bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic Characterization of Recent Clonal Lineages of Phytophthora infestans in the United States
Authors: Danies G. , Small I. M. , Myers K. , Childers R. , Fry W. E.
Published: January 2013

Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight disease, has been reported in the United States and Canada since the mid-nineteenth century. Due to the lack of or very limited sexual reproduction, the populations of P. infestans in the United States are primarily reproducing asexually and, thus, show a simple genetic structure. The emergence of new clonal lineages of P. infestans (US-22, US-23, and US-24) responsible for the late blight epidemics in the northeastern region of the United States in the summers of 2009 and 2010 stimulated an investigation into phenotypic traits associated with these genotypes. Mating type, differences in sensitivity to mefenoxam, differences in pathogenicity on potato and tomato, and differences in rate of germination were studied for clonal lineages US-8, US-22, US-23, and US-24. Both A1 and A2 mating types were detected. Lineages US-22, US-23, and US-24 were generally sensitive to mefenoxam while US-8 was resistant. US-8 and US-24 were primarily pathogenic on potato while US-22 and US-23 were pathogenic on both potato and tomato. Indirect germination was favored at lower temperatures (5 and 10°C) whereas direct germination, though uncommon, was favored at higher temperatures (20 and 25°C). Sporangia of US-24 released zoospores more rapidly than did sporangia of US-22 and US-23. The association of characteristic phenotypic traits with genotype enables the prediction of phenotypic traits from rapid genotypic analyses for improved disease management.
Consequences of Disrupting Salmonella AI-2 Signaling on Interactions Within Soft Rots
Authors: Cox Clayton E. , McClelland Michael , Teplitski Max
Published: January 2013

Within soft rots, Salmonella spp. reach population densities 10- to 100-fold higher than within intact plants. The hypothesis that Salmonella spp. exchange AI-2 signals with Pectobacterium carotovorum to increase its competitive fitness was tested using mutants involved in AI-2 production (luxS) or perception (lsrACDBF or lsrG). Co-infections of a wild-type Salmonella sp. and its AI-2 mutants (at ≈3 to 104) were established in green or red tomato (‘FL 47’ or ‘Campari’ for 3 or 5 days) as well as tomato co-infected with Pectobacterium (at 109) or its luxS mutant. There were no significant differences in the competitive fitness of Salmonella, indicating that AI-2 signaling is not a major input in the interactions between these organisms under the tested conditions. A Salmonella lsrG::tnpR-lacZ resolvase in vivo expression technology (RIVET) reporter, constructed to monitor AI-2-related gene expression, responded strongly to the luxS deletion but only weakly to external sources of AI-2. Growth in soft rots generally decreased RIVET resolution; however, the effect was not correlated to the luxS genotype of the Pectobacterium sp. The results of this study show that AI-2 signaling offers no significant benefit to Salmonella spp. in this model of colonization of tomato or soft rots.
Juveniles and the elderly defend, the middle-aged escape: division of labour in a social aphid
Authors: Uematsu Keigo , Shimada Masakazu , Shibao Harunobu
Published: January 2013

In colonies of social insects, non-random spatial positioning within the colonies may reflect division of labour and improve colony efficiency. Here, we describe a novel defence system in the colony of a gall-forming social aphid,
Quadrartus yoshinomiyai
(Nipponaphidini), where young and old defensive aphids move towards the dangerous area typically associated with a higher risk of predation, whereas the middle-aged reproductive individuals move away. Younger nymphs and post-reproductive adults of
Q. yoshinomiyai
concurrently defend against predators that intrude after their galls open. In natural open galls, both types of defenders were preferentially located around the open area vulnerable to invasion by predators, whereas reproductive individuals remained in the safer areas. In addition, when a hole was artificially made in closed galls, these morphs located themselves in similar spatial positions to the natural open galls within 12 hours. The defensive system led by oldest and youngest individuals may reflect the possibility of future reproduction for these insects, thereby optimizing colony efficiency in a seasonally changing environment, according to the reproductive values of colony members.
Developmental selection against developmental instability: a direct demonstration
Authors: Polak Michal , Tomkins Joseph L.
Published: January 2013

Developmental selection, the non-random elimination of offspring during development, is hypothesized to alter the opportunity for selection on a given trait at later stages of the life cycle. Here, we provide a direct demonstration of developmental selection against developmental instability, assessed as the incidence of minor, discrete phenotypic abnormalities in the male sex comb, a condition-dependent secondary sexual trait inDrosophila bipectinata. We exposed developing flies from two geographically separate populations to increasing levels of temperature stress, and recovered the males that died during development by teasing them out of their pupal cases. These dead males, the so-called ‘invisible fraction’ of the population, were more developmentally unstable than their surviving counterparts, and dramatically so under conditions of relatively high temperature stress. We illustrate that had these dead juvenile flies actually survived and entered the pool of sexually mature adult individuals, their mating success would have been significantly reduced, thus intensifying sexual selection in the adult cohort for reducing developmental instability. The data suggest that without accounting for developmental selection, a study focusing exclusively on the adult cohort may unwittingly underestimate the net force of selection operating on a given phenotypic trait.
Vaulting mechanics successfully predict decrease in walk–run transition speed with incline
Authors: Hubel Tatjana Y. , Usherwood James R.
Published: January 2013

