bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of fluorescence in situ hybridization to detect encapsulated Bacillus pumilus SAFR‐032 spores released from poly(methylmethacrylate)
Authors: Mohapatra Bidyut R. , La Duc Myron T.
Published: December 2011

Bacillus pumilus SAFR‐032 spores originally isolated from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory spacecraft assembly facility clean room are extremely resistant to UV radiation, H2O2, desiccation, chemical disinfection and starvation compared to spores of other Bacillus species. The resistance of B. pumilus SAFR‐032 spores to standard industrial clean room sterilization practices is not only a major concern for medical, pharmaceutical and food industries, but also a threat to the extraterrestrial environment during search for life via spacecraft. The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential of Alexa‐FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization with Alexa Fluor® 488 labeled oligonucleotide) method as a molecular diagnostic tool for enumeration of multiple sterilant‐resistant B. pumilus SAFR‐032 spores artificially encapsulated in, and released via organic solvent from, a model polymeric material: poly(methylmethacrylate) (Lucite, Plexiglas). Plexiglas is used extensively in various aerospace applications and in medical, pharmaceutical and food industries. Alexa‐FISH signals were not detected from spores via standard methods for vegetative bacterial cells. Optimization of a spore permeabilization protocol capitalizing on the synergistic action of proteinase‐K, lysozyme, mutanolysin and Triton X‐100 facilitated efficient spore detection by Alexa‐FISH microscopy. Neither of the Alexa‐probes tested gave rise to considerable levels of Lucite‐ or solvent‐associated background autofluorescence, demonstrating the immense potential of Alexa‐FISH for rapid quantification of encapsulated B. pumilus SAFR‐032 spores released from poly(methylmethacrylate).
Novel multiplexed genotyping of human papillomavirus using a VeraCode‐allele‐specific primer extension method
Authors: Kitamura‐Muramatsu Yuri , Kusumoto‐Matsuo Rika , Kondo Kazunari , Mori Seiichiro , Saito Susumu , Tsukahara Yusuke , Kukimoto Iwao
Published: December 2011

A VeraCode‐allele‐specific primer extension (ASPE) method was applied to the detection and genotyping of human papillomavirus (HPV)‐DNA. Oligonucleotide primers containing HPV‐type‐specific L1 sequences were annealed to HPV‐DNA amplified by PGMY‐PCR, followed by ASPE to label the DNA with biotinylated nucleotides. The labeled DNA was captured by VeraCode beads through hybridization, stained with a streptavidin‐conjugated fluorophore, and detected by an Illumina BeadXpress® reader. By using this system, 16 clinically important HPV types (HPV6, 11, 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 66 and 68) were correctly genotyped in a multiplex format. The VeraCode‐ASPE genotyping of clinical DNA samples yielded identical results with those obtained by validated PGMY‐reverse blot hybridization assay, providing a new platform for high‐throughput genotyping required for HPV epidemiological surveys.
Abstinence‐contingent recovery housing and reinforcement‐based treatment following opioid detoxification
Authors: Tuten Michelle , DeFulio Anthony , Jones Hendrée E. , Stitzer Maxine
Published: December 2011

Aims  To conduct a randomized, controlled trial of abstinence‐contingent recovery housing delivered with or without intensive day treatment among individuals exiting residential opioid detoxification.

Design  Random assignment to one of three conditions: recovery housing alone (RH), abstinence‐contingent recovery housing with reinforcement‐based treatment RBT (RH + RBT) or usual care (UC). RH and RH + RBT participants received 12 weeks of paid recovery housing contingent upon drug abstinence. RH + RBT participants also received 26 weeks of RBT, initiated concurrently with recovery housing. Assessments were conducted at 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment enrollment.

Setting  Out‐patient drug‐free substance abuse treatment program in Baltimore, Maryland.

Participants  Patients (n = 243) who completed medication‐assisted opioid detoxification.

Measurements  Primary outcome was drug abstinence (opioid‐ and cocaine‐negative urine and no self‐reported opioid or cocaine use in the previous 30 days). Secondary outcomes included abstinence at all time‐points (1, 3 and 6 months), days in recovery housing and employment.

Findings  Overall rates of drug abstinence were 50% for RH + RBT, 37% for RH and 13% for UC (P < 0.001). At 6 months, RH + RBT participants remained more likely to meet abstinence criteria than UC participants (37% versus 20%, P = 0.016). Length of stay in recovery housing mediated abstinence outcomes and was longer in RH + RBT (49.5 days) than in RH (32.2 days; P < 0.002).

Conclusions  Abstinence‐contingent recovery housing improves abstinence in opioid‐dependent adults following medication‐assisted detoxification. The addition of intensive ‘reinforcement‐based treatment’ behavioural counseling further improves treatment outcomes, in part by promoting longer recovery house stays.
Interventions to prevent substance use and risky sexual behaviour in young people: a systematic review
Authors: Jackson Caroline , Geddes Rosemary , Haw Sally , Frank John
Published: December 2011

Aims  To identify and assess the effectiveness of experimental studies of interventions that report on multiple risk behaviour outcomes in young people.

