bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analyses of the ash dieback pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, suggest role of tree species diversity on colonization and population structure differentiation
Authors: Nguyen D. T. , Cleary M. R. , Enderle R. , Berlin A. , Stenlid J.
Published: October 2015

Microsatellite markers were used to investigate the population structure of the Ash Dieback pathogen, Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, across a tree species diversity gradient containing common ash, Fraxinus excelsior, in the Hainich National Park in central Germany. Population differentiation was determined at a local spatial scale that may be driven by tree species mixtures.
Localized within‐ and between‐tree variation in nematode distribution during latent state of pine wilt disease makes the disease status cryptic
Authors: Hoshizaki K. , Nakabayashi Y. , Mamiya Y. , Matsushita M.
Published: October 2015

The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is the causal agent of pine wilt disease, an epidemic disease that has severely damaged pine forests in East Asia. The disease has spread to northern areas in Asia and parts of Europe. To prevent disease spread as the forefront of damage prevention, a better understanding of infection status is highly important. Not all infected trees show disease symptoms, and such asymptomatic PWN‐carrying trees are likely to be overlooked and can become a pathogen reservoir. To elucidate PWN infection status in asymptomatic trees, we performed PWN inspection of branches and trunks in 21 test trees in two different conditions: trees that had experienced PWN inoculation and those with suspected PWN infection that had experienced transient foliage discoloration. We detected PWNs in eight test trees (38%) and in 13 (1.5%) of a total of 843 samples. The difference in these percentages suggests that nematode inhabitation was highly localized within the trees, possibly owing to the restricted migration of PWNs. Our data demonstrated that trees that were once weakened but recovered their vigour can persist, as the asymptomatic carriers, in the forest. The implications for disease control are also discussed.
Characterisation of lubricin in synovial fluid from horses with osteoarthritis
Authors: Svala E. , Jin C. , Rüetschi U. , Ekman S. , Lindahl A. , Karlsson N. G. , Skiöldebrand E.
Published: October 2015

Reason for performing study

The glycoprotein lubricin contributes to the boundary lubrication of the articular cartilage surface. The early events of osteoarthritis involve the superficial layer where lubricin is synthesised.

Objectives

To characterise the glycosylation profile of lubricin in synovial fluid from horses with osteoarthritis and study secretion and degradation of lubricin in anin vitroinflammation cartilage model.

Study design

In vitrostudy.

Methods

Synovial fluid samples collected from horses with joints with normal articular cartilage and structural osteoarthritic lesions; with and without osteochondral fragments, were analysed for the lubricin glycosylation profiles. Articular cartilage explants were stimulated with or without interleukin‐1β for 25 days. Media samples collected at 3‐day intervals were analysed by quantitative proteomics, western blot and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

O‐glycosylation profiles in synovial fluid revealed both Core 1 and 2O‐glycans, with Core 1O‐glycans predominating. Synovial fluid from normal joints (49.5 ± 1.9%) contained significantly lower amounts of monosialylated Core 1O‐glycans compared with joints with osteoarthritis (53.8 ± 7.8%, P = 0.03) or joints with osteochondral fragments (57.3 ± 8.8%, P = 0.001). Additionally, synovial fluid from normal joints (26.7 ± 6.7%) showed higher amounts of disialylated Core 1O‐glycan than from joints with osteochondral fragments (21.2 ± 4.9%, P = 0.03). AC‐terminal proteolytic cleavage site in lubricin was found in synovial fluid from normal and osteochondral fragment joints and in media from interleukin‐1β stimulated and unstimulated articular cartilage explants.

Conclusions

This is the first demonstration of a change in the glycosylation profile of lubricin in synovial fluid from diseased equine joints compared with that from normal joints. We demonstrate an identical proteolytic cleavage site of lubricin bothin vitroandin vivo. The reduced sialation of lubricin in synovial fluid from diseased joints may affect the boundary lubricating ability of the superficial layer of articular cartilage and could be one of the early events in the progression of osteoarthritis.
Revealing G‐protein‐coupled receptor oligomerization at the single‐molecule level through a nanoscopic lens: methods, dynamics and biological function
Authors: Scarselli Marco , Annibale Paolo , McCormick Peter J. , Kolachalam Shivakumar , Aringhieri Stefano , Radenovic Aleksandra , Corsini Giovanni U. , Maggio Roberto
Published: October 2015

The introduction of super‐resolution fluorescence microscopy has allowed the visualization of single proteins in their biological environment. Recently, these techniques have been applied to determine the organization of class A G‐protein‐coupled receptors (GPCRs), and to determine whether they exist as monomers, dimers and/or higher‐order oligomers. On this subject, this review highlights recent evidence from photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM), which allows the visualization of single molecules in dense samples, and single‐molecule tracking (SMT), which determines how GPCRs move and interact in living cells in the presence of different ligands. PALM has demonstrated that GPCR oligomerization depends on the receptor subtype, the cell type, the actin cytoskeleton, and other proteins. Conversely, SMT has revealed the transient dynamics of dimer formation, whereby receptors show a monomer–dimer equilibrium characterized by rapid association and dissociation. At steady state, depending on the subtype, approximately 30–50% of receptors are part of dimeric complexes. Notably, the existence of many GPCR dimers/oligomers is also supported by well‐known techniques, such as resonance energy transfer methodologies, and by approaches that exploit fluorescence fluctuations, such as fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Future research using single‐molecule methods will deepen our knowledge related to the function and druggability of homo‐oligomers and hetero‐oligomers.
Land use change emission scenarios: anticipating a forest transition process in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Aguiar Ana Paula Dutra , Vieira Ima Célia Guimarães , Assis Talita Oliveira , Dalla‐Nora Eloi L , Toledo Peter Mann , Oliveira Santos‐Junior Roberto Araújo , Batistella Mateus , Coelho Andrea Santos , Savaget Elza Kawakami , Aragão Luiz Eduardo Oliveira Cruz , Nobre Carlos Afonso , Ometto Jean Pierre H.
Published: October 2015

