bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hunting for the function of orphan GPCRs – beyond the search for the endogenous ligand
Authors: Ahmad Raise , Wojciech Stefanie , Jockers Ralf
Published: September 2014

Seven transmembrane‐spanning proteins (7TM), also called GPCRs, are among the most versatile and evolutionary successful protein families. Out of the 400 non‐odourant members identified in the human genome, approximately 100 remain orphans that have not been matched with an endogenous ligand. Apart from the classical deorphanization strategies, several alternative strategies provided recent new insights into the function of these proteins, which hold promise for high therapeutic potential. These alternative strategies consist of the phenotypical characterization of organisms silenced or overexpressing orphan 7TM proteins, the search for constitutive receptor activity and formation of protein complexes including 7TM proteins as well as the development of synthetic, surrogate ligands. Taken together, a variety of ligand‐independent functions can be attributed to orphan 7TM proteins that range from constitutive activity to complex formation with other proteins and include ‘true’ orphans for which no ligand exist and ‘conditional’ orphans that behave like orphans in the absence of ligand and as non‐orphans in the presence of ligand.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on 5th BPS Focused Meeting on Cell Signalling. To view the other articles in this section visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bph.2015.172.issue‐13
Serum amyloid A induces interleukin-1β secretion from keratinocytes via the NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 inflammasome
Authors: Yu N , Liu S , Yi X , Zhang S , Ding Y
Published: September 2014

Interleukin (IL)-1β is now emerging as a critical cytokine in the pathogenesis of T helper type 17 (Th17)-mediated skin diseases, including psoriasis. Psoriatic keratinocytes are a major source of IL-1β; however, the mechanisms triggering IL-1β processing remain unknown. Recently, an acute-phase protein serum amyloid A (SAA) has been identified as a danger signal that triggers inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion. In this study, we detected increased SAA mRNA and protein expression in psoriatic epidermis. In cultured keratinocytes, SAA up-regulated the expression of pro-IL-1β and secretion of mature IL-1β. On the transcriptional level, blocking Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2), TLR-4 or nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) attenuated SAA-induced expression of IL-1β mRNA. SAA up-regulated caspase-1 and NACHT, LRR and PYD domains-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) expression in keratinocytes. Inhibiting caspase-1 activity and silencing NLRP3 decreased IL-1β secretion, confirming NLRP3 as the SAA-responsive inflammasome on the post-transcriptional level. The mechanism of SAA-triggered NLRP3 activation and subsequent IL-1β secretion was found to involve the generation of reactive oxygen species. Finally, the expression of SAA by keratinocytes was up-regulated by IL-17A. Taken together, our results indicate that keratinocyte-derived SAA triggers a key inflammatory mediator, IL-1β, via NLRP3 inflammasome activation, providing new potential targets for the treatment of this chronic skin disease.
Patterns of Response Times and Response Choices to Science Questions: The Influence of Relative Processing Time
Authors: Heckler Andrew F. , Scaife Thomas M.
Published: September 2014

We report on five experiments investigating response choices and response times to simple science questions that evoke student “misconceptions,” and we construct a simple model to explain the patterns of response choices. Physics students were asked to compare a physical quantity represented by the slope, such as speed, on simple physics graphs. We found that response times of incorrect answers, resulting from comparing heights, were faster than response times of correct answers comparing slopes. This result alone might be explained by the fact that height was typically processed faster than slope for this kind of task, which we confirmed in a separate experiment. However, we hypothesize that the difference in response time is an indicator of the cause (rather than the result) of the response choice. To support this, we found that imposing a 3‐s delay in responding increased the number of students comparing slopes (answering correctly) on the task. Additionally a significant proportion of students recognized the correct written rule (compare slope), but on the graph task they incorrectly compared heights. Finally, training either with repetitive examples or providing a general rule both improved scores, but only repetitive examples had a large effect on response times, thus providing evidence of dual paths or processes to a solution. Considering models of heuristics, information accumulation models, and models relevant to the Stroop effect, we construct a simple relative processing time model that could be viewed as a kind of fluency heuristic. The results suggest that misconception‐like patterns of answers to some science questions commonly found on tests may be explained in part by automatic processes that involve the relative processing time of considered dimensions and a priority to answer quickly.
Adaptation to coastal hazards: the livelihood struggles of a fishing community in Kerala, India
Authors: Santha Sunil D.
Published: September 2014

This case study examines the coastal hazard adaptation strategies of a fishing community in a village in Kerala, India. It shows that formal adaptation strategies are highly techno‐centric, costly, and do not take into account the vulnerabilities of the fishing community. Instead, they have contributed to ecological, livelihood, and knowledge uncertainties. The adaptation strategies of the fishing community are a response to these uncertainties. However, they may not lead to the fishing community's recovery from its vulnerability contexts. This case study is primarily qualitative in nature. Data were collected through in‐depth interviews. Insights reveal that when actors with diverse values, interests, knowledge, and power evolve or design their respective adaptation strategies, the resulting interface often aggravates existing uncertainties associated with hazards. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that local discourses on coastal hazards are livelihood‐centric and socially constructed within the struggle of the fishing community to access resources and to acquire the right to development.
Three‐Dimensional Image of a Baffle Leak in a Patient with a Mustard Operation
Authors: Cua Clifford L. , Kollins Kevin , Roble Sharon , Holzer Ralf J.
Published: September 2014

