bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What can genetics tell us about the cause of fixed airflow obstruction?
Authors: Wain L. V. , Artigas M. Soler , Tobin M. D.
Published: January 2012

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of chronic morbidity and mortality worldwide with smoking being the most important risk factor of the disease. However, lung function and COPD are known to also have a genetic component and a deeper knowledge of the genetic architecture of the disease could lead to further understanding of predisposition to COPD and also to development of new therapeutic interventions. Genetic linkage studies and candidate gene association studies have not provided evidence to convincingly identify the genes underlying lung function or COPD. However, recent large genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) including tens of thousands of individuals have identified 26 variants at different loci in the human genome that show robust association with quantitative lung function measures in the general population. A growing number of these variants are being shown to be associated with COPD. Following the identification of these new lung function loci, the challenge now lies in refining the signals to identify the causative variants underlying the association signals and relating these signals to the molecular pathways that underlie lung function.
Water residence time and the dynamics of toxic cyanobacteria
Authors: ROMO SUSANA , SORIA JUAN , FERNÁNDEZ FRANCISCA , OUAHID YOUNESS , BARÓN‐SOLÁ ÁNGEL
Published: January 2012

1. Climate change affects aquatic ecosystems differently depending on local conditions. In the Mediterranean region, predicted drier seasons could especially affect lake water residence time and in consequence cyanobacteria and cyanotoxin dynamics.

2. We carried out a 3‐year study of a shallow, Mediterranean lake (Lake Albufera, Spain), to study the effects of water residence time and other drivers on the dynamics of harmful cyanobacteria and microcystin concentrations (MCYST).

3. Longer water residence time in dry years and dry seasons increased total cyanobacteria biomass, Microcystis aeruginosa populations and MCYST concentrations in the lake water and seston. Droughts increased water retention time by about 45%, and M. aeruginosa populations and MCYST were 1–2 orders of magnitude higher.

4. All samples analysed contained MCYST, and among them 70% had values above the recommended guidelines. Flows lower than 10 m3 s−1 raised toxicological risk from low to moderate‐high according to international standards. Mean MCYST concentrations bound in the cells were one order of magnitude higher than in the water (11 ± 2.9 and 1.2 ± 0.3 μg L−1, respectively).

5. The microcystin content per unit biovolume of M. aeruginosa was generally higher at the start of population growth (April–May) than at the population maximum (July–October). This was related to increase in water residence time, total phosphorus concentration and mean colony size within the edible range (<50 μm). The maximum MCYST content corresponded with average populations of 103 colonies L−1 and 2 mm3 L−1, which could additionally be used to evaluate toxicological risks in the lake.

6. Microcystis aeruginosa colonies were larger with increasing water residence time and more closely related to the lake hydrology and water column stagnation than to MCYST colony content.

7. Feasible measures for restoration and conservation of shallow Mediterranean lakes in a future climate scenario are discussed.
Local adaptation in populations of a Brachionus group plicatilis cryptic species inhabiting three deep crater lakes in Central Mexico
Authors: ALCÁNTARA‐RODRÍGUEZ JOSÉ ARTURO , CIROS‐PÉREZ JORGE , ORTEGA‐MAYAGOITIA ELIZABETH , SERRANIA‐SOTO CARMEN R. , PIEDRA‐IBARRA ELÍAS
Published: January 2012

1. Salinity is a strong selective force for many aquatic organisms, affecting both ecological and evolutionary processes. Most of our knowledge on the effects of salinity on rotifers in the Brachionus plicatilis species complex is based mainly on populations from waterbodies that experience broad environmental changes both seasonally and annually. We tested the hypothesis that, despite the supposedly high potential for gene flow among rotifers inhabiting neighbouring environments, constant salinity has promoted local adaptation, genetic population divergence and even cryptic speciation in B. plicatilis complex populations from three deep maar lakes of distinct salinities [1.1, 6.5 and 9.0 g L−1 total dissolved solids (TDS)] in Central Mexico.

2. To look for local adaptation, we performed common garden experiments to test the effect of different salinities on population density and intrinsic growth rate (r). Then, we evaluated the genetic divergence by sequencing the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene and performed reproductive trials to assess the potential gene flow among the three populations and with other closely related B. plicatilis complex species.

3. We confirmed that the rotifer populations have phenotypic plasticity in tolerance of salinity, but only rotifers from the least saline lake are adapted to low salinity. Among the populations, sequence divergence at COI was very low (just a single haplotype was found), suggesting a persistent founder effect from a relatively recent single colonisation event and a subsequent dispersal from one lake to the others, and a very restricted immigration rate. In the phylogenetic analysis, rotifers from this area of Mexico clustered in the same clade with the middle‐sized species Brachionus ibericus and B. sp. ‘Almenara’. Mexican rotifers showed successful recognition, copulation and formation of hybrids among them, but interpopulation breeding with the Spanish B. ibericus and B. sp. ‘Almenara’ was unsuccessful.

