bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Decrease in winter respiration explains 25% of the annual northern forest carbon sink enhancement over the last 30 years
Authors: Yu Zhen , Wang Jingxin , Liu Shirong , Piao Shilong , Ciais Philippe , Running Steven W. , Poulter Benjamin , Rentch James S. , Sun Pengsen
Published: March 2016

Aim Winter snow has been suggested to regulate terrestrial carbon (C) cycling by modifying microclimate, but the impacts of change in snow cover on the annual C budget at a large scale are poorly understood. Our aim is to quantify the C balance under changing snow depth.

Location Non‐permafrost region of the northern forest area.

Methods Here, we used site‐based eddy covariance flux data to investigate the relationship between depth of snow cover and ecosystem respiration (Reco) during winter. We then used the Biome‐BGC model to estimate the effect of reductions in winter snow cover on the C balance of northern forests in the non‐permafrost region.

Results According to site observations, winter net ecosystem C exchange (NEE) ranged from 0.028 to 1.53 gC·m−2·day−1, accounting for 44 ± 123% of the annual C budget. Model simulation showed that over the past 30 years, snow‐driven change in winter C fluxes reduced non‐growing season CO2 emissions, enhancing the annual C sink of northern forests. Over the entire study area, simulated winter Reco significantly decreased by 0.33 gC·m−2·day−1·year−1 in response to decreasing depth of snow cover, which accounts for approximately 25% of the simulated annual C sink trend from 1982 to 2009.

Main conclusion Soil temperature is primarily controlled by snow cover rather than by air temperature as snow serves as an insulator to prevent chilling impacts. A shallow snow cover has less insulation potential, causing colder soil temperatures and potentially lower respiration rates. Both eddy covariance analysis and model‐simulated results show that both Reco and NEE are significantly and positively correlated with variation in soil temperature controlled by variation in snow depth. Overall, our results highlight that a decrease in winter snow cover restrains global warming as less C is emitted to the atmosphere.
von Thünen: Capital, Production Functions, Marginal Productivity Wages, and the Natural Wage
Authors: Jensen Bjarne S.
Published: March 2016

This paper puts seminal contributions to theory of production functions and maximization of explicit quantitative objective functions by Johann Heinrich von Thünen into a systematic historical perspective. We show that his comprehensive ‘Tableau Economiques’ do imply two exact parametric production functions. Moreover, the renowned ‘geometric mean wage’ formula is restated as an exact CES marginal labor productivity wage for σ= 2. We review four alternative modes of normative (natural) wage calculations without an explicit production function, and conclude that von Thünen’s natural wage differentiation formulas are bona fide alternatives for deriving the natural wage formula.
Extremes of heat, drought and precipitation depress reproductive performance in shortgrass prairie passerines
Authors: Conrey Reesa Y. , Skagen Susan K. , Yackel Adams Amy A. , Panjabi Arvind O.
Published: March 2016

Climate change elevates conservation concerns worldwide because it is likely to exacerbate many identified threats to animal populations. In recent decades, grassland birds have declined faster than other North American bird species, a loss thought to be due to habitat loss and fragmentation and changing agricultural practices. Climate change poses additional threats of unknown magnitude to these already declining populations. We examined how seasonal and daily weather conditions over 10 years influenced nest survival of five species of insectivorous passerines native to the shortgrass prairie and evaluate our findings relative to future climate predictions for this region. Daily nest survival (n = 870) was best predicted by a combination of daily and seasonal weather variables, age of nest, time in season and bird habitat guild. Within a season, survival rates were lower on very hot days (temperatures ≥ 35 °C), on dry days (with a lag of 1 day) and on stormy days (especially for those species nesting in shorter vegetation). Across years, survival rates were also lower during warmer and drier breeding seasons. Clutch sizes were larger when early spring temperatures were cool and the week prior to egg‐laying was wetter and warming. Climate change is likely to exacerbate grassland bird population declines because projected climate conditions include rising temperatures, more prolonged drought and more intense storms as the hydrological cycle is altered. Under varying realistic scenarios, nest success estimates were halved compared to their current average value when models both increased the temperature (3 °C) and decreased precipitation (two additional dry days during a nesting period), thus underscoring a sense of urgency in identifying and addressing the current causes of range‐wide declines.
Domain Structure and Enhanced Electrical Properties in Sodium Bismuth Titanate Ceramics Sintered from Crystals with Different Morphologies
Authors: Li Bin , Cao Mao‐Sheng , Liu Jia , Wang Da‐Wei
Published: March 2016

Sodium bismuth titanate (Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3, NBT) crystals with different morphology, wires, plates and cubes, were synthesized by hydrothermal method. The domain structure in as‐synthesized poled NBT ceramics was observed. The results demonstrate that the domain width of the poled NBT ceramics sintered from wire crystals is slightly larger than that of the NBT ceramics sintered from cube crystals, while the NBT ceramics sintered from plate crystals possess the largest domain width. In particular, the poled NBT ceramics sintered from plate crystals exhibit the optimum piezoelectric coefficient and remnant polarization of 87 pC/N and 36.7 μC/cm2, respectively, which are 55% and 37% higher than those of the NBT ceramics sintered from cube crystals. The expanded domain width and large grain size are responsible for the improvement of ferroelectric, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties in NBT ceramics.
Health perceptions of young adults living with recessive limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy
Authors: Aho Anna Carin , Hultsjö Sally , Hjelm Katarina
Published: March 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to describe health perceptions related to sense of coherence among young adults living with recessive limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy.