There is an ongoing debate about the reasons underlying gait transition in terrestrial locomotion. In bipedal locomotion, the ‘compass gait’, a reductionist model of inverted pendulum walking, predicts the boundaries of speed and step length within which walking is feasible. The stance of the compass gait is energetically optimal—at walking speeds—owing to the absence of leg compression/extension; completely stiff limbs perform no work during the vaulting phase. Here, we extend theoretical compass gait vaulting to include inclines, and find good agreement with previous observations of changes in walk–run transition speed (approx. 1% per 1% incline). We measured step length and frequency for humans walking either on the level or up a 9.8 per cent incline and report preferred walk–run, walk–compliant-walk and maximum walk–run transition speeds. While the measured ‘preferred’ walk–run transition speed lies consistently below the predicted maximum walking speeds, and ‘actual’ maximum walking speeds are clearly above the predicted values, the onset of compliant walking in level as well as incline walking occurs close to the predicted values. These findings support the view that normal human walking is constrained by the physics of vaulting, but preferred absolute walk–run transition speeds may be influenced by additional factors.
Motion-guided attention promotes adaptive communications during social navigation
Authors: Lemasson B. H. , Anderson J. J. , Goodwin R. A.
Published: January 2013

Animals are capable of enhanced decision making through cooperation, whereby accurate decisions can occur quickly through decentralized consensus. These interactions often depend upon reliable social cues, which can result in highly coordinated activities in uncertain environments. Yet information within a crowd may be lost in translation, generating confusion and enhancing individual risk. As quantitative data detailing animal social interactions accumulate, the mechanisms enabling individuals to rapidly and accurately process competing social cues remain unresolved. Here, we model how motion-guided attention influences the exchange of visual information during social navigation. We also compare the performance of this mechanism to the hypothesis that robust social coordination requires individuals to numerically limit their attention to a set ofn-nearest neighbours. While we find that such numerically limited attention does not generate robust social navigation across ecological contexts, several notable qualities arise from selective attention to motion cues. First, individuals can instantly become a local information hub when startled into action, without requiring changes in neighbour attention level. Second, individuals can circumvent speed–accuracy trade-offs by tuning their motion thresholds. In turn, these properties enable groups to collectively dampen or amplify social information. Lastly, the minority required to sway a group's short-term directional decisions can change substantially with social context. Our findings suggest that motion-guided attention is a fundamental and efficient mechanism underlying collaborative decision making during social navigation.
The SCF–Fbw7 ubiquitin ligase degrades MED13 and MED13L and regulates CDK8 module association with Mediator
Authors: Davis Michael A. , Larimore Elizabeth A. , Fissel Brian M. , Swanger Jherek , Taatjes Dylan J. , Clurman Bruce E.
Published: January 2013

The Mediator complex is an essential transcription regulator that bridges transcription factors with RNA polymerase II. This interaction is controlled by dynamic interactions between Mediator and the CDK8 module, but the mechanisms governing CDK8 module–Mediator association remain poorly understood. We show that Fbw7, a tumor suppressor and ubiquitin ligase, binds to CDK8–Mediator and targets MED13/13L for degradation. MED13/13L physically link the CDK8 module to Mediator, and Fbw7 loss increases CDK8 module–Mediator association. Our work reveals a novel mechanism regulating CDK8 module–Mediator association and suggests an expanded role for Fbw7 in transcriptional control and an unanticipated relationship with the CDK8 oncogene.
Role of medial prefrontal cortex Narp in the extinction of morphine conditioned place preference
Authors: Blouin Ashley M. , Han Sungho , Pearce Anne M. , Cheng KaiLun , Lee JongAh J. , Johnson Alexander W. , Wang Chuansong , During Matthew J. , Holland Peter C. , Shaham Yavin , Baraban Jay M. , Reti Irving M.
Published: January 2013

Narp knockout (KO) mice demonstrate an impaired extinction of morphine conditioned place preference (CPP). Because the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been implicated in extinction learning, we tested whether Narp cells in this region play a role in the extinction of morphine CPP. We found that intracranial injections of adenoassociated virus (AAV) expressing wild-type (WT) Narp into the mPFC of Narp KO mice rescued the extinction and the injection of AAV expressing a dominant negative form of Narp (NarpN) into the mPFC of WT mice impaired the extinction of morphine CPP. These findings suggest that Narp in the mPFC mediates the extinction of morphine CPP.
Antagonistic Peptide Technology for Functional Dissection ofCLV3/ESRGenes in Arabidopsis
Authors: Song Xiu-Fen , Guo Peng , Ren Shi-Chao , Xu Ting-Ting , Liu Chun-Ming
Published: January 2013

