bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Visuospatial and visuomotor deficits in preterm children: the involvement of cerebellar dysfunctioning
Authors: Van Braeckel Koenraad N J A , Taylor H Gerry
Published: November 2013

One of the more consistent findings in follow‐up studies of preterm children is a deficit in visuospatial and visuomotor skills. Impairment of the dorsal visual stream and basal ganglia damage have been hypothesized to underlie this deficit. However, given recent findings of impaired cerebellar development in preterm children without lesions to this structure, and the involvement of the cerebellum in visuospatial and visuomotor functioning, we argue the cerebellum should be included in models relating impaired development of brain networks to visuospatial and visuomotor deficits in this population. Here, we review the current literature on impaired cerebellar development in preterm children, and suggest possible underlying mechanisms.
Pathophysiology of impaired hand function in children with unilateral cerebral palsy
Authors: Gordon Andrew M , Bleyenheuft Yannick , Steenbergen Bert
Published: November 2013

Unilateral spastic cerebral palsy, caused by damage to the developing central nervous system, is characterized by motor impairments mainly lateralized to one side of the body, with hand impairments greatly contributing to functional limitations. The integrity of the motor areas and the corticospinal tract (CST) is often compromised. The specific etiology may drastically influence subsequent development ofCSTpathways. Here we describe the pathophysiology underlying impaired upper extremity function, with particular emphasis on the relation betweenCSTdamage and hand function. We also describe the resulting sensory and motor deficits, with an emphasis on studies of precision grip, which highlight impairments in motor execution, sensorimotor integration, motor planning, and bimanual coordination beyond dexterity impairments. We show that the type and extent of early brain damage and/orCSTreorganization is highly predictive of the severity of these impairments. We discuss the clinical implications of these findings, including the intriguing possibility that the specific pathophysiology is predictive of treatment outcomes. We suggest that a ‘one‐treatment fits all approach’ may be insufficient, and that future rehabilitation efforts will be best guided by closely relating treatment efficacy with the specific pathophysiology.
Upper limb activity in children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy: the role of vision in movement strategies
Authors: Savelsbergh Geert J P , Ledebt Annick , Smorenburg Ana R P , Deconinck Frederik
Published: November 2013

This article reviews the capacity of children with unilateral spastic cerebral palsy (USCP) to (re)organize the available degrees of freedom and to use visual information in interceptive actions during motion with either the impaired or the less‐impaired hand. Atypical reaching movements, such as increased trunk movement or slower wrist velocity, are considered adaptive coordination patterns that are the result of a change in the constraints. It is argued that manipulation of the task context facilitates children with USCP to enhance performance. For example, when reducing the time available to intercept a ball, the children are found to exceed their usual maximum walking speed and to increase range of motion of the elbow. In addition, the children appear to rely on a visual information strategy similar to typically developing children (‘bearing angle’), although more variability is observed when using the impaired arm. The implications for interventions are, it should be recognized, that these children adapt to the impairment by reorganizing the movement system and that this process can be influenced by changing the task context. Attention should be paid to the importance of using correct visual cues for initiation and guidance of interceptive actions, which may be provoked by using external visual triggers.
Does goal setting in activity‐focused interventions for children with cerebral palsy influence treatment outcome?
Authors: Brogren Carlberg Eva , Löwing Kristina
Published: November 2013

Today, treatment for children with cerebral palsy predominantly aims at improving the children's possibilities to perform everyday activities in their natural environment. The activities in focus for intervention are often expressed as specific goals, frequently defined in a collaborative goal‐setting process between professionals and parents. The role of goal setting to improve the outcome of the intervention has not been shown in the literature so far. Thus, the aim of this systematic review was to explore if goal setting has an impact on treatment outcome assessed by standardized measures. CINAHL and MEDLINE were searched from January 2000 to October 2012, resulting in a final selection of 13 articles, six of which were randomized controlled trials. Methodological quality was assessed and study characteristics were analysed descriptively. Subject characteristics, type of intervention/s, frequency, and intensity of therapy varied largely. Outcome was assessed by standardized outcome measures as well as evaluated through aspects of goal attainment. Most studies showed robust within‐group changes according to study‐appropriate standardized measures, whereas the between‐group comparisons exhibited less consistent differences in outcome. The review does not provide support for a positive effect of goal setting per se on treatment outcome. Studies that specifically measure the effect of goal setting on treatment outcome are needed.
Marine migrations in anadromous brown trout (Salmo trutta). Fjord residency as a possible alternative in the continuum of migration to the open sea
Authors: del Villar‐Guerra Diego , Aarestrup Kim , Skov Christian , Koed Anders
Published: November 2013

