bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leptin and leucine synergistically regulate protein metabolism in C2C12 myotubes and mouse skeletal muscles
Authors: Mao Xiangbing , Zeng Xiangfang , Huang Zhimin , Wang Junjun , Qiao Shiyan
Published: December 2012

Leucine and leptin play important roles in regulating protein synthesis and degradation in skeletal musclesin vitroandin vivo.However, the objective of the present study was to determine whether leptin and leucine function synergistically in regulating protein metabolism of skeletal muscles. In thein vitroexperiment, C2C12 myotubes were cultured for 2 h in the presence of 5 mm-leucine and/or 50 ng/ml of leptin. In thein vivoexperiment, C57BL/6 andob/obmice were randomly assigned to be fed a non-purified diet supplemented with 3 %l-leucine or 2·04 %l-alanine (isonitrogenous control) for 14 d.Ob/obmice were injected intraperitoneally with sterile PBS or recombinant mouse leptin (0·1 μg/g body weight) for 14 d. In C57BL/6 mice, dietary leucine supplementation increased (P< 0·05) plasma leptin, leptin receptor expression and protein synthesis in skeletal muscles, but reduced (P< 0·05) plasma urea and protein degradation in skeletal muscles. Dietary leucine supplementation and leptin injection increased the relative weight of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles inob/obmice. Moreover, leucine and leptin treatments stimulated (P< 0·05) protein synthesis and inhibited (P< 0·05) protein degradation in C2C12 myotubes and skeletal muscles ofob/obmice. There were interactions (P< 0·05) between the leucine and leptin treatments with regard to protein metabolism in C2C12 myotubes and soleus muscles ofob/obmice but not in the gastrocnemius muscles ofob/obmice. Collectively, these results suggest that leptin and leucine synergistically regulate protein metabolism in skeletal muscles bothin vitroandin vivo.
A new Late OrdovicianHirnantiabrachiopod Fauna from NW Turkey, its biostratigraphical relationships and palaeogeographical setting
Authors: SAYAR CAZIBE , COCKS L. ROBIN M.
Published: December 2012

Late Ordovician fossils, including the distinctiveHirnantiabrachiopod Fauna, have been found in Lower Palaeozoic successions in Istanbul and Bolu (Yığılca), western Pontides, NW Turkey. The Middle Ordovician (Sandbian) faunas belong to the cooler-water Mediterranean Province, and they are followed by Katian brachiopods includingSulevorthis,Nicolella,Hesperorthis,Glyptorthis,SaukrodictyaandKullervoand ostracods such asPiretella,EochilinaandKlimphores, which represent deposition in warmer waters; however, the Mediterranean Province usually cooler-water brachiopodsDraboviaandLeptestiinaalso occur. The Pendik Formation includes thin bryozoan-rich limestones which probably represent the Boda Global Warming Event. The overlying turbidites contain aHirnantiaFauna, developed within a brachiopod–diplograptid association. Above them there are characteristic Llandovery (Rhuddanian–Aeronian) brachiopods, such asLeangella,Eoplectodonta,StricklandiaandHindellawith the coralsHalysites,PaleofavositesandStreptelasma. In the Bolu area, Katian brachiopods such asMcewanella,Dalmanella,Glyptorthis,Christiania,Oligorhynchia,Nicolella,HowellitesandDrabovinellaalso occur, but there the overlyingHirnantiaFauna is developed within aHirnantia–Mucronaspisassociation. The fauna and sediments indicate that the western Pontides were not very cold during the latest Ordovician. Despite Turkey being placed in higher latitudes by previous authors, it seems more probable that the Pontides were at somewhat lower palaeolatitudes, perhaps at about 40°S in those times; however, the precise palaeogeographical position of the terrane remains uncertain: there are no Hirnantian glaciogenic rocks there, such as are found in the Taurides of southern Turkey.
Wide-domainr-effects in English
Authors: HARRIS JOHN
Published: December 2012

The syllable has been credited with hosting a wide range of segmental patterns in phonology. However, there is increasing evidence that many of these patterns have a broader prosodic scope than is suggested by established syllabic analyses. Non-rhoticity is one of a collection ofr-related effects in English that illustrate this point. Some of these effects have to do with the distribution ofritself: it can appear in positions that can be specified syllabically only by enriching prosodic theory in undesirable ways. Others have to do with the influencerexerts on neighbouring segments, particularly coronal consonants and preceding stressed vowels. Specifying the phonological context of these segmental effects requires explicit reference to the foot and the word rather than the syllable.
Histodermella kagigunensissp. nov. from the Gulf of Alaska and Aleutian Islands; first records of the genus from the North Pacific
Authors: Lehnert Helmut , Stone Robert P. , Heimler Wolfgang
Published: December 2012

The genusHistodermellagrows to four species with the addition ofH. kagigunensissp. nov. from the North Pacific. The new species is described and compared with all congeners.Histodermella kagigunensisshows affinities toH. ingolfiLundbeck 1910 as it has the same spicule types but differs clearly in size, habitus and the dimensions of two occurring spicule types. The discovery ofH. kagigunensisrepresents the first record of the genusHistodermellain the North Pacific Ocean.
Personality, self-control, and welfare-tradeoff ratios in revenge and forgiveness
Authors: Balliet Daniel , Pronk Tila M.
Published: December 2012