In recent years, peptide hormones have been recognized as important signal molecules in plants. Genetic characterization of such peptides is challenging since they are usually encoded by small genes. As a proof of concept, we used the well-characterized stem cell-restricting CLAVATA3 (CLV3) to develop an antagonistic peptide technology by transformations of wild-type Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) with constructs carrying the full-length CLV3 with every residue in the peptide-coding region replaced, one at a time, by alanine. Analyses of transgenic plants allowed us to identify one line exhibiting a dominant-negative clv3-like phenotype, with enlarged shoot apical meristems and increased numbers of floral organs. We then performed second dimensional amino acid substitutions to replace the glycine residue individually with the other 18 possible proteinaceous amino acids. Examination of transgenic plants showed that a glycine-to-threonine substitution gave the strongest antagonistic effect in the wild type, in which over 70% of transgenic lines showed the clv3-like phenotype. Among these substitutions, a negative correlation was observed between the antagonistic effects in the wild type and the complementation efficiencies in clv3. We also demonstrated that such an antagonistic peptide technology is applicable to other CLV3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) genes, CLE8 and CLE22, as well as in vitro treatments. We believe this technology provides a powerful tool for functional dissection of widely occurring CLE genes in plants.
Wheat Oxophytodienoate Reductase GeneTaOPR1Confers Salinity Tolerance via Enhancement of Abscisic Acid Signaling and Reactive Oxygen Species Scavenging
Authors: Dong Wei , Wang Mengcheng , Xu Fei , Quan Taiyong , Peng Keqin , Xiao Langtao , Xia Guangmin
Published: January 2013

The 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid reductases (OPRs) are classified into the two subgroups OPRI and OPRII. The latter proteins participate in jasmonic acid synthesis, while the function of the former ones is as yet unclear. We describe here the characterization of the OPRI gene TaOPR1, isolated from the salinity-tolerant bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivar SR3. Salinity stress induced a higher level of TaOPR1 expression in the seedling roots of cv SR3 than in its parental cultivar, JN177. This induction was abolished when abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis was inhibited. The overexpression of TaOPR1 in wheat significantly enhanced the level of salinity tolerance, while its heterologous expression in Arabidopsis alleviated root growth restriction in the presence of salinity and oxidants and raised the sensitivity to ABA. In Arabidopsis, TaOPR1 promoted ABA synthesis and the ABA-dependent stress-responsive pathway, partially rescued the sensitivity of the Arabidopsis aba2 mutant defective in ABA synthesis to salinity, and improved the activities of reactive oxygen species scavengers and the transcription of their encoding genes while reducing malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species levels. TaOPR1 did not interact with jasmonate synthesis or the jasmonate signaling pathway. Rather than serving purely as an antioxidant, we believe that TaOPR1 acts during episodes of abiotic stress response as a signaling compound associated with the regulation of the ABA-mediated signaling network.
Grazing-incidence transmission X-ray scattering: surface scattering in the Born approximation
Authors: Lu Xinhui , Yager Kevin G. , Johnston Danvers , Black Charles T. , Ocko Benjamin M.
Published: January 2013

Determination of the three-dimensional order in thin nanostructured films remains challenging. Real-space imaging methods, including electron microscopies and scanning-probe methods, have difficulty reconstructing the depth of a film and suffer from limited statistical sampling. X-ray and neutron scattering have emerged as powerful complementary techniques but have substantial data collection and analysis challenges. This article describes a new method, grazing-incidence transmission small-angle X-ray scattering, which allows for fast scattering measurements that are not burdened by the refraction and reflection effects that have to date plagued grazing-incidence X-ray scattering. In particular, by arranging a sample/beam geometry wherein the scattering exits through the edge of the substrate, it is possible to record scattering images that are well described by straightforward (Born approximation) scattering models.
Polarized neutron Laue diffraction on a crystal containing dynamically polarized proton spins
Authors: Piegsa F. M. , Karlsson M. , van den Brandt B. , Carlile C. J. , Forgan E. M. , Hautle P. , Konter J. A. , McIntyre G. J. , Zimmer O.
Published: January 2013

A polarized neutron Laue diffraction experiment on a single crystal of neodymium-doped lanthanum magnesium nitrate hydrate containing polarized proton spins is reported. By using dynamic nuclear polarization to polarize the proton spins, it is demonstrated that the intensities of the Bragg peaks can be enhanced or diminished significantly, whilst the incoherent background, due to proton spin disorder, is reduced. It follows that the method offers unique possibilities to tune continuously the contrast of the Bragg reflections and thereby represents a new tool for increasing substantially the signal-to-noise ratio in neutron diffraction patterns of hydrogenous matter.
Back calculation of parent austenite orientation using a clustering approach
Authors: Tari V. , Rollett A. D. , Beladi H.
Published: January 2013

