bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 and 2 are essential for accurate cell division and the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells
Authors: Jamaladdin Shereen , Kelly Richard D. W. , O’Regan Laura , Dovey Oliver M. , Hodson Grace E. , Millard Christopher J. , Portolano Nicola , Fry Andrew M. , Schwabe John W. R. , Cowley Shaun M.
Published: June 2014

Significance

Histone deacetylase 1 and 2 (HDAC1/2) are sister proteins that regulate access to DNA by modulating chromatin. We have generated the first double knockout (DKO) of
Hdac1/2
in embryonic stem (ES) cells and find that gene inactivation causes a loss of cell viability, which is associated with increased abnormal mitotic spindles and chromosome segregation defects. Transcriptome analysis revealed that almost 2,000 genes are deregulated in DKO cells. Significantly for the self-renewal properties of ES cells, this includes down-regulation of the core pluripotent factors, Oct4, Nanog, and Rex1. Furthermore, using the rescue of
Hdac1/2
-null cells as a model system to monitor HDAC1/2 activity, we have also shown that mutations that abolish inositol tetraphosphate binding reduce the activity of HDAC1 in vivo.
Blockade of EphA4 signaling ameliorates hippocampal synaptic dysfunctions in mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Fu Amy K. Y. , Hung Kwok-Wang , Huang Huiqian , Gu Shuo , Shen Yang , Cheng Elaine Y. L. , Ip Fanny C. F. , Huang Xuhui , Fu Wing-Yu , Ip Nancy Y.
Published: June 2014

Significance

Synaptic loss and dysfunction is associated with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying synaptic impairment are largely unknown. Here, we reveal a previously unidentified signaling pathway whereby activation of a receptor tyrosine kinase EphA4 is critical for synaptic dysfunctions in AD. Proof-of-concept studies undertaken in both in vitro and in vivo systems demonstrate its importance in mediating the deficit of synaptic transmission and hippocampal long-term potentiation in AD models. Specifically, blocking the EphA4-dependent pathway through knockdown studies or the use of small-molecule inhibitors effectively rescues the impaired synaptic transmission induced by Aβ and reverses impaired synaptic plasticity in AD mouse models. Thus, this study reveals a new disease-modifying therapeutic intervention for AD.
Direct observation of electrogenic NH
4
+
transport in ammonium transport (Amt) proteins
Authors: Wacker Tobias , Garcia-Celma Juan J. , Lewe Philipp , Andrade Susana L. A.
Published: June 2014

Significance

We have detected and analyzed electrogenic transport of ammonium and methylammonium by members of the ammonium transport (Amt) family of membrane proteins using solid-supported membrane electrophysiology. Amt transport is pH-dependent and occurs at a rate of 30–300 ions per s per trimer, well in the range of other transport proteins. The study establishes, to our knowledge, the first in vitro assay system for Amt transport in a fully controlled setup and settles debate about whether Amt proteins function as passive ammonia channels or active ammonium transporters.
Initial bridges between two ribosomal subunits are formed within 9.4 milliseconds, as studied by time-resolved cryo-EM
Authors: Shaikh Tanvir R. , Yassin Aymen S. , Lu Zonghuan , Barnard David , Meng Xing , Lu Toh-Ming , Wagenknecht Terence , Agrawal Rajendra K.
Published: June 2014

Significance

The protein-synthesizing machinery of the cell, the ribosome, is made up of two subunits, which in bacteria are held together by 12 molecular bridges. Understanding the mechanism and timeline of bridge formation is crucial to understanding the mechanism of bacterial translation initiation. To study the timeline of bridge formation, we developed microfluidic devices that mix two interacting components, spray the mixture onto an electron microscopy grid, and flash freeze the grid for a minimum reaction time of 9.4 ms. This study shows for the first time to the authors' knowledge that eight of the 12 bridges form within 9.4 ms, whereas the remaining four bridges take longer than 43 ms to form.
Behavioral and neural correlates of increased self-control in the absence of increased willpower
Authors: Magen Eran , Kim Bokyung , Dweck Carol S. , Gross James J. , McClure Samuel M.
Published: June 2014

Significance

Self-control encompasses behaviors that enable us to forgo immediate temptations in favor of more beneficial delayed rewards. Self-control has been associated with superior academic, professional, and personal outcomes. Research primarily focuses on the ability to exert willpower to deliberately suppress immediate desires. However, willpower is taxing and susceptible to lapses and therefore makes a poor tool for long-term behavioral change. In this study we ask whether people can enhance their apparent self-control without increasing effortful exertion of willpower. We investigate a cognitive reframing manipulation that, behaviorally, increases self-control without an increase in estimated willpower. Functional brain imaging demonstrates that the reframing manipulation alters responses in brain reward areas and decreases activity in regions of lateral prefrontal cortex linked to willpower exertion.
Enrollment in Hispanic Serving Institutions as a Moderator of the Relationship between Drinking Norms and Quantity of Alcohol use among Hispanic College Students
Authors: Vaughan Ellen L. , Chang Tiffany K. , Escobar Oscar S. , de Dios Marcel A.
Published: June 2014

Background

Hispanic college students represent a growing proportion of the college population. Studies have found that an individual's perception of the drinking of others is linked to one's own personal use and that college students frequently overestimate the drinking of their peers. The current study builds on previous college student drinking literature by examining the influence that attending a Hispanic-serving institution (HSI) has on the personal alcohol use and perception of peers’ drinking norms among Hispanic college students.

