bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Buprenorphine signalling is compromised at the N40D polymorphism of the human μ opioid receptor in vitro
Authors: Knapman Alisa , Santiago Marina , Connor Mark
Published: May 2014

Background and Purpose

There is significant variation in individual response to opioid drugs, which may result in inappropriate opioid therapy. Polymorphisms of the μ opioid receptor (MOP receptor) may contribute to individual variation in opioid response by affecting receptor function, and the effect may be ligand‐specific. We sought to determine functional differences in MOP receptor signalling at several signalling pathways using a range of structurally distinct opioid ligands in cells expressing wild‐type MOP receptors (MOPr‐WT) and the commonly occurring MOP receptor variant, N40D.

Experimental Approach

MOPr‐WT and MOPr‐N40D were stably expressed in CHO cells and in AtT‐20 cells. Assays of AC inhibition and ERK1/2 phosphorylation were performed on CHO cells, and assays of K activation were performed on AtT‐20 cells. Signalling profiles for each ligand were compared between variants.

Key Results

Buprenorphine efficacy was reduced by over 50% at MOPr‐N40D for AC inhibition and ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Buprenorphine potency was reduced threefold at MOPr‐N40D for K channel activation. Pentazocine efficacy was reduced by 50% for G‐protein‐gated inwardly rectifying K channel activation at MOPr‐N40D. No other differences were observed for any other ligands tested.

Conclusions and Implications

The N40D variant is present in 10–50% of the population. Buprenorphine is a commonly prescribed opioid analgesic, and many individuals do not respond to buprenorphine therapy. This study demonstrates that buprenorphine signalling to several effectors via the N40D variant of MOP receptors is impaired, and this may have important consequences in a clinical setting for individuals carrying the N40D allele.
Predictive value of allergy tests for neuromuscular blocking agents: tackling an unmet need
Authors: Leysen J. , Uyttebroek A. , Sabato V. , Bridts C. H. , De Clerck L. S. , Ebo D. G.
Published: May 2014

Background

Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs) are a predominant cause of perioperative anaphylaxis in Europe. Diagnosis of NMBA allergy relies upon the careful review of the anaesthetic report complemented with skin tests. Additional diagnostic tests are quantification of specific IgE antibodies (sIgE) and basophil activation test (BAT). However, data on the predictive value of the skin tests, the BAT and the sIgE assays (drug‐specific and substituted ammonium structures) are limited or not available, mainly because such exploration requires dangerous NMBA provocation tests.

Methods

In this study, the predictive value of skin test, BAT and measurement of sIgE to substituted ammonium structures is gathered from a review of anaesthetic records of subsequent surgical procedures with NMBA administration and/or occurrence of perioperative incidents.

Results

We investigated a series of 272 patients with perioperative anaphylaxis, of whom 100 had undergone second general anaesthesia. Negative skin test and negative BAT assisted the selection of alternative NMBA, which were well tolerated in all cases. Five patients with a positive sIgE to rocuronium but with negative skin testing and BAT safely received rocuronium during second anaesthesia. Twelve patients with sIgE reactivity to morphine, but negative skin test and BAT to benzylisoquinolines, tolerated administration of cisatracurium or atracurium. Alternatively, benzylisoquinoline allergy went undetected in the morphine solid‐phase assay.

Conclusions

Skin test and BAT have an excellent negative predictive value in our series. The uneventful re‐exposure of rocuronium in patients with an isolated positive sIgE result to rocuronium calls into question the predictive value of this assay and suggests sIgE serology to be less clinically predictive than the functional investigations relying upon activation of mast cells or basophils. The presence of a positive sIgE to substituted ammonium structures such as morphine does not preclude further use of benzylisoquinolines.
Robust Treatment of Degenerate Elements in Interactive Corotational FEM Simulations
Authors: Civit‐Flores O. , Susín A.
Published: May 2014

We address the problem of robust and efficient treatment of element collapse and inversion in corotational FEM simulations of deformable objects in two and three dimensions, and show that existing degeneration treatment methods have previously unreported flaws that seriously threaten robustness and physical plausibility in interactive applications. We propose a new method that avoids such flaws, yields faster and smoother degeneration recovery and extends the range of well‐behaved degenerate configurations without adding significant complexity or computational cost to standard explicit and quasi‐implicit solvers.
PRIVATIZATION IN CHINA: TECHNOLOGY AND GENDER IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR
Authors: Dammert Ana C. , Ural Marchand Beyza
Published: May 2014

This paper examines the impact of privatization on gender discrimination in China across firms with different technology intensities. Using a comprehensive firm‐level survey, the paper identifies gender wage‐productivity differentials by directly estimating the relative productivity levels of workers from the production function of firms. The panel structure of the survey is taken advantage of by following firms that were fully state‐owned in the initial year, and distinguishing them from firms that were later privatized. The main results show that privatization was associated with an increase in relative productivity of female workers in high technology industries, and a reduction in relative productivity of female workers in low technology industries. Time varying coefficient results suggest that the improvements in gender outcomes in high technology industries may not be maintained in the long run as the relative wage and productivity ratios tend to deteriorate, potentially due to low supply of highly educated female workers. At the same time, outcomes in privatized low technology industries increase over time, lowering the wage and productivity gaps between male and female workers. (JEL J16, J31, P20)
783. SALVIA ATROCYANEA
Authors: Wood John R. I.
Published: May 2014