Partial migration is a common phenomenon in many fish species. Trout (Salmo trutta) is a partially migratory species where some part of the population migrate to the marine environment, while another remains in freshwater. In the years 2008 and 2009, a total of 159 wild sea trout smolts were tagged with acoustic and PIT‐tags in the river Villestrup (Denmark) to study the initial postsmolt marine behaviour within a fjord system. We found that the strategies of the sea migrants vary: some stay in the fjord, while others migrate to the sea, suggesting that partial migration occurs even in the marine environments. Overall, a total of 53% of the tagged smolts migrated from the fjord to the sea, and 47% stayed (or potentially died) in the fjord. The ratios of fjord‐resident versus sea‐migrating postsmolts were consistent at the study times, and no differences between the early and late migration periods of the smolts were observed. The individual's size or body condition at the time of tagging did not affect survival or the migratory decisions in the fjord. High overall initial survival (74%) was found 30 days after the fjord entry. We suggest that within a continuum of migration to sea, there is a migratory decision point when sea trout postsmolts encounter a fjord system. At this point, postsmolts will assess the possibility of migration versus the alternative of fjord residency.
Population‐level effects of egg predation on a native planktivore in a large freshwater lake
Authors: Bunnell David B. , Mychek‐Londer Justin G. , Madenjian Charles P.
Published: November 2013

Using a 37‐year recruitment time series, we uncovered a field pattern revealing a strong, inverse relationship between bloater Coregonus hoyi recruitment success and slimy sculpin Cottus cognatus biomass in Lake Michigan (United States), one of the largest freshwater lakes of the world. Given that slimy sculpins (and deepwater sculpin Myoxocephalus thompsonii) are known egg predators that spatiotemporally overlap with incubating bloater eggs, we used recently published data on sculpin diets and daily ration to model annual bloater egg consumption by sculpins for the 1973–2010 year‐classes. Although several strong year‐classes were produced in the late 1980s when the proportion of eggs consumed by slimy sculpins was extremely low (i.e., <0.001) and several weak year‐classes were produced when the proportion of bloater eggs consumed was at its highest (i.e., >0.10–1.0), egg predation failed to explain why recruitment was weak for the 1995–2005 year‐classes when the proportion consumed was also low (i.e., <0.02). We concluded that egg predation by slimy and deepwater sculpins could have limited bloater recruitment in some years, but that some undetermined factor was more important in many other years. Given that slimy sculpin densities are influenced by piscivorous lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, the restoration of which in Lake Michigan has lagged behind those in lakes Superior and Huron, our study highlights the importance of an ecosystem perspective when considering population dynamics of fishes.
Vesicular glutamate transporter 2 is required for the respiratory and parasympathetic activation produced by optogenetic stimulation of catecholaminergic neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla of mice in vivo
Authors: Abbott Stephen B. G. , Holloway Benjamin B. , Viar Kenneth E. , Guyenet Patrice G.
Published: November 2013

Catecholaminergic neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM‐CA neurons; C1 neurons) contribute to the sympathetic, parasympathetic and neuroendocrine responses elicited by physical stressors such as hypotension, hypoxia, hypoglycemia, and infection. Most RVLM‐CA neurons express vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT)2, and may use glutamate as a ionotropic transmitter, but the importance of this mode of transmission in vivo is uncertain. To address this question, we genetically deleted VGLUT2 from dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase‐expressing neurons in mice [DβHCre/0;VGLUT2flox/flox mice (cKO mice)]. We compared the in vivo effects of selectively stimulating RVLM‐CA neurons in cKO vs. control mice (DβHCre/0), using channelrhodopsin‐2 (ChR2–mCherry) optogenetics. ChR2–mCherry was expressed by similar numbers of rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) neurons in each strain (~400 neurons), with identical selectivity for catecholaminergic neurons (90–99% colocalisation with tyrosine hydroxylase). RVLM‐CA neurons had similar morphology and axonal projections in DβHCre/0 and cKO mice. Under urethane anesthesia, photostimulation produced a similar pattern of activation of presumptive ChR2‐positive RVLM‐CA neurons in DβHCre/0 and cKO mice. Photostimulation in conscious mice produced frequency‐dependent respiratory activation in DβHCre/0 mice but no effect in cKO mice. Similarly, photostimulation under urethane anesthesia strongly activated efferent vagal nerve activity in DβHCre/0 mice only. Vagal responses were unaffected by α1‐adrenoreceptor blockade. In conclusion, two responses evoked by RVLM‐CA neuron stimulation in vivo require the expression of VGLUT2 by these neurons, suggesting that the acute autonomic responses driven by RVLM‐CA neurons are mediated by glutamate.
Related flavonoids cause cooperative inhibition of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase by multimode mechanisms
Authors: Ogunbayo Oluseye A. , Michelangeli Francesco
Published: November 2013