4. We conclude that the B. plicatilis complex populations from these three lakes belong to a new biological species not yet described (presently named B. sp. ‘Mexico’). To our knowledge, this is the first report of local adaptation of a natural B. plicatilis complex population living in freshwater conditions (1.1 g L−1 TDS).
Solution structures of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae calmodulin in calcium‐ and target peptide‐bound states reveal similarities and differences to vertebrate calmodulin
Authors: Ogura Kenji , Kumeta Hiroyuki , Takahasi Kiyohiro , Kobashigawa Yoshihiro , Yoshida Ryosuke , Itoh Hiroyuki , Yazawa Michio , Inagaki Fuyuhiko
Published: January 2012

We determined the solution structures of the calmodulin (CaM) isoform from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yCaM) in the calcium‐bound form and in complex with a target peptide using NMR spectroscopy and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). yCaM shows a number of unique features distinct from the vertebrate CaM isoforms: (i) it has only approximately 60% sequence identity to vertebrate CaM; (ii) its fourth Ca2+‐binding domain is inactivated by amino acid substitution. As NMR analyses of Ca2+‐bound full‐length yCaM implied that the fourth EF‐hand motif region (EF4) presents a disordered conformation, we determined the solution structure of an EF4‐deletion mutant of Ca2+‐bound yCaM. The deletion mutant showed a compact globular structure, with the target recognition sites of the N‐terminal domain and the third EF‐hand region bound to each other. Furthermore, we determined the solution structure of Ca2+‐bound yCaM complexed with a calcineurin‐derived peptide. Interestingly, the structure closely resembled that of the vertebrate CaM–calcineurin complex, with the EF4 region in cooperation with the peptide binding. Moreover, the results of SAXS analyses were consistent with the NMR solution structures and showed the conformational changes of yCaM in three functional stages. These unique structural characteristics of yCaM are closely related to Ca2+‐mediated signal transduction in yeast.
DNA–RNA hybrid formation mediates RNAi‐directed heterochromatin formation
Authors: Nakama Mina , Kawakami Kei , Kajitani Takuya , Urano Takeshi , Murakami Yota
Published: January 2012

Certain noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) implicated in the regulation of chromatin structure associate with chromatin. During the formation of RNAi‐directed heterochromatin in fission yeast, ncRNAs transcribed from heterochromatin are thought to recruit the RNAi machinery to chromatin for the formation of heterochromatin; however, the molecular details of this association are not clear. Here, using RNA immunoprecipitation assay, we showed that the heterochromatic ncRNA was associated with chromatin via the formation of a DNA–RNA hybrid and bound to the RNA‐induced transcriptional silencing (RITS) complex. The presence of DNA–RNA hybrid in the cell was also confirmed by immunofluorescence analysis using anti‐DNA–RNA hybrid antibody. Over‐expression and depletion of RNase H in vivo decreased and increased the amount of DNA–RNA hybrid formed, respectively, and both disturbed heterochromatin. Moreover, DNA–RNA hybrid was formed on, and over‐expression of RNase H inhibited the formation of, artificial heterochromatin induced by tethering of RITS to mRNA. These results indicate that heterochromatic ncRNAs are retained on chromatin via the formation of DNA–RNA hybrids and provide a platform for the RNAi‐directed heterochromatin assembly and suggest that DNA–RNA hybrid formation plays a role in chromatic ncRNA function.
The effectiveness of a self‐adjusting file to remove residual gutta‐percha after retreatment with rotary files
Authors: Abramovitz I. , Relles‐Bonar S. , Baransi B. , Kfir A.
Published: January 2012

Abramovitz I, Relles‐Bonar S, Baransi B, Kfir A. The effectiveness of a self‐adjusting file to remove residual gutta‐percha after retreatment with rotary files. International Endodontic Journal, 45, 386–392, 2012.

Aim  To test the efficacy of a two‐stage retreatment method in which the Self‐Adjusting File (SAF) is used to remove root canal filling residue left in the canal after using ProTaper Universal retreatment files.

Method  One of the curved mesial canals of 25 extracted mandibular molars was instrumented up to ProTaper F2, followed by NiTi K‐files up to size 45 and filled. Radiographs of these canals served as a pre‐treatment control, which was later compared with those of the same canals after each stage of the retreatment procedure. Stage 1 consisted of ProTaper Universal D1–D3 retreatment files, which were used to remove the bulk of root filling material, followed by stage 2 in which a SAF file was applied to remove the remaining root canal filling residue. The amount of the radiopaque material in each third of the canal was evaluated before and after each stage, using bucco‐lingual and mesio‐distal radiographs. The amount of residue was expressed as the per cent of the root canal filled area, as measured in the pre‐treatment control. The difference between the control and results of the first and second stages of retreatment was analysed using the Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results  Radiopaque residue was present after the use of the ProTaper Universal rotary files in 7.8 (±12.9)%, 12.9 (±13.9)% and 34.7 (±22.8)% of the coronal, mid‐root and apical areas, respectively. Following the supplementary application of the SAF, the amounts of residue were reduced to 2.6 (±3.7)%, 4.1 (±5.7)% and 6.7 (±9.4)% of the coronal, mid‐root and apical canal areas, respectively (P < 0.01 for the coronal and mid‐root and P < 0.001 for the apical third).

