bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safety of zidovudine dose reduction in treatment‐naïve HIV infected patients. A randomized controlled study (MiniZID)
Authors: Rougemont M , Nchotu Ngang P , Stoll B , Delhumeau C , Hill A , Ciaffi L , Bonnet F , Menga G , Fampou J‐C , Calmy A
Published: September 2015

Background

SinceSeptember 2014, zidovudine (ZDV)‐based therapy forHIVhas been the preferred second‐lineWHOregimen inCameroon, but its use is limited by the risk of anaemia at standard dosage. We assessed the safety of a reducedvs. standard dose ofZDVto decrease the risk of anaemia in treatment‐naïve,HIV‐infected individuals.

Methods

In a prospective, randomized, open‐label trial in anHIVclinic inCameroon, 142 eligible adults (CD4 count < 350 cells/μL) were randomized to receive 24 weeks of a regimen comprising lamivudine plus nevirapine with either a reduced (400 mg) or standard dose (600 mg) ofZDV. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with new/worsening anaemia.

Results

Median age was 35 years; 58.5% were women; median body mass index was 23.2 kg/m2. At baseline, median haemoglobin was 11.6 g/dL, medianCD4 cell count was 163 cells/μL, and median plasmaHIV‐1RNAload was 5.4 log10copies/mL. The proportion of participants with new/worsening anaemia was 37.5% (400 mgZDV) and 32.9% (600 mgZDV) (P = 0.563). Ten patients with severe anaemia required a switch fromZDVto tenofovir (11.4% in standard‐dose armvs. 2.8% in low‐dose arm;P = 0.054). At 24 weeks, there was no significant difference between treatment groups, including medianCD4 T‐cell count increases.

Conclusions

No significant difference was observed in the overall rate of anaemia betweenHIV‐infected individuals starting aZDV‐based treatment according to a standard‐ or reduced‐dose regimen. Severe anaemia and treatment switches related to study drug, however, were more frequent with 600 mg than 400 mgZDV.
High frequency of neurosyphilis in HIV‐positive patients diagnosed with early syphilis
Authors: Firlag‐Burkacka E , Swiecki P , Cielniak I , Siwak E , Gizinska J , Bakowska E , Kubicka J , Pulik P , Kowalski J , Podlasin R , Horban A
Published: September 2015

Background

Syphilis is an infection frequently seen with HIV, and European guidelines on the management of syphilis suggest that HIV‐infected patients may have an increased risk of early neurological involvement, sometimes asymptomatic. Recent study shows a relationship between neurosyphilis and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) HIV viral load (VL), which in turn may be associated with subsequent neurocognitive decline.

Objectives and methods

The aim of the study was estimation of the frequency of neurosyphilis among HIV‐positive patients with early syphilis. The study included all patients diagnosed with early syphilis who had lumbar puncture performed in the years 2008–2012. Analysis included CSF parameters (serology, mononuclear cells, protein, glucose, chloride and lactate levels), CD4 count, serum VL and highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Diagnosis of neurosyphilis was confirmed by CSF serology [positive fluorescent treponemal antibody and/or Venereal Disease Research Laboratory (VDRL) test(s)] and increased number of mononuclear cells. Statistical analysis included χ2 tests with an accepted significance level of P < 0.05.

Results

Lumbar puncture was performed in 72 patients, all men, with median age 33 (interquartile range 11) years. Neurosyphilis was confirmed in 65 (90.28%) of the patients. No statistically significant association between CSF parameters and CD4 count was found. However, statistically significant associations were found only between pleocytosis and serum VL > 1000 HIV‐1 RNA copies/mL (P = 0.0451), as well as HAART treatment (P = 0.0328). The proportion of confirmed neurosyphilis cases, also in patients with low serum VDRL titres, was very high.

Conclusions

Considering the high proportion of patients who objected to having LP performed in the absence of neurological symptoms and the risk associated with this procedure, it may be preferable to use treatments with good CNS penetration in all HIV‐positive patients with early syphilis.
A collaborative sequential meta-analysis of individual patient data from randomized trials of endovascular therapy and tPA vs. tPA alone for acute ischemic stroke:

T

h

R

omb

E

ctomy

A

nd

t

PA (TREAT) analysis: statistical analysis plan for a sequential meta-analysis performed within the VISTA-Endovascular collaboration
Authors: Macisaac Rachael L. , Khatri Pooja , Bendszus Martin , Bracard Serge , Broderick Joseph , Campbell Bruce , Ciccone Alfonso , Dávalos Antoni , Davis Stephen M. , Demchuk Andrew , Diener Hans-Christoph , Dippel Diederik , Donnan Geoffrey A. , Fiehler Jens , Fiorella David , Goyal Mayank , Hacke Werner , Hill Michael D. , Jahan Reza , Jauch Edward , Jovin Tudor , Kidwell Chelsea S. , Liebeskind David , Majoie Charles B. , Martins Sheila Cristina Ouriques , Mitchell Peter , Mocco J. , Muir Keith W. , Nogueira Raul , Saver Jeffrey L. , Schonewille Wouter J. , Siddiqui Adnan H. , Thomalla Götz , Tomsick Thomas A. , Turk Aquilla S. , White Philip , Zaidat Osama , Lees Kennedy R.
Published: September 2015

Rationale

Endovascular treatment has been shown to restore blood flow effectively. Second-generation medical devices such as stent retrievers are now showing overwhelming efficacy in clinical trials, particularly in conjunction with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator.

