bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hepatocellular carcinoma based on cryptogenic liver disease: The most common non‐viral hepatocellular carcinoma in patients aged over 80 years
Authors: Tokushige Katsutoshi , Hashimoto Etsuko , Horie Yoshinori , Taniai Makiko , Higuchi Susumu
Published: June 2014

Aim

To clarify the clinical features of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with cryptogenic liver diseases, we analyzed the data from a nationwide survey in Japan.

Methods

The survey was conducted in 2009. The factors examined included age and underlying liver diseases: alcoholic liver disease (ALD; n = 991), non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (n = 292), modest alcohol intake (intake between 20 and 70 g/day, n = 214) and cryptogenic liver diseases (n = 316). We compared the clinical features of cryptogenic HCC among patient‐age subgroups.

Results

HCC with ALD etiology was most common among the non‐viral HCC patients under 80 years old; for those aged 80 years or older, cryptogenic HCC was the most common etiology. Among the cryptogenic HCC patients, the body mass index values and the prevalences of liver cirrhosis (LC) and diabetes mellitus (DM) were significantly lower in the 80 years or older group versus the 50–79 years group. In the 80 years or older group, 28% of the patients developed HCC without cirrhosis, obesity and DM.

Conclusion

In the HCC patients aged 80 years and over, the etiology of most of the non‐viral HCC cases was classified as cryptogenic. In light of our finding that the prevalences of obesity, DM and LC in the 80 years or older group of cryptogenic HCC patients were significantly lower those in the younger patients, it is apparent that analyses of HCC cases must take age differences into account.
Determination of the Concentration of Carbonic Species in Natural Waters: Results from a World‐Wide Proficiency Test
Authors: Verma Mahendra P. , Portugal Enrique , Gangloff Sophie , Armienta María Aurora , Chandrasekharam Dornadula , Sanchez Mayela , Renderos Roberto E. , Juanco Miguel , van Geldern Robert
Published: June 2014

The results of an international interlaboratory proficiency test for the determination of carbonic species are presented. Eight laboratories analysed twelve water samples (four synthetic waters, one lake water, four geothermal waters, one seawater and two petroleum waters) by two methods: (a) individual laboratory analytical procedure and (b) acid–base titration curves in tabular form following a standardised protocol. In case (b), the concentrations of carbonic species were calculated by the organiser using the (1) Hydrologists' method, (2) Geochemists' method and/or (3) initial pH and total alkalinity method. For synthetic waters, the averaged % trueness and precision of measurement of the two methods were (trueness = 7.6, precision = 9.4) and (9.0, 3.4) for total alkalinity, and (6.6, 31.0) and (7.8, 6.1) for carbonic alkalinity, respectively. This indicates that the total alkalinity calculation procedure is in general correct in the individual laboratory method, but the carbonic alkalinity calculation procedure has serious problems. The measurements of total alkalinity for lake and seawaters were in agreement in both the methods; however, the individual laboratory measurement method for geothermal and petroleum waters was conceptually incorrect. Thus, the analytical procedures for the determination of carbonic species were reviewed. To apply the Hydrologists' and/or Geochemists' methods, the location of NaHCO3EP and H2CO3EP is necessary, even for samples with pH lower than that of NaHCO3EP, and a backward titration curve after complete removal of CO2 must be performed. The initial pH and total alkalinity method is appropriate where a complete analysis of species that contribute to the alkalinity is known.
Metronidazole and amoxicillin as adjuncts to scaling and root planing for the treatment of type 2 diabetic subjects with periodontitis: 1‐year outcomes of a randomized placebo‐controlled clinical trial
Authors: Miranda Tamires Szeremeske , Feres Magda , Perez‐Chaparro Paula Juliana , Faveri Marcelo , Figueiredo Luciene Cristina , Tamashiro Neila Sumie , Bastos Marta Ferreira , Duarte Poliana Mendes
Published: June 2014

Aim

To evaluate the clinical and microbiological effects of the use of metronidazole (MTZ) + amoxicillin (AMX) as adjuncts to scaling and root planing (SRP) for the treatment of chronic periodontitis (ChP) in type 2 diabetic subjects.

Material and Methods

Fifty‐eight type 2 diabetic subjects (n = 29/group) with generalized ChP were randomly assigned to receive SRP alone or with MTZ [400 mg/thrice a day (TID)]+AMX (500 mg/TID) for 14 days. Subgingival biofilm samples were analyzed byqPCRfor the presence of seven periodontal pathogens. Subjects were monitored at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months post‐therapies.