We address how trait self-control and trait concern for others relate to the concepts of monitored and intrinsic Welfare Tradeoff Ratios (WTRs), respectively, and how recent work on personality, revenge, and forgiveness are informed by the adaptationist perspective proposed in the target article. We also discuss how the proposed adaptationist perspective provides clues to some previously puzzling findings on revenge.
Towards a multifaceted understanding of revenge and forgiveness
Authors: Fatfouta Ramzi , Jacobs Arthur , Merkl Angela
Published: December 2012

We focus on two aspects: First, we argue that it is necessary to include implicit forgiveness as an additional adaptive behavioral option to the perception of interpersonal transgressions. Second, we present one possible way to investigate the cognitive-affective underpinnings of revenge and forgiveness: a functional MRI (fMRI) approach aiming at integrating forgiveness and revenge mechanisms into a single paradigm.
Revenge: Behavioral and emotional consequences
Authors: Konečni Vladimir J.
Published: December 2012

This commentary discusses dozens of ecologically powerful social-psychological experiments from the1960s and 1970s, which are highly relevant especially for predicting the consequences of revenge. McCullough et al. omitted this work – perhaps because of its misclassification as “catharsis” research. The findings are readily accommodated by Konečni's anger-aggression bidirectional-causation (AABC) model and can be usefully incorporated in an adaptationist view of revenge.
Formulaic Language in Language Socialization
Authors: Burdelski Matthew , Cook Haruko Minegishi
Published: December 2012

This article reviews recent research on the roles of formulaic language in language socialization theory and research from the point of view that formulaic language is a chunk of language (e.g., one word, string of several words) repeatedly used in verbal routines and other contexts. Although the notion of formulaic language is not always explicitly discussed in the literature of language socialization, previous research suggests that formulaic language is indeed an important notion within the theory of language socialization, for it often plays a crucial role in socializing novices to social dimensions such as politeness, hierarchy, and social identities including social roles and statuses, and relationships. This article first provides a brief introduction of language socialization theory, its research methods, and recent developments. It then reviews recent language socialization research on formulaic language in first and second language (L1, L2) and heritage language environments, including how novices are socialized to use formulaic language, how they are socialized through its use, and how they actually use it in normative and novel ways in participating in social interaction with experts and/or peers. Finally, the major findings of recent studies are summarized, and the article concludes by suggesting several directions for further research on formulaic language in language socialization.
Formulaic Language in Learner Corpora
Authors: Paquot Magali , Granger Sylviane
Published: December 2012

Formulaic language is at the heart of corpus linguistic research, and learner corpus research (LCR) is no exception. As multiword units of all kinds (e.g., collocations, phrasal verbs, speech formulae) are notoriously difficult for learners, and corpus linguistic techniques are an extremely powerful way of exploring them, they were an obvious area for investigation by researchers from the very early days of LCR. In the first part of this article, the focus is on the types of learner corpus data investigated and the most popular method used to analyze them. The second section describes the types of word sequences analyzed in learner corpora and the methodologies used to extract them. In the rest of the article, we summarize some of the main findings of LCR studies of the learner phrasicon, distinguishing between co-occurrence and recurrence. Particular emphasis is also placed on the relationship between learners’ use of formulaic sequences and transfer from the learner's first language. The article concludes with some proposals for future research in the field.
Inheritance events and spending patterns in the English country house: the Leigh family of Stoneleigh Abbey, 1738–1806
Authors: ROTHERY MARK , STOBART JON
Published: December 2012

This article analyses the everyday spending patterns of the Leigh family of Stoneleigh Abbey, Warwickshire, in relation to inheritance, demography and trusteeship. The analysis makes use of a large dataset of receipted bills along with various other types of accounts and legal documents. We show that several factors contributed to the survival and flourishing of the Leigh estates. These included: first, moderate levels of spending by successive owners of the family estates, punctuated by periodic surges in spending following inheritance events; second, demographic factors; and, third, the responsible management of the estate by trustees during periods of minority. This analysis illustrates that careful economic management, rather than conspicuous consumption, was the defining feature of wealthy landed families such as the Leighs.
Failure to learn from feedback underlies word learning difficulties in toddlers at risk for autism
Authors: BEDFORD R. , GLIGA T. , FRAME K. , HUDRY K. , CHANDLER S. , JOHNSON M. H. , CHARMAN T. ,   THE BASIS TEAM
Published: December 2012

Children's assignment of novel words to nameless objects, over objects whose names they know (mutual exclusivity; ME) has been described as a driving force for vocabulary acquisition. Despite their ability to use ME to fast-map words (Preissler & Carey, 2005), children with autism show impaired language acquisition. We aimed to address this puzzle by building on studies showing that correct referent selection using ME does not lead to word learning unless ostensive feedback is provided on the child's object choice (Horst & Samuelson, 2008). We found that although toddlers aged 2;0 at risk for autism can use ME to choose the correct referent of a word, they do not benefit from feedback for long-term retention of the word–object mapping. Further, their difficulty using feedback is associated with their smaller receptive vocabularies. We propose that difficulties learning from social feedback, not lexical principles, limits vocabulary building during development in children at risk for autism.
Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy (CBRT) for Voice Hearers: A Case Study
Authors: Paulik Georgie , Hayward Mark , Birchwood Max
Published: December 2012