Aims and Design

This statistical analysis plan utilizing a novel, sequential approach describes a prospective, individual patient data analysis of endovascular therapy in conjunction with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator agreed upon by the Thrombectomy and Tissue Plasminogen Activator Collaborative Group.

Study outcomes

This protocol will specify the primary outcome for efficacy, as ‘favorable’ outcome defined by the ordinal distribution of the modified Rankin Scale measured at three-months poststroke, but with modified Rankin Scales 5 and 6 collapsed into a single category. The primary analysis will aim to answer the questions: ‘what is the treatment effect of endovascular therapy with intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator compared to intravenous tissue plasmi-nogen activator alone on full scale modified Rankin Scale at 3 months?’ and ‘to what extent do key patient characteristics influence the treatment effect of endovascular therapy?’. Key secondary outcomes include effect of endovascular therapy on death within 90 days; analyses of modified Rankin Scale using dichotomized methods; and effects of endovascular therapy on symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage. Several secondary analyses will be considered as well as expanding patient cohorts to intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator-ineligible patients, should data allow.

Discussion

This collaborative meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomized trials of endovascular therapy vs. control in conjunction with intravenous thrombolysis will demonstrate the efficacy and generalizability of endovascular therapy with intravenous thrombolysis as a concomitant medication.
Comparison of orthologous cytochrome P450 genes relative expression patterns in the bark beetles Dendroctonus rhizophagus and Dendroctonus valens (Curculionidae: Scolytinae) during host colonization
Authors: Obregón‐Molina G. , Cesar‐Ayala A. K. , López M. F. , Cano‐Ramírez C. , Zúñiga G.
Published: September 2015

Bark beetles of the genus Dendroctonus are important components of coniferous forests. During host colonization, they must overcome the chemical defences of their host trees, which are metabolized by cytochrome P450 (CYP or P450) enzymes to compounds that are readily excreted. In this study, we report the relative expression (quantitative real‐time PCR) of four orthologous cytochrome P450 genes (CYP6BW5, CYP6DG1, CYP6DJ2 and CYP9Z20) in Dendroctonus rhizophagus and Dendroctonus valens forced to attack host trees at 8 and 24 h following forced attack and in four stages during natural colonization [solitary females boring the bark (T1); both male and female members of couples before oviposition (T2); both male and female members of couples during oviposition (T3), and solitary females inside the gallery containing eggs (T4)]. For both species gene expression was different compared with that observed in insects exposed to single monoterpenes in the laboratory, and the expression patterns were significantly different amongst species, sex, gut region and exposure time or natural colonization stage. The induction of genes (CYP6BW5v1, CYP6DJ2v1 and CYP9Z20v1 from D. rhizophagus, as well as CYP6DG1v3 from D. valens) correlated with colonization stage as well as with the increase in oxygenated monoterpenes in the gut of both species throughout the colonization of the host. Our results point to different functions of these orthologous genes in both species.
Comparison of nurse practice environments in Denmark and the USA
Authors: Mainz H. , Baernholdt M. , Ramlau‐Hansen C.H. , Brink O.
Published: September 2015

Aims

The aims were to translate, validate and test the reliability of the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index in a Danish context; and to compare Danish nurses' ratings of their nurse work environments with the highest rated work environments, USA magnet hospitals.

Background

Patient quality and safety are priorities for managers, administrators and policy makers worldwide. A supportive work environment is an important factor to improve quality and safety. The most used scale to measure the nurse work environment is Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. There is no Danish translation of the scale or a comparison of nurse work environment between Denmark and other countries.

Methods

The translation and cultural adaption followed the steps recommended by the World Health Organization. Content validity was evaluated using cognitive interviewing in‐person and through surveys. The reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha. Finally, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index ratings from 127 nurses were compared with results from Magnet and non‐Magnet hospitals using t‐tests.

Findings

The Danish translation of Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index had a high validity and reliability. Danish nurses rated their nurse work environment more favourable than nurses in non‐Magnet hospitals and at the same level as Magnet hospitals. Lowest Danish scores were found in the two hospital‐level subscales in items related to staff nurses' involvement in discussions on daily problems, the visibility of the chief nursing officer and importance of up‐to‐date nursing documentation.

Conclusion

Danish nurses report a supportive nurse work environment with overall scores at the same level as Magnet hospitals. Opportunities for improvement were identified in the subscales.