Results

The group receivingSRP+MTZ+AMXpresented greater mean probing depth (PD) reduction and clinical attachment gain, a lower number of sites withPD≥5 mm (primary outcome variable) and a reduced number of subjects with ≥9 of these residual pockets than the control group at 1‐year post‐therapy (p < 0.05). The antibiotic‐treated group also presented reduced levels and greater decreases of the three red complex species,Eubacterium nodatumandPrevotella intermedia,compared to the control group at 1 year (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The adjunctive use ofMTZ+AMXsignificantly improved the clinical and microbiological outcomes ofSRPin the treatment of type 2 diabetic subjects with ChP.
Periodontal status and serum biomarkers levels in haemodialysis patients
Authors: Rodrigues Vandilson P. , Libério Silvana A. , Lopes Fernanda F. , Thomaz Erika B. F. A. , Guerra Rosane N. M. , Gomes‐Filho Isaac S. , Pereira Antonio L. A.
Published: June 2014

Aim

To investigate the association between periodontal status and serum biomarkers levels in haemodialysis patients.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 96 haemodialysis patients. The periodontal evaluation was realized using clinical attachment level (CAL), probing depth (PD), gingival bleeding index (GBI), visible plaque index (VPI) and gingival index (GI). Biochemical and haematological data – serum albumin, phosphorus, creatinine, transferrin, ferritin, iron, alkaline phosphatase, calcium, potassium and haemoglobin – were collected from the medical records. The subject was diagnosed with periodontitis if he/she had at least two inter‐proximal sites in different teeth with CAL ≥4 mm and/or at least two inter‐proximal sites in separate teeth with PD ≥5 mm.

Results

The study population consisted of 45 men and 51 women, with mean time under haemodialysis of 45.6 ± 33.1 months. Periodontitis was observed in 59.4% of the subjects. The periodontitis group had albumin (p = 0.021) and phosphorus (p = 0.024) serum levels lower than the no periodontitis group. Thus, there was a positive association of periodontitis with hypoalbuminaemia (OR = 9.10, p = 0.006) and a negative association with hyperphosphataemia (OR = 0.21, p = 0.010).

Conclusions

These findings suggest that periodontitis is associated with albumin and phosphorus serum levels in haemodialysis patients.
Evolution of aging: individual life history trade‐offs and population heterogeneity account for mortality patterns across species
Authors: Le Cunff Y. , Baudisch A. , Pakdaman K.
Published: June 2014

A broad range of mortality patterns has been documented across species, some even including decreasing mortality over age. Whether there exist a common denominator to explain both similarities and differences in these mortality patterns remains an open question. The disposable soma theory, an evolutionary theory of aging, proposes that universal intracellular trade‐offs between maintenance/lifespan and reproduction would drive aging across species. The disposable soma theory has provided numerous insights concerning aging processes in single individuals. Yet, which specific population mortality patterns it can lead to is still largely unexplored. In this article, we propose a model exploring the mortality patterns which emerge from an evolutionary process including only the disposable soma theory core principles. We adapt a well‐known model of genomic evolution to show that mortality curves producing a kink or mid‐life plateaus derive from a common minimal evolutionary framework. These mortality shapes qualitatively correspond to those of Drosophila melanogaster, Caenorhabditis elegans, medflies, yeasts and humans. Species evolved in silico especially differ in their population diversity of maintenance strategies, which itself emerges as an adaptation to the environment over generations. Based on this integrative framework, we also derive predictions and interpretations concerning the effects of diet changes and heat‐shock treatments on mortality patterns.
IRT Model Misspecification and Measurement of Growth in Vertical Scaling
Authors: Bolt Daniel M. , Deng Sien , Lee Sora
Published: June 2014

Functional form misfit is frequently a concern in item response theory (IRT), although the practical implications of misfit are often difficult to evaluate. In this article, we illustrate how seemingly negligible amounts of functional form misfit, when systematic, can be associated with significant distortions of the score metric in vertical scaling contexts. Our analysis uses two‐ and three‐parameter versions of Samejima's logistic positive exponent model (LPE) as a data generating model. Consistent with prior work, we find LPEs generally provide a better comparative fit to real item response data than traditional IRT models (2PL, 3PL). Further, our simulation results illustrate how 2PL‐ or 3PL‐based vertical scaling in the presence of LPE‐induced misspecification leads to an artificial growth deceleration across grades, consistent with that commonly seen in vertical scaling studies. The results raise further concerns about the use of standard IRT models in measuring growth, even apart from the frequently cited concerns of construct shift/multidimensionality across grades.
Cytokinin levels and signaling respond to wounding and the perception of herbivore elicitors in Nicotiana attenuata
Authors: Schäfer Martin , Meza‐Canales Ivan D. , Navarro‐Quezada Aura , Brütting Christoph , Vanková Radomira , Baldwin Ian T. , Meldau Stefan
Published: June 2014

Nearly half a century ago insect herbivores were found to induce the formation of green islands by manipulating cytokinin (CK) levels. However, the response of the CK pathway to attack by chewing insect herbivores remains unclear. Here, we characterize the CK pathway of Nicotiana attenuata (Torr. ex S. Wats.) and its response to wounding and perception of herbivore‐associated molecular patterns (HAMPs). We identified 44 genes involved in CK biosynthesis, inactivation, degradation, and signaling. Leaf wounding rapidly induced transcriptional changes in multiple genes throughout the pathway, as well as in the levels of CKs, including isopentenyladenosine and cis‐zeatin riboside; perception of HAMPs present in the oral secretions (OS) of the specialist herbivore Manduca sexta amplified these responses. The jasmonate pathway, which triggers many herbivore‐induced processes, was not required for these HAMP‐triggered changes, but rather suppressed the CK responses. Interestingly CK pathway changes were observed also in systemic leaves in response to wounding and OS application indicating a role of CKs in mediating long distance systemic processes in response to herbivory. Since wounding and grasshopper OS elicited similar accumulations of CKs in Arabidopsis thaliana L., we propose that CKs are integral components of wounding and HAMP‐triggered responses in many plant species.
Rate of Low Vitamin D Levels in a Low‐Risk Obstetric Population
Authors: Kaloczi Lisa D. , Deneris Angela
Published: June 2014