Following an intense occupation process that was initiated in the 1960s, deforestation rates in the Brazilian Amazon have decreased significantly since 2004, stabilizing around 6000 km2 yr−1 in the last 5 years. A convergence of conditions contributed to this, including the creation of protected areas, the use of effective monitoring systems, and credit restriction mechanisms. Nevertheless, other threats remain, including the rapidly expanding global markets for agricultural commodities, large‐scale transportation and energy infrastructure projects, and weak institutions. We propose three updated qualitative and quantitative land‐use scenarios for the Brazilian Amazon, including a normative ‘Sustainability’ scenario in which we envision major socio‐economic, institutional, and environmental achievements in the region. We developed an innovative spatially explicit modelling approach capable of representing alternative pathways of the clear‐cut deforestation, secondary vegetation dynamics, and the old‐growth forest degradation. We use the computational models to estimate net deforestation‐driven carbon emissions for the different scenarios. The region would become a sink of carbon after 2020 in a scenario of residual deforestation (~1000 km2 yr−1) and a change in the current dynamics of the secondary vegetation – in a forest transition scenario. However, our results also show that the continuation of the current situation of relatively low deforestation rates and short life cycle of the secondary vegetation would maintain the region as a source of CO2 – even if a large portion of the deforested area is covered by secondary vegetation. In relation to the old‐growth forest degradation process, we estimated average gross emission corresponding to 47% of the clear‐cut deforestation from 2007 to 2013 (using the DEGRAD system data), although the aggregate effects of the postdisturbance regeneration can partially offset these emissions. Both processes (secondary vegetation and forest degradation) need to be better understood as they potentially will play a decisive role in the future regional carbon balance.
Daclatasvir and asunaprevir for recurrent hepatitis C following living donor liver transplantation with HIV co‐infection
Authors: Tanaka Tomohiro , Akamatsu Nobuhisa , Kaneko Junichi , Arita Junichi , Tamura Sumihito , Hasegawa Kiyoshi , Sakamoto Yoshihiro , Kokudo Norihiro
Published: October 2015

Antiviral treatment in liver transplant recipients co‐infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV remains a challenge. We herein report a case of HCV recurrence that was successfully treated using interferon‐free anti‐HCV therapy with daclatasvir and asunaprevir. A 48‐year‐old man underwent antiviral therapy with a 24‐week course of daclatasvir and asunaprevir for biopsy‐proven recurrent HCV 15 months after living donor liver transplantation, following non‐response to pre‐emptive antiviral treatment with pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. Anti‐HIV and immunosuppressive regimens were modified safely. Renal function was feasibly preserved. The anti‐HCV effect was remarkable with an undetectable viral load confirmed within 2 weeks, and this patient achieved a sustained virological response after 12 weeks of post‐transplantation treatment. No serious adverse events were observed. This case indicates that daclatasvir and asunaprevir for recurrent HCV in a HIV co‐infected recipient after liver transplantation is safe and effective.
Vitamin A dietary supplementation reduces the mortality of velogenic Newcastle disease significantly in cockerels
Authors: Okpe Godwin Chinedu , Ezema Wilfred Sunday , Shoyinka Shodeinde Vincent Olumuyiwa , Okoye John Osita Arinze
Published: October 2015

This project was undertaken to find ways of reducing mortalities and economic losses due to velogenic Newcastle disease (VND) in areas where the disease is enzootic. Four groups of cockerels of 44 birds each were used for this experiment. The birds in groups 1 and 2 received no dietary vitamin A supplementation, whereas groups 3 and 4 received 300 iu and 600 iu of vitamin A per kilogram of commercial feed, respectively, from 1 week of age till the end of the experiment. At 6 weeks of age, the birds in groups 2, 3 and 4 were inoculated intraocularly with a VND virus (duck/Nigeria/Plateau/Kuru/113/1991). The birds in Group 1 were given phosphate‐buffered saline intraocularly. Clinical signs appeared in Group 2 birds on day 3 PI and in groups 3 and 4 on day 5 PI. The clinical signs included a drop in feed and water consumption, depression, diarrhoea, torticollis and paralysis in all the infected groups. The average body weights of all groups were significantly different from one another on day 14 PI with Group 2 birds having the lowest body weight. Mortalities were highest in Group 2 birds (0%, 93.18%, 72.73% and 56.82% in groups 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively). The antibody response in all the groups was significantly different from one another on days 14 and 21 PI. Group 2 birds had the lowest titres on those 2 days and showed more severe atrophy of the bursa, spleen, thymus and fibrin deposition in the spleen and thymus than the birds in groups 3 and 4. The above observations show that vitamin A dietary supplementation delayed the onset of clinical signs and significantly reduced body weight loss, atrophy of the bursa, spleen and thymus, and mortalities by 36%. It also significantly potentiated haemagglutination inhibition antibody response.
Stock‐Based Compensation in a Concentrated Ownership Setting: An Empirical Investigation
Authors: Liang Jia‐Wen , Chin Chen Lung
Published: October 2015

