bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010: an examination of its regulatory framework
Authors: Atsegbua Lawrence Asekome
Published: December 2012

The passage into law of the Nigerian local content bill is one of the significant developments for domesticating the oil and gas industry through local value additions to the local economy. The bill received presidential assent on 22 April 2010 and created a law to provide for the development of indigenous content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The law also establishes the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board (board), which is charged with the responsibility to manage the coordination, monitoring and implementation of the local content law. Previous acts of the government had made feeble attempts at developing a local content framework for the industry and the fanfare associated with the recent enactment into law of the Nigerian local content bill very understandable. Nigeria is the world's eighth biggest oil exporter and relies on crude as its main foreign exchange earner. The industry accounts for over 40 per cent of Nigeria's gross domestic product and is associated with over a billion dollars worth of investments annually. There is a marked absence of indigenous players involved in these transactions, where about 90 per cent of goods and services used in the industry are imported from overseas. The local content law seeks to increase indigenous participation by prescribing minimum thresholds for the use of local services and to promote the employment of Nigerian staff in the industry. In this article, the writer makes a succinct analysis of the provisions of the Nigerian Local Content Act and argues that an antidote has been found for local participation in the vibrant Nigerian oil and gas sector. The writer concludes that, similar to Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kuwait, the local content law will go a long way in empowering indigenous oil and gas companies and assist Nigeria in developing the technical capacity for the industry.
Open‐water integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture: environmental biomitigation and economic diversification of fed aquaculture by extractive aquaculture
Authors: Chopin Thierry , Cooper John Andrew , Reid Gregor , Cross Stephen , Moore Christine
Published: December 2012

Integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA) seeks to biodiversify fed aquaculture (e.g. finfish or shrimps) with extractive aquaculture, recapturing the inorganic (e.g. seaweeds) and organic (e.g. suspension‐ and deposit‐feeders) nutrients from fed aquaculture for their growth. The combination fed/extractive aquaculture aims to engineer food production systems providing both biomitigative services to the ecosystem and improved economic farm output through the co‐cultivation of complementary species. Major rethinking is needed regarding the definition of an ‘aquaculture farm’ and how it works within an ecosystem. The economic values of the environmental/societal services of extractive species should be recognized and accounted for in the evaluation of the full value of these IMTA components. Seaweeds and invertebrates produced in IMTA systems should be considered as candidates for nutrient/carbon trading credits. While organic loading from aquaculture has been associated with localized benthic impacts, there have also been occurrences of increased biodiversity and abundance of wild species in response to moderate nutrient enrichment and the use of infrastructures as substrates. To develop efficient food production systems, it will be important to understand and use the duality of nutrients (essential when limiting/polluting when in excess) to engineer systems producing them in moderation so that they can be partially recaptured while maintaining their concentrations optimal for healthy and productive ecosystems. Measures of species diversity, colonization rates, abundance, growth and ecosystem functions with respect to nutrient partitioning and recycling, species interactions and control of diseases could represent valid indicators for the development of robust performance metrics.
Megalocytivirus infection in fish
Authors: Subramaniam Kuttichantran , Shariff Mohamed , Omar Abdul Rahman , Hair‐Bejo Mohd
Published: December 2012

Megalocytivirus is a newly discovered DNA‐virus from the Iridoviridae family that possesses icosahedral symmetry and has a size range of 140–200 nm diameter. Based on genetic differences, Megalocytivirus is divided into three major groups; infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus which is reported to cause disease in numerous marine and freshwater fish species, red sea bream iridovirus that mainly infects red sea bream [Pagrus major (Temminck & Schlegel 1843)] and turbot reddish body iridovirus that is reported to infect Asian flounder species. Megalocytivirus has not been studied as extensively as other genera in the Iridoviridae family until recently; these viruses have received the most attention in research due to the wider host range and cause significant mortality and economic losses in the aquaculture industry. This review provides information on taxonomy, viral properties, epizootic, pathology and diagnostics of Megalocytivirus infection in fish.
VALIDATION OF A DUTCH SELF‐EFFICACY SCALE FOR ADHERENCE TO FLUID ALLOWANCE AMONG PATIENTS ON HAEMODIALYSIS
Authors: Winters A. Marian , Lindberg Magnus , Sol Berna G.M.
Published: December 2012

Many haemodialysis patients have problems limiting their fluid intake, and this might be influenced by their self‐efficacy. Thus interventions to improve patients’ self‐efficacy might lead to an improvement in their adherence to fluid restriction. The fluid intake appraisal inventory (FIAI) evaluates patients’ self‐efficacy with regard to fluid intake. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the FIAI for use in the Netherlands. Four translators, seven experts, and four haemodialysis patients participated in the translation part of the study. Thirty‐three patients from one dialysis centre in the Netherlands completed the Dutch FIAI. The instrument had good content validity (interdialytic weight gain was found to be negatively correlated with self‐efficacy), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.982), and stability (Spearman's rho = 0.823). These findings indicate that the Dutch FIAI can be used in clinical practice as a self‐efficacy screening instrument for adult haemodialysis patients on fluid restriction.
Single and Interactive Effects of Temperature and Light Quality on Four Canola Cultivars
Authors: Slauenwhite K. L. I. , Qaderi M. M.
Published: December 2012