Introduction

The objectives of this study were to determine vitamin D levels at the first prenatal visit in women who had no obstetric risk factors and, if determined to have a low vitamin D level, to evaluate how high‐dose treatment affected the vitamin D level by the end of the second trimester.

Methods

This study was a descriptive, retrospective chart review. Women were identified through electronic database query based on prenatal care initiation. One hundred and four women had a 25‐hydroxy (OH) vitamin D (25[OH]D) serum level drawn at the first prenatal visit. Supplementation was recommended with either 2000 or 4000 units of vitamin D3 for women who had vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. Twenty women who were treated had repeat vitamin D levels drawn at 28 weeks’ gestation to evaluate the effectiveness of supplementation.

Results

Descriptive analysis of demographic data of 104 women who had 25(OH)D levels drawn determined there were no significant differences between women who were vitamin D deficient or insufficient and those whose serum levels were in the sufficient range. Vitamin D serum levels revealed that 32 (30.8%) were sufficient (>30 ng/mL), 49 (47.1%) were insufficient (20‐29 ng/mL), and 23 (22.1%) were deficient (<20 ng/mL). Twenty women had a repeat measure of 25(OH)D after supplementation, and there was a significant rise in vitamin D level (P < .001) with vitamin D3 supplementation. However, women who took 4000 units had a higher mean rise (13.17 ng/mL) in 25(OH)D than those taking 2000 units (8.79 ng/mL). Twelve of the women (60%) were still insufficient after supplementation with 2000 units of vitamin D3.

Discussion

This small sample of women demonstrates a significant degree of insufficiency and deficiency in this desert community where sunshine is plentiful. A larger study should be completed to determine ideal supplementation during pregnancy.
Examining Antenatal Health Literacy in Ghana
Authors: Lori Jody R. , Dahlem Chin Hwa Y. , Ackah Jacqueline V. , Adanu Richard M.K.
Published: June 2014

Purpose

To explore Ghanaian pregnant women's understanding and recognition of danger signs in pregnancy, birth preparedness and complication readiness, and their understanding of newborn care.

Design

An exploratory, qualitative study design was used.

Methods

Data were gathered through six focus group discussions with 68 pregnant women attending antenatal care at a busy urban hospital in Ghana. Qualitative and descriptive data were analyzed using SPSS version 21. Health literacy was used as the guiding framework to analyze the qualitative data. Data were analyzed in the content domains of (a) understanding and recognition of danger signs in pregnancy, (b) preparedness for childbirth, (c) understanding and recognition of danger signs in the newborn, and (d) appropriate and timely referral.

Findings

Women in this study identified danger signs of pregnancy and in the newborn, but had difficulty interpreting and operationalizing information they received during antenatal care visits, indicating that health education did not translate to appropriate health behaviors. Cultural beliefs in alternative medicine, lack of understanding, and prior negative encounters with healthcare professionals may have led to underutilization of professional midwives for delivery and health services.

Conclusions

Women in this study exhibited low health literacy by incorrectly interpreting and operationalizing health education received during antenatal care. With limited health literacy, pregnant women cannot fully comprehend the scope of services that a health system can provide for them and their families.

Clinical Relevance

Achieving the greatest impact with limited time in antenatal care is a challenge. Since antenatal care is widely available to pregnant women in Ghana, it is vital to reexamine the way antenatal education is delivered. Pregnant women must receive health information that is accurate and easy to understand in order to make informed health choices that will improve maternal and child health.
Functional anatomy and feeding biomechanics of a giant Upper Jurassic pliosaur (Reptilia: Sauropterygia) from Weymouth Bay, Dorset, UK
Authors: Foffa Davide , Cuff Andrew R. , Sassoon Judyth , Rayfield Emily J. , Mavrogordato Mark N. , Benton Michael J.
Published: June 2014