A new approach is presented for calculating the parent orientation from sets of variants of orientations produced by phase transformation. The parent austenite orientation is determined using the orientations of bainite variants that transformed from a single parent austenite grain. In this approach, the five known orientation relationships are used to back transform each observed bainite variant to all their potential face-centered-cubic (f.c.c.) parent orientations. A set of potential f.c.c. orientations has one representative from each bainite variant, and each set is assembled on the basis of minimum mutual misorientation. The set of back-transformed orientations with the minimum summation of mutual misorientation angle (SMMA) is selected as the most probable parent (austenite) orientation. The availability of multiple sets permits a confidence index to be calculated from the best and next best fits to a parent orientation. The results show good agreement between the measured parent austenite orientation and the calculated parent orientation having minimum SMMA.
Contrast in transmission X-ray diffraction topographs of growth defects in the core of SrLaGaO4single crystals
Authors: Malinowska Agnieszka , Lefeld-Sosnowska Maria , Härtwig Jürgen
Published: January 2013

Defects in the core of SrLaGaO4single crystals, grown by the Czochralski method using a [001]-oriented seed, were studied by transmission X-ray diffraction projection topography. Topographs were taken with radiation from a laboratory source and with high-energy radiation available at the ESRF beamline ID19 in Grenoble. The contrast of the investigated defect images was analysed for various diffraction vectorsgand for various values of the product μ0t(μ0is the linear absorption coefficient andtthe crystal thickness). This allowed the contrast formation to be studied as a function of absorption. The results of the analysis confirm the model of crystal lattice deformation around rod-like volume defects in SrLaGaO4crystals.
Directional pair distribution function for diffraction line profile analysis of atomistic models
Authors: Leonardi Alberto , Leoni Matteo , Scardi Paolo
Published: January 2013

The concept of the directional pair distribution function is proposed to describe line broadening effects in powder patterns calculated from atomistic models of nano-polycrystalline microstructures. The approach provides at the same time a description of the size effect for domains of any shape and a detailed explanation of the strain effect caused by the local atomic displacement. The latter is discussed in terms of different strain types, also accounting for strain field anisotropy and grain boundary effects. The results can in addition be directly read in terms of traditional line profile analysis, such as that based on the Warren–Averbach method.
Decontamination of Salmonella, Shigella, and Escherichia coli O157:H7 from Leafy Green Vegetables Using Edible Plant Extracts
Authors: Orue Nydia , García Santos , Feng Peter , Heredia Norma
Published: January 2013

Fresh cilantro, parsley, and spinach are products that are regularly consumed fresh, but are difficult to decontaminate, as a result, they are common vehicles of transmission of enteropathogenic bacteria. In this study, the efficacy of plant extracts as alternatives for disinfection of cilantro, parsley, and spinach that were artificially contaminated with Salmonella, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Shigella sonnei was determined. Edible plant extracts obtained using ethanol as the extraction solvent were tested to determine the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and those that exhibited the lowest MBC were selected for further studies. Leaves of fresh greens were washed with sterile water and dried. For seeding, leaves were submerged in suspensions of 2 different concentrations of bacteria (1.5 × 108 and 1 × 105), dried, and then stored at 4 °C until use. To determine the effects of the extracts, inoculated leafy greens were submerged in a container and subjected to treatments with chlorine, Citrol®, or selected plant extracts. Each treatment type was stored at 4 °C for 0, 1, 5, and 7 d, and the bacterial counts were determined. From the 41 plant extracts tested, the extracts from oregano leaves and from the peel and pulp of limes were found to be as effective as chlorine or Citrol® in reducing by > 2 logs, the population of pathogenic bacteria on leafy greens and therefore, may be a natural and edible alternative to chemicals to reduce the risk of Salmonella, E. coli O157:H7 and S. sonnei contamination on leafy vegetables.

Practical Application:  The antimicrobial efficacy of the extracts of Mexican lime and oregano was clearly demonstrated on cilantro, parsley, and spinach. The extracts of Mexican lime and oregano provide alternatives to chlorine to significantly reduce bacterial pathogens that have been associated with outbreaks from contaminated leafy green vegetables. A simple, low cost, and labor‐saving extraction system for production of the extracts was used.
Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Essential Oils from Carum copticum Seed and Ferula assafoetida Latex
Authors: Kavoosi Gholamreza , Tafsiry Asad , Ebdam Ali Asghar , Rowshan Vahid
Published: January 2013

Carum copticum and Ferula assafoetida have several medicinal properties including antispasmodic, carminative, sedative, analgesic, and antiseptic. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive nitrogen species (RNS), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) scavenging activities of Carum and Ferula oils along with their antibacterial and antifungal activities were examined. Thymol (40.25%), γ‐terpinene (38.7%) and p‐cymene (15.8%) were detected as the main components of Carum oil while, β‐pinene (47.1%), α‐pinene (21.36%), and 1, 2‐dithiolane (18.6%) were the main components of Ferula oil. Inhibitory concentrations (IC50) for total radical scavenging were between 40 and 60 and 130 and 160 μg/mL of Carum and Ferula oil, respectively. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Salmonella typhi, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Aspergillus niger, and Candida albicans were 78 ± 8, 65 ± 7, 14 ± 3, 5 ± 2, 5.6 ± 1.3, and 8.8 ± 2.2 μg/mL of Carum oil, respectively. MIC for S. typhi, E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, A. niger, and C. albicans were >200, >200, 125 ± 17, 80 ± 12, 85 ± 5, and 90 ± 11 μg/mL of Ferula oil, respectively. Accordingly, Carum and Ferula oils could be used as safe and effective natural antioxidants to improve the oxidative stability of fatty foods during storage and to preserve foods against food burn pathogens.