Conclusion  No system removed the root filling materials entirely. The use of the SAF after rotary instrumentation using ProTaper Universal retreatment files resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of filling residue in curved canals of mandibular molars.
Seed dispersal by Galápagos tortoises
Authors: Blake Stephen , Wikelski Martin , Cabrera Fredy , Guezou Anne , Silva Miriam , Sadeghayobi E. , Yackulic Charles B. , Jaramillo Patricia
Published: January 2012

Aim  Large‐bodied vertebrates often have a dramatic role in ecosystem function through herbivory, trampling, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. The iconic Galápagos tortoises (Chelonoidis nigra) are the largest extant terrestrial ectotherms, yet their ecology is poorly known. Large body size should confer a generalist diet, benign digestive processes and long‐distance ranging ability, rendering giant tortoises adept seed dispersers. We sought to determine the extent of seed dispersal by Galápagos tortoises and their impact on seed germination for selected species, and to assess potential impacts of tortoise dispersal on the vegetation dynamics of the Galápagos.

Location  Galápagos, Ecuador.

Methods  To determine the number of seeds dispersed we identified and counted intact seeds from 120 fresh dung piles in both agricultural and national park land. To estimate the distance over which tortoises move seeds we used estimated digesta retention times from captive tortoises as a proxy for retention times of wild tortoises and tortoise movement data obtained from GPS telemetry. We conducted germination trials for five plant species to determine whether tortoise processing influenced germination success.

Results  In our dung sample, we found intact seeds from > 45 plant species, of which 11 were from introduced species. Tortoises defecated, on average, 464 (SE 95) seeds and 2.8 (SE 0.2) species per dung pile. Seed numbers were dominated by introduced species, particularly in agricultural land. Tortoises frequently moved seeds over long distances; during mean digesta retention times (12 days) tortoises moved an average of 394 m (SE 34) and a maximum of 4355 m over the longest recorded retention time (28 days). We did not find evidence that tortoise ingestion or the presence of dung influenced seed germination success.

Main conclusions  Galápagos tortoises are prodigious seed dispersers, regularly moving large quantities of seeds over long distances. This may confer important advantages to tortoise‐dispersed species, including transport of seeds away from the parent plants into sites favourable for germination. More extensive research is needed to quantify germination success, recruitment to adulthood and demography of plants under natural conditions, with and without tortoise dispersal, to determine the seed dispersal effectiveness of Galápagos tortoises.
Ensuring oral health for older individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities
Authors: Waldman H Barry , Perlman Steven P
Published: January 2012

Aims and objectives.  To emphasise the oral health needs of older individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the impact on the individual’s general health and the role that can be played by nurses.

Background.  All too often an examination and consideration of the oral health condition of this patient population by nurses/physicians is cursory at best. The increasing retention of the dentition into later years of life provides both the favourable abilities for eating, speech and self esteem, but also the potential for local and general health concerns.

Design.  Discursive paper.

Method.  Based on the findings from dental examination of thousands of international athletes in the Special Olympic Games and clinical experiences in academic and private practice settings for care of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, a discursive listing was developed for use in a preliminary examination of the oral cavity.

Conclusion.  A nurse can play a critical role in the examination, preventive services and referrals for dental care for older individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The specific oral health needs of older individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities should be an integral component of the preventive and general health care provided by nurses.
Neuroprotective Effects of Progesterone in Chronic Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Giatti S. , Caruso D. , Boraso M. , Abbiati F. , Ballarini E. , Calabrese D. , Pesaresi M. , Rigolio R. , Santos‐Galindo M. , Viviani B. , Cavaletti G. , Garcia‐Segura L. M. , Melcangi R. C.
Published: January 2012

Observations so far obtained in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) have revealed the promising neuroprotective effects exerted by progesterone (PROG). The findings suggest that this neuroactive steroid may potentially represent a therapeutic tool for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, up to now, the efficacy of PROG has been only tested in the acute phase of the disease, whereas it is well known that MS expresses different features depending on the phase of the disease. Accordingly, we have evaluated the effect of PROG treatment in EAE induced in Dark Agouti rats (i.e. an experimental model showing a protracted relapsing EAE). Data obtained 45 days after EAE induction show that PROG treatment exerts a beneficial effect on clinical score, confirming surrogate parameters of spinal cord damage in chronic EAE (i.e. reactive microglia, cytokine levels, activity of the Na+,K+‐ATPase pump and myelin basic protein expression). An increase of the levels of dihydroprogesterone and isopregnanolone (i.e. two PROG metabolites) was also observed in the spinal cord after PROG treatment. Taken together, these results indicate that PROG is effective in reducing the severity of chronic EAE and, consequently, may have potential with respect to MS treatment.
Evaluating symptom outcomes in gastroparesis clinical trials: validity and responsiveness of the Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index‐Daily Diary (GCSI‐DD)
Authors: Revicki D. A. , Camilleri M. , Kuo B. , Szarka L. A. , McCormack J. , Parkman H. P.
Published: January 2012

Background Patient‐reported symptom scales are needed to evaluate treatments for gastroparesis. The Gastroparesis Cardinal Symptom Index‐Daily Diary (GCSI‐DD) was developed to assess daily symptoms of gastroparesis. This study evaluated the validity and responsiveness of the GCSI‐DD in patients with gastroparesis.

Methods Symptomatic patients were started with a new treatment for gastroparesis. Patients completed the GCSI‐DD each evening during a baseline week and for 8 weeks of treatment. Responders were defined based on patient and clinician global rating of change. Minimal important differences (MID) were estimated based on baseline to 4 week changes in symptoms scores for small improvements.