Pliosaurs were among the largest predators in Mesozoic seas, and yet their functional anatomy and feeding biomechanics are poorly understood. A new, well‐preserved pliosaur from the Kimmeridgian of Weymouth Bay (UK) revealed cranial adaptations related to feeding. Digital modelling of computed tomography scans allowed reconstruction of missing, distorted regions of the skull and of the adductor musculature, which indicated high bite forces. Size‐corrected beam theory modelling showed that the snout was poorly optimised against bending and torsional stresses compared with other aquatic and terrestrial predators, suggesting that pliosaurs did not twist or shake their prey during feeding and that seizing was better performed with post‐symphyseal bites. Finite element analysis identified biting‐induced stress patterns in both the rostrum and lower jaws, highlighting weak areas in the rostral maxillary‐premaxillary contact and the caudal mandibular symphysis. A comparatively weak skull coupled with musculature that was able to produce high forces, is explained as a trade‐off between agility, hydrodynamics and strength. In the Kimmeridgian ecosystem, we conclude that Late Jurassic pliosaurs were generalist predators at the top of the food chain, able to prey on reptiles and fishes up to half their own length.
Analysis of joint force and torque for the human and non‐human ape foot during bipedal walking with implications for the evolution of the foot
Authors: Wang Weijie , Abboud Rami J. , Günther Michael M. , Crompton Robin H.
Published: June 2014

The feet of apes have a different morphology from those of humans. Until now, it has merely been assumed that the morphology seen in humans must be adaptive for habitual bipedal walking, as the habitual use of bipedal walking is generally regarded as one of the most clear‐cut differences between humans and apes. This study asks simply whether human skeletal proportions do actually enhance foot performance during human‐like bipedalism, by examining the influence of foot proportions on force, torque and work in the foot joints during simulated bipedal walking. Skeletons of the common chimpanzee, orangutan, gorilla and human were represented by multi‐rigid‐body models, where the components of the foot make external contact via finite element surfaces. The models were driven by identical joint motion functions collected from experiments on human walking. Simulated contact forces between the ground and the foot were found to be reasonably comparable with measurements made during human walking using pressure‐ and force‐platforms. Joint force, torque and work in the foot were then predicted. Within the limitations of our model, the results show that during simulated human‐like bipedal walking, (1) the human and non‐human ape (NHA) feet carry similar joint forces, although the distributions of the forces differ; (2) the NHA foot incurs larger joint torques than does the human foot, although the human foot has higher values in the first tarso‐metatarsal and metatarso‐phalangeal joints, whereas the NHA foot incurs higher values in the lateral digits; and (3) total work in the metatarso‐phalangeal joints is lower in the human foot than in the NHA foot. The results indicate that human foot proportions are indeed well suited to performance in normal human walking.
Work–family interference, psychological distress, and workplace injuries
Authors: Turner Nick , Hershcovis M. Sandy , Reich Tara C. , Totterdell Peter
Published: June 2014

We draw on conservation of resources theory (Hobfoll,) to investigate in two studies the relationship between work–family interference (i.e., work–family conflict and family–work conflict) and workplace injuries as mediated by psychological distress. InStudy 1, we use split survey data from a sample ofUKhealth care workers (N = 645) to first establish the model, and then cross‐validate it, finding that work–family conflict (but not family–work conflict) was partially related to workplace injuries via psychological distress. InStudy 2, we extend the model with a separate two‐wave sample of manufacturing and service employees (Study 2;N = 128). We found that psychological distress fully mediated the relationship between work–family conflict and workplace injuries incurred 6 months later, controlling for prior levels of workplace injuries. The implications of making workplaces safer by enabling employees to better manage competing work and home demands are discussed.

Practitioner points

This research illustrates how the stress from managing work and family is related to more frequent workplace injuries.

Reducing psychological distress – particularly from the conflict between balancing work and home domains – may be a way of keeping workers physically safe.
The Development of Math–Race Stereotypes: “They Say Chinese People Are the Best at Math”
Authors: Cvencek Dario , Nasir Na'ilah S. , O'Connor Kathleen , Wischnia Sarah , Meltzoff Andrew N.
Published: June 2014

Sixty elementary‐school children (9–10 years old) and 82 adolescents (12–13 years old) completed explicit and implicit measures of racial stereotypes about math. 60 Asian, 42 Latino, 21 White, 15 Black, and four multiracial students participated (42% boys). On the explicit measure, children as early as fifth grade reported being aware of the stereotype that Asians = math, but only adolescents personally endorsed this stereotype. On the implicit measure, there was significant evidence for racial stereotypes about math among adolescents. Across both ages, individual students’ explicit awareness of the stereotype was significantly correlated with their implicit stereotypes. Early adolescence is a key developmental window for discussing stereotypes before they become endorsed as personal beliefs.
Leptin and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese children and adolescents
Authors: Gonzaga Nathalia C , Medeiros Carla CM , de Carvalho Danielle F , Alves João GB
Published: June 2014

Aim

To verify the relationship between leptin and cardiometabolic risk factors in obese children and adolescents.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study evaluated 200 children and adolescents treated in Campina Grande, Brazil, from April 2009 to March 2010. Leptin, fasting glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR), total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL‐C), high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and triglycerides were determined. The t‐test was used to compare leptin means of two groups and analysis of variance to compare means of three groups. Multiple comparisons of pairs of group means were performed with Tukey's test. In all tests, a significance level of 0.05 was adopted.