Mini‐Abstract

Baffle leaks are one type of complication following the Mustard operation for transposition of the great arteries. In this case, a 27‐year‐old male status post–Mustard operation scheduled for a pacemaker placement was noted to have a positive agitated saline contrast study via transesophageal echocardiography. The baffle leak could not be well defined despite extensive two‐dimensional imaging. With three‐dimensional imaging, the superior and posterior located baffle leak was clearly imaged. Three‐dimensional echocardiography allows unparalleled imaging in identifying the location of baffle leaks in patients with complex intracardiac procedures such as the Mustard operation.
Echocardiographic Assessment of Pulmonary Hypertension in Infants with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Systematic Review of Literature and a Proposed Algorithm for Assessment
Authors: Nagiub Mohamed , Lee Sam , Guglani Lokesh
Published: September 2014

Background

As survival and outcomes continue to improve in neonates born prematurely, there is an increasing need to promptly identify and treat pulmonary hypertension (PHT) in this population. Several echocardiographic indices have been used to evaluate for PHT. There is no clear consensus on how to utilize these parameters specifically for the evaluation of PHT in infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity.

Objectives

Τhe objectives of the study were (1) to identify the different echocardiographic techniques for assessment of PHT in infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity in an evidence‐based manner and (2) to establish an echocardiographic screening protocol based on available literature using different echocardiographic techniques.

Methods

We conducted a systematic review of the literature regarding use of echocardiographic techniques for evaluation of PHT in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. On the basis of the available evidence, we came up with a screening algorithm using various echocardiographic techniques.

Results

We identified nine techniques that had been employed for detection of PHT noninvasively using echocardiography in 23 studies. Using these echocardiographic parameters, we came up with a flow chart to diagnose PHT in infants born prematurely, based on presence or absence of tricuspid regurgitation, presence or absence of patent ductus arteriosus, and direction of flow.

Conclusions

We have proposed a new screening strategy for assessment of PHT using echocardiography in infants with chronic lung disease of prematurity. Further studies will be necessary to confirm its validity.
Traumatic dental injuries among children aged 0–17 years in the BITA study – A longitudinal Swedish multicenter study
Authors: Oldin Anna , Lundgren Jesper , Nilsson Marita , Norén Jörgen G. , Robertson Agneta
Published: September 2014

Background/Aim

To prevent traumatic dental injuries (TDI), there is a need for vital information. This information could be reached using certain specific variables. The aim of this study, therefore, was to investigate TDI in different age groups, their etiology, and differences by gender, in Swedish children aged 0–17 years.

Subjects and methods

The study included 2363 children in four different age cohorts from 12 Public Dental Service clinics in Sweden. The design was a 5‐year longitudinal study including yearly clinical examinations, retrospective and prospective data compiled from dental records and interviews regarding TDI.

Results

The prevalence for TDI was 37.6% (889) with no gender differences. Boys suffered more injuries during the spring and fall compared to girls. The incidence of 2.8% varied between the age groups where preschool children presented the highest incidence. No changes in prevalence for TDI were found for the years included in the study. The most common reason for TDI was Falling (42.1%). The frequencies for the etiological factors varied between the ages.

Conclusions

The TDI prevalence showed to be stable at a high level in spite of great efforts in Sweden and worldwide to reduce it. Knowledge in why, where, and when TDI appears is therefore essential for dental personnel who will work to reduce TDI.
Resilience in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis
Authors: Marulanda Susana , Addington Jean
Published: September 2014

Aims

It has been suggested that resilience may be a protective factor with respect to mental illness. This may be an important factor for those who are vulnerable to psychiatric illness. Thus, the aims of this paper were to compare levels of resilience between individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis and healthy controls, and to examine associations between resilience and clinical measures, functioning and trauma of CHR participants.

Methods

Eighty participants, 40 CHR and 40 University of Calgary undergraduate students, completed two resilience questionnaires: the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale and the Child and Youth Resilience Measure.

Results

A t‐test revealed a significant difference between the groups on levels of resilience (t = 4.34, P < 0.01), demonstrating that CHR participants have lower levels of resilience than healthy controls. In terms of the associations between resilience and measures of mental health of CHR participants, it was found that higher levels of resilience were related to lower negative symptoms, depression and anxiety. Furthermore, resilient CHR participants showed higher levels of role functioning and generally reported higher positive schemas of self and others, as well as lower stress to reported life events. No associations were found between resilience and attenuated psychotic symptoms, social functioning, IQ and trauma.