Methods

This secondary data analysis utilized data from the American College Health Association's National College Health Assessment. Participants were self-identified Hispanics between the ages of 18 and 25 ( N = 4336).

Results

Results indicated that there was a significant interaction between attending an HSI and the perception of the number of drinks of a typical student. Specifically, the perception of others’ drinking was more strongly linked to personal drinking for students in non-Hispanic serving institutions.

Conclusions

The protective effect of attending a Hispanic-serving institution may be related to a more culturally affirming college environment.
Diversity in mRNA expression of the serine-type carboxypeptidase ocpG in Aspergillus oryzae through intron retention
Authors: Ishida Ken , Kuboshima Megumi , Morita Hiroto , Maeda Hiroshi , Okamoto Ayako , Takeuchi Michio , Yamagata Youhei
Published: June 2014

Alternative splicing is thought to be a means for diversification of products by mRNA modification. Although some intron retentions are predicted by transcriptome analysis in Aspergillus oryzae, its physiological significance remains unknown. We found that intron retention occurred occasionally in the serine-type carboxypeptidase gene, ocpG. Analysis under various culture conditions revealed that extracellular nitrogen conditions influence splicing patterns; this suggested that there might be a correlation between splicing efficiency and the necessity of OcpG activity for obtaining a nitrogen source. Since further analysis showed that splicing occurred independently in each intron, we constructed ocpG intron-exchanging strain by interchanging the positions of intron-1 and intron-2. The splicing pattern indicated the probability that ocpG intron retention was affected by the secondary structures of intronic mRNA.
Metabolically driven equilibrium shift of asymmetric amination of ketones by ω-transaminase using alanine as an amino donor
Authors: Han Sang-Woo , Shin Jong-Shik
Published: June 2014

Removal of a side product to overcome unfavorable equilibrium is a prerequisite for the asymmetric amination of ketones using ω-transaminase (ω-TA). Alanine has been preferred as an amino donor because its deamination product (i.e. pyruvate) is easily removable by several enzymatic methods. Here, we demonstrated that the removal of pyruvate by an innate metabolic pathway could afford equilibrium shift of the ω-TA reactions.
Helping Muslim boys succeed: the case for history education
Authors: Wilkinson Matthew L.N.
Published: June 2014

Recent research suggests that Muslim boys have become the ‘New Folk Devils’ of British education, who are characterised by resistance to formal education, especially at secondary level, and under‐achievement. Since the 1990s, British Muslim boys would appear to have become increasingly alienated from compulsory schooling, especially in the humanities subjects which lack obvious instrumental value.

This mixed‐methods study of the performance of 295 secondary school British Muslim boys in their compulsory school history provides evidence which interrupts this narrative of the academic under‐achievement and educational dis‐engagement of Muslim boys, especially in the humanities subjects. When viewed through the prism of a laminated, non‐reductive model of educational success, this indicative sample of British Muslim boys could be considered to have had significant success at a traditional humanities subject such as history intellectually, spiritually, emotionally, instrumentally and civically.

This paper therefore proposes that history can provide a vital meaning‐making tool to generate the success of Muslim boys in a variety of significant dimensions both in and out of school. It suggests how history can be more fully and effectively harnessed by teachers, parents and policy‐planners to encourage internal integration and external social engagement in British Muslim pupils.
Proteome-wide analysis of HIV-specific naive and memory CD4+ T cells in unexposed blood donors
Authors: Campion Suzanne L. , Brodie Tess M. , Fischer William , Korber Bette T. , Rossetti Astrea , Goonetilleke Nilu , McMichael Andrew J. , Sallusto Federica
Published: June 2014

The preexisting HIV-1–specific T cell repertoire must influence both the immunodominance of T cells after infection and immunogenicity of vaccines. We directly compared two methods for measuring the preexisting CD4+ T cell repertoire in healthy HIV-1–negative volunteers, the HLA-peptide tetramer enrichment and T cell library technique, and show high concordance (r = 0.989). Using the library technique, we examined whether naive, central memory, and/or effector memory CD4+ T cells specific for overlapping peptides spanning the entire HIV-1 proteome were detectable in 10 HLA diverse, HIV-1–unexposed, seronegative donors. HIV-1–specific cells were detected in all donors at a mean of 55 cells/million naive cells and 38.9 and 34.1 cells/million in central and effector memory subsets. Remarkably, peptide mapping showed most epitopes recognized by naive (88%) and memory (56%) CD4+ T cells had been previously reported in natural HIV-1 infection. Furthermore, 83% of epitopes identified in preexisting memory subsets shared epitope length matches (8–12 amino acids) with human microbiome proteins, suggestive of a possible cross-reactive mechanism. These results underline the power of a proteome-wide analysis of peptide recognition by human T cells for the identification of dominant antigens and provide a baseline for optimizing HIV-1–specific helper cell responses by vaccination.
Galectin-9 controls the therapeutic activity of 4-1BB–targeting antibodies
Authors: Madireddi Shravan , Eun So-Young , Lee Seung-Woo , Nemčovičová Ivana , Mehta Amit Kumar , Zajonc Dirk M. , Nishi Nozomu , Niki Toshiro , Hirashima Mitsuomi , Croft Michael
Published: June 2014