Flavonoids are group of plant‐derived hydroxylated polycyclic molecules found in fruit and vegetables. They are known to bio‐accumulate within humans and are considered to have beneficial health effects, including cancer chemoprotection. One mechanism proposed to explain this is that they are able to induce apoptosis in cancer cells by inhibiting a variety of kinases and also the Ca2+ ATPase. An investigation was undertaken with respect to the mechanism of inhibition for three flavonoids: quercetin, galangin and 3,6 dihydroxyflavone (3,6‐DHF). Each inhibited the Ca2+ ATPase with Ki values of 8.7, 10.3 and 5.4 μm, respectively, showing cooperative inhibition with n ~ 2. Given their similar structures, the flavonoids showed several differences in their mechanisms of inhibition. All three flavonoids stabilized the ATPase in the E1 conformation and reduced [32P]‐ATP binding. However, both galangin and 3,6‐DHF increased the affinity of Ca2+ for the ATPase by decreasing the Ca2+‐dissociation rate constant, whereas quercetin had little effect. Ca2+‐induced changes in tryptophan fluorescence levels were reduced in the presence of 3,6‐DHF and galangin (but not with quercetin), indicating that Ca2+‐associated changes within the transmembrane helices are altered. Both galangin and quercetin reduced the rates of ATP‐dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation, whereas 3,6‐DHF did not. Modelling studies suggest that flavonoids could potentially bind to two sites: one directly where nucleotides bind within ATP binding site and the other at a site close by. We hypothesize that interactions of these two neighbouring sites may account for both the cooperative inhibition and the multimode mechanisms of action seen with related flavonoids.
Foliar senescence is the most sensitive response to ozone in Bromus hordeaceus and is modulated by nitrogen input
Authors: Sanz J. , Calvete‐Sogo H. , González‐Fernández I. , Lin J. , García‐Gómez H. , Muntifering R. , Alonso R. , Bermejo‐Bermejo V.
Published: November 2013

A study was conducted on the effect of tropospheric ozone (O3) on soft brome (Bromus hordeaceus) and the modulation of its response by nitrogen (N). Two assays were conducted using open‐top chambers (OTCs). Three O3 treatments were considered: filtered air, with concentrations below background levels (charcoal‐filtered air), non‐filtered air (NFA) that simulates ambient O3 concentrations, and unfiltered air to which 40 nL L−1 O3 above‐ambient concentrations was added (NFA+), simulating elevated values recorded in natural areas of annual pastures in the Iberian Peninsula. Three N rates were used, simulating the increase in soil N through atmospheric deposition and excreta from livestock grazing. Ozone caused an augmentation in foliar senescence, whereas green biomass was not altered; consequently, an increased senescent/green biomass ratio was produced. A stronger O3 effect was detected in the second assay compared with the first. This was related to the estimated absorbed O3 fluxes, which were double the value calculated in the former. Increasing N input enhanced biomass production, but its effectiveness was greater in the first assay, under less‐favourable weather conditions and lower plant growth. In the first assay, the O3 response was modulated by N availability, which mitigated the effects of O3 to medium concentration values. In the first assay, O3 reduced the aerial/subterranean biomass ratio, caused by a positive‐trend effect on roots. Foliar concentration of lignin was increased by O3, and in vitro digestibility of aerial biomass and the plant cell wall fraction tended to decrease with increasing O3.
Relative Validity of Distinct Spatial Abilities: An example with implications for diversity
Authors: Barron Laura G. , Rose Mark R.
Published: November 2013

Despite the increasingly recognized importance of spatial ability in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, research to date has largely ignored distinctions in the criterion‐related validity and subgroup differences associated with theoretically distinct spatial abilities. This study aims to enhance practical understanding by spotlighting a prominent military context as an example wherein specific spatial abilities may be both differentially relevant and differentially apt to result in adverse impact. Analyses compared the relative importance of (i) spatial orientation, (ii) visualization, (iii) closure flexibility, and (iv) perceptual speed for predicting U.S. Air Force pilot performance (N = 1440), and compared subgroup differences in a large applicant sample (N = 10,643). Given that specific spatial abilities vary substantially in the extent to which gender differences exist, this study highlights the practical implications associated with the choice of particular spatial ability measures in personnel selection.
Positive selection drives accelerated evolution of mosquito salivary genes associated with blood‐feeding
Authors: Arcà B. , Struchiner C. J. , Pham V. M. , Sferra G. , Lombardo F. , Pombi M. , Ribeiro J. M. C.
Published: November 2013

The saliva of bloodsucking animals contains dozens to hundreds of proteins that counteract their hosts’ haemostasis, inflammation and immunity. It was previously observed that salivary proteins involved in haematophagy are much more divergent in their primary sequence than those of housekeeping function, when comparisons were made between closely related organisms. While this pattern of evolution could result from relaxed selection or drift, it could alternatively be the result of positive selection driven by the intense pressure of the host immune system. We investigated the polymorphism of five different genes associated with blood‐feeding in the mosquito Anopheles gambiae and obtained evidence in four genes for sites with signatures of positive selection. These results add salivary gland genes from bloodsucking arthropods to the small list of genes driven by positive selection.
The concept of shared mental models in healthcare collaboration
Authors: McComb Sara , Simpson Vicki
Published: November 2013

Aim

To report an analysis of the concept of shared mental models in health care.

Background

Shared mental models have been described as facilitators of effective teamwork. The complexity and criticality of the current healthcare system requires shared mental models to enhance safe and effective patient/client care. Yet, the current concept definition in the healthcare literature is vague and, therefore, difficult to apply consistently in research and practice.

Design

Concept analysis.

Data sources

Literature for this concept analysis was retrieved from several databases, including CINAHL, PubMed and MEDLINE (EBSCO Interface), for the years 1997–2013.