Implications for nursing and health policy

A first step to improve patient quality and safety is addressing factors that influence quality and safety. Using the Danish Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index, interventions to improve specific areas can be planned, implemented and evaluated. Further, Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index is a nursing quality indicator that can be included in quality databases in Denmark.
Molecular species delimitation methods recover most song‐delimited cicada species in the European Cicadetta montana complex
Authors: Wade E. J. , Hertach T. , Gogala M. , Trilar T. , Simon C.
Published: September 2015

Molecular species delimitation is increasingly being used to discover and illuminate species level diversity, and a number of methods have been developed. Here, we compare the ability of two molecular species delimitation methods to recover song‐delimited species in the Cicadetta montana cryptic species complex throughout Europe. Recent bioacoustics studies of male calling songs (premating reproductive barriers) have revealed cryptic species diversity in this complex. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were used to analyse the mitochondrial genes COI and COII and the nuclear genes EF1α and period for thirteen European Cicadetta species as well as the closely related monotypic genus Euboeana. Two molecular species delimitation methods, general mixed Yule‐coalescent (GMYC) and Bayesian phylogenetics and phylogeography, identified the majority of song‐delimited species and were largely congruent with each other. None of the molecular delimitation methods were able to fully recover a recent radiation of four Greek species.
Teaching children in low‐income countries to assess claims about treatment effects: prioritization of key concepts
Authors: Nsangi Allen , Semakula Daniel , Oxman Andrew D. , Sewankambo Nelson K.
Published: September 2015

Background

Health‐related knowledge and behaviours developed during childhood are increasingly being recognized as foundational, deeply rooted and resistant to change as children mature into adulthood. The aim of this study was to engage stakeholders in prioritizing key concepts that children need to understand when assessing claims about treatment effects.

Methods

A list of 30 concepts developed prior was categorized into six groups considered important for children to understand in order to assess claims about the effects of “treatments” (any type of healthcare intervention). A teachers’ network was established comprising of primary school teachers, who attended a three‐day meeting where the concepts were presented, discussed and prioritized using a pre‐set criteria thus: (i) relevance of concepts for children, (ii) ease of comprehension of concepts for children, (iii) potential for developing resources to teach the children and (iv) whether the resources once developed would have an impact on children's ability to assess claims. Using a modified Delphi technique, participants ranked each group of concepts using the four criteria on a Likert scale of one to six (1 = lowest, 6 = highest). The rankings were analysed using STATA statistical software.

Results

Twenty‐two of the 24 participants reported having understood the concepts well; with self‐assessments of their own understanding above 75 on a scale of (1 to 100). All six groups of concepts were considered relevant.

Conclusion

It is important to teach children how to assess claims about benefits and harms of treatments. Resources will be developed to teach children these concepts.
Karyotypic diversity of the armoured catfish genus Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) in the context of its occurrence and distribution
Authors: Lorscheider C. A. , Zawadzki C. H. , Vicari M. R. , Martins‐Santos I. C. , Artoni R. F.
Published: September 2015

This study taxonomically reviewed the specimens studied by Artoni & Bertollo (1996) and assimilated species of Hypostomus into three groups according to their cytogenetic characteristics, vagility and occurrence environments.
Topography and extent of pulmonary vagus nerve supply with respect to transthoracic oesophagectomy
Authors: Weijs Teus J. , Ruurda Jelle P. , Luyer Misha D. P. , Nieuwenhuijzen Grard A. P. , van Hillegersberg Richard , Bleys Ronald L. A. W.
Published: September 2015

Pulmonary complications are frequently observed after transthoracic oesophagectomy. These complications may be reduced by sparing the vagus nerve branches to the lung. However, current descriptions of the regional anatomy are insufficient. Therefore, we aimed to provide a highly detailed description of the course of the pulmonary vagus nerve branches. In six fixed adult human cadavers, bilateral microscopic dissection of the vagus nerve branches to the lungs was performed. The level of branching and the number, calibre and distribution of nerve branches were described. Nerve fibres were identified using neurofilament immunohistochemistry, and the nerve calibre was measured using computerized image analysis. Both lungs were supplied by a predominant posterior and a smaller anterior nerve plexus. The right lung was supplied by 13 (10–18) posterior and 3 (2–3) anterior branches containing 77% (62–100%) and 23% (0–38%) of the lung nerve supply, respectively. The left lung was supplied by a median of 12 (8–13) posterior and 3 (2–4) anterior branches containing 74% (60–84%) and 26% (16–40%) of the left lung nerve supply, respectively. During transthoracic oesophagectomy with en bloc lymphadenectomy and transection of the vagus nerves at the level of the azygos vein, 68–100% of the right lung nerve supply and 86–100% of the inferior left lung lobe nerve supply were severed. When vagotomy was performed distally to the last large pulmonary branch, 0–8% and 0–13% of the nerve branches to the right middle/inferior lobes and left inferior lobe, respectively, were lost. In conclusion, this study provides a detailed description of the extensive pulmonary nerve supply provided by the vagus nerves. During oesophagectomy, extensive mediastinal lymphadenectomy denervates the lung to a great extent; however, this can be prevented by performing the vagotomy distal to the caudalmost large pulmonary branch. Further research is required to determine the feasibility of sparing the pulmonary vagus nerve branches without compromising the completeness of lymphadenectomy.
Latin American Immigration, Maternal Education, and Approaches to Managing Children's Schooling in the United States
Authors: Crosnoe Robert , Ansari Arya , Purtell Kelly M. , Wu Nina
Published: September 2015