Conclusions

The results of the current study suggest that resilience may be beneficial to other mental issues present in CHR individuals but this may not be the case for attenuated psychotic symptoms.
Ecological connectivity or Barrier Fence? Critical choices on the agricultural margins of Western Australia
Authors: Bradby Keith , Fitzsimons James A. , Del Marco Andrew , Driscoll Don A. , Ritchie Euan G. , Lau Jenny , Bradshaw Corey J. A. , Hobbs Richard J.
Published: September 2014

Western Australia's State Barrier Fence represents a continuation of colonial era attitudes that considered kangaroos, emus and dingoes as ‘vermin’. Recent plans to upgrade and extend the Barrier Fence have shown little regard for ecological impacts or statutory environmental assessment processes.
Impacts on nontarget avian species from aerial meat baiting for feral pigs
Authors: Gentle Matthew , Speed James , Pople Anthony
Published: September 2014

Bait containing sodium fluoroacetate (1080) is widely used for the routine control of feral pigs in Australia. In Queensland, meat baits are popular in western and northern pastoral areas where they are readily accepted by feral pigs and can be distributed aerially. Field studies have indicated some levels of interference and consumption of baits by nontarget species and, based on toxicity data and the 1080 content of baits, many nontarget species (particularly birds and varanids) are potentially at risk through primary poisoning. While occasional deaths of species have been recorded, it remains unclear whether the level of mortality is sufficient to threaten the viability or ecological function of species. A series of field trials at Culgoa National Park in south‐western Queensland was conducted to determine the effect of broadscale aerial baiting (1.7 baits per km2) on the density of nontarget avian species that may consume baits. Counts of susceptible bird species were conducted prior to and following aerial baiting, and on three nearby unbaited properties, in May and November 2011, and May 2012. A sample of baits was monitored with remote cameras in the November 2011 and May 2012 trials. Over the three baiting campaigns, there was no evidence of a population‐level decline among the seven avian nontarget species that were monitored. Thirty per cent and 15% of baits monitored by remote cameras in the November 2011 and May 2012 trials were sampled by birds, varanids or other reptiles. These results support the continued use of 1080 meat baits for feral pig management in western Queensland and similar environs.
Warming shelf seas drive the subtropicalization of European pelagic fish communities
Authors: Montero‐Serra Ignasi , Edwards Martin , Genner Martin J.
Published: September 2014

Pelagic fishes are among the most ecologically and economically important fish species in European seas. In principle, these pelagic fishes have potential to demonstrate rapid abundance and distribution shifts in response to climatic variability due to their high adult motility, planktonic larval stages, and low dependence on benthic habitat for food or shelter during their life histories. Here, we provide evidence of substantial climate‐driven changes to the structure of pelagic fish communities in European shelf seas. We investigated the patterns of species‐level change using catch records from 57 870 fisheries‐independent survey trawls from across European continental shelf region between 1965 and 2012. We analysed changes in the distribution and rate of occurrence of the six most common species, and observed a strong subtropicalization of the North Sea and Baltic Sea assemblages. These areas have shifted away from cold‐water assemblages typically characterized by Atlantic herring and European sprat from the 1960s to 1980s, to warmer‐water assemblages including Atlantic mackerel, Atlantic horse mackerel, European pilchard and European anchovy from the 1990s onwards. We next investigated if warming sea temperatures have forced these changes using temporally comprehensive data from the North Sea region. Our models indicated the primary driver of change in these species has been sea surface temperatures in all cases. Together, these analyses highlight how individual species responses have combined to result in a dramatic subtropicalization of the pelagic fish assemblage of the European continental shelf.
Children's agency and its contradictions in the context of transnational labour migration from Vietnam
Authors: HOANG LAN ANH , YEOH BRENDA S. A.
Published: September 2014

In this article, we contribute to the growing and diverse literature on the lived experiences of children and their agency in the context of migration. Drawing on in‐depth interviews with children whose migrant parents have left them behind, as well as with those who care for them in Vietnam, we demonstrate that the various ways in which they affect migration decision‐making and transnational communication shape the children's imaginations of migration. The context‐specific social construction of childhood, or more specifically adult perceptions of children's agency and needs, in turn structures these processes. We emphasize the need for debates on children's agency to take into account both broader socio‐economic processes at the macro level and the concrete and local scale at which children's lives unfold. By outlining how children's experiences of parental migration are constitutive of their attitudes toward this livelihood strategy, we also argue that the ability of those ‘left‐behind’ to exercise agency is closely intertwined with processes of social becoming and navigation in the transnational social fields constructed for them by adults.
Weekly high‐dose ergocalciferol to correct vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in hemodialysis patients: A pilot trial
Authors: Del Valle Elisa , Negri Armando L. , Fradinger Erich , Canalis Manuel , Bevione Pablo , Curcelegui Maria , Bravo Marina , Puddu Marcelo , Marini Alicia , Ryba Jaime , Peri Patricia , Rosa Diez Guillermo , Sintado Luis , Gottlieb Eduardo
Published: September 2014