Background

Limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy refers to a group of progressive muscular disorders that may manifest in physical disability. The focus in health care is to optimize health, which requires knowledge about the content of health as described by the individual.

Design

A descriptive study design with qualitative and quantitative data were used.

Method

Interviews were conducted between June 2012–November 2013 with 14 participants aged 20‐30 years. The participants also answered the 13‐item sense of coherence questionnaire. Qualitative data were analysed with content analysis and related to self‐rated sense of coherence.

Findings

Health was viewed as intertwined physical and mental well‐being. As the disease progressed, well‐being was perceived to be influenced not only by physical impairment and mental strain caused by the disease but also by external factors, such as accessibility to support and attitudes in society. Factors perceived to promote health were having a balanced lifestyle, social relations and meaningful daily activities. Self‐rated sense of coherence varied. The median score was 56 (range 37‐77). Those who scored ≥56 described to a greater extent satisfaction regarding support received, daily pursuits and social life compared with those who scored <56.

Conclusion

Care should be person‐centred. Caregivers, with their knowledge, should strive to assess how the person comprehends, manages and finds meaning in daily life. Through dialogue, not only physical, psychological and social needs but also health‐promoting solutions can be highlighted.
Beyond Integration Theory: The (Anti‐)Constitutional Dimension of European Crisis Governance
Authors: Kreuder‐Sonnen Christian
Published: March 2016

Political science analyses of the governance of the euro crisis largely build on conventional theories of European integration to account for the extent to which institutional developments either reflect supranationalism, inter‐governmentalism or historical path‐dependencies. This analytical focus captures the usual integration dynamics and institutional design outcomes, but overlooks the constitutional dimension of how the crisis affects the EU's legal order. In this agenda‐setting article, I draw attention to legal scholarship that highlights important deviations from the EU's ‘legal normalcy’. Legal studies find that a number of emergency measures were taken on an extra‐legal basis and through quasi‐autocratic procedures. Normative reconstructions interpret this practice as a form of transnational state of exception which transitions into permanent traits of authoritarianism in the EU's legal order. I argue that their findings offer a new terrain for political science research which transcends the explanatory categories of integration theory.
The Effect of Removing Voting Rules: Consultation Practices in the Commission's Delegated Act Expert Groups and Comitology Committees
Authors: Siderius Katrijn , Brandsma Gijs Jan
Published: March 2016

The Lisbon Treaty changed the system of delegating executive powers to the European Commission: it introduced the delegated acts system as an alternative to comitology, which continues to exist in parallel. This new system allocates veto power to the European Parliament and the Council, in which Member State expert groups are consulted without having a formal vote. The Council fears that the absence of formal voting will tempt the Commission to ignore Member State input in the expert groups. This article investigates to what degree this fear is justified. To what degree do formal voting rights affect the consultation of Member State experts? On the basis of interviews with Member State experts who participate both in expert groups as well as in comitology committees, we demonstrate how consultation patterns differ between the two settings.
High Diversity Revealed in Leaf‐Associated Protists (Rhizaria: Cercozoa) of Brassicaceae
Authors: Ploch Sebastian , Rose Laura E. , Bass David , Bonkowski Michael
Published: March 2016

The largest biological surface on earth is formed by plant leaves. These leaf surfaces are colonized by a specialized suite of leaf‐inhabiting microorganisms, recently termed “phyllosphere microbiome”. Microbial prey, however, attract microbial predators. Protists in particular have been shown to structure bacterial communities on plant surfaces, but virtually nothing is known about the community composition of protists on leaves. Using newly designed specific primers targeting the 18S rDNA gene of Cercozoa, we investigated the species richness of this common protist group on leaves of four Brassicaceae species from two different locations in a cloning‐based approach. The generated sequences revealed a broad diversity of leaf‐associated Cercozoa, mostly bacterial feeders, but also including known plant pathogens and a taxon of potential endophytes that were recently described as algal predators in freshwater systems. This initial study shows that protists must be regarded as an integral part of the microbial diversity in the phyllosphere of plants.
Rapid growth and short life spans characterize pipefish populations in vulnerable seagrass beds
Authors: Parkinson K. L. , Booth D. J.
Published: March 2016

The life‐history traits of two species of pipefish (Syngnathidae) from seagrass meadows in New South Wales, Australia, were examined to understand whether they enhance resilience to habitat degradation. The spotted pipefish Stigmatopora argus and wide‐bodied pipefish Stigmatopora nigra exhibit some of the shortest life spans known for vertebrates (longevity up to 150 days) and rapid maturity (male S. argus 35 days after hatching (DAH) and male S. nigra at 16–19 DAH), key characteristics of opportunistic species. Growth rates of both species were extremely rapid (up to 2 mm day−1), with seasonal and sex differences in growth rate. It is argued that short life spans and high growth rates may be advantageous for these species, which inhabit one of the most threatened marine ecosystems on earth.
Favela in Replica: Iterations and Itineraries of a Miniature City
Authors: Angelini Alessandro M.
Published: March 2016