Methods

Walker and Avant's approach to concept analysis was employed and, following Paley's guidance, embedded in extant theory from the team literature.

Results

Although teamwork and collaboration are discussed frequently in healthcare literature, the concept of shared mental models in that context is not as commonly found but is increasing in appearance. Our concept analysis defines shared mental models as individually held knowledge structures that help team members function collaboratively in their environments and are comprised of the attributes of content, similarity, accuracy and dynamics.

Conclusion

This theoretically grounded concept analysis provides a foundation for a middle‐range descriptive theory of shared mental models in nursing and health care. Further research concerning the impact of shared mental models in the healthcare setting can result in development and refinement of shared mental models to support effective teamwork and collaboration.
Co‐targeting the PI3K/mTOR and JAK2 signalling pathways produces synergistic activity against myeloproliferative neoplasms
Authors: Bartalucci Niccolò , Tozzi Lorenzo , Bogani Costanza , Martinelli Serena , Rotunno Giada , Villeval Jean‐Luc , Vannucchi Alessandro M.
Published: November 2013

Aberrant JAK2 signalling plays a central role in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN). JAK2 inhibitors have proven to be clinically efficacious, however, they are not mutation‐specific and competent enough to suppress neoplastic clonal haematopoiesis. We hypothesized that, by simultaneously targeting multiple activated signalling pathways, MPN could be more effectively treated. To this end we investigated the efficacy of BEZ235, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, alone and in combination with the JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib, in different preclinical models of MPN. Single‐agent BEZ235 inhibited the proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of mouse and human JAK2V617F mutated cell lines at concentrations significantly lower than those required to inhibit the wild‐type counterpart, and preferentially prevented colony formation from JAK2V617F knock‐in mice and patients' progenitor cells compared with normal ones. Co‐treatment of BEZ235 and ruxolitinib produced significant synergism in all these in‐vitro models. Co‐treatment was also more effective than single drugs in reducing the extent of disease and prolonging survival of immunodeficient mice injected with JAK2V617F‐mutated Ba/F3‐EPOR cells and in reducing spleen size, decreasing reticulocyte count and improving spleen histopathology in conditional JAK2V617F knock‐in mice. In conclusion, combined inhibition of PI3K/mTOR and JAK2 signalling may represent a novel therapeutic strategy in MPN.
Using Neural Data to Test a Theory of Investor Behavior: An Application to Realization Utility
Authors: FRYDMAN CARY , BARBERIS NICHOLAS , CAMERER COLIN , BOSSAERTS PETER , RANGEL ANTONIO
Published: November 2013

We conduct a study in which subjects trade stocks in an experimental market while we measure their brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. All of the subjects trade in a suboptimal way. We use the neural data to test a “realization utility” explanation for their behavior. We find that activity in two areas of the brain that are important for economic decision‐making exhibit activity consistent with the predictions of realization utility. These results provide support for the realization utility model. More generally, they demonstrate that neural data can be helpful in testing models of investor behavior.
Gastroprotective effects (in rodents) of a flavonoid rich fraction obtained from Syngonanthus macrolepsis
Authors: Batista Leônia Maria , de Almeida Ana Beatriz Albino , de Morais Lima Gedson Rodrigues , de Sousa Falcão Heloina , de Pietro Magri Luciana , Luiz-Ferreira Anderson , dos Santos Lourdes Campaner , Hiruma-Lima Clélia Akiko , Vilegas Wagner , Souza Brito Alba Regina Monteiro
Published: November 2013

Objectives

Syngonanthus macrolepis, popularly known in Brazil as ‘sempre-vivas’, is a plant from the family Eriocaulaceae, it is found in the states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. The species contains a variety of constituents, including flavonoids with gastroprotective effect. In this work, a flavonoid-rich fraction (Sm-FRF) obtained from scapes of S. macrolepis was investigated for preventing gastric ulceration in mice and rats.

Methods

The activity was evaluated in models of induced gastric ulcer (absolute ethanol, stress, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and pylorus ligation). The cytoprotective mechanisms of the Sm-FRF in relation to sulfhydryl (SH) groups, nitric oxide (NO) and antioxidant enzymes were also evaluated.

Key findings

The Sm-FRF (100 mg/kg, p.o.) significantly reduced gastric injury in all models, and did not alter gastric juice parameters after pylorus ligation.

Conclusions

The results indicate significant gastroprotective activity for the Sm-FRF, which probably involves the participation of both SH groups and the antioxidant system. Both are integral parts of the gastrointestinal mucosa's cytoprotective mechanisms against aggressive factors.
Effect of disease states on α1-adrenoceptor binding and signal transduction parameters in isolated perfused heart: quantification by pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling
Authors: Weiss Michael , Arendt Petra , Hassna Rana
Published: November 2013

Objectives

To employ a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling approach for analysing the effect of experimental endotoxemia and mild hypoxia on α1-adrenoceptor (α1AR) binding and signal transduction.

Methods

In Langendorff-perfused rat hearts, phenylephrine was continuously infused, and [3H]-prazosin was injected as single dose (infused over 1 min). Simultaneous analysis of the time courses of prazosin outflow concentration and inotropic response (left ventricular developed pressure) using an agonist-antagonist interaction model and nonlinear regression allowed to estimate receptor affinity, as well as the parameters of the operational model of agonism.