Concerted cultivation is the active parental management of children's educations that, because it differs by race/ethnicity, nativity, and socioeconomic status, plays a role in early educational disparities. Analyses of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Cohort (n = 10,913) revealed that foreign‐born Latina mothers were generally less likely to engage in school‐based activities, enroll children in extracurricular activities, or provide educational materials at home when children were at the start of elementary school than were U.S.‐born White, African American, and Latina mothers, in part because of their lower educational attainment. Within the foreign‐born Latina sample, the link between maternal education and the three concerted cultivation behaviors did not vary by whether the education was attained in the United States or Latin America. Higher maternal education appeared to matter somewhat more to parenting when children were girls and had higher achievement.
By Any Means Necessary? When and Why Low Group Identification Paradoxically Predicts Radical Collective Action
Authors: Jiménez‐Moya Gloria , Spears Russell , Rodríguez‐Bailón Rosa , de Lemus Soledad
Published: September 2015

Radical action against social disadvantage is highly consequential but has been far less studied than moderate collective action. But who supports such extreme actions and why? In two studies, we examine the relation between group identification and support for radical action in disadvantaged groups. Paradoxically, low identifiers are more willing than high identifiers to endorse radical action. We argue that high identifiers are more concerned about how radical action could harm their social identity than low identifiers. By contrast, low identifiers are more willing to confront the disadvantage by radical means, adopting a nothing‐to‐lose mindset. Consistent with this, support for radical action was strongest among low identifiers, especially when the in‐group accepted the disadvantage as legitimate (creating a more desperate situation: Studies 1 and 2) and when they were not dependent on the out‐group (and thus had nothing‐to‐lose: Study 2).
Divide and Rule, Unite and Resist: Contact, Collective Action and Policy Attitudes among Historically Disadvantaged Groups
Authors: Dixon John , Durrheim Kevin , Thomae Manuela , Tredoux Colin , Kerr Philippa , Quayle Michael
Published: September 2015

Racial segregation encourages members of historically advantaged groups to form negative intergroup attitudes, which then motivate practices of discrimination that sustain inequality and disadvantage. By implication, interventions designed to increase intergroup contact have been proposed as a means of reducing dominant group prejudices and promoting social change. In this article, we highlight another mechanism through which segregation shapes intergroup relations, namely, by inhibiting political solidarity between historically disadvantaged groups. Building on a field survey conducted in postapartheid South Africa, we demonstrate how challenging this form of segregation may reveal alternative mechanisms through which intergroup contact facilitates social change. Notably, we report evidence that positive contact with Black residents of an informal settlement in Pietermaritzburg was associated with Indian residents’ support for political policies and forms of collective action that might improve conditions in that settlement. In addition, we show that such support was partly mediated by perceptions of collective discrimination.
Microsensor studies on Padina from a natural CO2 seep: implications of morphology on acclimation to low pH
Authors: Hofmann Laurie C. , Fink Artur , Bischof Kai , de Beer Dirk
Published: September 2015

Low seawater pH can be harmful to many calcifying marine organisms, but the calcifying macroalgae Padina spp. flourish at natural submarine carbon dioxide seeps where seawater pH is low. We show that the microenvironment created by the rolled thallus margin of Padina australis facilitates supersaturation of CaCO3 and calcifi‐cation via photosynthesis‐induced elevated pH. Using microsensors to investigate oxygen and pH dynamics in the microenvironment of P. australis at a shallow CO2 seep, we found that, under saturating light, the pH inside the microenvironment (pHME) was higher than the external seawater (pHSW) at all pHSW levels investigated, and the difference (i.e., pHME − pHSW) increased with decreasing pHSW (0.9 units at pHSW 7.0). Gross photosynthesis (Pg) inside the microenvironment increased with decreasing pHSW, but algae from the control site reached a threshold at pH 6.5. Seep algae showed no pH threshold with respect to Pg within the pHSW range investigated. The external carbonic anhydrase (CA) inhibitor, acetazolamide, strongly inhibited Pg of P. australis at pHSW 8.2, but the effect was diminished under low pHSW (6.4–7.5), suggesting a greater dependence on membrane‐bound CA for the dehydration of HCO3− ions during dissolved inorganic carbon uptake at the higher pHSW. In comparison, a calcifying green alga, Halimeda cuneata f. digitata, was not inhibited by AZ, suggesting efficient bicarbonate transport. The ability of P. australis to elevate pHME at the site of calcification and its strong dependence on CA may explain why it can thrive at low pHSW.
Japanese sake yeast supplementation improves the quality of sleep: a double‐blind randomised controlled clinical trial
Authors: Monoi Noriyuki , Matsuno Ayumi , Nagamori Yuki , Kimura Eriko , Nakamura Yoshitaka , Oka Kengo , Sano Tomomi , Midorikawa Tatsuyuki , Sugafuji Toshihiro , Murakoshi Michiaki , Uchiyama Akira , Sugiyama Keikichi , Nishino Hoyoku , Urade Yoshihiro
Published: September 2015