Results

The leptin sample mean was 22.7 ± 10.0 μg/L (95% confidence interval: 21.3 μg/L to 24.1 μg/L). Leptin was significantly higher in the following groups: female, teenager, increased waist circumference, high systolic blood pressure, elevated triglycerides hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. Most cardiometabolic risk factors had higher means in the last quartile of leptin, except total‐cholesterol, LDL‐C and triglycerides levels. HDL‐C was reduced in the last quartile of leptin. Simple linear regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation between leptin and HDL‐C and a positive correlation between leptin and triglycerides, insulin, HOMA‐IR, body mass index, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Multiple linear regression models showed an independent association between leptin and HDL‐C, triglycerides, insulin, HOMA‐IR, body mass index, waist circumference, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, after age and gender control.

Conclusion

Leptin may be a useful marker of metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance in obese adolescents.
Frequency of coeliac disease in children with breath‐holding spells
Authors: Işikay Sedat , Hızlı Şamil
Published: June 2014

Aim

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), which is reported very commonly among patients with breath holding spells (BHS), is the most common presentation of coeliac disease (CD). In that aspect, IDA may be a common pathway linking these two diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of CD in patients with BHS.

Methods

We studied 348 children with BHS, and 470 age‐ and sex‐matched controls with no known disease. Serological screening for CD was performed in all patients by searching for serum tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A.

Results

The first group consisted of 348 children with BHS (231 males, 117 females; mean age 2.23 ± 1.84 years), and the second group consisted of 470 healthy children (284 males, 186 females; mean age 2.11 ± 1.98 years). A total of 300 (86.2%) patients had cyanotic type of BHS only, 27 (7.8%) had pallid type of BHS only and 21 (6%) had mixed type of BHS. The prevalence of IDA was statistically significantly higher in BHS patients compared with controls. Tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A was not detected as positive in any patients in either group; therefore, endoscopic and histopathological examinations were not performed.

Conclusions

Our report is the first to describe the frequency of tissue transglutaminase immunoglobulin A positivity in patients with BHS. There was no evidence of a relationship between CD and BHS, but IDA seems to be an important risk factor in the development of BHS. Therefore, serological screening for CD in patients with BHS does not seem to be necessary.
Childhood tuberculosis: A roadmap towards zero deaths
Authors: Marais Ben J , Graham Stephen M
Published: June 2014

‘Every day, more than 200 children under the age of 15 die needlessly from tuberculosis (TB) – a disease that is preventable and curable. The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 1 in 10 TB cases globally (6–10% of all TB cases) are among this age group, but the number could be even higher because many children are simply undiagnosed.’ Childhood TB is emerging from the shadows. This quote comes from the recently launched international roadmap towards zero TB deaths in children. We provide a brief update of new developments and remaining challenges related to childhood TB, with particular emphasis on the new roadmap.
Post‐implementation review of pulse oximetry screening of well newborns in an Australian tertiary maternity hospital
Authors: Bhola Kavita , Kluckow Martin , Evans Nick
Published: June 2014

Aim

Despite there being evidence that pulse oximetry screening is better than clinical examination alone in early detection of CHD, implementation has been slow. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the practice after its implementation into routine care at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in 2008.

Methods

A single pulse oximetry measurement was incorporated in the routine discharge newborn examination or, with early discharge, as a part of the Midwife Discharge Support Programme. An oxygen saturation level greater than or equal to 95% was considered normal, and a level less than 95%, confirmed on a repeat measure, triggered a review and examination by a consultant neonatal paediatrician. The saturation levels were recorded in the hospital database. Ascertainment of major CHD requiring surgery in the first 12 months was performed by searching the cardiac surgery database of the Heart Centre for Children.

Results

A total of 18 801 babies were screened over a 42‐month period. Of these, four babies with major CHD were diagnosed prior to discharge with the main clinical alert resulting from routine pulse oximetry screening (true positive). Of the 11 cases with saturation <95% but no CHD (false positive cases), six had respiratory pathology. One baby with normal saturation level needed surgery in the first year for a large ventricular septal defect (false negative). The false positive rate of pulse oximetry screening for CHD was 0.13% with sensitivity 80%, specificity of 99.8%, a positive predictive value of 13.3% and a negative predictive value of 99.9%. Nine additional echocardiogram were required over 42 months.

Conclusions

These post‐implementation data confirm that pulse oximetry screening increases early diagnosis of major CHD as well as other important pathology with a very low false positive rate and minimal requirement for extra echocardiograms. Pulse oximetry screening of apparently well newborns should become a standard of care.
Effects of dietary substitution of zinc‐methionine for inorganic zinc sources on growth performance, tissue zinc accumulation and some blood parameters in broiler chicks
Authors: Jahanian R. , Rasouli E.
Published: June 2014