Key findings

Both endotoxemia and hypoxia, significantly reduced the maximum response achievable in the system to 67% and 49% of the control group mean, respectively. In addition, endotoxemia decreased the efficiency of stimulus-response coupling and increased the steepness of the stimulus-response curve. In both disease models, no change in receptor affinity and density were found.

Conclusions

The results revealed the causes of reduced α1AR-mediated inotropic responsiveness in endotoxemia and hypoxia. In contrast with traditional dose-response studies, it was possible to quantify separately the underlying changes in α1AR binding and signal transduction.
Use of Withdrawal (Coitus Interruptus) for Both Pregnancy and HIV Prevention among Young Adults in Rakai, Uganda
Authors: Higgins Jenny A. , Gregor Laura , Mathur Sanyukta , Nakyanjo Neema , Nalugoda Fred , Santelli John S.
Published: November 2013

Introduction

Although understudied in the context of AIDS, use of withdrawal (coitus interruptus) with or in place of other prevention methods affects exposure to both pregnancy and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Aim

We used mixed methods to assess use of withdrawal among 15–24-year-olds in a rural Ugandan setting with considerable HIV prevalence.

Methods

We measured withdrawal reporting among (i) sexually active 15–24-year-olds enrolled in a quantitative community survey (n = 6,722) and (ii) in-depth qualitative interview participants systematically selected from the latest round of the community survey (N = 60). Respondents were asked about family planning and HIV prevention practices, including a direct question about withdrawal in the in-depth interviews.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures were reports of current use of withdrawal on the quantitative survey (general question about family planning methods) and reports of current or recent use withdrawal in qualitative interviews (specific question about withdrawal). Qualitative interviews also probed for factors associated with withdrawal use.

Results

Although less than 1% of quantitative survey participants spontaneously named withdrawal as their current family planning method, 48% of qualitative interview respondents reported current or lifetime use of withdrawal. Withdrawal was often used as a pleasurable alternative to condoms, when condoms were not available, and/or as a “placeholder” method before obtaining injectable contraception. A few respondents described using withdrawal to reduce HIV risk.

Conclusion

Qualitative findings revealed widespread withdrawal use among young adults in Rakai, mainly as a condom alternative. Thus, withdrawal may shape exposure to both pregnancy and HIV. Future behavioral surveys should assess withdrawal practices directly—and separately from other contraceptives and HIV prevention methods. Further clinical research should further document withdrawal's association with HIV risk.
Bioavailability of morphine, methadone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone following buccal administration in cats
Authors: Pypendop B. H. , Ilkiw J. E. , Shilo‐Benjamini Y.
Published: November 2013

Buccal administration of buprenorphine is commonly used to treat pain in cats. It has been argued that absorption of buprenorphine through the buccal mucosa is high, in part due to its pKa of 8.24. Morphine, methadone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone have a pKa between 8 and 9. This study characterized the bioavailability of these drugs following buccal administration to cats. Six healthy adult female spayed cats were used. Buccal pH was measured prior to drug administration. Morphine sulfate, 0.2 mg/kg IV or 0.5 mg/kg buccal; methadone hydrochloride, 0.3 mg/kg IV or 0.75 mg/kg buccal; hydromorphone hydrochloride, 0.1 mg/kg IV or 0.25 mg/kg buccal; or oxymorphone hydrochloride, 0.1 mg/kg IV or 0.25 mg/kg buccal were administered. All cats received all treatments. Arterial blood was sampled immediately prior to drug administration and at various times up to 8 h thereafter. Bioavailability was calculated as the ratio of the area under the time–concentration curve following buccal administration to that following IV administration, each indexed to the administered dose. Mean ± SE (range) bioavailability was 36.6 ± 5.2 (12.7–49.5), 44.2 ± 7.9 (18.7–70.5), 22.4 ± 6.9 (6.4–43.4), and 18.8 ± 2.0 (12.9–23.5)% for buccal administration of morphine, methadone, hydromorphone, and oxymorphone, respectively. Bioavailability of methadone was significantly higher than that of oxymorphone.
Judicial Independence: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
Authors: Graves Scott E. , Howard Robert M. , Corley Pamela C.
Published: November 2013

In this article, we directly test the presence of judicial independence by examining judicial recess appointees who have later been confirmed by the Senate to full‐time Article III judicial positions. Specifically, we compare the votes of recess‐appointed courts of appeals judges during their temporary appointment tenure with a similar period following Senate confirmation. We find substantial differences in pre‐ and postconfirmation voting, suggesting that the structural protections of the Constitution provide judges a certain amount of independence.
Characterizing the plasticity of nitrogen metabolism by the host and symbionts of the hydrothermal vent chemoautotrophic symbioses Ridgeia piscesae
Authors: Liao Li , Wankel Scott D. , Wu Min , Cavanaugh Colleen M. , Girguis Peter R.
Published: November 2013

