bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Associations for birthweight of twin pairs in south India
Authors: Singh Arati , Singh Anupama , Nirmalan Praveen K.
Published: October 2013

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the distribution and associations of birthweight in twin pairs among a population of pregnant women in south India.

Material and Methods

This was a retrospective case record analysis of 705 twin pair pregnancies during the period 2008–2012. Associations of birthweight with maternal age, parity, pregnancy‐induced hypertension (PIH), gestational diabetes, obesity, chorionicity and sex of the twin pairs was explored using bivariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

The median birthweight (4250 g, interquartile range 3530–4810) of dichorionic twins was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than monochorionic twins (3880 g, interquartile range 3000–4380). Birthweight was associated with chorionicity (t = 4.04, P < 0.001), obesity (t = 2.44, P = 0.03), nulliparity (t = −2.87, P = 0.004), and PIH (t = −2.11, P = 0.04) in a multivariate linear regression model. Birthweights did not differ significantly between female–male and female–female pairs (t = 0.11, P = 0.81), female–male and male–male pairs (t = −0.62, P = 0.54) or female–female and male–male pairs (t = −0.78, P = 0.43) in a multivariate linear regression model. The highest birthweight of the twin pair did not differ significantly (t = 1.27, P = 0.21) by sex of the twin.

Conclusions

Birthweight of twins was significantly associated with chorionicity, obesity, PIH and nulliparity in this population. A potential masculinization effect was not found as the total birthweights did not differ significantly by sex of the twin pairs.
Durable response after just one cycle of belotecan‐based chemotherapy in a patient with relapsed primary peritoneal serous carcinoma
Authors: Lee Guk Jin , Min Ji Won , Seo Min Wu , Lee Mi Yeong , Jin Jong Youl
Published: October 2013

The efficacy of second‐line chemotherapy for relapsed primary peritoneal serous carcinoma has been numerously reported, but reports on durable response after second‐line therapy have been rare. We report the case of a 66‐year‐old woman with relapsed primary peritoneal serous carcinoma who showed durable response after just one cycle of second‐line belotecan‐based therapy. The response might be a complete pathologic remission. Considering the fact that our patient suffered from neutropenic sepsis during her treatment, we concluded that belotecan‐based chemotherapy could be a good option for second‐line chemotherapy in some selected patients, so patient selection should be carefully performed due to the toxicity of belotecan.
All Things Thrown and Wonderful, All Memories Great and Small
Authors: Wilkinson Alex
Published: October 2013

And the Lord God made them all. I went to Sunday school and like lots of other kids (though far from all) came to an age at which I simply stopped going. Nothing conscious about it, I don't think, it's just those sets of spaces stopped becoming; stopped like nothing physical can stop, like a car crashing into a wall and instead of rebounding being merely consumed in whole. I (re)member, in my naive teens (when is this? I do not know. Perhaps the time of the Iraq war, but maybe this was a different car journey) I once came out with the statement (which was not particularly naive especially) “I think God exists, how did we all get here otherwise”. Me, my sister that is two years older than me, my mum and dad, were on the road from Auchmuir Bridge towards Stirling around Loch Leven, the loch in Fife, Scotland, on which Mary Queen of Scots was held on an island. I have an image of a memory of going there as well. It is thus, however, that I (re)member the initiation into a different vision of the universe and everything. Yet it is a state clearly pleated bewilderingly. As an event it exists in what Deleuze and Guattari term a “rhizome, a burrow”, with “flights of escape” which have no beginnings or ends, mere initialities and finalities. This is strange. It is not a polemic, nor does it have an explicit argument, except perhaps to ask the question that always dances on a pinhead – as Bohumil Hrabal once put it, “Pirouettes on a Postage Stamp” – is there any escape? I think I sang “All Things Bright and Beautiful” at my Gran's funeral, but it might have been something else. We stopped in the house of the priest and watched England lose the Cricket World Cup in 1999; they played in blue. That's how I (re)member the year of my Gran's funeral. The church I used to go to burned down. Arson, I think.
Association of oral health behaviors and status with depression: results from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2010
Authors: Park Se Jin , Ko Ki Dong , Shin Seung‐Il , Ha Yu Jeong , Kim Gy Young , Kim Hyoung Ah
Published: October 2013

Objective

To examine the association of depression with oral health behaviors and oral health status in a large nationwide sample of Korean adults.

Methods

This study included 6,139 participants aged 19 years or older who participated in the fifth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Binary and polychotomous logistic regression analyses were used to estimate adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95 percent confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

Participants with lifetime depression (self‐report of past or present depression) brushed their teeth less frequently (AOR = 1.30, 95 percent CI 1.03‐1.65) and were more likely not to receive treatment when experiencing dental problems (AOR = 1.43, 95 percent CI 1.23‐1.66) than those without lifetime depression after adjusting for sociodemographic factors, gender, and age. After adjusting for significant oral health behaviors, current smoking status, and sociodemographic factors, participants with lifetime depression had poorer oral health status than those without this disorder: uncomfortable mastication (AOR = 1.25, 95 percent CI 1.05‐1.50), toothache (AOR = 1.18, 95 percent CI 1.01‐1.39), temporomandibular joint symptoms (AOR = 1.41, 95 percent CI 1.08‐1.85), and maxillary periodontal bleeding (AOR = 1.29, 95 percent CI 1.03‐1.61 for the right side; AOR = 1.40, 95 percent CI 1.13‐1.74 for the left side).