Stock‐based compensation has been viewed as an important mechanism for tying managers’ wealth to firm performance, and thus alleviating the agency conflict between the shareholders and the managers when ownership is diffused. However, in a concentrated ownership structure, controlling owners are usually the management of the firm; they can engage in self‐dealing activities to the detriment of minority shareholders’ interests. Yet, outside investors may anticipate the problem and discount the share price for the entrenchment behaviors they observe. In this study, we investigate how controlling owners trade off the benefits and the costs of using stock‐based compensation. Based on a sample of Taiwanese firms, our evidence shows that stock‐based compensation is negatively related to the agency problem embedded in a concentrated ownership structure. This relationship is evident among firms with more frequent equity offerings. Overall, our empirical evidence suggests that controlling owners consider the negative price effects of stock‐based compensation and trade off these costs with the benefits of expropriating minority shareholders’ interests, particularly when firms seek more external equity capital. Our results hold after controlling for selection bias and share collateral by controlling owners.
Tunnel technique versus coronally advanced flap with acellular dermal matrix graft in the treatment of multiple gingival recessions
Authors: Ozenci Ilknur , Ipci Sebnem Dirikan , Cakar Gokser , Yilmaz Selcuk
Published: October 2015

Aim

The aim of this randomized controlled clinical study was to evaluate the outcomes of acellular dermal matrix (ADM) graft in combination with tunnel technique (TUN) on root coverage, aesthetics, and patient satisfaction and to compare with coronally advanced flap (CAF)+ADM in the treatment of multiple gingival recessions.

Material and Methods

A total of 20 patients with 58 Miller Class I multiple recessions ≥3 mm were included and divided into TUN+ADM and CAF+ADM groups. At baseline and 12 months, probing depth (PD), clinical attachment level (CAL), recession height (RH) and width (RW), keratinized tissue height (KT), gingival thickness, and complete and mean root coverage (CRC, MRC) were evaluated. Patient satisfaction and root coverage aesthetic scores (RES) were also assessed.

Results

Mean root coverage was 75.72% in TUN+ADM and 93.81% in CAF+ADM. Intragroup comparisons revealed significant differences at 12 months for all parameters in both groups (p < 0.05). Intergroup differences were found to be statistically significant for RH and RW reduction, KT increase, CAL gain, MRC, CRC, and RES in favour of CAF+ADM group (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Both techniques were effective in root coverage of multiple recessions; however, better clinical results were achieved with CAF and ADM combination.
Relationship Between Pneumocystis carinii Burden and the Degree of Host Immunosuppression in an Airborne Transmission Experimental Model
Authors: Khalife Sara , Chabé Magali , Gantois Nausicaa , Audebert Christophe , Pottier Muriel , Hlais Sani , Pinçon Claire , Chassat Thierry , Pierrot Christine , Khalife Jamal , Aliouat‐Denis Cécile‐Marie , Aliouat El Moukhtar
Published: October 2015

To quantitatively assess the risk of contamination by Pneumocystis depending on the degree of immunosuppression (ID) of the exposed rat hosts, we developed an animal model, where rats went through different doses of dexamethasone. Then, natural and aerial transmission of Pneumocystis carinii occurred during cohousing of the rats undergoing gradual ID levels (receivers) with nude rats developing pneumocystosis (seeders). Following contact between receiver and seeder rats, the P. carinii burden of receiver rats was determined by toluidine blue ortho staining and by qPCR targeting the dhfr monocopy gene of this fungus. In this rat model, the level of circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes remained significantly stable and different for each dose of dexamethasone tested, thus reaching the goal of a new stable and gradual ID rat model. In addition, an inverse relationship between the P. carinii burden and the level of circulating CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocytes was evidenced. This rat model may be used to study other opportunistic pathogens or even co‐infections in a context of gradual ID.
No evidence for adjustment of maternal investment under alternative mate availability regimes
Authors: Weigel E. G. , Tinghitella R. M. , Boughman J. W.
Published: October 2015

Using treatments that mimic high and low availability of reproductive males, it was found that female three‐spined sticklebacksGasterosteus aculeatus, previously shown to adjust their mate choices when male mates were rare, did not alter their reproductive investment strategies. These results suggest that plasticity in investment is perhaps limited by physiological requirements or dependent on relatively extreme mate availability regimes. The probability of becoming reproductive, number of clutches per season (per female), initial clutch size and mass and the timing of reproduction were all independent of the experience a female had with mate availability. This suggests that pre‐copulatory plasticity in reproductive strategies may contribute more to variation in the strength and direction of sexual selection than reproductive investment in offspring.
Ballistic Beloniformes attacking through Snell's Window
Authors: Day R. D. , Mueller F. , Carseldine L. , Meyers‐Cherry N. , Tibbetts I. R.
Published: October 2015

