incidence, risk factors, possible pathophysiological factors and clinical management of hypoglycaemia during pregnancy in women with Type 1 diabetes.

Methods  Literature review.

Results  In women with Type 1 diabetes, severe hypoglycaemia occurs three to five times more frequently in early pregnancy than in the period prior to pregnancy, whereas in the third trimester the incidence of severe hypoglycaemia is lower than in the year preceding pregnancy. The frequency distribution of severe hypoglycaemia is much skewed, as 10% of the pregnant women account for 60% of all recorded events. Risk factors for severe hypoglycaemia during pregnancy include a history with severe hypoglycaemia in the year preceding pregnancy, impaired hypoglycaemia awareness, long duration of diabetes, low HbA1c in early pregnancy, fluctuating plasma glucose values (≤ 3.9 mmol/l or ≥ 10.0 mmol/l) and excessive use of supplementary insulin injections between meals. Pregnancy‐induced nausea and vomiting seem not to be contributing factors.

Conclusions  Striving for near‐normoglycaemia with focus on reduction of plasma glucose fluctuations during pregnancy should have high priority among clinicians with the persistent aim of improving pregnancy outcome among women with Type 1 diabetes. Pre‐conception counselling, carbohydrate counting, use of insulin analogues, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (insulin pump) therapy and real‐time continuous glucose monitoring with alarms for low glucose values might be relevant tools to obtain near‐normoglycaemia without episodes of severe hypoglycaemia.
Devolution in a ‘Stateless Nation’: Nation‐building and Social Policy in Scotland
Authors: Law Alex , Mooney Gerry
Published: February 2012

The implications of the 2011 Scottish election and the proposed referendum on Scottish independence for the future of social policy across the devolved UK are profound but far from certain. It is crucial to understand not only the historical nature of this conjuncture but to develop an adequate conceptual understanding of the place of social policy in the dialectic between state and nation in Scotland. To this end, we critically examine theories that depict Scotland as an essentially ‘stateless nation’ in the light of recent developments. In so doing, we examine the implications for social policy of the changing character of statehood in Scotland, the nature of civil nationalism, and the problem of legitimacy in Scotland for the UK as a multinational state. As the architecture of statehood is re‐negotiated, strong centrifugal pressures are being created for a more distinct divergence of social policy in Scotland from the rest of the UK regardless of the outcome of the independence referendum. Policy‐making is ensnared in a series of tensions, not just between Westminster and Holyrood but also, more broadly, tensions between competing principles of social justice and territorial justice, and competing demands between welfare nationalism and competitive nationalism.
Mountain‐top and valley‐bottom experiences: the stress axis as an integrator of environmental variability in arctic ground squirrel populations
Authors: Sheriff M. J. , Wheeler H. , Donker S. A. , Krebs C. J. , Palme R. , Hik D. S. , Boonstra R.
Published: February 2012