Biologics to TNF family receptors are prime candidates for therapy of immune disease. Whereas recent studies have highlighted a requirement for Fcγ receptors in enabling the activity of CD40, TRAILR, and GITR when engaged by antibodies, other TNFR molecules may be controlled by additional mechanisms. Antibodies to 4-1BB (CD137) are currently in clinical trials and can both augment immunity in cancer and promote regulatory T cells that inhibit autoimmune disease. We found that the action of agonist anti–4-1BB in suppressing autoimmune and allergic inflammation was completely dependent on Galectin-9 (Gal-9). Gal-9 directly bound to 4-1BB, in a site distinct from the binding site of antibodies and the natural ligand of 4-1BB, and Gal-9 facilitated 4-1BB aggregation, signaling, and functional activity in T cells, dendritic cells, and natural killer cells. Conservation of the Gal-9 interaction in humans has important implications for effective clinical targeting of 4-1BB and possibly other TNFR superfamily molecules.
Farmer Bargaining Power and Market Information Services
Authors: Courtois Pierre , Subervie Julie
Published: June 2014

In many Sub‐Saharan African countries, farmers typically have a choice between selling their products to traders who travel between villages and markets and transporting their products to the nearest market themselves. Because of communities’ remoteness and poor communications with marketplaces, farmers’ uncertainty about market prices is usually high. Traders may take advantage of farmers’ ignorance of the market price and extract a rent from them by offering very low prices for their products. In this article, we model bargaining interactions between farmers and traders meeting at the farmgate and we study how price information affects the bargain and the balance of power. We show the conditions for Market Information Services (MIS) to be profitable for farmers and examine efficiency issues associated with asymmetric information. Finally, we test the model's prediction that information results in positive individual gain for farmers using original survey data collected in the Northern region of Ghana. Specifically, we estimate the causal effect of a mobile‐based MIS program on farmers’ marketing performances and find that farmers who have benefited from the MIS program received significantly higher prices for maize and groundnuts: about 10% more for maize and 7% more for groundnuts than what they would have received had they not participated in the MIS program. These results suggest that the theoretical conditions for successful farmer use of MIS may be met in the field.
TRES predicts transcription control in embryonic stem cells
Authors: Pooley Christopher , Ruau David , Lombard Patrick , Gottgens Berthold , Joshi Anagha
Published: June 2014

Summary: Unraveling transcriptional circuits controlling embryonic stem cell maintenance and fate has great potential for improving our understanding of normal development as well as disease. To facilitate this, we have developed a novel web tool called ‘TRES’ that predicts the likely upstream regulators for a given gene list. This is achieved by integrating transcription factor (TF) binding events from 187 ChIP-sequencing and ChIP-on-chip datasets in murine and human embryonic stem (ES) cells with over 1000 mammalian TF sequence motifs. Using 114 TF perturbation gene sets, as well as 115 co-expression clusters in ES cells, we validate the utility of this approach.

Availability and implementation: TRES is freely available at http://www.tres.roslin.ed.ac.uk .

Contact:  Anagha.Joshi@roslin.ed.ac.uk or bg200@cam.ac.uk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
How Could Lay Perspectives on Successful Aging Complement Scientific Theory? Findings From a U.S. and a German Life-Span Sample
Authors: Jopp Daniela S. , Wozniak Dagmara , Damarin Amanda K. , De Feo Melissa , Jung Seojung , Jeswani Sheena
Published: June 2014

Purpose of the Study:

This article investigates lay perspectives of the concept of successful aging in young, middle-aged, and older adults from 2 cultures, the United States and Germany, to potentially guide the development of scientific theories of successful aging. The empirical findings are embedded in a comprehensive overview of theories of successful aging and life-span development and offer implications for theory development.

Design and Methods:

Two samples of young, middle-aged, and older adults from the United States (N = 151) and Germany (N = 155) were asked about definitions and determinants of successful aging. Codes were developed to capture common themes among the answers, resulting in 16 categories.

Results:

Themes mentioned included resources (health, social), behaviors (activities), and psychological factors (strategies, attitudes/beliefs, well-being, meaning). There were striking similarities across countries, age, and gender. Health and Social Resources were mentioned most frequently, followed by Activities/Interests, Virtues/Attitudes/Beliefs, Well-being, and Life management/Coping. Age differences were limited to Growth/Maturation and Respect/Success, and gender differences were limited to Social Resources and Well-being. Educational and cultural effects were limited to psychological factors and Education/Knowledge, which were more often mentioned by U.S. participants and individuals with more education.