Combined effects of temperature and light quality on plants have received little attention. We investigated the single and interactive effects of temperature and light quality on growth and physiological characteristics of four canola (Brassica napus) cultivars – Clearfield 46A76 (cv1), Clearfield 45H72 (cv2), Roundup Ready 45H24 (cv3) and Roundup Ready 45H21 (cv4). Plants were grown under lower (24°/20 °C) and higher (30°/26 °C) temperature regimes at low red/far‐red (R/FR), normal R/FR and high R/FR light ratios in environment‐controlled growth chambers (16 h light/8 h dark). Higher temperature reduced stem height and diameter; leaf number and area; dry matter of all plant parts; and specific leaf weight, but increased leaf area ratio; and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence (Y). Low R/FR increased stem height; Y; and ethylene, but decreased stem diameter; Fv/Fm; Chl a; Chl b; and carotenoids. Among cultivars, plants from cv4 were tallest with thickest stems and greatest dry matter. None of the main factors affected gas exchange. Higher temperature at high R/FR caused cv3 to be shortest, whereas lower temperature at low R/FR caused cv4 to be tallest. We conclude that heat and other stress factors will adversely affect sensitive crops, but tolerant genotypes should perform well under future climate.
Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels1
Authors: Carleton James N. , Mohamoud Yusuf M.
Published: December 2012

Carleton, James N. and Yusuf M. Mohamoud, 2012. Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐12. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12007

Abstract:  Loss rates of nitrate from streams and rivers are governed by movement of the ion from water column to anoxic bed sediments. Quantitative representations of nitrate in streams and rivers have often treated such losses as governed by first‐order mechanisms that are invariant with respect to potential modulating factors other than temperature. Results of studies in recent years, however, suggest that rates of water column‐sediment mass transfer are influenced by stream geometry and associated hydraulics. We develop expressions for the instream nitrate loss rate coefficient, k, as a function of water velocity and depth, using hydraulic geometry to empirically relate velocity to depth for two cases: (1) variability in mean conditions among reaches; and (2) temporal variability in conditions at a single reach, under changing flow. The result is expressions for k as functions of water column depth. Measured stream k values reported in the literature are shown to be well represented by expressions developed for the first case, and the potential for application to probabilistic analysis is briefly examined. We explore the latter case using the Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model, modified to incorporate the dependence of k on instantaneous stream depth. In example simulations of two nitrate‐exporting watersheds, the incorporation of depth‐dependence of k produces improvement in the model’s ability to match observed stream nitrate concentrations.
Symptom Burden in Chronically Ill Homebound Individuals
Authors: Wajnberg Ania , Ornstein Katherine , Zhang Meng , Smith Kristofer L. , Soriano Theresa
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To document the degree of symptom burden in an urban homebound population.

Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Setting

The Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors (MSVD) program.

Participants

All individuals newly enrolled in the MSVD.

Measurements

Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), which consists of 10 visual analogue scales scored from 0 to 10; symptoms include pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, well‐being, shortness of breath, and other.

Results

ESAS scores were completed for 318 participants. Most participants were aged 80 and older (68%) and female (75%); 36% were white, 22% black, and 32% Hispanic. Forty‐three percent had Medicaid, and 32% lived alone. Ninety‐one percent required assistance with one or more activities of daily living, 45% had a Karnofsky Performance Scale score between 0 and 40 (unable to care for self), and 43% reported severe burden on one or more symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms were loss of appetite, lack of well‐being, tiredness, and pain; the symptoms with the highest scores were depression, pain, appetite, and shortness of breath. Participants were more likely to have severe symptom burden if they self‐reported their ESAS, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes mellitus with end organ damage, or had a Charlson Comorbidity Index greater than 3 and less likely to have severe burden if they had dementia.

Conclusion

In chronically ill homebound adults, symptom burden is a serious problem that needs to be addressed alongside primary and specialty care needs.
Influence of a Transitional Care Clinic on Subsequent 30‐Day Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Individuals Discharged from a Skilled Nursing Facility
Authors: Park Hae K. , Branch Laurence G. , Bulat Tatjana , Vyas Bavna B. , Roever Cynthia P.
Published: December 2012

Objectives

To evaluate an intervention to improve care transitions at the time of skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge.

Design

Natural experiment using a pre–post design.

Setting

Veterans Affairs hospital, community SNF, and outpatient clinic.

Participants

The pre‐intervention group comprised 134 individuals discharged to the community from posthospitalization SNF care, and the intervention group was 217 individuals who received a postdischarge clinic (PDC) intervention at SNF discharge after receiving posthospitalization care at the SNF.

Intervention

This study is a natural experiment using a pre–post design. The intervention was a one‐time visit to a PDC before SNF discharge, where an advanced nurse practitioner conducted medication reconciliation, ordered medical supplies and equipment and home health services if needed, provided individual and caregiver education, and communicated the information to the individual's primary outpatient care provider through electronic medical records.

Measurements

The pre‐PDC and PDC intervention groups were compared on various measures of hospital utilization within 30 days of the SNF discharge (number of rehospitalizations, acute care inpatient days, and emergency department (ED) visits).

Results

Although there was a 23% rehospitalization rate in the pre‐PDC group, participants in the PDC intervention group had a 14% rehospitalization rate within 30 days of SNF discharge (P = .02). Those who received the PDC intervention had significantly fewer acute care inpatient days during the 30‐day follow‐up (P < .001). Although the difference in the number of ED visits between the two groups was not statistically significant, the number of ED visits per 1,000 patient follow‐up days during the 30‐day interval was significantly lower in the PDC intervention group (P = .03).