Em uma investigação etnográfica de como a repetição produz a diferença, bem como mesmice, este artigo apresenta uma brincadeira que virou projeto cultural, conhecido como Morrinho, criado e mantido pelo coletivo de jovens de uma favela carioca. Focalizando nas maquetes que têm construído em exposições internacionais de arte, o artigo conta sobre encontros entre artistas, curadores e colaboradores no Rio, Veneza e Londres. A valorização do Morrinho como obra de arte aborda debates antropológicos sobre a iteração e a mimesis bem como a história estética e política da periferia urbana brasileira. Morrinho juventude brincam ironicamente quem ou o que constitui a criatividade e autoria, desafiando a sua identidade adquirida como artistas. Uma colaboração em Londres com jovens imigrantes inverte a ordem simbólica da cidade, levando traços da marginalidade ao centro. [afro‐brasileiros, arte, Brasil, urbano, juventude]
CAST your vote: is calpain inhibition the answer to ALS?
Authors: Wright Amanda L. , Vissel Bryce
Published: March 2016

A publication in the Journal of Neurochemistry by Rao et al. (2016) suggests that the overexpression of the calpain inhibitor, calpastatin (CAST) rescues neuron loss and increases survival of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) mouse model, hSOD1G93A. The findings of Rao et al. (2016) provide an insight into the mechanisms that lead to neuronal loss in ALS and suggest a cell loss pathway common to several neurodegenerative disorders that may be therapeutically targeted. Here, we highlight the findings of Rao et al. (2016) and discuss some key considerations required prior to assessing the potential use of calpain inhibitors in the clinic.

Read the highlighted article ‘Calpastatin inhibits motor neuron death and increases survival in hSOD1G93A mice’ on page 253.
Why are there apes? Evidence for the co‐evolution of ape and monkey ecomorphology
Authors: Hunt Kevin D.
Published: March 2016

Apes, members of the superfamily Hominoidea, possess a distinctive suite of anatomical and behavioral characters which appear to have evolved relatively late and relatively independently. The timing of paleontological events, extant cercopithecine and hominoid ecomorphology and other evidence suggests that many distinctive ape features evolved to facilitate harvesting ripe fruits among compliant terminal branches in tree edges. Precarious, unpredictably oriented, compliant supports in the canopy periphery require apes to maneuver using suspensory and non‐sterotypical postures (i.e. postures with eccentric limb orientations or extreme joint excursions). Diet differences among extant species, extant species numbers and evidence of cercopithecoid diversification and expansion, in concert with a reciprocal decrease in hominoid species, suggest intense competition between monkeys and apes over the last 20 Ma. It may be that larger body masses allow great apes to succeed in contest competitions for highly desired food items, while the ability of monkeys to digest antifeedant‐rich unripe fruits allows them to win scramble competitions. Evolutionary trends in morphology and inferred ecology suggest that as monkeys evolved to harvest fruit ever earlier in the fruiting cycle they broadened their niche to encompass first more fibrous, tannin‐ and toxin‐rich unripe fruits and later, for some lineages, mature leaves. Early depletion of unripe fruit in the central core of the tree canopy by monkeys leaves a hollow sphere of ripening fruits, displacing antifeedant‐intolerant, later‐arriving apes to small‐diameter, compliant terminal branches. Hylobatids, orangutans,Panspecies, gorillas and the New World atelines may have each evolved suspensory behavior independently in response to local competition from an expanding population of monkeys. Genetic evidence of rapid evolution among chimpanzees suggests that adaptations to suspensory behavior, vertical climbing, knuckle‐walking, consumption of terrestrial piths and intercommunity violence had not yet evolved or were still being refined when panins (chimpanzees and bonobos) and hominins diverged.
OVERBIDDING AND HETEROGENEOUS BEHAVIOR IN CONTEST EXPERIMENTS: A COMMENT ON THE ENDOWMENT EFFECT
Authors: Chowdhury Subhasish M. , Moffatt Peter G.
Published: March 2016

We revisit the meta‐analysis of Sheremeta on overbidding in contest experiments and focus on the effect of endowment on overbidding. Sheremeta assumes, and finds evidence of, an increasing linear relationship between endowment and overbidding, Quantal Response Equilibrium (QRE) predicts an increasing concave relationship, while Baik and colleagues find an inverted U‐shaped relationship in their analysis of a single experiment. We use the same data as in Sheremeta, but employ a different econometric model which leads to support for both QRE and the inverted U‐shaped relationship. Following Baik and colleagues, we posit that the inverted‐U relationship may be interpreted in terms of a wealth effect.
Relation between time interval from antenatal corticosteroids administration to delivery and neonatal outcome in twins
Authors: Kosinska‐Kaczynska Katarzyna , Szymusik Iwona , Urban Paulina , Zachara Maria , Wielgos Miroslaw
Published: March 2016

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the perinatal outcome in twins, who were administered one complete course of antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) depending on the time interval from corticosteroids to delivery.

Methods

We carried out a retrospective analysis of medical data of women with twins who received a course of ACS and delivered before 34 weeks within or beyond 7 days after ACS were given. Among 652 twin deliveries between 2006 and 2014, 106 met the criteria (50 patients delivered <7 days and 56 ≥ 7 days after ACS administration).