Implications:

Young, middle-aged, and older lay persons from the United States and Germany have quite similar concepts of successful aging, which they view in far more multidimensional terms than do established scientific theories (Rowe & Kahn, 1998). Given evidence that factors mentioned by laypeople do promote successful aging, considering them in more comprehensive theoretical models may enhance our understanding.
Speciation on a local geographic scale: the evolution of a rare rock outcrop specialist in
Mimulus
Authors: Ferris Kathleen G. , Sexton Jason P. , Willis John H.
Published: June 2014

Speciation can occur on both large and small geographical scales. In plants, local speciation, where small populations split off from a large-ranged progenitor species, is thought to be the dominant mode, yet there are still few examples to verify speciation has occurred in this manner. A recently described morphological species in the yellow monkey flowers,
Mimulus filicifolius
, is an excellent candidate for local speciation because of its highly restricted geographical range.
Mimulus filicifolius
was formerly identified as a population of
M. laciniatus
due to similar lobed leaf morphology and rocky outcrop habitat. To investigate whether
M. filicifolius
is genetically divergent and reproductively isolated from
M. laciniatus
, we examined patterns of genetic diversity in ten nuclear and eight microsatellite loci, and hybrid fertility in
M. filicifolius
and its purported close relatives:
M. laciniatus, M. guttatus
and
M. nasutus.
We found that
M. filicifolius
is genetically divergent from the other species and strongly reproductively isolated from
M. laciniatus
. We conclude that
M. filicifolius
is an independent rock outcrop specialist despite being morphologically and ecologically similar to
M. laciniatus
, and that its small geographical range nested within other wide-ranging members of the
M. guttatus
species complex is consistent with local speciation.
TRF2, but not TBP, mediates the transcription of ribosomal protein genes
Authors: Wang Yuan-Liang , Duttke Sascha H.C. , Chen Kai , Johnston Jeff , Kassavetis George A. , Zeitlinger Julia , Kadonaga James T.
Published: June 2014

The TCT core promoter element is present in most ribosomal protein (RP) genes in Drosophila and humans. Here we show that TBP (TATA box-binding protein)-related factor TRF2, but not TBP, is required for transcription of the TCT-dependent RP genes. In cells, TCT-dependent transcription, but not TATA-dependent transcription, increases or decreases upon overexpression or depletion of TRF2. In vitro, purified TRF2 activates TCT but not TATA promoters. ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation [ChIP] combined with deep sequencing) experiments revealed the preferential localization of TRF2 at TCT versus TATA promoters. Hence, a specialized TRF2-based RNA polymerase II system functions in the synthesis of RPs and complements the RNA polymerase I and III systems.
A survey of the structural models proposed for PbZr1−x
Ti
x
O3 using mode analysis
Authors: Kocsis Balazs , Perez-Mato J. M. , Tasci Emre S. , de la Flor Gemma , Aroyo Mois I.
Published: June 2014

The numerous structures that have been reported for the different phases of the lead zirconate titanate system, PbZr1−x
Ti
x
O3 (PZT), are analysed by means of a systematic symmetry-mode analysis. The distortion corresponding to the order parameter has been separated out and expressed in all phases in a comparable form. The fact that the physical origin of the PZT phases is an unstable threefold degenerate polar mode, plus in some cases an unstable octahedral tilting mode, produces structural correlations between the different phases. These correlations had remained unnoticed until now but are directly observable in a mode parameterization. They can be used both to characterize the evolution of the order parameters through the phase diagram and as a stringent test of the reported structural models. It is further shown that the activity of a single polar mode yields a specific feature in the mode decomposition of the monoclinic phases. This single-mode signature can be observed in the majority of the monoclinic structures proposed, making the others questionable. In fact, this internal constraint is satisfied by PZT to such a high degree that it drastically reduces the number of effective structural degrees of freedom. It is conjectured that this type of structural constraint beyond space-group symmetry can be a rather general property of low-symmetry distorted structures. As shown here, its existence can be detected and assessed by a symmetry-mode analysis, if considered in relation to the single underlying multidimensional order parameter.
The chord-length probability density of the regular octahedron
Authors: Ciccariello Salvino
Published: June 2014

The chord-length probability density of the regular octahedron is separated into three contributions, relating to the pairs of facets opposite to each other or sharing an edge or a vertex. Each of these contributions is explicitly evaluated throughout the full range of distances and the final expressions only involve inverse trigonometric functions of elementary algebraic functions. Since the chord-length probability density is proportional to the second derivative of the correlation function, knowledge of the chord-length probability density makes the numerical evaluation of the associated small-angle scattering intensity very fast and accurate.
The Bio-SANS instrument at the High Flux Isotope Reactor of Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Authors: Heller William T. , Urban Volker S. , Lynn Gary W. , Weiss Kevin L. , O'Neill Hugh M. , Pingali Sai Venkatesh , Qian Shuo , Littrell Kenneth C. , Melnichenko Yuri B. , Buchanan Michelle V. , Selby Douglas L. , Wignall George D. , Butler Paul D. , Myles Dean A.
Published: June 2014

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) is a powerful tool for characterizing complex disordered materials, including biological materials. The Bio-SANS instrument of the High Flux Isotope Reactor of Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a high-flux low-background SANS instrument that is, uniquely among SANS instruments, dedicated to serving the needs of the structural biology and biomaterials communities as an open-access user facility. Here, the technical specifications and performance of the Bio-SANS are presented. Sample environments developed to address the needs of the user program of the instrument are also presented. Further, the isotopic labeling and sample preparation capabilities available in the Bio-Deuteration Laboratory for users of the Bio-SANS and other neutron scattering instruments at ORNL are described. Finally, a brief survey of research performed using the Bio-SANS is presented, which demonstrates the breadth of the research that the instrument's user community engages in.
Tree phenology responses to winter chilling, spring warming, at north and south range limits
Authors: Clark James S. , Salk Carl , Melillo Jerry , Mohan Jacqueline
Published: June 2014