Key Results Of 69 patients participating, 46 had idiopathic, 19 diabetic, and four postfundoplication gastroparesis. Excellent test–retest reliability was seen for GCSI‐DD scores, and there were significant correlations between GCSI‐DD scores and clinician ratings of symptom severity. Responders to treatment reported improvements in nausea [effect size (ES) = 0.42,P < 0.001], postprandial fullness, ES = 0.83,P < 0.001), bloating (ES = 0.34,P < 0.001), early satiety (ES = 0.53,P < 0.001), but lower responses for upper abdominal pain (ES = 0.29), and vomiting (ES = 0.22;P = 0.119). MIDs were 0.55 for nausea, 0.97 for excessive fullness, 0.63 for bloating, 0.77 for postprandial fullness, and 0.30 for abdominal pain. A composite score of four symptoms (Composite‐1; nausea, bloating, excessive fullness, postprandial fullness) had ES of 0.61 and MID of 0.73. Composite‐2 score (nausea, early satiety, bloating, abdominal pain) had a lower ES of 0.47.

Conclusions & Inferences  Symptoms of early satiety, nausea, postprandial fullness, and bloating were responsive to treatment for gastroparesis. A composite of these symptoms also demonstrates validity and responsiveness to treatment for gastroparesis, and may represent an acceptable endpoint for evaluating the effectiveness of medical treatments in clinical trials for gastroparesis.
Array CGH in patients with developmental delay or intellectual disability: are there phenotypic clues to pathogenic copy number variants?
Authors: Shoukier M , Klein N , Auber B , Wickert J , Schröder J , Zoll B , Burfeind P , Bartels I , Alsat EA , Lingen M , Grzmil P , Schulze S , Keyser J , Weise D , Borchers M , Hobbiebrunken E , Röbl M , Gärtner J , Brockmann K , Zirn B
Published: January 2012

Shoukier M, Klein N, Auber B, Wickert J, Schröder J, Zoll B, Burfeind P, Bartels I, Alsat EA, Lingen M, Grzmil P, Schulze S, Keyser J, Weise D, Borchers M, Hobbiebrunken E, Röbl M, Gärtner J, Brockmann K, Zirn B. Array CGH in patients with developmental delay or intellectual disability: are there phenotypic clues to pathogenic copy number variants?

Array comparative genomic hybridization (array CGH) is now widely adopted as a first‐tier clinical diagnostic test in individuals with unexplained developmental delay/intellectual disability (DD/ID) and congenital anomalies. Our study aimed at enlarging the phenotypic spectrum associated with clinically relevant copy number variants (CNVs) as well as delineating clinical criteria, which may help separating patients with pathogenic CNVs from those without pathogenic CNVs. We performed a retrospective review of clinical and array CGH data of 342 children with unexplained DD/ID. The phenotypic features of patients with clinically significant CNV were compared with those without pathogenic CNVs. Array CGH detected pathogenic CNVs in 13.2% of the patients. Congenital anomalies, especially heart defects, as well as primary microcephaly, short stature and failure to thrive were clearly more frequent in children with pathogenic CNVs compared with children with normal array CGH results. Thus, we assume that in patients with unexplained DD/ID, array CGH will more probably detect a significant CNV if any of these features is part of the patient's phenotype.
Experience of heart transplantation from hemodynamically unstable brain‐dead donors with extracorporeal support
Authors: Yang Hsiang‐Yu , Lin Chih‐Yuan , Tsai Yi‐Ting , Lee Chung‐Yi , Tsai Chien‐Sung
Published: January 2012

Yang H‐Y, Lin C‐Y, Tsai Y‐T, Lee C‐Y, Tsai C‐S. Experience of heart transplantation from hemodynamically unstable brain‐dead donors with extracorporeal support.

Abstract:  The shortage of organ donors remains a major problem for transplantation worldwide. Potential donors after brain death may become hemodynamically unstable, despite maximal medical management, which ultimately leads to failure of organ procurement. We reviewed the medical records of five brain‐dead potential donors who presented with hemodynamic instability despite maximal medical management that were supported by extracorporeal circulation membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The outcomes of heart recipients were reviewed. The five donors under extracorporeal support finished a declaration of brain death without cardiac arrest. Donor organs, including three hearts, nine kidneys, and four livers, were harvested from the five donors under ECMO support. All three heart recipients recovered uneventfully after one yr of follow‐up. Our experience indicates that potential donors may experience central‐failure‐related hemodynamic instability after brain death, despite maximal medical support, which leads to a fatal result. Beyond medical management, prompt and early extracorporeal support for salvaging brain‐dead potential donors from cardiac death seems to be a practical strategy to increase the donor pool and preserve donor organs.
Vitamin D3 deficiency enhances allergen‐induced lymphocyte responses in a mouse model of allergic airway disease
Authors: Gorman Shelley , Tan Daryl H. W. , Lambert Misty J. M. , Scott Naomi M. , Judge Melinda A. , Hart Prue H.
Published: January 2012

To cite this article: Gorman S, Tan DHW, Lambert MJM, Scott NM, Judge MA, Hart PH. Vitamin D3 deficiency enhances allergen‐induced lymphocyte responses in a mouse model of allergic airway disease. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 83–87