Conclusion

Comprehensive care coordination at the time of SNF discharge can reduce postdischarge hospital use in settings with shared electronic records.
Small Ubiquitin‐Like Modifier Conjugating Enzyme with Active Site Mutation Acts as Dominant Negative Inhibitor of SUMO Conjugation in ArabidopsisF
Authors: Tomanov Konstantin , Hardtke Christian , Budhiraja Ruchika , Hermkes Rebecca , Coupland George , Bachmair Andreas
Published: December 2012

Small ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) conjugation affects a broad range of processes in plants, including growth, flower initiation, pathogen defense, and responses to abiotic stress. Here, we investigate in vivo and in vitro a SUMO conjugating enzyme with a Cys to Ser change in the active site, and show that it has a dominant negative effect. In planta expression significantly perturbs normal development, leading to growth retardation, early flowering and gene expression changes. We suggest that the mutant protein can serve as a probe to investigate sumoylation, also in plants for which poor genetic infrastructure precludes analysis via loss‐of‐function mutants.
Human myo‐inositol monophosphatase 2 rescues the nematode thermotaxis mutant ttx‐7 more efficiently than IMPA1: functional and evolutionary considerations of the two mammalian myo‐inositol monophosphatase genes
Authors: Ohnishi Tetsuo , Tanizawa Yoshinori , Watanabe Akiko , Nakamura Takemichi , Ohba Hisako , Hirata Haruna , Kaneda Chizu , Iwayama Yoshimi , Arimoto Takafumi , Watanabe Kazutada , Mori Ikue , Yoshikawa Takeo
Published: December 2012

Mammals express two myo‐inositol monophosphatase (IMPase) genes, IMPA1/Impa1 and IMPA2/Impa2. In this study, we compared the spatial expression patterns of the two IMPase gene transcripts and proteins in mouse tissues. Results indicated discrete expression of the two IMPase genes and their protein products in various organs, including the brain. In Caenorhabditis elegans, loss of the IMPase gene, ttx‐7, disrupts cellular polarity in RIA neurons, eliciting abnormal thermotaxis behavior. We performed a rescue experiment in mutant nematodes using mammalian IMPases. Human IMPA2 rescued the abnormal behavioral phenotype in the ttx‐7 mutants more efficiently than IMPA1. These results raise a question about the phylogenetic origin of IMPases and the biological roles of mammalian IMPase 2 in mammals. Impa2 knockout mice generated in our laboratory, exhibited neither behavioral abnormalities nor a significant reduction in myo‐inositol content in the brain and other examined tissues. Given the ability of human IMPA2 to rescue the ttx‐7 mutant, and its genetic association with multiple neuropsychiatric disorders, close scrutiny of IMPA2 function and the evolutionary origin of IMPase genes is warranted.
Improved Resistance to Cucumber mosaic virus in Petunia Transformed with Non‐Cytotoxic Pokeweed Antiviral Protein Gene
Authors: Li Li , Li Yu , Chen Dinghu , Feng Hui , Wang Xifeng
Published: December 2012

Petunia hybrida is an important ornamental plant that can be seriously affected by cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Pokeweed antiviral protein (PAP), a ribosome‐inactivating protein, has been recognized as a broad spectrum virus inhibitory agent. Mutant PAP efficiently inhibited viral gene expression at both the translational and transcriptional levels without causing host cell toxicity. We have transferred the non‐cytotoxic pokeweed antiviral protein (mutant PAP) gene into petunia cells with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Forty‐two putative transgenic regenerated lines were obtained from the selected explants. Fifty‐six plants immune to CMV infection were recovered from nine transgenic lines. Another 51 plants tolerant to CMV were obtained from 10 transgenic regenerated lines. Successful integration of the mutant PAP gene into the genome of transgenic petunia was confirmed by PCR and Southern blot analysis. Expression of the PAP gene was further confirmed by RT‐PCR and Western blot analysis. These results were consistent with the assay of resistance to CMV.
Morphology and Phylogeny of Prorocentrum texanum sp. nov. (Dinophyceae): A New Toxic Dinoflagellate from the Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters Exhibiting Two Distinct Morphologies
Authors: Henrichs Darren W. , Scott Paula S. , Steidinger Karen A. , Errera Reagan M. , Abraham Ann , Campbell Lisa
Published: December 2012

A new planktonic species of Prorocentrum is described from the Gulf of Mexico. First observed with the Imaging FlowCytobot, Prorocentrum texanum sp. nov. was characterized using LM, SEM, and TEM along with sequencing of the SSU, LSU, and ITS ribosomal regions and the mitochondrial cob and cox1 regions. P. texanum sp. nov. is a round to oval bivalvate dinoflagellate, with a prominent anterior, serrated solid flange on periflagellar a platelet and an opposing short, flat flange on the h platelet. The periflagellar area consists of 10 platelets. Both left and right valves have shallow round depressions and two‐sized valve pores. The anterior ejectosome pore pattern differs between the left and right valve in relation to the periflagellar area and margins. Ten to eleven rows of tangential ejectosome pores are present on each valve. P. texanum sp. nov. has two varieties which exhibit distinct morphotypes, one round to oval (var. texanum) and the other pointed (var. cuspidatum). P. texanum var. cuspidatum is morphologically similar to P. micans in surface markings, but is smaller, and has a serrated periflagellar flange, and is genetically distinct from P. micans. Cytologically, P. texanum has two parietal chlo‐roplasts, each with a compound, interlamellar pyrenoid, trichocysts, fibrous vesicles that resemble mucocysts, pusules, V‐ to U‐shaped posterior nucleus, golgi, and tubular mitochondria. No genetic difference was found between the two varieties in the five genes examined. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU, LSU, and ITS ribosomal regions place P. texanum sp. nov. as a sister group to P. micans. One isolate of P. texanum var. texanum produces okadaic acid.
Changes in Sexual Function Among Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Pilot Study
Authors: Ferraresi Sany Rose , Lara Lúcia Alves da Silva , Reis Rosana Maria , Silva Ana Carolina Japur de Sá Rosa e
Published: December 2012