Environmental variation in mountainous regions can impose major differences in demography and physiology on animal populations that occupy a large elevation range. This variation can be both predictable and unpredictable. In the south‐westernYukon, arctic ground squirrel (AGS) populations occur all the way from the forested valley bottoms to the alpine meadows and, in so doing, experience a wide range of predation risk, forage quality and exposure to weather variables. To assess howAGSintegrate these factors and respond to them, we measured fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FCM) as an index of the stress axis on four sites at different elevations. We first validated the enzyme immunoassay with a hormonal challenge protocol and a simulated predator stressor.AGSshow a strong diurnal pattern inFCMlevels, with peaks at mid‐day and a marked increase in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone and the simulated predator and a decline in response to dexamethasone. The lag time between the challenge and its reflection in the feces was 4–12 h. Using this method in our field studies, we found thatFCMlevels decreased as the active season progressed; however, specific patterns differed among sites. We hypothesized that the early season peak inFCMlevels followed by the general decline was due to brief, intense early season breeding, followed by the necessity ofAGSto increase mass in preparation for hibernation. Although we found no clear, single explanation for the differentFCMpatterns among sites, we hypothesized that differences in seasonal climate and adverse weather may be major factors affectingFCMlevels. The environment was markedly different between years, with 2008 being colder and wetter than 2009 and this was associated withAGSin 2008 having much higherFCMlevels in general than 2009. We found that population density and visibility may also contribute. In conclusion,AGSlive in a mosaic of habitats and each population is faced with a variety of environmental stressors; how they cope and respond to these stressors may not depend on a single factor but the complete aggregate of these stressors.
O‐GlcNAcase is essential for embryonic development and maintenance of genomic stability
Authors: Yang Yong Ryoul , Song Minseok , Lee Ho , Jeon Yoon , Choi Eun‐Jeong , Jang Hyun‐Jun , Moon Hyo Youl , Byun Ha‐Young , Kim Eung‐Kyun , Kim Dae Hyun , Lee Mi Nam , Koh Ara , Ghim Jaewang , Choi Jang Hyun , Lee‐Kwon Whaseon , Kim Kyong Tai , Ryu Sung Ho , Suh Pann‐Ghill
Published: February 2012

Dysregulation of O‐GlcNAc modification catalyzed by O‐GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O‐GlcNAcase (OGA) contributes to the etiology of chronic diseases of aging, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease. Here we found that natural aging in wild‐type mice was marked by a decrease in OGA and OGT protein levels and an increase in O‐GlcNAcylation in various tissues. Genetic disruption of OGA resulted in constitutively elevated O‐GlcNAcylation in embryos and led to neonatal lethality with developmental delay. Importantly, we observed that serum‐stimulated cell cycle entry induced increased O‐GlcNAcylation and decreased its level after release from G2/M arrest, indicating that O‐GlcNAc cycling by OGT and OGA is required for precise cell cycle control. Constitutively, elevated O‐GlcNAcylation by OGA disruption impaired cell proliferation and resulted in mitotic defects with downregulation of mitotic regulators. OGA loss led to mitotic defects including cytokinesis failure and binucleation, increased lagging chromosomes, and micronuclei formation. These findings suggest an important role for O‐GlcNAc cycling by OGA in embryonic development and the regulation of the maintenance of genomic stability linked to the aging process.
Social Support, Attachment, and Chronic Stress as Correlates of Latina Mother and Daughter Drug Use Behaviors
Authors: Niyonsenga Theophile , Blackson Timothy C. , De La Rosa Mario , Rojas Patria , Dillon Frank , Ganapati Emel N.
Published: February 2012

This cross‐sectional study examined three social determinants (sociodemographics, chronic stress, and social support) and the quality of attachment among a community‐based sample of Latina mother–daughter dyads (N = 158 dyads) to document the relationship between those factors and their respective drug use. Hypotheses were: (a) the quality of mother–daughter attachment will mediate the relationship between their social support and drug use and (b) the effects of mothers’ and daughters’ chronic stress on their drug use is mediated by their social support which, in turn, is also mediated by the quality of their attachment after taking into account socio‐demographic variables. Structural equation modeling was used with dyads as the units of analyses. Our preliminary results show: (a) transgenerational dyadic concordance among the variables, (b) mothers’ higher quality of attachment scores mediated the relationship between their chronic stress and social support scores on their lower drug use scores, and (c) daughters’ attachment scores mediated the relationship between their social support scores and their lower drug use scores. Limitations are discussed. Our preliminary results provide a useful first step towards understanding the processes linking stress, social support, and attachment with drug use behaviors among Latina mothers and daughters from a culturally relevant and transgenerational perspective. (Am J Addict 2012;00:1‐11)
Potential Cultural Predictors of Heavy Episodic Drinking in Hispanic College Students
Authors: Venegas Jennifer , Cooper Theodore V. , Naylor Natasha , Hanson Brenda S. , Blow Julie A.
Published: February 2012