There is debate as to whether vitamin D deficiency contributes towards the extent of the asthma epidemic. In this study, using a mouse model, we determined whether vitamin D deficiency in utero and during early life modulated the severity of asthma. Using dietary restriction, vitamin D3‐replete and vitamin D3‐deficient colonies of BALB/c mice were established. Utilizing the allergic airway disease model of asthma with the experimental allergen ovalbumin (OVA), we examined asthma‐like responses 24 h after airway challenge with OVA in adult offspring born to vitamin D3‐replete and vitamin D3‐deficient mothers. The ability of airway‐draining lymph node cells to proliferate and secrete cytokines in response to OVA ex vivo was significantly enhanced by vitamin D3 deficiency. However, other aspects of allergic disease, including the numbers and proportions of inflammatory cells and cytokines in the lungs and the quantity of OVA‐specific IgE in serum, were not modified. These results suggest that vitamin D3 deficiency modulates the capacity of lymphocytes to respond to allergens.
Allergy and sports in children
Authors: Del Giacco Stefano R. , Carlsen Kai‐Håkon , Du Toit George
Published: January 2012

To cite this article: Del Giacco SR, Carlsen K‐H, Du Toit G. Allergy and sports in children. Pediatric Allergy Immunol 2012: 23: 11–20.

Physical activity is beneficial for children with positive outcomes for mental and physical well‐being. Allergic conditions unique to the sporting arena may serve as an impediment to participation in physical activity for allergic children. A common example is exercise‐induced asthma; less common activity‐related allergic conditions include food‐dependent exercise‐induced anaphylaxis, exercise‐induced anaphylaxis, and exercise‐induced urticaria. Allergic children may also be at risk of allergic reactions when exposed to allergens that are more commonly found in the sports environment, e.g., latex, sports drinks, and medications such as NSAIDs. Recent advances in our understanding of the patho‐physiological and immunologic mechanisms that may account for these conditions have facilitated more effective and safer management strategies. There are also important immunologic lessons to be learnt with respect to specific physical factors that may result in diminished allergen tolerance; indeed, these lessons may facilitate safer allergen desensitisation regimens. The role of the immune system in exercise‐induced immunoallergic syndromes, clinical aspects, and diagnostic and therapeutic approaches are discussed in this review.
Metal response of transgenic tomato plantsexpressing P1B‐ATPase
Authors: Barabasz Anna , Wilkowska Anna , Ruszczyńska Anna , Bulska Ewa , Hanikenne Marc , Czarny Magdalena , Krämer Ute , Antosiewicz Danuta Maria
Published: January 2012

Heterologous expression of HMA4 (P1B‐ATPase) in plants is a useful strategy to engineer altered metal distribution in tissues for biofortification or phytoremediation purposes. This study contributes to understanding mechanisms underlying complex Zn‐dependent phenotypes observed in transgenic plants and to better predict the consequences of transgene expression. Tomato was transformed with AhHMA4p1::AhHMA4 from Arabidopsis halleri encoding the Zn export protein involved in xylem loading of Zn. Homozygous lines were tested for Zn tolerance, Zn and Fe concentrations in organs and in the apoplastic fluid, and for the expression of the transgene and tomato metal homeostasis endogenes. Expression of AhHMA4 facilitates root‐to‐shoot Zn translocation and induces Zn uptake in a Zn supply‐dependent manner. Unexpectedly, it increases Zn excess‐triggered Fe deficiency in leaves and transcriptional activation of Fe‐uptake systems in roots. Moreover, AhHMA4 expression causes Zn overload of the apoplast, which may contribute to enhanced Zn sensitivity of transgenics and may lead to cell‐wall remodeling. This study highlights that alteration of the apoplast/symplast Zn status through introduction of cellular Zn export activity via AhHMA4 may alter tomato metal homeostasis network, thus seems to be crucial in the generation of the phenotype of transgenic tomato.
Pedigree‐ and marker‐based methods in the estimation of genetic diversity in small groups of Holstein cattle
Authors: Engelsma K.A. , Veerkamp R.F. , Calus M.P.L. , Bijma P. , Windig J.J.
Published: January 2012

Genetic diversity is often evaluated using pedigree information. Currently, diversity can be evaluated in more detail over the genome based on large numbers of SNP markers. Pedigree‐ and SNP‐based diversity were compared for two small related groups of Holstein animals genotyped with the 50 k SNP chip, genome‐wide, per chromosome and for part of the genome examined. Diversity was estimated with coefficient of kinship (pedigree) and expected heterozygosity (SNP). SNP‐based diversity at chromosome regions was determined using 5‐Mb sliding windows, and significance of difference between groups was determined by bootstrapping. Both pedigree‐ and SNP‐based diversity indicated more diversity in one of the groups; 26 of the 30 chromosomes showed significantly more diversity for the same group, as did 25.9% of the chromosome regions. Even in small populations that are genetically close, differences in diversity can be detected. Pedigree‐ and SNP‐based diversity give comparable differences, but SNP‐based diversity shows on which chromosome regions these differences are based. For maintaining diversity in a gene bank, SNP‐based diversity gives a more detailed picture than pedigree‐based diversity.
Pityriasis versicolor during anti‐TNF‐α monoclonal antibody therapy: therapeutic considerations
Authors: Balestri Riccardo , Rech Giulia , Piraccini Bianca Maria , Antonucci Angela , Ismaili Alma , Patrizi Annalisa , Bardazzi Federico
Published: January 2012