Controversy exists on which vitamin D (D2 or D3) and which dosage scheme is the best to obtain and maintain adequate 25 OH D levels in dialysis patients safely. We tried to determine whether high‐dose vitamin D2 supplementation could obtain optimal vitamin D status without inducing hypercalcemia. We studied 82 patients on dialysis not taking active vitamin D therapy and supplemented them with oral vitamin D2 72,000 IU/week for 12 weeks followed by 24,000 IU/week as maintenance therapy during 36 weeks. By week 12, serum 25(OH)D increased from 15.2 ± 5.4 to 42.5 ± 13.2 ng/mL (P < 0.01) at week 12 and remained optimal (34.7 ± 12.0); 84.8% of the patients reached values ≥30 ng/mL. iPTH and alkaline phosphatase did not change at 48 weeks compared with baseline, but bone alkaline phosphatase decreased significantly (54.3 ± 46.0 to 44.3 ± 25.0; P = 0.02). Uncorrected serum Ca increased significantly at the end of follow‐up (9.03 ± 0.42 to 9.14 ± 0.62; P = 0.04); hypercalcemia was presented in two patients in the first control visit (week 12), in one patient in the second control (week 30), and in one patient in the third control (week 48). In 222 serum calcium determinations during follow‐up, hypercalcemia was observed in only 1.8% of cases. This vitamin D2 oral regimen with initial high doses was safe and sufficient to obtain and maintain optimal serum 25(OH)D concentrations and prevent vitamin D insufficiency in chronic kidney disease patients on dialysis.
Hypnic Headache
Authors: Lanteri‐Minet Michel
Published: September 2014

Background

Hypnic headache (HH) is a rare primary headache characterized by strictly sleep‐related headache attacks.

Methods

This paper reviews the pertinent literature on HH.

Results

Disease information is mainly based on case reports and small case series (around 250 cases) published since its first description in 1988 by Raskin. HH usually starts over the age of 50. Frequency of patients with HH among patients consulting tertiary headache care centers is estimated from 0.07% to 0.35%, but exact prevalence of HH is unknown. Diagnostic criteria were recently updated by the third edition of the International Classification of Headache Disorders beta version (ICHD‐3). Recent data suggest a possible hypothalamic involvement.

Conclusion

Development of clinical research is needed to better understand the mechanisms of HH and to optimize treatment. Evidence for treatment data are missing, so treatment recommendations are based only on case reports or smaller open case series and reflect clinical experience. Caffeine can be used first line for acute treatment. Lithium and caffeine are possibly effective in prevention.
Detection of Gastric Precancerous Conditions in Daily Clinical Practice: A Nationwide Survey
Authors: Lahner Edith , Zullo Angelo , Hassan Cesare , Perri Francesco , Dinis‐Ribeiro Mário , Esposito Gianluca , Di Giulio Emilio , Buscarini Elisabetta , Bianco Maria Antonietta , De Boni Michele ,   MAG‐Study Group, Annibale Bruno
Published: September 2014

Background

The burden of gastric precancerous conditions and factors associated with their detection have not been fully investigated in community‐based settings. Little is known about adherence to Sydney system for histopathology of gastric biopsies.

Objective

We aimed to investigate what really happens in clinical practice with regard to the detection of gastric atrophy and intestinal metaplasia in dyspeptic patients.

Methods

We performed a nationwide survey of 979 consecutive patients (50–65 years old) with dyspeptic symptoms, examined at 24 gastrointestinal endoscopy units throughout Italy. Clinical information was collected from questionnaires; a standard bioptic mapping was performed in each unit, biopsies from each patient were analyzed by histopathology performed according to daily clinical practice in each local histopathology center.

Results

Separate descriptions of antral and corporal biopsies were included in 679 pathology reports (69%), whereas Sydney system was applied in 324 reports (33%). Gastric atrophy without intestinal metaplasia (GA) and gastric atrophy with intestinal metaplasia (GIM) were detected in 322 (33%) patients. The full adherence to Sydney system significantly increased the probability of detecting GIM (OR 9.6, 95% CI 5.5–16.7), GA (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.07–3.44), and either of the conditions (OR 6.67, 95% CI 4.36–10.19).

Conclusions

This nationwide survey showed that in one‐third of dyspeptic patients, gastric precancerous conditions are detected. In daily routine practice, only 1/3 of histology reports were worked out adhering to Sydney system showing that international guidelines are poorly observed in clinical practice. This may represent a critical element for surveillance strategies for gastric cancer.
Brief fixation does not hamper the reliability of Ki67 analysis in breast cancer core‐needle biopsies: a double‐centre study
Authors: Kalkman Shona , Bulte Joris P , Halilovic Altuna , Bult Peter , van Diest Paul J
Published: September 2014

Aims

Immunohistochemical assessment of Ki67 expression in core‐needle biopsies (CNBs) is increasingly playing a role in therapeutic decision‐making for breast cancer patients. Within the framework of same‐day diagnosis of breast lesions, fixation times are markedly decreased. We therefore attempted to validate Ki67 analysis in briefly fixed breast cancer CNBs.