Heavy alcohol use in college students is a serious health risk. It is unclear how cultural variables impact alcohol use in Hispanic college populations. Here, the relationships between gender, bicultural identity, familism, and adherence to traditional gender roles with heavy episodic drinking (HED) in a Hispanic college sample are assessed. Participants, 80 males and 80 females, were asked to complete a questionnaire packet, which assessed demographic information, as well as measures designed to rate drinking amount and frequency, bicultural integration, familism, and traditional gender role adherence. Average age of the sample was 19.9 years (SD = 3.05), in which the majority of participants were classified as either Freshmen or Sophomores (88.8%). Overall, 47.5% of participants reported engaging in HED, with 51% of men and 44% of women reporting HED. Univariate analyses along with logistic regression were utilized to assess possible differences and correlates of HED. Neither individual predictors nor the overall model were statistically significant. These findings suggest the need for continued assessment of HED in Hispanic college students using other culturally based constructs, as well as psychosocial factors that are found to predict heavy drinking in other ethnocultural college‐aged students. (Am J Addict 2012;00:1‐5)
Clinical Performance and Skill Retention after Simulation‐based Education for Nephrology Fellows
Authors: Ahya Shubhada N. , Barsuk Jeffrey H. , Cohen Elaine R. , Tuazon Jennifer , McGaghie William C. , Wayne Diane B.
Published: February 2012

We previously demonstrated that simulation‐based education (SBE) improved temporary hemodialysis catheter (THDC) insertion skills by nephrology fellows. SBE, featuring deliberate practice and rigorous achievement standards, was a powerful method to enhance THDC insertion skills in nephrology fellows. However, experts have called for further research to evaluate skill transfer from the simulated environment to actual clinical care and skill retention. This is a prospective observational cohort study of THDC insertion skills. Twelve nephrology fellows from three academic centers in Chicago were evaluated using a skills checklist from July 2008 to June 2009. Simulator‐trained fellows were tested after the SBE intervention and expected to meet or exceed a minimum passing score (MPS) set by an expert panel. To assess transfer of skill to clinical care, three simulator‐trained fellows were assessed at 6 months on actual patient THDC insertions using the checklist. To assess retention of skill, 11 of 12 simulator‐trained fellows were reassessed at 1 year using the checklist and central venous catheter simulator. Outcomes were determined by THDC insertion skill performance. Simulator‐trained fellows scored similarly during 6‐month THDC insertions on actual patients and immediate posttest (M = 86.2%, SD = 22.3% vs. M = 93.5%, SD = 5.3%, p = 0.32). However, 1 year after SBE, simulated THDC insertion scores were significantly lower than at immediate posttest (M = 73.4%, SD = 22.2% vs. M = 93.5%, SD = 5.3%, p = 0.01). Our results show that nephrology fellows who completed SBE displayed high levels of performance during THDC insertions on actual patients 6 months later. At 1 year, there was statistically significant skills decay. We recommend booster training at 6 months.
PARTIAL PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF A CALCIUM‐DEPENDENT ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE FROM THE CYANOBACTERIUM ARTHROSPIRA PLATENSIS 1
Authors: Asencio Antonia D. , Morte Asuncióín , García‐Carmona Francisco , Pérez‐Gilabert Manuela
Published: February 2012

