bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Piscine reovirus, but not Jaundice Syndrome, was transmissible to Chinook Salmon, Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum), Sockeye Salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka (Walbaum), and Atlantic Salmon, Salmo salar L.
Authors: Garver K A , Marty G D , Cockburn S N , Richard J , Hawley L M , Müller A , Thompson R L , Purcell M K , Saksida S
Published: January 2015

A Jaundice Syndrome occurs sporadically among sea‐pen‐farmed Chinook Salmon in British Columbia, the westernmost province of Canada. Affected salmon are easily identified by a distinctive yellow discolouration of the abdominal and periorbital regions. Through traditional diagnostics, no bacterial or viral agents were cultured from tissues of jaundiced Chinook Salmon; however, piscine reovirus (PRV) was identified via RT‐rPCR in all 10 affected fish sampled. By histopathology, Jaundice Syndrome is an acute to peracute systemic disease, and the time from first clinical signs to death is likely <48 h; renal tubular epithelial cell necrosis is the most consistent lesion. In an infectivity trial, Chinook Salmon, Sockeye Salmon and Atlantic Salmon, intraperitoneally inoculated with a PRV‐positive organ homogenate from jaundiced Chinook Salmon, developed no gross or microscopic evidence of jaundice despite persistence of PRV for the 5‐month holding period. The results from this study demonstrate that the Jaundice Syndrome was not transmissible by injection of material from infected fish and that PRV was not the sole aetiological factor for the condition. Additionally, these findings showed the Pacific coast strain of PRV, while transmissible, was of low pathogenicity for Atlantic Salmon, Chinook Salmon and Sockeye Salmon.
Differences in uptake and killing of pathogenic and non‐pathogenic bacteria by haemocyte subpopulations of penaeid shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, (Boone)
Authors: Tuan V V , Dantas‐Lima J J , Thuong K V , Li W , Grauwet K , Bossier P , Nauwynck H J
Published: January 2015

Phagocytosis is an important function of both invertebrate and vertebrate blood cells. In this study, the phagocytic activity of haemocyte subpopulations of penaeid shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, (Boone), against pathogenic and non‐pathogenic particles was investigated in vitro. The haemocytes of penaeid shrimp were firstly separated by centrifugation on a continuous density gradient of iodixanol into four fractions with five subpopulations (sub), of which sub 1 (hyalinocytes) and sub 4 (semi‐granulocytes) have the main function in phagocytosis of both pathogenic and non‐pathogenic bacteria as well as fluorescent polystyrene beads. It was found that these haemocyte subpopulations engulfed virulent Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio harveyi at a higher rate than non‐virulent Escherichia coli and polystyrene beads. When these bacteria were mixed with shrimp haemocyte subpopulations and incubated for 180 min, the percentage of viable intracellular V. campbellii (25.5 ± 6.0%) recovered was significantly higher than the percentage recovered from V. harveyi (13.5 ± 1.1%). No viable intracellular E. coli was observed in this study. In contrast to V. harveyi and E. coli, V. campbellii containing endosomes did not acidify in time. Incubation of haemocyte subpopulations with the most virulent V. campbellii strain resulted in a significant drop in haemocyte viability (41.4 ± 6.3% in sub 1 and 30.2 ± 15.1% in sub 4) after 180 min post‐inoculation in comparison with the less virulent V. harveyi (84.1 ± 5.6% in sub 1 and 83.4 ± 4.1% in sub 4) and non‐virulent E. coli (92.7 ± 2.8% in sub 1 and 92.3 ± 5.6% in sub 4) and polystyrene beads (91.9 ± 1.6% in sub 1 and 84.4 ± 3.4% in sub 4). These findings may be a valuable tool for monitoring shrimp health and immunological studies.
Quality and Postharvest Performance of Watermelon Fruit in Response to Grafting on Interspecific Cucurbit Rootstocks
Authors: Kyriacou Marios C. , Soteriou Georgios
Published: January 2015

Grafting on disease‐resistant rootstocks is a growing practice in watermelon cultivation worldwide. Reports on effects of grafting on watermelon fruit postharvest performance are scarce. The current work examined postharvest performance at 25C of four diploid cultivars grown nongrafted or grafted onto three Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata rootstocks. Despite sucrose accumulation throughout storage at the expense of fructose and glucose, total soluble carbohydrates and soluble solids content declined. Lycopene content peaked 7 days postharvest and intensity of flesh color increased concomitantly; yellowing of flesh was detected at 14 days. Rootstocks reduced soluble solids content only in the second year of experiments by 0.8–1.0°Brix. Rootstocks improved postharvest flesh firmness and lycopene content and enhanced flesh color. Rind was minimally thickened by rootstocks and declined with storage. Grafting diploid cultivars on interspecific rootstocks improved fruit quality and storability. Potential reduction in soluble solids content in response to grafting is limited and not detrimental to fruit quality.