Methods  A systematic review was performed to identify experimental studies of interventions to reduce risk behaviour in adolescents or young adults and that reported on both any substance (alcohol, tobacco and illicit drug) use and sexual risk behaviour outcomes. Two authors reviewed studies independently identified through a comprehensive search strategy and assessed the quality of included studies. The report was prepared in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.

Results  From 1129 papers, 18 experimental studies met our inclusion criteria, 13 of which were assigned a strong or moderate quality rating. The substantial heterogeneity between studies precluded the pooling of results to give summary estimates. Intervention effects were mixed, with most programmes having a significant effect on some outcomes, but not others. The most promising interventions addressed multiple domains (individual and peer, family, school and community) of risk and protective factors for risk behaviour. Programmes that addressed just one domain were generally less effective in preventing multiple risk behaviour.

Conclusions  There is some, albeit limited, evidence that programmes to reduce multiple risk behaviours in school children can be effective, the most promising programmes being those that address multiple domains of influence on risk behaviour. Intervening in the mid‐childhood school years may have an impact on later risk behaviour, but further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of this approach.
One fungus, one name promotes progressive plant pathology
Authors: WINGFIELD MICHAEL J. , DE BEER Z. WILHELM , SLIPPERS BERNARD , WINGFIELD BRENDA D. , GROENEWALD JOHANNES Z. , LOMBARD LORENZO , CROUS PEDRO W.
Published: December 2011

The robust and reliable identification of fungi underpins virtually every element of plant pathology, from disease diagnosis to studies of biology, management/control, quarantine and, even more recently, comparative genomics. Most plant diseases are caused by fungi, typically pleomorphic organisms, for which the taxonomy and, in particular, a dual nomenclature system have frustrated and confused practitioners of plant pathology. The emergence of DNA sequencing has revealed cryptic taxa and revolutionized our understanding of relationships in the fungi. The impacts on plant pathology at every level are already immense and will continue to grow rapidly as new DNA sequencing technologies continue to emerge. DNA sequence comparisons, used to resolve a dual nomenclature problem for the first time only 19 years ago, have made it possible to approach a natural classification for the fungi and to abandon the confusing dual nomenclature system. The journey to a one fungus, one name taxonomic reality has been long and arduous, but its time has come. This will inevitably have a positive impact on plant pathology, plant pathologists and future students of this hugely important discipline on which the world depends for food security and plant health in general. This contemporary review highlights the problems of a dual nomenclature, especially its impact on plant pathogenic fungi, and charts the road to a one fungus, one name system that is rapidly drawing near.
Association analyses of porcine SERPINE1 reveal sex‐specific effects on muscling, growth, fat accretion and meat quality
Authors: Weisz F. , Bartenschlager H. , Knoll A. , Mileham A. , Deeb N. , Geldermann H. , Čepica S.
Published: December 2011

The serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade E (nexin, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1), member 1 (SERPINE1) gene encodes plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI), which is the major physiological inhibitor of tissue‐type and urokinase‐type plasminogen activators and plays a role in obesity and insulin resistance in women but not in men. We detected SNP FN396538:g.566G>A in intron 3 and a non‐synonymous substitution NM_213910:c.612A>G in exon 3 (p.Ile159Val) and mapped the gene to position 8.4 cM on the linkage map of chromosome 3. Association analyses were conducted on the 12th–15th generation of the Meishan × Large White (MLW) cross (n = 565), with records for weight at the end of test, lifetime daily gain, test time daily gain, loin depth and backfat depth, as well as on a European wild boar × Meishan (W × M) F2 population (n = 333) with 47 traits recorded for carcass composition and meat quality. Analyses performed across the entire MLW population or in the male animals did not show any trait significantly associated with the loci studied. In female animals, both SNPs were associated with loin depth at nominal P < 0.05 with adjusted P values equal to 0.051 (g.566) and 0.057 (c.612). Differences between homozygotes were up to 0.65 SD. In the entire W × M population and female animals, SERPINE1 was significantly associated at adjusted P < 0.05 in descending order with muscling, growth and fat accretion and in male animals with meat quality (R‐value). In the studied populations, allele effects were in opposite directions, which implies that the SNPs are markers that are in linkage disequilibrium with a causative mutation.
The Pliocene‐Quaternary wedge‐top basins of southern Italy: an expression of propagating lateral slab tear beneath the Apennines
Authors: Ascione Alessandra , Ciarcia Sabatino , Di Donato Valentino , Mazzoli Stefano , Vitale Stefano
Published: December 2011

In recent years, contrasting seismic tomographic images have given rise to an extensive debate about the occurrence and implications of migrating slab detachment beneath southern Italy. One of the most pertinent aspects of this process is the concentration of the slab pull force, and particularly its surface expression in terms of vertical motions and related basin subsidence/uplift. In this study we focused on shallow‐water to continental, Pliocene‐Quaternary basins that formed on top of the Apennine allochthonous wedge after its emplacement onto a large foreland carbonate platform domain (Apulian Platform). Due to the thick‐skinned style of deformation controlling the Pliocene‐Pleistocene stages of continental shortening, a high degree of coupling with the downgoing plate appears to characterize the late tectonic evolution of the southern Apennines. Therefore, the wedge‐top basins analysed in this study, although occurring on the deformed edge of the overriding plate, are capable of recording deep geodynamic processes affecting the slab. Detailed stratigraphic work on these wedge‐top basins points to a progressive SE‐ward migration of basin subsidence from c. 4 to c. 2.8 Ma over a distance of about 140 km along the strike of the Apennine belt. Such a migration is consistent with a redistribution of slab‐pull forces associated with the progressive lateral migration at a mean rate in the range of 12–14 cm y–1 of a slab tear within the down‐going Adriatic lithosphere. These results yield fundamental information on the rates of first‐order geodynamic processes affecting the slab, and on related surface response.
Thermo‐tectonic evolution of the south‐central Pyrenees from rifting to orogeny: insights from detrital zircon U/Pb and (U‐Th)/He thermochronometry
Authors: Filleaudeau Pierre‐Yves , Mouthereau Frédéric , Pik Raphaël
Published: December 2011