Methods and results

CNBs of 136 consecutive patients with invasive breast cancer diagnosed through the same‐day diagnosis programme of both the University Medical Centre Utrecht (UMCU) and the Radboud University Medical Centre (RUMC) were included. CNBs were fixed in formaldehyde for approximately 45 min at the UMCU and for between 60 and 90 min at the RUMC. Immunohistochemistry for Ki67 expression was compared between the briefly fixed CNBs and conventionally fixed resection specimens of the same tumour. The overall agreement between CNBs and resections was 122 of 142 (85.9%) (κ = 0.71; 95% CI 0.60–0.83). Positive and negative predictive values were 79.7% (95% CI 67–88%) and 91.0% (95% CI 82–96%), respectively.

Conclusions

Overall agreement for Ki67 expression was good between briefly fixed CNBs and conventionally fixed resection specimens, and within the range of studies comparing conventionally fixed CNBs and resections.
Body mass index and the risk of incident noncommunicable diseases after starting antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Koethe JR , Jenkins CA , Turner M , Bebawy S , Shepherd BE , Wester CW , Sterling TR
Published: September 2014

Objectives

Obesity and HIV infection are associated with an increased incidence of noninfectious comorbid medical conditions, but the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the development of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) among individuals on antiretroviral therapy (ART) has not been well characterized.

Methods

A cohort study of adults initiating ART between 1998 and 2010 at an academic centre with systematic laboratory and clinical data collection, including AIDS and NCD diagnoses, was carried out. The relationship between BMI at ART initiation and the risk of incident cardiovascular, hepatic, renal or oncological NCDs was assessed using Cox proportional hazard models. BMI was fitted using restricted cubic splines and models adjusted for age, sex, race, CD4 count, protease inhibitor use, year of initiation, and prior AIDS‐defining illness.

Results

Among 1089 patients in the analysis cohort, 54% had normal BMI, 28% were overweight, and 18% were obese. Baseline BMI was associated with developing an incident NCD (P < 0.01), but the relationship was nonlinear. Compared with a BMI of 25 kg/m2, a BMI of 30 kg/m2 conferred a lower risk of an incident NCD diagnosis [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) 0.59; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.40, 0.87]. This protective effect was attenuated at a BMI of 35 kg/m2 (AHR 0.78; 95% CI 0.49, 1.23). Results were similar in sensitivity analyses incorporating tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use, statin and antihypertensive exposure, and virological suppression.

Conclusions

Overweight individuals starting ART have a lower risk of developing NCDs compared with normal BMI individuals, which may reflect a biological effect of adipose tissue or differences in patient or provider behaviours.
Additive Manufacturing of Dense Alumina Ceramics
Authors: Schwentenwein Martin , Homa Johannes
Published: September 2014

In this study, a new process for additive manufacturing (AM) of dense and strong ceramic objects is described. The lithography‐based ceramic manufacturing (LCM) technique is based on the selective curing of a photosensitive slurry by a dynamic mask exposure process. The LCM technique is able to produce strong, dense and accurate alumina ceramics without virtually any geometrical limitations. With over 99.3% of a theoretical alumina density, four‐point bending strength of 427 MPa, and very smooth surfaces, the LCM process distinguishes itself from other AM techniques for ceramics and provides parts with very similar mechanical properties as conventionally formed alumina.
Renal Denervation for Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias: State of the Art and Future Directions
Authors: KOSIUK JEDRZEJ , HILBERT SEBASTIAN , POKUSHALOV EVGENY , HINDRICKS GERHARD , STEINBERG JONATHAN S. , BOLLMANN ANDREAS
Published: September 2014

Renal Denervation for Treatment of Cardiac Arrhythmias. It has now been more than a quarter of a century since modulation of the sympathetic nervous system was proposed for the treatment of cardiac arrhythmias of different origins. But it has also been some time since some of the early surgical attempts have been abandoned. With the development of ablation techniques, however, new approaches and targets have been recently introduced that have revolutionized our way of thinking about sympathetic modulation. Renal nerve ablation technology is now being successfully used for the treatment of resistant hypertension, but the indication spectrum might broaden and new therapeutic options might arise in the near future.

This review focuses on the possible impact of renal sympathetic system modulation on cardiac arrhythmias, the current evidence supporting this approach, and the ongoing trials of this method in electrophysiological laboratories. We will discuss the potential roles that sympathetic modulation may play in the future.
Identification and characterization of telocytes in the uterus of the oviduct in the Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis: TEM evidence
Authors: Ullah Shakeeb , Yang Ping , Zhang Linli , Zhang Qian , Liu Yi , Chen Wei , Waqas Yasir , Le Yuan , Chen Bing , Chen Qiusheng
Published: September 2014