Conclusion

Depression was significantly associated with oral health status, even after adjusting for the impact of oral health behaviors in Korean adults. Thus, our findings suggest the necessity of further investigation to detect underlying mechanisms in the relationship between depression and oral health that are not mediated by oral health behavior.
Effects of carboxy methyl cellulose and thymol + carvacrol on performance, digesta viscosity and some blood metabolites of broilers
Authors: Hashemipour H. , Kermanshahi H. , Golian A. , Khaksar V.
Published: October 2013

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of thymol + carvacrol as plant essential oils on performance, digesta viscosity and some blood metabolites of broilers fed diets supplemented with carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) and/or thymol+carvacrol. In a completely randomized design with a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement, two levels of CMC (0% and 2%) and three levels of thymol+carvacrol (0, 100 and 200 mg/kg) were used. Each of the six dietary treatments was fed to five replicate pens of 12 birds each from 0 to 42 days of age. Body weight gain (BWG), feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), intestinal digesta viscosity and pH, plasma lipids and some blood metabolites were recorded. The inclusion of 2% CMC decreased (p < 0.05) BWG by 2.2% and increased FCR by 2.3% at 42 days of age. Carboxy methyl cellulose significantly increased the digesta viscosity and decreased serum total cholesterol, but had no significant effect on triglyceride, pH, HDL, LDL and other blood metabolites measured in this experiment. Thymol+carvacrol had no effect on feed intake, but significantly increased (p < 0.05) BWG from 1 to 42 days of age and improved FCR (p < 0.05) by the addition of 100 and 200 mg/kg thymol+carvacrol respectively. Inclusion of thymol+carvacrol at levels of 100 and 200 mg/kg in the diets decreased digesta viscosity and serum total cholesterol (p < 0.05) and also increased AST at a 200 mg/kg thymol+carvacrol without any effect on creatine kinase (CK). Thymol+carvacrol significantly increased total protein (TP), albumin and globulin (p < 0.05). In conclusion, CMC at an inclusion level of 2% of diet increased digesta viscosity and reduced growth performance. However, thymol+carvacrol decreased digesta viscosity and consequently improved the performance of broilers fed the CMC‐based diet. Therefore, thymol+carvacrol addition to viscose‐based diets might be helpful to alleviate the negative effects of viscous compounds in poultry diets.
Field evidence of smoke‐stimulated seedling emergence and establishment in Mediterranean Basin flora
Authors: Tormo J. , Moreira B. , Pausas J.G.
Published: October 2013

Question

In many plant species from fire‐prone ecosystems germination is promoted by smoke. Mediterranean Basin (MB) flora is no exception. However, most information regarding germination response to smoke in the MB comes from a few experiments performed in laboratory conditions. This approach does not consider factors that occur in the field, such as species interactions, density‐dependent processes or the fact that seeds spent time in the soil seed bank. In addition, species selection has been biased (e.g. there is a lack of information about annual species). Hence the importance of smoke relative to other fire cues is not clear, and we have a biased knowledge of post‐fire community assembly in the MB. In this framework, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) smoke enhances seedling emergence and establishment from the soil seed bank of MB species, and (2) annual species are an important component of this smoke‐stimulated flora.

Location

Mediterranean fire‐prone shrublands in eastern Spain. Western Mediterranean Basin.

Methods

We performed a field experiment in which we applied a liquid smoke treatment and tracked seedling emergence and seedling establishment during 1 yr. Differences between smoke and control subplots with respect to seedling emergence and seedling establishment were analysed at different scales: community, growth form (annual or perennial), family and species level.

Results

At the community level, smoke played a clear role in seedling recruitment, increasing seedling emergence and seedling establishment. In addition, for most plots, families and species, establishment was higher in smoke subplots compared to the control. Annual species establishment was clearly stimulated by smoke but no effect was detected for perennials.

Conclusions

Smoke derived from wildfires has a key effect on plant recruitment and hence on community assembly in the MB vegetation.
Domestic Gothic: Genre and Nation in Charlotte Smith's The Old Manor House
Authors: Russell Deborah
Published: October 2013

‘The Gothic novel’ is by no means a coherent entity, but it has its genesis in a turn to an imagined past. In considering late 18th‐century Gothic fiction, the impact of the broader historico‐political discourse surrounding the Gothic should be taken into account. Understanding this as a diverse and contested genre preoccupied with national history refocuses attention on a range of texts that are usually considered atypical of the Gothic, and turns a spotlight on novels that use Gothic tropes in domestic, British settings. It creates an especially rewarding approach to the fiction of Charlotte Smith, in which Gothic imagery is used to explore superstition, heritage and oppression in contemporary Britain. This article focuses on The Old Manor House (1793), arguing that to define the Gothic primarily in relation to Ann Radcliffe's novels of terror is to elide the other implications of the genre's key images, language and themes. In this novel, Smith uses several manifestations of the Gothic to create a sustained exploration of history and romance, of the mythmaking process that goes into the creation of personal and national identity, and to interrogate political systems of property and power.
New Approaches to the Queer 18th Century
Authors: Roulston Chris
Published: October 2013