Salvia atrocyanea Epl. (Lamiaceae) is described and illustrated. Its discovery, natural habitat and introduction are discussed. Suggestions for its cultivation and propagation are provided.
Rapid on‐site evaluation of fine needle aspiration specimens by cytology scientists: a review of 3032 specimens
Authors: Shield P. W. , Cosier J. , Ellerby G. , Gartrell M. , Papadimos D.
Published: May 2014

Objectives

To determine: (1) the accuracy of cytology scientists at assessing specimen adequacy by rapid on‐site evaluation (ROSE) at fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology collections; and (2) whether thyroid FNA with ROSE has lower inadequacy rates than non‐attended FNAs.

Methods

The ROSE of adequacy for 3032 specimens from 17 anatomical sites collected over a 20‐month period was compared with the final report assessment of adequacy. ROSE was performed by 19 cytology scientists. The report profile for 1545 thyroid nodules with ROSE was compared with that for 1536 consecutive non‐ROSE thyroid FNAs reported by the same cytopathologists during the study period.

Results

ROSE was adequate in 75% (2276/3032), inadequate in 12% (366/3032) and in 13% (390/3032) no opinion was rendered. Of the 2276 cases assessed as adequate by ROSE, 2268 (99.6%) were finally reported as adequate for assessment; eight specimens had adequacy downgraded on the final report. Fifty eight per cent of cases with a ROSE assessment of inadequate were reported as adequate (212/366), whereas 93% (363/390) with no opinion rendered were reported as adequate. The overall final report adequacy rate for the 3032 specimens was 94% (2843/3032). Confirmation of a ROSE of adequacy at reporting was uniformly high amongst the 19 scientists, ranging from 98% to 100%. The inadequacy rate for thyroid FNAs with ROSE (6%) was significantly (P < 0.0001) lower than for non‐ROSE thyroid FNAs (17%). A significantly (P = 0.02) higher proportion of adequate ROSE thyroid specimens was reported with abnormalities, compared with non‐ROSE thyroid collections.

Conclusions

Cytology scientists are highly accurate at determining specimen adequacy at ROSE for a wide range of body sites. ROSE of thyroid FNAs can significantly reduce inadequate reports.
Incorporating spatial autocorrelation into species distribution models alters forecasts of climate‐mediated range shifts
Authors: Crase Beth , Liedloff Adam , Vesk Peter A. , Fukuda Yusuke , Wintle Brendan A.
Published: May 2014

Species distribution models (SDMs) are widely used to forecast changes in the spatial distributions of species and communities in response to climate change. However, spatial autocorrelation (SA) is rarely accounted for in these models, despite its ubiquity in broad‐scale ecological data. While spatial autocorrelation in model residuals is known to result in biased parameter estimates and the inflation of type I errors, the influence of unmodeledSAon species' range forecasts is poorly understood. Here we quantify how accounting forSAinSDMs influences the magnitude of range shift forecasts produced bySDMs for multiple climate change scenarios.SDMs were fitted to simulated data with a known autocorrelation structure, and to field observations of three mangrove communities from northern Australia displaying strong spatial autocorrelation. Three modeling approaches were implemented: environment‐only models (most frequently applied in species' range forecasts), and two approaches that incorporateSA; autologistic models and residuals autocovariate (RAC) models. Differences in forecasts among modeling approaches and climate scenarios were quantified. While all model predictions at the current time closely matched that of the actual current distribution of the mangrove communities, under the climate change scenarios environment‐only models forecast substantially greater range shifts than models incorporatingSA. Furthermore, the magnitude of these differences intensified with increasing increments of climate change across the scenarios. When models do not account forSA, forecasts of species' range shifts indicate more extreme impacts of climate change, compared to models that explicitly account forSA. Therefore, where biological or population processes induce substantial autocorrelation in the distribution of organisms, and this is not modeled, model predictions will be inaccurate. These results have global importance for conservation efforts as inaccurate forecasts lead to ineffective prioritization of conservation activities and potentially to avoidable species extinctions.
Papillary and neuroendocrine breast lesions: the WHO stance
Authors: Tan Puay Hoon , Schnitt Stuart J , van de Vijver Marc J , Ellis Ian O , Lakhani Sunil R
Published: May 2014