Telocytes (Tcs) are cells with telopodes (Tps), which are very long cellular extensions with alternating thin segments (podomers) and dilated bead‐like thick regions known as podoms. Tcs are a distinct category of interstitial cells and have been identified in many mammalian organs including heart, lung and kidney. The present study investigates the existence, ultrastructure, distribution and contacts of Tcs with surrounding cells in the uterus (shell gland) of the oviduct of the Chinese soft‐shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis. Samples from the uterine segment of the oviduct were examined by transmission electron microscopy. Tcs were mainly located in the lamina propria beneath the simple columnar epithelium of the uterus and were situated close to nerve endings, capillaries, collagen fibres and secretory glands. The complete morphology of Tcs and Tps was clearly observed and our data confirmed the existence of Tcs in the uterus of the Chinese soft‐shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis. Our results suggest these cells contribute to the function of the secretory glands and contraction of the uterus.
miR‐150 functions as a tumour suppressor in human colorectal cancer by targeting c‐Myb
Authors: Feng Junlan , Yang Yongzhi , Zhang Peng , Wang Feng , Ma Yanlei , Qin Huanlong , Wang Yu
Published: September 2014

Our previously published study documented a deregulation of the microRNA miR‐150 in colorectal cancer. Here, we investigated further, in vitro and in vivo, the potential molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of miR‐150 in colorectal cancer, using the appropriate molecular biological methods. We report that miR‐150 is a key regulator in the tumourigenesis and progression of colorectal cancer, by acting as a tumour suppressor targeting c‐Myb. The current findings suggest that miR‐150 may have important roles in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.
Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Pseudocyrtohymena koreana n. g., n. sp. and Antarctic Neokeronopsis asiatica Foissner et al., 2010 (Ciliophora, Sporadotrichida), with a Brief Discussion of the Cyrtohymena Undulating Membranes Pattern
Authors: Jung Jae‐Ho , Park Kyung‐Min , Min Gi‐Sik
Published: September 2014

We discovered a new brackish water oxytrichid Pseudocyrtohymena koreana n. g., n. sp. in South Korea and investigated the new species on the basis of morphology, ontogenesis, and 18S rRNA gene sequences. The new genus has the 18 frontal‐ventral‐transverse cirri of typical oxytrichids with flexible body, cortical granules, Cyrtohymena undulating membranes (UM), and one left and one right marginal cirral row. Ontogenesis of the new species indicated that dorsal kinety anlage 3 stretches within the parental row without any fragmentations (Urosomoida pattern) and exclusively forms all caudal cirri. The new genus is morphologically similar to Cyrtohymena Foissner, 1989, but has the following distinctive features: (i) caudal cirri absent in dorsal kineties 1 and 2 (vs. present in Cyrtohymena); and (ii) dorsal kinety 3 nonfragmented (vs. fragmented in Cyrtohymena). Further, we collected an additional species Neokeronopsis asiatica Foissner et al. 2010, from King George Island, Antarctica, and the species shares the morphology of UM with Cyrtohymena. Herein, we describe the previously unidentified characteristics of N. asiatica (i.e., cortical granules, body flexibility, contractile vacuole, and 18S rRNA gene sequence). In addition, we obtained two 18S rRNA gene sequences from Cyrtohymena muscorum and Parasterkiella thompsoni to expand samples for phylogenetic analysis. Our 18S rRNA gene tree supports the hypothesis that the Cyrtohymena UM pattern might have evolved several times in hypotrichs (e.g., Neokeronopsidae, Oxytrichinae, and Stylonychinae).
Sterols of Saccharomyces cerevisiae erg6 Knockout Mutant Expressing the Pneumocystis carinii S‐Adenosylmethionine:Sterol C‐24 Methyltransferase
Authors: Kaneshiro Edna S. , Johnston Laura Q. , Nkinin Stephenson W. , Romero Becky I. , Giner José‐Luis
Published: September 2014

The AIDS‐associated lung pathogen Pneumocystis is classified as a fungus although Pneumocystis has several distinct features such as the absence of ergosterol, the major sterol of most fungi. The Pneumocystis carinii S‐adenosylmethionine:sterol C24‐methyltransferase (SAM:SMT) enzyme, coded by the erg6 gene, transfers either one or two methyl groups to the C‐24 position of the sterol side chain producing both C28 and C29 24‐alkylsterols in approximately the same proportions, whereas most fungal SAM:SMT transfer only one methyl group to the side chain. The sterol compositions of wild‐type Sacchromyces cerevisiae, the erg6 knockout mutant (Δerg6), and Δerg6 expressing the P. carinii or the S. cerevisiae erg6 gene were analyzed by a variety of chromatographic and spectroscopic procedures to examine functional complementation in the yeast expression system. Detailed sterol analyses were obtained using high performance liquid chromatography and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H‐NMR). The P. carinii SAM:SMT in the Δerg6 restored its ability to produce the C28 sterol ergosterol as the major sterol, and also resulted in low levels of C29 sterols. This indicates that while the P. carinii SAM:SMT in the yeast Δerg6 cells was able to transfer a second methyl group to the side chain, the action of Δ24(28)‐sterol reductase (coded by the erg4 gene) in the yeast cells prevented the formation and accumulation of as many C29 sterols as that found in P. carinii.
A systematic review investigating interventions that can help reduce consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages in children leading to changes in body fatness
Authors: Avery A. , Bostock L. , McCullough F.
Published: September 2014

Background

Both the prevalence of childhood obesity and the consumption of sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) have increased globally. The present review describes interventions that reduce the consumption of SSBs in children and determines whether this leads to subsequent changes in body fatness.