Constraining the thermal and denudational evolution of continental margins from extensional episodes to early orogenic stages is critical in the objective to better understand the sediment routing during the growth of orogenic topography. Here, we report 160 detrital zircon U/Pb ages and 73 (U‐Th)/He ages from Albian, Upper Cretaceous and Eocene sandstones from the south‐central Pyrenees. All samples show dominant zircon U/Pb age peaks at 310–320 Ma, indicating a primary contribution from Variscan granites of the central Pyrenean Axial Zone. A secondary population at 450–600 Ma documents zircon grains sourced from the eastern Pyrenees. Zircon (U‐Th)/He ages recovered from older samples document, a Triassic age peak at ca. 241 Ma, corresponding to denudation coeval with the initiation of Atlantic rifting. An Early Cretaceous cooling event at ca. 133 Ma appears consistent with rift‐related exhumation and thermal overprint on the Iberian margin. The (U‐Th)/He age peaks from ca. 80 Ma to ca. 68 Ma with decreasing depositional ages are interpreted to reflect the southward‐migrating thrust‐related exhumation on the pro‐wedge side of the Pyrenean orogen. The increase in lag times, from ca. 15 Ma in the Tremp Formation (ca. 65 Ma) to 28 Ma in the Escanilla Formation (ca. 40 Ma), suggests decreasing exhumation rates from 0.4 km Myr–1 to 0.2 km Myr–1. The apparent inconsistency with convergence rates is used to infer that rocks cooled at 68 Ma may have resided in the crust before final exhumation to the surface. Finally, the cooling event observed at 68 Ma provides support to the inferred acceleration of convergence, shortening and exhumation during Late Cretaceous times.
T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: recent molecular biology findings
Authors: Kraszewska Monika D. , Dawidowska Małgorzata , Szczepański Tomasz , Witt Michał
Published: December 2011

For many years, T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T‐ALL) has been considered and treated as a single malignancy, but divergent outcomes in T‐ALL patients receiving uniform treatment protocols encouraged intensive research on the molecular biology of this disease. Recent findings in the field demonstrate that T‐ALL is much more heterogeneous than originally believed and extremely diverse outcomes of patients require refinement of T‐ALL classification, leading to subtype‐specific adjustment of treatment. Many different biological features of T‐ALL blast cells have recently been found to contribute to disease development and patient outcome and their analysis could potentially be introduced into improved diagnostics and classification of the disease. This review focuses on five key issues of T‐ALL biology: chromosome aberrations, gene expression profiles, gene mutations, DNA methylation patterns, and immunoglobulin/T cell receptor (Ig/TCR) gene rearrangements. Additionally, molecular monitoring of minimal residual disease, by far the most reliable independent prognostic factor in T‐ALL, has been highlighted in the context of Ig/TCR gene rearrangements. Translation of this biological information into better prognostic classification and more effective treatment should lead to improvement of outcome in T‐ALL patients.
Hot mothers, cool eggs: nest‐site selection by egg‐guarding spiders accommodates conflicting thermal optima
Authors: Pike David A. , Webb Jonathan K. , Shine Richard
Published: December 2011

1. In oviparous species providing maternal care, the choice of nest site is crucial for the survival of both the eggs and the mother. Most embryos only develop successfully within a narrow range of incubation conditions, which may differ from the mother’s own requirements.

2. How, then, do nest‐attending mothers select sites that provide suitable conditions for embryonic development, without compromising their own viability?

3. We investigated nest‐site selection in flat‐rock spiders, Hemicloea major, a species that guards fixed egg sacs in a thermally challenging environment (under sun‐exposed rocks). Females glue egg sacs beneath rocks during late spring and guard their eggs during summer, when temperatures beneath rocks often exceed 50 °C.

4. Our field surveys show that spiders laid eggs beneath rocks that were larger and thinner, and thus hotter, than were most available rocks. However, the egg sacs almost invariably were glued to the coolest sites on the substrate beneath a rock, rather than to the (hotter, by about 9 °C) underside of the rock.

5. By affixing their egg sacs to the coolest locations beneath the hottest rocks, females ensured that their developing offspring experienced moderate temperatures and avoided lethal extremes and, simultaneously, gave themselves access to much hotter areas (that enhance their feeding and growth rates) under the same rock. This strategy allows mobile adult spiders to actively select higher temperatures than can be tolerated by their embryos, while remaining close enough to their eggs for effective nest guarding.
Simulated N deposition negatively impacts sugar maple regeneration in a northern hardwood ecosystem
Authors: Patterson Sierra L. , Zak Donald R. , Burton Andrew J. , Talhelm Alan F. , Pregitzer Kurt S.
Published: December 2011

1. During the next century, atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is projected to more than double, potentially leading to a decline in plant diversity as well as a change in plant community composition and structure.