In this review, we highlight adaptations in the WHO 2012 classification of papillary and neuroendocrine breast lesions as compared with the previous 2003 version. Consensus criteria for distinguishing atypical ductal hyperplasia from ductal carcinoma in situ within an intraductal papilloma are proposed. The absence of myoepithelial cells around the wall of an encapsulated papillary carcinoma, although raising consideration of an indolent tumour with minimal invasion, is currently regarded as in‐situ disease for staging purposes. The majority of solid papillary carcinomas are classified as in‐situ tumours, but lesions with irregular tumour islands within desmoplastic stroma may be considered to be invasive. The diagnosis of solid papillary carcinoma without further qualification as either in‐situ or invasive disease is discouraged. When invasive papillary carcinoma is seen in the breast, metastatic papillary carcinoma from other organ sites needs to be excluded. WHO 2012 classifies neuroendocrine breast tumours as well‐differentiated neuroendocrine tumour, small‐cell carcinoma, and invasive breast carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation. There is currently no clinical impact of identifying neuroendocrine differentiation in conventional invasive breast carcinomas, apart from acknowledging its frequent occurrence in subtypes such as the hypercellular variant of mucinous carcinoma and solid papillary carcinoma.
‘Holistic’ Community Punishment and Criminal Justice Interventions for Women
Authors: Malloch Margaret , McIvor Gill , Burgess Cheryl
Published: May 2014

Calls for ‘holistic’ responses to halt the increasing imprisonment of women are continually reiterated. Solutions are sought which aim to be both ‘gender‐responsive’ and ‘community‐based’; however, the absence of meaningful definitions of ‘community’ and ‘holistic’ means that superficial responses are often put in place in response to failures of the system. Taking as an example one attempt to introduce a community‐based service for women in Scotland, this article examines the challenges of implementing services that are located within ‘the community’ and considers the consequences for feasible attempts to reduce the number of women in prison in Scotland and internationally.
A Sonochemical‐Assisted Synthesis of Pure Nanocrystalline Tetragonal Zirconium Dioxide Using Tetramethylethylenediamine
Authors: Zinatloo‐Ajabshir Sahar , Salavati‐Niasari Masoud
Published: May 2014

Pure nanocrystalline zirconia has been successfully synthesized by sonochemical‐assisted route from zirconyl nitrate and tetramethylethylenediamine (TMED) as starting materials. Here, TMED for the first time was used as precipitating agent to generate nanocrystalline tetragonal zirconia via a sonochemical‐assisted route. The effect of solvent and concentration of TMED on the morphology and crystallite size was studied. It was found that these parameters have significant influence on the morphology and crystallite size of the products. The products were characterized by SEM, UV–vis absorption and TEM images, XRD patterns, PL, FTIR, and EDS spectroscopy.
Variation in the fat mass and obesity‐related (FTO) genotype is not associated with body fatness in infants, but possibly with their length
Authors: Henriksson P. , Löf M. , Söderkvist P. , Forsum E.
Published: May 2014

Background

Data relating variation at the fat mass and obesity‐related (FTO) locus (rs9939609) to fat mass in infancy are inconclusive.

Objective

To study relationships between FTO genotype and infant size (at 1 and 12 weeks and at 1 year of age) and body composition (at 1 and 12 weeks).

Methods

Body composition was assessed using air displacement plethysmography in 207 infants. FTO was genotyped using the TaqMan assay.

Results

The number of risk alleles was related to length at 1 and 12 weeks (P = 0.007–0.033) but not to fat mass. The relationship to length was stronger in boys than in girls.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the FTO genotype is not related during infancy to fat mass but is related to length in boys but not in girls.
Acute Case-Fatality Rates of Stroke and Acute Myocardial Infarction in a Japanese Population: Takashima Stroke and AMI Registry, 1989–2005
Authors: Rumana Nahid , Kita Yoshikuni , Turin Tanvir Chowdhury , Nakamura Yasuyuki , Takashima Naoyuki , Ichikawa Masaharu , Sugihara Hideki , Morita Yutaka , Hirose Kunihiko , Kawakami Kenzou , Okayama Akira , Miura Katsuyuki , Ueshima Hirotsugu
Published: May 2014

Background

Few comprehensive stroke and acute myocardial infarction registries of long duration exist in Japan to illustrate trends in acute case-fatality of stroke and acute myocardial infarction with greater precision. We examined 17-year case-fatality rates of stroke and acute myocardial infarction using an entire community-monitoring registration system to investigate trends in these rates over time in a Japanese population.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Takashima Stroke and AMI Registry covering a stable population of approximately 55 000 residents of Takashima County in central Japan. We divided the total observation period of 17 years into four periods, 1989–1992, 1993–1996, 1997–2000, and 2001–2005. We calculated gender, age-specific and age-adjusted acute case-fatality rates (%) of stroke and acute myocardial infarction across these four periods.

Results

During the study period of 1989–2005, there were 341 fatal cases within 28 days of onset among 2239 first-ever stroke events and 163 fatal cases among 433 first-ever acute myocardial infarction events. The age-adjusted acute case-fatality rate of stroke was 14·9% in men and 15·7% in women. The age-adjusted acute case-fatality rate of acute myocardial infarction was 34·3% in men and 43·3% in women. The age-adjusted acute case-fatality rates of stroke and acute myocardial infarction showed insignificant differences across the four time periods. The average annual change in the acute case-fatality rate of stroke (–0·2%; 95% CI: −2·4–2·1) and acute myocardial infarction (2·7%; 95% CI: −0·7–6·1) did not change significantly across the study years.