Methods

Three databases were searched from 2000 to August 2013. Only intervention control trials, ≥6 months in duration, which aimed to reduce the consumption of SSBs in >100 children aged 2–18 years, and reporting changes in body fatness, were included. The quality of selected papers was assessed.

Results

Eight studies met inclusion criteria. Six interventions achieved significant (P < 0.05) reductions in SSB intake, although this was not always sustained. In the two interventions providing replacement drinks, significant differences in body mass index (12‐ or 18‐month follow‐up) were reported (P = 0.001 and 0.045). The risk of being overweight/obesity was reduced (P < 0.05) in three of the five education programmes but in one programme only for girls who were overweight at baseline and in one programme only for pupils perceived to be at greater risk at baseline. In the one study that included both provision of water and education, the risk of being overweight was reduced by 31% (P = 0.04) in the intervention group.

Conclusions

The evidence suggests that school‐based education programmes focusing on reducing SSB consumption, but including follow‐up modules, offer opportunities for implementing effective, sustainable interventions. Peer support and changing the school environment (e.g. providing water or replacement drinks) to support educational programmes could improve their effectiveness. Home delivery of more suitable drinks has a big impact on reducing SSB consumption, with associated reductions in body weight.
Nutrient intake among US adults with disabilities
Authors: An R. , Chiu C.Y. , Zhang Z. , Burd N. A.
Published: September 2014

Background

Physical, mental and financial barriers among persons with disabilities limit their access to healthier diet. The present study investigated the relationship between disabilities and nutrient intake among US adults.

Methods

Data originated from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2008 and 2009–2010 waves (n = 11 811). Five disability categories include activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), leisure and social activities (LSAs), lower extremity mobility (LEM) and general physical activities (GPAs). Nutrient intakes from food and dietary supplements were calculated from 24‐h dietary recalls. Adherence to dietary reference intakes and dietary guideline recommendations was compared between people with and without disabilities and across disability categories in the statistical analysis.

Results

GPAs, IADLs, LSAs, LEM and ADLs occupied 24.5%, 13.3%, 9.9%, 9.2% and 9.2% of US adults, respectively (not mutually exclusive). Only 42.3%, 11.3%, 63.8%, 47.7%, 48.7%, 9.7%, 48.7%, 90.7%, 21.7% and 4.7% of adults had saturated fat, fibre, cholesterol, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin D, calcium, iron, sodium and potassium intakes from food within recommended levels, respectively. Dietary supplement use moderately improved vitamin C, vitamin D and calcium intakes. People with disabilities were less likely to meet recommended levels on saturated fat, fibre (except GPAs), vitamin A (except GPAs), vitamin C (except GPAs), calcium and potassium intakes than persons without disability. Nutrient intake differed across disability categories, with ADLs least likely to meet recommended intakes.

Conclusions

Interventions targeting persons with disabilities through nutrition education and financial assistance are warranted to promote healthy diet and reduce disparities.
Validation of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire: an online version
Authors: Chan C. W. , Leung S. F.
Published: September 2014

Background

Internet‐based interventions can facilitate an anonymous environment for the management of eating disorders and there is a need for online assessment tools to be readily available. The present study aimed to validate an online version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE‐Q) and to compare the goodness‐of‐fit of five models of EDE‐Q data, using a sample of university students in Hong Kong.

Methods

The EDE‐Q data were collected online from 310 Hong Kong university students. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to compare the validity of the original four‐factor EDE‐Q with that of the three‐factor, two‐factor, one‐factor and brief one‐factor models. The superior model was further examined for scale reliability, convergent validity and construct validity using contrast‐group comparisons.

Results

The brief one‐factor model consisting of eight Weight and Shape Concern items was the only model to provide an acceptable fit to the data. Estimations of internal consistency and scale validity were conducted using contrast‐group comparisons and convergent validity, with satisfactory results.

Conclusions

The brief one‐factor model was the only one among the alternate models that provided good fit to the data. The brief model is promising for use in research and has good practical application because the model was satisfactorily tested in terms of internal consistency, ability to discriminate between genders, and good association with other measures of similar constructs. By validating an online version of the EDE‐Q using a university sample with a cultural background different from Western culture, the present study complements findings from previous research on the EDE‐Q.
Integration of Industrial Ecology Approaches into Business Practices
Authors: Yang Mona ManYu , Wei Yilin , Lin Li‐Wei
Published: September 2014

Year founded: 1996

Ownership: Private

Headquarters: Hsinchu, Taiwan

Industry: Flat Panel Displays & Solar Business

Employees: 46,000

Approximate Net Revenue in 2013: US$13.9 billion
The care of older people with dementia in surgical wards from the point of view of the nursing staff and physicians
Authors: Hynninen Nina , Saarnio Reetta , Isola Arja
Published: September 2014

Aims and objectives

The aim of this study is to describe the care of older people with dementia in surgical wards from the viewpoint of the nursing staff and physicians.