Anecdotal reports have shown that tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α inhibition may cause unchecked superficial infection with the microorganisms responsible for pityriasis versicolor (PV). We observed several cases of PV, which is frequently resistant to topical therapies, in psoriatic patients undergoing anti‐TNF‐α monoclonal antibody therapy. To evaluate the incidence and the therapeutic management of PV in this group of individuals, between 1 January and 27 December 2010, we examined 153 psoriatic patients for the hypopigmented/hyperpigmented macular and scaling lesions associated with PV. All patients positive for PV were given topical therapy with miconazole nitrate cream twice daily for 28 days, after which they were re‐evaluated. In patients non‐responsive to topical therapy, we started systemic therapy with fluconazole, 300 mg week−1 for 3 weeks. We diagnosed seven cases of PV. At the end of topical treatment, complete healing of lesions was observed in only one patient. In the other six patients, systemic treatment led to complete resolution of the infection. Although the onset of PV during anti‐TNF‐α therapy is seldom reported, it is not likely to be rare, but rather under‐reported because of its limited pathological significance. In our opinion, the therapeutic management of this condition deserves greater consideration, as the use of topical treatments alone is largely ineffective compared with systemic treatment.
Urgency of referral and its impact on outcome in patients with colorectal cancer
Authors: Ramsay G. , MacKay C. , Nanthakumaran S. , Craig W. L. , McAdam T. K. , Loudon M. A.
Published: January 2012

Aim  Primary care referral for patients with bowel symptoms is triaged by general practitioners to urgent or routine based on the clinical suspicion of malignancy. Triage directly influences time to assessment and investigation. This study aimed to establish whether urgency of referral of patients with large bowel malignancy has any effect on management.

Method  An analysis was undertaken of all patients with colorectal cancer referred by primary care and discussed at the regional colorectal multi‐disciplinary team (MDT) meetings from January 2009 to December 2010. Demographics and tumour data were collated prospectively from MDT records, and operation and investigation reports.

Results  Of 369 primary case referrals with colorectal cancer, 303 (82.1%) were urgent and 66 (17.9%) routine. Patient characteristics (age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade) and resection rates were similar in both groups and no significant difference in tumour location was observed. The time from referral to diagnosis was significantly longer in the routine group (mean 73.7 days vs 30.2 days; P = 0.001). Dukes stage was less advanced for the routine referral group, (P = 0.002).

Conclusion  Urgency of referral decreased the time to diagnosis. This did not influence resection rates. Dukes stage was higher for urgent referrals. Long‐term follow‐up is required to determine any impact on survival.
Effectiveness of interventions for reducing diabetes and cardiovascular disease risk in people with metabolic syndrome: systematic review and mixed treatment comparison meta‐analysis
Authors: Dunkley A. J. , Charles K. , Gray L. J. , Camosso‐Stefinovic J. , Davies M. J. , Khunti K.
Published: January 2012

Aims: To review the evidence on interventions for reversing metabolic syndrome or preventing development of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in people with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: A systematic review and Bayesian mixed treatment comparison meta‐analysis was conducted. Relevant electronic bibliographic databases were searched up to January 2010. Included studies were randomized controlled trials with a follow‐up of ≥24 weeks and outcomes comparing incidence of diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease, or reversal of metabolic syndrome.

Results: A total of 16 studies met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen studies with outcome data for reversal of metabolic syndrome, involving 3907 participants, were included in the meta‐analysis. Insufficient trials reported cardiovascular events/mortality, or incidence of type 2 diabetes, to conduct a meta‐analysis for these outcomes. Interventions, alone or in combination, included lifestyle (diet and/or exercise) and pharmacological therapy. Using random‐effect models, both lifestyle (odds ratio, OR 3.81; 95% confidence interval, CI 2.47–5.88) and pharmacological interventions (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.04–2.45) were statistically superior compared with control for reversing metabolic syndrome. Using mixed treatment comparison methods, the probability that lifestyle interventions were the most clinically effective was 87%.

Conclusions: Evidence suggests that both lifestyle and pharmacological interventions can reverse metabolic syndrome. However, there is a lack of data on whether these benefits are sustained and translate into longer term prevention of diabetes and/or cardiovascular disease.
Disruption of writing processes by the semanticity of background speech
Authors: SÖRQVIST PATRIK , NÖSTL ANATOLE , HALIN NIKLAS
Published: January 2012

Sörqvist, P., Nöstl, A. & Halin, N. (2012). Disruption of writing processes by the semanticity of background speech. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 53, 97–102.