Results

There were no differences in the mean gestational age at labor, mean birthweight, perinatal mortality or newborns' general condition between women who delivered <7 and ≥7 days after corticosteroids. Newborns in the ≥7 days group suffered from respiratory disorders significantly more often (74.1% vs 54.5%, P = 0.003) and were hospitalized longer (42.6 ± 19.1 vs 33.4 ± 21.7 days, P < 0.001). Significantly more infants in the <7 days group were administered antibiotics (55.6% vs 25%, P = 0.001). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, the only factors significantly influencing the incidence of respiratory complications in twins were delivery following ACS therapy within 7 days (adjusted odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.02–0.90) and female sex (adjusted odds ratio, 0.71; 95% confidence interval 0.40–0.90).

Conclusion

There is a relation between neonatal outcomes in twins and time interval between ACS administration and birth. Therefore, a single ACS course should be administered with caution in order to allow for the completion of the treatment without exceeding an interval of 7 days to delivery. © 2016 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
A Degree‐Distance‐Based Connections Model with Negative and Positive Externalities
Authors: MÖHLMEIER PHILIPP , RUSINOWSKA AGNIESZKA , TANIMURA EMILY
Published: March 2016

We develop a modification of the connections model by Jackson and Wolinsky that takes into account negative externalities arising from the connectivity of direct and indirect neighbors, thus combining aspects of the connections model and the coauthor model. We consider a general functional form for agents' utility that incorporates both the effects of distance and of neighbors' degree. Consequently, we introduce a framework that can be seen as a degree‐distance‐based connections model with both negative and positive externalities. Our analysis shows how the introduction of negative externalities modifies certain results about stability and efficiency compared to the original connections model. In particular, we see the emergence of new stable structures, such as a star with links between peripheral nodes. We also identify structures, for example, certain disconnected networks, that are efficient in our model but which could not be efficient in the original connections model. While our results are proved for the general utility function, some of them are illustrated by using a specific functional form of the degree‐distance‐based utility.
Role of indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase in an inflammatory model of murine gingiva
Authors: Qin X. , Liu J. Y. , Wang T. , Pashley D. H. , Al‐Hashim A. H. , Abdelsayed R. , C Yu J. , Mozaffari M.S. , Baban B.
Published: March 2016

Background and Objective

Indoleamine 2,3‐dioxygenase (IDO) is one of the major pathways for metabolism of tryptophan in a variety of cells, including immune cells. Increasing evidence indicates that IDO is a critical player in establishing the balance between immunity and tolerance and ultimately in the maintenance of homeostasis. By inducing inflammation in gingival tissue, we tested the hypothesis that IDO is a pivotal player in regulating the immune and inflammatory responses of gingiva.

Material and Methods

We utilized the IDO knockout mouse model in conjunction with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced inflammation. Accordingly, wild‐type and IDO knockout mice were injected with LPS or vehicle in the anterior mandibular gingiva, twice over a 2‐wk period, which was followed by procurement of gingival tissue for histopathology and preparation of tissue for flow cytometry‐based studies.

Results

Clinical and histological examinations revealed a marked adverse impact of IDO deficiency on gingival inflammation. These observations were consistent with a more marked increase in the number of cells positive for the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)‐17, but no significant change in the number of cells positive for the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10, in LPS‐treated IDO knockout mice. Consistent with the more marked proinflammatory impact of IDO deficiency, the percentage of regulatory T cells was much reduced in gingival tissue of LPS‐treated IDO knockout mice than in gingival tissue of wild‐type mice. These proinflammatory changes were accompanied with a prominent increase in apoptotic and necrotic cell death in gingival tissue of IDO knockout mice compared with wild‐type mice.

Conclusion

Collectively, our findings support a major role for IDO in the development of gingival inflammation, as an example of an inflammatory condition, and lay the foundation for subsequent studies to explore it as a novel immunotherapy target.
Assessing torsion of the medial cortex of the canine tibia using computed tomography multiplanar reconstruction
Authors: Hette Khadije , Anderson A. A. , Barnes D. M.
Published: March 2016

OBJECTIVES

To describe a protocol for the measurement of tibial rotational alignment usingCTmultiplanar reconstructions. To establish the feasibility of producing general guidelines for the amount of torsional contouring to apply to a bone plate applied to the medial aspect of the tibia during repair of a non‐reducible tibial fracture.

METHODS

CTscans of the pelvic limbs of 15 chondrodystrophic and 34 non‐chondrodystrophic dogs were studied. Medial tibial cortex torsion angle and distal medial tibial cortex angle were determined fromCTmultiplanar reconstructions. Medial plate application was simulated using a plate contoured to the group mean medial tibial cortex torsion angle and post‐simulation tibial rotational alignment was assessed.

RESULTS

Mean medial tibial cortex torsion angles were 23° (chondrodystrophic) and 26° (non‐chondrodystrophic). Following simulated plate application the change in medial tibial cortex torsion was less than 10° in 73% of chondrodystrophic and 93% of non‐chondrodystrophic tibias. In total, 93% of chondrodystrophic and 97% of non‐chondrodystrophic tibias had post‐simulation distal medial tibial cortex angle less than 10° from the group mean pre‐simulation distal medial tibial cortex angle.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Medial tibial cortex torsion and tibial rotational alignment can be measured using the protocol described in this study. 26° of internal torsional tibial plate pre‐contouring may be appropriate for non‐chondrodystrophic dogs, but further clinical validation is required.
A Lagrange Multiplier‐Type Test for Idiosyncratic Unit Roots in the Exact Factor Model
Authors: Zhou Xingwu , Solberger Martin
Published: March 2016