2. In a decade‐long field experiment, simulated atmospheric N deposition has slowed litter decay, resulting in an accumulation of forest floor (i.e. Oi & Oe horizons). We reasoned that a greater forest floor mass under simulated N deposition would impose a physical barrier to sugar maple Acer saccharum seedling establishment, thereby reducing seedling populations of an ecologically and economically important tree species.

3. To test this idea, we first quantified sugar maple seedling abundance in replicate northern hardwood forest stands receiving ambient atmospheric N (7–12 kg N ha−1 year−1) and experimental atmospheric N deposition, simulating future amounts in eastern North America (ambient plus 30 kg NO3− N ha−1 year−1). Then, we experimentally manipulated forest floor mass under ambient and simulated N deposition treatments. Finally, we transplanted first‐year established seedlings into areas receiving ambient and simulated N deposition and quantified their mortality after 1 year.

4. First‐year seedling abundance did not differ under ambient and simulated N deposition; however, there were greater abundances of second‐ and third‐to‐fifth‐year seedlings under ambient N deposition (P < 0·001). In all cases, experimental manipulation to increase forest floor mass, equivalent to that under simulated N deposition, resulted in significantly (P = 0·001) fewer established individuals, regardless of whether the greater forest floor mass occurred under ambient or simulated N deposition. Finally, fewer 1‐year‐old transplanted seedlings survived when grown under simulated N, albeit that result was not statistically significant.

5. Synthesis and applications. The slowing of decay and the accumulation of forest floor under anthropogenic N deposition can negatively impact seedling survival and potentially alter stand development and structural diversity. As atmospheric N deposition increases globally, it becomes necessary to understand the mechanisms that lead to population changes for ecologically important tree species. The responses we document should be considered in simulations of future of forestdynamics, as atmospheric N deposition continues to increase, specifically when sugar maple life‐history traits are included to simulate regeneration, structural diversity and stand development.
Microinfusion of a Corticotrophin‐Releasing Hormone Receptor 1 Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotide into the Dorsal Hippocampus Attenuates Stress Responses at Specific Times After Stress Exposure
Authors: Kozlovsky N. , Zohar J. , Kaplan Z. , Cohen H.
Published: December 2011

Corticotrophin‐releasing hormone (CRH) plays a key role in the adjustment of neuroendocrine and behavioural adaptations to stress. Dysregulation in CRH systems has been implicated in a variety of stress‐related psychiatric disorders such as post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study examined the relationship between stress‐induced PTSD‐like behavioural response patterns and levels of CRH, CRH receptor (CHR‐R)1 and phosphorylated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (pERK1/2) in the rat hippocampus subregions. The effects of pharmacological manipulations on behavioural, physiological and response patterns of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and pERK1/2 expression using a CRH receptor (CRH‐R)1‐antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (CRH‐R1‐ASODN) were evaluated. CRH and CRH‐R1 mRNA and pERK1/2 protein levels were assessed in the hippocampus subregions 7 days after exposure to predator scent stress (PSS). The effects of CRH‐ASODN versus CRH‐Scrambled‐ODN microinfusion to the dorsal hippocampus either 1 h or 48 h post‐exposure on behavioural tests (elevated plus maze and acoustic startle response) were evaluated 7 days later, 14 days after PSS exposure. Localised brain expression of BDNF and ERK1/2 was subsequently assessed. All data were analysed in relation to individual behaviour patterns. A distinct pattern associated with extreme behavioural response (EBR) was revealed in the bioassay of behavioural study subjects, classified according to their individual patterns of behavioural response at 7 days. These EBR individuals displayed significantly higher CRH and CRH‐R1 mRNA levels in the CA1 and CA3 areas, mediating down‐regulation of pERK1/2 protein levels. Microinfusion of a CRH‐R1‐ASODN into the dorsal hippocampus 48 h after stress exposure, although not immediately after exposure (1 h), significantly reduced behavioural disruption and was associated with concomitant up‐regulation of BDNF and pERK1/2 protein levels compared to CRH‐R1‐Scrambled ‐ODN controls. CRH/CRH‐R1 is actively involved in the neurobiological response to predator scent stress processes and thus warrants further study as a potential therapeutic avenue for the treatment of anxiety‐related disorders.
Gene expression profiles associated with anaemia and ITPA genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH‐C)
Authors: Birerdinc A. , Estep M. , Afendy A. , Stepanova M. , Younossi I. , Baranova A. , Younossi Z. M.
Published: December 2011

