bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empowering vulnerable parents through a family mentoring program
Authors: Ayton Darshini , Joss Nerida
Published: August 2015

Evidence suggests that mentoring programs can foster positive relationships through role modelling, social support and opportunities to develop new skills. Home visiting programs, where a health professional or volunteer provides parenting support and companionship to at-risk families, have received attention from the health and welfare sector. These programs tend to focus on new mothers and immediate parenting concerns, and do not address broader social determinants of health that impact on the well being and functionality of the family. Herein we report on an evaluation of the Creating Opportunities and Casting Hope (COACH) program, a family mentoring program for vulnerable parents. COACH seeks to break cycles of generational poverty by addressing social determinants, such as housing, employment, health, finances and social support. A mixed-methods approach was used to evaluate the program, involving semistructured interviews with parents (n = 12), surveys with mentors (n = 27) and client case report review (n = 27). Parents experienced improvements in their housing and employment situations, family dynamics, social support and mental health, and decreased drug and alcohol use. Mentors described providing guidance on parenting strategies, financial management and domestic skills. Partnerships with local schools, health services and welfare agencies were vital in the referral processes for families, thereby building a community network of support and care. The COACH model of mentoring highlights the benefits of a flexible and long-standing program to address the social determinants of child health through the family environment and wider social and economic factors.
Comparison of predicted and actual consequences of missense mutations
Authors: Miosge Lisa A. , Field Matthew A. , Sontani Yovina , Cho Vicky , Johnson Simon , Palkova Anna , Balakishnan Bhavani , Liang Rong , Zhang Yafei , Lyon Stephen , Beutler Bruce , Whittle Belinda , Bertram Edward M. , Enders Anselm , Goodnow Christopher C. , Andrews T. Daniel
Published: August 2015

Significance

Computational tools applied to any human genome sequence identify hundreds of genetic variants predicted to disrupt the function of individual proteins as the result of a single codon change. These tools have been trained on disease mutations and common polymorphisms but have yet to be tested against an unbiased spectrum of random mutations arising de novo. Here we perform such a test comparing the predicted and actual effects of de novo mutations in 23 genes with essential functions for normal immunity and all possible mutations in theTP53tumor suppressor gene. These results highlight an important gap in our ability to relate genotype to phenotype in clinical genome sequencing: the inability to differentiate immediately clinically relevant mutations from nearly neutral mutations.
Response solutions for quasi-periodically forced harmonic oscillators
Authors: Wang Jing , You Jiangong , Zhou Qi
Published: August 2015

We prove that the non-linear quasi-periodically forced harmonic oscillator with two frequencies

(
1
,
α
)

(1,\alpha )

has at least one response solution if the forcing is small. No arithmetic condition on the frequency is assumed and the smallness of the non-linear forcing does not depend on

α
\alpha

. The result strengthens the existing results in the literature where the frequency is assumed to be Diophantine. The proof is based on a modified KAM theory for the lower dimensional tori.
PDI reductase acts onAkitamutant proinsulin to initiate retrotranslocation along the Hrd1/Sel1L-p97 axis
Authors: He Kaiyu , Cunningham Corey Nathaniel , Manickam Nandini , Liu Ming , Arvan Peter , Tsai Billy
Published: August 2015

In mutant INS gene–induced diabetes of youth (MIDY), characterized by insulin deficiency, MIDY proinsulin mutants misfold and fail to exit the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Moreover, these mutants bind and block ER exit of wild-type (WT) proinsulin, inhibiting insulin production. The ultimate fate of ER-entrapped MIDY mutants is unclear, but previous studies implicated ER-associated degradation (ERAD), a pathway that retrotranslocates misfolded ER proteins to the cytosol for proteasomal degradation. Here we establish key ERAD machinery components used to triage the Akita proinsulin mutant, including the Hrd1-Sel1L membrane complex, which conducts Akita proinsulin from the ER lumen to the cytosol, and the p97 ATPase, which couples the cytosolic arrival of proinsulin with its proteasomal degradation. Surprisingly, we find that protein disulfide isomerase (PDI), the major protein oxidase of the ER lumen, engages Akita proinsulin in a novel way, reducing proinsulin disulfide bonds and priming the Akita protein for ERAD. Efficient PDI engagement of Akita proinsulin appears linked to the availability of Hrd1, suggesting that retrotranslocation is coordinated on the lumenal side of the ER membrane. We believe that, in principle, this form of diabetes could be alleviated by enhancing the targeting of MIDY mutants for ERAD to restore WT insulin production.
TβRIII independently binds type I and type II TGF-β receptors to inhibit TGF-β signaling
Authors: Tazat Keren , Hector-Greene Melissa , Blobe Gerard C. , Henis Yoav I.
Published: August 2015