Increases in primary production may occur if plants respond to climate warming with prolonged growing seasons, but not if local adaptation, cued by photoperiod, limits phenological advance. It has been hypothesized that trees with diffuse‐porous xylem anatomy and early successional species may respond most to warming. Within species, northern populations may respond most due to the fact that growing seasons are relatively short. Species most sensitive to spring temperature may show little overall response to warming if reduced chilling in fall/winter offsets accelerated winter/spring development.

Because current thermal models consider only highly aggregated variables, for example degree‐days or chilling units (temperature sums for a season or year), they may not accurately represent warming effects. We show that assumptions contained in current thermal (degree‐day) models are unrealistic for climate change analysis. Critical threshold parameters are not identifiable, and they do not actually have much to do with thresholds for development. Traditional models further overlook the discrete nature of observations, observation error and the continuous response of phenological development to temperature variation. An alternative continuous development model (CDM) that addresses these problems is applied to a large experimental warming study near northern and southern boundaries of 15 species in the eastern deciduous forest of the USA, in North Carolina and Massachusetts.

Results provide a detailed time course of phenological development, including vernalization during winter and warming in spring, and challenge the basic assumptions of thermal models. Where traditional models find little evidence of a chilling effect (most are insignificant or have the wrong sign), the continuous development model finds evidence of chilling effects in most species.

Contrary to the hypothesis that northern populations respond most, we find southern populations are most responsive. Because northern populations already have a compressed period for spring development, they may lack flexibility to further advance development. A stronger response in the southern range could allow residents to resist northward migration of immigrants as climate warms. If potential invaders fail to exploit a prolonged growing season to the same degree as residents, then there is a resident advantage.

Hypothesized effects of warming for xylem anatomy and successional status are not supported by the 15 species in this study.
Pine afforestation decreases the long‐term performance of understorey shrubs in a semi‐arid Mediterranean ecosystem: a stable isotope approach
Authors: Moreno‐Gutiérrez Cristina , Battipaglia Giovanna , Cherubini Paolo , Delgado Huertas Antonio , Querejeta José Ignacio
Published: June 2014

Plant–plant interactions shape the structure and composition of plant communities, but shifts in interaction outcomes might occur in the face of ongoing climate change.

We assessed the influence of Pinus halepensis plantations on the long‐term ecophysiological performance of understorey vegetation, by conducting a retrospective comparison (1989–2007) of growth‐ring widths, δ13C and δ18O between Rhamnus lycioides shrubs from two contrasting vegetation types: P. halepensis plantations vs. open woodlands. We also measured the leaf δ13C, δ18O, δ15N, and nutrient concentrations of understorey R. lycioides shrubs growing at varying distances from planted trees within pine plantations.

Dendroecological and stable isotope data revealed strong competitive effects of planted P. halepensis trees on R. lyciodies. Shrubs in pine plantations showed lower radial growth and higher growth ring δ13C and δ18O than those in open woodlands, indicating lower stomatal conductance and photosynthesis in the former. The strong competitive effects of P. halepensis on understorey R. lycioides were most evident in wet, productive years. Conversely, in very dry years, there were indications of a facilitative effect of planted P. halepensis canopies on understorey shrubs.

Within pine plantations, understorey R. lycioides shrubs growing at shorter distances from planted trees were forced to rely on more superficial and ephemeral soil water sources, which reduced their stomatal conductance (higher leaf δ18O) and interfered with nutrient uptake (lower leaf N and P concentrations and more negative δ15N).

The intrinsic water use efficiency of R. lycioides shrubs growing in open woodlands has increased during recent decades as a result of their ability to adjust their stomatal conductance in response to increasing temperature and atmospheric CO2. However, this adaptive response was much weaker or absent in the severely drought‐stressed shrubs from pine plantations.

Pine afforestation strongly reduces water and nutrient availability for understorey shrubs in drylands, with potential long‐term consequences for ecosystem biodiversity, structure and functioning. Competition by P. halepensis on R. lycioides clearly outweighed facilitation in the long‐term, thus compromising the ability of understorey shrubs in semi‐arid pine plantations to cope with climate change.
Climate, conflicts, and variations in prices on pre‐colonial West African markets for staple crops
Authors: Rönnbäck Klas
Published: June 2014

Very little is known about the dynamics of pre‐colonial markets in Africa. This article presents a new set of data series on the pre‐colonial price of staple crops on the Gold Coast. Six hypotheses for the behaviour of market prices, found in the previous literature, are tested in this article. The results show conclusively that market prices did respond to shifts in demand and supply, for example, from climate‐induced scarcity, or to external shocks such as war. It is argued that the markets studied seem to have functioned remarkably well, given the socio‐economic and political context in which they were operating.
Regional GDP in the UK, 1861–1911: new estimates
Authors: Geary Frank , Stark Tom
Published: June 2014

