bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of drought stress on growth and quality of miscanthus for biofuel production
Authors: van der Weijde Tim , Huxley Laurie M. , Hawkins Sarah , Sembiring Eben Haeser , Farrar Kerrie , Dolstra Oene , Visser Richard G. F. , Trindade Luisa M.
Published: June 2016

Miscanthus has a high potential as a biomass feedstock for biofuel production. Drought tolerance is an important breeding goal in miscanthus as water deficit is a common abiotic stress and crop irrigation is in most cases uneconomical. Drought may not only severely reduce biomass yields, but also affect biomass quality for biofuel production as cell wall remodeling is a common plant response to abiotic stresses. The quality and plant weight of 50 diverse miscanthus genotypes were evaluated under control and drought conditions (28 days no water) in a glasshouse experiment. Overall, drought treatment decreased plant weight by 45%. Drought tolerance – as defined by maintenance of plant weight – varied extensively among the tested miscanthus genotypes and ranged from 30% to 110%. Biomass composition was drastically altered due to drought stress, with large reductions in cell wall and cellulose content and a substantial increase in hemicellulosic polysaccharides. Stress had only a small effect on lignin content. Cell wall structural rigidity was also affected by drought conditions; substantially higher cellulose conversion rates were observed upon enzymatic saccharification of drought‐treated samples with respect to controls. Both cell wall composition and the extent of cell wall plasticity under drought varied extensively among all genotypes, but only weak correlations were found with the level of drought tolerance, suggesting their independent genetic control. High drought tolerance and biomass quality can thus potentially be advanced simultaneously. The extensive genotypic variation found for most traits in the evaluated miscanthus germplasm provides ample scope for breeding of drought‐tolerant varieties that are able to produce substantial yields of high‐quality biomass under water deficit conditions. The higher degradability of drought‐treated samples makes miscanthus an interesting crop for the production of second‐generation biofuels in marginal soils.
p‐Functional Clusters Location Problem for Detecting Spatial Clusters with Covering Approach
Authors: Kim Kamyoung , Chun Yongwan , Kim Hyun
Published: June 2016

Regionalization or districting problems commonly require each individual spatial unit to participate exclusively in a single region or district. Although this assumption is appropriate for some regionalization problems, it is less realistic for delineating functional clusters, such as metropolitan areas and trade areas where a region does not necessarily have exclusive coverage with other regions. This paper develops a spatial optimization model for detecting functional spatial clusters, named the p‐functional clusters location problem (p‐FCLP), which has been developed based on the Covering Location Problem. By relaxing the complete and exhaustive assignment requirement, a functional cluster is delineated with the selective spatial units that have substantial spatial interaction. This model is demonstrated with applications for a functional regionalization problem using three journey‐to‐work flow datasets: (1) among the 46 counties in South Carolina, (2) the counties in the East North Central division of the US Census, and (3) all counties in the US. The computational efficiency of p‐FCLP is compared with other regionalization problems. The computational results show that detecting functional spatial clusters with contiguity constraints effectively solves problems with optimality in a mixed integer programming (MIP) approach, suggesting the ability to solve large instance applications of regionalization problems.
Meet the good child. ‘Childing’ practices in family food co‐shopping
Authors: Gram Malene , Grønhøj Alice
Published: June 2016

This article explores ‘childing’ pratices in relation to family supermarket shopping in Denmark. ‘Parenting’ practices have been explored for long but little attention has been given to how children strive to be ‘good’ children, who live up to certain standards and recognize what they perceive to be appropriate child and parental behavior. The study takes a practice theoretical perspective, building on previous research on family consumption, and draws empirically on 35 interviews with 5–6 year‐olds and 13 family interviews. Findings show that the children recognize the position of ‘the good child’ and most often prefer to take on this position, which is confirmed by their parents. The children can describe how ‘the good child’—in their eyes—should behave. They prefer consensus and not being embarrassing or embarrassed. The study concludes that the children are strongly immersed in social norms and family practices, and that the Danish national/cultural context probably reinforces these children as independent consumers, who are well aware of the requirements of the consumer role. Childing practices are a standard with know‐how and rules that these children argue they live by—at least most of the time—and by which they judge their own behavior and that of other children.
The development of brand awareness in young children: how do young children recognize brands?
Authors: Aktaş Arnas Yaşare , Taş͓ Işıl , Gürgah Oğul İrem
Published: June 2016

The purpose of the research is to investigate when young children develop brand awareness by means of using some clues. A total of 66 children, aged 3–5, attending a preschool participated in the research. Individual interviews were performed to investigate children's brand awareness. In line with this purpose, the brand logo, brand character and 41 flashcards containing some photos belonging to the product packaging of the brand were presented to the children. The children were instructed to say the name of the brand and the product it belonged to after looking at the photos on the cards. The results of this research showed brand awareness in children as early as 3 years old. Even 3‐year‐old children remembered both the brand and the product after seeing the brand's logo, packaging and character. The young children, however, had more difficulties in remembering the brand's name, and most of the time, they remembered the product but not the brand's name correctly. While the age of the children was an important predictor of brand awareness, the effect of gender was not significant. There were differences in the variety of brands that were remembered by the female and male children. Brand awareness showed an increase in direct proportion to age.
A global perspective of the roles of the pharmacist in the NICU
Authors: Krzyzaniak Natalia , Bajorek Beata
Published: June 2016

Objectives

To describe pharmacist practice and roles performed in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) worldwide and to map these findings along the medicines management pathway (MMP).