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) receptor oligomerization has important roles in signaling. Complex formation among type I and type II (TβRI and TβRII) TGF-β receptors is well characterized and is essential for signal transduction. However, studies on their interactions with the type III TGF-β coreceptor (TβRIII) in live cells and their effects on TGF-β signaling are lacking. Here we investigated the homomeric and heteromeric interactions of TβRIII with TβRI and TβRII in live cells by combining IgG-mediated patching/immobilization of a given TGF-β receptor with fluorescence recovery after photobleaching studies on the lateral diffusion of a coexpressed receptor. Our studies demonstrate that TβRIII homo-oligomerization is indirect and depends on its cytoplasmic domain interactions with scaffold proteins (mainly GIPC). We show that TβRII and TβRI bind independently to TβRIII, whereas TβRIII augments TβRI/TβRII association, suggesting that TβRI and TβRII bind to TβRIII simultaneously but not as a complex. TβRIII expression inhibited TGF-β–mediated Smad2/3 signaling in MDA-MB-231 cell lines, an effect that depended on the TβRIII cytoplasmic domain and did not require TβRIII ectodomain shedding. We propose that independent binding of TβRI and TβRII to TβRIII competes with TβRI/TβRII signaling complex formation, thus inhibiting TGF-β–mediated Smad signaling.
RdgB2 is required for dim-light input into intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells
Authors: Walker Marquis T. , Rupp Alan , Elsaesser Rebecca , Güler Ali D. , Sheng Wenlong , Weng Shijun , Berson David M. , Hattar Samer , Montell Craig
Published: August 2015

A subset of retinal ganglion cells is intrinsically photosensitive (ipRGCs) and contributes directly to the pupillary light reflex and circadian photoentrainment under bright-light conditions. ipRGCs are also indirectly activated by light through cellular circuits initiated in rods and cones. A mammalian homologue (RdgB2) of a phosphoinositide transfer/exchange protein that functions in Drosophila phototransduction is expressed in the retinal ganglion cell layer. This raised the possibility that RdgB2 might function in the intrinsic light response in ipRGCs, which depends on a cascade reminiscent of Drosophila phototransduction. Here we found that under high light intensities, RdgB2− /− mutant mice showed normal pupillary light responses and circadian photoentrainment. Consistent with this behavioral phenotype, the intrinsic light responses of ipRGCs in RdgB2− /− were indistinguishable from wild-type. In contrast, under low-light conditions, RdgB2− /− mutants displayed defects in both circadian photoentrainment and the pupillary light response. The RdgB2 protein was not expressed in ipRGCs but was in GABAergic amacrine cells, which provided inhibitory feedback onto bipolar cells. We propose that RdgB2 is required in a cellular circuit that transduces light input from rods to bipolar cells that are coupled to GABAergic amacrine cells and ultimately to ipRGCs, thereby enabling ipRGCs to respond to dim light.
A phosphoinositide-binding cluster in cavin1 acts as a molecular sensor for cavin1 degradation
Authors: Tillu Vikas A. , Kovtun Oleksiy , McMahon Kerrie-Ann , Collins Brett M. , Parton Robert G.
Published: August 2015

Caveolae are abundant surface organelles implicated in a range of cellular processes. Two classes of proteins work together to generate caveolae: integral membrane proteins termed caveolins and cytoplasmic coat proteins called cavins. Caveolae respond to membrane stress by releasing cavins into the cytosol. A crucial aspect of this model is tight regulation of cytosolic pools of cavin under resting conditions. We now show that a recently identified region of cavin1 that can bind phosphoinositide (PI) lipids is also a major site of ubiquitylation. Ubiquitylation of lysines within this site leads to rapid proteasomal degradation. In cells that lack caveolins and caveolae, cavin1 is cytosolic and rapidly degraded as compared with cells in which cavin1 is associated with caveolae. Membrane stretching causes caveolar disassembly, release of cavin complexes into the cytosol, and increased proteasomal degradation of wild-type cavin1 but not mutant cavin1 lacking the major ubiquitylation site. Release of cavin1 from caveolae thus leads to exposure of key lysine residues in the PI-binding region, acting as a trigger for cavin1 ubiquitylation and down-regulation. This mutually exclusive PI-binding/ubiquitylation mechanism may help maintain low levels of cytosolic cavin1 in resting cells, a prerequisite for cavins acting as signaling modules following release from caveolae.
Myocardial Performance Index in Childhood Onset Essential
Hypertension and White Coat Hypertension
Authors: Gupta-Malhotra Monesha , Hamzeh Rabih K. , Poffenbarger Tim , McNiece-Redwine Karen , Hashmi Syed Shahrukh
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND

As a global measure of ventricular systolic and diastolic function, the myocardial performance index (MPI) can be an early indicator of hypertensive cardiomyopathy in children with essential hypertension (EH).

METHODS

Children with untreated newly diagnosed EH and white coat hypertension (WCH) by a 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), both groups without any identifiable etiology for the hypertension, were enrolled for the study. Echocardiograms and vascular ultrasounds for carotid artery intimal medial thickness were performed on all children prior to therapy. Diastolic function (peak E and A velocities, E / A ratio, isovolumic relaxation time, and deceleration times) and MPI were evaluated by simultaneous transmitral and transaortic spectral Doppler flow velocities. Systolic function was evaluated by shortening fraction and ejection fraction.

RESULTS

A cohort of 66 children (24 with EH, 42 with WCH, males 61%, median age of 13 years, range 10–17 years) were enrolled in the study. The demographic, anthropometric, laboratory tests, vascular ultrasound, and conventional echocardiographic parameters were similar between the 2 groups. There was a very small difference in MPI between the EH and WCH children (0.28 SD: 0.07 vs. 0.31 SD: 0.08, P = 0.045). However, in EH children, MPI increased by 0.14 units for every 10 unit increase in mean ABPM systolic BP (95% confidence interval: 0.03–0.25).