This article compares the Geary–Stark method for distributing known GDP totals across regions with a variation suggested by Crafts. Tests of the Geary–Stark method confirm that it generates accurate estimates of regional GDP. There are practical and conceptual problems with Crafts' extension, and it is not tested nor is it testable. New estimates of regional GDP for the period 1861 to 1911 contradict Crafts's suggestion of rising regional inequality. Purchasing power parity adjustments do not alter this trend. The new estimates confirm Ireland's post‐Famine catch‐up. The great bulk of Irish labour productivity growth can be accounted for by an upward shifting production function, though it can be argued that that portion of growth that represents catch‐up may be attributable to labour force decline.
‘As lief to the gallows as go to the Irish wars’: Human Rights and the Abuse of the Elizabethan Soldier in Ireland, 1600–1603
Authors: Carey Vincent
Published: June 2014

This essay explores the treatment of the Elizabethan soldier in Ireland under lord deputy Mountjoy from 1600 to 1603, the years of the most atrocious violence of the conflict. Coming at the experiences of the ordinary soldier in these years from the perspective of human rights forces the historian to a set of rather uncomfortable conclusions. For while many of these soldiers inflicted horrific violence on the native non‐combatant population, their own experiences were determined by a set of forces and practices that left them vulnerable to some of the most extreme abuses of the age. While this essay will address the question of human rights and the implications and applications of the terminology for Elizabeth England, it will do so within the context of a war that abused the ordinary soldier as much as it abused the non‐combatant Irish. Yet the abuse of these men is worth re‐examining as it provides us with an insight to the state's attitude to the subordinate classes and their basic rights. For in examining the recruitment, equipping and treatment of the ordinary soldiers in the field, we find a brutalized mass whose only option was to endure or flee. A mass whose fundamental rights as subjects of the English crown or indeed as humans were badly abused. They were often masterless men unsuitable for combat and ultimately the victims of ‘social cleansing’, victims of class and coercion. The wretchedness of their conditions of service was thus forced, inevitably downwards, on the helpless non‐combatant Gaelic Irish.
Bone Mineral Change During Experimental Calcination: An X‐ray Diffraction Study
Authors: Galeano Sergio , García‐Lorenzo Mari Luz
Published: June 2014

The effects of calcination (400–1200°C) on pig bones have been studied using powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and secondary modifications, such as color change and weight loss. The characterisation by powder XRD confirmed the presence of the crystalline phase of hydroxyapatite, and comparison of the results obtained at different temperatures suggested that at 650°C, all the organic components and carbonate substitutions were completely removed. Accordingly, these samples were white. In addition, the crystallinity degree and the crystallite size progressively increased with the calcination temperature until 650°C, remaining stable until 1200°C. Below 650°C, bone samples presented organic compounds, resulting in background noise in the diffractogram and gray or black color. In addition, impurities in the lattice correspond to low crystallite sizes.
Development of a Computer‐Assisted Forensic Radiographic Identification Method Using the Lateral Cervical and Lumbar Spine
Authors: Derrick Sharon M. , Raxter Michelle H. , Hipp John A. , Goel Priya , Chan Elaine F. , Love Jennifer C. , Wiersema Jason M. , Akella N. Shastry
Published: June 2014

Medical examiners and coroners (ME/C) in the United States hold statutory responsibility to identify deceased individuals who fall under their jurisdiction. The computer‐assisted decedent identification (CADI) project was designed to modify software used in diagnosis and treatment of spinal injuries into a mathematically validated tool forME/C identification of fleshed decedents.CADIsoftware analyzes the shapes of targeted vertebral bodies imaged in an array of standard radiographs and quantifies the likelihood that any two of the radiographs contain matching vertebral bodies. Six validation tests measured the repeatability, reliability, and sensitivity of the method, and the effects of age, sex, and number of radiographs in array composition.CADIreturned a 92–100% success rate in identifying the true matching pair of vertebrae within arrays of five to 30 radiographs. Further development ofCADIis expected to produce a novel identification method for use inME/C offices that is reliable, timely, and cost‐effective.
Antioxidative Properties and Ability of Phenolic Compounds of Myrtus communis Leaves to Counteract In Vitro LDL and Phospholipid Aqueous Dispersion Oxidation
Authors: Dairi Sofiane , Madani Khodir , Aoun Manar , Him Joséphine Lai Kee , Bron Patrick , Lauret Céline , Cristol Jean‐Paul , Carbonneau Marie‐Annette
Published: June 2014