This essay outlines some of the current debates on queer history, in particular Laura Doan's concept of “queer critical history” and Madhavi Menon's concept of “unhistoricism”, and examines how they engage with the field of queer 18th‐century studies. Due to its unique historical position on the cusp of the modern era, as well as the hegemonic discourses associated with the Enlightenment, including the rise of the bourgeoisie, the 18th century is sometimes perceived as dominated by an emerging heteronormativity. However, a brief survey of recent essay collections reveals instead the radical potential of 18th‐century discourses on sexuality and the period's openness to queer readings.
Recent official policy and concepts of reading comprehension and inference: the case of England's primary curriculum
Authors: Williams Jazz C.
Published: October 2013

This article engages with recent policy on reading comprehension. It argues that the construct of inference has been treated as a single entity despite research and literature to the contrary, and this is perpetuated in the National Curriculum for 2014. It explores the limitations of conceptualising inference as a unitary construct and demonstrates that official policy has confused progression in inference with the process of a reader building a mental representation of a text. It argues that criterion‐referenced statements for progression in inference are flawed. The article proposes a means of conceptualising inference so it can be operationalised for the purpose of teaching and learning in the classroom. This is exemplified and applied to an example of a standardised test.
Strong prediction of virological response to combination therapy by IL28B gene variants rs12979860 and rs8099917 in chronic hepatitis C genotype 4
Authors: Ragheb Mostafa M. , Nemr Nader A. , Kishk Rania M. , Mandour Mohamed F. , Abdou Mohamed M. , Matsuura Kentaro , Watanabe Tsunamasa , Tanaka Yasuhito
Published: October 2013

Background

A strong association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of IL28B and treatment outcomes of pegylated interferon‐α (PEG IFNα) and ribavirin (RBV) has been shown in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients with genotype 1.

Aim

This study aimed to assess two SNPs of IL28B, rs12979860 and rs8099917, in predicting sustained virological responses (SVR) to treatment of CHC patients with genotype 4 (HCV‐4). The value of rs8099917 was investigated in carriers of unfavourable genotypes of rs12979860.

Methods

This study included 119 CHC patients with HCV‐4 receiving combination therapy. Both SNPs of IL28B were determined by real‐time detection polymerase chain reaction.

Results

Genotypes CC/CT/TT of rs12979860 were found in 42 (35.3%), 56 (47.1%) and 21 (17.6%) and rs8099917 TT/TG/GG were found in 74 (62.2%), 40 (33.6%) and 5 (4.2%). In carriers of rs12979860 CC and rs8099917 TT, the rate of SVR was 87.5 and 65.7% respectively. In 54 patients heterozygous for the C allele of rs12979860, testing of rs8099917 revealed SVR in 42.3% of carriers of the TT genotype but no such responses in carriers of TG or GG (P < 0.0001, OR = 47.3, 95% CI: 2.33–767.2). By multivariate analysis, predictors of SVR were baseline ALT (P = 0.014, OR = 6.3, 95% CI: 1.45–27.33), rs12979860 CC (P = 0.001, OR = 13.48, 95% CI: 2.95–61.69) and rs8099917 TT (P = 0.027, OR = 7.5, 95% CI: 1.25–44.88).

Conclusion

In CHC genotype 4 patients, favourable genotypes of both SNPs of IL28B are valuable for predicting SVR. Additional genotyping of rs8099917 in carriers of the heterozygous C allele of rs12979860 can improve the prediction of SVR.
Improved fibrosis staging by elastometry and blood test in chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Calès Paul , Boursier Jérôme , Ducancelle Alexandra , Oberti Frédéric , Hubert Isabelle , Hunault Gilles , de Lédinghen Victor , Zarski Jean‐Pierre , Salmon Dominique , Lunel Françoise ,   the ANRS HC EP 23 Fibrostar Study
Published: October 2013

Aims

Our main objective was to improve non‐invasive fibrosis staging accuracy by resolving the limits of previous methods via new test combinations. Our secondary objectives were to improve staging precision, by developing a detailed fibrosis classification, and reliability (personalized accuracy) determination.

Methods

All patients (729) included in the derivation population had chronic hepatitis C, liver biopsy, 6 blood tests and Fibroscan. Validation populations included 1584 patients.

Results

The most accurate combination was provided by using most markers of FibroMeter and Fibroscan results targeted for significant fibrosis, i.e. ‘E‐FibroMeter’. Its classification accuracy (91.7%) and precision (assessed by F difference with Metavir: 0.62 ± 0.57) were better than those of FibroMeter (84.1%, P < 0.001; 0.72 ± 0.57, P < 0.001), Fibroscan (88.2%, P = 0.011; 0.68 ± 0.57, P = 0.020), and a previous CSF‐SF classification of FibroMeter + Fibroscan (86.7%, P < 0.001; 0.65 ± 0.57, P = 0.044). The accuracy for fibrosis absence (F0) was increased, e.g. from 16.0% with Fibroscan to 75.0% with E‐FibroMeter (P < 0.001). Cirrhosis sensitivity was improved, e.g. E‐FibroMeter: 92.7% vs. Fibroscan: 83.3%, P = 0.004. The combination improved reliability by deleting unreliable results (accuracy <50%) observed with a single test (1.2% of patients) and increasing optimal reliability (accuracy ≥85%) from 80.4% of patients with Fibroscan (accuracy: 90.9%) to 94.2% of patients with E‐FibroMeter (accuracy: 92.9%), P < 0.001. The patient rate with 100% predictive values for cirrhosis by the best combination was twice (36.2%) that of the best single test (FibroMeter: 16.2%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The new test combination increased: accuracy, globally and especially in patients without fibrosis, staging precision, cirrhosis prediction, and even reliability, thus offering improved fibrosis staging.
Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms are Associated with Erectile Function and Psychological Symptoms in Men with Late‐Onset Hypogonadism Syndrome
Authors: SHIGEHARA Kazuyoshi , SUGIMOTO Kazuhiro , KONAKA Hiroyuki , MAEDA Yuji , KITAGAWA Yasuhide , MIZOKAMI Atsushi , KOH Eitetsu , NAMIKI Mikio
Published: October 2013