In this article, an exact factor model is considered, and a Lagrange multiplier‐type test is derived for a homogeneous unit root in the idiosyncratic component. It is shown that under sequential asymptotics, its null limiting distribution is standard normal, regardless of whether the factors are integrated, cointegrated or stationary. In a simulation study, the size and local power of the Lagrange multiplier‐type test and some popular non‐likelihood‐based tests are compared. The simulation results show that the Lagrange multiplier‐type test has the highest local power as the panel dimensions tend to infinity, with the actual size tending to the nominal size.
Molecular typing of environmental Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii species complex isolates from Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
Authors: Alves Gleica Soyan Barbosa , Freire Ana Karla Lima , Bentes Amaury dos Santos , Pinheiro José Felipe de Souza , de Souza João Vicente Braga , Wanke Bodo , Matsuura Takeshi , Jackisch‐Matsuura Ani Beatriz
Published: March 2016

Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii are the main causative agents of cryptococcosis, a systemic fungal disease that affects internal organs and skin, and which is acquired by inhalation of spores or encapsulated yeasts. It is currently known that the C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex has a worldwide distribution, however, some molecular types seem to prevail in certain regions. Few environmental studies of Cryptococcus have been conducted in the Brazilian Amazon. This is the first ecological study of the pathogenic fungi C. neoformans/C. gattii species complex in the urban area of Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil. A total of 506 samples from pigeon droppings (n = 191), captive bird droppings (n = 60) and tree hollows (n = 255) were collected from June 2012 to January 2014 at schools and public buildings, squares, pet shops, households, the zoo and the bus station. Samples were plated on niger seed agar (NSA) medium supplemented with chloramphenicol and incubated at 25°C for 5 days. Dark‐brown colonies were isolated and tested for thermotolerance at 37°C, cycloheximide resistance and growth on canavanine‐glycine‐bromothymol blue agar. Molecular typing was done by PCR‐RFLP. Susceptibility to the antifungal drugs amphotericin B, fluconazole, itraconazole and ketoconazole was tested using Etest® strips. In total, 13 positive samples were obtained: one tree hollow (C. gattiiVGII), nine pigeon droppings (C. neoformansVNI) and three captive bird droppings (C. neoformansVNI). The environmental cryptococcal isolates found in this study were of the same molecular types as those responsible for infections in Manaus.
Unusual case of tacrolimus vascular toxicity after deceased donor renal transplantation
Authors: Sugitani Atsushi , Takahashi Chihiro , Naka Takuji , Hisamitsu Kazunori , Yamamoto Osamu , Taniguchi Kenjiro , Kobayashi Naoto , Kimura Mari , Yoshida Haruhiko , Hamazoe Ryuichi
Published: March 2016

We report a case of tacrolimus vascular toxicity found on a protocol biopsy shortly after a deceased donor renal transplantation. The patient was immunologically high‐risk and acute antibody‐mediated rejection during post‐transplant dialysis phase was suspected on the protocol biopsy. Although the patient was stable after treatment of rejection, a further examination showed a very rare but specific side‐effect of tacrolimus. It is sometimes difficult to make a differential diagnosis during postoperative dialysis period among AMR, primary non‐functioning, drug toxicity, infection or just prolonged recovery from the damage of a long agonal phase on the non‐heart beating donor. Although the possibilities of coexistence of rejection or other causes such as infection have not been completely excluded, it is important to be aware of this unusual side effect of tacrolimus.
Invasive Streptococcus mutans induces inflammatory cytokine production in human aortic endothelial cells via regulation of intracellular toll‐like receptor 2 and nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain 2
Authors: Nagata E. , Oho T.
Published: March 2016

Streptococcus mutans, the primary etiologic agent of dental caries, can gain access to the bloodstream and has been associated with cardiovascular disease. However, the roles of S. mutans in inflammation in cardiovascular disease remain unclear. The aim of this study was to examine cytokine production induced by S. mutans in human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) and to evaluate the participation of toll‐like receptors (TLRs) and cytoplasmic nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain (NOD) ‐like receptors in HAECs. Cytokine production by HAECs was determined using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays, and the expression of TLRs and NOD‐like receptors was evaluated by real‐time polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry and immunocytochemistry. The involvement of TLR2 and NOD2 in cytokine production by invaded HAECs was examined using RNA interference. The invasion efficiencies of S. mutans strains were evaluated by means of antibiotic protection assays. Five of six strains of S. mutans of various serotypes induced interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 production by HAECs. All S. mutans strains upregulated TLR2 and NOD2 mRNA levels in HAECs. Streptococcus mutans Xc upregulated the intracellular TLR2 and NOD2 protein levels in HAECs. Silencing of the TLR2 and NOD2 genes in HAECs invaded by S. mutans Xc led to a reduction in interleukin‐6, interleukin‐8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 production. Cytokine production induced by invasive S. mutans via intracellular TLR2 and NOD2 in HAECs may be associated with inflammation in cardiovascular disease.
Extra‐oral drainage of submandibular abscess under local anaesthetic: review of the literature and case series
Authors: French K. , Brown E. , Collin J. , Bell C.
Published: March 2016

Background

Extra‐oral drainage of odontogenic abscesses is commonly performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons. It is a potentially hazardous and expensive procedure, but in selected cases can be carried out under local anaesthetic, avoiding some of the risks and costs associated with general anaesthesia.