Previous studies have noted that writing processes are impaired by task‐irrelevant background sound. However, what makes sound distracting to writing processes has remained unaddressed. The experiment reported here investigated whether the semanticity of irrelevant speech contributes to disruption of writing processes beyond the acoustic properties of the sound. The participants wrote stories against a background of normal speech, spectrally‐rotated speech (i.e., a meaningless sound with marked acoustic resemblance to speech) or silence. Normal speech impaired quantitative (e.g., number of characters produced) and qualitative/semantic (e.g., uncorrected typing errors, proposition generation) aspects of the written material, in comparison with the other two sound conditions, and it increased the duration of pauses between words. No difference was found between the silent and the rotated‐speech condition. These results suggest that writing is susceptible to disruption from the semanticity of speech but not especially susceptible to disruption from the acoustic properties of speech.
Heterogeneous Academic‐Industry Knowledge Linkage, Heterogeneous IPR, and Growth
Authors: SPINESI LUCA
Published: January 2012

Empirical evidence shows the existence of relevant spillovers from the stock of academic basic knowledge on industry. Interestingly, such spillovers are highly specific in that firms’ academic learning responds strongly to federally funded R&D in closely affiliated universities. Moreover, with the aim of enhancing such a technological transfer from academia to industry, the policy design of many OECD countries allows worthy academic ideas to be granted the same intellectual property rights (IPR) as industrial innovations. In distinguishing the stages of an R&D process within a dynamic general equilibrium model, this paper explicitly considers both industrial and government R&D efforts, with heterogeneous academic knowledge spillovers among industry lines. The results show that both the industrial R&D effort and the growth rate are spurred more by a “softer” IPR regime granted to academic ideas than by an increase in the industrial R&D subsidy.
Dual Poverty Trap: Intra‐ and Intergenerational Linkages in Frictional Labor Markets
Authors: HORII RYO , SASAKI MASARU
Published: January 2012

This paper constructs an overlapping generations model with a frictional labor market to explain persistent low education in developing countries. When parents are uneducated, their children often face difficulties in finishing school and therefore are likely to remain uneducated. Moreover, if children expect that other children of the same generation will not receive an education, they expect that firms will not create enough jobs for educated workers, and thus are further discouraged from schooling. These intergenerational and intragenerational mechanisms reinforce each other, creating a serious poverty trap. Escape from the trap requires the well‐organized and combined implementation of a subsidy for schooling, support for disadvantaged children, and public awareness programs.
Evaluating the Rating of Stiftung Warentest: How Good Are Mutual Fund Ratings and Can They Be Improved?
Authors: Müller Sebastian , Weber Martin
Published: January 2012

We test the abilities of the Stiftung Warentest fund rating system to predict future fund performance among German registered funds for six equity categories: Germany, Euro‐Zone, Europe, North America, Pacific and World. Stiftung Warentest is a consumer protection agency and a major provider of fund ratings in Germany. Our empirical analysis documents predictive abilities of the rating system. The reason is that measures of past performance are positively related to future performance in several of these markets, even after controlling for momentum. Measures of fund activity (e.g., Active Share) are also helpful to predict performance, in particular to identify likely future losers. Hence, they should be taken into consideration by consumers when selecting a fund and rating agencies when revising current rating methodologies.
The Determinants of Risk Aversion: The Role of Intergenerational Transmission
Authors: De Paola Maria
Published: January 2012

This article studies the relationship between risk attitudes and individual characteristics focusing on the intergenerational transmission of risk preferences. We use a dataset of a sample of Italyn students which allows us to build different measures of risk aversion based, respectively, on a survey asking students about their willingness to invest in a risky asset and about their preferences for job security and on the results of an entry test using explicit penalty points in the case of incorrect answers. In line with the findings highlighted by the existing literature, we find that women are more risk averse than men, more patient subjects are more risk averse, while high-ability students are less risk averse. As far as intergenerational transmission of preferences is concerned, it emerges that students whose fathers are entrepreneurs have a higher propensity to take risks, while students whose fathers are employed in the public sector are more risk averse. Only fathers matter with regards to their children’s risk attitudes. These results are robust to different measures of risk aversion and to different specifications of our model.
THE EPISTEMIC AND MORAL ROLE OF TESTIMONY1
Authors: TOZZI VERÓNICA
Published: January 2012

My aim in this article is to provide a critical‐productive appreciation of witness testimony that avoids the false and crooked dichotomies that pervade contemporary philosophy of history and historical theory. My specific, pragmatist approach combines the recent accounts of Hayden White about “witness literature” with the “generative‐performative” consideration of testimony by Martin Kusch. The purpose is to appreciate, in a non‐foundationalist way, the epistemic and moral role of testimony in the constitution of the representation of the recent past. To achieve this I examine the assumed epistemic and political privilege of the testimonies of survivors of state terrorism from the recent past, and I draw on insights of three of the most relevant survivor witnesses: Primo Levi, Victor Klemperer, and Pilar Calveiro. The essay tries to avoid both an epistemic and a moral posture based on something like “the privileged victim's perspective,” and instead approaches the specific analysis of production and circulation of witness discourse in terms of its contribution to the constitution of the past. That is, it recommends that one look at witness testimony not as an attempt to return to the past but as an action in the present. The result in so doing is to follow some recent results discussed in the new epistemology of witness testimony, which insist that: first, trust in testimony is an irreducible function of the acceptance of knowledge (this means that testimonies should not be treated as secondary sources of knowledge or as parasitical on experience and reason); and second, the production‐circulation of testimonies does not function only in the context of justification but is also legitimately constitutive of knowledge.
THE DIALECTICS OF JAMESON'S DIALECTICS
Authors: Ankersmit Frank
Published: January 2012