Introduction

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) appears to be related to sexual dysfunction, especially if associated with obesity. However, it is not clear whether obesity per se is an independent factor for sexual dysfunction. We hypothesized that obese polycystic ovary syndrome (OPCOS) patients have poorer sexual function than controls and nonobese polycystic ovary syndrome (NOPCOS) women.

Aim

To assess the sexual function of women (either obese or nonobese) with PCOS compared to women with regular cycles.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures were the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Free Androgen Index (FAI) values.

Methods

We used a cross-sectional study design to evaluate 83 women, including 19 nonobese women without PCOS, 24 nonobese women with PCOS, 16 obese women without PCOS, and 24 obese women with PCOS. The FSFI questionnaire was used to gather data from all women, and free testosterone levels were determined and employed to calculate FAI values.

Results

Higher androgen concentrations were evident in the PCOS groups compared to controls (NOC [nonobese control] 2.3 ± 0.7; OC [obese control] 2.1 ± 0.5; NOPCOS 3.1 ± 0.8; OPCOS 3.5 ± 1.2; P < 0.0001). This was also true for FAI, with the exception of obese controls and nonobese women with PCOS, in whom the levels were similar (NOC 4.9 ± 1.6; OC 6.5 ± 3.1; NOPCOS 7.5 ± 3.9; OPCOS 12.8 ± 5.2; P < 0.05). Evaluation of the total FSFI scores revealed that obese women without PCOS had below-normal sexual function scores, whereas both obese and nonobese women with PCOS had borderline scores compared to controls, who had normal FSFI findings. No association was observed between body mass index, the presence of PCOS, testosterone level, and FSFI score.

Conclusions

The obese women in our sample were at a higher risk for sexual dysfunction and lower FSFI scores, and women with PCOS had borderline FSFI values, regardless of their obesity status. Based on this result, larger studies using the methods described in this pilot study are warranted to elucidate if obesity can impair sexual function in PCOS women.
Development and Validation of the Polish Version of the Female Sexual Function Index in the Polish Population of Females
Authors: Nowosielski Krzysztof , Wróbel Beata , Sioma-Markowska Urszula , Poręba Ryszard
Published: December 2012

Introduction

Unlike male sexual function, which is relatively easy to assess, female sexual function is still a diagnostic challenge. Although numerous new measurements for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) have recently been developed, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) remains the gold standard for screening. It has been validated in more than 30 countries. The FSFI has been used in several studies conducted in Poland, but it has never been standardized for Polish women.

Aim

The aim of this study was to develop a Polish version of the FSFI (PL-FSFI).

Materials and Methods

In total, 189 women aged 18–55 years were included in the study. Eighty-five were diagnosed with FSD as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR) criteria; 104 women did not have FSD. All subjects completed the PL-FSFI at baseline (day 0), day 7, and day 28.

Main Outcome Measures

Test–retest reliability was determined by Pearson's product–moment correlations. Reliability was tested using Cronbach's α coefficient. Construct validity was evaluated by principal component analysis using varimax rotation and factor analysis. Discriminant validity was assessed with between-groups analysis of variance.

Results

All domains of the PL-FSFI demonstrated satisfactory internal consistencies, with Cronbach's α value of >0.70 for the entire sample. The test–retest reliability demonstrated good-to-excellent agreement between the assessment points. Based on principal component analysis, a 5-factor model was established that explained 83.62% of the total variance. Domain intercorrelations of the PL-FSFI ranged from 0.37–0.77. The optimal PL-FSFI cutoff score was 27.50, with 87.1% sensitivity and 83.1% specificity.

Conclusion

The PL-FSFI is a reliable questionnaire with good psychometric and discriminative validity. Therefore, it can be used as a tool for preliminary screening for FSD among Polish women.
The daily variation in sleepiness and its relation to the preceding sleep episode—a prospective study across 42 days of normal living
Authors: Åkerstedt Torbjörn , Axelsson John , Lekander Mats , Orsini Nicola , Kecklund Göran
Published: December 2012