Aim

To evaluate the management options for odontogenic abscesses.

Method

A review of the literature with respect to radiological, anaesthetic and surgical techniques that facilitate extra‐oral incision and drainage under local anaesthetic.

Results

A case series demonstrates the value of imaging, the Vazirani–Akinosi mandibular nerve block, a specific forcep technique and local anaesthetic extra‐oral drainage of the submandibular space.

Conclusions

Oral surgeons can utilise their specialist knowledge of head and neck anatomy, local anaesthetic technique, surgical skills and specialist equipment to deliver quick and definitive treatment for odontogenic abscesses. To our knowledge, extra‐oral incision and drainage of dental abscesses is not regularly carried out under local anaesthetic. However, if removal of the causative tooth and abscess drainage can be undertaken under local anaesthetic, the risks and costs of general anaesthesia can be avoided.
Post‐traumatic pseudolipoma of the chin: a case report and review of the literature on post‐traumatic craniofacial fatty tumours
Authors: Serror K. , Simon F. , Schouman T. , Charlotte F. , Khonsari R.H.
Published: March 2016

Post‐traumatic pseudolipoma and lipoma are uncommon complications of facial trauma appearing in the first months following the initial injury. Post‐traumatic buccal fat pad herniation is generally confused with post‐traumatic lipoma but often occurs in younger patients and appears immediately after the trauma. Here, we report an unusual case of post‐traumatic pseudolipoma of the chin and underline the differences between pseudolipoma and buccal fat pad herniation based on an extensive review of the literature. Post‐traumatic fatty tumours of the craniofacial region can be separated into (1) post‐traumatic pseudolipoma and lipoma and (2) post‐traumatic buccal fat pad herniation, with distinct histories and clinical presentations. Post‐traumatic lipoma can require surgical excision in cases with aesthetic impairment.
Ribosomal P3 protein AtP3B of Arabidopsis acts as both protein and RNA chaperone to increase tolerance of heat and cold stresses
Authors: Kang Chang Ho , Lee Young Mee , Park Joung Hun , Nawkar Ganesh M. , Oh Hun Taek , Kim Min Gab , Lee Soo In , Kim Woe Yeon , Yun Dae‐Jin , Lee Sang Yeol
Published: March 2016

The P3 proteins are plant‐specific ribosomal P‐proteins; however, their molecular functions have not been characterized. In a screen for components of heat‐stable high‐molecular weight (HMW) complexes, we isolated the P3 protein AtP3B from heat‐treated Arabidopsis suspension cultures. By size‐exclusion chromatography (SEC), SDS‐PAGE and native PAGE followed by immunoblotting with anti‐AtP3B antibody, we showed that AtP3B was stably retained in HMW complexes following heat shock. The level of AtP3B mRNA increased in response to both high‐ and low‐temperature stresses. Bacterially expressed recombinant AtP3B protein exhibited both protein and RNA chaperone activities. Knockdown of AtP3B by RNAi made plants sensitive to both high‐ and low‐temperature stresses, whereas overexpression of AtP3B increased tolerance of both conditions. Together, our results suggest that AtP3B protects cells against both high‐ and low‐temperature stresses. These findings provide novel insight into the molecular functions and in vivo roles of acidic ribosomal P‐proteins, thereby expanding our knowledge of the protein production machinery.
Diminished heart rate reactivity to acute psychological stress is associated with enhanced carotid intima‐media thickness through adverse health behaviors
Authors: Ginty Annie T. , Williams Sarah E. , Jones Alexander , Roseboom Tessa J. , Phillips Anna C. , Painter Rebecca C. , Carroll Douglas , de Rooij Susanne R.
Published: March 2016

Recent evidence demonstrates that individuals with low heart rate (HR) reactions to acute psychological stress are more likely to be obese or smokers. Smoking and obesity are established risk factors for increased carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT). The aim of this study was to examine the potential pathways linking intima‐media thickness, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and HR stress reactivity. A total of 552 participants, 47.6% male, M (SD) age = 58.3 (0.94) years, were exposed to three psychological stress tasks (Stroop, mirror drawing, and speech) preceded by a resting baseline period; HR was recorded throughout. HR reactivity was calculated as the average response across the three tasks minus average baseline HR. Smoking status, BMI, and IMT were determined by trained personnel. Controlling for important covariates (e.g., socioeconomic status), structural equation modeling revealed that BMI and smoking mediated the negative relationship between HR reactivity and IMT. The hypothesized model demonstrated a good overall fit to the data, χ2(8) = 0.692, p = .403; CFI = 1.00; TLI = 1.00 SRMR = .01; RMSEA < .001 (90% CI < 0.01–0.11). HR reactivity was negatively related to BMI (β = −.16) and smoking (β = −.18), and these in turn were positively associated with IMT (BMI: β = .10; smoking: β = .17). Diminished HR stress reactivity appears to be a marker for enlarged IMT and appears to be exerting its impact through already established risks. Future research should examine this relationship longitudinally and aim to intervene early.
Cross‐modal symbolic processing can elicit either an N2 or a protracted N2/N400 response
Authors: Griffiths Oren , Le Pelley Mike E. , Jack Bradley N. , Luque David , Whitford Thomas J.
Published: March 2016