Background: There has been a recent focus on the interpersonal nature of the voice hearing experience, with studies showing that similar patterns of relating exist between voice hearer and voice as between voice hearer and social others. Two recent therapeutic approaches to voices, Cognitive Therapy for Command Hallucinations and Relating Therapy, have been developed to address patterns of relating and power imbalances between voice hearer and voice. Aims: This paper presents a novel intervention that combines elements of these two therapies, named Cognitive Behavioural Relating Therapy (CBRT). Method: The application of CBRT is illustrated through a clinical case study. Results: The clinical case study showed changes in patterns of relating, improved self-esteem and reductions in voice-related distress. Conclusions: The outcomes provide preliminary support for the utility of CBRT when working with voice hearers.
Shedding New Light on Cathodoluminescence—A Low Voltage Perspective
Authors: Erdman Natasha , Nielsen Charles , Robertson Vernon E.
Published: December 2012

Previously, imaging and analysis with cathodoluminescence (CL) detectors required using high accelerating voltages. Utilization of lower accelerating voltage for microanalysis has the advantages of reduced beam-specimen interaction volume, and thus better spatial resolution, as well as reduction in electron beam induced damage. This article will highlight recent developments in field emission gun–scanning electron microscope technology that have allowed acquisition of high spatial resolution CL images at very low accelerating voltages. The advantages of low kV CL imaging will be shown using examples of a geological specimen (shale) and a specimen of an industrial grade diamond.
Cathodoluminescence Microscopy and Spectroscopy of Micro- and Nanodiamonds: An Implication for Laboratory Astrophysics
Authors: Gucsik Arnold , Nishido Hirotsugu , Ninagawa Kiyotaka , Ott Ulrich , Tsuchiyama Akira , Kayama Masahiro , Simonia Irakli , Boudou Jean-Paul
Published: December 2012

Color centers in selected micro- and nanodiamond samples were investigated by cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy and spectroscopy at 298 K [room temperature (RT)] and 77 K [liquid-nitrogen temperature (LNT)] to assess the value of the technique for astrophysics. Nanodiamonds from meteorites were compared with synthetic diamonds made with different processes involving distinct synthesis mechanisms (chemical vapor deposition, static high pressure high temperature, detonation). A CL emission peak centered at around 540 nm at 77 K was observed in almost all of the selected diamond samples and is assigned to the dislocation defect with nitrogen atoms. Additional peaks were identified at 387 and 452 nm, which are related to the vacancy defect. In general, peak intensity at LNT at the samples was increased in comparison to RT. The results indicate a clear temperature—dependence of the spectroscopic properties of diamond. This suggests the method is a useful tool in laboratory astrophysics.
Inducing variability in multi-cut forage sorghum through mutagenesis
Authors: Pahuja S. K. , Aruna C. , Shrotria P. K. , Kaur Simarjit , Ranwah B. R. , Patil J. V.
Published: December 2012

Improvement in multi-cut forage sorghum varieties that can perform better than SSG 59-3, a sweet Sudan grass released in 1974, has been a challenge. Efforts were made to create variability in SSG 59-3 through mutagenesis using both physical and chemical mutagens. Fifteen such mutants were evaluated for 2 years in different locations in India. Considerable variability was observed for important fodder yield and quality traits. SSG 237 flowered 10 d early than SSG 59-3. SSG 231, SSG 260, SSG 232 and SSG 237 had high protein percentage andin vitrodry matter digestibility (IVDMD) values compared with SSG 59-3. Hydrocyanic acid (HCN), a major anti-nutritional factor, was low in six mutants, the lowest being in SSG 226. This variability can be used in different breeding programmes aimed at improving multi-cut forage sorghum varieties. The lines with improved fodder quality (low HCN, high protein and IVDMD) can be used in the breeding programme for the improvement in multi-cut forage sorghum varieties.
Farmers' experiments in Cuba
Authors: Leitgeb Friedrich , Kummer Susanne , Funes-Monzote Fernando R. , Vogl Christian R.
Published: December 2012

Due to the collapse of the socialist systems in 1989, Cuba's government promoted a series of structural changes to deal with resource scarcity and to enhance agricultural productivity. The upcoming crisis triggered adaptation strategies and led to a large-scale transition process towards a more sustainable model of agriculture. Farmers' experiments have been an implicit part of this process. Nowadays, farmers' capacity to experiment is widely accepted among the scientific community. However, detailed descriptions of farmers' approaches to experimentation are scarce. In this study, we examine the topics, resources, sources, motives, methods and outcomes of farmers' experiments in Cuba. The research methods comprised semi-structured interviews with 72 Cuban farmers, field notes, participant observation and a research diary. Key informants and 34 expert interviews added important insights into analysis. The results reveal that farmers' experiments are an integral part of farming in Cuba. Most farmers reported realizing their own experiments on their farms. The use of locally available resources was a crucial element for farmers' experiments. The topics were related to the introduction of new plant species or varieties, plant production, mechanization, fertilization, plant protection and the introduction of new animal species. The farmers' own idea was the most important source for experimenting, followed by ideas offered by colleagues and family members. Increasing production, independence from external resources and improving farm management were the main motives for experimenting. More than half of the farmers started to experiment without detailed written or mental planning, but made some considerations about the experiment before starting. Some planned more in detail and a few farmers devised a written plan, draft or model. Starting on a small scale was a way to minimize risks. The experiments were mainly evaluated by observation and comparison. Only a few farmers took records of their experiments. The most important outcomes were higher production, food self-sufficiency, work easement, improved plant health, increased knowledge, higher working efficiency and better taste of products. Farmers' experiments are a means of learning and they enhance farmers' capacity to adapt to changing conditions.
Sprachrhythmus und Schriftspracherwerb
Authors: Sauter Katharina , Heller Jürgen , Landerl Karin
Published: December 2012