Method

Quasi-systematic review.

Search Strategy

Google Scholar, Medline/PubMed and Embase were searched utilising the selected MeSH terms.

Results

Thirty sources of information were reviewed. Overall, pharmacist practice in the NICU involves a wide-range of roles, with the most commonly reported involving patient medication chart review, therapeutic drug monitoring and the provision of medication information. Studies highlight that pharmacist contribution to total parenteral nutrition (TPN) regimens and patient medication chart review is beneficial to patient outcomes. Roles beyond the regular scope of practice included involvement in immunisation programmes and research. Most of the data were collected from the USA (13 of 30), followed by the UK (6 of 30) and reports from other countries. The American, British, South African and Australian articles have reported very similar roles, with a pharmacist firmly integrated into the overall structure of the NICU team.

Conclusion

The literature identifies that there is insufficient evidence to describe what roles are currently performed in NICUs worldwide. This is due to the lack of recently published articles leading to a large gap in knowledge in understanding what contemporary pharmaceutical services in the NICU comprise. Further research is required to address these gaps in knowledge, and identify the impact of the pharmacist's role on neonatal patient outcomes as well as to determine how to better resource NICUs to access pharmacy services.
Income Inequality in Host Countries and Remittances: A Discussion of the Determinants of Portuguese Emigrants' Remittances
Authors: Mourao Paulo Reis
Published: June 2016

The evolution of income inequality in host countries affects the migrants working there. As a significant number of these migrants do not earn high incomes, this evolution tends to significantly affect migrants' abilities to send money back to their home countries. We test this hypothesis considering the evolution of income inequality in 59 countries with Portuguese emigrants through observations from 1996 to 2014. Using the system generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator, we found that an increase in income inequality leads to fewer remittances per emigrant. We also controlled income inequality with several determinants of remittances, including the real GDP per capita, unemployment rate, education skills, and the self‐employment rates of the host countries.
Improved the Durability of Thermal Barrier Coatings with Interface Modified by Three‐Dimensional Mesh Patterns
Authors: Luo L. , Zhang X. , Zou Z. , Guo F. , Qi H. , Zhao X. , Xiao P.
Published: June 2016

An approach to improve the lifetime of air plasma sprayed (APS) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) by modifying the interfacial microstructure has been reported. The laser powder deposition technique was employed to fabricate the mesh structure (with the same composition as the bond coat) at the ceramic–substrate interface. After thermal cycling test, the APS TBCs with the mesh exhibited a much less spallation degree (5%–10%) compared with the reference samples without mesh (>50%), implying that the mesh is effective in impeding the crack propagation along the interface. In addition, the effect of the mesh geometry parameters, e.g., height and spacing of mesh, on the spallation degree of TBCs was also investigated. Based on the results of experiment and calculation, the optimal mesh parameters were proposed.
Task framing reduces emotion decoding negativity biases in social anxiety
Authors: Young Steven G. , Lamson William
Published: June 2016

Social anxiety is associated with difficulty in decoding emotional expressions. In this work, we present two experiments demonstrating that manipulating the apparent social relevance of an emotion‐identification task can reduce these difficulties. In Experiment 1, we find that social anxiety predicts an oversensitivity to anger expressions when participants are told they are completing a task that measures social skills. However, when the same task is framed as a measure of intellectual skills, this oversensitivity to anger is eliminated. Experiment 2 finds that social anxiety interferes with participants' ability to discriminate real from fake smiles when participants are told they are completing a test of social skills, but not when they are completing an ostensible measure of intellectual skills.
The ECB's Monetary Dialogue with the European Parliament: Efficiency and Accountability during the Euro Crisis?
Authors: Collignon Stefan , Diessner Sebastian
Published: June 2016

The monetary dialogue between the European Parliament and the European Central Bank (ECB) is a key component for the democratic accountability of the independent central bank. We provide new evidence for the efficiency of the dialogue and present the results of a survey conducted amongst the members of the parliament's ECON (economic and monetary affairs) committee. We find that while the monetary dialogue may have had little or even a negative impact on financial markets, it plays a significant role in informing and involving members of parliament and their constituencies. Amidst an intensifying debate about the communication and transparency of the ECB, these findings shed new light on the current state of affairs of ECB accountability and its alleged need for enhancement.
Early healing of peri‐implant mucosa in man
Authors: Tomasi Cristiano , Tessarolo Francesco , Caola Iole , Piccoli Federico , Wennström Jan L. , Nollo Giandomenico , Berglundh Tord
Published: June 2016

Aim

To analyse (i) cellular and vascular densities in the connective tissue interface portion of the peri‐implant mucosa and (ii) tissue interactions with the titanium surface during early stages of healing.

Materials and Methods

Circumferential biopsies of peri‐implant soft tissues were retrieved together with custom‐made abutments at 27 implants in 21 patients after 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 weeks of healing. Following fixation, the peri‐implant soft tissue was separated from the abutments, divided into four units and embedded in paraffin. Sections were produced and prepared for immunohistochemical analysis. The abutments were examined by SEM.