Practical Applications

Grafting on disease‐resistant rootstock has become an imperative for intensive watermelon production since chlorofluorocarbon‐based soil fumigants were banned from use. Accordingly, most information on the effects of grafting on watermelon fruit quality derives from rootstock selection studies with emphasis on disease resistance and field performance. However, impaired fruit quality, notably low flesh firmness, constitutes a common problem for the commercial summer crop of field‐cultivated watermelon with blame commonly placed on grafting. Moreover, watermelons worldwide are handled postharvest under adverse nonrefrigerated conditions. There remains, however, a paucity of information on the effects of grafting on watermelon postharvest performance. The main objective of this work was to assess the impact of cucurbit hybrid rootstocks, which constitute a major class of disease‐resistant commercial rootstocks, on quality and postharvest performance of watermelon. The results could be applicable to improve the quality and postharvest handling of the watermelon fruit.
A joint modelling framework for daily extremes of river discharge and precipitation in urban areas
Authors: Breinl K. , Strasser U. , Bates P. , Kienberger S.
Published: January 2015

Human settlements are often at risk from multiple hydro‐meteorological hazards, which include fluvial floods, short‐time extreme precipitation (leading to ‘pluvial’ floods) or coastal floods. In the past, considerable scientific effort has been devoted to assessing fluvial floods. Only recently have methods been developed to assess the hazard and risk originating from pluvial phenomena, whereas little effort has been dedicated to joint approaches. The aim of this study was to develop a joint modelling framework for simulating daily extremes of river discharge and precipitation in urban areas. The basic framework is based on daily observations coupled with a novel precipitation disaggregation algorithm using nearest neighbour resampling combined with the method of fragments to overcome data limitations and facilitate its transferability. The framework generates dependent time series of river discharge and urban precipitation that allow for the identification of fluvial flood days (daily peak discharge), days of extreme precipitation potentially leading to pluvial phenomena (maximum hourly precipitation) and combined fluvial–pluvial flood days (combined time series). Critical thresholds for hourly extreme precipitation were derived from insurance and fire service data.
How presentation format affects the interpretation of probabilistic flood risk information
Authors: Strathie A. , Netto G. , Walker G.H. , Pender G.
Published: January 2015

In many European countries, flood awareness information is communicated through flood extent maps and probabilistic language. However, research suggests that probabilistic information is difficult to understand and that presentation format affects understanding and risk perception. In this study, thirty participants took part in focus groups to explore responses to a flood extent map, and completed a questionnaire to measure the effect of expressing the probability of flooding using different language formats on understanding and risk perception. Responses to the flood extent map reveal participants experienced difficulties interpreting the probabilistic information. In the questionnaire, understanding was high across statements for both self‐report and objective measures. However, the standard way of communicating risks, in terms of years per flooding event, evoked the lowest levels of understanding. For risk perception, there were differences in mean risk ratings across statements, and in general, people perceived the risk as greater when presented in terms of cumulative probability over a number of years than in terms of the probability of a single event. This suggests that by making alterations to the standard format used to communicate probabilistic flood risk information, it may be possible to increase understanding and awareness of the risks posed by flooding.
Fully probabilistic assessment of safety against flooding along the Dutch coast
Authors: Vuik V. , van Balen W. , van Vuren S.
Published: January 2015

This paper describes a fully probabilistic safety assessment of the Dutch North Sea coast, in which stochastic properties of both hydraulic loads and strength of the flood defences have been taken into account. The study has led to an overview of failure probabilities along the coast with high spatial resolution. Both dikes and dunes have been considered. Failure probabilities at individual locations have been combined to flooding probabilities per dike ring area. The vast majority of the Dutch coastal defences is quite secure in terms of flooding. This study demonstrates that generally, the Dutch dunes provide a higher degree of safety than the sea dikes. When incorporating the consequences of flooding to the analysis, the calculated flooding probabilities can be used to determine flood risks. The probabilistic method, presented in this paper, enables accurate balancing between avoided flood risks and investments to reinforce the flood defences.
Assessing the utility of social media as a data source for flood risk management using a real‐time modelling framework
Authors: Smith L. , Liang Q. , James P. , Lin W.
Published: January 2015

The utility of social media for both collecting and disseminating information during natural disasters is increasingly recognised. The rapid nature of urban flooding from intense rainfall means accurate surveying of peak depths and flood extents is rarely achievable, hindering the validation of urban flood models. This paper presents a real‐time modelling framework to identify areas likely to have flooded using data obtained only through social media. Graphics processing unit (GPU) accelerated hydrodynamic modelling is used to simulate flooding in a 48‐km2 area of Newcastle upon Tyne, with results automatically compared against flooding identified through social media, allowing inundation to be inferred elsewhere in the city with increased detail and accuracy. Data from Twitter during two 2012 flood events are used to test the framework, with the inundation results indicative of good agreement against crowd‐sourced and anecdotal data, even though the sample of successfully geocoded Tweets was relatively small.
Initial gene vector dosing for studying symptomatology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in non‐human primates
Authors: Jackson Kasey L. , Dayton Robert D. , Fisher‐Perkins Jeanne M. , Didier Peter J. , Baker Kate C. , Weimer Maria , Gutierrez Amparo , Cain Cooper D. , Mathis J. Michael , Gitcho Michael A. , Bunnell Bruce A. , Klein Ronald L.
Published: January 2015

Background

Most amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) research has focused on mice, but there are distinct differences in the functional neuroanatomy of the corticospinal pathway in primates vs. rodents. A non‐human primate model may be more sensitive and more predictive for therapeutic efficacy.

Methods

Rhesus macaques received recombinant adeno‐associated virus (AAV9) encoding either the ALS‐related pathological protein TDP‐43 or a green fluorescent protein (GFP) control by intravenous administration. Motor function and electromyography were assessed over a nine‐month expression interval followed by post‐mortem analyses.