Zusammenfassung: Diese Studie geht der Frage nach, in welchem Zusammenhang sprachrhythmische Fähigkeiten mit der Rechtschreib- und der Leseleistung stehen. Vierzig Dritt- und Viertklässler absolvierten eine sprachrhythmische Aufgabe, bei der ein Satz ausgewählt werden sollte, dessen Betonungsmuster zu einem vorgegebenen Rhythmus passte. Die Leistungen in dieser Aufgabe korrelierten mit Lese- sowie mit Rechtschreibleistungen und insbesondere mit dem Erwerb der Vokallängenmarker. Eine Teilgruppe von 24 Kindern nahm an einer zweiten Aufgabe teil, bei welcher kurze Sätze explizit rhythmisch gesprochen und die dabei entstehenden Rhythmen synchron auf einem Graphiktablett geklopft wurden. Die Leistungen in dieser Aufgabe korrelierten mit Rechtschreib- jedoch nicht mit Leseleistungen. Diese Ergebnisse werden diskutiert im Hinblick auf die verschiedenen sprachrhythmischen Fähigkeiten, die in Rhythmusübungen zur Geltung kommen können und die offenbar von unterschiedlicher Relevanz für die Entwicklung der beiden schriftlichen Modalitäten sein mögen.
Foreshock compressional boundaries observed by Cluster
Authors: Rojas‐Castillo D. , Blanco‐Cano X. , Kajdič P. , Omidi N.
Published: December 2012

Recent global hybrid simulations (kinetic ions, fluid electrons) of the solar wind interaction with Earth's magnetosphere revealed the existence of a new structure at the edges of the foreshock, named foreshock compressional boundary (FCB). The FCB is associated with a strong compression of magnetic field magnitude and density followed by strong decreases of these two quantities. This structure represents a transition region that separates the highly disturbed foreshock plasma from the solar wind. Hybrid simulations have shown that the formation and strength of the FCB depend on the generation and nonlinear evolution of ultra‐low frequency (ULF) waves which in turn have been produced by the interaction of foreshock backstreaming ions with the solar wind. In this work, we use Cluster magnetic field and plasma data to show that the FCB exists and is frequently observed in the foreshock region. We study FCB properties during 36 crossings for different interplanetary field geometries and solar wind speeds. The results presented here reveal that FCBs form for different solar wind conditions (i.e., cone angle, velocity), and are highly nonlinear structures with δB/Bo and δn/no amplitudes around 40% of the ambient values. We find that the FCB is sometimes a transition region between the pristine solar wind plasma and the foreshock plasma. At other times, it separates a region with large amplitude waves from regions with high frequency small amplitude waves. Preliminary analysis of ion distributions show that in some cases the FCB can coincide with the ULF wave boundary and in others with the intermediate ion boundary. Cluster data also show that the solar wind flow is decelerated and deviated when crossing the FCB.
CART Peptide Induces Neuroregeneration in Stroke Rats
Authors: Luo Yu , Shen Hui , Liu Hua-Shan , Yu Seong-Jin , Reiner David J , Harvey Brandon K , Hoffer Barry J , Yang Yihong , Wang Yun
Published: December 2012

Utilizing a classic stroke model in rodents, middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo), we describe a novel neuroregenerative approach using the repeated intranasal administration of cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) peptide starting from day 3 poststroke for enhancing the functional recovery of injured brain. Adult rats were separated into two groups with similar infarction sizes, measured by magnetic resonance imaging on day 2 after MCAo, and were treated with CART or vehicle. The CART treatment increased CART level in the brain, improved behavioral recovery, and reduced neurological scores. In the subventricular zone (SVZ), CART enhanced immunolabeling of bromodeoxyuridine, a neural progenitor cell marker Musashi-1, and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, as well as upregulated brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA. AAV–GFP was locally applied to the SVZ to examine migration of SVZ cells. The CART enhanced migration of GFP(+) cells from SVZ toward the ischemic cortex. In SVZ culture, CART increased the size of neurospheres. The CART-mediated cell migration from SVZ explants was reduced by anti-BDNF blocking antibody. Using 1H-MRS (proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy), increases in N-acetylaspartate levels were found in the lesioned cortex after CART treatment in stroke brain. Cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript increased the expression of GAP43 and fluoro-ruby fluorescence in the lesioned cortex. In conclusion, our data suggest that intranasal CART treatment facilitates neuroregeneration in stroke brain.
Identification of a pathway by which glucose regulates β-catenin signalling via the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway in β-cell models
Authors: Cognard Emmanuelle , Dargaville Coralie G. , Hay Deborah L. , Shepherd Peter R.
Published: December 2012