Activation of adenosine A2a receptors in cerebral neurons induces sleep in various mammals. It was previously found that Japanese sake yeast enriched in adenosine analogues activates A2a receptors in vitro and induces sleep in mice. Here it is reported that sake yeast activated A2a receptors in a cultured human cell line and improved human sleep quality in a clinical trial. Sake yeast activated A2a receptors in HEK cells in a dose‐dependent manner with an EC50 of 40 μg mL−1, and the activation was attenuated almost completely by the A2a receptor antagonist ZM241385 with an IC50 of 73 nm. In a double‐blind placebo‐controlled crossover clinical study, 68 healthy participants ingested tablets containing either 500 mg of sake yeast powder or a placebo (cellulose) 1 h before sleep for 4 days. Electroencephalograms were recorded during sleep at home with a portable device for 4 week days. Electroencephalogram analyses revealed that sake yeast supplementation significantly (P = 0.03) increased delta power during the first cycle of slow‐wave sleep by 110%, without changing other sleep parameters. Sake yeast supplementation also significantly increased growth hormone secretion in the urine on awakening by 137% from 3.17 ± 0.41 (placebo) to 4.33 ± 0.62 (sake yeast) pg mg−1 creatinine (P = 0.03). Subjective sleepiness (P = 0.02) and fatigue (P = 0.06) in the morning were improved by sake yeast. Given these benefits and the absence of adverse effects during the study period, it was concluded that sake yeast supplementation is an effective and safe way to support daily high‐quality, deep sleep.
Diaphragm and genioglossus corticomotor excitability in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and control subjects
Authors: Borel Jean‐Christian , Melo‐Silva Cesar A. , Gakwaya Simon , Rousseau Eric , Series Frederic
Published: September 2015

Corticomotor excitability of peripheral muscles appears to be altered in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. However, there is no evidence of such alteration for upper airway/respiratory muscles that are involved in the pathophysiology of this disease. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of hypercapnic stimulation on diaphragm and genioglossus corticomotor excitability in awake healthy subjects versus patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Corticomotor excitability was assessed by transcranial magnetic stimulation in 12 untreated apneic men (48 ± 10 years; body mass index = 28.9 ± 4.7 kg m−2; apnea–hypopnoea index = 41 ± 23 events per hour) and nine control men (45 ± 10 years; body mass index = 27.3 ± 3.3 kg m−2; apnea–hypopnoea index = 7 ± 4 events per hour). Assessments included diaphragm and genioglossus expiratory motor thresholds, and transcranial magnetic stimulation‐induced motor‐evoked potential characteristics obtained while breathing room air or 5% CO2 (random order) and then 7% CO2 both balanced with pure O2. Transcranial magnetic stimulation twitches were applied during early inspiration and end expiration. Diaphragm motor‐evoked potential amplitudes increased and expiratory diaphragm motor‐evoked potential latencies decreased during CO2‐induced increase in ventilatory drive, with no difference in these responses between patients with obstructive sleep apnea and control subjects. Expiratory genioglossus motor‐evoked potential amplitudes were significantly lower in patients with obstructive sleep apnea than in control subjects. Baseline activity of the genioglossus increased with increasing FiCO2, this effect being significantly higher in patients with obstructive sleep apnea than in control subjects. However, neither genioglossus motor‐evoked potential amplitudes nor latencies were significantly modified with increasing FiCO2 both in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and in control subjects. Corticomotor excitability of genioglossus and diaphragm are not altered during CO2‐induced increase in ventilatory drive in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.
Inference for the Fourth‐Order Innovation Cumulant in Linear Time Series
Authors: Fragkeskou Maria , Paparoditis∗ Efstathios
Published: September 2015

The rescaled fourth‐order cumulant of the unobserved innovations of linear time series is an important parameter in statistical inference. This article deals with the problem of estimating this parameter. An existing nonparametric estimator is first discussed, and its asymptotic properties are derived. It is shown how the autocorrelation structure of the underlying process affects the behaviour of the estimator. Based on our findings and on an important invariance property of the parameter of interest with respect to linear filtering, a pre‐whitening‐based nonparametric estimator of the same parameter is proposed. The estimator is obtained using the filtered time series only; that is, an inversion of the pre‐whitening procedure is not required. The asymptotic properties of the new estimator are investigated, and its superiority is established for large classes of stochastic processes. It is shown that for the particular estimation problem considered, pre‐whitening can reduce the variance and the bias of the estimator. The finite sample performance of both estimators is investigated by means of simulations. The new estimator allows for a simple modification of the multiplicative frequency domain bootstrap, which extends its considerable range of validity. Furthermore, the problem of testing hypotheses about the rescaled fourth‐order cumulant of the unobserved innovations is also considered. In this context, a simple test for Gaussianity is proposed. Some real‐life data applications are presented.
Evaluation of Iron Deficiency Using Reticulocyte Indices in Dogs Enrolled in a Blood Donor Program
Authors: Foy D.S. , Friedrichs K.R. , Bach J.F.
Published: September 2015

Background

People donating blood more than twice annually are at risk of developing iron deficiency. Little is known about the iron status of dogs enrolled in blood donor programs.

Hypothesis

Dogs donating blood ≥6 times annually will show evidence of iron deficiency based on their reticulocyte indices.

Animals

Thirteen dogs enrolled in a blood donor program donating ≥6 times over the preceding 12 months and 20 healthy nondonor control dogs.

Methods

Prospective observational study. Mature red blood cell (RBC) indices, reticulocyte indices, serum iron, serum ferritin, and total iron‐binding capacity (TIBC) were compared between groups.