Practical Application: This study clearly demonstrates the potential of Carum and Ferula oil especially Carum oil as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial agent. The chemical composition of essential oils was identified. Thus, identification of such compounds also helps to discover of new antioxidant, antibacterial and antifungal agents for potential applications in food safety and food preservation.
Effect of the Closure Type on the Evolution of the Physical‐Chemical and Sensory Characteristics of a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Rosé Wine
Authors: Guaita Massimo , Petrozziello Maurizio , Motta Silvia , Bonello Federica , Cravero Maria Carla , Marulli Concezio , Bosso Antonella
Published: January 2013

The present work studied the effect of the kind of closure (a screw cap, a natural cork, and 2 synthetic closures) on the evolution of the oxygen content and on the physical‐chemical and sensory characteristics of a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo rosé wine during the 1st 12 mo of bottle aging. The chemical analyses concerned the parameters more involved in the oxidative reactions (SO2, acetaldehyde, phenols, wine color), as well as the main fermentative volatile compounds. The kind of closure influenced the oxygen content in wines, free and total SO2 concentration, and wine color (color intensity and hue). During bottle aging, free and total SO2 concentration was significantly and negatively correlated with absorbance at 420 nm (A420), whereas the correlations with A520 were weak. Probably, the limited extent of the variations in red color (A520), when varying SO2 concentration, were due to the low pH of this rosé wine. No effect of the kind of closure on phenols and the main fermentative volatile compounds was observed. The wines bottled with cork closures (N trials), after 12 mo of storage, had higher color intensity and hue, measured by spectrophotometry, and were visually distinguished from the other trials for the more intense pink reflections. On the whole, under the conditions of this work, all the used closures guaranteed a good preservability to the rosè wines during the 1st year of bottle aging, and the changes in composition did not significantly affect wine sensory characteristics. Therefore, these synthetic closures can represent an alternative to the cork closures for a medium to long term bottle aging of these wines.
FoxO6 in glucose metabolism (FoxO6在葡萄糖代谢中的作用)
Authors: Kim Dae Hyun , Zhang Ting , Lee Sojin , Dong H. Henry
Published: January 2013

The forkhead box O (FoxO) subfamily has four members, namely FoxO1, FoxO3, FoxO4, and FoxO6. Unlike the other three members of the FoxO family, FoxO6 has garnered considerably less attention because of earlier reports that FoxO6 expression was limited to the brain. Recent data indicate that FoxO6 is produced in the liver of both rodents and humans. Hepatic FoxO6 activity, which remains at low basal levels in fed states, is markedly induced in fasted mice. FoxO6 activity becomes abnormally higher in the liver of mice with dietary obesity or type 2 diabetes (T2D). Genetically engineered mice with elevated FoxO6 activity in the liver exhibit prediabetes, culminating in the development of glucose intolerance, fasting hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Conversely, inhibition of FoxO6 activity in the insulin‐resistant liver results in a reduction in fasting hyperglycemia, contributing to the amelioration of hyperinsulinemia in T2D mice. These new data suggest that FoxO6 is an important regulator of hepatic glucose metabolism in response to insulin or physiological cues. Insulin inhibits FoxO6 activity by promoting its phosphorylation and disabling its activity in the nucleus without altering its subcellular distribution via a mechanism that is distinct from other members of the FoxO subfamily. In this article, we comprehensively review the role of FoxO6 in glucose metabolism in health and disease. We also address whether FoxO6 dysregulation is a contributing factor for the pathogenesis of fasting hyperglycemia and discuss whether FoxO6 is a potential therapeutic target for improving fasting hyperglycemia in T2D.
The use of 2‐chloroprocaine for spinal anaesthesia
Authors: GOLDBLUM E. , ATCHABAHIAN A.
Published: January 2013