Results

T and B cells occurred in clusters with a decreasing cell density from 4 to 8 weeks of healing in the connective tissue lateral of the abutment. Macrophages were evenly distributed in the connective tissue along the abutment/tissue interface, while polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells were confined to the tissue portion lateral to the junctional epithelium. Vascular structures showed a decrease in density from 2 to 8 weeks of healing. SEM analyses of the abutments revealed an increased presence of tissue remnants attached to the surface with increasing healing time. A biofilm was consistently observed in a supra‐mucosal position, apical of which a “clear zone” occurred that separated the tissue remnants and the biofilm.

Conclusion

Onset and resolution of inflammation together with increasing tissue attachment to the implant characterize healing of peri‐implant mucosa.
Reference Tree and Environmental Sequence Diversity of Labyrinthulomycetes
Authors: Pan Jingwen , del Campo Javier , Keeling Patrick J.
Published: June 2016

Labyrinthulomycetes are heterotrophic stramenopiles that are ubiquitous in a wide range of both marine and freshwater habitats and play important roles in decomposition of organic matter. The diversity and taxonomy of Labyrinthulomycetes has been studied for many years, but we nevertheless lack both a comprehensive reference database and up‐to‐date phylogeny including all known diversity, which hinders many global insights into their ecological distribution and the relative importance of various subgroups in different environments. Here, we present a curated reference database and a phylogenetic tree of Labyrinthulomycetes small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU or 18S rRNA) data. Based on this created reference database, we analyzed high‐throughput environmental sequencing data, revealing many previously unknown environmental clades and exploring the ecological distribution of various subgroups. Particularly, a number of newly identified environmental clades that are widespread in the open ocean. Comparing the manually curated reference database to existing tools for identification of environmental sequences (e.g. PR2 or SILVA databases) suggests that the curated database provides a higher degree of specificity and a lower frequency of misidentification. The phylogenetic framework and database will be a useful tool for future ecological and evolutionary studies.
Simultaneous spawning by female stream gobyRhinogobiussp. and the association with brood cannibalism by nesting males
Authors: Ito S. , Iwao H. , Sakata J. , Inoue M. , Omori K. , Yanagisawa Y.
Published: June 2016

A laboratory experiment was conducted by varying the undersurface area of nesting substratum and the number of females in an experimental tank to elucidate the determinants of the mating pattern in the stream goby,Rhinogobiussp. cross‐band type. Males with larger nests tended to attract two or more females to their nest in a tank. Moreover, males spawned simultaneously with multiple females and entire brood cannibalism by males was rarely observed under a female‐biased sex ratio. When males spawned with a single female with low fecundity, however, entire brood cannibalism occurred at a high frequency, suggesting that a male guarding a nest with fewer eggs consumes the brood. Therefore, spawning behaviour of females that leads to a large egg mass would decrease the risk of entire brood cannibalism. In this species, simultaneous spawning by multiple females in a nest serves as a female counter‐measure against entire brood cannibalism. These results suggest that a conflict of interest between the sexes through brood cannibalism is a major determinant of simultaneous spawning.
Aversive responses of captive sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus to strong magnetic fields
Authors: Siegenthaler A. , Niemantsverdriet P. R. W. , Laterveer M. , Heitkönig I. M. A.
Published: June 2016

This experimental study focused on the possible deterrent effect of permanent magnets on adult sandbar sharks Carcharhinus plumbeus. Results showed that the presence of a magnetic field significantly reduced the number of approaches of conditioned C. plumbeus towards a target indicating that adult C. plumbeus can be deterred by strong magnetic fields. These data, therefore, confirm that the use of magnetic devices to reduce shark by‐catch is a promising avenue.
Rab7 induces clearance of α‐synuclein aggregates
Authors: Dinter Elisabeth , Saridaki Theodora , Nippold Markus , Plum Sarah , Diederichs Leonie , Komnig Daniel , Fensky Luisa , May Caroline , Marcus Katrin , Voigt Aaron , Schulz Jörg B. , Falkenburger Björn H.
Published: June 2016

Parkinson's disease can be caused by mutations in the α‐synuclein gene and is characterized by aggregates of α‐synuclein protein. Aggregates are degraded by the autophago‐lysosomal pathway. Since Rab7 has been shown to regulate trafficking of late endosomes and autophagosomes, we hypothesized that over‐expressing Rab7 might be beneficial in Parkinson's disease. To test this hypothesis, we expressed the pathogenic A53T mutant of α‐synuclein in HEK293 cells and Drosophila melanogaster. In HEK293 cells, EGFP‐Rab7‐decorated vesicles contain α‐synuclein. Rab7 over‐expression reduced the percentage of cells with α‐synuclein particles and the amount of α‐synuclein protein. Time‐lapse microscopy confirmed that particles frequently disappeared with Rab7 over‐expression. Clearance of α‐synuclein is explained by the increased occurrence of acidified α‐synuclein vesicles with Rab7 over‐expression, presumably representing autolysosomes. Rab7 over‐expression reduced apoptosis and the percentage of dead cells in trypan blue staining. In the fly model, Rab7 rescued the locomotor deficit induced by neuronal expression of A53T‐α‐synuclein. These beneficial effects were not produced by Rab7 missense mutations causing Charcot Marie Tooth neuropathy, or by the related GTPases Rab5, Rab9, or Rab23. Using mass spectrometry, we identified Rab7 in neuromelanin granules purified from human substantia nigra, indicating that Rab7 might be involved in the biogenesis of these possibly protective, autophagosome‐like organelles in dopaminergic neurons. Taken together, Rab7 increased the clearance of α‐synuclein aggregates, reduced cell death, and rescued the phenotype in a fly model of Parkinson's disease. These findings indicate that Rab7 is rate‐limiting for aggregate clearance, and that Rab7 activation may offer a therapeutic strategy for Parkinson's disease.