Needlefishes (Beloniformes) were observed employing a range of stalking and attacking behaviours to attack schools of bait fishes ranging from the use of tactics common to predatory fishes to a novel behaviour: the use of leaping, aerial attacks. These aerial attacks are suggested to serve two purposes: to extend the attack range of the needlefishes and to reduce their prey's potential for evasion. Furthermore, a third purpose is hypothesized that the needlefishes are taking advantage of Snell's Window, an optical effect which may mask their approach to their prey.
Intracellular mechanisms underlying lipid accumulation (white opaque substance) in gastric epithelial neoplasms: A pilot study of expression profiles of lipid‐metabolism‐associated genes
Authors: Enjoji Munechika , Kohjima Motoyuki , Ohtsu Kensei , Matsunaga Kazuhisa , Murata Yusuke , Nakamuta Makoto , Imamura Kentaro , Tanabe Hiroshi , Iwashita Akinori , Nagahama Takashi , Yao Kenshi
Published: October 2015

Background and Aim:

White opaque substance (WOS) is a novel endoscopic finding in gastric neoplasms, indicating the intracellular accumulation of lipid droplets (LDs). However, gastric lipid metabolism has not been extensively investigated, even in normal mucosa. We investigated the expression profiles of lipid‐metabolism‐associated genes in gastric neoplasms.

Methods:

Thirty‐four patients with early gastric cancer or adenoma were enrolled in this study. Paired biopsy samples from tumor and adjacent non‐tumor areas were obtained and analyzed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Endoscopically resected specimens were evaluated histopathologically.

Results:

Genes associated with β‐oxidation (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α, carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, and hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase), lipoprotein excretion (apolipoprotein B, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, and acyl‐CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase 2), fatty acid transport (fatty acid‐binding protein), construction of triglycerides in the endoplasmic reticulum (acyl‐CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1), and LD degradation/lipolysis (comparative gene identification‐58, adipose triglyceride lipase) were significantly downregulated in neoplasms compared with non‐tumor areas. Pyruvate dehydrogenase lipoamide kinase isozyme 4 (negative regulator of glycolysis) and adipophilin (LD surface component) were also repressed. Conversely, expression levels of genes associated with de novo lipogenesis (sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1c, acyl‐CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2) were significantly enhanced in neoplasms. There was no significant difference in gene expression levels between carcinomas and adenomas, or between WOS‐positive and WOS‐negative neoplasms.

Conclusion:

Gene expression profiles in neoplasms suggest a predominance of lipid storage (lipogenesis/LD formation) over consumption (β‐oxidation/excretion/lipolysis). Lipid accumulation and WOS in gastric epithelial neoplasms may be caused by impaired mitochondrial oxidation, lipoprotein excretion, and LD degradation.
Changes in Relationship‐Specific Attachment in Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy
Authors: Burgess Moser Melissa , Johnson Susan M. , Dalgleish Tracy L. , Lafontaine Marie‐France , Wiebe Stephanie A. , Tasca Giorgio A.
Published: October 2015

Emotionally focused couple therapy (EFT; Johnson, The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy (1st/2nd edition). Brunner‐Routledge, New York, 2004) is an effective treatment of relationship distress (Johnson et al., Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 1999; 6, 67). However, less is known about EFT's impact on couples' relationship‐specific attachment bond. Using hierarchical linear modeling with a sample of 32 couples, we examined session‐by‐session changes in couples' relationship‐specific attachment anxiety and avoidance and pre‐ to posttherapy changes in their relationship‐specific attachment behaviors. Couples significantly decreased in relationship‐specific attachment avoidance, and those who completed a blamer softening significantly decreased in relationship‐specific attachment anxiety. Couples' attachment behavior significantly increased toward security. Finally, session‐by‐session decreases in relationship‐specific attachment anxiety and avoidance were significant associated with increases in relationship satisfaction across sessions. These results provide empirical support for the attachment‐based assumptions of EFT.

Video abstract accessible by clicking here
Differences in pigmentation between life cycle stages in Scrippsiella lachrymosa (dinophyceae)
Authors: Persson Agneta , Smith Barry C. , Cyronak Tyler , Cooper Emily , DiTullio Giacomo R.
Published: October 2015

Various life cycle stages of cyst‐producing dinoflagellates often appear differently colored under the microscope; gametes appear paler while zygotes are darker in comparison to vegetative cells. To compare physiological and photochemical competency, the pigment composition of discrete life cycle stages was determined for the common resting cyst‐producing dinoflagellate Scrippsiella lachrymosa. Vegetative cells had the highest cellular pigment content (25.2 ± 0.5 pg · cell−1), whereas gamete pigment content was 22% lower. The pigment content of zygotes was 82% lower than vegetative cells, even though they appeared darker under the microscope. Zygotes of S. lachrymosa contained significantly higher cellular concentrations of β‐carotene (0.65 ± 0.15 pg · cell−1) than all other life stages. Photoprotective pigments and the de‐epoxidation ratio of xanthophylls‐cycle pigments in S. lachrymosa were significantly elevated in zygotes and cysts compared to other stages. This suggests a role for accessory pigments in combating intracellular oxidative stress during sexual reproduction or encystment. Resting cysts contained some pigments even though chloroplasts were not visible, suggesting that the brightly colored accumulation body contained photosynthetic pigments. The differences in pigmentation between life stages have implications for interpretation of pigment data from field samples when sampled during dinoflagellate blooms.
Contamination of multidose butorphanol vials in small animal general practices
Authors: Bell A. , Yamaoka T. T. , Akil L. , Watson D. , Devine C.
Published: October 2015