Results

Recombinant TDP‐43 or GFP was stably expressed long term. Although the TDP‐43 subjects did not manifest severe paralysis and atrophy, there were trends of a partial disease state in the TDP‐43 subjects relative to the control.

Conclusions

These data indicate that a higher gene vector dose will likely be necessary for more robust effects, yet augur that a relevant primate model is feasible.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE HOUSING MARKET AND ITS SOCIOECONOMIC IMPACTS IN THE POST‐REFORM PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: A SURVEY OF THE LITERATURE
Authors: Chen Jie , Han Xuehui
Published: January 2015

The development of the housing market in the People's Republic of China is not only a major component of Chinese economic growth but also has wide‐ranging influential impacts on Chinese society. A burgeoning number of papers have examined the housing market in the postreform People's Republic of China from various perspectives. This paper aims to provide a thorough survey of the key literature in the field and then supply a complete picture of the dynamics of the housing market in the People's Republic of China. To assess the functional efficiency of this nascent market, we pay particular attention to the literature that is related to the academic debate over the Chinese housing bubble issue. The structure and operation of the housing market is another major concern in this paper. Finally, we summarize the key insights of the literature that we surveyed, note research gaps in the literature, and discuss further research directions in this field.
Laparoscopic cornuotomy for interstitial pregnancy and postoperative course
Authors: Watanabe Tadashi , Watanabe Zen , Watanabe Takanori , Fujimoto Kumiko , Sasaki Etsuko
Published: January 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to evaluate the advantages of laparoscopic cornuotomy in treating interstitial pregnancy, and the effect of the procedure on reproductive outcomes.

Methods

Thirteen patients were treated for interstitial pregnancy by laparoscopic cornuotomy with or without local methotrexate injection, between March 2000 and January 2012 at NTT East Japan Tohoku Hospital and Sendai City Hospital. The patients were followed to assess the outcomes of subsequent pregnancies for at least 1 year after the operation.

Results

All 13 cases of interstitial pregnancy were successfully treated by laparoscopic cornuotomy, without performing cornual resection or laparotomy. The mean gestational age was 7.6 ± 1.3 weeks, and the average serum hCG level was 20 800 ± 18 100 IU/L. The mean cornual mass size was 34.6 ± 10.2 mm. Eight of the patients later obtained a spontaneous intrauterine pregnancy. Three patients that delivered by cesarean section showed no uterine dehiscence or thinning of the scar at the site of the earlier cornual incision and repair. None of the patients experienced uterine rupture.

Conclusion

Interstitial pregnancy can be selectively treated by laparoscopic cornuotomy with local methotrexate injection, if managed carefully.
Decreased expression of elastin and lysyl oxidase family genes in urogenital tissues of aging mice
Authors: Jiang Yan , Zong Wen , Luan Hong , Liu Jian‐hua , Zhang Ai‐zhen , Li Xiao‐lin , Liu Shuo‐yang , Zhang Shi‐qian , Gao Jian‐gang
Published: January 2015

Aim

This study aims to investigate the expression levels of elastin and lysyl oxidase (LOX) family members in the urogenital tissues of natural aging mice and accelerated ovarian aging mice.

Method

Uteri, vaginas and bladders were harvested from 18‐month‐old female mice and accelerated ovarian aging mice developed by chemotherapeutic agents. Untreated 3‐month‐old female mice were used as controls. The expression levels of elastin and LOX family members were determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and western blot.

Results

Compared with untreated young female mice, the expression of elastin and LOX family members significantly decreased both in natural aging mice and accelerated ovarian aging mice.

Conclusion

Aging is a high‐risk factor for pelvic floor disorders. The failure of elastic fiber synthesis and assembly due to the decline in expression levels of elastin and LOX family members during aging may explain the molecular mechanism causing pelvic floor disorders.
Carcinogenic mechanisms of endometrial cancer: Involvement of genetics and epigenetics
Authors: Banno Kouji , Yanokura Megumi , Iida Miho , Masuda Kenta , Aoki Daisuke
Published: January 2015

Endometrial cancer is increasing worldwide and the number of patients with this disease is likely to continue to grow, including younger patients. Many endometrial cancers show estrogen‐dependent proliferation, but the carcinogenic mechanisms are unknown or not completely explained beyond mutations of single oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Possible carcinogenic mechanisms include imbalance between endometrial proliferation by unopposed estrogen and the mismatch repair (MMR) system; hypermethylation of the MMR gene hMLH1; mutation of PTEN, β‐catenin and K‐ras genes in type I endometrial cancer and of HER‐2/neu and p53 genes in type II endometrial cancer; hypermethylation of SPRY2, RASSF1A, RSK4, CHFR and CDH1; and methylation of tumor suppressor microRNAs, including miR‐124, miR‐126, miR‐137, miR‐491, miR‐129‐2 and miR‐152. Thus, it is likely that the carcinogenic mechanisms of endometrial cancer involve both genetic and epigenetic changes. Mutations and methylation of MMR genes induce various oncogenic changes that cause carcinogenesis, and both MMR mutation in germ cells and methylation patterns may be inherited over generations and cause familial tumorigenesis. Determination of the detailed carcinogenic mechanisms will be useful for prevention and diagnosis of endometrial cancer, risk assessment, and development of new treatment strategies targeting MMR genes.
English and Globalization inIndia: The Fractal Nature of Discourse
Authors: Proctor Lavanya Murali
Published: January 2015