CONCLUSIONS

We found the increasing MPI was associated with increasing 24-hour mean systolic BP in children with EH. Therefore, MPI may have utility as a single, quick, noninvasive method of detection and tracking of subclinical hypertensive heart disease.
Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts
Authors: Mohr David C.
Published: August 2015

Chapter 5 explores methods of challenging unhelpful thoughts. It describes how to cope with diminishing enthusiasm for treatment, challenging and changing negative thoughts and perceptions (examining the evidence, language, considering alternatives, crediting the positives, and positive statements).
Module 7: Self-Injection Anxiety Counseling (SIAC)
Authors: Mohr David C.
Published: August 2015

This chapter describes an optional treatment module on self-injection anxiety counselling (SIAC). This module is designed for patients who have needle anxiety and who rely on self-injection for the management of their illness. It presents basic information about self-injection anxiety, cognitive impairment, the anxiety response, subjective units of distress (SUDS) rating, the use of hierarchies, systematic desensitization, unhelpful thoughts, the actual injection process, and relapse prevention.
Astrocytes Protect against Isoflurane Neurotoxicity by Buffering pro-brain–derived Neurotrophic Factor
Authors: Stary Creed M. , Sun Xiaoyun , Giffard Rona G.
Published: August 2015

AbstractAbstract

Using cultured mouse neurons and astroglia, coculture with astrocytes reduced the neurotoxicity of isoflurane by buffering increases in pro-brain–derived neurotrophic factor. Modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling or astrocyte function is a potential approach to prevent anesthetic neurotoxicity.

Background:

Isoflurane induces cell death in neurons undergoing synaptogenesis via increased production of pro-brain–derived neurotrophic factor (proBDNF) and activation of postsynaptic p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Astrocytes express p75NTR, but their role in neuronal p75NTR-mediated cell death remains unclear. The authors investigated whether astrocytes have the capacity to buffer increases in proBDNF and protect against isoflurane/p75NTR neurotoxicity.

Methods:

Cell death was assessed in day in vitro (DIV) 7 mouse primary neuronal cultures alone or in co-culture with age-matched or DIV 21 astrocytes with propidium iodide 24 h after 1 h exposure to 2% isoflurane or recombinant proBDNF. Astrocyte-targeted knockdown of p75NTR in co-culture was achieved with small-interfering RNA and astrocyte-specific transfection reagent and verified with immunofluorescence microscopy. proBDNF levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Each experiment used six to eight replicate cultures/condition and was repeated at least three times.

Results:

Exposure to isoflurane significantly (P < 0.05) increased neuronal cell death in primary neuronal cultures (1.5 ± 0.7 fold, mean ± SD) but not in co-culture with DIV 7 (1.0 ± 0.5 fold) or DIV 21 astrocytes (1.2 ± 1.2 fold). Exogenous proBDNF dose dependently induced neuronal cell death in both primary neuronal and co-cultures, an effect enhanced by astrocyte p75NTR inhibition. Astrocyte-targeted p75NTR knockdown in co-cultures increased media proBDNF (1.2 ± 0.1 fold) and augmented isoflurane-induced neuronal cell death (3.8 ± 3.1 fold).

Conclusions:

The presence of astrocytes provides protection to growing neurons by buffering increased levels of proBDNF induced by isoflurane. These findings may hold clinical significance for the neonatal and injured brain where increased levels of proBDNF impair neurogenesis.
Up-regulation of Cathepsin G in the Development of Chronic Postsurgical Pain
Authors: Liu Xiaodong , Tian Yuanyuan , Meng Zhaoyu , Chen Yan , Ho Idy H. T. , Choy Kwong Wai , Lichtner Peter , Wong Sunny H. , Yu Jun , Gin Tony , Wu William K. K. , Cheng Christopher H. K. , Chan Matthew T. V.
Published: August 2015

AbstractAbstract

Cathepsin G blockade reduced inflammation in the spinal cord and reduced pain behavior in rodents. In humans, two specific polymorphisms were associated with a lower risk for the development of chronic postsurgical pain. The data suggest that cathepsin G in a pronociceptive mediator in experimental subjects and humans; as such, it offers a potential therapeutic target for prevention of chronic postsurgical pain.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background:

Proteases have been shown to modulate pain signaling in the spinal cord and may contribute to the development of chronic postsurgical pain. By using peripheral inflammation in rats as a chronic pain model, the authors identified the deregulation of proteases and their inhibitors as a hallmark of chronic pain development using a genome-wide screening approach.

Methods:

A microarray analysis was performed and identified spinal cathepsin G (CTSG) as the most up-regulated gene in rats with persistent hyperalgesia after intraplantar injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (n = 4). Further experiments were performed to elucidate the mechanisms of CTSG-induced hyperalgesia by intrathecally applying specific CTSG inhibitor (n = 10). The authors also evaluated the association between CTSG gene polymorphisms and the risk of chronic postsurgical pain in 1,152 surgical patients.