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of dietary inclusion of zinc‐methionine (ZnMet) as a replacement for conventional inorganic zinc sources on performance, tissue zinc accumulation and some plasma indices in broiler chicks. A total of 450‐day‐old Ross male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five pen replicates of nine experimental diets. Dietary treatments consisted of two basal diets supplemented with 40 mg/kg added Zn as feed‐grade Zn sulphate or Zn oxide in which, Zn was replaced with that supplied from ZnMet complex by 25, 50, 75 or 100%. At 42 days of age, three randomly selected birds from each pen were bled to measure plasma metabolites; then, the chicks were slaughtered to evaluate carcass characteristics. Results showed that dietary treatments affected (p < 0.05) feed intake during the starter period, and chicks on Zn oxide diets consumed more feed than sulphate counterparts. Furthermore, dietary substitution of inorganic Zn sources by ZnMet caused improvements (p < 0.01) in body weight gain during all experimental periods. Dietary supplementation of ZnMet improved feed conversion efficiency during 1–21 and 1–42, but not in 21–42 days of age. Complete replacement of inorganic Zn by that supplied from ZnMet caused an increase (p < 0.05) in relative liver weight. Similarly, dietary inclusion of ZnMet increased breast meat and carcass yields and reduced abdominal fat percentage (p < 0.05). Incremental levels of ZnMet increased (p < 0.05) zinc concentrations in liver and thymus, and the highest zinc accumulations were seen in 100% ZnMet‐supplemented birds. Interestingly, introduction of ZnMet into the diets partially in place of inorganic sources resulted in decreases (p < 0.01) in plasma uric acid and triglycerides concentrations. The present findings indicated that dietary ZnMet inclusion in replacement of inorganic sources in addition to improving growth performance, reduced plasma uric acid and triglycerides concentrations, consequently decreased abdominal fat pad and increased carcass meat yield.
Evaluation of biologically mediated changes in oil sands naphthenic acid composition by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using negative‐ion electrospray orbitrap mass spectrometry
Authors: Goff Kira L. , Peru Kerry , Wilson Kenneth E. , Headley John V.
Published: June 2014

Industrial activity associated with oil‐sands extraction in Canada's Athabasca region produces a variety of contaminants of concern, including naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). NAFCs are a complex mixture of organic compounds that are poorly understood both in terms of their chemical composition and effects on the environment. NAFC toxicity in the unicellular green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii P.A.Dangeard was correlated with the presence of the algal cell wall. It was suggested that the toxicity of NAFCs in C. reinhardtii was due to surfactant effects. Surfactant‐cell wall interactions are specific and governed by the compound class and structure, and by the nature of the biological material. Here, we investigate the effects of wildtype (WT) C. reinhardtii and two cell‐wall mutants on specific classes of NAFCs when growing cultures were treated with a 100 mg · L−1 solution of NAFCs. Changes in the NAFC composition in the media were examined using high resolution mass spectrometry over a period of 4 d. Algal mediated changes in the NAFCs were limited to specific classes of NAFCs. In particular, the removal of large, classical naphthenic acids, with a double bond equivalent of 8, was observed in WT C. reinhardtii cultures. The observed algal mediated changes in NAFC composition would have been masked by low resolution mass spectrometry and highlight the importance of this tool in examining bioremediation of complex mixtures of NAFCs.
Detecting molecular signatures of natural selection in Morus alba populations from trans‐Himalaya
Authors: BAJPAI Prabodh K. , WARGHAT Ashish R. , KANT Anil , SRIVASTAVA Ravi B. , STOBDAN Tsering
Published: June 2014

Genome scan was done with 439 dominant marker loci to identify outlier loci in three populations of Morus alba from the trans‐Himalayan region. Employing finite and hierarchical island population genetic models, we detected 30 (6.85%) loci under selection, of which 3.64% were under directional selection and 3.19% under balancing selection. The hierarchical island model was efficient in detecting signatures of natural selection with low occurrence of false positives. Data showed significant spatial genetic structure (SGS), especially in population from Nubra valley with significantly high SGS. Bayesian approach revealed high genetic differentiation and inbreeding in Nubra population. Indus and Suru valleys populations showed comparatively low SGS, genetic differentiation, and inbreeding. The study showed that M. alba falls in the range of mixed mating and outcrossing species. However, the population of Nubra valley showed selfing with high SGS. Significant SGS strengthens the presence of natural selection in M. alba natural populations.
Researching literacy in context: using video analysis to explore school literacies
Authors: Blikstad‐Balas Marte , Sørvik Gard Ove
Published: June 2014

This article addresses how methodological approaches relying on video can be included in literacy research to capture changing literacies. In addition to arguing why literacy is best studied in context, we provide empirical examples of how small, head‐mounted video cameras have been used in two different research projects that share a common aim: understanding the complex ways in which literacy is a part of school practices. The complexity of literacy practices taking place in classrooms, where students draw on a number of texts for a variety of purposes and different literacy discourses co‐exist in the same setting, poses a serious challenge for those who wish to study literacy in educational settings. The methodology presented in this article is our attempt to meet this challenge. Our approach relies on using video equipment in innovative ways to capture multiple perspectives, involving research participants in the data collection process and the early stages of analysis, and analysing video data with digital coding software. These methods are combined to obtain a more systematic and detailed insight into the contexts in which literacy takes place.
Genome‐wide SNP analysis reveals a genetic basis for sea‐age variation in a wild population of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)
Authors: Johnston Susan E. , Orell Panu , Pritchard Victoria L. , Kent Matthew P. , Lien Sigbjørn , Niemelä Eero , Erkinaro Jaakko , Primmer Craig R.
Published: June 2014