OBJECTIVES

To assess and quantify medetomidine contamination of butorphanol multidose vials in small animal general practices and determine if practice policies and procedures regarding drug handling, as determined by questionnaire, impact upon contamination level.

METHODS

Samples of butorphanol were withdrawn from in‐use vials in participating practices in June and July 2013. Samples were analysed using high‐performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

Forty‐one samples were obtained from 31 practices. Contamination was detected in 29 samples from 10 mL vials. The mean (αsd) contamination was 0 · 275 (α0 · 393) µg/mL; maximum contamination in any vial was 2 · 034 µg/mL. There was no correlation between volume of the vial used and the level of contamination. None of the survey factors predicted contamination levels of the vials.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Contamination of butorphanol multidose vials with medetomidine was common but the level of contamination was insufficient to cause detrimental effects in dogs if butorphanol were to be administered alone. The potential for sporadic higher levels of contamination must be taken into account, especially when using 50 mL vials when sedating critically ill cases, because there is a risk of clinical side effects.
Clinical and Demographic Correlates of Ejaculatory Dysfunctions Other Than Premature Ejaculation: A Prospective, Observational Study
Authors: Paduch Darius A. , Polzer Paula , Morgentaler Abraham , Althof Stanley , Donatucci Craig , Ni Xiao , Patel Ankur B. , Basaria Shezhad
Published: October 2015

Introduction

Ejaculatory dysfunctions other than premature ejaculation are commonly encountered in specialized clinics; however, their characterization in community-dwelling men is lacking.

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, severity, and associated distress of four ejaculatory dysfunctions: delayed ejaculation (DE), anejaculation (AE), perceived ejaculate volume reduction (PEVR) and/or decreased force of ejaculation (DFE) as a function of demographic and clinical characteristics in men.

Methods

Observational analysis of 988 subjects presenting with one or more types of ejaculatory dysfunctions other than premature ejaculation who screened for a randomized clinical trial assessing the efficacy of testosterone replacement on ejaculatory dysfunction. Demographic and clinical characteristics were assessed as potential risk factors using regression analysis.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures used were ejaculatory dysfunction prevalence and scores (3-item Men’s Sexual Health Questionnaire Ejaculatory Dysfunction-Short Form [MSHQ-EjD-SF]), and bother (MSHQ-EjD-SF Bother item) and sexual satisfaction/enjoyment (International Index of Erectile Function Questionnaire Q7, Q8) as a function of subject’s age, race, body mass index (BMI) and serum testosterone levels (measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry).

Results

Mean (standard deviation [SD]) age of the participants was 52 years (11). Eighty-eight percent of the men experienced more than one type of ejaculatory dysfunction and 68% considered their symptoms to be bothersome. Prevalence of the ejaculatory dysfunctions was substantial across a range of age, race, BMI, and serum testosterone categories. Prevalence of PEVR and DFE were positively associated with age (<40 years vs. 60–70 years: PEVR: odds ratio [OR], 3.05; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32–7.06; DFE: OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.46–5.28) while DFE was associated with BMI (≥30 kg/m2 vs. < 25 kg/m2: OR, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.062–3.05). All ejaculatory dysfunctions were more prevalent in black men.

Conclusion

The majority of the participants experienced multiple ejaculatory dysfunctions and found them to be highly bothersome. Ejaculatory dysfunctions were prevalent across a wide range of demographic and clinical characteristics.
The Law-Before: Legacies and Gaps in Penal Reform
Authors: Verma Anjuli
Published: October 2015

This article introduces thelaw-beforeas an analytic tool for enhancing explanations of legal reform. Based on an integration of neo-institutional law and organizations studies and punishment studies of local variation in penal policy, I define thelaw-beforeas the past organizational practices and power arrangements that precede law-on-the-books and shape present day implementation. I utilize thelaw-beforeas a heuristic to investigate the legacy effects of variations in local practice on the implementation of the prison downsizing law, AB 109, or “Realignment,” in California. I analyze organizational documents produced by county practitioners in the aftermath of AB 109's enactment in 2011 as empirical windows into how actors shape the meaning of law in local settings. I find that practitioners in counties with divergent historical imprisonment patterns enact four processes (overwritingorunderwriting law, selective magnification, andselective siting) to arrive at distinct interpretations of AB 109 as mandating system-wide decarceration or the relocation of incarceration from state prisons to county jails. Although my data do not speak to the ultimate implementation of AB 109, the processes revealed have practical implications for the reform goal of decarceration by rationalizing distinct resource allocations at an early stage in the implementation process.
Seasonal Affective Disorder: Clerk Training and the Success of Supreme Court Certiorari Petitions
Authors: Blake William D. , Hacker Hans J. , Hopwood Shon R.
Published: October 2015