Summary.  Anaemia is a common side effect of ribavirin (RBV) which is used for the treatment of hepatitis C. Inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism (C to A) protects against RBV‐induced anaemia. The aim of our study was to genotype patients for inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism rs1127354 SNP (CC or CA) and associate treatment‐induced anaemia with gene expression profile and genotypes. We used 67 hepatitis C patients with available gene expression, clinical, laboratory data and whole‐blood samples. Whole blood was used to determine inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism rs1127354 genotypes (CC or CA). The cohort with inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism CA genotype revealed a distinct pattern of protection against anaemia and a lower drop in haemoglobin. A variation in the propensity of CC carriers to develop anaemia prompted us to look for additional predictors of anaemia during pegylated interferon (PEG‐IFN) and RBV. Pretreatment blood samples of patients receiving a full course of PEG‐IFN and RBV were used to assess expression of 153 genes previously implicated in host response to viral infections. The gene expression data were analysed according to presence of anaemia and inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism genotypes. Thirty‐six genes were associated with treatment‐related anaemia, six of which are involved in the response to hypoxia pathway (HIF1A, AIF1, RHOC, PTEN, LCK and PDGFB). There was a substantial overlap between sustained virological response (SVR)‐predicting and anaemia‐related genes; however, of the nine JAK‐STAT pathway‐related genes associated with SVR, none were implicated in anaemia. These observations exclude the direct involvement of antiviral response in the development of anaemia associated with PEG‐IFN and RBV treatment, whereas another, distinct component within the SVR‐associated gene expression response may predict anaemia. We have identified baseline gene expression signatures associated with RBV‐induced anaemia and identified its functional pathways. In particular, we identified the hypoxia response pathway and the apoptosis/survival‐related gene network, as differentially expressed in chronic hepatitis C patients with anaemia.
Stand structure modulates the long‐term vulnerability ofPinus halepensisto climatic drought in a semiarid Mediterranean ecosystem
Authors: MORENO‐GUTIÉRREZ CRISTINA , BATTIPAGLIA GIOVANNA , CHERUBINI PAOLO , SAURER MATTHIAS , NICOLÁS EMILIO , CONTRERAS SERGIO , QUEREJETA JOSÉ IGNACIO
Published: December 2011

We investigated whether stand structure modulates the long‐term physiological performance and growth ofPinus halepensisMill. in a semiarid Mediterranean ecosystem. Tree radial growth and carbon and oxygen stable isotope composition of latewood (δ13CLWandδ18OLW, respectively) from 1967 to 2007 were measured inP. halepensistrees from two sharply contrasting stand types: open woodlands with widely scattered trees versus dense afforested stands.

In both stand types, tree radial growth,δ13CLWandδ18OLWwere strongly correlated with annual rainfall, thus indicating that tree performance in this semiarid environment is largely determined by inter‐annual changes in water availability.

However, trees in dense afforested stands showed consistently higherδ18OLWand similarδ13CLWvalues compared with those in neighbouring open woodlands, indicating lower stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rates in the former, but little difference in water use efficiency between stand types. Trees in dense afforested stands were more water stressed and showed lower radial growth, overall suggesting greater vulnerability to drought and climate aridification compared with trees in open woodlands.

In this semiarid ecosystem, the negative impacts of intense inter‐tree competition for water onP. halepensisperformance clearly outweigh potential benefits derived from enhanced infiltration and reduced run‐off losses in dense afforested stands.
Discovery of the Quedius antipodum Sharp larva from New Zealand: phylogenetic test of larval morphology for Staphylinini at the intratribal level (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae)
Authors: PIETRYKOWSKA‐TUDRUJ EWA , STANIEC BERNARD , SOLODOVNIKOV ALEXEY
Published: December 2011

Quedius antipodum Sharp is an endemic species from New Zealand. Here we describe its larva, the first of the species‐rich group of the south temperate ‘Quedius’ spp. This finding throws light on the controversy between the conventional systematics of Quedius Stephens and newer phylogenetic analyses, both of which are based on non‐larval characters only. We compare the larva of Q. antipodum with those of the north temperate Quedius (Quediina), where it was traditionally placed, and with the known larvae of Amblyopinina, a group where Q. antipodum was placed by recent phylogenetic studies. Sister‐group relationships of Q. antipodum within the tribe Staphylinini are explored based on larvae by means of parsimony analysis: 77 morphological characters scored for 20 species from 17 genera. Consistent with the adult morphology and DNA sequences, larvae‐based cladistic analysis confirms that Q. antipodum should not be placed in the north temperate genus Quedius. However, larval analysis alone remains dubious with respect to finding the exact sister relationships of that species.
Causative significance of bladder blood flow in lower urinary tract symptoms
Authors: Matsumoto Seiji , Kakizaki Hidehiro
Published: December 2011

The association between metabolic syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms has been attracting enormous interest and attention. This enthusiasm is based on the presence of many common risk factors being involved in both metabolic syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms, as shown by various epidemiological studies. Metabolic syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms have many pathophysiological features in common, particularly overactive bladder. Herein, we analyze the pathophysiological relationship between metabolic syndrome and lower urinary tract symptoms with a special emphasis on bladder blood flow. We also propose a new treatment strategy for treating lower urinary tract symptoms from the viewpoint of bladder blood flow.
Protein kinase C inhibitor prevents renal apoptotic and fibrotic changes in response to partial ureteric obstruction
Authors: Juan Yung‐Shun , Chuang Shu‐Mien , Long Cheng‐Yu , Lin Rong‐Jyh , Liu Keh‐Min , Wu Wen‐Jeng , Huang Chun‐Hsiung
Published: December 2011

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Protein kinase C inhibitor (PKCI) can decrease glomerular and tubular cell apoptosis and mitosis and attenuate collagen accumulation and fibronectin expression in a PUUO rat model.