Pancreatic β-cells are highly responsive to changes in glucose, but the mechanisms involved are only partially understood. There is increasing evidence that the β-catenin signalling pathway plays an important role in regulating β-cell function, but the mechanisms regulating β-catenin signalling in these cells is not well understood. In the present study we show that β-catenin levels and downstream signalling are regulated by changes in glucose levels in INS-1E and β-TC6-F7 β-cell models. We found a glucose-dependent increase in levels of β-catenin in the cytoplasm and nucleus of INS-1E cells. Expression of cyclin D1 also increased with glucose and required the presence of β-catenin. This was associated with an increase in phosphorylation of β-catenin on Ser552, which is known to stabilize the molecule and increase its transcriptional activity. In a search for possible signalling intermediates we found forskolin and cell-permeable cAMP analogues recapitulated the glucose effects, suggesting a role for cAMP and PKA (cAMP-dependent protein kinase/protein kinase A) downstream of glucose. Furthermore, glucose caused sustained increases in cAMP. Two different inhibitors of adenylate cyclase and PKA signalling blocked the effects of glucose, whereas siRNA (small interfering RNA) knockdown of PKA blocked the effects of glucose on β-catenin signalling. Finally, reducing β-catenin levels with either siRNA or pyrvinium impaired glucose- and KCl-stimulated insulin secretion. Taken together the results of the present study define a pathway by which changes in glucose levels can regulate β-catenin using a mechanism which involves cAMP production and the activation of PKA. This identifies a pathway that may be important in glucose-dependent regulation of gene expression and insulin secretion in β-cells.
Brassinosteroids regulate organ boundary formation in the shoot apical meristem of
Arabidopsis
Authors: Gendron Joshua M. , Liu Jiang-Shu , Fan Min , Bai Ming-Yi , Wenkel Stephan , Springer Patricia S. , Barton M. Kathryn , Wang Zhi-Yong
Published: December 2012

Spatiotemporal control of the formation of organ primordia and organ boundaries from the stem cell niche in the shoot apical meristem (SAM) determines the patterning and architecture of plants, but the underlying signaling mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we show that brassinosteroids (BRs) play a key role in organ boundary formation by repressing organ boundary identity genes. BR-hypersensitive mutants display organ-fusion phenotypes, whereas BR-insensitive mutants show enhanced organ boundaries. The BR-activated transcription factor BZR1 directly represses the
CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON
(
CUC
) family of organ boundary identity genes. In WT plants, BZR1 accumulates at high levels in the nuclei of central meristem and organ primordia but at a low level in organ boundary cells to allow
CUC
gene expression. Activation of BR signaling represses
CUC
gene expression and causes organ fusion phenotypes. This study uncovers a role for BR in the spatiotemporal control of organ boundary formation and morphogenesis in the SAM.
Ubiquitylation of p53 by the APC/C inhibitor Trim39
Authors: Zhang Liguo , Huang Nai-Jia , Chen Chen , Tang Wanli , Kornbluth Sally
Published: December 2012

Tripartite motif 39 (Trim39) is a RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase able to inhibit the anaphase-promoting complex (APC/C) directly. Through analysis of Trim39 function in p53-positive and p53-negative cells, we have found, surprisingly, that p53-positive cells lacking Trim39 could not traverse the G1/S transition. This effect did not result from disinhibition of the APC/C. Moreover, although Trim39 loss inhibited etoposide-induced apoptosis in p53-negative cells, apoptosis was enhanced by Trim39 knockdown in p53-positive cells. Furthermore, we show here that the Trim39 can directly bind and ubiquitylate p53 in vitro and in vivo, leading to p53 degradation. Depletion of Trim39 significantly increased p53 protein levels and cell growth retardation in multiple cell lines. We found that the relative importance of Trim39 and the well-characterized p53-directed E3 ligase, murine double minute 2 (MDM2), varied between cell types. In cells that were relatively insensitive to the MDM2 inhibitor, nutlin-3a, apoptosis could be markedly enhanced by siRNA directed against Trim39. As such, Trim39 may serve as a potential therapeutic target in tumors with WT p53 when MDM2 inhibition is insufficient to elevate p53 levels and apoptosis.
Topological specificity and hierarchical network of the circadian calcium rhythm in the suprachiasmatic nucleus
Authors: Enoki Ryosuke , Kuroda Shigeru , Ono Daisuke , Hasan Mazahir T. , Ueda Tetsuo , Honma Sato , Honma Ken-ichi
Published: December 2012