There are many different discourses aboutEnglish inIndia that emerge from different subject positions. The discourses of both theEnglish‐dominant and theEnglish‐excluded draw on similar themes and on dominant ideologies of globalization, but produce discourses that are refractions of each other. At a theoretical level, this gives us insight into interdiscursivity and how dominant discourses shape the formation of non‐dominant discourses. I suggest that such discourses have a fractal nature, being products of iteration and manifesting similar structures, and offer the concept of fractal discursivity as a way of analyzing this kind of interdiscursivity.
Sexual Function and Fertility Quality of Life in Women Using In Vitro Fertilization
Authors: Smith Nicole K. , Madeira Jody , Millard Heather R.
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Women undergoing fertility treatment are likely to report negative changes in sexual function. With the rapid increase in the number of women pursuing in vitro fertilization (IVF), there is a need to better understand how IVF impacts a woman's sexual experiences and quality of life.

Aims

This study has three purposes: (i) test the psychometric properties of the Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (SFQ) in a sample of U.S. women undergoing IVF; (ii) compare sexual function of women undergoing IVF with a nonclinical sample of U.S. women; and (iii) identify the aspects of sexual function most related to fertility quality of life (FertiQoL).

Method

A total of 136 women who had recently undergone or who were currently undergoing IVF completed a web-based, cross-sectional survey about sexual experiences and quality of life.

Main Outcome Measures

Data were collected on infertility diagnosis, length of infertility, number of IVF cycles, pregnancy, and birth outcomes. Six domains of sexual function as well as the medical impact of IVF were assessed using the SFQ. A validated instrument was used to measure FertiQoL.

Results

Reliability analyses for the SFQ indicate sufficiently strong fit (Cronbach's alpha = 0.79 to 0.89). Compared with a nonclinical sample, women undergoing IVF scored significantly lower in sexual interest, desire, orgasm, satisfaction, sexual activity, and overall sexual function (P < 0.05). A stepwise linear regression indicated that sexual problems predicted FertiQoL scores (Beta = 4.61, P < 0.01). The most common sexual problems included lack of sexual interest or desire (30%), difficulty with orgasm (15%), vaginal dryness (14%), and vaginal tightness (13%).

Conclusions

Women undergoing IVF may be at particular risk for sexual problems. Sexual function issues may markedly impact overall quality of life during fertility treatment and should be addressed as an important component of comprehensive care.
Evaluation of Elevated Dietary Aluminum and Iron on Red Drum, Sciaenops ocellatus
Authors: Fauzi Ichsan A. , Gatlin Delbert M.
Published: January 2015

This study was conducted to determine if relatively high dietary levels of aluminum and iron might affect growth, mortality, and mineral content of red drum, Sciaenops ocellatus, because algae coproduct may have rather high aluminum and iron levels due to the algae harvesting and extracting processes. Experimental diets were prepared by supplementing different levels of aluminum (1000, 2000, 4000, 8000, and 3000 mg/kg diet) from aluminum sulfate, or iron (1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 mg/kg diet) from ferric sulfate, or a combination of aluminum and iron (4000 mg Al/kg and 4000 mg Fe/kg) to a basal diet which was formulated from practical ingredients and analyzed to contain an average of 526 mg Fe/kg and 1940 mg Al/kg diet. The feeding trial was conducted in a recirculating system consisting of 38‐L aquaria maintained at 7 ppt salinity with synthetic seawater and sodium chloride. Each diet was fed to triplicate groups of 12 juvenile red drum initially averaging 4.5 g/fish for 7 wk. At the end of the feeding period, there were no significant differences in average weight gain, feed efficiency, or hepatosomatic index of fish fed the various diets. Significant differences were found in liver iron concentration (P = 0.045) but not iron concentration of whole body or muscle tissues. In regard to aluminum content of the liver, whole body, and muscle tissues, detectable levels were not recorded. Based on these results, it does not appear that extremely high levels of aluminum or iron adversely affect juvenile red drum, and thus elevated levels of these minerals should not limit the use of algal coproducts in diet formulations.
Comprehensive Investigation of Streptococcosis Outbreaks in Cultured Nile Tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and Red Tilapia, Oreochromis sp., of Thailand
Authors: Jantrakajorn Sasibha , Maisak Hathairat , Wongtavatchai Janenuj
Published: January 2015

Streptococcosis causes economic losses due to mass mortality at all culturing stages in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, and red tilapia, Oreochromis sp., farming throughout Thailand. Diseased tilapia collected from outbreak areas during 2003–2012 were examined using histopathological, biochemical, and molecular tools. Infected fish showed clinical signs of septicemia, and bacteria were found in visceral organs. All gram‐positive cocci isolates were negative to catalase and oxidase, and exhibited β‐hemolysis; however, they possessed various biochemical profiles. PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene was used for 165 samples, and resulted in identification of 143 (86.67%) with Streptococcus agalactiae and 14 (8.48%) with Streptococcus iniae, and 8 (4.85%) with mixed infection. High similarity (≥98%) of 16S rRNA gene sequences to the reference strain S. agalactiae (accession no. EF092913) and S. iniae ATCC29178 type strain was observed in the typing of S. agalactiae and S. iniae from Thai farmed tilapia. This investigation documented that at least two species of streptococcal bacteria, S. agalactiae and S. iniae, were involved in tilapia streptococcal infection in Thailand. The molecular recognition of the etiologic agents showed that S. agalactiae was the dominant species that cause disease in all culture areas, whereas S. iniae were discovered only in cases from the northeastern and central regions.
A Novel Metallothionein Gene from Mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii: Identification and Expression under Lanthanum Exposure
Authors: Yang Shoubao , Wei Min , Yang Xiaoxue , Wang Heng , He Liping , Li Chen
Published: January 2015