Antioxidant activities of Myrtus communis leaf phenolic compounds (McPCs) were investigated on 2,2′‐9‐azino‐bis‐3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid (ABTS+•) and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) tests or on oxidation of biological models, human low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) and phospholipid aqueous dispersion (l‐α‐phosphatidylcholine stabilized by bile salts). Two extraction techniques, microwave‐assisted (MAE) and conventional (CE), were used to isolate McPCs, producing similar results of phenolic compound content. ABTS+• assay showed clearly that myrtle extracts exhibited a stronger scavenging effect than butylated hydroxyanisole and α‐tocopherol, with a slight advantage for myrtle CE extract. In ORAC assay, the both McPC extracts were similarly less effective than the pure compounds as caffeic acid and myricitrin (myricetin 3‐O‐rhamnoside) but stronger than butylated hydroxytoluene. Moreover, myrtle CE and MAE extracts, and myricitrin were able to inhibit similarly the production of conjugated dienes and to prolong the lag phase (Tlag) during Cu2+‐induced LDL oxidation with a dose‐response effect. The cryo‐electron microscopy observations on studied phospholipid dispersion stabilized by bile salts (BS) revealed the presence of bilayer vesicles and micelles. In 2,2′‐azobis (2‐amidinopropane) hydrochloride–induced phospholipid/BS oxidation, myrtle CE and MAE extracts gave similar effects to α‐tocopherol and caffeic acid but myricitrin showed a higher protective effect than myrtle extracts. We showed also that no synergic or additive effect between α‐tocopherol and myrtle extracts or caffeic acid in α‐tocopherol–enriched phospholipid/BS dispersion, but myricitrin showed an additive effect and thus promoted the total antioxidant activity. These data showed that myrtle extract could be used as potential natural antioxidants, food stabilizers, or natural health products.
Identification by GeLC‐MS/MS of Trypsin Inhibitor in Sarcoplasmic Proteins of Three Tropical Fish and Characterization of Their Inhibitory Properties
Authors: Siriangkanakun Siriphon , Li‐Chan Eunice C.Y. , Yongsawadigul Jirawat
Published: June 2014

Sarcoplasmic proteins from 3 fish species were fractionated by 50% to 70% ammonium sulfate precipitation. Lyophilized fractionated sarcoplasmic proteins of threadfin bream (TB‐SP), bigeye snapper (BS‐SP), and yellow croaker (YC‐SP) showed 80% to 92% trypsin inhibitory activity. Trypsin inhibitory activity staining gel electrophoresis revealed bands at 32, 33, 37, 45, 48, and 50 kDa for the 3 species, and a band at 95 kDa was observed for TB‐SP and YC‐SP. Alpha‐1‐antitrypsin with molecular mass of 45 to 50 kDa was identified in YC‐SP by gel‐based liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (GeLC‐MS/MS). Other major protein bands appeared on trypsin activity staining included phosphorylase, glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase with molecular mass of 95 and 35 to 40 kDa, respectively. But, these 3 proteins did not show true trypsin inhibitory activity. Trypsin inhibitory activity of fractionated sarcoplasmic proteins showed good stability, with >80% activity retained at 60 °C and up to 0.6 M NaCl. TB‐SP showed the highest inhibitory activity against autolysis of washed threadfin bream mince at 65 °C. Addition of 0.5% or 1% TB‐SP improved textural properties of threadfin bream surimi gels preincubated at 37 or 65 °C followed by heating at 90 °C. Therefore, TB‐SP could be a promising protein ingredient for enhancing surimi gel texture.
Risk factors of acute pancreatitis in the elderly Chinese population: A population‐based cross‐sectional study
Authors: Yang Hong , Wang Li , Shi Yi Hai , Sui Guang Tao , Wu Yun Fei , Lu Xin Qing , Li Mei Yu , Xia Qing , Bian Xiao Xia , Li Hai Hua , Qian Jia Ming
Published: June 2014

Objective

Lifestyle changes have led to an increasing incidence of acute pancreatitis (AP) in China. The aims of this study were to evaluate the association between lifestyle as well as medical history and AP in the elderly population and to provide evidence towards the prevention against AP.

Methods

A population‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province, China. A total of 23 294 residents aged ≥55 years were enrolled in the study. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on participants' characteristics, lifestyle and medical history via a face‐to‐face interview, and compared these data with the medical chart.

Results

In total, 45 participants had been diagnosed with AP, that is, a prevalence of 0.19%. No significant differences were observed with respect to their age, gender, marital status or body mass index (BMI) in participants with and without AP. However, those were better educated were more likely to develop AP (P = 0.005). The univariate analysis showed that a high meat intake, smoking, alcohol consumption and a medical history of gallstones were associated with a significant increase in the risk of developing AP (P < 0.05). Furthermore, smoking or alcohol consumption was dose‐dependently associated with the risk of AP, particularly in those who smoked at least 15 pack‐years or consumed ≥56.2 drinks per year. Multivariable logistics analysis suggested that the level of education, smoking and medical history of gallstone are independent risk factors for AP.

Conclusions

Our study indicated that a higher education level, smoking, alcohol consumption and history of gallstones may be potential risk factors for AP in the elderly in northeast China.
Identification of species and materia medica within Angelica L. (Umbelliferae) based on phylogeny inferred from DNA barcodes
Authors: Yuan Qing‐Jun , Zhang Bin , Jiang Dan , Zhang Wen‐Jing , Lin Tsai‐Yun , Wang Nian‐He , Chiou Shu‐Jiau , Huang Lu‐Qi
Published: June 2014