Although the role of PKC has been well studied in diabetic nephropathy, there is no report on its role in obstructive nephropathy. This investigation evaluated the processes that were associated with the activation of PKCα and PKCβ pathways and showed that PKCI played an important role in the protection of renal function during ureteric obstruction.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the expression of the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway after partial unilateral ureteric obstruction (PUUO).

To evaluate the therapeutic potential of a PKC inhibitor (PKCI) in obstructive nephropathy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty‐six rats were divided into three groups. One sham‐operated group served as the control. The other two groups received PUUO surgery, after which one group received no treatment and the other group was treated with PKCI, chelerythrine.

The severity of hydronephrosis and renal morphology were assessed: tubular and glomerularcell apoptosis, mitosis and interstitial fibrosis were examined using immunohistochemistry.

Western immunoblots were performed to determine fibronectin, transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β), and PKC isoform levels.

RESULTS

Two weeks after PUUO surgery, hydronephrosis progressively developed. Tubular‐interstitial fibrosis, collagen deposition and fibronectin expression were increased.

PUUO also activated the expression of PKCα and PKCβ and the translocation of PKCs from cell cytosol to cell membranes.

Treatment with PKCI significantly decreased PKCα and PKCβ expression and translocation in the renal cortex.

Treatment with PKCI also reduced the severity of hydronephrosis, decreased both glomerular and tubular cell apoptosis and mitosis, and attenuated the collagen and fibronectin accumulation in renal interstitium.

CONCLUSIONS

Renal tubular apoptosis and interstitial fibrosis after obstructive nephropathy are associated with PKCα and PKCβ activation.

The PKCI, chelerythrine, is capable of decreasing PKC expression and translocation in the renal cortex, suggesting that this inhibitor may have therapeutic potential in the protection of renal function in the first few weeks after PUUO surgery.
Diagnosis and medical treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms in adult men: applying specialist guidelines in clinical practice
Authors: Oelke Matthias , Burger Maximilian , Castro‐Diaz David , Chartier‐Kastler Emmanuel , Cidre Miguel A. Jimènez , McNicholas Tom , Radziszewski Piotr , Kirby Mike
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)

Level of Evidence 4

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Several sets of comprehensive treatment guidelines (national and international) exist for managing male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), but these are not widely adopted in primary and secondary care, and are not consistently applied across Europe.

This paper will improve the consistency of treatment approaches for adult males with LUTS by providing a clear, concise summary of existing treatment guidelines that can be easily adopted by urologists and primary care specialists.

OBJECTIVE

To review current treatment guidelines (international and national) on managing male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and to summarize them for easy application in clinical practice.

METHODS

A group of European urology specialists from primary and secondary care reviewed current treatment guidelines for male LUTS.

RESULTS

The most appropriate recommendations for managing male LUTS were identified from existing international and national guidelines, and were summarized and simplified for use as a quick reference guide for healthcare professionals managing LUTS in adult males.

CONCLUSIONS

Current guidelines for managing male LUTS were developed by urologists and are too complex for easy application in routine practice.

This brief summary of current guidance should help to achieve consistent adoption of recommendations for best practice, improve working relationships between primary care specialists and urologists and clarify which patients' treatments should be managed entirely by urology specialists.
Support for breaking the nexus between alcohol and community sports settings: Findings from the VicHealth Community Attitudes Survey in Australia
Authors: TOBIN CLAIRE L. , FITZGERALD JOHN L. , LIVINGSTONE CHARLES , THOMSON LISA , HARPER TODD A.
Published: December 2011

Introduction and Aims. This study describes levels and predictors of community attitudes towards alcohol, support for structural alterations to the drinking context, and intention to increase participation in community sports clubs.

Design and Methods. Cross‐sectional data were obtained from the VicHealth Community Attitudes Survey on Healthy Sporting Environments, administered to a random sample of Victorian adults. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis was undertaken.

Results. Very high support for removing alcohol sponsorship of community sport and for a levy on alcohol advertising was found. The groups most supportive of breaking the nexus between alcohol and community sport were female, older‐aged and non‐English‐speaking citizens and those not involved in sport clubs. If alcohol sales at community sports clubs were reduced, participation may increase among population groups currently identified as least engaged with community sport.