Metallothionein (MT) is a superfamily of cysteine‐rich, metal‐binding, low‐molecular‐weight proteins that participate in the storage, transportation, and metabolism of the trace metal elements. In this study, a novel MT gene from Hyriopsis cumingii was cloned (designated HcMT1); it shared 59.2% identity with previously published MT sequence of H. cumingii and 56.1–97.3% identity with other MT genes from mollusks. The expression level of HcMT1 in various tissues was determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Relatively higher expression levels were observed in digestive gonad, mantle, and gill, and the expression level in hemocytes was significantly upregulated by lanthanum (La3+) exposure. The nucleotide sequence of HcMT1 amplified from genomic DNA is identical to the cDNA template group under La3+ exposure, which indicated that HcMT1 is an intronless gene. These results indicate that HcMT1 may play an important role in La3+ metabolism.
Patchwork planet: the resource dispersion hypothesis, society, and the ecology of life
Authors: Macdonald D. W. , Johnson D. D. P.
Published: January 2015

Virtually nothing in nature is uniform. Observed at the right scale, most entities are clustered rather than evenly distributed, spatially and temporally, and this applies across domains from the distribution of matter in the universe, to habitats across theEarth's surface, and to energy in the landscape. Patchiness means organisms cannot carve out even territories. Instead, their shape and size depends on the dispersion of materials needed for survival and reproduction. This fundamental feature of life is intrinsically understood in ecology, for example, in the ideal free distribution and optimal foraging theory, and is represented in the anatomy as well as behaviour of organisms via the structures and strategies for moving, finding and capturing these patchy resources. But perhaps most striking of all is the role of patchiness in facilitating the formation of social groups – of societies. The resource dispersion hypothesis (RDH) suggests that where resources are dispersed and rich enough, multiple individuals can collapse into groups that share the same space at little cost to each other. Cooperation may be absent, but sociality is favoured nevertheless. Thirty years after the origin of the hypothesis, we review the accumulating models, critiques, evidence and experiments, concluding thatRDHis a pervasive feature of animal spacing patterns across a wide range of species, taxonomic groups and ecosystems. In the spirit of the original objective of theHuxleyReviews to ‘suggest and inspire research that will improve our knowledge in the future’, we also take the opportunity to consider wider implications of theRDH. If we live and evolved on a patchwork planet, then we should expect broader effects. Indeed, we suggest that theRDHhas played an important role in the evolution of cooperation, biodiversity, behaviour and, not least, in the social organization of humans in our evolutionary past and today.
Sponge waste that fuels marine oligotrophic food webs: a re‐assessment of its origin and nature
Authors: Maldonado Manuel
Published: January 2015

It has recently been realized that sponges take up much of the dissolved organic matter (DOM) available in the water of reefs. The energy derived from this DOM is suggested to be invested in renewing the sponge filter cells (choanocytes) every few hours, generating an outflow of detrital particulate organic matter (POM) that is rapidly ingested by other invertebrates. By this DOM‐to‐POM recycling, sponges are proposed to fuel the food web of oligotrophic marine communities, including reefs, caves and deep‐sea environments. In four species studied herein by electron microscopy, the POM found in the outgoing aquiferous canals had a complex composition, with large between‐species differences. It may include choanocytes (0–52%), and also mesohyl cells, such as archeocytes (9–20%) and spherulous, and granular cells with inclusions (27–90%). Exocytosed vesicles also occurred. Surprisingly, to end up into the outgoing canals, the internal mesohyl cells squeezed between the epithelial cells (endopinacocytes) of the canal wall. Mesohyl cells were also able to transfer their inclusions to the endopinacocytes, which in turn extruded their acquired vesicle loads into the canal lumen. The unanticipated abundant participation of mesohyl cells and endopinacocytes in the production of POM appears to be an ordinary process that occurs continuously in the sponges, mostly related to elimination of digestion leftovers and excretion by‐products. Therefore, POM is generated by sponges irrespective of whether the primary food source is particulate (evidence from this study) or DOM (previous literature). Altogether, these results indicate that the cellular mechanisms behind the relevant organic‐matter recycling carried out by sponges are more diverse than initially anticipated. The varying ratios of choanocytes/mesohyl cells in the POM across species suggest that different sponge species may impact differently the energetics of food webs of the respective oligotrophic habitats where they dominate.
Motion Encoding in Russian and English: Moving Beyond Talmy's Typology
Authors: Pavlenko Aneta , Volynsky Maria
Published: January 2015