image

Cells over‐expressing aggregation‐prone A53T alpha‐synuclein develop cytoplasmic aggregates mimicking changes observed in Parkinson's disease. When following cells in time‐lapse microscopy, some few cells are able to remove these aggregates (Opazo et al. 2008). We now show that the percentage of cells clearing all aggregates from their cytosol is greatly increased with Rab7 over‐expression, indicating that availability of Rab7 is rate‐limiting for autophagic clearance of aggregates. The functional significance of this effect in neurons was confirmed in a Drosophila melanogaster model of Parkinson's disease.
Local anesthesia injection technique for aesthetic removal of dermal nevi
Authors: Zaiac Martin , Shah Vidhi V , Mlacker Stephanie , Bray Fleta N , Alsaidan Mohammed
Published: June 2016

Dermatologists should be aware of the surgical techniques that reduce the level of skin distortion following biopsy procedures. (1) a dilution of lidocaine with bacteriostatic 0.9% sodium chloride and (2) injection of the solution directly into the nevus. The nevus balloons in size and shape and becomes tenser resulting in a change in the skin level permitting for easy shave. Good injection technique of anesthesia may represent a simple, but important means to improve postoperative cosmetic outcomes.
Amniotic fluid paraoxonase‐1 activity, thyroid hormone concentration and oxidant status in neural tube defects
Authors: Sak Sibel , Agacayak Elif , Tunc Senem Yaman , Icen Mehmet Sait , Findik Fatih Mehmet , Sak Muhammet Erdal , Yalinkaya Ahmet , Gul Talip
Published: June 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between neural tube defects and paraoxonase‐1 activity in amniotic fluid. We studied total oxidant status, total antioxidant capacity, paraoxonase‐1 activity and thyroid hormone amniotic fluid concentration in fetuses with neural tube defects.

Methods

The present study was performed at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and the Department of Clinical Biochemistry of Dicle University between September 2011 and June 2013. The study group included 37 amniotic fluid samples from pregnant women (16–20 weeks of gestation) with fetuses affected by neural tube defects. The control group consisted of 36 pregnant women who were diagnosed with a high‐risk pregnancy according to first or second trimester aneuploidy screening and were later confirmed on amniocentesis to have genetically normal fetuses.

Results

Amniotic fluid paraoxonase‐1 activity and total oxidant status were significantly higher (P = 0.023, P = 0.029, respectively) whereas free T4 was significantly lower (P = 0.022) in fetuses with neural tube defects compared with control subjects. In fetuses with neural tube defects, amniotic fluid paraoxonase‐1 activity correlated positively with total oxidant status (r = 0.424**, P = 0.010), and amniotic fluid total antioxidant capacity correlated positively with free t4 (r = 0.381*, P = 0.022).

Conclusion

This is the first study in the literature to show an association between paraoxonase‐1 activity and thyroid hormone concentration and neural tube defects.
Optimal contrast enhancement liquid for dynamic MRI of swallowing
Authors: Ohkubo M. , Higaki T. , Nishikawa K. , Otonari‐Yamamoto M. , Sugiyama T. , Ishida R. , Wakoh M.
Published: June 2016

Several dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to observe swallowing and their parameters have been reported. Although these studies used several contrast enhancement liquids, no studies were conducted to investigate the most suitable liquids. The purpose of this study was to identify the optimal contrast enhancement liquid for dynamic MRI of swallowing. MRI was performed using a new sequence consisting of true fast imaging with steady‐state precession, generalised auto‐calibrating partially parallel acquisition and a keyhole imaging technique. Seven liquids were studied, including pure distilled water, distilled water with thickener at 10, 20 and 30 mg mL−1 concentrations and oral MRI contrast medium at 1, 2 or 3 mg mL−1. Distilled water showed the highest signal intensity. There were statistically significant differences among the following contrast media: distilled water with thickener at 20 mg mL−1 and the oral MRI contrast medium at 2 mg mL−1 and 1 mg mL−1. It can be concluded that the optimal liquid for dynamic MRI of swallowing is a water‐based substance that allows variations in viscosity.
Improvement of Gel Quality of Sardine Surimi with Low Setting Phenomenon by Ethanolic Coconut Husk Extract
Authors: Buamard Natchaphol , Benjakul Soottawat , Konno Kunihiko
Published: June 2016