Objective

We assessed the factors significantly associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with late‐onset hypogonadism (LOH) syndrome.

Methods

The study population consisted of 258 patients aged 40 years or older diagnosed with LOH syndrome. Each patient completed a questionnaire study, such as the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) 5, Aging Male Score (AMS), and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Body mass index (BMI), waist size, and muscle volume were measured in all patients, and blood biochemical data, including total cholesterol, triglyceride, hemoglobin A1c, and free testosterone (free T), were also collected. We analyzed the factors that have effect on IPSS.

Results

The mean age of the patients was 64.9 ± 8.7 years, and the mean free T value was 7.3 ± 2.2 pg/mL. The critical factors affecting IPSS were IIEF5 score, BMI, muscle volume, age, AMS, and free T‐value (P < 0.05). Age showed the strongest significant positive correlation with IPSS (r = 0.321, P < 0.001). Each factor was controlled for age. IIEF5 score and AMS were independent factors affecting IPSS (r = −0.221 and 0.195, respectively, P < 0.05). IPSS showed an inverse correlation with IIEF5, and a positive correlation with AMS. LUTS also had a weak negative correlation with Free T‐value but this was not significant (r = −0.121, P = 0.061).

Conclusion

Lower urinary tract symptoms were significantly correlated with erectile function and psychological symptoms in men with LOH syndrome.
Population genomics from pool sequencing
Authors: Ferretti Luca , Ramos‐Onsins Sebastián E. , Pérez‐Enciso Miguel
Published: October 2013

Next generation sequencing of pooled samples is an effective approach for studies of variability and differentiation in populations. In this paper we provide a comprehensive set of estimators of the most common statistics in population genetics based on the frequency spectrum, namely the Watterson estimator , nucleotide pairwise diversity Π, Tajima's D, Fu and Li's D and F, Fay and Wu's H, McDonald‐Kreitman and HKA tests and , corrected for sequencing errors and ascertainment bias. In a simulation study, we show that pool and individual θ estimates are highly correlated and discuss how the performance of the statistics vary with read depth and sample size in different evolutionary scenarios. As an application, we reanalyse sequences from Drosophila mauritiana and from an evolution experiment in Drosophila melanogaster. These methods are useful for population genetic projects with limited budget, study of communities of individuals that are hard to isolate, or autopolyploid species.
On minimizing assignment errors and the trade‐off between false positives and negatives in parentage analysis
Authors: Harrison Hugo B. , Saenz‐Agudelo Pablo , Planes Serge , Jones Geoffrey P. , Berumen Michael L.
Published: October 2013

Genetic parentage analyses provide a practical means with which to identify parent–offspring relationships in the wild. In Harrison et al.'s study (2013a), we compare three methods of parentage analysis and showed that the number and diversity of microsatellite loci were the most important factors defining the accuracy of assignments. Our simulations revealed that an exclusion‐Bayes theorem method was more susceptible to false‐positive and false‐negative assignments than other methods tested. Here, we analyse and discuss the trade‐off between type I and type II errors in parentage analyses. We show that controlling for false‐positive assignments, without reporting type II errors, can be misleading. Our findings illustrate the need to estimate and report both the rate of false‐positive and false‐negative assignments in parentage analyses.
Plum pox virus and sharka: a model potyvirus and a major disease
Authors: García Juan Antonio , Glasa Miroslav , Cambra Mariano , Candresse Thierry
Published: October 2013

Taxonomic relationships

Plum pox virus (PPV) is a member of the genus Potyvirus in the family Potyviridae. PPV diversity is structured into at least eight monophyletic strains.

Geographical distribution

First discovered in Bulgaria, PPV is nowadays present in most of continental Europe (with an endemic status in many central and southern European countries) and has progressively spread to many countries on other continents.

Genomic structure

Typical of potyviruses, the PPV genome is a positive‐sense single‐stranded RNA (ssRNA), with a protein linked to its 5′ end and a 3′‐terminal poly A tail. It is encapsidated by a single type of capsid protein (CP) in flexuous rod particles and is translated into a large polyprotein which is proteolytically processed in at least 10 final products: P1, HCPro, P3, 6K1, CI, 6K2, VPg, NIapro, NIb and CP. In addition, P3N‐PIPO is predicted to be produced by a translational frameshift.

Pathogenicity features

PPV causes sharka, the most damaging viral disease of stone fruit trees. It also infects wild and ornamental Prunus trees and has a large experimental host range in herbaceous species. PPV spreads over long distances by uncontrolled movement of plant material, and many species of aphid transmit the virus locally in a nonpersistent manner.