Spinal anaesthesia is a safe and reliable anaesthetic modality for surgical procedures on the lower part of the body. However, because of the description of transient neurologic symptoms (TNS), most practitioners have abandoned intrathecal lidocaine. Chloroprocaine (2‐chloroprocaine, CP) has been one candidate to replace lidocaine for short procedures, despite the fact that neurologic sequelae have been described following the intrathecal injection of large doses of preservative‐containing CP intended for epidural use. The National Library of Medicine's Medline and the EMBASE databases were searched for the time period 1966 to April 2012. Fourteen studies of the use of intrathecal CP were analysed, including seven volunteer and seven clinical studies. Preservative‐free CP appears to be a reliable local anaesthetic for short procedures. The duration of the surgical block can be adjusted by varying the dose between 30 and 60 mg. Two double‐blind randomised controlled studies demonstrate decreased time to ambulation and discharge when CP is used for spinal anaesthesia when compared with other local anaesthetics. The addition of fentanyl appears to prolong the surgical block without significantly prolonging the time to discharge. There have been five possible cases of TNS following CP spinal anaesthesia in over 4000 patients, and a regressive incomplete cauda equina syndrome has been described. The short duration of spinal CP makes it a strong contender for outpatient anaesthesia. It appears to have a lower risk of TNS than lidocaine.
Does a bipolar hemiprosthesis offer advantages for elderly patients with neck of femur fracture? A clinical trial with 261 patients
Authors: Stoffel Karl K. , Nivbrant Bo , Headford Julie , Nicholls Rochelle L. , Yates Piers J.
Published: January 2013

Background

Previous studies comparing unipolar and bipolar hemiarthroplasty for treatment of displaced intracapsular femoral neck fractures in elderly patients have often lacked methodological power and yielded conflicting clinical results. The objective of this study was to compare the clinical outcomes from each implant in a randomized cohort of elderly patients with intracapsular fracture of the femoral neck treated with a cemented hemiprosthesis.

Methods

This study is a clinical trial of 261 patients (82.0 ± 7.9 years) who were randomly assigned to one of the two treatment groups: group 1 (n = 133) received a cemented bipolar implant and group 2 (n = 128) received a unipolar head with the same stem. At 12 months post‐surgery, pain and functional abilities were quantified by blinded assessors using the Oxford and Harris Hip Scores, Verbal Numerical Rating Score and Six‐Minute Walk. The Mann–Whitney U‐test and t‐test for independent samples were used to compare results between the groups (P < 0.05).

Results

There were no significant differences in any clinical scores between the groups. Results from the Six‐Minute Walk indicated no difference in functional walking ability or endurance (P = 0.446) between the groups. Self‐selected pain ratings also did not differ between groups (P = 0.236). Patients receiving the unipolar prosthesis had significantly reduced abduction (P = 0.0001) and internal rotation (P = 0.047) in the operated hip compared to the non‐operated hip.

Conclusion

These short‐term results suggest that unipolar implants share many of the advantages of the bipolar prosthesis but can be manufactured at substantially lower cost. These implants may be appropriate for the less‐active elderly patient, particularly when used with bone cement.
The past, present and potential future distributions of cold‐adapted bird species
Authors: Smith Sarah E. , Gregory Richard D. , Anderson Barbara J. , Thomas Chris D.
Published: January 2013

Aim

Species' distributions change through time, and many species have recently shifted their ranges in response to anthropogenic climate change. However, predicting future distributional changes remains a challenge. We tested the ability of climate‐only distributional models, built using present‐day climate data, to project distributions of four European bird species during the Last Glacial Maximum. Projected distributions under past climate scenarios were compared with fossil data to gauge the validity of the projections.

Location

Europe and North Africa (30°N–82°N, 31°W–61°E).

Methods

We generated generalized additive models (GAMs) between the present‐day climate and distributions of four cold‐adapted bird species. These models were projected onto climatic conditions representative of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, 21,000 years ago) and future conditions (2080s). We tested the capacity of these climate‐only models to produce realistic projections under colder, past climates using fossil distributional data.

Results

Models and empirical data both indicate that the Willow grouse Lagopus lagopus and Rock ptarmigan Lagopus mutus occurred at lower latitudes during the LGM, compared with their current distributions, whereas the currently montane Yellow‐billed chough Pyrrhocorax graculus and White‐winged snowfinch Montifringilla nivalis would have had broadly similar LGM and present‐day distributions. Models and empirical data agree that all four species co‐occurred at the LGM in central/southern Europe, although they do not do so today. Future projections indicate that the LGM four‐species community may be reunited in Scandinavia by the end of this century if the southern species are able to colonize.

Main Conclusions

Our results suggest that climatic constraints are sufficient to capture the key attributes of the distributional changes in these four bird species, revealing individualistic responses and community disassembly and re‐assembly through time and space.
Perinatal risk factors for neurocognitive impairments in preschool children born very preterm
Authors: POTHARST EVA S , VAN WASSENAER‐LEEMHUIS ALEID G , HOUTZAGER BREGJE A , LIVESEY DAVID , KOK JOKE H , LAST BOB F , OOSTERLAAN JAAP
Published: January 2013

Aim  This study aimed to compare a broad array of neurocognitive functions (processing speed, aspects of attention, executive functioning, visual–motor coordination, and both face and emotion recognition) in very preterm and term‐born children and to identify perinatal risk factors for neurocognitive dysfunctions.

Method  Children who were born very preterm (n=102; 46 males, 56 females), defined as a gestational age of less than 30 weeks and/or birthweight under 1000g, and a comparison group of term‐born children (n=95; 40 males, 55 females) were assessed at age 5 with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, Stop Signal Task, several tasks of the Amsterdam Neuropsychological Tasks, and a Digit Span task.