Results

Packed cell volume (median 47%, range 40–52%, P < .01), hematocrit (median 46.4%, range 40.3–52.5%, P < .01), and reticulocyte count (median 16,000/μL, range 9,000–38,000/μL, P < .01) were significantly lower in the blood donor dogs. No statistically significant differences were noted in the mature RBC indices between groups. Both reticulocyte mean corpuscular volume (median 88.8 fL, range 83.4–95.5 fL, P = .03) and reticulocyte hemoglobin content (median 24.6 pg, range 23.1–26.6 pg, P < .01) were significantly lower in the blood donor group. Serum iron and ferritin were similar between groups; however, TIBC was significantly higher in the control group (median 403 μg/dL, range 225–493 μg/dL, P = .02).

Conclusions

The findings in dogs donating ≥6 times annually suggest the presence of iron‐deficient erythropoiesis in this population.
Galactofuranose in Mycoplasma mycoides is important for membrane integrity and conceals adhesins but does not contribute to serum resistance
Authors: Schieck Elise , Lartigue Carole , Frey Joachim , Vozza Nicolas , Hegermann Jan , Miller Rachel A. , Valguarnera Ezequiel , Muriuki Cecilia , Meens Jochen , Nene Vish , Naessens Jan , Weber Johann , Lowary Todd L. , Vashee Sanjay , Feldman Mario F. , Jores Joerg
Published: September 2015

Mycoplasma mycoides subsp. capri (Mmc) and subsp. mycoides (Mmm) are important ruminant pathogens worldwide causing diseases such as pleuropneumonia, mastitis and septicaemia. They express galactofuranose residues on their surface, but their role in pathogenesis has not yet been determined. The M. mycoides genomes contain up to several copies of the glf gene, which encodes an enzyme catalysing the last step in the synthesis of galactofuranose. We generated a deletion of the glf gene in a strain of Mmc using genome transplantation and tandem repeat endonuclease coupled cleavage (TREC) with yeast as an intermediary host for the genome editing. As expected, the resulting YCp1.1‐Δglf strain did not produce the galactofuranose‐containing glycans as shown by immunoblots and immuno‐electronmicroscopy employing a galactofuranose specific monoclonal antibody. The mutant lacking galactofuranose exhibited a decreased growth rate and a significantly enhanced adhesion to small ruminant cells. The mutant was also ‘leaking’ as revealed by a β‐galactosidase‐based assay employing a membrane impermeable substrate. These findings indicate that galactofuranose‐containing polysaccharides conceal adhesins and are important for membrane integrity. Unexpectedly, the mutant strain showed increased serum resistance.
In vivo recruitment analysis and a mutant strain without any group 2 σ factor reveal roles of different σ factors in cyanobacteria
Authors: Koskinen Satu , Hakkila Kaisa , Gunnelius Liisa , Kurkela Juha , Wada Hajime , Tyystjärvi Taina
Published: September 2015

In eubacteria, replacement of one σ factor in the RNA polymerase (RNAP) holoenzyme by another one changes the transcription pattern. Cyanobacteria are eubacteria characterized by oxygenic photosynthesis, and they typically encode numerous group 2 σ factors that closely resemble the essential primary σ factor. A mutant strain of the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 without functional group 2 σ factors (named as ΔsigBCDE) could not acclimate to heat, high salt or bright light stress, but in standard conditions ΔsigBCDE grew only 9% slower than the control strain. One‐fifth of the genes in ΔsigBCDE was differently expressed compared with the control strain in standard growth conditions and several physiological changes in photosynthesis, and pigment and lipid compositions were detected. To directly analyze the σ factor content of RNAP holoenzyme in vivo, a His‐tag was added to the γ subunit of RNAP in Synechocystis and RNAPs were collected. The results revealed that all group 2 σ factors were recruited by RNAP in standard conditions, but recruitment of SigB and SigC increased in heat stress, SigD in bright light, SigE in darkness and SigB, SigC and SigE in high salt, explaining the poor acclimation of ΔsigBCDE to these stress conditions.
PepO, a CovRS‐controlled endopeptidase, disrupts Streptococcus pyogenes quorum sensing
Authors: Wilkening Reid V. , Chang Jennifer C. , Federle Michael J.
Published: September 2015

Group A Streptococcus (GAS, Streptococcus pyogenes) is a human‐restricted pathogen with a capacity to both colonize asymptomatically and cause illnesses ranging from pharyngitis to necrotizing fasciitis. An understanding of how and when GAS switches between genetic programs governing these different lifestyles has remained an enduring mystery and likely requires carefully tuned environmental sensors to activate and silence genetic schemes when appropriate. Herein, we describe the relationship between the Control of Virulence (CovRS, CsrRS) two‐component system and the Rgg2/3 quorum‐sensing pathway. We demonstrate that responses of CovRS to the stress signals Mg2+ and a fragment of the antimicrobial peptide LL‐37 result in modulated activity of pheromone signaling of the Rgg2/3 pathway through a means of proteolysis of SHP peptide pheromones. This degradation is mediated by the cytoplasmic endopeptidase PepO, which is the first identified enzymatic silencer of an RRNPP‐type quorum‐sensing pathway. These results suggest that under conditions in which the virulence potential of GAS is elevated (i.e. enhanced virulence gene expression), cellular responses mediated by the Rgg2/3 pathway are abrogated and allow individuals to escape from group behavior. These results also indicate that Rgg2/3 signaling is instead functional during non‐virulent GAS lifestyles.
Genetic dissection of the relationship between plant architecture and yield component traits in soybean (Glycine max) by association analysis across multiple environments
Authors: Zhang Huairen , Hao Derong , Sitoe Hélder Manuel , Yin Zhitong , Hu Zhenbin , Zhang Guozheng , Yu Deyue
Published: September 2015