DNA barcodes have been increasingly used in authentication of medicinal plants, while their wide application in materia medica is limited in their accuracy due to incomplete sampling of species and absence of identification for materia medica. In this study, 95 leaf accessions of 23 species (including one variety) and materia medica of three Pharmacopoeia‐recorded species of Angelica in China were collected to evaluate the effectiveness of four DNA barcodes (rbcL, matK, trnH‐psbA and ITS). Our results showed that ITS provided the best discriminatory power by resolving 17 species as monophyletic lineages without shared alleles and exhibited the largest barcoding gap among the four single barcodes. The phylogenetic analysis of ITS showed that Levisticum officinale and Angelica sinensis were sister taxa, which indicates that L. officinale should be considered as a species of Angelica. The combination of ITS + rbcL + matK + trnH‐psbA performed slight better discriminatory power than ITS, recovering 23 species without shared alleles and 19 species as monophyletic clades in ML tree. Authentication of materia medica using ITS revealed that the decoction pieces of A. sinensis and A. biserrata were partially adulterated with those of L. officinale, and the temperature around 80 °C processing A. dahurica decoction pieces obviously reduced the efficiency of PCR and sequencing. The examination of two cultivated varieties of A. dahurica from different localities indicated that the four DNA barcodes are inefficient for discriminating geographical authenticity of conspecific materia medica. This study provides an empirical paradigm in identification of medicinal plants and their materia medica using DNA barcodes.
Genome assembly and annotation of a Drosophila simulans strain from Madagascar
Authors: Palmieri Nicola , Nolte Viola , Chen Jun , Schlötterer Christian
Published: June 2014

Drosophila simulans is a close relative of the genetic model D. melanogaster. Its worldwide distribution in combination with the absence of segregating chromosomal inversions makes this species an increasingly attractive model to study the molecular signatures of adaptation in natural and experimental populations. In an effort to improve the genomic resources for D. simulans, we assembled and annotated the genome of a strain originating from Madagascar (M252), the ancestral range of D. simulans. The comparison of the M252 genome to other available D. simulans assemblies confirmed its high quality, but also highlighted genomic regions that are difficult to assemble with NGS data. The annotation of M252 provides a clear improvement with alternative splicing for 52% of the multiple‐exon genes, UTRs for 70% of the genes, 225 novel genes and 781 pseudogenes being reported. We anticipate that the M252 genome will be a valuable resource for many research questions.
Incorporating Standardized Nursing Languages Into an Electronic Nursing Documentation System in Korea: A Pilot Study
Authors: Park Hyejin , Lee Eunjoo
Published: June 2014

Purpose

The purposes of this study were to (a) develop and implement a standardized nursing languages‐based electronic nursing documentation system in Korea, and (b) explore nurses' experience with NANDA‐I, Nursing Interventions Classification, and Nursing Outcomes Classification languages in relation to nursing workflow.

Methods

The system was developed by the research team and implemented in a tertiary hospital in Korea. Ten nurses used the system and interviews were conducted to explore nurses' experiences with the standardized nursing languages.

Findings

The most frequently used NANDA‐I, Nursing Interventions Classification, and Nursing Outcomes Classification were identified. Nurses' experiences with standardized nursing languages and how they impact nursing workflow were analyzed.

Conclusions and Implications

Obtaining valid and comparable data from this system will be critical in improving patient safety, quality, and evidence‐based practice.
Student Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Dying Patients in Central Anatolia
Authors: Arslan Dilek , Akca Nazan Kilic , Simsek Nuray , Zorba Pinar
Published: June 2014

Purpose

This study was descriptively conducted to explore attitudes of nursing students related to caring for dying patients in central Anatolia.

Methods

The study was completed with 222 third‐year students of nursing school originating from three universities in Turkey.

Result

It was explored that Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD) scores of the students who had previously cared for terminal patients at the clinics were significantly higher, and the scores of those who regarded themselves as nonbeliever in terms of religion were significantly lower (p < .05).

Conclusion

It was seen that nursing students’ FATCOD scores were at a moderate level.

Implications for nursing practice

We are of the opinion that it will be helpful that nursing students should be trained about the care for dying patients during their formal education.

Amaç

Bu çalışma Orta Anadolu'daki hemşirelik öğrencilerinin ölmekte olan bireye bakım vermeye ilişkin tutumlarını belirlemek amacı ile tanımlayıcı olarak yapıldı.

Gereç Ve Yöntem

Bu çalışma, Türkiye'deki üç üniversitenin üçüncü ve dördüncü sınıf hemşirelik bölümü 222 öğrencisiyle tamamlandı. Veriler öğrenci bilgi formu ve Frommelt Ölmekte Olan Bireye Bakım Vermeye İlişkin Tutum Ölçeği (FATCOD) ile toplandı. Mann‐Whitney U ve Kruskal‐Wallis testi kullanıldı.

Bulgular

Daha önce kliniklerde terminal dönemdeki hastalara bakım veren öğrencilerin FATCOD ölçek puanlarının anlamlı şekilde yüksek olduğu ve öğrencilerden kendini dini açıdan inançsız olarak ifade edenlerin puanları da anlamlı olarak düşük bulundu (p < .05).

Sonuç

Hemşirelik öğrencilerinin FATCOD puanlarının orta düzeyde olduğu saptandı.

Hemsirelik Uygulamalari Için Öneriler

Hemşirelik öğrencilerine eğitimleri süresince ölmekte olan bireyin bakımına ilişkin eğitimlerin verilmesinin yararlı olacağı düşünülmektedir.