Results:

CTSG blockade reduced heat hyperalgesia, accompanied by a reduction in neutrophil infiltration and interleukin 1β levels in the dorsal horns. In the gene association study, 246 patients (21.4%) reported chronic postsurgical pain at 12-month follow-up. Patients with AA genotypes at polymorphisms rs2070697 (AA-15.3%, GA-24.1%, and GG-22.3%) or rs2236742 (AA-6.4%, GA-20.4%, and GG-22.6%) in the CTSG gene had lower risk for chronic postsurgical pain compared with wild-types. The adjusted odds ratios were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.26 to 0.99) and 0.34 (95% CI, 0.21 to 0.98), respectively.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrated that CTSG is a pronociceptive mediator in both animal model and human study. CTSG represents a new target for pain control and a potential marker to predict patients who are prone to develop chronic pain after surgery.
Diagnosis of EML4 - ALK Translocation With FISH, Immunohistochemistry, and Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction in Patients With Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Cruz-Rico Graciela , Avilés-Salas Alejandro , Segura-González Manuel , Espinosa-García Ana María , Ramírez-Tirado Laura Alejandra , Morales-Oyarvide Vicente , Rojas-Marín Carlos , Cardona Andrés-Felipe , Arrieta Oscar
Published: August 2015

Objective:

To assess anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement detection with immunohistochemistry (IHC) and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in comparison with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Methods:

Tumor tissue samples from 230 patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were analyzed by FISH to detect ALK rearrangements. Additional IHC tests using 5A4 clone and RT-qPCR (variants 1 to 5) were performed in 63 and 48 patients, respectively.

Results:

Thirteen percent of FISH tests were not evaluable. From the remaining tests (n=200), 18 (9.0%) were ALK positive (ALK
+). ALK

+
patients were significantly younger at the time of diagnosis (below 55 y, 14.3% vs. 5.5%, P=0.035), were light smokers (tobacco index <10, 12.6% vs. 4.1%, P=0.049), and presented adenocarcinoma with a mucinous component (30.8 vs. 8.0%, P=0.007). When comparing FISH with IHC using a cutoff of 1+ or 2+, and only 2+ staining intensity, the sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value were as follows: 83.3%, 100.0%, 93.75%, and 100.0%; and 55.6%, 100.0%, 84.9%, and 100.0%, respectively. For RT-qPCR, these results were 55.6, 100, 90.7, and 100.0%, respectively.

Conclusions:

Our results suggest that RT-qPCR is an inadequate initial test for detecting ALK-positive lung cancer. IHC is highly useful as an initial screening test for ALK rearrangement detection in NSCLC. These results contribute to the medical literature on the establishment of IHC as a standard diagnostic test for ALK rearrangements in NSCLC.
Soft Tissue Solitary Fibrous Tumor
Authors: Bishop Andrew J. , Zagars Gunar K. , Demicco Elizabeth G. , Wang Wei-Lien , Feig Barry W. , Guadagnolo B. Ashleigh
Published: August 2015

Purpose:

To report survival outcomes and local control in patients with solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) treated using surgery and radiation therapy (RT).

Methods:

We reviewed the medical records of 31 consecutive patients definitively treated for SFT with surgery and RT between 1982 and 2012. The median age was 51 years (range, 23 to 88 y) and tumors were evenly distributed between the head and neck (n=9, 29%), trunk (n=10, 32%), and lower extremities (n=9, 29%). The majority of tumors were large (>5 cm) (n=23, 72%). Specimens had a median of 2 mitoses/10 HPF (range, 0 to 8). Nearly half the cases were treated with postoperative RT (n=14, 45%; median dose, 58 Gy) and the other 17 patients (55%) received preoperative RT (median dose, 50 Gy).

Results:

Median follow-up time was 59 months (range, 18 to 349 mo). The 5-year rates of local control, overall survival, and distant metastatic-free survival were 100%, 95%, and 92%, respectively. There were no local or nodal relapses and the 10-year complication rate was 6% (n=2).

Conclusions:

Treatment of soft tissue SFT using combined surgery and RT results in excellent local control.
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Lung Metastases from Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Qiu Haoming , Katz Alan W. , Chowdhry Amit K. , Usuki Kenneth Y. , Singh Deepinder P. , Metcalfe Su , Cheruvu Praveena , Chen Yuhchyau , Okunieff Paul , Milano Michael T.
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

To evaluate disease control and survival after stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for lung metastases from colorectal cancer and to identify prognostic factors after treatment.

Methods:

Patients with metastatic colorectal cancer to the lungs treated with SBRT from 2002 to 2013 were identified from a prospectively maintained database. Patients may have received prior systemic therapy, radiotherapy to nonthoracic sites and/or resection of thoracic and/or nonthoracic metastases. Endpoints were timed from end of SBRT and included overall survival (OS), progression-free survival, distant metastases-free survival, and local failure-free survival. Univariate and multivariate analysis using Cox proportional hazard modeling was used to identify prognostic factors.

Results:

Sixty-five patients were identified. Before SBRT, 69.2% and 33.8% of patients received systemic therapy and lung-directed local therapy, respectively, for metastatic disease. At the time of SBRT, 64.6% had lung-only involvement. Median survivals were: OS of 20.3 months (95% confidence intervals [CI], 15.9-27.0 mo), progression-free survival of 5.7 months (95% CI, 3.2-7.0 mo), distant metastases-free survival of 5.8 months (95% CI, 3.2-7.6 mo), and local failure-free survival of 15.4 months (95% CI, 8.5-21.1 mo). Nearly all (98%) patients developed distant progression. Extra lung and liver involvement at the time of initial metastases (hazard ratios [HR] 2.10) and extra lung involvement at SBRT (HR 2.67) were the only independent predictors of OS. Net gross target volume of >14.1 mL (HR 2.49) was the only independent predictor of local failure-free survival.