Conclusions

The acute case-fatality rates of stroke and acute myocardial infarction have remained stable from 1989 to 2005 in a rural and semi-urban Japanese population.
The THRIVE Score Strongly Predicts Outcomes in Patients Treated with the Solitaire Device in the SWIFT and STAR Trials
Authors: Flint Alexander C. , Cullen Sean P. , Rao Vivek A. , Faigeles Bonnie S. , Pereira Vitor M. , Levy Elad I. , Jovin Tudor G. , Liebeskind David S. , Nogueira Raul G. , Jahan Reza , Saver Jeffrey L.
Published: May 2014

Background

The Totaled Health Risks in Vascular Events (THRIVE) score strongly predicts clinical outcome, mortality, and risk of thrombolytic haemorrhage in ischemic stroke patients, and performs similarly well in patients receiving intravenous tissue plasminogen activator, endovascular stroke treatment, or no acute treatment. It is not known if the THRIVE score predicts outcomes with the Solitaire endovascular stroke treatment device.

Aims

To validate the relationship between the THRIVE score and outcomes after treatment with the Solitaire endovascular stroke treatment device.

Methods

The study conducted a retrospective analysis of the prospective SWIFT and STAR trials to examine the relationship between THRIVE and outcomes after treatment with the Solitaire device. We examined the relationship between THRIVE and clinical outcomes (good outcome or death at 90 days) among patients in SWIFT and STAR. Receiver-operator characteristics curve analysis was used to compare THRIVE score performance with other stroke prediction scores. Multivariable modeling was used to confirm the independence of the THRIVE score from procedure-specific predictors (successful recanalization or device used) and other predictors of functional outcome.

Results

The THRIVE score strongly predicts good outcome and death among patients treated with the Solitaire device in SWIFT and STAR (Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test for trend P < 0·001 for good outcome, P = 0·01 for death). In receiver-operator characteristics (ROC) curve comparisons, totaled health risks in vascular events score is superior to Stroke Prognostication using Age and NIH Stroke Scale score-100 ( P < 0·001) and performed similarly to Houston Intra-Arterial Therapy score (HIAT) ( P = 0·98) and HIAT-2 ( P = 0·54). In multivariable models, THRIVE's prediction of good outcome is not altered after controlling for recanalization or after controlling for device used. The THRIVE score remains a strong independent predictor after controlling for the above predictors together with time to procedure, rate of symptomatic haemorrhage, and use of general anesthesia. Of note, use of general anesthesia was not an independent predictor of outcome in SWIFT + STAR after controlling for totaled health risks in vascular events and other factors.

Conclusions

The THRIVE score strongly predicts clinical outcome and mortality in patients treated with the Solitaire device in the SWIFT and STAR trials. The lack of interaction between THRIVE and procedure-specific elements such as vessel recanalization or device choice makes the THRIVE score a reasonable candidate for use as a patient selection criterion in stroke clinical trials.
The Democratic Potential of Enfranchising Resident Migrants
Authors: Pedroza Luicy
Published: May 2014

The right to vote has always been the central privilege of citizenship. Its extension to resident migrants holds a promise of democratizing citizenship by bringing it closer to principles with deep roots in liberal and republican traditions, and further away from particularistic understandings that reduce citizenship to nationality. This article's main contribution is a systematic and policy‐relevant discussion of the kind of enfranchisement that can realize that potential, approached in three steps: first, a demarcation of citizenship policy within migration policy substantiates the need to employ a normative perspective; second, a description of the trend of enfranchisement of non‐citizens provides the normative paper with a sound empirical base for a non‐ideal discussion; third, a discussion of different kinds of enfranchisement tackles the controversial issues related to it and delineates the specific requisites to realize its potential.
Neutralization of interleukin‐9 ameliorates symptoms of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis in rats by decreasing effector T cells and altering humoral responses
Authors: Yao Xiuhua , Kong Qingfei , Xie Xiaoli , Wang Jinghua , Li Na , Liu Yumei , Sun Bo , Li Ying , Wang Guangyou , Li Wenjin , Qu Siying , Zhao Haijun , Wang Dandan , Liu Xijun , Zhang Yao , Mu Lili , Li Hulun
Published: May 2014

Interleukin‐9 (IL‐9) was initially thought to be a type 2 T helper (Th2)‐associated cytokine involved in the regulation of autoimmune responses by affecting multiple cell types. However, it was recently shown that IL‐9‐producing CD4+ T cells represent a discrete subset of Th cells, designated Th9 cells. Although Th9 cells have been shown to be important in many diseases, their roles in myasthenia gravis (MG) are unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether IL‐9 and Th9 cells promote the progression of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). The results showed that the percentage of Th9 cells changed during the progression of EAMG, accompanied by an up‐regulation of IL‐9. Blocking IL‐9 activity with antibodies against IL‐9 inhibited EAMG‐associated pathology in rats and reduced serum anti‐acetylcholine receptor IgG levels. Neutralization of IL‐9 altered the Th subset distribution in EAMG, reducing the number of Th1 cells and increasing the number of regulatory T cells. Administration of an anti‐IL‐9 antibody may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for MG‐associated pathologies or other T‐cell‐ or B‐cell‐mediated autoimmune diseases.
Prediction of Annual Streambank Erosion for Sequoia National Forest, California
Authors: Kwan Hilda , Swanson Sherman
Published: May 2014