We investigate why the Supreme Court grants a smaller percentage of cases at the first conference of each term compared to other conferences. According to received wisdom, Supreme Court law clerks are overly cautious at the beginning of their tenure because they receive only a brief amount of training. Reputational concerns motivate clerks to provide fewer recommendations to grant review in cert. pool memos written over the summer months. Using a random sample of petitions from the Blackmun Archives, we code case characteristics, clerk recommendation, and the Court's decision on cert. Nearest neighbor matching suggests clerks are 36 percent less likely to recommend grants in their early cert. pool memos. Because of this temporal discrepancy, petitions arriving over the summer have a 16 percent worse chance of being granted by the Court. This seasonal variation in access to the Court's docket imposes a legally irrelevant burden on litigants who have little control over the timing of their appeal.
HCV Council – critical appraisal of data: recommendations for clinical practice in a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape
Authors: Reau Nancy , Fried Michael W. , Nelson David R. , Brown Robert S. , Everson Gregory T. , Gordon Stuart C. , Jacobson Ira M. , Lim Joseph K. , Pockros Paul J. , Reddy K. Rajender , Sherman Kenneth E.
Published: October 2015

Background & Aims

HCV Council 2014, like its predecessor HCV Council 2011, assembled leading clinicians and researchers in the field of hepatitis C to critically evaluate current data regarding best practices for managing patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV).

Methods

Clinical practice statements were developed that reflect the areas of potential controversy with high clinical impact. Faculty members were responsible for reviewing the literature to support or reject these statements. After a review and comprehensive discussion of the data, the HCV Council faculty voted on the nature of the evidence and the level of support for each statement.

Results

The results of the detailed analysis with expert opinion are summarized in this article.

Conclusion

Numerous questions regarding optimal management of certain populations and clinical scenarios remain unanswered. The discussion in the article provides a summary of evidenced‐based expert opinion that may help guide clinicians as additional information is developed.
A smartphone version of the Faces Pain Scale‐Revised and the Color Analog Scale for postoperative pain assessment in children
Authors: Sun Terri , West Nicholas , Ansermino J. Mark , Montgomery Carolyne J. , Myers Dorothy , Dunsmuir Dustin , Lauder Gillian R. , von Baeyer Carl L.
Published: October 2015

Background

Effective pain assessment is essential during postoperative recovery. Extensive validation data are published supporting the Faces Pain Scale‐Revised (FPS‐R) and the Color Analog Scale (CAS) in children. Panda is a smartphone‐based application containing electronic versions of these scales.

Objectives

To evaluate agreement between Panda and original paper/plastic versions of the FPS‐R and CAS and to determine children's preference for either Panda or original versions of these scales.

Methods

ASA I–III children, 4–18 years, undergoing surgery were assessed using both Panda and original versions of either the FPS‐R or CAS. Pain assessments were conducted within 10 min of waking from anesthesia and 30 min later.

Results

Sixty‐two participants, median (range) age 7.5 (4–12) years, participated in the FPS‐R trial; Panda scores correlated strongly with the original scores at both time points (Pearson's r > 0.93) with limits of agreement within clinical significance (80% CI). Sixty‐six participants, age 13 (5–18) years, participated in the CAS trial. Panda scores correlated strongly with the original scores at both time points (Pearson's r > 0.87); mean pain scores were higher (up to +0.47 out of 10) with Panda than with the original tool, representing a small systematic bias, but limits of agreement were within clinical significance. Most participants who expressed a preference preferred Panda over the original tool (81% of FPS‐R, 76% of CAS participants).

Conclusion

The Panda smartphone application can be used in lieu of the original FPS‐R and CAS for assessment of pain in children. Children's preference for Panda may translate to improved cooperation with self‐report of pain.
Surgical complications due to postnatal cytomegalovirus infection in a preterm infant with malrotation
Authors: Torregrossa Anaïs , Reinberg Olivier , Alamo Leonor , Sarro Rosella , Meylan Pascal , Roth‐Kleiner Matthias
Published: October 2015

We report a case of an extremely preterm infant with intestinal malrotation who contracted postnatal systemic cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection with a complicated intestinal evolution requiring repeated surgical interventions and antiviral treatment. This report is to emphasize that prolonged gastrointestinal symptoms in extremely preterm infants fed with non‐pasteurized breast milk should lead to suspicion of CMV infection. The importance of preventive measures when feeding very preterm infants with breast milk needs to be considered. Furthermore, the indications for antiviral treatment, in particular in preterm infants, need to be clarified.
The Predicate View of Proper Names
Authors: Bach Kent
Published: October 2015