In the present study, Triton X‐114 (TX‐114) is used to extract and partially purify alkaline phosphatase (ALP) from a membranous fraction of Arthrospira platensis Gomont containing cell wall, plasma membrane, thylakoids, and sheath. TX‐114 has a double effect: solubilizing cell components to liberate the enzyme and, after phase partitioning, removing chl and other pigments present in the crude extract. The recovery of the enzyme in the aqueous phase suggests the overall hydrophilic character of this enzyme. ALP was kinetically characterized at pH 11.0 using p‐nitrophenyl phosphate as substrate, giving a Km value of 1.7 mM. Orthovanadate was seen to be a competitive inhibitor of ALP, with a Ki of 0.8 mM. The enzyme was almost completely inactivated in the presence of 70 μM EDTA, although the addition of Ca2+ reverted this inactivation; these results indicate that ALP from A. platensis is a calcium‐dependent metalloenzyme. When the effect of Ca2+ was investigated in detail, a value of 0.067 μM−1 for the affinity constant was obtained. The enzyme was histochemically localized in the cytoplasm, cell wall, and sheath using the enzyme‐labeled fluorescent substrate (ELF) method. It is assumed that the same enzyme is either soluble in the cytoplasm and in some way “trapped” in the cell wall or in the sheath. ALP localization within the sheath and the subsequent release of phosphorus (P) may benefit the neighboring cells surrounding this layer.
QUANTITATIVE REAL‐TIME POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION FOR COCHLODINIUM FULVESCENS (DINOPHYCEAE), A HARMFUL DINOFLAGELLATE FROM CALIFORNIA COASTAL WATERS1
Authors: Howard Meredith D. A. , Jones Adriane C. , Schnetzer Astrid , Countway Peter D. , Tomas Carmelo R. , Kudela Raphael M. , Hayashi Kendra , Chia Pamela , Caron David A.
Published: February 2012

Harmful blooms formed by species of the dinoflagellate Cochlodinium have caused massive fish kills and substantial economic losses in the Pacific Ocean. Recently, prominent blooms of Cochlodinium have occurred in central and southern California (2004–2008), and Cochlodinium cells are now routinely observed in microscopical analysis of algal assemblages from Californian coastal waters. The first documented economic loss due to a Cochlodinium bloom in California occurred in Monterey Bay and resulted in the mortality of commercially farmed abalone. Increasing occurrences of Cochlodinium blooms, the fact that these cells preserve poorly using standard techniques, and the difficulty of identifying preserved specimens using morphological criteria make Cochlodinium species prime candidates for the development of a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) approach. The 18S rDNA gene sequenced from Cochlodinium cells obtained from California coastal waters, as well as GenBank sequences of Cochlodinium, were used to design and test a Molecular Beacon® approach. The qPCR method developed in this study is species specific, sensitive for the detection of C. fulvescens that has given rise to the recent blooms in the eastern Pacific Ocean, and spans a dynamic abundance range of seven orders of magnitude. Initial application of the method to archived field samples collected during blooms in Monterey Bay revealed no statistically significant correlations between gene copy number and environmental parameters. However, the onset of Cochlodinium blooms in central California was consistent with previously reported findings of correlations to decreased surface temperature and increased inputs of nitrogenous nutrients.
SELECTIVE ELIMINATION OF CHLOROPLASTIDIAL DNA FOR METAGENOMICS OF BACTERIA ASSOCIATED WITH THE GREEN ALGA CAULERPA TAXIFOLIA (BRYOPSIDOPHYCEAE)1
Authors: Aires Tânia , Marbà Núria , Serrao Ester A. , Duarte Carlos M. , Arnaud‐Haond Sophie
Published: February 2012

Molecular analyses of bacteria associated with photosynthetic organisms are often confounded by coamplification of the chloroplastidial 16S rDNA with the targeted bacterial 16S rDNA. This major problem has hampered progress in the characterization of bacterial communities associated to photosynthetic organisms and has limited the full realization of the potential offered by the last generation of metagenomics approaches. A simple and inexpensive method is presented, based on ethanol and bleach treatments prior to extraction, to efficiently discard a great part of chloroplastidial DNA without affecting the characterization of bacterial communities through pyrosequencing. Its effectiveness for the description of bacterial lineages associated to the green alga Caulerpa taxifolia (M. Vahl) C. Agardh was much higher than that of the preexisting enrichment protocols proposed for plants. Furthermore, this new technique requires a very small amount of biological material compared to the other current protocols, making it more realistic for systematic use in ecological and phylogenetic studies and opening promising prospects for metagenomics of green algae, as shown by our data.