Effects of ethanolic coconut husk extract (ECHE) at various levels (0–0.25%, based on protein content) on gel properties of low setting surimi prepared from sardine (Sardinella albella) were studied. Breaking force of gels containing EGTA increased as the levels of ECHE increased up to 0.15% (P < 0.05) and decreased when ECHE was above 0.15%. The decrease in whiteness was found in gel added with ECHE. Protein patterns were not different between gels, regardless of ECHE concentrations. Lower autolysis of surimi gel was also found in the presence of ECHE. Addition of ECHE could increase the cross‐linking of proteins during setting (40C, 30 min), especially with increasing concentrations, as indicated by the increased G′. Gel added with 0.15% ECHE had highly interconnected network with finer and denser structure than the control gel (without ECHE). Thus, an optimum level of ECHE could improve quality of sardine surimi with low setting phenomenon.

Practical Applications

Coconut husk, by‐product from the fruit separation, generally contains several phenolic compounds, especially tannic acid, which acts as protein cross‐linker. Ethanolic coconut husk extract could be used as alternative natural protein cross‐linker to improve quality of gel, particularly those having low setting phenomenon. from sardine. Additionally, the value‐added ingredient from coconut husk could be produced and exploited.
Retrospective Evaluation of Horses Diagnosed with Neuroborreliosis on Postmortem Examination: 16 Cases (2004–2015)
Authors: Johnstone L.K. , Engiles J.B. , Aceto H. , Buechner‐Maxwell V. , Divers T. , Gardner R. , Levine R. , Scherrer N. , Tewari D. , Tomlinson J. , Johnson A.L.
Published: June 2016

Background

Equine neuroborreliosis (NB), Lyme disease, is difficult to diagnose and has limited description in the literature.

Objective

Provide a detailed description of clinical signs, diagnostic, and pathologic findings of horses withNB.

Animals

Sixteen horses with histologically confirmedNB.

Methods

Retrospective review of medical records at the University of Pennsylvania and via anACVIMlistserv query with inclusion criteria requiring possible exposure toBorrelia burgdorferiand histologic findings consistent with previous reports ofNBwithout evidence of other disease.

Results

Sixteen horses were identified, 12 of which had additional evidence ofNB. Clinical signs were variable including muscle atrophy or weight loss (12), cranial nerve deficits (11), ataxia (10), changes in behavior (9), dysphagia (7), fasciculations (6), neck stiffness (6), episodic respiratory distress (5), uveitis (5), fever (2), joint effusion (2), and cardiac arrhythmias (1). Serologic analysis was positive forB. burgdorferiinfection in 6/13 cases tested.CSFabnormalities were present in 8/13 cases tested, including xanthochromia (4/13), increased total protein (5/13; median: 91 mg/dL, range: 25–219 mg/dL), and a neutrophilic (6/13) or lymphocytic (2/13) pleocytosis (median: 25 nucleated cells/μL, range: 0–922 nucleated cells/μL).PCRonCSFforB. burgdorferiwas negative in the 7 cases that were tested.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Diagnosis of equineNBis challenging due to variable clinical presentation and lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tests. Negative serology and normalCSFanalysis do not exclude the diagnosis ofNB.
More than a hole: the holin lethal function may be required to fully sensitize bacteria to the lytic action of canonical endolysins
Authors: Fernandes Sofia , São‐José Carlos
Published: June 2016

Double‐strand DNA bacteriophages employ the holin–endolysin dyad as core components of different strategies to lyse bacterial hosts. In the so‐called canonical model the holin holes play an essential role in lysis as they provide a conduit for passage of the cytoplasm‐accumulated endolysin to the cell wall (CW), where it degrades the peptidoglycan. It is considered that once synthesized canonical endolysins immediately acquire their fully active conformation, having thus the capacity to efficiently cleave the peptidoglycan if contact to the CW is allowed. We show here however that holin‐mediated cell death may be required to fully sensitize cells to the lytic action of canonical endolysins, a role that is obviously masked by the key function of the holin in endolysin release. We demonstrate that in certain conditions Bacillus subtilis cells are capable of counteracting the activity of the phage SPP1 endolysin attacking the CW either from within or from without. This capacity is lost after holin action or in presence of agents that mimic its membrane‐depolarizing role. We have observed a similar relationship between lytic activity and membrane proton motive force for a staphylococcal endolysin. The possible implications of these findings in the exploitation of endolysins as enzybiotics are discussed.
Delayed gastric emptying in diabetic rats caused by decreased expression of cystathionine gamma lyase and H2S synthesis: in vitro and in vivo studies
Authors: Mard S. A. , Ahmadi I. , Ahangarpour A. , Gharib‐Naseri M. K. , Badavi M.
Published: June 2016

Background

This study aimed to evaluate the role of H2S on gastric emptying rate (GER) and also to determine the effect of gastric distention on mRNA and protein expression of cystathionine β‐lyase (CBS) and cystathionine γ‐synthase (CSE) in diabetic‐gastroparetic and normal rats.