The Millian view that the meaning of a proper name is simply its referent has long been popular among philosophers of language. It might even be deemed the orthodox view, despite its well‐known difficulties. Fregean and Russellian alternatives, though widely discussed, are much less popular. The Predicate View has not even been taken seriously, at least until fairly recently, but finally, it is receiving the attention it deserves. It says that a name expresses the property of bearing that name. Despite its apparent shortcomings, it has a distinct virtue: It straightforwardly reckons with the fact that proper names generally have multiple bearers and are sometimes used to ascribe the property of bearing a name rather than to refer to a particular bearer of the name. It holds that proper names are much the same as common nouns, both semantically and syntactically, with only superficial differences. They both can be quantified and modified. The main difference, at least in English (and some other languages), is that when used to refer a proper name, unlike a common noun, is not preceded by the definite article. The Predicate View accounts for manifestly predicative uses, but to be vindicated, it needs to do justice to the fact that the main use of proper names is to refer.
The Constitution Free Zone in the United States: Law and Life in a State of Carcelment
Authors: Dorsey Margaret E. , Díaz‐Barriga Miguel
Published: October 2015

Residents of South Texas live in a “Constitution free zone,” as one of our informants explained. Court rulings have declared that the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution does not apply at checkpoints and spaces up to 100 miles north of the U.S.‐Mexican border. This article draws upon Agamben's arguments about “states of exception” and Foucault's notion of the “carceral state” to show that border residents live in a state of legal exception, in which the modalities characteristic of mass incarceration are extended from prison, where search and seizure is always classified as “reasonable,” into everyday life. We introduce the concept “state of carcelment” to describe how these modalities operate on the ground, through mass incarceration and internal checkpoints, to inter, so to speak, an entire region. With the potential diffusion of this “state of carcelment” beyond the border region, anthropologists are poised to critically engage its legal and cultural normalization. [State of exception, border security, Mexican American, Constitution free zone, prisons, checkpoints, race, gender, carcelment]
Identification of eight effector candidate genes involved in early aggressiveness of the barley powdery mildew fungus
Authors: Aguilar G. B. , Pedersen C. , Thordal‐Christensen H.
Published: October 2015

The barley powdery mildew fungus, Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh), expresses 491 candidate for secreted effector proteins (CSEPs), identified based on presence of a predicted signal peptide and relative sequence uniqueness. Virtually nothing is known about the mechanism of action of CSEPs. The present study used host‐induced gene silencing (HIGS) to identify genes involved in early fungal aggressiveness. Screening of 22 selected CSEP‐encoding genes suggested that CSEP0007, CSEP0025, CSEP0128, CSEP0211, CSEP0247, CSEP0345, CSEP0420 and CSEP0422 are individually required for normal levels of aggressiveness of Bgh. Expression data showed that these genes were up‐regulated at initial stages of infection, suggesting their involvement in early fungal aggressiveness. Altogether, the findings expand the current knowledge of genes contributing to Bgh pathogenesis and provide the basis for future functional characterization.
Demolishing Dikes: Multiple Streams and Policy Discourse Analysis
Authors: Winkel Georg , Leipold Sina
Published: October 2015

The Multiple Streams Framework (MSF) is an influential theoretical framework for the analysis of policymaking processes, in particular agenda setting. It has inspired numerous empirical applications, which result in substantially different interpretations, for instance, of what exactly the “streams” encompass, how policy entrepreneurship is practiced, and how the coupling of distinct streams works. This article undertakes a systematic assessment of the MSF's core elements from the perspective of policy discourse analysis. Through an understanding of “streams” as discursive patterns, and policy discourses as (historical) couplings of the streams, a new and theoretically consistent interpretation of streams and likely connections between them is offered. One specific focus is on Kingdon's concept of policy entrepreneurship and how it relates to ideas of agency in discourse analysis. Drawing on the recently proposed Discursive Agency Approach, we discuss how concepts such as subject positions in discourses, agent subjectivization via the dialectic interplay of individual characteristics and structural forces, and discursive practices and strategies relate to and can possibly complement the MSF. Particular emphasis is given to the metaphors the MSF provides. In conclusion, the article demonstrates that a post‐positivist perspective holds great potential for enriching the MSF theoretically and strengthening it analytically.
Searching for appropriate performance measures for innovation and development projects
Authors: Henttonen Kaisa , Ojanen Ville , Puumalainen Kaisu
Published: October 2015

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on innovation and R&D performance measurement, and especially the dimensions of measuring performance. Our recommendations in this paper are based on the opinions of 169 knowledgeable professionals from a company with a reputation for innovation. Our study results indicate that what the most appropriate measures of project‐level success are will depend on the form of innovation involved and the development project type. The results of the study reveal the relatively low significance of financial measures for innovation projects in general. Additionally, measurability did not seem to be a major criterion for selecting measures, as measures like level of innovativeness were selected most often. The roles of the evaluators are also likely to have some impact.
The rise and fall of tuberculosis in Malawi: associations with HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Kanyerere Henry , Harries Anthony D. , Tayler‐Smith Katie , Jahn Andreas , Zachariah Rony , Chimbwandira Frank M. , Mpunga James
Published: October 2015

Objectives

Since 1985, Malawi has experienced a dual epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) which has been moderated recently by the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this study was to describe the association over several decades between HIV/AIDS, the scale‐up of ART and TB case notifications.

Methods

Aggregate data were extracted from annual reports of the National TB Control Programme, the Ministry of Health HIV Department and the National Statistics Office. ART coverage was calculated using the total HIV population as denominator (derived from UNAIDS Spectrum software).