Sources of resistance

A few natural sources of resistance to PPV have been found so far in Prunus species, which are being used in classical breeding programmes. Different genetic engineering approaches are being used to generate resistance to PPV, and a transgenic plum, ‘HoneySweet’, transformed with the viral CP gene, has demonstrated high resistance to PPV in field tests in several countries and has obtained regulatory approval in the USA.
Prevalence and epidemiological characteristics of vaginal candidiasis in the UAE
Authors: Hamad Mawieh , Kazandji Norair , Awadallah Samir , Allam Hilda
Published: October 2013

Vaginal candidiasis (VC) continues to be a health problem to women worldwide. Although the majority of VC cases are caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans), non‐albicans Candida spp. like C. glabrata and C. tropicalis are emerging as important and potentially resistant opportunistic agents of VC. The objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and epidemiology of VC in the UAE through retrospective analysis of pertinent data compiled by the microbiology and infection control unit at Latifa Hospital, Dubai between 2005 and 2011. The incidence of VC significantly increased from 10.76% in 2005 to 17.61% in 2011; average prevalence was 13.88%. C. albicans occurred at a frequency of 83.02%, C. glabrata at 16.5% and C. tropicalis at 1.2%. A single C. dubliniensis isolate was identified in the sample population. The percentage of C. albicans significantly decreased from 83.02% in the sample population as a whole to 60.8% in subjects over 45 years of age (P < 0.01) and that of C. glabrata, C. tropicalis and C. krusei significantly increased from 13.88%, 0.9% and 0.03% to 29.7%, 6.7% and 1.4% (P < 0.05) respectively. The incidence of VC in the UAE is on the rise and the frequency of non‐albicans Candida spp. is noticeably increasing especially in postmenopausal women.
Belief through Thick and Thin
Authors: Buckwalter Wesley , Rose David , Turri John
Published: October 2013

We distinguish between two categories of belief—thin belief and thick belief—and provide evidence that they approximate genuinely distinct categories within folk psychology. We use the distinction to make informative predictions about how laypeople view the relationship between knowledge and belief. More specifically, we show that if the distinction is genuine, then we can make sense of otherwise extremely puzzling recent experimental findings on the entailment thesis (i.e. the widely held philosophical thesis that knowledge entails belief). We also suggest that the distinction can be applied to debates in the philosophy of mind and metaethics.
Facilitation as a ubiquitous driver of biodiversity
Authors: McIntire Eliot J. B. , Fajardo Alex
Published: October 2013

Models describing the biotic drivers that create and maintain biological diversity within trophic levels have focused primarily on negative interactions (i.e. competition), leaving marginal room for positive interactions (i.e. facilitation). We show facilitation to be a ubiquitous driver of biodiversity by first noting that all species use resources and thus change the local biotic or abiotic conditions, altering the available multidimensional niches. This can cause a shift in local species composition, which can cause an increase in beta, and sometimes alpha, diversity. We show that these increases are ubiquitous across ecosystems. These positive effects on diversity occur via a broad host of disparate direct and indirect mechanisms. We identify and unify several of these facilitative mechanisms and discuss why it has been easy to underappreciate the importance of facilitation. We show that net positive effects have a long history of being considered ecologically or evolutionarily unstable, and we present recent evidence of its potential stability. Facilitation goes well beyond the common case of stress amelioration and it probably gains importance as community complexity increases. While biodiversity is, in part, created by species exploiting many niches, many niches are available to exploit only because species create them.

Contents

Summary
403

I.
Introduction
403

II.
Facilitative mechanisms increasing diversity
405

III.
Facilitation as an evolutionary driver in proximate interactions
410

IV.
Why has facilitation been just recently added to ecological theory?
411

V.
Facilitation and the plant functional trait programme
412

VI.
Predictability and testability
412

VII.
Conservation, restoration and management
413

VIII.
Conclusions and next steps
413

Acknowledgements
413

References
414
The circadian clock has transient plasticity of period and is required for timing of nocturnal processes in Arabidopsis
Authors: Dodd Antony N. , Dalchau Neil , Gardner Michael J. , Baek Seong‐Jin , Webb Alex A. R.
Published: October 2013

A circadian rhythm matched to the phase and period of the day–night cycle has measurable benefits for land plants. We assessed the contribution of circadian period to the phasing of cellular events with the light : dark cycle. We also investigated the plasticity of circadian period within the Arabidopsis circadian oscillator.

We monitored the circadian oscillator in wild‐type and circadian period mutants under light : dark cycles of varying total duration. We also investigated changes in oscillator dynamics during and after the transition from light : dark cycles to free running conditions.

Under light : dark cycles, dawn and dusk were anticipated differently when the circadian period was not resonant with the environmental period (‘T cycle’). Entrainment to T cycles differing from the free‐running period caused a short‐term alteration in oscillator period. The transient plasticity of period was described by existing mathematical models of the Arabidopsis circadian network.

We conclude that a circadian period resonant with the period of the environment is particularly important for anticipation of dawn and the timing of nocturnal events; and there is short‐term and transient plasticity of period of the Arabidopsis circadian network.
Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the odonto/osteogenic capacity of stem cells from inflammatory dental pulps via NF‐κB pathway
Authors: Wang Y , Yan M , Fan Z , Ma L , Yu Y , Yu J
Published: October 2013

Objective

This study was designed to investigate the effects of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) on the osteo/odontogenic differentiation of inflammatory dental pulp stem cells (iDPSCs).