Many bank erosion models have limitations that restrict their use in wildland settings. Scientists and land managers at the Sequoia National Forest would like to understand the mechanisms and rates of streambank erosion to evaluate management issues and post‐wildfire effects. This study uses bank erosion hazard index (BEHI) and near‐bank stress (NBS) methods developed in Rosgen (2006 Watershed Assessment of River Stability and Sediment Supply [WARSSS]) for predicting streambank erosion in a geographic area that is dominated by colluvium and in which streambank erosion modeling has not been previously evaluated. BEHI evaluates bank susceptibility to erosion based on bank angle, bank and bankfull height, rooting depth and density, surface protection, and stratification of material within the banks. NBS assesses energy distribution against the bank measured as a ratio of bankfull near‐bank maximum depth to mean bankfull depth. We compared BEHI classes and NBS to actual bank erosion measured from 2008 to 2012. This index predicted streambank erosion with clear separation among BEHI ratings with R2 values of 0.76 for extreme, 0.37 for high/very high, 0.49 for moderate, and 0.70 for low BEHI. The relationships between measured erosion and BEHI extend the application of BEHI/NBS to a new region where they can inform management priorities, afforestation, stream/riparian restoration projects, and potentially burned area rehabilitation.
Arabidopsis transcriptional response to extracellular Ca2+ depletion involves a transient rise in cytosolic Ca2+
Authors: Wang Jing , Tergel Tergel , Chen Jianhua , Yang Ju , Kang Yan , Qi Zhi
Published: May 2014

Ecological evidence indicates a worldwide trend of dramatically decreased soil Ca2+ levels caused by increased acid deposition and massive timber harvesting. Little is known about the genetic and cellular mechanism of plants' responses to Ca2+ depletion. In this study, transcriptional profiling analysis helped identify multiple extracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]ext) depletion‐responsive genes in Arabidopsis thaliana L., many of which are involved in response to other environmental stresses. Interestingly, a group of genes encoding putative cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) sensors were significantly upregulated, implying that [Ca2+]cyt has a role in sensing [Ca2+]ext depletion. Consistent with this observation, [Ca2+]ext depletion stimulated a transient rise in [Ca2+]cyt that was negatively influenced by [K+]ext, suggesting the involvement of a membrane potential‐sensitive component. The [Ca2+]cyt response to [Ca2+]ext depletion was significantly desensitized after the initial treatment, which is typical of a receptor‐mediated signaling event. The response was insensitive to an animal Ca2+ sensor antagonist, but was suppressed by neomycin, an inhibitor of phospholipase C. Gd3+, an inhibitor of Ca2+ channels, suppressed the [Ca2+]ext‐triggered rise in [Ca2+]cyt and downstream changes in gene expression. Taken together, this study demonstrates that [Ca2+]cyt plays an important role in the putative receptor‐mediated cellular and transcriptional response to [Ca2+]ext depletion of plant cells.
A Review of Evidence‐Based Practices for Management of the Second Stage of Labor
Authors: Kopas Mary Lou
Published: May 2014

Management of the second stage of labor often follows tradition‐based routines rather than evidence‐based practices. This review of second‐stage labor care practices discusses risk factors for perineal trauma and prolonged second stage and scrutinizes a variety of care practices including positions, styles of pushing, use of epidural analgesia, and perineal support techniques. Current evidence for management of the second stage of labor supports the practices of delayed pushing, spontaneous (nondirected) pushing, and maternal choice of positions. Perineal compresses, perineal massage with a lubricant, and controlling the rate of fetal extension during crowning may prevent severe perineal trauma at birth. Supine positioning is not recommended. Upright positions and directed pushing can shorten the time from onset of second stage to birth and may be indicated in certain situations, although directed pushing has some associated risks. If the fetus is in the occiput posterior position, immediate pushing is not recommended, and manual rotation can be effective in correcting the malposition. Women should be informed of the potential effects of epidural analgesia on labor progress. Consultation and intervention to expedite birth may be indicated when birth is not imminent after 2 hours of active pushing, or 4 hours complete dilatation, for nulliparous women; or one hour of pushing, or 2 hours complete dilatation, for multiparous women. Each woman should be individually assessed and apprised of the potential risks to her and her fetus of a prolonged second stage of labor, and some women may choose to continue pushing beyond these time limits.
Nondestructive Textural Assessment of Fish Freshness: A Stochastic Model‐Based Approach Robust to Fish Size Variations
Authors: Dimogianopoulos D. , Grigorakis K.
Published: May 2014

This paper aims at proposing a nondestructive scheme for assessing freshness of whole raw fish of various sizes/weights, using a stochastic model‐based fault diagnosis framework. Unlike most alternatives, the scheme detects early postmortem texture alterations linked to freshness reductions, thus facilitating the accurate estimation of high‐quality shelf life of fish. The method involves the experimental testing of fish samples via vibration‐like procedures, and the evaluation of differences between a sample of unknown freshness and a whole group of fresh fish of possibly different sizes/weights. Freshness degree is reliably concluded via statistical decision‐making hypothesis tests, which also quantify the uncertainty of the process. Eleven whole raw sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) of various sizes/weights and freshness degrees were tested, with freshness results correctly assessed as confirmed by organoleptic freshness evaluation.