Methods

Adult normal rats intraperitoneally received either propargylglycine (PAG), L‐cysteine or NaHS 30 min prior to GER marker (acetaminophen) to investigate H2S involvement in GER and the same protocols were performed in diabetes‐induced gastroparesis rats. The role of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) neurons in the prokinetic effect of endogenous H2S on GER was determined. The level of CBS and CSE expressions in response to gastric distention were also determined. The effect of H2S on frequency and tension of spontaneous contractions of gastric smooth muscle strips was investigated.

Key Results

Our results showed that: (i) H2S and L‐cysteine increased GER in gastroparetic and normal rats. (ii) The increased levels of CSE expression in response to gastric distention in diabetic rats were lower than in normal rats. (iii) PAG inhibited the excitatory effect of capsaicin on GER and on tension of spontaneous contractions of strips. (iv) Hydrogen sulphide increased the frequency and tension of spontaneous contractions of gastric strip muscles in normal and diabetic rats.

Conclusions & Inferences

The results showed that delayed GER in diabetic rats can be due to down‐regulation of H2S biosynthesis enzyme, CSE and suggested that a potential prokinetic role for H2S to treat the delayed gastric emptying in diabetic patients.
Desmosomes in disease: a guide for clinicians
Authors: Celentano A , Cirillo N
Published: June 2016

The large number of diseases occurring when desmosome constituents are impaired provides striking evidence for the key role of desmosomes in maintaining tissue integrity. A detailed understanding of the molecular alterations causing desmosomal dysfunction has, in turn, underpinned the development of novel diagnostic tools. This has salient clinical implications for dentists and oral medicine practitioners because the majority of desmosomal diseases affect the oral cavity. In the present article, we review the autoimmune, infectious, genetic, and neoplastic diseases that target the desmosome, with particular emphasis on clinical manifestations, diagnostic pathways, and relevant laboratory investigations.
Paediatric case report: foreign body mimicking aggressive palatal ulceration
Authors: Bundy Mark , Chegini Soudeh , Anand Pradeep
Published: June 2016

Foreign bodies lodged in the soft tissues of the hard palate have been reported in the literature but are few in number. Each object will differ in its appearance and can be a worrying presentation for patients, parents and clinicians. A case is presented of a 14‐month‐old patient presenting with an unusual lesion on the hard palate. The presentation, assessment and management of these cases are discussed and the need for a thorough examination to guide a differential diagnosis is highlighted.
Managing the deteriorating nursing home resident after the introduction of a hospital avoidance programme: a nursing perspective
Authors: O'Neill Barbara J. , Dwyer Trudy , Reid‐Searl Kerry , Parkinson Lynne
Published: June 2016

Background

Hospital avoidance programmes aim to reduce the number of emergency transfers from nursing homes to hospitals and facilitate early discharge for hospitalised residents. Nursing staff are at the forefront of these efforts, yet little is known about how the programmes affect them and their management of the deteriorating resident. This information is needed to inform hospital avoidance programmes and better understand their work.

Aim

To examine nursing home nursing staff perceptions regarding their management of the deteriorating resident after the introduction of a hospital avoidance programme.

Methods

A thematic analysis was conducted of focus group data collected from nursing staff 14 to 15 months after the introduction of a pilot hospital avoidance programme at an Australian nursing home.

Findings

The programme was well received and filled a gap in nursing staff management of residents with deteriorating health by providing structure and support. Staff were more confident and focused on this area of their work. Nursing assistants felt more integrated into the system and were supported and learning from nurses. Workload remained heavy and there was a shift in how time was allocated, but nursing staff preferred to keep residents at the facility.

Conclusion

Nursing staff welcomed the programme and benefitted from its implementation. However, strategies must be explored to accommodate the staffing needs associated with providing emergency and subacute care in the nursing home setting.
Local Breeds – Rural Heritage or New Market Opportunities? Colliding Views on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Landraces
Authors: Ovaska Ulla , Soini Katriina
Published: June 2016

In this research, Finnish actors engaged in the conservation and sustainable use of local breeds on different levels and sectors were interviewed to find out how breeds are valued by different stakeholders and what kinds of policies and practices are preferred in their conservation and sustainable use; and which also gives rise to some ethical concerns. Four storylines based on sustainable use vs. conservation and service‐based vs. production‐based dimensions were derived from the research data. The research revealed a broad diversity of perceptions of the aims and means of conservation and sustainable use. Some stakeholders brought up different possibilities regarding the different means ofin situconservation. Yet, many were strictly in favour of conservation and against sustainable use. Moreover, in questions of ownership, stakeholders differed in their opinions. The colliding views diversify the conservation and sustainable use of landraces but simultaneously constitute a challenge to finding common aims and means to it. Communication between stakeholders should be improved to enable actors, at the implementation level, to make long lasting commitments regarding the conservation and sustainable use of local breeds. Furthermore, animals should be regarded as conservation actors, in addition to people and organisations.
Inhibition of Arabidopsis growth by the allelopathic compound azetidine‐2‐carboxylate is due to the low amino acid specificity of cytosolic prolyl‐tRNA synthetase
Authors: Lee Jiyeon , Joshi Naveen , Pasini Rita , Dobson Renwick C. J. , Allison Jane , Leustek Thomas
Published: June 2016