Chemoautotrophic symbionts of deep sea hydrothermal vent tubeworms are known to provide their hosts with all their primary nutrition. While studies have examined how chemoautotrophic symbionts provide the association with nitrogen, fewer have examined if symbiont nitrogen metabolism varies as a function of environmental conditions. Ridgeia piscesae tubeworms flourish at Northeastern Pacific vents, occupy a range of microhabitats, and exhibit a high degree of morphological plasticity [e.g. long‐skinny (LS) and short‐fat (SF) phenotypes] that may relate to environmental conditions. This plasticity affords an opportunity to examine whether symbiont nitrogen metabolism varies among host phenotypes. LS and SF R. piscesae were recovered from the Axial and Main Endeavour Field hydrothermal vents. Nitrate and ammonium were quantified in Ridgeia blood, and the expression of key nitrogen metabolism genes, as well as stable nitrogen isotope ratios, was quantified in host branchial plume and symbiont‐containing tissues. Nitrate and ammonium were abundant in the blood of both phenotypes though environmental ammonium concentrations were, paradoxically, lowest among individuals with the highest blood ammonium. Assimilatory nitrate reductase transcripts were always below detection, though in both LS and SF R. piscesae symbionts, we observed elevated expression of dissimilatory nitrate reductase genes, as well as symbiont and host ammonium assimilation genes. Site‐specific differences in expression, along with tissue stable isotope analyses, suggest that LS and SF Ridgeia symbionts are engaged in both dissimilatory nitrate reduction and ammonia assimilation to varying degrees. As such, it appears that environmental conditions –not host phenotype—primarily dictates symbiont nitrogen metabolism.
Hybridization and adaptation to introduced balloon vines in anAustralian soapberry bug
Authors: Andres J. A. , Thampy P. R. , Mathieson M. T. , Loye J. , Zalucki M. P. , Dingle H. , Carroll S. P.
Published: November 2013

Contemporary adaptation of plant feeding insects to introduced hosts provides clear cases of ecologically based population divergence. In most cases the mechanisms permitting rapid differentiation are not well known. Here we study morphological and genetic variation associated with recent shifts by the Australian soapberry bugLeptocoris tagalicusonto two naturalized Neotropical balloon vines,Cardiospermum halicacabumandC. grandiflorumthat differ in time since introduction. Our results show that these vines have much larger fruits than the native hosts (Whitewood tree –Atalaya hemiglauca– and Woolly Rambutan –Alectryon tomentosus–) and that bugs living on them have evolved significantly longer beaks and new allometries. Genetic analyses of mitochondrial haplotypes and amplified fragment length polymorphic (AFLP) markers indicate that the lineage of bugs on the annual vineC. halicacabum, the older introduction, is intermediate between the two subspecies ofL. tagalicusfound on native hosts. Moreover, where the annual vine and Whitewood tree co‐occur, the morphology and genomic composition of the bugs are similar to those occurring in allopatry. These results show that hybridization provided the genetic elements underlying the strongly differentiated ‘Halicacabumbugs’. In contrast, the bugs feeding on the recently introduced perennial balloon vine (C. grandiflorum) showed no evidence of admixture, and are genetically indistinguishable from the nearby populations on a native host.
Progress towards an interdisciplinary science of plant phenology: building predictions across space, time and species diversity
Authors: Wolkovich Elizabeth M. , Cook Benjamin I. , Davies T. Jonathan
Published: November 2013

Climate change has brought renewed interest in the study of plant phenology – the timing of life history events. Data on shifting phenologies with warming have accumulated rapidly, yet research has been comparatively slow to explain the diversity of phenological responses observed across latitudes, growing seasons and species. Here, we outline recent efforts to synthesize perspectives on plant phenology across the fields of ecology, climate science and evolution. We highlight three major axes that vary among these disciplines: relative focus on abiotic versus biotic drivers of phenology, on plastic versus genetic drivers of intraspecific variation, and on cross‐species versus autecological approaches. Recent interdisciplinary efforts, building on data covering diverse species and climate space, have found a greater role of temperature in controlling phenology at higher latitudes and for early‐flowering species in temperate systems. These efforts have also made progress in understanding the tremendous diversity of responses across species by incorporating evolutionary relatedness, and linking phenological flexibility to invasions and plant performance. Future research with a focus on data collection in areas outside the temperate mid‐latitudes and across species' ranges, alongside better integration of how risk and investment shape plant phenology, offers promise for further progress.
Food allergy and food‐based therapies in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: de Theije Caroline G. M. , Bavelaar Bas M. , Lopes da Silva Sofia , Korte Sijmen Mechiel , Olivier Berend , Garssen Johan , Kraneveld Aletta D.
Published: November 2013

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are neurodevelopmental disorders which occur in childhood and may persist into adulthood. Although the etiology of these disorders is largely unknown, genetic and environmental factors are thought to play a role in the development of ASD and ADHD. Allergic immune reactions, in prenatal and postnatal phases, are examples of these environmental factors, and adverse reactions to foods are reported in these children. In this review, we address the clinical and preclinical findings of (food) allergy in ASD and ADHD and suggest possible underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, opportunities for nutritional interventions in neurodevelopmental disorders are provided.
Type‐II histone deacetylases: elusive plant nuclear signal transducers
Authors: GRANDPERRET VINCENT , NICOLAS‐FRANCÈS VALÉRIE , WENDEHENNE DAVID , BOURQUE STÉPHANE
Published: November 2013