Practical Applications

The proposed diagnostic scheme introduces a practical, nondestructive method for assessing fish freshness by evaluating texture alterations based on a stochastic model‐based fault diagnosis framework. The scheme in its current stage of development detects differences between a sample of unknown freshness and a group of fresh fish, without requiring similar sizes/weights of the tested fish samples. Freshness degree is reliably concluded via statistical decision‐making hypothesis tests, which also quantify the uncertainty of the process. These characteristics make it ideal for assessing freshness in fisheries and aquaculture industry, with tested fish samples of unknown freshness being compared with a (potentially expanding) database of “benchmark” fresh fish.
Exploring Symbiodinium diversity and host specificity in Acropora corals from geographical extremes of Western Australia with 454 amplicon pyrosequencing
Authors: Thomas L. , Kendrick G. A. , Kennington W. J. , Richards Z. T. , Stat M.
Published: May 2014

Scleractinian corals have demonstrated the ability to shuffle their endosymbiotic dinoflagellate communities (genus Symbiodinium) during periods of acute environmental stress. This has been proposed as a mechanism of acclimation, which would be increased by a diverse and flexible association with Symbiodinium. Conventional molecular techniques used to evaluate Symbiodinium diversity are unable to identify genetic lineages present at background levels below 10%. Next generation sequencing (NGS) offers a solution to this problem and can resolve microorganism diversity at much finer scales. Here we apply NGS to evaluate Symbiodinium diversity and host specificity in Acropora corals from contrasting regions of Western Australia. The application of 454 pyrosequencing allowed for detection of Symbiodinium operational taxonomic units (OTUs) occurring at frequencies as low as 0.001%, offering a 10 000‐fold increase in sensitivity compared to traditional methods. All coral species from both regions were overwhelmingly dominated by a single clade C OTU (accounting for 98% of all recovered sequences). Only 8.5% of colonies associated with multiple clades (clades C and D, or C and G), suggesting a high level of symbiont specificity in Acropora assemblages in Western Australia. While only 40% of the OTUs were shared between regions, the dominance of a single OTU resulted in no significant difference in Symbiodinium community structure, demonstrating that the coral‐algal symbiosis can remain stable across more than 15° of latitude and a range of sea surface temperature profiles. This study validates the use of NGS platforms as tools for providing fine‐scale estimates of Symbiodinium diversity and can offer critical insight into the flexibility of the coral‐algal symbiosis.
Fungal cellulase is an elicitor but its enzymatic activity is not required for its elicitor activity
Authors: Ma Yanan , Han Chao , Chen Jinyin , Li Haiyun , He Kun , Liu Aixin , Li Duochuan
Published: May 2014

Plant‐pathogenic fungi produce cellulases. However, little information is available on cellulase as an elicitor in plant–pathogen interactions. Here, an endocellulase (EG1) was isolated from Rhizoctonia solani. It contains a putative protein of 227 amino acids with a signal peptide and a family‐45 glycosyl hydrolase domain. Its aspartic acid (Asp) residue at position 32 was changed to alanine (Ala), resulting in full loss of its catalytic activity. Wild‐type and mutated forms of the endoglucanase were expressed in yeast and purified to homogeneity. The purified wild‐type and mutant forms induced cell death in maize, tobacco and Arabidopsis leaves, and the transcription of three defence marker genes in maize and tobacco and 10 genes related to defence responses in maize. Moreover, they also induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), medium alkalinization, Ca2+ accumulation and ethylene biosynthesis of suspension‐cultured tobacco cells. Similarly, production of the EG1 wild‐type and mutated forms in tobacco induced cell death using the Potato virus X (PVX) expression system. In vivo, expression of EG1 was also related to cell death during infection of maize by R. solani. These results provide direct evidence that the endoglucanase is an elicitor, but its enzymatic activity is not required for its elicitor activity.
Selection on flowering time in a life‐cycle context
Authors: Ehrlén Johan
Published: May 2014

The main way in which plants can exert control over their local environment is by the timing of different events within their life cycles. Regarding timing of flowering as an integrated part of both the annual cycle and of the whole life cycle, rather than as an isolated event, has important implications for how we assess selection on timing of reproduction and interpret existing phenological patterns in perennial plants. I argue that: 1) we have little unequivocal evidence of pollinator‐mediated selection on flowering time, but perhaps more evidence of antagonist‐mediated selection; 2) much of selection on flowering time might occur before flowers have developed and after reproduction; 3) vital rates of non‐flowering individuals can influence the strength and direction of selection on flowering time, and 4) differences in the direction of selection on flowering date between years might well correspond to consistent selection on the mechanisms determining flowering time. Overall, a life cycle perspective on timing of flowering is likely to facilitate the identification of selective agents and the understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying spatial and temporal variation in selection as well as to enable more accurate predictions of responses to environmental change.
Leaf and stem physiological responses to summer and winter extremes of woody species across temperate ecosystems
Authors: Granda Elena , Scoffoni Christine , Rubio‐Casal Alfredo E. , Sack Lawren , Valladares Fernando
Published: May 2014