This review essay attempts to understand the book under review against the background of Jameson's previous writings. Failing to do so would invite misunderstanding since there are few contemporary theorists whose writing forms so much of a unity. Jameson's book can be divided into three parts. The first and most important part deals with dialectics, the second with politics, and the third with philosophy of history. In the first part Jameson argues that dialectics best captures our relationship to the sociocultural and historical world we are living in. The second part makes clear that Jameson is not prepared to water down his own Marxist politics in order to spare the liberal sensibilities of his political opponents. In the third part Jameson develops his own philosophy of history, mainly in a dialogue with Ricoeur. Dialectics is his main weapon in his discussion with Ricoeur, and it becomes clear that the Spinozism of dialectics allows for a better understanding of history and of historical writing than does Ricoeur's phenomenological approach. The book is an impressive testimony to the powers of dialectical thought and to its indispensability for a proper grasp of historical writing.
The effects of lipase‐encapsulating carriers on the accelerated ripening of Kashar cheese
Authors: AKıN M SERDAR , GÜLER‐AKıN MUTLU B , KıRMACı HÜSEYIN A , ATASOY A FERIT , TÜRKOĞLU HUSEYIN
Published: January 2012

In this study, lipase enzymes were encapsulated in κ‐carragenan, gellan and sodium alginate using emulsion and extrusion techniques and were then added to cheese milk together with rennet. The effects of the encapsulating material and ripening period on the chemical, textural and sensory characteristics of Kashar cheese were investigated. The study demonstrated that sodium alginate, gellan and κ‐carrageenan could successfully be used as lipase carrier systems to accelerate the fat breakdown process during the ripening of Kashar cheese. Those samples treated with κ‐carrageenan capsules showed the highest rate of lipolysis and proteolysis compared to those treated with the other capsules.
Nature, culture, and the work of physical geography
Authors: Tadaki Marc , Salmond Jennifer , Le Heron Richard , Brierley Gary
Published: January 2012

Human–environment relationships are increasingly regarded as complex and worthy of interdisciplinary scrutiny. In this context, several physical geographers have made calls for their subdiscipline to take a ‘cultural turn’ and engage more fully with human elements of environmental change. However, despite sharing a general commitment to thinking about the material implications of human behaviours, definitions proposed for a cultural physical geography lack theoretical rigour and consistency. This paper interrogates the prospects for a refreshed cultural turn in physical geography by situating it within its constitutive, historical and institutional dimensions. First, how might ‘culture’ be defined and constituted, and with what implications? This question recognises that conceptual work around culture depends upon the sociotheoretical paradigms that are chosen. Second, an exploration of key moments in the definition of geographical research projects and trajectories provides insight into why this turn has not happened before, and what kind of work was pursued in its place. Third, a cultural turn positions physical geography to do particular kinds of work within wider ecologies of knowledge production. Careful reflection on the methods and commitments of different approaches is needed to assess where and how such a project might be at all geographical. The notion of culture embraced and practised by physical geographers has material, epistemological, institutional and ethical implications. Broadening the scope of ‘work’ from the outputs to the outcomes of geographical practice creates the conceptual space for much needed reflection and dialogue. A cultural turn that acknowledges the ‘webs of significance’ within which physical geography is embedded presents a progressive trajectory of inquiry.
Age Patterns of Incidence of Geriatric Disease in the U.S. Elderly Population: Medicare‐Based Analysis
Authors: Akushevich Igor , Kravchenko Julia , Ukraintseva Svetlana , Arbeev Konstantin , Yashin Anatoliy I.
Published: January 2012

Objectives

To use the Medicare Files of Service Use (MFSU) to evaluate patterns in the incidence of aging‐related diseases in the U.S. elderly population.

Design

Age‐specific incidence rates of 19 aging‐related diseases were evaluated using the National Long Term Care Survey (NLTCS) and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Registry data, both linked to MFSU (NLTCS‐M and SEER‐M, respectively), using an algorithm developed for individual date at onset evaluation.

Setting

A random sample from the entire U.S. elderly population (Medicare beneficiaries) was used in NLTCS, and the SEER Registry data covers 26% of the U.S. population.

Participants

Thirty‐four thousand seventy‐seven individuals from NLTCS‐M and 2,154,598 from SEER‐M.

Measurements

Individual medical histories were reconstructed using information on diagnoses coded in MFSU, dates of medical services and procedures, and Medicare enrollment and disenrollment.

Results

The majority of diseases (e.g., prostate cancer, asthma, and diabetes mellitus) had a monotonic decline (or decline after a short period of increase) in incidence with age. A monotonic increase in incidence with age with a subsequent leveling off and decline was observed for myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, ulcer, and Alzheimer's disease. An inverted U‐shaped age pattern was detected for lung and colon carcinomas, Parkinson's disease, and renal failure. The results obtained from the NLTCS‐M and SEER‐M were in agreement (excluding an excess for circulatory diseases in the NLTCS‐M). A sensitivity analysis proved the stability of the incidence rates evaluated.

Conclusion

The developed computational approaches applied to the nationally representative Medicare‐based data sets allow reconstruction of age patterns of disease incidence in the U.S. elderly population at the national level with unprecedented statistical accuracy and stability with respect to systematic biases.