Results

In 1970, there were no HIV‐infected persons but numbers had increased to a maximum of 1.18 million by 2014. HIV prevalence reached a maximum of 10.8% in 2000, thereafter decreasing to 7.5% by 2014. Numbers alive on ART increased from 2586 in 2003 to 536 527 (coverage 45.3%) by 2014. In 1985, there were 5286 TB cases which reached a maximum of 28 234 in 2003 and then decreased to 17 723 by 2014 (37% decline from 2003). There were increases in all types of new TB between 1998–2003 which then declined by 30% for extrapulmonary TB, by 37% for new smear‐positive PTB and by 50% for smear‐negative PTB. Previously treated TB cases reached a maximum of 3443 in 2003 and then declined by 42% by 2014.

Conclusion

The rise and fall of TB in Malawi between 1985 and 2014 was strongly associated with HIV infection and ART scale‐up; this has implications for ending the TB epidemic in high HIV–TB burden countries.
A retrospective analysis of false‐positive infectious screening results in blood donors
Authors: Vo Michelle T. , Bruhn Roberta , Kaidarova Zhanna , Custer Brian S. , Murphy Edward L. , Bloch Evan M.
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

False‐positive infectious transfusion screening results remain a challenge with continued loss of both donors and blood products. We sought to identify associations between donor demographic characteristics (age, race, sex, education, first‐time donor status) and testing false positive for viruses during routine blood donation screening. In addition the study assessed the prevalence of high‐risk behaviors in false‐positive donors.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Blood Systems, Inc. donors with allogeneic donations between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2012, were compared in a case‐control study. Those with a false‐positive donation for one of four viruses (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], human T‐lymphotropic virus [HTLV], hepatitis B virus [HBV], and hepatitis C virus [HCV]) were included as cases. Those with negative test results were controls. For a subset of cases, infectious risk factors were evaluated.

RESULTS

Black race and Hispanic ethnicity were associated with HCV and HTLV false‐positive results. Male sex and lower education were associated with HCV false positivity, and age 25 to 44 was associated with HTLV false positivity. First‐time donors were more likely to be HCV false positive although less likely to be HBV and HTLV false positive. No significant associations between donor demographics and HIV false positivity were observed. A questionnaire for false‐positive donors showed low levels of high‐risk behaviors.

CONCLUSION

Demographic associations with HCV and HTLV false‐positive results overlap with those of true infection. While true infection is unlikely given current testing algorithms and risk factor evaluation, the findings suggest nonrandom association. Further investigation into biologic mechanisms is warranted.
Use of a simple, inexpensive device for collection of blood during acute normovolaemic haemodilution in a Jehovah's Witness patient
Authors: Dunseth C. , Collins L. , Reddy S. , Schlueter A. J.
Published: October 2015

Postoperative anaemia is a concern for patients who refuse blood products or have rare blood types. Acute normovolaemic haemodilution (ANH) is a potential solution for these challenging populations. However, protocols for ANH provide limited detail on preparation of blood collection systems. This report describes a novel protocol for ANH and an example of a patient who clearly benefited from ANH.
English education in the era of Meiji Japan
Authors: FRIEDMAN JEFFREY
Published: October 2015

This paper analyzes the origins and internationalization objectives of methodologies used for English pedagogy in Meiji Japan. Curriculum during this period was designed to reinforce analytical, rote methodologies that resulted in the separation of language from culture. Texts tested intellectual acumen and promoted nationalistic sentiments, rather than communication skills, thereby limiting direct communication with the West and access to foreign ideas. A close examination of historical ties between English textbook methodology and the modernization agenda during Meiji helps us to better understand some of the practical challenges facing current foreign language policy and oral‐linguistic proficiency in Japan.
SELECTION OF RAINWATER HARVESTING SITES BY USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS TECHNIQUES: A CASE STUDY OF KIRKUK, IRAQ
Authors: Buraihi Faez Hussein , Mohamed Shariff Abdul Rashid
Published: October 2015

Arid and semi-arid areas such as Iraq suffer not only from limited precipitation but also from poor management of rainwater for agricultural use. One technique for rainwater harvesting (RWH) is to collect excess runoff water during the rainy season and store it for agricultural purposes during dry spells. Remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) are widely used to identify suitable RWH sites. In this study, an integrated approach was adopted to determine suitable RWH sites in Kirkuk City, Iraq. The methods were integrated with the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) method to evaluate the parameters that significantly contribute to RWH site selection. Thematic layers, such as runoff depth, slope, drainage, and land use/land cover, as well as their features were assigned suitable weights and then integrated in a GIS to generate a RWH potential map of the study area. Suitable sites for different RWH structures, such as farm ponds and check dams, were also identified. The study area can be classified into three potential RWH zones: high suitability zone (8.2% or 399.75 ), moderate suitability zone (63.4% or 3,090.75 ), and low suitability zone (28.4% or 1,384.5 ). Around 3.7% of the study area (181.6 ) is suitable for farm ponds while 4% (197 ) is suitable for check dams. The integrated RS, GIS, and MCDA techniques were found to be a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to recover rainwater and select suitable RWH sites.