The circadian pacemaker in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is a hierarchical multioscillator system in which neuronal networks play crucial roles in expressing coherent rhythms in physiology and behavior. However, our understanding of the neuronal network is still incomplete. Intracellular calcium mediates the input signals, such as phase-resetting stimuli, to the core molecular loop involving clock genes for circadian rhythm generation and the output signals from the loop to various cellular functions, including changes in neurotransmitter release. Using a unique large-scale calcium imaging method with genetically encoded calcium sensors, we visualized intracellular calcium from the entire surface of SCN slice in culture including the regions where autonomous clock gene expression was undetectable. We found circadian calcium rhythms at a single-cell level in the SCN, which were topologically specific with a larger amplitude and more delayed phase in the ventral region than the dorsal. The robustness of the rhythm was reduced but persisted even after blocking the neuronal firing with tetrodotoxin (TTX). Notably, TTX dissociated the circadian calcium rhythms between the dorsal and ventral SCN. In contrast, a blocker of gap junctions, carbenoxolone, had only a minor effect on the calcium rhythms at both the single-cell and network levels. These results reveal the topological specificity of the circadian calcium rhythm in the SCN and the presence of coupled regional pacemakers in the dorsal and ventral regions. Neuronal firings are not necessary for the persistence of the calcium rhythms but indispensable for the hierarchical organization of rhythmicity in the SCN.
Temporal evolution of a surface dielectric barrier discharge for different groups of plasma microdischarges
Authors: Biganzoli I , Barni R , Riccardi C
Published: December 2012

We have experimentally investigated the properties of microdischarges originating in asymmetric surface dielectric barrier discharges fed by a high-voltage sinusoidal low-frequency drive. Devices exploiting such a configuration are currently proposed as plasma actuators, because they induce a directed airflow in the gas surrounding the surface. Light emission and electric current associated with individual microdischarges have been recorded with high temporal resolution. A statistical analysis of the dataset was performed to correlate microdischarge properties with the voltage phase and to spot peculiarities arising from the actual breakdown mechanism in such a configuration. In particular, we demonstrated the asymmetry between the two different semi-cycles of the discharge, which could affect plasma actuator efficiency. Differences arising in the multiplicity, amplitude, temporal duration as well as in the spatial pattern of the discharge emitting region also permitted identifying several different groups of microdischarges, presumably playing different roles in both the discharge dynamics and airflow induction.
Reactive fluxes delivered by dielectric barrier discharge filaments to slightly wounded skin
Authors: Babaeva Natalia Yu , Kushner Mark J
Published: December 2012

The application of atmospheric-pressure plasmas to human tissue has been shown to have therapeutic effects for wound healing and in treatment of skin diseases. In this paper, we report on a computational study of the intersection of plasma filaments in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) with a small wound in human skin in the context of plasma medicine. The wound is represented as a small cut in the epidermal layer of cells. Intracellular structures and their electrical properties were incorporated into the two-dimensional computational mesh in order to self-consistently couple gas phase plasma transport with the charging of the surface of the wound. We quantify the fluxes of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, ions and photons produced in or diffusing into the wound as might occur during the first few discharge pulses of treatment. Comparison is made to fluxes predicted by global modelling. We show that the relative location of the plasma filament with respect to the wound is important on plasma time scales (ns) for ions and photons, and for radicals directly produced by electron impact processes. On the longer-term diffusion time scales (ms) the position of the plasma filament relative to the wound is not so critical. For typical DBD conditions, the magnitude of these fluxes to the cellular surfaces corresponds to fluences of radicals nearly equal to the surface site density. These results imply that the biological reactivity is limited by reaction probabilities and not the availability of radical fluxes.
Susceptibility of Walnut and Hickory Species to Geosmithia morbida
Authors: Utley Curtis , Nguyen Tivonne , Roubtsova Tatiana , Coggeshall Mark , Ford Tim M. , Grauke L. J. , Graves Andrew D. , Leslie Charles A. , McKenna James , Woeste Keith , Yaghmour Mohammad A. , Seybold Steven J. , Bostock Richard M. , Tisserat Ned
Published: December 2012

Thousand cankers disease (TCD) of walnut is a result of feeding in the phloem by the walnut twig beetle (WTB), Pityophthorus juglandis, and subsequent canker formation caused by Geosmithia morbida around galleries. TCD has caused extensive morbidity and mortality to Juglans nigra in the western United States and, in 2010, was discovered in the eastern United States, where the tree is a highly valuable timber resource. WTB and G. morbida also have been found in J. regia orchards throughout major production areas in California, and the numbers of damaged trees are increasing. We tested the susceptibility of walnut and hickory species to G. morbida in greenhouse and field studies. Carya illinoinensis, C. aquatica, and C. ovata were immune. All walnut species tested, including J. ailantifolia, J. californica, J. cinerea, J. hindsii, J. major, J. mandshurica, J. microcarpa, J. nigra, and J. regia, developed cankers following inoculation with G. morbida. J. nigra was the most susceptible, whereas J. major, a native host of the WTB and, presumably, G. morbida, had smaller and more superficial cankers. Canker formation differed among maternal half-sibling families of J. nigra and J. cinerea, indicating genetic variability in resistance to G. morbida. Our inoculation studies with G. morbida have corroborated many of the field observations on susceptibility of walnut and hickory species to TCD, although the ability of the WTB to successfully attack and breed in walnut is also an important component in TCD resistance.
Headache as the Sole Symptom of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma and Its Clinical Implications
Authors: Lee Yi-Lun , Ho Ching-Yin
Published: December 2012