The toxicity of azetidine‐2‐carboxylic acid (A2C), a structural analogue of L‐proline, results from its incorporation into proteins due to misrecognition by prolyl‐tRNA synthetase (ProRS). The growth of Arabidopsis thaliana seedling roots is more sensitive to inhibition by A2C than is cotyledon growth. Arabidopsis contains two ProRS isozymes. AtProRS‐Org (At5g52520) is localized in chloroplasts/mitochondria, and AtProRS‐Cyt (At3g62120) is cytosolic. AtProRS‐Cyt mRNA is more highly expressed in roots than in cotyledons. Arabidopsis ProRS isoforms were expressed as His‐tagged recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli. Both enzymes were functionally active in ATP‐PPi exchange and aminoacylation assays, and showed similar Km for L‐proline. A major difference was observed in the substrate specificity of the two enzymes. AtProRS‐Cyt showed nearly identical substrate specificity for L‐proline and A2C, but for AtProRS‐Org the specificity constant was 77.6 times higher for L‐proline than A2C, suggesting that A2C‐sensitivity may result from lower amino acid specificity of AtProRS‐Cyt. Molecular modelling and simulation results indicate that this specificity difference between the AtProRS isoforms may result from altered modes of substrate binding. Similar kinetic results were obtained with the ProRSs from Zea mays, suggesting that the difference in substrate specificity is a conserved feature of ProRS isoforms from plants that do not accumulate A2C and are sensitive to A2C toxicity. The discovery of the mode of action of A2C toxicity could lead to development of biorational weed management strategies.
Evidence‐based veterinary dermatology: a review of published studies of treatments forOtodectes cynotis(ear mite) infestation in cats
Authors: Yang Ching , Huang Hui‐Pi
Published: June 2016

Background

Otodectes cynotis(ear mite) accounts for 50–80% of cases of otitis externa in cats. Various treatment options exist but evidence‐based reviews on treatments for this parasite have not been conducted.

Hypothesis/Objectives

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the efficacy of treatments forOtodectes cynotisinfestation in cats, to provide recommendations for their use and to suggest methodologies for future clinical trials and research.

Methods

Electronic searches were carried out using the PubMed,CABDirect and Thomson Reuters Web of Science; relevant topics were hand searched. The review was restricted to peer reviewed articles without limitation of language and publication date; onlyin vivostudies were included. The data were extracted and tabulated, then compared with regard to study design. With only a few randomized and controlled trials (RCTs) available, it was not possible to perform a meta‐analysis of the pooled data.

Results

A total of 27 trials published between 1978 and 2015 fulfilled the selection criteria; 17 different pharmacological interventions were identified. There were two blindedRCTs and 25 open uncontrolled trials.

Conclusions and clinical importance

There is fair evidence for recommending spot‐on 10% imidacloprid +1% moxidectin or selamectin, once or twice 30 days apart, while there is insufficient evidence for or against recommending all other medications due to the quality of study designs in spite of their high efficacies. Future blindedRCTs, using placebo or appropriate active drugs, are required; outcome measurements on both clinical and microbiological and parasitological improvement, and proper follow‐up periods are recommended.
Clinical and histological findings of cutaneous wound healing in the red‐eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans) housed in unheated outdoor enclosures
Authors: Negrini Joao , Ginel Pedro J. , Novales Manuel , Guerra Rafael , Mozos Elena
Published: June 2016

Background

Cutaneous wounds are common in chelonians. The clinical and histological features of wound healing in these species are not well described and this prevents evaluation of new therapies.

Objectives

To describe clinical and histopathological features of cutaneous wound healing in the red‐eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans).

Animals

Twenty four healthy adult females housed in outdoor facilities with free access to water and exposed to daily variations in temperature.

Methods

Full thickness 6 mm skin biopsy punch wounds were created in the rear limbs. The turtles were assigned to Group 1 (n = 12 for clinical evaluation) and Group 2 (n = 12 for microscopic study). Group 1 was photographed on Day 1 and weekly, until 28 days post wounding. Wound retraction was expressed as the percentage of perimeter reduction. For Group 2, three skin wounds were sampled at 2, 7, 14, 21, 28, 42, 60 and 135 days post wounding for histological study. The avidin‐biotin‐peroxidase (ABC) staining method was used to evaluate five commercial antibodies.

Results

Wound contraction was limited; crust persisted at least 28 days. Re‐epithelialization was complete by Day 14 in many animals; active inflammation persisted until 28 days; connective tissue re‐constitution and remodelling was achieved from 42 to 135 days. Antibodies AE1/AE3, Factor VIII, MAC 387, CD3 and NCL‐MSA showed cross reactivity with the cell counterpart in turtle tissues.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Second intention wound healing progressed slowly and with an indolent behaviour. Microscopically there was marked overlapping of the inflammatory and proliferative phases over a long time period.
Does yield loss due to weed competition differ between organic and conventional cropping systems?
Authors: Benaragama D , Shirtliffe S J , Johnson E N , Duddu H S N , Syrovy L D
Published: June 2016