Plant architecture and yield components are critical for the determination of seed yield in soybean. In this study, we performed genetic association analysis to dissect the relationships between plant architecture and yield component traits. Two hundred and nineteen accessions were employed, and eight agronomic traits were evaluated in six environments. Our results revealed strong positive correlations of plant architecture traits with yield components and the significant association of 4 SNPs with plant architecture traits and of 7 SNPs with yield component traits in two or more environments. Eight SNPs were co‐associated with two traits. Based on the phenotypic effects of the alleles of the detected SNPs, the best alleles were mined for twenty‐three distinct SNPs. Fifteen typical carrier materials harbouring the best allele effects were also mined. Twenty parental combinations were proposed by pyramiding possible alleles per SNP in one individual (excluding possible epistatic effects). These proposed combinations with the best alleles and carrier materials will aid in the improvement of targeted traits and marker‐assisted selection (MAS) efficiency in soybean breeding.
A comparative analysis of four internationally traded farmed seafood commodities in China: domestic and international markets as key drivers
Authors: Zhang Wenbo , Murray Francis J. , Liu Liping , Little David C.
Published: September 2015

The historical development, current status and development trends of four internationally traded farmed seafood commodities, tilapia, penaeid shrimp, macrobrachium prawns and catfish in China were reviewed. China is the world's largest producer of tilapia, penaeid shrimp and macrobrachium prawns but, although farming of channel catfish and some indigenous catfish species is well developed, striped catfish failed to become established. In terms of global exports, China ranks first for tilapia and third for shrimp, while macrobrachium prawns and catfish mainly support domestic markets. Endogenous, biological characteristics and market demand explain the different courses of development and the differentiated focus on domestic and international trade. Tilapia and whiteleg shrimp production illustrated rapid growth in both domestic and international markets based on their favourable culture characteristics and well‐developed management systems. Huge production scale and domestic competition have resulted in China attaining a dominant and highly competitive position in the global tilapia market. High value of live freshwater prawns in local markets (and poor processing yield) has limited interest in exports, and local demand is also shifting the emphasis of shrimp production towards domestic markets, and a decline in its international market led to stagnation of channel catfish. Poor tolerance of seasonally low temperatures has restricted tilapia production to south China and completely inhibited the development of striped catfish as a commercial species. Live fish preference and costs of long‐distance transportation have restricted domestic consumption of tilapia. A balance between domestic consumption and export is required to optimise future growth opportunities for the industry.
The Iuzhinskii Circle: Far‐Right Metaphysics in the Soviet Underground and Its Legacy Today
Authors: LARUELLE MARLENE
Published: September 2015

This paper explores an unknown page of Russia's intellectual history, the trajectory of the Iuzhinskii or Golovin Circle. This underground circle was a key actor of the Moscow Boheme and shaped the underground intellectual life from the 1960s to the 1980s. The circle considered that replying to the Soviet regime was to be found not in a rival political ideology, but in metaphysics and search for another level or reality. This esoteric quest contributed to the discovery of Western far right ideological precepts and their introduction in the Soviet and then Russian environments. This group seeks to move beyond classical discourse on Russia's unique and specific path by counterbalancing (but not denying) it with broader references borrowed from what is called esoteric Fascism. In three decades, the Iuzhinskii Circle evolved from Mamleev's understanding of an alternate metaphysics to Golovin's discovery of a provocative counterpolitics, to Dugin's revisiting of Nazi mysticism.
Injury, Pain, and Change in War and Peace: The Cases of Nikolai Rostov and Prince Andrei Bolkonsky
Authors: ROSENSHIELD GARY
Published: September 2015

Physical pain plays an important but unusual role in the War and Peace. In the pre‐twentieth century literary landmarks in which physical pain figures prominently, pain is closely linked to the idea of justice. In Dante, it is condign justice; in Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Dostoevsky, injustice that threatens the national or world order. In Tolstoy, by contrast, pain is much more closely associated with revelation, transformation, and truth. We can see this plainly in the changes that take place, through pain, in the lives of two of the male protagonists, Nikolai Rostov and Andrei Bolkonsky. Pain of course also plays a significant role in The Death of Ivan Ilyich, but I have chosen to focus, at least here, on War and Peace, because War and Peace presents the relation between pain, revelation, and truth in greater detail, over a much longer period of time, and in radically dissimilar characters. What at first Nikolai and Andrei seem to have in common is that their physical pain stems directly from their battle injuries. Nikolai is injured at Schöngrabern in 1805; and Andrei at Austerlitz in 1805 and again at Borodino in 1812. But there are also surprising similarities regarding the effects of pain in their lives, similarities that need to be examined–as well, of course, as dramatic differences–if we are to achieve a better understanding of Tolstoy's use of physical pain as a transformative catalyst. By analyzing Nikolai's and especially Andrei's traumatic injuries and both their short and long‐term effects, I hope to show how Tolstoy employs the shock of excruciating physical pain as a means of leading two of his male protagonists toward spiritual transformation and the revelation of truth.
False memories in Lewy‐body disease
Authors: Algarabel Salvador , Pitarque Alfonso , Sales Alicia , Meléndez Juan Carlos , Escudero Joaquín
Published: September 2015