Conclusions:

Reasonable survival and local control can be achieved with SBRT. We identified several prognostic factors testable in future prospective trials that may help improve patient selection.
Primary Pulmonary Carcinoid Tumor
Authors: Herde Ryan F. , Kokeny Kristine E. , Reddy Chakravarthy B. , Akerley Wallace L. , Hu Nan , Boltax Jonathan P. , Hitchcock Ying J.
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

Primary carcinoid tumors of the lung are rare tumors which comprise approximately 0.5% to 5% of all lung malignancies in adults and roughly 20% to 30% of all carcinoid tumors. The purpose of this retrospective, descriptive study was to describe the incidence, characteristics, and outcomes of patients treated for primary pulmonary carcinoid tumor at a single institution.

Materials and Methods:

All patients with a diagnosis of primary pulmonary carcinoid tumor treated from 1989 to 2009 were reviewed. Data collected included demographics, pathology, tobacco use, clinical presentation, tumor location, tumor spread, treatment, and survival.

Results:

There were 59 cases of pulmonary carcinoid tumors: 47 typical (80%) and 12 atypical (20%). All but 4 patients underwent surgery, including 54 (92%) lung-sparing resections and 1 pneumonectomy. Five of 55 patients received concurrent adjuvant chemoradiation therapy; 4 patients with atypical and 1 with typical histology. Three additional patients with atypical carcinoid were treated only with adjuvant radiotherapy, palliative radiotherapy, or palliative chemotherapy, respectively. The Kaplan-Meier 5- and 10-year overall survivals were both 80% within the entire population. In the 88% of patients who achieved complete remission, disease-free survival was 98%. A review of a large series from the literature is also presented.

Conclusions:

Surgical resection was primary and adequate therapy for most typical carcinoid tumors with high overall survival and disease-free survival. Adjuvant chemotherapy or radiotherapy might be considered for patients with atypical carcinoid tumors who present with adverse pathologic findings.
Influence of physico-chemical, mechanical and morphological fingerpad properties on the frictional distinction of sticky/slippery surfaces
Authors: Cornuault Pierre-Henri , Carpentier Luc , Bueno Marie-Ange , Cote Jean-Marc , Monteil Guy
Published: August 2015

This study investigates how the fingerpad hydrolipid film, shape, roughness and rigidity influence the friction when it rubs surfaces situated in the slippery psychophysical dimension. The studied counterparts comprised two ‘real’ (physical) surfaces and two ‘virtual’ surfaces. The latter were simulated with a tactile stimulator named STIMTAC. Thirteen women and 13 men rubbed their right forefingers against the different surfaces as their arms were displaced by a DC motor providing constant velocity and sliding distance. Tangential and normal forces were measured with a specific tribometer. The fingerpad hydrolipid film was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The shape and roughness of fingers were extrapolated from replicas. Indentation measurements were carried out to determine fingerpad effective elastic modulus. A clear difference was observed between women and men in terms of friction behaviour. The concept of tactile frictional contrast (TFC) which was introduced quantifies an individual's propensity to distinguish two surfaces frictionally. The lipids/water ratio and water amount on the finger skin significantly influenced the TFC. A correlation was observed between the TFC and fingerpad roughness, i.e. the height of the fingerpad ridges. This is essentially owing to gender differences. A significant difference between men's and women's finger topography was also noted, because our results suggested that men have rougher fingers than women. The friction measurements did not correlate with the fingerpad curvature nor with the epidermal ridges' spatial period.
How similar can co-occurring species be in the presence of competition and ecological drift?
Authors: Capitán José A. , Cuenda Sara , Alonso David
Published: August 2015

If two species live on a single resource, the one with a slight advantage will out-compete the other: complete competitors cannot coexist. This is known as the competitive exclusion principle. If no extinction occurs, it is because evolutionary adaptation to slightly different niches takes place. Therefore, it is widely accepted that ecological communities are assembled by evolutionary differentiation and progressive adaptation of species to different niches. However, some ecologists have recently challenged this classic paradigm highlighting the importance of chance and stochasticity. Using a synthetic framework for community dynamics, here we show that, while deterministic descriptors predict coexistence, species similarity is limited in a more restrictive way in the presence of stochasticity. We analyse the stochastic extinction phenomenon, showing that extinction occurs as competitive overlap increases above a certain threshold well below its deterministic counterpart. We also prove that the extinction threshold cannot be ascribed only to demographic fluctuations around small population sizes. The more restrictive limit to species similarity is, therefore, a consequence of the complex interplay between competitive interactions and ecological drift. As a practical implication, we show that the existence of a stochastic limit to similarity has important consequences in the recovery of fragmented habitats.
Cytokines and growth factors cross-link heparan sulfate
Authors: Migliorini Elisa , Thakar Dhruv , Kühnle Jens , Sadir Rabia , Dyer Douglas P. , Li Yong , Sun Changye , Volkman Brian F. , Handel Tracy M. , Coche-Guerente Liliane , Fernig David G. , Lortat-Jacob Hugues , Richter Ralf P.
Published: August 2015