Sleepiness is linked to accidents and reduced performance, and is usually attributed to short/poor prior sleep and sleepiness. However, while the link between reduced sleep and subsequent sleepiness is well established in laboratory experiments of sleep reduction, very little is known about the day‐to‐day variation of sleepiness in everyday life and its relation to the immediately preceding sleep episode. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the characteristics of this relation across 42 consecutive days. Fifty volunteers participated. Self‐reports of sleep were given in the morning and recorded with actigraphy; health was rated in the evening; and sleepiness was rated at eight points during the day (on a scale of 1–9). Results from mixed‐model regression analyses showed that, on average, total sleep time predicted sleepiness during the rest of the day across the 42 days, with sleepiness increasing with shorter preceding sleep (β = −0.15 units h−1, P < 0.001). Sleepiness also increased with earlier time of rising and lower‐rated sleep quality. Days off reduced sleepiness, but was accounted for by sleep. Self‐rated health improved when sleepiness was low during the same day (β = −0.36 unit unit−1 of rated health, P < 0.001), but the two were measured simultaneously. Napping was related to high sleepiness during the same day. Actigraphy measures of sleep duration showed similar, but somewhat weaker, effects than diary measures. It was concluded that the main determinants of daytime sleepiness in a real‐life day‐to‐day context were short sleep, poor sleep and early rising, and that days with high sleepiness ended with ratings of poorer health.
Value of IL28B genotyping in patients with HCV‐related mixed cryoglobulinemia: results of a large, prospective study
Authors: Piluso A. , Giannini C. , Fognani E. , Gragnani L. , Caini P. , Monti M. , Petrarca A. , Ranieri J. , Urraro T. , Triboli E. , Laffi G. , Zignego A. L.
Published: December 2012

HCV‐related mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) is characterized by clonal expansion of B cells producing a polyreactive natural antibody (rheumatoid factor) and interferon (IFN)‐based therapy is the first therapeutic option in mild‐moderate MC. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) proximal to genes involved in the innate response (IL28B/IFN‐λ gene family) are strongly associated with spontaneous and IFN‐induced viral clearance in hepatitis C, but no data exist about their role in HCV‐positive MC. A large cohort of patients with HCV and MC was studied to evaluate the influence of IL28B genotype on the response to treatment and/or the evolution to MC of HCV infection. The rs12979860/rs8099917 IL28B polymorphisms were analysed in 481 consecutive HCV‐positive subjects (250 with MC and 231 without MC, as controls) using real‐time PCR and direct sequencing. Hundred and fifteen HCV patients with MC received standard anti‐HCV therapy, and the results were evaluated according to the IL28B SNP distribution. Similar IL28B SNPs allele frequencies were recorded for patients and controls. IL28B major allele homozygosis (for both SNPs tested) was tightly correlated with virological and clinical response (P = 0.002). A statistically significant association was limited to ‘difficult‐to‐treat’ (G1/4) HCV genotypes. The IL28B genotype was a strong independent predictor of response (P = 0.007, OR 6.06; CI 1.65–22.22). The IL28B genotype was confirmed to be a useful predictor of response to IFN‐based therapy in patients with HCV and MC. The very close correlation between IL28B SNP distribution, virological and clinical response definitively confirmed the key role played by HCV in MC. Conversely, the IL28B genotype does not seem to influence the evolution to MC.
Randomized Trial of Cisplatin versus Firocoxib versus Cisplatin/Firocoxib in Dogs with Transitional Cell Carcinoma of the Urinary Bladder
Authors: Knapp D.W. , Henry C.J. , Widmer W.R. , Tan K.M. , Moore G.E. , Ramos‐Vara J.A. , Lucroy M.D. , Greenberg C.B. , Greene S.N. , Abbo A.H. , Hanson P.D. , Alva R. , Bonney P.L.
Published: December 2012

Background

Cisplatin combined with a nonselective cyclooxygenase (cox) inhibitor has potent antitumor activity against transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) in dogs, but this treatment is limited by renal toxicosis. Cox‐2 is expressed in TCC, but only in limited sites within the kidney. A cox‐2 inhibitor could enhance the antitumor activity of cisplatin with potentially fewer adverse effects on the kidney.

Hypothesis

Cisplatin/cox‐2 inhibitor treatment will have greater antitumor activity but no more renal toxicosis than cisplatin alone in dogs with TCC.

Animals

Forty‐four dogs with naturally occurring urinary bladder TCC.

Methods

Dogs were randomized to receive cisplatin (60 mg/m2 IV q21d), firocoxib (5 mg/kg PO q24h), or the combination. Tumor measurements were determined before and at 6‐week intervals during treatment. Renal function was monitored by serum creatinine concentration, iohexol clearance, and urine specific gravity. Toxicoses were graded according to Veterinary Co‐Operative Oncology Group (VCOG) criteria.

Results

The remission rate with cisplatin/firocoxib (57%) was significantly (P = .021) higher than that with cisplatin alone (13%). Renal and gastrointestinal toxicoses were common in dogs receiving cisplatin, but there were no significant differences between dogs receiving cisplatin or cisplatin/firocoxib. Firocoxib alone induced partial remission or stable disease in 20 and 33% of dogs, respectively.

Conclusions

Firocoxib significantly enhanced the antitumor activity of cisplatin resulting in partial remission in more than half of the cases. The toxicoses inherent to cisplatin, however, were noted in dogs receiving this combination. Firocoxib had antitumor effects as a single agent and can be considered a palliative treatment for dogs with TCC.
Moving towards the edge: matrix matters!
Authors: Cousins Sara A.O.
Published: December 2012

In this issue of the Journal of Vegetation Science, Chabrerie et al. use plant inventories and geographical data to investigate effects on species richness and turnover caused by management intensity in the surrounding matrix in new and old forest fragments. Although forest edge age was important, more intensive management of the matrix clearly sharpened the edge–interior gradient.
Protein fingerprinting of the extracellular matrix remodelling in a rat model of liver fibrosis—a serological evaluation
Authors: Leeming Diana J. , Byrjalsen Inger , Jiménez Wladimiro , Christiansen Claus , Karsdal Morten A.
Published: December 2012

Background/Aim

We investigated nine novel biomarkers of extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling in a rat model of liver fibrosis.