A cross‐modal symbolic paradigm was used to elicit EEG activity related to semantic incongruence. Twenty‐five undergraduate students viewed pairings of visual lexical cues (e.g., DOG) with congruent (50% of trials) or incongruent (50%) auditory nonlexical stimuli (animal vocalizations; e.g., sound of a dog woofing or a cat meowing). In one condition, many different pairs of congruent/incongruent stimuli were shown, whereas in a second condition only two pairs of stimuli were repeatedly shown. A typical N400‐like pattern of incongruence‐related activity (including activity in the N2 time window) was evident in the condition using many stimuli, whereas the incongruence‐related activity in the two‐stimuli condition was confined to differential N2‐like activity. A supplementary analysis excluded stimulus characteristics as the source of this differential activity between conditions. We found that a single individual performing a fixed task can demonstrate either a protracted N400‐like pattern of activity or a more temporally focused N2‐like pattern of activity in response to the same stimulus, which suggests that the N2 may be a precursor to the protracted N400 response.
Changes in the Immune System of Female Wistar Rats After Exposure to Immunosuppressive Treatment During Pregnancy
Authors: Kabat‐Koperska J. , Kolasa‐Wołosiuk A. , Wojciuk B. , Wojciechowska‐Koszko I. , Roszkowska P. , Krasnodębska‐Szponder B. , Paczkowska E. , Safranow K. , Gołembiewska E. , Machaliński B. , Ciechanowski K.
Published: March 2016

This experimental study assessed the impact of medications frequently used after kidney transplantation on the immune system of pregnant female Wistar rats. The study evaluates medications, both approved and contraindicated during pregnancy in common therapeutic combinations. The study was conducted on 32 female Wistar rats, subjected to immunosuppressive regimens most commonly used in therapy of human kidney transplant recipients (cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone; tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone; and cyclosporine A, everolimus and prednisone). The animals received drugs by oral gavage 2 weeks before pregnancy and at 3 weeks of pregnancy. We found drug regimen‐dependent differences in cytometry from spleen. Many subpopulations of lymphocytes were suppressed in rats treated with cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone and tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone; the number of NK cells was increased in group of rats treated with cyclosporine A, everolimus and prednisone. We also found changes in histological examination of thymus and spleen of all treated dams. In cytokine assay, we noticed increasing levels of IL‐17 with increasing doses of concanavalin A in control group and in group of dams treated with cyclosporine A, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone. This increase was blocked in rats treated with tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and prednisone and cyclosporine A, everolimus and prednisone. Qualitative, quantitative and morphological changes of immune system in pharmacologically immunosuppressed females have been observed. Thymus structure, spleen composition and splenocytes IL‐17 production were mostly affected in drug regimen‐dependent manner.
HLA‐A*33:102, a novel allele identified by sequence‐based typing in cord blood from a Korean woman
Authors: Kim K. M. , Han O.J. , Kang M. S. , Huh J. Y.
Published: March 2016

The new allele A*33:102 showed two nucleotide differences with A*33:03:01 in exon 3.
Identification of a novel HLA‐A*02 variant, HLA‐A*02:610, in a Taiwanese individual
Authors: Yang K. L. , Hung J. H. , Lin P. Y.
Published: March 2016

One nucleotide substitution at residue 204 of the HLA‐A*02:01:01:01 results in a new allele, HLA‐A*02:610.
Biomechanical Comparison of Locking Compression Plate versus Positive Profile Pins and Polymethylmethacrylate for Stabilization of the Canine Lumbar Vertebrae
Authors: Sturges Beverly K. , Kapatkin Amy S. , Garcia Tanya C. , Anwer Cona , Fukuda Shimpei , Hitchens Peta L. , Wisner Tristan , Hayashi Kei , Stover Susan M.
Published: March 2016

Objective

To compare the stiffness, angular deformation, and mode of failure of lumbar vertebral column constructs stabilized with bilateral pins and polymethylmethacrylate (Pin‐PMMA) or with a unilateral (left) locking compression plate (LCP) with monocortical screws.

Study Design

Ex vivo biomechanical, non‐randomized.

Samples: Cadaveric canine thoracolumbar specimens (n=16).

Methods

Thoracolumbar (T13‐L3) vertebral specimens had the L1‐L2 vertebral motion unit stabilized with either Pin‐PMMA or LCP. Stiffness in flexion, extension, and right and left lateral bending after nondestructive testing were compared between intact (pretreated) specimens and Pin‐PMMA, and LCP constructs. The Pin‐PMMA and LCP constructs were then tested to failure in flexion and left lateral bending.

Results

Both the Pin‐PMMA and LCP constructs had reduced range of motion at the stabilized L1‐L2 vertebral motion unit compared to intact specimens. The Pin‐PMMA constructs had less range of motion for the flexion elastic zone than LCP constructs. The Pin‐PMMA constructs were stiffer than intact specimens in flexion, extension, and lateral bending, and stiffer than LCP constructs in flexion and left lateral bending. The Pin‐PMMA constructs had less angular deformation at construct yield and lower residual deformation at L1‐L2 than LCP constructs after destructive testing to failure in flexion. The Pin‐PMMA constructs were stiffer, stronger, and had less deformation at yield than LCP constructs after destructive testing to failure in lateral bending. Most constructs failed distant to the implant and fixation site.