Materials and Methods

inflammatory DPSCs were isolated from the inflammatory pulps of rat incisors and cocultured with MTA‐conditioned medium. MTT assay and flow cytometry were performed to evaluate the proliferation of iDPSCs. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, alizarin red staining, real‐time RT‐PCR, and Western blot assay were used to investigate the differentiation capacity as well as the involvement of NF‐κB pathway in iDPSCs.

Results

Mineral trioxide aggregate‐treated iDPSCs demonstrated the higher ALP activity and formed more mineralized nodules than the untreated group. The odonto/osteoblastic markers (Alp, Runx2/RUNX2, Osx/OSX, Ocn/OCN, and Dspp/DSP, respectively) in MTA‐treated iDPSCs were significantly upregulated as compared with untreated iDPSCs. Mechanistically, cytoplastic phos‐P65 and nuclear P65 in MTA‐treated iDPSCs were significantly increased in a time‐dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibition of NF‐κB pathway suppressed the MTA‐induced odonto/osteoblastic differentiation of iDPSCs, as indicated by decreased ALP levels, weakened mineralization capacity and downregulated levels of odonto/osteoblastic genes (Osx, Ocn, and Dspp).

Conclusions

Mineral trioxide aggregate enhances the odonto/osteogenic capacity of DPSCs from inflammatory sites via activating the NF‐κB pathway.
Impact of Fluoroscopy Unit on the Accuracy of a Magnet‐Based Electroanatomic Mapping and Navigation System: An In Vitro and In Vivo Validation Study
Authors: AHMAD GHADA , HUSSEIN AYMAN A. , MESUBI OLUROTIMI , TIAN JING , FERIEG HANAA , ELMAATY MERVAT A. , HAMDY AMAL , EGO‐OSUALA KELECHI , JIMENEZ ALEJANDRO , SEE VINCENT , SALIARIS ANASTASIOS , SHOROFSKY STEPHEN , DICKFELD TIMM
Published: October 2013

Introduction

During mapping and ablation procedures, the movement of large ferromagnetic items (i.e., fluoroscopic equipment) introduce heterogeneities in the electromagnetic field, which may affect the accuracy of electromagnet‐based navigation. We aimed to assess the impact of common periprocedural fluoroscopic equipment movement on the accuracy of an electromagnet‐based navigation system.

Methods and Results

The impact of fluoroscopic equipment movement on the accuracy of the Carto® 3 System (Biosense Webster, Inc., Diamond Bar, CA, USA) was assessed both in vitro (n = 20 patients, phantom model) and in vivo (n = 18 patients). Location recordings were obtained with unchanged catheter position for fluoroscopic equipment rotational movements (RMs) and maximal to closest distance (MD to CD) to phantom/patient. The effects of both single‐ and biplane fluoroscopy were assessed. In vitro, the movement of fluoroscopic equipment resulted in an average catheter location estimation error of 0.8 mm (interquartile range 0.3–1.3). The maximal location estimation errors with MD to CD movement and RM were 2.3 mm and 1.3 mm, respectively. Changing from single‐plane to biplane setup resulted in an average location estimation change of 1.5 mm (maximum 2.1). Larger location changes were observed in vivo (2.9 mm vs 0.8 mm, P < 0.0001) with 28.7% of these exceeded 4 mm versus none of the in vitro measurements (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Although fluoroscopy manipulation affected the accuracy of the Carto® 3 System, the in vitro data suggest that these inaccuracies are likely of limited clinical consequences. The larger in vivo inaccuracies are most likely due to nonferromagnetic interferences, such as respiratory or cardiac movements.
Combination Drug Therapy for Patients with Intractable Ventricular Tachycardia Associated with Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
Authors: ERMAKOV SIMON , HOFFMAYER KURT S. , GERSTENFELD EDWARD P. , SCHEINMAN MELVIN M.
Published: October 2013

Background

Drug therapy for patients with right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy refractory to single‐drug therapy and ablation has not been well defined.

Methods

We reviewed our entire RV cardiomyopathy database (31 patients) and found four patients presenting with ventricular arrhythmias of RV origin refractory to single‐drug therapy. These patients underwent complete evaluation for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC).

Results

Following the revised 2010 task force criteria, of these four patients, three were diagnosed with ARVC, and one with cardiac sarcoidosis. These patients proved to be refractory to drug monotherapy and either failed or deemed to not be candidates for endocardial ablation. Their arrhythmias were ultimately controlled with combinations of sotalol, flecainide, and mexiletine.

Conclusions

In our experience, combination drug therapy is an effective treatment strategy for patients with ventricular tachycardia refractory to monotherapy and, in some cases, ablation. In addition, flecainide appears to be safe and effective for those with RV cardiomyopathy without significant left ventricular dysfunction.
The SNAP index does not correlate with the State Behavioral Scale in intubated and sedated children
Authors: Thompson Cecilia , Shabanova Veronika , Giuliano John S.
Published: October 2013

Background

Ensuring appropriate levels of sedation for critically ill children is integral to pediatric critical care. Traditionally, clinicians have used subjective scoring tools to assess sedation levels. The SNAP II uses dual frequency processed electroencephalography to evaluate brain activity and may provide an objective assessment of sedation levels.