Discussion and Conclusions. An optimal climate exists for policy reforms to make community sporting environments healthier by reducing the ties with alcohol. If implemented, these reforms may lead to an increase and diversification of participants in community sport.[Tobin CL, Fitzgerald JL, Livingstone C, Thomson L, Harper TA. Support for breaking the nexus between alcohol and community sports settings: Findings from the VicHealth Community Attitudes Survey in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:413–421]
R&D EFFICIENCY AND THE NATIONAL INNOVATION SYSTEM: AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON USING THE DISTANCE FUNCTION APPROACH
Authors: Hu Jin‐Li , Yang Chih‐Hai , Chen Chiang‐Ping
Published: December 2011

This paper applies the distance function approach for stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to compare research and development (R&D) efficiency across 24 nations during 1998–2005. In this multiple input–output framework, R&D expenditure stock and R&D manpower were inputs, while patents, scientific journal articles, and royalties and licensing fees (RLF) were outputs. Intellectual property rights protection, technological cooperation among business sectors, knowledge transfer between business sectors and higher education institutions, agglomeration of R&D facilities, and involvement of the government sector in R&D activities significantly improve national R&D efficiency.
Microbial status and product labelling of 58 original tattoo inks
Authors: Høgsberg T. , Saunte D.M. , Frimodt‐Møller N. , Serup J.
Published: December 2011

Background  European Council resolutions on tattoo ink introduce sterility and preservation of inks to protect customers. Inks used in Denmark are typically purchased over the internet from international suppliers and manufacturers from the US and the UK. In Denmark tattoo inks are regulated and labelled according to REACH as if they were plain chemicals.

Objective  The objective of this study was to check the microbial product safety of unopened and opened tattoo ink stock bottles. Packaging, labelling, preservation, sterility and contamination with micro‐organisms were studied.

Methods  Physical inspection and culture of bacteria and fungi.

Results  Six of 58 unopened stock bottles (10%) were contaminated with bacteria and one of six samples (17%) of previously used stock bottles was contaminated. The bacterial species represented bacteria considered pathogenic in humans as well as non‐pathogenic environmental bacteria. Yeast or moulds were detected in none of the samples. A total of 31% of the manufacturers informed only about the brand name. No information about content, sterility, risks or expiry date was indicated on the label. A total of 42% claimed sterility of their inks. A total of 54% labelled a maximum period of durability of typically 2–3 years. The physical sealing was leaking in 28% of the products.

Conclusions  The European Council resolutions regarding safety of tattoo inks are not effective. Stock bottles of tattoo ink may contain bacteria pathogenic to humans and environmental bacteria, and packaging, labelling and preservation of inks are of inadequate quality. Claim of sterility can be erroneous.
Metastatic melanoma: spontaneous occurrence of auto antibodies is a good prognosis factor in a prospective cohort
Authors: Maire C. , Vercambre‐Darras S. , Devos P. , D’Herbomez M. , Dubucquoi S. , Mortier L.
Published: December 2011

Background  Melanoma is an immunogenic tumour type frequently associated with spontaneous auto‐immune manifestations such as spontaneous regression, vitiligo‐like reactions or auto‐immune retinopathy, which seem to be associated with better prognosis.

Objectives  The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the correlation between spontaneous autoimmunity and survival in patients with stage IV melanoma.

Methods  From 2007 to 2008, 103 patients were studied with antithyroid and antinuclear auto antibody assays performed every 6 months. Any detectable occurrence of a spontaneous self antibody (SpSA) at the upper detection limit, at least for one assay, was considered to be a biological marker of autoimmunity.

Results  Univariate and multivariate analyses confirmed significantly longer survival in the absence of known primary melanoma (P = 0.044) and in the presence of marker of biologic autoimmunity, independently of previous immunotherapy (P = 0.045).

Conclusions  This prospective and comparative study is, to our knowledge, the first to report the frequency of SpSA in stage IV melanoma. Our results suggest that spontaneous autoimmunity, through a rupture of self‐tolerance, is a good prognostic factor in a subgroup of patients with stage IV melanoma.
A specific multi‐nutrient formulation enhances M1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor responses in vitro
Authors: Savelkoul Paul J. M. , Janickova Helena , Kuipers Almar A. M. , Hageman Robert J. J. , Kamphuis Patrick J. , Dolezal Vladimir , Broersen Laus M.
Published: December 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 631–640.

Recent evidence indicates that supplementation with a specific combination of nutrients may affect cell membrane synthesis and composition. To investigate whether such nutrients may also modify the physical properties of membranes, and affect membrane‐bound processes involved in signal transduction pathways, we studied the effects of nutrient supplementation on G protein‐coupled receptor activation in vitro. In particular, we investigated muscarinic receptors, which are important for the progression of memory deterioration and pathology of Alzheimer’s disease. Nerve growth factor differentiated pheochromocytoma cells that were supplemented with specific combinations of nutrients showed enhanced responses to muscarinic receptor agonists in a membrane potential assay. The largest effects were obtained with a combination of nutrients known as Fortasyn™ Connect, comprising docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, uridine monophosphate as a uridine source, choline, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, phospholipids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. In subsequent experiments, it was shown that the effects of supplementation could not be attributed to single nutrients. In addition, it was shown that the agonist‐induced response and the supplement‐induced enhancement of the response were blocked with the muscarinic receptor antagonists atropine, telenzepine, and AF‐DX 384. In order to determine whether the effects of Fortasyn™ Connect supplementation were receptor subtype specific, we investigated binding properties and activation of human muscarinic M1, M2 and M4 receptors in stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells after supplementation. Multi‐nutrient supplementation did not change M1 receptor density in plasma membranes. However, M1 receptor‐mediated G protein activation was significantly enhanced. In contrast, supplementation of M2‐ or M4‐expressing cells did not affect receptor signaling. Taken together, these results indicate that a specific combination of nutrients acts synergistically in enhancing muscarinic M1 receptor responses, probably by facilitating receptor‐mediated G protein activation.
Nogo‐66 inhibits adhesion and migration of microglia via GTPase Rho pathway in vitro
Authors: Yan Jun , Zhou Xiao , Guo Jing‐Jing , Mao Lei , Wang Yi‐Jin , Sun Jing , Sun Li‐Xin , Zhang Lu‐Yong , Zhou Xin‐Fu , Liao Hong
Published: December 2011