Methods

Liver fibrosis was induced in 52 male Wistar rats by inhalation of carbon tetrachloride and the level of hepatic fibrosis was assessed by Sirius red staining compared with controls. The novel serum biochemical markers assessed in the model were type I‐(C1M), type III‐(C3M), type IV‐(C4M) and type VI‐(C6M) collagen, citrullinated vimentin (VICM) and biglycan (BGM) all protein fragments generated by matrix metalloproteinases; and formation markers of type III‐(P3NP), type VI (P4NP 7S) and type V (P5CP) collagen; hepatic mRNA type I collagen alpha‐1 chain levels, serum potassium, sodium, osmolarity, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, albumin and creatinine.

Results

Stratification of the CCl4‐treated rats according to total hepatic collagen showed that the degradation markers were significantly elevated in mild to severe fibrosis except for C6M which was also elevated in early fibrosis (P < 0.05). The highest Z‐scores in early and moderate fibrosis were provided by P4NP 7S and alanine aminotransferase. All nine markers of ECM remodelling were highly related to the extent of liver fibrosis induced by CCl4. The novel collagen formation marker, P4NP 7S, was reliable for the detection of early fibrosis, while the combination of the two markers, C6M and P5CP provided the best correlation with hepatic fibrosis in all fibrosis levels.

Conclusion

As the markers can be used for translational science, these markers may provide valuable information for the evaluation of liver fibrosis in clinical settings.
Species‐specific residues calibrate SoxR sensitivity to redox‐active molecules
Authors: Sheplock Rebecca , Recinos David A. , Mackow Natalie , Dietrich Lars E. P. , Chander Monica
Published: December 2012

In enterics, the transcription factor SoxR triggers a global stress response by sensing a broad spectrum of redox‐cycling compounds. In the non‐enteric bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptomyces coelicolor, SoxR is activated by endogenous redox‐active small molecules and only regulates a small set of genes. We investigated if the more general response in enterics is reflected in the ability of SoxR to sense a wider range of redox‐cycling compounds. Indeed, while Escherichia coli SoxR is tuned to structurally diverse compounds that span a redox range of −450 to +80 mV, P. aeruginosa and S. coelicolor SoxR are less sensitive to viologens, which have redox potentials below −350 mV. Using a mutagenic approach, we pinpointed three amino acids that contribute to the reduced sensitivity of P. aeruginosa and S. coelicolor SoxR. Notably these residues are not conserved in homologues of the Enterobacteriaceae. We further identified a motif within the sensor domain that tunes the activity of SoxR from enterics – inhibiting constitutive activity while allowing sensitivity to drugs with low redox potentials. Our findings highlight how small alterations in structure can lead to the evolution of proteins with distinct specificities for redox‐active small molecules.
The tomato SlSHINE3 transcription factor regulates fruit cuticle formation and epidermal patterning
Authors: Shi Jian Xin , Adato Avital , Alkan Noam , He Yonghua , Lashbrooke Justin , Matas Antonio J. , Meir Sagit , Malitsky Sergey , Isaacson Tal , Prusky Dov , Leshkowitz Dena , Schreiber Lukas , Granell Antonio R. , Widemann Emilie , Grausem Bernard , Pinot Franck , Rose Jocelyn K. C. , Rogachev Ilana , Rothan Christophe , Aharoni Asaph
Published: December 2012

Fleshy tomato fruit typically lacks stomata; therefore, a proper cuticle is particularly vital for fruit development and interaction with the surroundings. Here, we characterized the tomato SlSHINE3 (SlSHN3) transcription factor to extend our limited knowledge regarding the regulation of cuticle formation in fleshy fruits.

We created SlSHN3 overexpressing and silenced plants, and used them for detailed analysis of cuticular lipid compositions, phenotypic characterization, and the study on the mode of SlSHN3 action.

Heterologous expression of SlSHN3 in Arabidopsis phenocopied overexpression of the Arabidopsis SHNs. Silencing of SlSHN3 results in profound morphological alterations of the fruit epidermis and significant reduction in cuticular lipids. We demonstrated that SlSHN3 activity is mediated by control of genes associated with cutin metabolism and epidermal cell patterning. As with SlSHN3 RNAi lines, mutation in the SlSHN3 target gene, SlCYP86A69, resulted in severe cutin deficiency and altered fruit surface architecture. In vitro activity assays demonstrated that SlCYP86A69 possesses NADPH‐dependent ω‐hydroxylation activity, particularly of C18:1 fatty acid to the 18‐hydroxyoleic acid cutin monomer.

This study provided insights into transcriptional mechanisms mediating fleshy fruit cuticle formation and highlighted the link between cutin metabolism and the process of fruit epidermal cell patterning.
A gain‐of‐function mutation in the ROC1 gene alters plant architecture in Arabidopsis
Authors: Ma Xiqing , Song Li , Yang Yaxuan , Liu Dong
Published: December 2012

Plant architecture is an important agronomic trait and is useful for identification of plant species. The molecular basis of plant architecture, however, is largely unknown.