The glycosaminoglycan heparan sulfate (HS), present at the surface of most cells and ubiquitous in extracellular matrix, binds many soluble extracellular signalling molecules such as chemokines and growth factors, and regulates their transport and effector functions. It is, however, unknown whether upon binding HS these proteins can affect the long-range structure of HS. To test this idea, we interrogated a supramolecular model system, in which HS chains grafted to streptavidin-functionalized oligoethylene glycol monolayers or supported lipid bilayers mimic the HS-rich pericellular or extracellular matrix, with the biophysical techniques quartz crystal microbalance (QCM-D) and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). We were able to control and characterize the supramolecular presentation of HS chains—their local density, orientation, conformation and lateral mobility—and their interaction with proteins. The chemokine CXCL12
α
(or SDF-1
α
) rigidified the HS film, and this effect was due to protein-mediated cross-linking of HS chains. Complementary measurements with CXCL12
α
mutants and the CXCL12
γ
isoform provided insight into the molecular mechanism underlying cross-linking. Fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF-2), which has three HS binding sites, was also found to cross-link HS, but FGF-9, which has just one binding site, did not. Based on these data, we propose that the ability to cross-link HS is a generic feature of many cytokines and growth factors, which depends on the architecture of their HS binding sites. The ability to change matrix organization and physico-chemical properties (e.g. permeability and rigidification) implies that the functions of cytokines and growth factors may not simply be confined to the activation of cognate cellular receptors.
The roles of ERAS during cell lineage specification of mouse early embryonic development
Authors: Zhao Zhen-Ao , Yu Yang , Ma Huai-Xiao , Wang Xiao-Xiao , Lu Xukun , Zhai Yanhua , Zhang Xiaoxin , Wang Haibin , Li Lei
Published: August 2015

Erasencodes a Ras-like GTPase protein that was originally identified as an embryonic stem cell-specific Ras. ERAS has been known to be required for the growth of embryonic stem cells and stimulates somatic cell reprogramming, suggesting its roles on mouse early embryonic development. We now report a dynamic expression pattern ofErasduring mouse peri-implantation development: its expression increases at the blastocyst stage, and specifically decreases in E7.5 mesoderm. In accordance with its expression pattern, the increased expression ofEraspromotes cell proliferation through controlling AKT activation and the commitment from ground to primed state through ERK activation in mouse embryonic stem cells; and the reduced expression ofErasfacilitates primitive streak and mesoderm formation through AKT inhibition during gastrulation. The expression ofErasis finely regulated to match its roles in mouse early embryonic development during whichErasexpression is negatively regulated by theβ-catenin pathway. Thus, beyond its well-known role on cell proliferation, ERAS may also play important roles in cell lineage specification during mouse early embryonic development.
Reproductive success in wild and hatchery male coho salmon
Authors: Neff Bryan D. , Garner Shawn R. , Fleming Ian A. , Gross Mart R.
Published: August 2015

Salmon produced by hatcheries have lower fitness in the wild than naturally produced salmon, but the factors underlying this difference remain an active area of research. We used genetic parentage analysis of alevins produced by experimentally mixed groups of wild and hatchery coho salmon (
Oncorhynchus kisutch
) to quantify male paternity in spawning hierarchies. We identify factors influencing paternity and revise previously published behavioural estimates of reproductive success for wild and hatchery males. We observed a strong effect of hierarchy size and hierarchy position on paternity: in two-male hierarchies, the first male sired 63% (±29%; s.d.) of the alevins and the second male 37% (±29%); in three-male hierarchies, the first male sired 64% (±26%), the second male 24% (±20%) and the third male 12% (±10%). As previously documented, hatchery males hold inferior positions in spawning hierarchies, but we also discovered that hatchery males had only 55–84% the paternity of wild males when occupying the same position within a spawning hierarchy. This paternity difference may result from inferior performance of hatchery males during sperm competition, female mate choice for wild males, or differential offspring survival. Regardless of its cause, the combination of inferior hierarchical position and inferior success at a position resulted in hatchery males having only half (51%) the reproductive success of wild males.
Predicting the outcome of competition when fitness inequality is variable
Authors: Pedruski Michael T. , Fussmann Gregor F. , Gonzalez Andrew
Published: August 2015

Traditional niche theory predicts that when species compete for one limiting resource in simple ecological settings the more fit competitor should exclude the less fit competitor. Since the advent of neutral theory ecologists have increasingly become interested both in how the magnitude of fitness inequality between competitors and stochasticity may affect this prediction. We used numerical simulations to investigate the outcome of two-species resource competition along gradients of fitness inequality (inequality inR*) and initial population size in the presence of demographic stochasticity. We found that the deterministic prediction of more fit competitors excluding less fit competitors was often unobserved when fitness inequalities were low or stochasticity was strong, and unexpected outcomes such as dominance by the less fit competitor, long-term co-persistence of both competitors or the extinction of both competitors could be common. By examining the interaction between fitness inequality and stochasticity our results mark the range of parameter space in which the predictions of niche theory break down most severely, and suggest that questions about whether competitive dynamics are driven by neutral or niche processes may be locally contingent.
Stress fields around two pores in an elastic body: exact quadrature domain solutions
Authors: Crowdy Darren
Published: August 2015