The aim of the present study is twofold. One, we will show that Talmy's (1985, 1991, 2000) motion typology that groups Russian and English together as satellite‐framed languages may be justified on linguistic grounds but is inadequate from a psycholinguistic point of view. Two, we will argue that the shortcomings of the typology may account for inconclusive findings in research on language effects in motion cognition. The study examined lexicalization of motion in narratives elicited with the use of a picture bookFrog, where are you?(Mayer, 1969) from L1 speakers of Russian (n = 31), L1 speakers of English (n = 38), and Russian–English bilinguals (n = 30). All bilinguals told the story twice, once in each language, and were subdivided into early, childhood, and late bilinguals in order to control for combined effects of the Age of Arrival (AoA) and Length of Residence (LoR) in the L2 context on L2 performance. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of the four motion verb corpora (L1 Russian, L1 English, Bilingual L1 Russian, Bilingual L2 English) revealed that L1 Russian speakers segment motion events in a more fine‐grained way and encode the manner, directionality, and spatiotemporal contours of motion events significantly more frequently than speakers of L1 English. Bilinguals followed language‐specific lexicalization patterns in both languages but late bilinguals displayed reduced lexical diversity in L2 English. These findings were linked to differences in obligatoriness, boundedness, and complexity of encoding of motion components in the two languages. We argue that these dimensions of motion encoding can be productively explored in instructional contexts and in future studies of language and motion cognition that go beyond Talmy's typology.
Non‐syndromic bilateral dentigerous cysts with significant root resorption: a case report
Authors: Vassiliou L.‐V. , Lahiri S. , Matthews S.N.
Published: January 2015

Dentigerous cysts are the most common developmental odontogenic cysts and are associated with impacted teeth, usually third molars. Bilateral dentigerous cysts are rare and usually occur in patients with a known syndrome, such as cleidocranial dysplasia. In this study, we report a case of bilateral dentigerous cysts with associated significant root resorption in an otherwise healthy 38‐year‐old female patient. The patient presented with left‐sided non‐tender mandibular swelling and mobility of the left mandibular first and second molar teeth. Radiological investigations revealed two large, unilocular, well‐circumscribed, radiolucent lesions involving the impacted lower wisdom teeth. There was extensive root resorption of the lower molars. The patient underwent enucleation of both cysts and extraction of the involved teeth. Histological features were consistent with dentigerous cysts, with both lesions consisting of a fibrous wall lined by non‐keratinizing stratified squamous epithelium. Non‐syndromic bilateral dentigerous cysts are extremely uncommon. This case, with associated significant root resorption, reflects aggressive biological behaviour and shows that commonly encountered lesions can present as a diagnostic challenge, emphasizing the importance of histopathological analysis in the definitive diagnosis and the overall management.
Marker‐assisted backcrossing of a null allele of the α‐subunit of Soybean (Glycine max) β‐conglycinin with a Chinese soybean cultivar (a). The development of improved lines
Authors: Song Bo , Shen Liwei , Wei Xiaoshuang , Guo Bowen , Tuo Yun , Tian Fudong , Han Zheng , Wang Xueying , Li Wenbin , Liu Shanshan
Published: January 2015

The development of soybean varieties that lack the β‐conglycinin α‐subunit is an attractive goal because the β‐conglycinin α‐subunit negatively influences the nutrition and gelation of tofu and is a major allergen. To remove this undesirable allergen and simultaneously improve the seed nutritional value and food‐processing quality, marker‐assisted background selection (MABS) was used in backcross breeding to incorporate cgy‐2, a null phenotype version of the gene encoding the β‐conglycinin α‐subunit, from the donor line ‘RiB’ into the genetic background of the Chinese cultivar ‘Dongnong47’ (DN47), a popular high‐oil superfine seed soybean cultivar from Heilongjiang Province, China. In each F2 (F2, BCnF2) generation of the breeding programme, the offspring that carried the introgressed cgy‐2 were identified by sodium dodecyl sulphate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and rescreened by MABS using simple sequence repeat markers to accelerate recurrent parent genome recovery. Of the 49 advanced backcrossing breeding lines (ABLs), the three best lines, ABL1, ABL2 and ABL3, were selected from the BC1, BC2 and BC3 populations, respectively. The ABLs were evaluated for desirable agronomic characteristics, yield‐related traits, amino acid composition, free amino acid composition and tofu‐processing quality in the mature seeds. All of the ABLs lacked the α‐subunit but grew and reproduced normally without deleterious effects on physiological processes such as seed development and germination. The free amino acid content of ABL1 was significantly higher than that of ‘DN47’, with arginine (Arg) being particularly enriched. Compared to the recurrent parent ‘DN47’, the total protein content of the three ABLs was higher, the amino acid composition of the seed proteins was markedly modified and the yield and hardness of the tofu that was made from the ABLs were significantly increased. MABS combined with stringent phenotypic selection in a backcross breeding programme is a feasible strategy for the genetic engineering of seed protein components to produce allergenic subunit‐deficient variant alleles.
Variations in chlorosis and potential usefulness of alloplasmic Brassica rapa with the cytoplasm of male sterile Brassica juncea
Authors: Chang Caitao , Sun Deling , Hondo Kana , Kakihara Fumika
Published: January 2015