Winter cold limits temperate plant performance, as does summer water stress in drought‐prone ecosystems. The relative impact of seasonal extremes on plant performance has received considerable attention for individual systems. An integrated study compiling the existing literature was needed to identify overall trends. First, we conducted a meta‐analysis of the impacts of summer and winter on ecophysiology for three woody plant functional types (winter deciduous angiosperms, evergreen angiosperms and conifers), including data for 210 records from 75 studies of ecosystems with and without summer drought across the temperate zone. Second, we tested predictions by conducting a case study in a drought‐prone Mediterranean ecosystem subject to winter freezing. As indicators of physiological response of leaves and xylem to seasonal stress, we focused on stomatal conductance (gs), percent loss of stem xylem hydraulic conductivity (PLC) and photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm). Our meta‐analysis showed that in ecosystems without summer drought, gs was higher during summer than winter. By contrast, in drought‐prone ecosystems many species maintained open stomata during winter, with potential strong consequences for plant carbon gain over the year. Further, PLC tended to increase and Fv/Fm to decrease from summer to winter for most functional types and ecosystems due to low temperatures. Overall, deciduous angiosperms were most sensitive to climatic stress. Leaf gas exchange and stem xylem hydraulics showed a coordinated seasonal response at ecosystems without summer drought. In our Mediterranean site subjected to winter freezing the species showed similar responses to those typically found for ecosystems without summer drought. We conclude that winter stress is most extreme for systems without summer drought and systems with summer drought and winter freezing, and less extreme for drought‐prone systems without freezing. In all cases the evergreen species show less pronounced seasonal responses in both leaves and stems than deciduous species.
Creating learning environments for compassionate care: a programme to promote compassionate care by health and social care teams
Authors: Bridges Jackie , Fuller Alison
Published: May 2014

Background

The consistent delivery of compassionate health and social care to older people is a matter of global concern to the nursing profession and the public it serves. The development and evaluation of effective interventions to address this concern is of prime importance.

Aims and objectives

This paper draws on findings from previous research to propose the use of a novel implementation programme designed to improve and support the delivery of compassionate care by health and social care teams.

Intervention

Creating Learning Environments for Compassionate Care (CLECC) is a 4‐month implementation programme designed for hospital ward nursing teams caring for older people, but relevant to other teams working with other client groups. The programme focuses on using workplace learning to promote change at unit/ward/team level by enabling the development of leadership and team relational practices which are also designed to enhance the capacity of individual team members to relate to older people. Existing research evidence suggests that optimising relational capacity in this way will support the delivery of compassionate care.

Conclusions

This evidence‐based intervention is designed to develop and sustain the relational work required by managers and team members to support care delivery and has the potential to address widely documented variations in care quality.

Implications for practice

Attention should now be paid to establishing the feasibility of the intervention in practice.
Professional perspectives on systemic barriers to admission avoidance: learning from a system dynamics study of older people's admission pathways
Authors: Walsh Bronagh , Lattimer Valerie , Wintrup Julie , Brailsford Sally
Published: May 2014

Background

There is debate worldwide about the best way to manage increased healthcare demand within ageing populations, particularly rising rates of unplanned and avoidable hospital admissions.

Objectives

To understand health and social care professionals' perspectives on barriers to admission avoidance throughout the admissions journey, in particular: the causes of avoidable admissions in older people; drivers of admission and barriers to use of admission avoidance strategies; and improvements to reduce unnecessary admissions.

Design

A qualitative framework analysis of interview data from a System dynamics (SD) modelling study.

Methods

Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with twenty health and social care professionals with experience of older people's admissions. The interviews were used to build understanding of factors facilitating or hindering admission avoidance across the admissions system. Data were analysed using framework analysis.

Results

Three overarching themes emerged: understanding the needs of the patient group; understanding the whole system; and systemwide access to expertise in care of older people. There were diverse views on the underlying reasons for avoidable admissions and recognition of the need for whole‐system approaches to service redesign.

Conclusions

Participants recommended system redesign that recognises the specific needs of older people, but there was no consensus on underlying patient needs or specific service developments. Access to expertise in management of older and frailer patients was seen as a barrier to admission avoidance throughout the system.

Implications for practice

Providing access to expertise and leadership in care of frail older people across the admissions system presents a challenge for service managers and nurse educators but is seen as a prerequisite for effective admission avoidance. System redesign to meet the needs of frail older people requires agreement on causes of avoidable admission and underlying patient needs.
Age‐related changes in perception of movement in driving scenes
Authors: Lacherez Philippe , Turner Laura , Lester Robert , Burns Zoe , Wood Joanne M.
Published: May 2014

Purpose

Age‐related changes in motion sensitivity have been found to relate to reductions in various indices of driving performance and safety. The aim of this study was to investigate the basis of this relationship in terms of determining which aspects of motion perception are most relevant to driving.