Analytical solutions are given for the stress fields, in both compression and far-field shear, in a two-dimensional elastic body containing two interacting non-circular pores. The two complex potentials governing the solutions are found by using a conformal mapping from a pre-image annulus with those potentials expressed in terms of the Schottky–Klein prime function for the annulus. Solutions for a three-parameter family of elastic bodies with two equal symmetric pores are presented and the compressibility of a special family of pore pairs is studied in detail. The methodology extends to two unequal pores. The importance for boundary value problems of plane elasticity of a special class of planar domains known as quadrature domains is also elucidated. This observation provides the route to generalization of the mathematical approach here to finding analytical solutions for the stress fields in bodies containing any finite number of pores.
First intron length in mammals is associated with 5’ exon skipping rate
Authors: Park Seung Gu , Hannenhalli Sridhar
Published: August 2015

The first introns in eukaryotes are much longer than downstream introns. While the functional roles of large first introns have been studied extensively, investigations into the mechanisms leading up to extreme lengths are limited. Prominently, Hong et al. noted that the first introns are predominantly in 5’ UTR and suggested that its lengthening may have resulted from a 5’-ward shifting of donor site due to a lower selection on splice site, as well as a selection to occlude upstream cryptic translation start sites. Here we suggest exon skipping as an alternative mechanism for first intron lengthening. Exon skipping results in consecutive introns becoming part of a single longer intron. We reasoned that a 5’-biased exon skipping rate could lead to longer introns toward the 5’-end of the gene, especially the first intron. Based on multiple datasets in human and mouse, we indeed found that internal exons toward the 5’-end of the gene are skipped significantly more frequently than the downstream exons. Importantly, we show that 5’-biased exon skipping is supported by consistent 5’-bias in several genomic, epigenomic, contextual, and evolutionary features that can be functionally linked to exon skipping. Interestingly, we found that first introns are enriched for relics of, now defunct, exons, some of which may have been recruited for regulatory functions; a significantly greater-than-expected fraction of such exons are included in cDNAs in other mammals. Overall, our results offer 5’-biased exon skipping as a novel, and arguably more potent, alternative explanation for substantially lengthening of first introns.
Foliar and soil concentrations and stoichiometry of nitrogen and phosphorous across European Pinus sylvestris forests: relationships with climate, N deposition and tree growth
Authors: Sardans Jordi , Alonso Rocio , Janssens Ivan A. , Carnicer Jofre , Vereseglou Stavros , Rillig Matthias C. , Fernández‐Martínez Marcos , Sanders Tanja G. M. , Peñuelas Josep
Published: August 2015

This study investigated the factors underlying the variability of needle and soil elemental composition and stoichiometry and their relationships with growth in Pinus sylvestris forests throughout the species' distribution in Europe by analysing data from 2245 forest stands.

Needle N concentrations and N:P ratios were positively correlated with total atmospheric N deposition, whereas needle P concentrations were negatively correlated. These relationships were especially pronounced at sites where high levels of N deposition coincided with both higher mean annual temperature and higher mean annual precipitation. Trends towards foliar P deficiency were thus more marked when high N deposition coincided with climatic conditions favourable to plant production.

Atmospheric N deposition was positively correlated with soil solution , , K+, P and Ca2+ concentrations, the soil solution :P ratio, total soil N and the total soil N:Olsen P ratio and was negatively correlated with soil Olsen P concentration.

Despite these nutrient imbalances, during the period studied (1990–2006), N deposition was positively related with Pinus sylvestris absolute basal diameter (BD) growth, although only accounting for the 10% of the total variance. However, neither N deposition nor needle N concentration was related with relative annual BD growth. In contrast, needle P concentration was positively related with both absolute and relative annual BD growth.

These results thus indicate a tendency of European P. sylvestris forests to store N in trees and soil in response to N deposition and unveil a trend towards increased nutrient losses in run‐off as a consequence of higher soil solution N concentrations. Overall, the data show increasing ecosystem nutrient imbalances with increasingly limiting roles of P and other nutrients such as K in European P. sylvestris forests, especially in the centre of their distribution where higher levels of N deposition are observed. Thus, although the data show that N deposition has had an overall positive effect on P. sylvestris growth, the effect of continuous N deposition, associated with decreasing P and K and increasing N:P in leaves and in soil, may in the future become detrimental for the growth and competitive ability of P. sylvestris trees.
Inversion of inline and broadside marine controlled‐source electromagnetic data with constraints derived from seismic data
Authors: Wiik Torgeir , Nordskag Janniche Irén , Dischler Eirik Øverland , Nguyen Anh Kiet
Published: August 2015

We present a structural smoothing regularization scheme in the context of inversion of marine controlled‐source electromagnetic data. The regularizing hypothesis is that the electrical parameters have a structure similar to that of the elastic parameters observed from seismic data. The regularization is split into three steps. First, we ensure that our inversion grid conforms with the geometry derived from seismic. Second, we use a seismic stratigraphic attribute to define a spatially varying regularization strength. Third, we use an indexing strategy on the inversion grid to define smoothing along the seismic geometry. Enforcing such regularization in the inversion will encourage an inversion result that is more intuitive for the interpreter to deal with. However, the interpreter should also be aware of the bias introduced by using seismic data for regularization. We illustrate the method using one synthetic example and one field data example. The results show how the regularization works and that it clearly enforces the structure derived from seismic data. From the field data example we find that the inversion result improves when the structural smoothing regularization is employed. Including the broadside data improves the inversion results even more, due to a better balancing between the sensitivities for the horizontal and vertical resistivities.
Facility‐based treatment for medical complications resulting from unsafe pregnancy termination in the developing world, 2012: a review of evidence from 26 countries
Authors: Singh S , Maddow‐Zimet I
Published: August 2015