J. Neurochem. (2012) 120, 721–731.

Nogo‐66 is a 66‐amino‐acid‐residue extracellular domain of Nogo‐A, which plays a key role in inhibition neurite outgrowth of central nervous system through binding to the Nogo‐66 receptor (NgR) expressed on the neuron. Recent studies have confirmed that NgR is also expressed on the surface of macrophages/microglia in multiple sclerosis, but its biological effects remain unknown. In the present study, our results demonstrated that Nogo‐66 triggered microglia anti‐adhesion and inhibited their migration in vitro, which was mediated by NgR. We also assessed the roles of small GTP (glycosyl phosphatidylinositol)‐binding proteins of the Rho family as the downstream signal transducers on the microglia adhesion and mobility induced by Nogo‐66. The results showed that Nogo‐66 activated RhoA and reduced the activity of Cdc42 in the meanwhile, which further triggered the anti‐adhesion and migration inhibition effects to microglia. Nogo‐66 inhibited microglia polarization and membrane protrusion formation, thus might eventually contribute to the decreasing capability of cell mobility. Taken together, the Nogo‐66/NgR pathway may modulate neuroinflammation via mediating microglia adhesion and migration in addition to its role in neurons. Better understanding the relationship between Nogo‐66/NgR and neuroinflammation may help targeting NgR for treating central nervous system diseases related with inflammation.
Acute phase proteins in the diagnosis and prediction of cirrhosis associated bacterial infections
Authors: Papp Maria , Vitalis Zsuzsanna , Altorjay Istvan , Tornai Istvan , Udvardy Miklos , Harsfalvi Jolan , Vida Andras , Kappelmayer Janos , Lakatos Peter L. , Antal‐Szalmas Peter
Published: December 2011

Background

Bacterial infections are common cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with cirrhosis. The early diagnosis of these infections is rather difficult.

Aims

To assess the accuracy of acute phase proteins in the identification of bacterial infections.

Methods

Concentration of C‐reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), lipopolysaccharide‐binding protein (LBP), sCD14 and antimicrobial antibodies were measured in serum of 368 well‐characterized patients with cirrhosis of whom 139 had documented infection. Clinical data was gathered by reviewing the patients’ medical charts.

Results

Serum levels of CRP, PCT and LBP were significantly higher in patients with clinically overt infections. Among the markers, CRP – using a 10 mg/L cut‐off value– proved to be the most accurate in identifying patients with infection (AUC: 0.93). The accuracy of CRP, however, decreased in advanced stage of the disease, most probably because of the significantly elevated CRP levels in non‐infected patients. Combination of CRP and PCT increased the sensitivity and negative predictive value, compared with CRP on its own, by 10 and 5% respectively. During a 3‐month follow‐up period in patients without overt infections, Kaplan–Meier and proportional Cox‐regression analyses showed that a CRP value of >10 mg/L (P = 0.035) was independently associated with a shorter duration to progress to clinically significant bacterial infections. There was no correlation between acute phase protein levels and antimicrobial seroreactivity.

Conclusions

C‐reactive protein on its own is a sensitive screening test for the presence of bacterial infections in cirrhosis and is also a useful marker to predict the likelihood of clinically significant bacterial infections in patients without overt infections.
Repair of Chondral Defects With Allogenous Chondrocyte‐Seeded Hyaluronan/Collagen II Microspheres in a Rabbit Model
Authors: Lin Li‐Chun , Chang Shwu Jen , Lin Chia Yun , Lin Yi Ting , Chuang Chin Wen , Yao Chun‐Hsu , Kuo Shyh Ming
Published: December 2011

Using a recently established method to prepare hyaluronan/collagen II (HA/Col II) microspheres for a novel biomaterial to couple with living cells/tissues, this animal model study evaluated the effects on a 4‐week healing process of chondral defects by the implantation of allogenous chondrocyte‐seeded HA/Col II microspheres that had been cultured in vitro for 7 days prior to implantation compared with unseeded HA/Col II microspheres or an untreated wound. Four weeks postsurgery, the untreated group's defect was filled with translucent soft tissue. At the same time, the edges and demarcation lines of the healing defects that were implanted with either HA/Col II microspheres or chondrocyte‐seeded HA/Col II microspheres were infused yet recognizable. Furthermore, the new tissues were well integrated into the surrounding articular cartilage. Less glycosaminoglycan (GAG) staining was observed in the defects implanted with HA/Col II microspheres, which indicated that most of the repair tissues were derived from fibrocartilage formation. Conversely, more GAG staining appeared in the defect implanted with chondrocyte‐seeded HA/Col II microspheres, which demonstrated a higher level of hyaline cartilage regeneration. Due to the short healing period assigned to this study, the repaired cartilage showed limited incorporation into the surrounding host cartilage and some loose connection to the subchondral bone.