Conclusions

Pin‐PMMA constructs had greater lumbar vertebral stiffness and reduced ROM than LCP constructs; however, both Pin‐PMMA and LCP constructs were stronger than intact specimens.
Dual Bone Fixation: A Biomechanical Comparison of 3 Implant Constructs in a Mid‐Diaphyseal Fracture Model of the Feline Radius and Ulna
Authors: Preston Timothy J. , Glyde Mark , Hosgood Giselle , Day Robert E.
Published: March 2016

Objective

To compare the biomechanical properties of dual bone fixation (DBF) constructs to radial locking compression plating (LCP) in an ex vivo feline antebrachial fracture gap model.

Study Design

Ex vivo study.

Sample Population

Cadaveric feline antebrachii (n=12 pairs).

Methods

Antebrachii were radiographed to confirm normal skeletal appearance and maturity. After creation of a 5 mm radial and ulnar ostectomy, each antebrachium received 1 of 3 constructs using an incomplete randomized block design (n=8 per group). All groups received a 10 hole 2.0 mm radial LCP. DBF groups received either a 1.2 mm ulnar intramedullary pin (LCP with pin) or an 8 hole 2.0 mm ulnar LCP in addition to the radial LCP. Biomechanical testing was performed in axial compression and caudocranial and mediolateral 4‐point bending before destruction in axial compression.

Results

DBF constructs (LCP with pin and dual LCP) were significantly stiffer than radial LCP alone in axial compression and caudocranial bending. There were no differences between LCP with pin and dual LCP constructs in axial compression and caudocranial bending or between any constructs in mediolateral bending. Failure load was significantly greater for dual LCP than LCP with pin or LCP alone constructs. Failure loads were not different between LCP with pin and LCP alone.

Conclusion

DBF significantly increased construct stiffness and strength. Given the high complication rate reported in cat antebrachial fractures when only the radius is stabilized, surgeons should consider DBF.
Preoperative Differential Diagnosis of Canine Adrenal Tumors Using Triple‐Phase Helical Computed Tomography
Authors: Yoshida Orie , Kutara Kenji , Seki Mamiko , Ishigaki Kumiko , Teshima Kenji , Ishikawa Chieko , Iida Gentoku , Edamura Kazuya , Kagawa Yumiko , Asano Kazushi
Published: March 2016

Objective

To characterize the computed tomography (CT) findings for canine adrenal tumors, including cortical adenoma, cortical adenocarcinoma, and pheochromocytoma, and to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of preoperative triple‐phase helical CT for differentiation of tumor types and surgical planning.

Study Design

Retrospective study.

Animals

Dogs with adrenal tumors (n=36).

Methods

All dogs underwent triple‐phase helical CT, followed by adrenalectomy and histopathological diagnosis of the resected mass. Precontrast images, arterial, venous, and delayed phase images were obtained. In all cases, morphological characteristics and CT values and calculations, including the percentage enhancement washout ratio, relative percentage washout, enhancement washin, and enhancement washout, were analyzed and compared among the tumor types.

Results

Of the 36 dogs with adrenal masses, cortical adenocarcinoma was most commonly diagnosed (16 dogs), followed by pheochromocytoma (13 dogs), and cortical adenoma (7 dogs). The precontrast minimum CT value and enhancement washout between venous and delayed phases in the cortical adenoma were significantly higher than those in the cortical adenocarcinoma. The maximum CT values of the precontrast image and arterial and venous phases, the enhancement washin and washouts, percentage enhancement washout ratio, and relative percentage washout in the pheochromocytomas were significantly higher than those in cortical adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion

The differential diagnosis of canine adrenal tumors was feasible based on triple‐phase CT findings, including morphological features, CT values, and intratumoral contrast attenuation. Preoperative diagnosis using triple‐phase helical CT may be useful for surgical planning in dogs with adrenal tumors.
Numerical Research of Film Boiling Heat Transfer Around a Vertical Short Cylinder With Flat or Hemispherical Ends
Authors: Arévalo Rubén , Abánades Alberto , Rebollo Luis
Published: March 2016

Film boiling is a heat transfer mechanism that might appear in different processes, such as cryogenics, metallurgical, and nuclear reactors during abnormal operating conditions, as happens during a loss of coolant accident. In this research, film boiling around a finite vertical cylinder was studied by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, considering six cases that include three different levels of surface temperature and two different shapes of the cylinder ends: flat and hemispherical ends. Volume of fluid (VOF) method for the treatment of multiphase flow was used, and a user-defined function was programed to consider the exchange of mass and energy between the phases. The simulations were performed with a vertical cylinder of 32 mm in diameter and 32 or 64 mm in high for flat ends or hemispherical ends, respectively, placed in a two-dimensional axisymmetric domain of 0.125 m × 0.25 m. Results obtained for the heat flux show a periodic fluctuating behavior in time as a consequence of periodical variations in the thickness of the vapor film around the cylinder. A wavy liquid–vapor interface is observed as is reported in the experimental works. The simulations results are compared with the experimental values reported in literature as well as with values obtained from correlations. The results show that the computational code used captures reasonably well the physics involved in the film boiling, being obtained that average heat flux to the case of hemispherical ends is 15.6% higher than for the case of flat ends, versus 15.2% showing experiments and 1.6% calculated combining correlations for the individual surfaces. It shows that use of correlations in this way is not appropriate in film boiling because it does not take into account the interactions between the different surfaces.