With changing conditions affecting receipt of postabortion care, an updated estimate of the incidence of treatment for complications from unsafe pregnancy termination is needed to inform policies and programmes. National estimates of facility‐based treatment for complications in 26 countries form the basis for estimating treatment rates in the developing world. An estimated seven million women were treated in the developing world for complications from unsafe pregnancy termination in 2012, a rate of 6.9 per 1000 women aged 15–44 years. Regionally, rates ranged from 5.3 in Latin America and the Caribbean to 8.2 in Asia. Results inform policies to improve women's health.

Tweetable abstract

An estimated 7 million women were treated in the developing world for complications of unsafe TOP in 2012.
An Autopsy Case of Acute Massive Hematochezia Caused by Superior Mesenteric Vein Thrombosis: A First Report in Forensic Medicine
Authors: Watanabe Mayumi , Unuma Kana , Makino Yohsuke , Noritake Kanako , Yamada Atsushi , Iwase Hirotaro , Uemura Koichi
Published: August 2015

Superior mesenteric vein thrombosis (SMVT) is an uncommon cause of intestinal ischemia and massive gastrointestinal bleeding. This report describes a man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis, who died of massive hematochezia due to SMVT. A medicolegal autopsy disclosed a thrombus at the superior mesenteric vein and hemorrhagic infarction of the bowel wall, an area also within the territory of the superior mesenteric vein. Liver cirrhosis, an enlarged spleen, and esophageal varices without rupture were also observed, but ulcers and variceal bleeding were not. Other organs showed no significant findings. His blood alcohol level was 0.14% w/v. Thus, this man died from severe hematochezia associated with SMVT due to liver cirrhosis and alcohol dehydration, which can lead to coagulopathy and rapid progress of thrombus formation. This is the first report on an alternate cause for massive gastrointestinal hemorrhage with a cirrhotic patient in a forensic autopsy.
Accuracy and interrater reliability of paediatric emergency department triage
Authors: Allen Amy R , Spittal Matthew J , Nicolas Caroline , Oakley Ed , Freed Gary L
Published: August 2015

Objective

To determine the accuracy and reliability of triage of children in public hospital EDs using the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS). This is the first study to examine these issues in paediatric triage following the 2007 development of the Emergency Triage Education Kit (ETEK) to foster accurate and consistent application of the ATS.

Methods

A convenience sample of 167 triage nurses working at three general hospitals and one speciality paediatric hospital in greater metropolitan Melbourne assigned triage ratings for nine paediatric clinical scenarios using the ATS. Scenarios were derived from the ETEK or from other published sources. Kappa was used to assess interrater reliability within and between hospitals.

Results

Triage nurses correctly assigned triage scores to an average of 5.3 of nine paediatric clinical scenarios. Accuracy in specific hospitals ranged from a low of 15% on one scenario, to 100% accuracy on a different scenario at a different hospital. Interrater reliability within and across the EDs studied was found to be kappa = 0.27. Both accuracy and interrater reliability were marginally higher at the speciality paediatric hospital.

Conclusions

Our findings demonstrate inconsistencies in the accuracy and reliability in which sick children presenting to EDs receive triage scores both within and across hospitals. These results suggest the need for improvements either in current triage nurse training or training resources. Use of the ETEK alone has not resulted in high levels of paediatric triage accuracy or reliability.
The Effects of a Beef‐Based Meal Compared to a Calorie Matched Bean‐Based Meal on Appetite and Food Intake
Authors: Bonnema Angela L. , Altschwager Deena , Thomas William , Slavin Joanne L.
Published: August 2015

Protein and fiber have strong satiety‐inducing potential. Beef is a high quality, protein‐rich food. Beans contain moderate levels of protein as well as fiber. To determine the effects of a high protein meal (beef) compared to a moderate protein, high fiber meal (beans) on subjective appetite and energy intake at a subsequent meal twenty‐eight adults, 14 men (ages 24 ± 5 y, BMI 23 ± 2 kg/m2) and 14 women (ages 25 ± 5 y, BMI 22 ± 2 kg/m2) consumed 2 test lunches containing a “meatloaf” made from either beef or beans. The beef meal provided 26 g of protein and 3 g of fiber while the bean meal provided 17 g of protein and 12 g of fiber. An ad libitum snack was given 3 h after the test meal. Visual analogue scales were used to assess hunger, satiety, fullness, and prospective food intake. Gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance was assessed over 24 h. No difference between the beef and bean was observed for appetite ratings over 3 h, food intake at the subsequent meal (632 ± 75 kcal compared with 611 ± 75 kcal, respectively), or sum of GI score (2.2 ± 0.5 compared with 2.9 ± 0.5, respectively). Gas and bloating were reported more often after the bean meal than the beef meal (2.0 ± 0.4 compared with 1.3 ± 0.4, P value 0.057). A beef‐based meal with high protein and a bean‐based meal with moderate protein and high fiber produced similar satiety, while the bean‐based meal resulting in higher, yet moderate, gas and bloating.