Recently, de Boysson, Belleville, Phillips et al. (2011) found that patients with Lewy‐body disease (LBD) showed significantly lower rates of false memories than healthy controls, using the Deese–Roediger–McDermott (DRM) experimental procedure. Given that this result could be explained by the practically null rate of true recognition in the LBD group (0.09), we decided to replicate the study by de Boysson et al. (2011), but including a new condition that would maximize the true recognition rate (and analyze its effect on the rate of false memories). Specifically, in a DRM experiment, we manipulated (within subjects) two study and recognition conditions: in the “immediate” condition, both the LBD patients and the control group of healthy older people received a different recognition test after each study list (containing twelve words associated with a non‐presented critical word), while in the “delayed” condition (similar to the one in de Boysson et al., 2011), the participants received the entire series of study lists and then took only one recognition test. The results showed that, in both samples, the “immediate” condition produced higher corrected rates of both true and false recognition than the “delayed” condition, although they were both lower in the LBD patients, which shows that these patients are capable of encoding and recognizing the general similitude underlying information (gist memory) in the right conditions.
Central load reduces peripheral processing: Evidence from incidental memory of background speech
Authors: Halin Niklas , Marsh John E. , Sörqvist Patrik
Published: September 2015

Is there a trade‐off between central (working memory) load and peripheral (perceptual) processing? To address this question, participants were requested to undertake an n‐back task in one of two levels of central/cognitive load (i.e., 1‐back or 2‐back) in the presence of a to‐be‐ignored story presented via headphones. Participants were told to ignore the background story, but they were given a surprise memory test of what had been said in the background story, immediately after the n‐back task was completed. Memory was poorer in the high central load (2‐back) condition in comparison with the low central load (1‐back) condition. Hence, when people compensate for higher central load, by increasing attentional engagement, peripheral processing is constrained. Moreover, participants with high working memory capacity (WMC) – with a superior ability for attentional engagement – remembered less of the background story, but only in the low central load condition. Taken together, peripheral processing – as indexed by incidental memory of background speech – is constrained when task engagement is high.
Extent, frequency and rate of water erosion of arable land in Britain – benefits and challenges for modelling
Authors: Evans R. , Collins A. L. , Foster I. D. L. , Rickson R. J. , Anthony S. G. , Brewer T. , Deeks L. , Newell‐Price J. P. , Truckell I. G. , Zhang Y
Published: September 2015

Soil erosion on arable land in lowland Britain has been the subject of field‐based surveys, which have assessed the volumes or masses of soil transported in channels across farmers’ fields. These surveys provide a unique database on the extent, frequency and rates of soil loss by water. This study synthesizes the key findings from those surveys and underscores the implications for soil erosion modelling. Rill erosion occurs in a small number of fields (consistently <10%). Over ~5 yr, a considerable proportion of the farmed landscape will suffer from rill erosion, but mostly in fields that erode only once. Mean erosion rates for lowland arable landscapes are much less than mean erosion rates for individual eroded fields within that landscape. These observations pose important challenges for modelling. Rainfall and cropping vary from year to year so that risk of wash or rill erosion in the same field also varies. Due to the infrequent occurrence of rill erosion, loss rates of eroding fields cannot be spatially extrapolated across the landscape, except in the case of wash erosion which takes place a number of times in almost all fields every year. A consistent pattern of increasing wash erosion, in terms of spatial extent, is emerging in lowland Britain. Resulting losses of fine silt and clay‐sized particles are small in amount and possibly insignificant in terms of loss of soil as a resource, but have significant implications for contaminant concentrations and pollution of water courses.
Inferring autogenically induced depositional discontinuities from observations on experimental deltaic shoreline trajectories
Authors: Mikeš Daniel , ten Veen Johan H. , Postma George , Steel Ronald
Published: September 2015

Palaeo shoreline is a commonly used proxy for palaeo sea level, but only if deposition is continuous and constant will shoreline trajectory T(l) completely capture sea‐level time‐series E(t). Artificial deltas were generated in the Eurotank flume facility under stepwise tectonic subsidence, periodic sea‐level fluctuation and two periodic water‐discharge scenarios, one in‐phase and the other out‐of‐phase with sea level. Independent input variables tectonic subsidence Y, sea level E and water discharge Q (controlling sediment supply S) were varied and dependent output variable shoreline trajectory T was monitored. These experiments confirm that deposition is discontinuous even for continuous sediment supply, and this hinders the inference of sea‐level curve from shoreline trajectory. These results justify the here‐developed methodology for converting shoreline trajectory from the space domain to the time domain, thereby improving the accuracy of the inferred sea‐level curve.