High weed abundance in organic crops is thought to be a key factor contributing to the greater yield loss in organic as compared with conventional cropping systems. However, even with greater weed densities than conventional systems, some organic systems have yields comparable to conventional systems, suggesting that cropping systems might differ in yield loss due to weed competition. The diversity in soil nutrient resources due to diversity in crop rotations and variable inputs might enhance crop tolerance to weed competition. We assessed the long‐term effects of contrasting levels of crop rotations (low, medium and high diversity) on weed density, weed biomass and wheat yield loss in organic and no‐till conventional cropping systems using a microplot study within a long‐term cropping systems trial at Scott, Saskatchewan, Canada. Weed density and biomass were found to be four times higher in the organic systems than in the conventional systems. Under standard weed management practices, organic had 44% lower yield than the conventional system. Lower yields in organic, even without weed competition, suggest that the lower yields are due to low soil productivity rather than weed competition. No differences in yield loss were observed among the organic and conventional systems or among the diverse crop rotations. We conclude that the organic management practices and/or increased crop rotation diversity did not enhance yield or reduce yield loss due to weed competition, due to the factors associated with lower soil fertility.
Mirković–Vilonen polytopes and Khovanov–Lauda–Rouquier algebras
Authors: Tingley Peter , Webster Ben
Published: June 2016

We describe how Mirković–Vilonen (MV) polytopes arise naturally from the categorification of Lie algebras using Khovanov–Lauda–Rouquier (KLR) algebras. This gives an explicit description of the unique crystal isomorphism between simple representations of KLR algebras and MV polytopes. MV polytopes, as defined from the geometry of the affine Grassmannian, only make sense in finite type. Our construction on the other hand gives a map from the infinity crystal to polytopes for all symmetrizable Kac–Moody algebras. However, to make the map injective and have well-defined crystal operators on the image, we must in general decorate the polytopes with some extra information. We suggest that the resulting ‘KLR polytopes’ are the general-type analogues of MV polytopes. We give a combinatorial description of the resulting decorated polytopes in all affine cases, and show that this recovers the affine MV polytopes recently defined by Baumann, Kamnitzer, and the first author in symmetric affine types. We also briefly discuss the situation beyond affine type.
On algebraic surfaces of general type with negative
Authors: Gu Yi
Published: June 2016

We prove that for any prime number$p\geqslant 3$, there exists a positive number$\unicode[STIX]{x1D705}_{p}$such that$\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}({\mathcal{O}}_{X})\geqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D705}_{p}c_{1}^{2}$holds true for all algebraic surfaces$X$of general type in characteristic$p$. In particular,$\unicode[STIX]{x1D712}({\mathcal{O}}_{X})>0$. This answers a question of Shepherd-Barron when$p\geqslant 3$.
A mouse radiation‐induced liver disease model for stereotactic body radiation therapy validated in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wu Zhi‐Feng , Zhang Jian‐Ying , Shen Xiao‐Yun , Zhou Le‐Yuan , Gao Ya‐Bo , Hu Yong , Zeng Zhao‐Chong
Published: June 2016

Purpose:

Lower radiation tolerance of the whole liver hinders dose escalations of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. This study was conducted to define the exact doses that result in radiation‐induced liver disease (RILD) as well as to determine dose constraints for the critical organs at risk (OARs) in mice; these parameters are still undefined in HCC SBRT.

Methods:

This study consisted of two phases. In the primary phase, mice treated with helical tomotherapy‐based SBRT were stratified according to escalating radiation doses to the livers. The pathological differences, signs [such as mouse performance status (MPS)], and serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/alanine aminotransferase (ALT)/albumin levels were observed. Radiation‐induced disease severities of the OARs were scored using systematic evaluation standards. In the validation phase in humans, 13 patients with HCC who had undergone radiotherapy before hepatectomy were enrolled to validate RILD pathological changes in a mouse study.

Results:

The evaluation criteria of the mouse liver radiotherapy‐related signs were as follows: MPS ≥ 2.0 ± 0.52, AST/ALT ≥ 589.2 ± 118.5/137.4 ± 15.3 U/L, serum albumin ≤ 16.8 ± 2.29 g/L. The preliminary dose constraints of the OARs were also obtained, such as those for the liver (average dose ≤ 26.36 ± 1.71 Gy) and gastrointestinal tract (maximum dose ≤ 22.63 Gy). Mouse RILD models were able to be developed when the livers were irradiated with average doses of ≥31.76 ± 1.94 Gy (single fraction). RILD pathological changes in mice have also been validated in HCC patients.

Conclusions:

Mouse RILD models could be developed with SBRT based on the dose constraints for the OARs and evaluation criteria of mouse liver radiotherapy‐related signs, and the authors’ results favor the study of further approaches to treat HCC with SBRT.
Measurement-induced decoherence and information in double-slit interference
Authors: Kincaid Joshua , McLelland Kyle , Zwolak Michael
Published: June 2016

The double slit experiment provides a classic example of both interference and the effect of observation in quantum physics. When particles are sent individually through a pair of slits, a wave-like interference pattern develops, but no such interference is found when one observes which “path” the particles take. We present a model of interference, dephasing, and measurement-induced decoherence in a one-dimensional version of the double-slit experiment. Using this model, we demonstrate how the loss of interference in the system is correlated with the information gain by the measuring apparatus/observer. In doing so, we give a modern account of measurement in this paradigmatic example of quantum physics that is accessible to students taking quantum mechanics at the graduate or senior undergraduate levels.