Objective

This study attempts to find an objective method to monitor sedation in critically ill pediatric patients. We compared the SNAP II, a processed electroencephalography device, with the State Behavioral Scale (SBS), a subjective sedation scoring tool. We hypothesize that the SNAP II correlates with the SBS and has less observer bias.

Methods

This was an IRB approved prospective, observational study. Patients receiving intravenous sedation while being mechanically ventilated were enrolled after informed consent. After the SNAP II monitoring electrodes were attached, blinded bedside nurses assessed sedation levels using the SBS. SNAP indices were collected and compared with SBS scores to determine correlation.

Results

We compared 417 paired data points from 15 patients using Pearson's correlation and least squares means to determine correlation between the SBS and SNAP indices. No correlation was observed. Using covariance model patterning for repeated measures to adjust for covariates again showed no correlation.

Conclusion

The SNAP index does not correlate with SBS scores in our pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Its use cannot be recommended to measure levels of sedation in our population. Future research should continue to explore objective ways of measuring sedation in critically ill children.
Role of immunological factors in the pathophysiology and diagnosis of bipolar disorder: Comparison with schizophrenia
Authors: Altamura A. Carlo , Buoli Massimiliano , Pozzoli Sara
Published: October 2013

Several lines of evidence point to the key role of neurobiological mechanisms and shared genetic background in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. For both disorders, neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative processes have been postulated to be relevant for the pathogenesis as well as dysregulation of immuno‐inflammatory pathways. Inflammation is a complex biological response to harmful stimuli and it is mediated by cytokines cascades, cellular immune responses, oxidative factors and hormone regulation. Cytokines, in particular, are supposed to play a critical role in infectious and inflammatory processes, mediating the cross‐talk between the brain and the immune system; they also possibly contribute to the development of the central nervous system. From this perspective, even though mixed results have been reported, it seems that both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are associated with an imbalance in inflammatory cytokines; in fact, some of these could represent biological markers of illness and could be possible targets for pharmacological treatments. In light of these considerations, the purpose of the present paper was to provide a comprehensive and critical review of the existing literature about immunological abnormalities in bipolar disorder with particular attention to the similarities and differences with schizophrenia.
Review of neurophysiological findings in patients with schizophrenia
Authors: Onitsuka Toshiaki , Oribe Naoya , Nakamura Itta , Kanba Shigenobu
Published: October 2013

Schizophrenia has been conceptualized as a failure of cognitive integration, and abnormalities in neural circuitry have been proposed as a basis for this disorder. In this article, we focus on electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography findings in patients with schizophrenia. Auditory‐P50, ‐N100, and ‐P300 findings, visual‐P100, ‐N170, and ‐N400 findings, and neural oscillations in patients with schizophrenia are overviewed. Published results suggest that patients with schizophrenia have neurophysiological deficits from the very early phase of sensory processing (i.e. P50, P100, N100) to the relatively late phase (i.e. P300, N400) in both auditory and visual perception. Exploring the associations between neural substrates, including neurotransmitter systems, and neurophysiological findings, will lead to a more comprehensive understanding of the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
Increased pituitary volume in subjects at risk for psychosis and patients with first‐episode schizophrenia
Authors: Takahashi Tsutomu , Nakamura Kazue , Nishiyama Shimako , Furuichi Atsushi , Ikeda Eiji , Kido Mikio , Nakamura Yumiko , Kawasaki Yasuhiro , Noguchi Kyo , Seto Hikaru , Suzuki Michio
Published: October 2013

Aim

Enlarged pituitary gland has been reported in schizophrenia, possibly reflecting hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal hyperactivity. The aim of the present study was to examine whether individuals at risk of psychosis also have similar changes.

Methods

Magnetic resonance imaging was used to examine the pituitary volume in 22 individuals with at‐risk mental state (ARMS; 11 male, 11 female), 64 first‐episode patients with schizophrenia (FESz; 37 male, 27 female), and 86 healthy controls. The control subjects were divided into age‐ and gender‐matched controls for ARMS (11 male, 11 female) and FESz (37 male, 27 female).

Results

Both the ARMS and FESz groups had a larger pituitary volume compared with matched controls, but no difference was found between the ARMS and FESz subjects. There was no association between the pituitary volume and clinical variables (symptommeasures at scanning, daily dosage or duration of antipsychotic medication) in either clinical group. The pituitary volume did not differ significantly between the ARMS individuals who later developed schizophrenia (n = 5) and those who did not (n = 17). The pituitary volume was larger in women than in men for all diagnostic groups.

Conclusion

The finding of increased pituitary volume in both ARMS and FESz subjects may reflect a common vulnerability to stress in early psychosis. Further work in a larger ARMS sample is required to examine the possible relationship between pituitary volume and emergence of psychosis.
Intimate Partner Violence and the CDC's Best‐Evidence HIV Risk Reduction Interventions
Authors: Prowse Kayleigh M. , Logue Christine E. , Fantasia Heidi C. , Sutherland Melissa A.
Published: October 2013

Objectives

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent health burden in the United States and is a risk factor for HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) transmission. Despite the association between IPV and HIV risk, IPV is often omitted from HIV prevention research and interventions. This review analyzes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's best‐evidence HIV risk reduction interventions and their incorporation of IPV assessment, education and evaluation.