Background. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of NPC presenting with headache as the primary or sole symptom.Methods. The authors retrospectively identified 14 cases of NPC with headache as the initial presentation between 2003 and 2008. Headache characteristics, tumor staging, and treatment outcomes were assessed.Results. Most patients had either T4 (n=12) or T3 (n=1) tumor. The average duration of headaches prior to NPC diagnosis was 7.9 months. The location of the headaches was most commonly described as temporal or parietal with various pain patterns. Six patients (43%) experienced unilateral headache during attacks while the remaining patients reported bilateral or diffuse pain. Of the 14 patients, 10 (71%) experienced significant improvement in head pain during or after the treatment; most of them reported relief shortly after chemoradiation was initiated. The 5-year overall survival of these patients was similar to that of other NPC patients.Conclusion. Headache can be the only symptom of NPC. A timely diagnosis, albeit challenging to physicians, provides good outcomes in terms of both pain relief and tumor control.
The Role of Personal Goals in Depressive Reaction to Adverse Life Events: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Couyoumdjian Alessandro , Ottaviani Cristina , Trincas Roberta , Spitoni Grazia , Tenore Katia , Mancini Francesco
Published: December 2012

Consistent with cognitive views of depression, we aimed to investigate the mediating role of personal goals in the relationship between stressful events and distinct patterns of depressive symptoms in a nonclinical sample. Participants identified a dysphoric episode that occurred in the previous year by reporting the severity of 12 depressive symptoms and their plausible cause. A goal taxonomy was used to determine how much the event interfered with the achievement of a series of personal goals. After controlling for age and current level of depression, the patterns of symptoms differed based on the triggering events. The relationship between sadness and affective losses was partially mediated by the personal goal of lovableness, and success was a partial mediator in the association between an event of failure and symptoms of worthlessness and anhedonia. Although the cross-sectional design of the study does not allow for conclusions on the direction of effects, findings suggest the importance of motivational factors in the development of specific patterns of depressive symptoms to adverse events. Assuming a continuum from low mood to clinical depression, treatment models could benefit from a precise identification of the specific stressors that initiate depressive behaviour and the personal meaning assigned to those events.
Transfusion practices in postpartum hemorrhage: a population‐based study
Authors: Bonnet Marie‐Pierre , Deneux‐Tharaux Catherine , Dupont Corinne , Rudigoz Rene‐Charles , Bouvier‐Colle Marie‐Helene
Published: December 2012

Objective

To describe transfusion practices and anemia in women with postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), according to the clinical context.

Design

Population‐based cohort study.

Setting

A total of 106 French maternity units (146 781 deliveries, December 2004 to November 2006).

Population

All women with PPH (n = 9365).

Methods

Description of the rate of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion in PPH overall and compared with transfusion guidelines.

Main outcome measures

Transfusion practices and postpartum anemia by mode of delivery and cause of PPH in women given RBCs within 12 h after PPH.

Results

A total of 701 women received RBCs (0.48 ± 0.04% of all women and 7.5 ± 0.5% of women with PPH). Half the women with clinical PPH and hemoglobin lower than 7.0 g/dL received no RBCs. In the group with clinical PPH and transfusion within 12 h (n = 426), operative vaginal delivery was associated with a larger maximal hemoglobin drop, more frequent administration of fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP) and pro‐hemostatic agents [odds ratio (OR) 3.54, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.12–11.18], transfusion of larger volumes of RBCs and FFP, a higher rate of massive RBCs transfusion (OR 5.22, 95% CI 2.12–12.82), and more frequent use of conservative surgery (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.34–7.76), compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Conclusions

The RBC transfusion for PPH was not given in a large proportion of women with very low hemoglobin levels despite guidelines to the contrary. Operative vaginal delivery is characterized by higher blood loss and more transfusions than spontaneous vaginal delivery.
Discrepancies in parental and self‐appraisals of prosocial characteristics predict emotional problems in adolescents
Authors: Taylor Peter J. , Wood Alex M.
Published: December 2012

Objectives

Parental appraisals of an adolescent may have an effect upon the adolescent's well‐being and likelihood of emotional problems. However, the impact of these parental appraisals is likely to be partly determined by the young person's self‐appraisal. It was predicted that a discrepancy in self‐ and parent appraisals of positive, prosocial qualities would be associated with an increased risk of emotional problems.

Design

The study employed a cross‐sectional design within a large sample of adolescent and caregiver dyads (N = 3,976, aged 11–17 years), drawn from the ‘Mental health of children and young people in Great Britain, 2004’ survey.

Method

Two separate measures of prosociality were used to ensure that effects were not specific to one measure. The analysis explored the discrepancy in parent and self‐ratings on these measures via interactions within a logistic regression framework. Potential confounds, including gender, parental mental health, conduct and hyperkinetic problems were controlled for in the analysis.

Results

The logistic regression analyses demonstrated significant interactions between self‐ and parent ratings of prosocial qualities in predicting the odds of emotional disorder (i.e., depression and anxiety). This effect occurred across both measures of prosocial qualities whilst controlling for confounds. The pattern of the interactions suggested that low parental appraisals had a more detrimental effect on well‐being when self‐appraisals were highly positive.

Conclusions

The results suggest that moderately high self‐appraised positive traits may carry a cost of leaving young people more vulnerable to discrepant, negative parental appraisals. This has important implications for the meaning attributed to self‐appraised positive traits in clinical contexts.

Practitioner points

Clinicians should be aware that the association between parental perceptions of a child's prosociality and emotional disorder may be influenced by the adolescents' self‐perceptions.

Clinicians should therefore endeavour to assess both parental and adolescent appraisals.