Results  When sociodemographic characteristics were taken into account, very preterm children scored worse than term‐born children on all neurocognitive functions, except on tasks measuring inhibition and sustained attention, for which results were inconclusive. Effect sizes for group effects were small to medium (r2 varying between 0.02 and 0.07). Principal component isolated four factors: visual–motor coordination, face/emotion recognition, reaction time/attention, and accuracy/attention. When sociodemographic and child characteristics at birth were accounted for, bronchopulmonary dysplasia was significantly negatively associated with all four components and also with working memory.

Interpretation  Very preterm children are at risk for problems on a broad array of neurocognitive functions. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia is an independent risk factor for impaired neurocognitive functioning.
Epilepsy drives autism in neurodevelopmental disorders
Authors: Hagerman Randi J
Published: January 2013

This commentary is on the original article by van Eeghen et al. on pages 146–153 of this issue
Autism spectrum disorder symptomatology in children with neurofibromatosis type 1
Authors: Payne Jonathan M
Published: January 2013

This commentary is on the original articles by Walsh et al. and Garg et al. on pages 131–138 and 139–145 of this issue
Occurrence and recurrence of diabetes in pregnancy
Authors: Khambalia A. Z. , Ford J. B. , Nassar N. , Shand A. W. , McElduff A. , Roberts C. L.
Published: January 2013

Aims

To determine occurrence and recurrence rates of gestational diabetes among women having at least two consecutive pregnancies. Risk factors for recurrence of gestational diabetes and rates of second/third pregnancy pre‐existing diabetes mellitus were also assessed.

Methods

Population‐based study using longitudinally linked hospital discharge and birth records (2001–2009) in NSW, Australia. Participants included women without a pre‐existing diagnosis of Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes at time of first pregnancy and with at least a first and second birth. Factors associated with recurrence of gestational diabetes were examined using multivariate log‐binomial models to adjust for correlation within mothers and estimate relative risks and 95% confidence intervals.

Results

First occurrence of gestational diabetes was 3.7% (5315/142 843) in the first pregnancy and 2.7% (3689/137 528) in the second pregnancy. The recurrence rate of gestational diabetes in a second consecutive pregnancy was 41.2%. Risk of pre‐existing diabetes in a pregnancy subsequent to one with first occurrence of gestational diabetes was 2.2% and 2.0% in the second or third pregnancy, respectively. Among women with a diagnosis of gestational diabetes in the first pregnancy, independent predictors of gestational diabetes recurrence were maternal age ≥ 35 years, ethnicity (Middle East/North Africa and Asia), pregnancy hypertension, large for gestational age infant and preterm birth in the first pregnancy, longer inter‐pregnancy birth interval and pregnancy hypertension and multiple pregnancy in the second pregnancy.

Conclusions

Gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy is a strong indicator of future risk and a useful clinical marker for identifying women at elevated risk in a subsequent pregnancy.
Urinary sulphate excretion and progression of diabetic nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Andrésdóttir G. , Bakker S. J. L. , Hansen H. P. , Parving H.‐H. , Rossing P.
Published: January 2013

Aims

Hydrogen sulphide levels are reduced in many disease states, including diabetes and end‐stage renal disease. We aimed to determine whether urinary sulphate excretion, as a proxy for hydrogen sulphide, was associated with progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Methods

We conducted a post‐hoc study of a prospective, randomized, controlled trial on the effect of a low vs. normal protein diet for 4 years, on decline of renal function in patients with Type 1 diabetes and diabetic nephropathy. We excluded patients with less than three measurements of glomerular filtration rate assessed by 51Cr‐EDTA plasma clearance (GFR) and less than 1 year of follow‐up (n = 10), leaving 72 patients eligible for analyses. We studied both association of rate of decline in GFR and association of the combined endpoint of end‐stage renal disease and death with baseline 24‐h urinary sulphate excretion.

Results

Sulphate excretion was significantly associated with the slope of GFR (rs = –0.28, P = 0.02). In a multivariate regression model, sulphate excretion was a significant determinant of decline in GFR, independent of age, gender, blood pressure, HbA1c, smoking, albuminuria, baseline GFR and diet group (P < 0.01). In addition, adjusted r2 increased from 5% in a model with the aforementioned risk factors to 22% when sulphate excretion was included in the model. Cox regression revealed a hazard ratio of 0.34 (95% CI 0.13–0.88, P = 0.026) for each natural log unit increase in urinary sulphate excretion.