Delaying sexual maturation can lead to larger body size and higher reproductive success, but carries an increased risk of death before reproducing. Classical life history theory predicts that trade‐offs between reproductive success and survival should lead to the evolution of an optimal strategy in a given population. However, variation in mating strategies generally persists, and in general, there remains a poor understanding of genetic and physiological mechanisms underlying this variation. One extreme case of this is in the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), which can show variation in the age at which they return from their marine migration to spawn (i.e. their ‘sea age’). This results in large size differences between strategies, with direct implications for individual fitness. Here, we used an Illumina Infinium SNP array to identify regions of the genome associated with variation in sea age in a large population of Atlantic salmon in Northern Europe, implementing individual‐based genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) and population‐based FST outlier analyses. We identified several regions of the genome which vary in association with phenotype and/or selection between sea ages, with nearby genes having functions related to muscle development, metabolism, immune response and mate choice. In addition, we found that individuals of different sea ages belong to different, yet sympatric populations in this system, indicating that reproductive isolation may be driven by divergence between stable strategies. Overall, this study demonstrates how genome‐wide methodologies can be integrated with samples collected from wild, structured populations to understand their ecology and evolution in a natural context.
Establishing and managing a periodontal biobank for research: the sharing of experience
Authors: Vaithilingam RD , Safii SH , Baharuddin NA , Karen‐Ng LP , Saub R , Ariffin F , Ramli H , Sharifuddin A , Hidayat MFH , Raman R , Chan YK , Rani NA , Rahim RA , Shahruddin N , Cheong SC , Bartold PM , Zain RB
Published: June 2014

Periodontal bio‐repositories, which allow banking of clinically validated human data and biological samples, provide an opportunity to derive biomarkers for periodontal diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic activities which are expected to improve patient management. This article presents the establishing of the Malaysian Periodontal Database and Biobank System (MPDBS) which was initiated in 2011 with the aim to facilitate periodontal research. Partnerships were established with collaborating centres. Policies on specimen access, authorship and acknowledgement policies were agreed upon by all participating centres before the initiation of the periodontal biobank. Ethical approval for the collection of samples and data were obtained from institutional ethics review boards. A broad‐based approach for informed consent was used, which covered areas related to quality of life impacts, genetics and molecular aspects of periodontal disease. Sample collection and processing was performed using a standardized protocol. Biobanking resources such as equipment and freezers were shared with the Malaysian Oral Cancer Database and Tissue Bank System (MOCDTBS). In the development of the MPDBS, challenges that were previously faced by the MOCDTBS were considered. Future challenges in terms of ethical and legal issues will be faced when international collaborations necessitate the transportation of specimens across borders.
Vulnerable Bodies: Rethinking Global Violence in The Sirens of Baghdad
Authors: Keenan Deirdre
Published: June 2014

In choosing to teach Yasmina Khadra's novel The Sirens of Baghdad, I had two pedagogical objectives: the first was to question the meaning of the word “terrorism.” I had hoped that in a comparative examination of acts represented in the novel with acts of war, students' learned condemnation of terrorism might prompt reconsideration of the ethics of war. My second objective was to question the inevitability of military responses to global violence, or at least to question why war seems to be a permanent and, for many, an acceptable reality in twenty‐first‐century culture. Students in my 200‐level literature course were age nine or ten when the 9/11 attacks occurred and have come of age in a period of continuous global violence and U.S. military involvement. This paper outlines a pedagogy of re‐examining global violence and its consequences through literature and critical theory.
“We Are Constructing” Peace: Local Conflict Legacies and Postconflict Reconstruction in a Peruvian Cocaine Enclave, 2003–2007
Authors: van Dun Mirella
Published: June 2014

Regional dynamics and complexities within internal armed conflicts can lead to partial conflict settlements that can disrupt peace if managed ineffectively by the state. To gain an insight into these regional dynamics, research must focus on the local realities. The use of in‐depth accounts of the local narratives about conflict, peace, and the relations between the local postconflict processes and the parallel national processes all constitute elements that are indispensable for a deeper understanding of postconflict reconstruction in societies where an illegal industry dominates the local economy. The ethnographic approach used in this study allowed the researcher to explore the regional complexities within the Peruvian Upper Huallaga.
“In Relation to the Pact”: Radical Pacifists and the Kellogg‐Briand Pact, 1928–1939
Authors: Limberg Michael
Published: June 2014

This paper argues that radical and pacifist peace activists made the Kellogg‐Briand Pact their own for the decade after its creation. While recognizing the treaty's flaws, they co‐opted and adapted its meaning, and it influenced many of the goals activists pursued in the 1930s. The pact aided cooperation between peace activists, and both the treaty and Frank B. Kellogg himself played a larger role in the peace movement for a longer period than previously recognized. This argument draws primarily from sources at the Minnesota Historical Society, the WILPF International records at the University of Colorado‐Boulder, the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College, and the WILPF records in the Swarthmore College Peace Collection.
Diversity among Pseudomonas corrugata and Pseudomonas mediterranea isolated from tomato and pepper showing symptoms of pith necrosis in Greece
Authors: Trantas E. A. , Sarris P. F. , Pentari M. G. , Mpalantinaki E. E. , Ververidis F. N. , Goumas D. E.
Published: June 2014