To select superior seed parents for vegetable hybrid seed production, we conducted interspecific crosses between male sterile Brassica juncea (2n = 36, AABB) and eight inbred lines of Brassica rapa (2n = 20, AA). Alloplasmic lines of B. rapa with the cytoplasm of B. juncea were developed from B. juncea × B. rapa hybrids by repeated backcrossing using B. rapa as the recurrent male parent until the BC3 generation. Seed fertility, male sterility and chlorophyll content were investigated in these plants cultivated under four different temperature conditions (5, 10, 12 and 20°C). At 10°C, the alloplasmic lines of B. rapa with the cytoplasm of B. juncea were male sterile with partly chlorotic leaves. The alloplasmic B. rapa had lower chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoid contents than those of the original B. rapa. The leaves recovered from chlorosis when the plants were cultivated at 20°C. An alloplasmic line of B. rapa (A6) is available as a seed parent for vegetable hybrid seed production and contributes seed fertility, slight chlorosis and stable male sterility.
Localized and non‐localized effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis on accumulation of osmolytes and aquaporins and on antioxidant systems in maize plants subjected to total or partial root drying
Authors: BÁRZANA GLORIA , AROCA RICARDO , RUIZ‐LOZANO JUAN MANUEL
Published: January 2015

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis alters host plant physiology under drought stress, but no information is available on whether or not the AM affects respond to drought locally or systemically. A split‐root system was used to obtain AM plants with total or only half root system colonized as well as to induce physiological drought affecting the whole plant or non‐physiological drought affecting only the half root system. We analysed the local and/or systemic nature of the AM effects on accumulation of osmoregulatory compounds and aquaporins and on antioxidant systems. Maize plants accumulated proline both, locally in roots affected by drought and systemically when the drought affected the whole root system, being the last effect ampler in AM plants. PIPs (plasma membrane intrinsic proteins) aquaporins were also differently regulated by drought in AM and non‐AM root compartments. When the drought affected only the AM root compartment, the rise of lipid peroxidation was restricted to such compartment. On the contrary, when the drought affected the non‐AM root fraction, the rise of lipid peroxidation was similar in both root compartments. Thus, the benefits of the AM symbiosis not only rely in a lower oxidative stress in the host plant, but it also restricts locally such oxidative stress.
Seeing Double: Annular Diaper Rash in Twins
Authors: Sommer Lacy L. , Manders Steven M.
Published: January 2015

We report a case of dichorionic, diamniotic twins who developed similar erythematous, annular, erosive plaques in the inguinal folds in the first few weeks of life that were refractory to topical antifungals and oral antibiotics. The twins were found to have high transaminase levels, antinuclear antibody positivity, and anti‐SSS/Ro) and anti‐SSB/La autoantibodies. The rash resolved without scarring by 7 months of age with the use of low‐potency topical corticosteroids. We suggest that physicians consider neonatal lupus erythematosus in neonates with atypical eruptions occurring in sun‐protected skin.
Unusually Large Patch‐Type Noninvoluting Congenital Hemangioma of the Shoulder: A Report of Two Cases
Authors: Bonifazi Ernesto , Cutrone Mario
Published: January 2015

Noninvoluting congenital hemangiomas (NICHs) are vascular tumors that are fully formed at birth and do not regress. Clinically, NICHs persist indefinitely over time. Histologically they are characterized by deep dermal lobules of small vessels with endothelial cells that do not stain with glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1). Two similar cases of unusually large, patch‐type NICHs of the shoulder in neonates were observed in the past 20 years in two pediatric dermatology units in Italy. In both cases, histopathology showed lobular collections of small vessels that did not stain with GLUT1. The clinical features of the two cases remained unchanged over a follow‐up period of 10 and 4 years, respectively. The large size and flat appearance of the lesions could be due to their early onset during embryogenesis.
Recurrent Oral and Genital Ulcers in an Infant: Neonatal Presentation of Pediatric Behçet Disease
Authors: Johnson Emma F. , Hawkins Danielle M. , Gifford Laura K. , Smidt Aimee C.
Published: January 2015

Behçet disease is a complex, multisystem disease characterized by recurrent oral and genital ulcerations. It rarely occurs in infants or children. Neonatal Behçet disease has been reported in infants whose ulcers resolve at or before 9 weeks of age. Few cases of neonatal Behçet disease persisting into childhood have previously been reported. We report the case of a 1‐month‐old infant who presented with severe recurrent genital ulcerations and at 6 months developed recurrent oral ulcerations. Her orogenital ulcerations continue to recur. Human leukocyte antigen testing revealed HLA‐B51 and B44 positivity. This is a case of pediatric Behçet disease in the neonatal period. Behçet disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent genital and oral ulcerations in infants and children.
Living donor liver transplantation from an asymptomatic donor with mild coagulation factor IX deficiency: Report of a case
Authors: Sanada Yukihiro , Sasanuma Hideki , Sakuma Yasunaru , Morishima Kazue , Kasahara Naoya , Kaneda Yuji , Miki Atsushi , Fujiwara Takehito , Shimizu Atsushi , Hyodo Masanobu , Hirata Yuta , Yamada Naoya , Okada Noriki , Ihara Yoshiyuki , Urahashi Taizen , Madoiwa Seiji , Mimuro Jun , Mizuta Koichi , Yasuda Yoshikazu
Published: January 2015