Conclusion

High urinary sulphate excretion was significantly associated with slower decline in 51Cr‐EDTA‐assessed GFR in diabetic nephropathy, independent of known progression promoters.
Guidance for the preparation of neurological management guidelines by EFNS scientific task forces – revised recommendations 2012
Authors: Leone M. A. , Brainin M. , Boon P. , Pugliatti M. , Keindl M. , Bassetti C. L.
Published: January 2013

This paper is meant to provide guidance to anyone wishing to write a neurological guideline for diagnosis or treatment, and is directed at the Scientist Panels and task forces of the European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS). It substitutes the previous guidance paper from 2004. It contains several new aspects: the guidance is now based on a change of the grading system for evidence and for the resulting recommendations, and has adopted The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation system (GRADE). The process of grading the quality of evidence and strength of recommendations can now be improved and made more transparent. The task forces embarking on the development of a guideline must now make clearer and more transparent choices about outcomes considered most relevant when searching the literature and evaluating their findings. Thus, the outcomes chosen will be more critical, more patient‐oriented and easier to translate into simple recommendations. This paper also provides updated practical recommendations for planning a guideline task force within the framework of the EFNS. Finally, this paper hopes to find the approval also by the relevant bodies of our future organization, the European Academy of Neurology.
Geographical variations of elytral color polymorphism inCheilomenes sexmaculata(Fabricius) (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)
Authors: Kawakami Yasuko , Yamazaki Kazuo , Ohashi Kazunori
Published: January 2013

The geographical variation in elytral color polymorphism inCheilomenes sexmaculata(Fabricius) was analyzed based on data from specimen surveys. In all, 1549 individuals collected from different latitudes throughoutIndonesia toJapan were categorized into 20 morph types of elytra. Results show that the morph types have a geographical cline: dark types increased with latitude, although the light types showed higher relative frequency in lower latitudes, which suggests that the geographic variation in elytral color polymorphism inC. sexmaculatais a product of selection by climate. The darker morph types might be advantageously able to make fuller use of insolation at higher latitudes, whereas the lighter morph types were likely to reduce heat stress at lower latitudes. In most areas acrossSoutheast andSouthAsia, all specimens were of the lightest type, which may imply either: (i) the saturation of genes expressing light morph types, which have less solar absorption, due to tropical climate; or (ii) an enhanced warning function of bright red against predators. OnMiyakoIsland ofJapan, a unique frequency of morph types was found compared to the adjacent areas.
Path–Dependent Evolution versus Intentional Management of Investment Ties in Science–Based Entrepreneurial Firms
Authors: Vanacker Tom , Manigart Sophie , Meuleman Miguel
Published: January 2013

This paper studies the role of entrepreneurs in investment tie formation in science–based entrepreneurial firms. Specifically, we address why investment tie formation is path dependent for some firms but more amenable to intentional management for others. Using longitudinal case studies, our evidence suggests that early investment tie formation is path dependent because scientific entrepreneurs typically approach only one or a few prospective investors from within their institutional context. Differences in experience between early investors affect the professionalization of entrepreneurial teams (or lack thereof), which influences the extent to which subsequent investment tie formation becomes more amenable to intentional management or remains path dependent.
How Entrepreneurs use Networks to Address Changing Resource Requirements during Early Venture Development
Authors: Sullivan Diane M. , Ford Cameron M.
Published: January 2013

Access to resources is a key challenge facing entrepreneurs during early venture development. Entrepreneurs’ networks serve as a principal means of identifying and acquiring needed resources. However, different stages of venture development may address different resource dependencies, suggesting entrepreneurs’ networks may need to change to meet changing resource requirements. By employing network theory and resource–dependence theory, we investigate how entrepreneurs may use networks to address changing resource needs during early venture development. Results illustrate how structural characteristics of entrepreneurs’ networks at venture launch are associated with network structure and content in early venture development in ways that may promote access to newly needed resources.
DiPaul, Inc.: Transitioning in Measured Steps
Authors: Shirokova Galina , Vega Gina , Kozyreva Tatiana
Published: January 2013

This case takes place in Russia in 2008, not quite 20 years into the post–Soviet developing economy. DiPaul was an authorized dealer of electronic instruments, equipment, and materials for the production and assembly of printed circuit boards as well as soldering equipment. Its core business was supplying measurement instruments and process equipment. In the summer of 2008, the chief executive officer, who was also the majority stockholder, decided to reassign authority in a formal organizational transition so that he could become more engaged in policy and leadership of the Association of Russian Producers of Electronic Appliances and Instruments. The protagonist's concerns were as follows: How to carry out such a management transition? Who among the top management team could fit the position best? How must the organizational structure of the company be changed to accommodate the shift in leadership? And importantly, what should his own future role be?
The Anchoring Function: Parental Authority and the Parent‐Child Bond
Authors: Omer Haim , Steinmetz Sarit G. , Carthy Tal , von Schlippe Arist
Published: January 2013

Descriptions of parental authority and of the formation of a secure parent‐child bond have remained unconnected in conceptualizations about parenting and child development. The parental anchoring function is here presented as an integrative metaphor for the two fields. Parents who fulfill an anchoring function offer a secure relational frame for the child, while also manifesting a stabilizing and legitimate kind of authority. The anchoring function enriches the two fields by: (1) adding a dimension of authority to the acknowledged functions of the safe haven and the secure base that are seen as core to a secure parent‐child bond, and (2) adding considerations about the parent‐child bond to Baumrind's classical description of authoritative parenting.