Bacterial isolates from tomato plants with symptoms revealing pith necrosis collected over a 20‐year period were screened and characterized using biochemical and pathogenicity tests, as well as molecular approaches. The examined isolates were categorized into two main Pseudomonas species: P. corrugata and P. mediterranea. The diversity of these isolates was characterized through a variety of biochemical, serological, pathogenicity, DNA fingerprinting and multi‐locus sequence analysis features. Of the total Pseudomonas isolates causing pith necrosis, the biochemical profile of the selected non‐fluorescent pseudomonads consisting of P. corrugata and P. mediterranea revealed differentiation in only three characters among 43 examined. Serological analysis managed to identify the P. corrugata isolates using the laboratory prepared antiserum anti‐PC14. Genomic analyses using rep‐PCR fingerprinting and multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) revealed considerable inter‐ and intraspecies genetic diversity. However, artificial inoculations of several plant species revealed similar pathogenicity patterns for both P. corrugata and P. mediterranea isolates. These results provide the basis for a more comprehensive understanding of the biology, sources and shift in genetic diversity and evolution of both P. corrugata and P. mediterranea populations and could support the development of molecular identification tools and epidemiological studies in diseases caused by these species. Moreover, this is the first report of P. mediterranea in Greece on tomato as well as on pepper plants.
Hybridization between Japanese and North American Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)
Authors: Nakada Takashi , Tsuchida Yudai , Arakawa Kazuharu , Ito Takuro , Tomita Masaru
Published: June 2014

The microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model organism whose whole genome has been sequenced. Although considered a cosmopolitan species, only eastern North American isolates of C. reinhardtii were available before 2010, when new Japanese isolates were reported. In the study describing the new Japanese isolates, zygote formation between Japanese and North American strains was shown, but germination was not demonstrated. In this study, the germination of intercontinental hybrid zygotes was examined using wild‐type Japanese strains and mutant American strains that cannot utilize nitrate. Several clonal progeny strains were established, and the progeny strains were screened based on mating type and nitrate utilization to confirm their hybrid nature. The establishment of four intercontinental hybrid strains with different phenotypic combinations was confirmed by sequencing mating type‐specific and nitrate reductase‐related genes. The potential for hybrid formation between Japanese and North American strains suggests the existence of a worldwide mating population of C. reinhardtii.
Energized by love: Thinking about romantic relationships increases positive affect and blood glucose levels
Authors: Stanton Sarah C. E. , Campbell Lorne , Loving Timothy J.
Published: June 2014

We assessed the impact of thinking of a current romantic partner on acute blood glucose responses and positive affect over a short period of time. Participants in romantic relationships were randomly assigned to reflect on their partner, an opposite‐sex friend, or their morning routine. Blood glucose levels were assessed prior to reflection, as well as at 10 and 25 min postreflection. Results revealed that individuals in the routine and friend conditions exhibited a decline in glucose over time, whereas individuals in the partner condition did not exhibit this decline (rather, a slight increase) in glucose over time. Reported positive affect following reflection was positively associated with increases in glucose, but only for individuals who reflected on their partner, suggesting this physiological response reflects eustress. These findings add to the literature on eustress in relationships and have implications for relationship processes.
Caspase Activation, Hydrogen Peroxide Production and Akt Dephosphorylation Occur During Stallion Sperm Senescence
Authors: Gallardo Bolaños JM , Balao da Silva C , Martín Muñoz P , Plaza Dávila M , Ezquerra J , Aparicio IM , Tapia JA , Ortega Ferrusola C , Peña FJ
Published: June 2014

Contents

To investigate the mechanisms inducing sperm death after ejaculation, stallion ejaculates were incubated in BWW media during 6 h at 37°C. At the beginning of the incubation period and after 1, 2, 4 and 6 h sperm motility and kinematics (CASA), mitochondrial membrane potential and membrane permeability and integrity were evaluated (flow cytometry). Also, at the same time intervals, active caspase 3, hydrogen peroxide, superoxide anion (flow cytometry) and Akt phosphorylation (flow cytometry) were evaluated. Major decreases in sperm function occurred after 6 h of incubation, although after 1 h decrease in the percentages of motile and progressive motile sperm occurred. The decrease observed in sperm functionality after 6 h of incubation was accompanied by a significant increase in the production of hydrogen peroxide and the greatest increase in caspase 3 activity. Additionally, the percentage of phosphorylated Akt reached a minimum after 6 h of incubation. These results provide evidences that sperm death during in vitro incubation is largely an apoptotic phenomena, probably stimulated by endogenous production of hydrogen peroxide and the lack of prosurvival factors maintaining Akt in a phosphorylated status. Disclosing molecular mechanisms leading to sperm death may help to develop new strategies for stallion sperm conservation.