Design and Sample

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's best‐evidence HIV risk reduction interventions (n = 44) were reviewed for inclusion of IPV content.

Results

Of the 44 best evidence interventions, 5 addressed IPV. These 5 interventions were further examined for method, measurement and uniformity.

Conclusions

Justification for IPV integration in HIV risk reduction programs is explored and supported by evidence‐based research and practice.
The Phenomenology of Face‐to‐Face Mindreading
Authors: Smith Joel
Published: October 2013

I defend a perceptual account of face‐to‐face mindreading. I begin by proposing a phenomenological constraint on our visual awareness of others' emotional expressions. I argue that to meet this constraint we require a distinction between the basic and non‐basic ways people, and other things, look. I offer and defend just such an account.
Comparison of phenolic metabolism and primary metabolism between green ‘Anjou’ pear and its bud mutation, red ‘Anjou’
Authors: Li Pengmin , Zhang Yanzi , Einhorn Todd C. , Cheng Lailiang
Published: October 2013

Green ‘Anjou’ pear and its bud mutation, red ‘Anjou’ were compared to understand their differences in phenolic metabolism and its effect on primary metabolism. In the flesh of the two cultivars, no difference was detected in the concentration of any phenolic compound, the transcript level of MYB10 or the transcript levels or activities of key enzymes involved in anthocyanin synthesis. Compared with green ‘Anjou’, the shaded peel of red ‘Anjou’ had higher anthocyanin concentrations, higher transcript levels of MYB10 and higher activity of UDP‐glucose:flavonoid 3‐O‐glycosyltransferase (UFGT), suggesting that MYB10 regulates UFGT to control anthocyanin synthesis in red ‘Anjou’ peel. In the sun‐exposed peel, activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, dihydroflavonol reductase, flavonol synthase and anthocyanidin synthase as well as UFGT were higher in red ‘Anjou’ than in green ‘Anjou’. The peel of red ‘Anjou’ had higher activities of sorbitol dehydrogenase, raffinose synthase and sucrose synthase and higher levels of raffinose, myo‐inositol and starch, indicating that sorbitol metabolism, raffinose synthesis and starch synthesis were upregulated in red ‘Anjou’. The flesh of red ‘Anjou’ had higher concentrations of glucose, but lower activities of ATP‐dependent phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase and lower dark respiration. The peel of red ‘Anjou’ had higher activities of glutaminase, asparagine synthetase and asparaginase, and higher concentrations of asparagine, aspartate, alanine, valine, threonine and isoleucine. The effects of anthocyanin synthesis on primary metabolism in fruit peel are discussed.
The Origin of Amniotic Polymorphonuclear Leucocytes in the Mare
Authors: Hemberg E , Einarsson S , Jones B , Mikko S
Published: October 2013

Contents

The objective of this study was to investigate the presence and origin of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNLs) in the amniotic fluid of mares giving birth to healthy foals. Material from 25 mares was included. Amniotic fluid was collected during parturition before breakage of the amniotic vesicle. Manual microscopic cytologic evaluation was made on cytospin preparations after staining. PMNLs were found in all amniotic samples examined. The genomic DNA was extracted from 12 of the amniotic fluid samples and was genotyped. The results indicate that the PMNLs originate from the foetus.
Space–Time Modelling of Extreme Events
Authors: Huser R. , Davison A. C.
Published: October 2013

Max-stable processes are the natural analogues of the generalized extreme value distribution when modelling extreme events in space and time. Under suitable conditions, these processes are asymptotically justified models for maxima of independent replications of random fields, and they are also suitable for the modelling of extreme measurements over high thresholds. The paper shows how a pairwise censored likelihood can be used for consistent estimation of the extremes of space–time data under mild mixing conditions and illustrates this by fitting an extension of a model due to Schlather to hourly rainfall data. A block bootstrap procedure is used for uncertainty assessment. Estimator efficiency is considered and the choice of pairs to be included in the pairwise likelihood is discussed. The model proposed fits the data better than some natural competitors.
Rural Environmental Concern: Effects of Position, Partisanship, and Place
Authors: Hamilton Lawrence C. , Hartter Joel , Safford Thomas G. , Stevens Forrest R.
Published: October 2013

Abstract 

The social bases of environmental concern in ruralAmerica resemble those for the nation as a whole, but also reflect the influence of place. Some general place characteristics, such as rates of population growth or resource‐industry employment, predict responses across a number of environmental issues. Other unique or distinctive aspects of local society and environment matter as well. We extend earlier work on both kinds of place effects, first by analyzing survey data from northeastOregon. Results emphasize that “environmental concern” has several dimensions. Second, we contextualize theOregon results using surveys from other regions. Analysis of an integrated dataset (up to 12,000 interviews in 38 U.S. counties) shows effects from respondent characteristics and political views, and from county rates of population growth and resource‐based employment. There also are significant place‐to‐place variations that are not explained by variables in the models. To understand some of these we return to the local scale. In northeastOregon, residents describe how perceptions of fire danger from unmanaged forest lands shape their response to the wordconservation. Their local interpretation contrasts with more general and urban connotations of this term, underlining the importance of place for understanding rural environmental concern.