The use of donors with coagulation FIX deficiency is controversial, and there are no current protocols for peri‐transplant management. We herein describe the first reported case of a pediatric LDLT from an asymptomatic donor with mild coagulation FIX deficiency. A 32‐yr‐old female was evaluated as a donor for her 12‐month‐old daughter with biliary atresia. The donor's pretransplant coagulation tests revealed asymptomatic mild coagulation FIX deficiency (FIX activity 60.8%). Freeze‐dried human blood coagulation FIX concentrate was administered before the dissection of the liver and 12 h afterwards by bolus infusion (40 U/kg) and was continued on POD 1. The bleeding volume at LDLT was 590 mL. On POD 1, 3, 5, and 13, the coagulation FIX activity of the donor was 121.3%, 130.6%, 114.6%, and 50.2%, respectively. The donor's post‐transplant course was uneventful, and the recipient is currently doing well at 18 months after LDLT. The FIX activity of the donor and recipient at nine months after LDLT was 39.2% and 58.0%, respectively. LDLT from donors with mild coagulation FIX deficiency could be performed effectively and safely using peri‐transplant short‐term coagulation FIX replacement and long‐term monitoring of the plasma FIX level in the donor.
Functional characterisation of an intron retaining K+ transporter of barley reveals intron‐mediated alternate splicing
Authors: Shahzad K. , Rauf M. , Ahmed M. , Malik Z. A. , Habib I. , Ahmed Z. , Mahmood K. , Ali R. , Masmoudi K. , Lemtiri‐Chlieh F. , Gehring C. , Berkowitz G. A. , Saeed N. A.
Published: January 2015

Intron retention in transcripts and the presence of 5ʹ and 3ʹ splice sites within these introns mediate alternate splicing, which is widely observed in animals and plants. Here, functional characterisation of the K+ transporter, HvHKT2;1, with stably retained introns from barley (Hordeum vulgare) in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and transcript profiling in yeast and transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is presented. Expression of intron‐retaining HvHKT2;1 cDNA (HvHKT2;1‐i) in trk1, trk2 yeast strain defective in K+ uptake restored growth in medium containing hygromycin in the presence of different concentrations of K+ and mediated hypersensitivity to Na+. HvHKT2;1‐i produces multiple transcripts via alternate splicing of two regular introns and three exons in different compositions. HKT isoforms with retained introns and exon skipping variants were detected in relative expression analysis of (i) HvHKT2;1‐i in barley under native conditions, (ii) in transgenic tobacco plants constitutively expressing HvHKT2;1‐i, and (iii) in trk1, trk2 yeast expressing HvHKT2;1‐i under control of an inducible promoter. Mixed proportions of three HKT transcripts: HvHKT2;1‐e (first exon region), HvHKT2;1‐i1 (first intron) and HvHKT2;1‐i2 (second intron) were observed. The variation in transcript accumulation in response to changing K+ and Na+ concentrations was observed in both heterologous and plant systems. These findings suggest a link between intron‐retaining transcripts and different splice variants to ion homeostasis, and their possible role in salt stress.
Liberal Legitimacy and the Question of Respect
Authors: Jaklic Klemen
Published: January 2015

In a modern pluralist society, the idea of liberal legitimacy as proposed byJohnRawls offers a promising foundation for the further historic advancement of democracy. However, liberal legitimacy still seems to lack one key element—a unique type of respect at its foundations—without which such democratic advancement may not be achieved. Nor, on closer inspection, could the idea of liberal legitimacy succeed without this particular type of respect. When further refined at its foundation, arguably liberal legitimacy could open doors to previously unattainable improvements in democracy and legitimacy.
A Meta‐analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials Assessing Hemodialysis Access Thrombosis Based on Access Flow Monitoring: Where Do We Stand?
Authors: Muchayi Timothy , Salman Loay , Tamariz Leonardo J. , Asif Arif , Rizvi Abid , Lenz Oliver , Vazquez‐Padron Roberto I. , Tabbara Marwan , Contreras Gabriel
Published: January 2015

The National Kidney Foundation Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative recommends the routine use of hemodialysis arteriovenous (AV) access surveillance to detect hemodynamically significant stenoses and appropriately correct them to reduce the incidence of thrombosis and to improve accesses patency rates. Access blood flow monitoring is considered as one of the preferred surveillance method for both AV fistulas (AVF) and AV grafts (AVG); however, published studies have reported conflicting results of its utility that led healthcare professionals to doubt the benefits of this surveillance method. We performed a meta‐analysis of the published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of AV access surveillance using access blood flow monitoring. Our hypothesis was that access blood flow monitoring lowers the risk of AV access thrombosis and that the outcome differs between AVF and AVG. The estimated overall pooled risk ratio (RR) of thrombosis was 0.87 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67–1.13) favoring access blood flow monitoring. The pooled RR of thrombosis were 0.64 (95% CI, 0.41–1.01) and 1.06 (95% CI, 0.77–1.46) in the subgroups of only AVF and only AVG, respectively. Our results added to the uncertainty of access blood flow monitoring as a surveillance method of hemodialysis accesses.
The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You: The Influence of Circadian Rhythm Synchrony on Self‐Control Outcomes
Authors: Curtis Jessica , Burkley Edward , Burkley Melissa
Published: January 2015

This article aims to bridge the circadian and self‐control literatures by suggesting that people's self‐control performance varies as a function of their circadian preferences (i.e., chronotype). We review evidence for this assertion across a wide range of self‐control domains, including cognitive processing, emotion regulation, interpersonal relationships, and social influence. Across these widely ranging behaviors, the results indicate that when people's circadian preference matches the time of day, a synchrony effect occurs, and self‐control performance is at its peak. Therefore, people are more likely to display self‐regulatory failures and give in to temptations when there is a mismatch between their circadian preferences and time of day. Overall, this article offers new insights into the relationship between circadian preferences and self‐control and suggests novel and exciting new directions for future research.