Discrepancies may be clinically meaningful, in terms of the risk of emotional problems, rather than simply being a nuisance.

This study is cross‐sectional, so although discrepancies may be linked to risk of emotional problems, the direction of this effect requires elucidation.

The current study only focusses on the parent–adolescent dynamic and so may not extend to discrepancy effects in other areas of positive functioning or in other relational contexts.
Diagnostic shortfalls in early childhood chronic stress: a review of the issues
Authors: Klein B. , Gorter J. W. , Rosenbaum P.
Published: December 2012

Clinical effects of early childhood chronic stress should be regarded as causing a developmental brain injury. However, current diagnostic constructs fail to capture the associated disabilities in emotional‐behavioural regulation of stress and attachment functions adequately. We first focus on neglect as a prototypical early childhood chronic stressor; next we explore clinical associations of neglect; and finally we cite research pertaining to possible underlying pathophysiology of the effects of early childhood chronic stress. In addition, we discuss diagnostic labels that children with histories of early childhood neglect commonly acquire, and implications for treatment.
One‐year outcome of haemorrhoidectomy: a prospective multicentre French study
Authors: Bouchard D. , Abramowitz L. , Castinel A. , Suduca J. M. , Staumont G. , Soudan D. , Devulder F. , Pigot F. , Varastet M. , Ganansia R. ,   for the Groupe de Recherche En Proctologie de la Société Nationale Française de Colo‐Proctologie (GREP) and the Club de Réflexion des cabinets et Groupe d'Hépato‐Gastroentérologie (CREGG)
Published: December 2012

Aim

An evaluation was performed of the 1‐year outcome of open haemorrhoidectomy (Milligan and Morgan alone or with posterior mucosal anoplasty [the Leopold Bellan procedure]).

Method

A prospective, multicentre, observational study included all patients having a planned haemorrhoidectomy from January 2007 to June 2008. Data were collected before surgery, and at 3 months and 1 year after surgery. Patients assessed their anal symptoms and quality of life (SF‐36).

Results

Six‐hundred and thirty‐three patients (median age = 48 years, 56.5% women) underwent haemorrhoidectomy either by the Milligan and Morgan procedure alone (n = 231, 36.5%) or together with the Leopold Bellan procedure (posterior mucosal anoplasty) for resection of a fourth haemorrhoid (n = 345, 54.5%), anal fissure (n = 56, 8.9%) or low anal fistula (n = 1, 0.16%). The median healing time was 6 weeks. Early complications included urinary retention (n = 3), bleeding (n = 11), local infection (n = 7) and faecal impaction (n = 9). At 1 year, the main complications included skin tags (n = 2) and anal stenosis (n = 23). There were three recurrences requiring a second haemorrhoidectomy. On a visual analogue scale, anal pain at 1 year had fallen from a median of 5.5/10 before treatment to 0.1/10 (p < 0.001), anal discomfort from 5.5/10 to 0.1/10 (P < 0.001) and the Knowles–Eckersley–Scott Symptom (KESS) constipation score from 9/45 to 6/45 (P < 0.001). The median Wexner score for anal incontinence was unchanged (2/20). De‐novo anal incontinence (a Wexner score of >5) affected 8.5% of patients at 1 year, but preoperative incontinence disappeared in 16.7% of patients with this symptom. All physical and mental domains of quality of life significantly improved, and 88% of patients were satisfied or very satisfied.

Conclusion

Complications of open haemorrhoidectomy were infrequent. Anal continence was not altered. Comfort and well‐being were significantly improved at 1 year after surgery. Patient satisfaction was high despite residual anal symptoms.
Role of long‐term biliary stenting in choledocholithiasis
Authors: Slattery Eoin , Kale Vikrant , Anwar Waqas , Courtney Garry , Aftab Abdur R
Published: December 2012

Background and Aim

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the treatment of choice for the management of choledocholithiasis. Biliary stenting facilitates repeated attempts at stone extraction. The aim of the present paper was to assess long‐term outcomes of patients where biliary stenting was used as the primary treatment for the management of choledocholithiasis.

Methods

We undertook a review of a prospectively maintained database of all ERCP carried out at a single institution. All patients had stones not amenable to endoscopic retrieval.

Results

Between January 1998 and December 2008, 3655 ERCP were carried out in our unit. Of these, 201 (120 female) patients met our inclusion criteria. All patients underwent ERCP and sphincterotomy, followed by insertion of a double pigtail 7‐Fr plastic stent. Repeat ERCP was not scheduled routinely. Stent change was only carried out in patients when clinical suspicion of stent blockage occurred. Median stent patency was 59.6 months (interquartile range 47.7–71.2). At 6 months, stent patency was 93.5%, and at 24 months, it was 81.9%. Serious adverse outcomes with blocked stents were uncommon, and tended to occur early. Cholangitis was seen in only 7.4% (6) of patients (median stent patency 11.8 months) and jaundice was seen in 18.5% (15 patients, median stent patency 7.2 months).

Conclusion

Our data demonstrate median stent patency of almost 5 years. The low incidence of significant complications with blocked stents and excellent stent patency rates suggest that long‐term biliary stenting is an acceptable alternative in elderly, frail patients with stones that are not endoscopically retrievable.