Forward genetics was used to identify an Arabidopsis mutant with altered plant architecture. Using genetic and molecular approaches, we analyzed the roles of a mutated cyclophilin in the control of plant architecture.

The Arabidopsis mutant roc1 has reduced stem elongation and increased shoot branching, and the mutant phenotypes are strongly affected by temperature and photoperiod. Map‐based cloning and transgenic experiments demonstrated that the roc1 mutant phenotypes are caused by a gain‐of‐function mutation in a cyclophilin gene, ROC1. Besides, application of the plant hormone gibberellic acid (GA) further suppresses stem elongation in the mutant. GA treatment enhances the accumulation of mutated but not of wildtype (WT) ROC1 proteins. The roc1 mutation does not seem to interfere with GA biosynthesis or signaling. GA signaling, however, antagonizes the effect of the roc1 mutation on stem elongation.

The altered plant architecture may result from the activation of an R gene by the roc1 protein. We also present a working model for the interaction between the roc1 mutation and GA signaling in regulating stem elongation.
Facial asymmetry index in normal young adults
Authors: Huang C. S. , Liu X. Q. , Chen Y. R.
Published: December 2012

Structured Abstract

Objectives

To differentiate a symmetric face from an asymmetric face by analyzing a three‐dimensional (3D) facial image and plotting the asymmetry index (AI) on a facial symmetry diagram.

Setting and Sample Population

Sixty healthy Chinese adults (30 men and 30 women, mean age: 27.7 + 4.9 years old) without any craniofacial deformity were recruited on a voluntary basis from a medical center.

Material and Methods

A 3D facial image of each participant was captured by a GENEX 3D FACE CAM system. Sixteen facial landmarks, as defined by Farkas, were selected on each 3D facial image. The AI was calculated for each landmark.

Results

The norm for the AI varied from 0.76 to 2.82. The landmarks located on the upper face had a smaller AI than the landmarks located on the lower face. A facial symmetry diagram was designed according to the mean, one standard deviation, and 2 standard deviations of AI for each landmark.

Conclusions

The 3D facial asymmetry can be documented with AI. The landmarks located on the upper face had a smaller AI than the landmarks located on the lower face. The facial symmetry diagram can identify efficiently the location of asymmetry on a face.
Tuning Parameter Selection in High Dimensional Penalized Likelihood
Authors: Fan Yingying , Tang Cheng Yong
Published: December 2012

Determining how to select the tuning parameter appropriately is essential in penalized likelihood methods for high dimensional data analysis. We examine this problem in the setting of penalized likelihood methods for generalized linear models, where the dimensionality of covariates p is allowed to increase exponentially with the sample size n. We propose to select the tuning parameter by optimizing the generalized information criterion with an appropriate model complexity penalty. To ensure that we consistently identify the true model, a range for the model complexity penalty is identified in the generlized information criterion. We find that this model complexity penalty should diverge at the rate of some power of log (p) depending on the tail probability behaviour of the response variables. This reveals that using the Akaike information criterion or Bayes information criterion to select the tuning parameter may not be adequate for consistently identifying the true model. On the basis of our theoretical study, we propose a uniform choice of the model complexity penalty and show that the approach proposed consistently identifies the true model among candidate models with asymptotic probability 1. We justify the performance of the procedure proposed by numerical simulations and a gene expression data analysis.
Feasibility of Monitoring Mechanical Machining with a Chromatically Addressed Optical Fibre Photoelastic Sensor
Authors: Garza C. , Jones G. R. , Hon K. K. B. , Deakin A. G. , Spencer J. W.
Published: December 2012

Abstract:  This study considers the feasibility of monitoring forces acting on a cutting machine tool using chromatically addressed optical fibre based photoelastic sensors. The approach offers a cost–effective and versatile method for avoiding susceptibility to electromagnetic interference, with potential for providing sufficient frequency response for high‐speed machining and for accommodating noisy, wide band optical wavelength signals. Measurements of the static and dynamic characteristics of such systems are presented along with results for interrupted turning in a real robust machining environment.
Trading Partners, Traded Products and Firm Performances of China’s Exporter‐Importers: Does Processing Trade Make a Difference?
Authors: Wang Zheng , Yu Zhihong
Published: December 2012

In this study, we explore a newly available unique data set that links China’s international trade transactions to its manufacturing firms’ census data and establish a number of interesting stylised facts linking firms’ key economic performances to their exporting‐importing behaviours. One novelty of our analysis is that we distinguish between ordinary trade and processing trade; the latter involves importing inputs and materials to be assembled and re‐exported to the overseas market. Several novel patterns emerge. First, we discover significant heterogeneitywithintwo‐way traders – in terms of size, productivity and factor intensity – depending on their engagement in processing exports/imports. Whilst the existing literature typically finds that two‐way traders are larger and more productive than one‐way traders, we show that pure processing two‐way traders are actually the least productive and exhibit the lowestcapita/skill intensity compared to one‐way traders. Second, consistent with the market hierarchy hypothesis, larger and more productive firms trade with a larger number of trade partners that are on average ‘less popular’ as characterised by longer distances and smaller market size. Remarkably, this pattern is highly symmetric between exports and imports, as well as between ordinary and processing trade. Third, firms with greater capital and skill intensities source more complex inputs from countries with higher incomeper capita, and this pattern holds only for ordinary imports but not for processing imports. While some of our findings confirm existing stylised facts reported for other countries, some patterns we discover are new to the literature and remain to be reconciled with the heterogeneous firm trade theory.
Role of the Wnt‐Frizzled system in cardiac pathophysiology: a rapidly developing, poorly understood area with enormous potential
Authors: Dawson Kristin , Aflaki Mona , Nattel Stanley
Published: December 2012