Methods

Participants included 61 regular drivers (age range 22–87 years). Visual performance was measured binocularly. Measures included visual acuity, contrast sensitivity and motion sensitivity assessed using four different approaches: (1) threshold minimum drift rate for a drifting Gabor patch, (2) Dmin from a random dot display, (3) threshold coherence from a random dot display, and (4) threshold drift rate for a second‐order (contrast modulated) sinusoidal grating. Participants then completed the Hazard Perception Test (HPT) in which they were required to identify moving hazards in videos of real driving scenes, and also a Direction of Heading task (DOH) in which they identified deviations from normal lane keeping in brief videos of driving filmed from the interior of a vehicle.

Results

In bivariate correlation analyses, all motion sensitivity measures significantly declined with age. Motion coherence thresholds, and minimum drift rate threshold for the first‐order stimulus (Gabor patch) both significantly predicted HPT performance even after controlling for age, visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. Bootstrap mediation analysis showed that individual differences in DOH accuracy partly explained these relationships, where those individuals with poorer motion sensitivity on the coherence and Gabor tests showed decreased ability to perceive deviations in motion in the driving videos, which related in turn to their ability to detect the moving hazards.

Conclusions

The ability to detect subtle movements in the driving environment (as determined by the DOH task) may be an important contributor to effective hazard perception, and is associated with age, and an individuals' performance on tests of motion sensitivity. The locus of the processing deficits appears to lie in first‐order, rather than second‐order motion pathways.
Challenging Diagnosis of Peripillous Sheaths
Authors: Gnarra Maria , Saraceni Pierluigi , Rossi Alfredo , Murabit Amera , Caradonna Emanuela , Fania Luca , Feliciani Claudio
Published: May 2014

Peripillous sheaths, or hair casts, are asymptomatic, white, cylindrical concretions that encircle the hair without adhering to it. They are infrequently documented in the literature, are often misdiagnosed, and generate avoidable apprehension and expense for parents and caregivers. Dermoscopy is the standard for a rapid, noninvasive, cost‐effective diagnosis. We describe a case of peripillous sheaths presenting in a boy.
Transmission of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ in carrot seeds
Authors: Bertolini E. , Teresani G. R. , Loiseau M. , Tanaka F. A. O. , Barbé S. , Martínez C. , Gentit P. , López M. M. , Cambra M.
Published: May 2014

A protocol for the specific detection and quantification of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ in carrot seeds using real‐time PCR was developed. The bacterium was detected in 23 out of 54 carrot seed lots from 2010 to 2014, including seeds collected from diseased mother plants. The average total number of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ cells in individual seeds ranged from 4·8 ± 3·3 to 210 ± 6·7 cells per seed from three seed lots, but using propidium monoazide to target live cells, 95% of the cells in one seed lot were found to be dead. Liberibacter‐like cells were observed in the phloem sieve tubes of the seed coat and in the phloem of carrot leaf midrib from seedlings. The bacterium was detected as early as 30 days post‐germination, but more consistently after 90 days, in seedlings grown from PCR positive seed lots in an insect‐proof P2 level containment greenhouse. Between 12% and 42% of the seedlings from positive seed lots tested positive for ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’. After 150 days, symptoms of proliferation were observed in 12% of seedlings of cv. Maestro. ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ haplotype E was identified in the seeds and seedlings of cv. Maestro. No phytoplasmas were detected in seedlings with symptoms using a real‐time assay for universal detection of phytoplasmas. The results show that to prevent the entry and establishment of the bacterium in new areas and its potential spread to other crops, control of ‘Ca. L. solanacearum’ in seed lots is required.
Interim Responses of Littoral River Channel Vegetation to Reestablished Flow after Phase I of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project
Authors: Bousquin Stephen G. , Colee James
Published: May 2014

Measurements of littoral vegetation stands and species‐level surveys of associated plant communities were made in channels of the Kissimmee River from 1998 through 2008, a period that spanned channelized, non‐flowing conditions through 7 years of near‐continuous reestablished flow. Dissected by flood control canal C‐38 in 1971, the river was virtually without flow until early 2001, when Phase I of the Kissimmee River Restoration Project (KRRP) reestablished flow to a central section of river channel. This study evaluated the effects of reestablished flow on littoral vegetation in river channels as an indicator of system status and progress toward the project goal of ecological integrity. Predictions of vegetation response to reestablished flow included reduction in the width of vegetation stands, and changes in the growth‐form composition of littoral stands from near‐equal dominance by floating and emergent species to overwhelming dominance by emergent growth forms. Variables included plant cover by species and growth‐form, width of vegetation stands, and vegetated percentage of channel. Under the currently incomplete (interim) status of the KRRP, results for littoral vegetation stands indicate trends in the predicted directions of change, and three of four predicted changes have occurred. Vegetation stand widths decreased substantially and littoral plant communities became heavily dominated by emergent species; BACIPS (before‐after‐control‐impact‐paired series) analyses indicated significant restoration effects for most littoral stand metrics.