Since the beginning of the 21st century, numerous studies have concluded that the plant cell nucleus is one of the cellular compartments that define the specificity of the cellular response to an external stimulus or to a specific developmental stage. To that purpose, the nucleus contains all the enzymatic machinery required to carry out a wide variety of nuclear protein post‐translational modifications (PTMs), which play an important role in signal transduction pathways leading to the modulation of specific sets of genes. PTMs include protein (de)acetylation which is controlled by the antagonistic activities of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Regarding protein deacetylation, plants are of particular interest: in addition to the RPD3‐HDA1 and Sir2 HDAC families that they share with other eukaryotic organisms, plants have developed a specific family called type‐II HDACs (HD2s). Interestingly, these HD2s are well conserved in plants and control fundamental biological processes such as seed germination, flowering or the response to pathogens. The aim of this review was to summarize current knowledge regarding this fascinating, but still poorly understood nuclear protein family.
Opening the black box: outcomes of interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and non‐host genotypes of Medicago depend on fungal identity, interplay between P uptake pathways and external P supply
Authors: FACELLI E. , DUAN T. , SMITH S E. , CHRISTOPHERSEN H M. , FACELLI J M. , SMITH F A.
Published: November 2013

We investigated the physiology that underlies the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) colonization on outcomes of interactions between plants. We grew Medicago truncatula A17 and its AM‐defective mutant dmi1 in intragenotypic (two plants per pot of the same genotype, x2) or intergenotypic (one plant of each genotype, 1 + 1) combinations, inoculated or not with Rhizophagus irregularis (formerly Glomus intraradices) or Gigaspora margarita. We measured plant growth, colonization, contributions of AM and direct P uptake pathways using 32P, and expression of plant Pi transporter genes at two levels of P supply. A17 (x2) responded positively to inoculation only at low P. The response was enhanced with 1 + 1 even at high P where colonization in A17 was reduced. With R. irregularis P uptake by the AM pathway was unaffected by P supply, whereas with G. margarita, the AM pathway was lower at high P, and direct uptake higher. Gene expression varied and was unrelated to P uptake through the two pathways. There was no evidence of plant control of P uptake via R. irregularis at high P but there was via G. margarita. Importantly, growth responses of plant genotypes grown alone did not predict outcomes of intergenotypic interactions.
Inhibition of female mating by male accessory gland substances in the ground beetle Leptocarabus procerulus
Authors: HAYASHI NAO , TAKAMI YASUOKI
Published: November 2013

The ground beetle Leptocarabus procerulus (Chaudoir) possesses seminal substances that have a physical function to form mating plugs and a physiological function to induce female refractory behaviour, which act together to hinder female remating. Little is known about the physiological properties of the substances inducing female refractory behaviour, especially with respect to their secretory organ, dose‐dependency, molecular characteristics and the effect of female maturity. By injecting male‐derived substances into females, substances that induce female refractory behaviour are shown to be produced in the male accessory gland but not in the testis. Injection of extracts from the accessory gland increases the female refractory period at moderate doses but not at lower or higher doses. By contrast, injection of extracts from the testis reduces the female refractory period at high doses. The lack of an effect of accessory gland substances at higher doses could be the result of an anomalous effect of unnaturally large doses of seminal products by direct injection, the toxicity of seminal substances that deter female responses, or counteraction by injected substances that promote female receptivity. The accessory gland substances lose their activity when heated, although the testis substances do not. Females without mature eggs tend to reject mating entirely, although variation in the number of mature eggs (one or more) is not associated with the female refractory period, indicating the limited effect of female reproductive maturity. These findings may help to clarify the physiological basis of the evolution of the elaborated male mating behaviour in L. procerulus.
Optimization Protocol for Storage of Goldfish (Carassius auratus) Embryos in Chilled State
Authors: Shaluei F , Imanpoor MR , Shabani A , Nasr‐Esfahani MH
Published: November 2013

Contents

A series of five experiments were conducted to explore suitable conditions for storing of goldfish embryos in a chilled state. The factors studied were embryo stage, storage temperature, physiological saline solutions and goldfish artificial coelomic fluid (GFACF) medium, antibiotics (penicillin and streptomycin), antioxidants (vitamin E, vitamin C), buffer (Hepes, Tris) and BSA (bovine serum albumin). First, goldfish embryos at eight developmental stages were incubated in aerated and dechlorinated tap water at 0°C for 24 h. Result shows that early developmental stages were most sensitive to chilling. Heartbeat‐stage goldfish embryos were chilled at 0, 4 or 8°C for up to 72 h in water, and chilled storage was possible only for up to 18, 24 and 48 h at 0, 4 and 8°C, respectively, without a decrease in viability. Chilling of goldfish embryos at 8°C in GFACF medium and Dettlaff's solution instead of water and other physiological saline solutions prolonged their viability (p < 0.01). Nevertheless, viability of chilled embryos in GFACF medium was slightly, but non‐significantly, higher than in Dettlaff's solution. Supplementation of the GFACF medium with antibiotics, Hepes or BSA increased the viability of chilled embryos, but the tested vitamin E analogue Trolox, vitamin C or Tris concentration had no effect on embryo viability. The outcome of this series of experiments shows that heartbeat‐stage goldfish embryos could be chilled for 60 h in GFACF supplemented with 25 mm Hepes, 100 U/ml penicillin, 10 μg/l streptomycin and 1 g/l BSA in such a way that embryonic development does not proceed, and viability is not lost.
Caregiver roles in families affected by Huntington's disease: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Røthing Merete , Malterud Kirsti , Frich Jan C.
Published: November 2013