Abstract The Wnt‐Frizzled (Fzd) G‐protein‐coupled receptor system, involving 19 distinct Wnt ligands and 10 Fzd receptors, plays key roles in the development and functioning of many organ systems. There is increasing evidence that Wnt‐Fzd signalling is important in regulating cardiac function. Wnt‐Fzd signalling primarily involves a canonical pathway, with dishevelled‐1‐dependent nuclear translocation of β‐catenin that derepresses Wnt‐sensitive gene transcription, but can also include non‐canonical pathways via phospholipase‐C/Ca2+mobilization and dishevelled‐protein activation of small GTPases. Wnt‐Fzd effects vary with specific ligand/receptor interactions and associated downstream pathways. This paper reviews the biochemistry and physiology of the Wnt‐Fzd complex, and presents current knowledge of Wnt signalling in cardiac remodelling processes such as hypertrophy and fibrosis, as well as disease states such as myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure and arrhythmias. Wnt signalling is activated during hypertrophy; inhibiting Wnt signalling by activating glycogen synthase kinase attenuates the hypertrophic response. Wnt signalling has complex and time‐dependent actions post‐MI, so that either beneficial or harmful effects might result from Wnt‐directed interventions. Stem cell biology, a promising area for therapeutic intervention, is highly regulated by Wnt signalling. The Wnt system regulates fibroblast function, and is prominently altered in arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy, a familial disease involving excess deposition of fibroadipose tissue. Wnt signalling controls connexin43 expression, thereby contributing to the regulation of cardiac electrical stability and arrhythmia generation. Although much has been learned about Wnt‐Fzd signalling in hypertrophy and infarction, its role is poorly understood for a broad range of other heart disorders. Much more needs to be learned for its contributions to be fully appreciated, and to permit more effective exploitation of its enormous potential in therapeutic development.
SC‐GRAPPA: Self‐constraint noniterative GRAPPA reconstruction with closed‐form solution
Authors: Ding Yu , Xue Hui , Ahmad Rizwan , Ting Samuel T. , Simonetti Orlando P.
Published: December 2012

Purpose:

Parallel MRI (pMRI) reconstruction techniques are commonly used to reduce scan time by undersampling the k‐space data. GRAPPA, a k‐space based pMRI technique, is widely used clinically because of its robustness. In GRAPPA, the missing k‐space data are estimated by solving a set of linear equations; however, this set of equations does not take advantage of the correlations within the missing k‐space data. All k‐space data in a neighborhood acquired from a phased‐array coil are correlated. The correlation can be estimated easily as a self‐constraint condition, and formulated as an extra set of linear equations to improve the performance of GRAPPA. The authors propose a modified k‐space based pMRI technique called self‐constraint GRAPPA (SC‐GRAPPA) which combines the linear equations of GRAPPA with these extra equations to solve for the missing k‐space data. Since SC‐GRAPPA utilizes a least‐squares solution of the linear equations, it has a closed‐form solution that does not require an iterative solver.

Methods:

The SC‐GRAPPA equation was derived by incorporating GRAPPA as a prior estimate. SC‐GRAPPA was tested in a uniform phantom and two normal volunteers. MR real‐time cardiac cine images with acceleration rate 5 and 6 were reconstructed using GRAPPA and SC‐GRAPPA.

Results:

SC‐GRAPPA showed a significantly lower artifact level, and a greater than 10% overall signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) gain over GRAPPA, with more significant SNR gain observed in low‐SNR regions of the images.

Conclusions:

SC‐GRAPPA offers improved pMRI reconstruction, and is expected to benefit clinical imaging applications in the future.
Mefloquine Exposure Induces Cell Cycle Delay and Reveals Stage-Specific Expression of the
pfmdr1
Gene
Authors: Bohórquez Elaine B. , Juliano Jonathan J. , Kim Hyung-Suk , Meshnick Steven R.
Published: December 2012

Drug-resistant
Plasmodium falciparum
malaria is a major public health problem. An elevated
pfmdr1
gene copy number (CN) is known to decrease parasite sensitivity to the commonly used antimalarial mefloquine (MFQ). To understand the relationship between
pfmdr1
CN and mefloquine resistance, we evaluated
pfmdr1
transcript levels in three
P. falciparum
strains with different CNs in the presence and absence of MFQ. Parasite strains with multiple
pfmdr1
gene copies exhibited higher relative transcript levels than single-copy parasites, and MFQ induced
pfmdr1
expression above the levels without treatment in all three strains evaluated. Concomitant morphology analyses of the sampled cultures revealed that MFQ treatment of synchronized ring-stage parasites induced a delay in parasite maturation through the intraerythrocytic cycle.
pfmdr1
expression peaks in the ring stage, and MFQ could be causing increased transcription by delaying parasite maturation. However, pretreatment with mefloquine did not affect the artemisinin
in vitro
half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC
50
). These results suggest that MFQ-induced increases in
pfmdr1
expression are the direct result of the maturation delay at the ring stage but that this change in expression does not affect the antimalarial activity of artemisinin.