Background

There has been little research on the impact of the increasing number of older people with dementia in surgical wards and the preparedness of multi‐professional staff caring for them.

Design

A qualitative, descriptive design was used.

Methods

The data were collected using unstructured interviews with nursing staff (n = 19) and physicians (n = 9) who participate in caring for people with dementia in surgical wards. The collected data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Result

The nursing staff reported that caring for people with dementia was physically and mentally demanding. Physicians regarded memory disorder‐related symptoms as primary causes of patients’ challenging behaviour, while in similar situations the nursing staff felt that such behaviour was related to their own personality or a deficiency in their nursing competence. The nursing staff commented that they had not received specific training in caring for people with dementia.

Conclusion

The study highlights the importance of developing nurses’ skills to meet the current demands of their jobs. Thus, nursing staff urgently require additional training to safely care for this group of patients. In addition, the well‐being of nursing staff needs further support, and working practices in the wards should be reviewed.

Relevance to clinical practise

Education and up‐to‐date information related to patient care strongly improve the quality of nursing. The results can be applied to the development of competences related to the care of older people with dementia in surgical wards from a multi‐professional standpoint.
Human Capital and CEO Compensation during Institutional Transitions
Authors: Peng Mike W. , Sun Sunny Li , Markóczy Lívia
Published: September 2014

Firms appoint CEOs with different types of human capital in order to manage resource dependencies. How CEOs are compensated thus can be conceptualized as a valuation process of how boards view the value of CEOs' human capital. Two types of human capital – international experience and political ties – have emerged as potential drivers of CEO compensation during institutional transitions. But how they impact CEO compensation has remained unclear. We develop a resource dependence‐based, contingency framework to focus on the external and internal factors that enable or constrain human capital to impact CEO compensation. Because of the tremendous regional diversity within China, externally, we focus on the level of marketization of the region in which firms are headquartered. Internally, we pay attention to two corporate governance mechanisms: politically connected outside directors and compensation committee. Data from 10,329 firm‐year observations at 94 per cent of listed firms in China largely support our framework. Overall, our study contributes to resource dependence research by extending this research to the context of institutional transitions with a focus on how human capital impacts CEO compensation.
Explaining Differences in Subjective Well‐Being Across 33 Nations Using Multilevel Models: Universal Personality, Cultural Relativity, and National Income
Authors: Cheng Cecilia , Cheung Mike W.‐L. , Montasem Alex ,   44 members of the International Network of Well‐Being Studies
Published: September 2014

This multinational study simultaneously tested three prominent hypotheses—universal disposition, cultural relativity, and livability—that explained differences in subjective well‐being across nations. We performed multilevel structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized relationships at both individual and cultural levels in 33 nations. Participants were 6,753 university students (2,215 men; 4,403 women; 135 did not specify), and the average age of the entire sample was 20.97 years (SD = 2.39). Both individual‐ and cultural‐level analyses supported the universal disposition and cultural relativity hypotheses by revealing significant associations of subjective well‐being withExtraversion,Neuroticism, and independent self‐construal. In addition, interdependent self‐construal was positively related to life satisfaction at the individual level only, whereas aggregated negative affect was positively linked with aggregate levels ofExtraversion and interdependent self‐construal at the cultural level only. Consistent with the livability hypothesis, gross national income (GNI) was related to aggregate levels of negative affect and life satisfaction. There was also a quadratic relationship betweenGNIand aggregated positive affect. Our findings reveal that universal disposition, cultural self‐construal, and national income can elucidate differences in subjective well‐being, but the multilevel analyses advance the literature by yielding new findings that cannot be identified in studies using individual‐level analyses alone.
‘Two hundred ninety‐four’: Remediation and multimodal performance in tourist placemaking
Authors: Thurlow Crispin , Jaworski Adam
Published: September 2014

We offer here a multimodal discourse analysis of a range of verbal (writing and speech), nonverbal (movement and gesture) and technological (photography and video) resources used by tourists at the Leaning Tower of Pisa. In doing so, we pin‐point the recycling and layering of mediatized representations (e.g. guidebooks and official brochures), mediated actions (e.g. climbing the Tower or posing in front of it), and remediated practices (e.g. posting a YouTube video of oneself climbing the 294 steps to the top of the Tower). Through this kind of empirically‐based examination of tourists’ discursive and embodied performances – their ways of talking about and behaving in spaces – we witness how people never simply visit places but are always actively shaping and making these places. The Leaning Tower of Pisa is, therefore, as much an emergent production of the tourist imagination as it is a pre‐existing, lop‐sided construction of stone.