Aim

The objective of this study was to explore family caregivers' experiences with the impact of Huntington's disease (HD) on the family structure and roles in the family.

Methodology

We interviewed 15 family caregivers in families affected by HD, based on a semi‐structured interview guide. The participants were recruited through hospital departments and a lay organisation for HD in Norway. Data from the interviews were analysed with systematic text condensation.

Results

Huntington's disease could have a substantial impact on the family system, the shape of roles among family members and the hierarchical order between spouses, partners, and parents and children. The relationship between spouses and partners changed during the course of the disease. A reciprocal relationship was difficult to maintain, as the role as carer overshadowed other roles. Children of an affected parent could compensate for impairments by taking on adult responsibilities, and in some families, a child had the role as main caregiver. The increasing need for care could cause conflicts between the role as family member and family caregiver. The burden of care within the family could fragment and isolate the family.

Conclusions

Huntington's disease has a major impact on family systems. Caregiver roles are shaped by impairments in the affected family member and corresponding dynamic adoption and change in roles within the family. Making assessments of the family structure and roles, professionals may understand more about how to care for and support individuals in their role as family members and caregivers in different stages of the disease and family life cycle.
The Role of Social Goals in Bullies' and Victims' Social Information Processing in Response to Ambiguous and Overtly Hostile Provocation
Authors: Smalley David , Banerjee Robin
Published: November 2013

Understanding what social goals are associated with bullying and victimization behaviours, even after allowing for biases in interpretation of and affective responses to social events, is critical for understanding the socio‐behavioural profile of bullies and victims. In the present study, 181 nine‐ to ten‐year‐olds' affective responses, attribution of intent, and social goals were assessed in the context of a series of ambiguous and overtly hostile provocation vignettes. Results showed that even after allowing for other social information processing biases, social goals were meaningfully associated with bullying and victimization scores. Bullying was inversely associated with relationship‐building goals, and positively associated with goals to be assertive over the provocateur when provocation was overtly hostile. Being victimized was associated with having submissive goals even when provocation was ambiguous and after accounting for attribution of hostile intent. Findings are discussed in light of theoretical and practical implications.
Understanding Relations between Science, Politics, and the Public: The Case of a GM Field Trial Controversy in Belgium
Authors: de Krom Michiel P.M.M. , Dessein Joost , Erbout Nathalie
Published: November 2013

In 2011, a Belgian field trial with genetically modified crops triggered fierce public protests and debates. Opponents of the trial protested against its performance and some advocated its destruction, in response to which scientists and the government defended a scientific freedom to perform the trial. This article investigates why the different stakeholders came to occupy such mutually exclusive positions towards the trial. Based on analyses of qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, document analyses, and field observations, the article argues that the different stakeholders were involved in an ontological politics. This politics centred on the question of which ontologically different, co‐existing versions of the trial should be attended to in institutionalised scientific and political appraisals of the trial. The article concludes that the institutional handling of the trial as if it represented a single reality that merited only epistemological struggles contributed to turning a multifaceted debate into a dichotomous one, figuring field trial proponents and opponents. As such, the opposition between the different stakeholders was not antecedent to the institutional handling of the trial – as different stakeholders claimed – but rather an outcome of it.
How to Apply the Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL) Properly to Parallel Geospatial Raster I/O?
Authors: Qin Cheng‐Zhi , Zhan Li‐Jun , Zhu A‐Xing
Published: November 2013

Input/output (I/O) of geospatial raster data often becomes the bottleneck of parallel geospatial processing due to the large data size and diverse formats of raster data. The open‐source Geospatial Data Abstraction Library (GDAL), which has been widely used to access diverse formats of geospatial raster data, has been applied recently to parallel geospatial raster processing. This article first explores the efficiency and feasibility of parallel raster I/O using GDAL under three common ways of domain decomposition: row‐wise, column‐wise, and block‐wise. Experimental results show that parallel raster I/O using GDAL under column‐wise or block‐wise domain decomposition is highly inefficient and cannot achieve correct output, although GDAL performs well under row‐wise domain decomposition. The reasons for this problem with GDAL are then analyzed and a two‐phase I/O strategy is proposed, designed to overcome this problem. A data redistribution module based on the proposed I/O strategy is implemented for GDAL using a message‐passing‐interface (MPI) programming model. Experimental results show that the data redistribution module is effective.