bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quality assessment of tissue specimens for studies of diabetic foot ulcers
Authors: Stojadinovic Olivera , Landon Jennifer N. , Gordon Katherine A. , Pastar Irena , Escandon Julia , Vivas Alejandra , Maderal Andrea D. , Margolis David J. , Kirsner Robert S. , Tomic‐Canic Marjana
Published: January 2013

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) represent an important clinical problem resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Ongoing translational research studies strive to better understand molecular/cellular basis of DFU pathology that may lead to identification of novel treatment protocols. Tissue at the non‐healing wound edge has been identified as one of major contributors to the DFU pathophysiology that provides important tool for translational and clinical investigations. To evaluate quality of tissue specimens and their potential use, we obtained 81 DFU specimens from 25 patients and performed histological analyses, immunohistochemistry and RNA quality assessments. We found that depth of the collected specimen is important determinant of research utility, and only specimens containing a full‐thickness epidermis could be utilized for immunohistochemistry and RNA isolation. We showed that only two‐thirds of collected specimens could be utilized in translational studies. This attrition rate is important for designs of future studies involving tissue specimen collection from DFU.
Effect of Regulatory Changes on Auditor Independence and Audit Quality
Authors: Hossain Sarowar
Published: January 2013

This study investigates the impact of CLERP 9 on auditor independence and audit quality. Audit quality is measured by performance‐adjusted discretionary accruals and the auditor's propensity to issue a going‐concern opinion for a financially distressed company. The results show a significant and positive association between auditor‐provided non‐audit services (NAS) fees and the propensity to issue a going‐concern opinion for a financially distressed company post‐CLERP 9, but an insignificant association pre‐CLERP 9. The results show a significant and positive association between NAS fees and the performance‐adjusted absolute value of discretionary accruals pre‐CLERP 9, but this significant association was mitigated by the introduction of CLERP 9. To address the potential impact of the level of abnormal NAS fees on auditor independence, the analysis is extended by incorporating predictions of abnormal NAS fees. Abnormal NAS fees are significantly and negatively associated with the propensity to issue a going‐concern opinion for a financially distressed company and positively associated with discretionary accruals pre‐CLERP 9, but they are not significant post‐CLERP 9. The results provide evidence of improved audit quality after the implementation of CLERP 9. The results will be useful to regulators for the justification of regulatory changes. The findings provide evidence of the effectiveness of regulatory changes, specifically the CLERP 9, on the improvement of auditor independence and audit quality.
Differential expression of natural killer cell activating receptors in blood versus bone marrow in patients with monoclonal gammopathy
Authors: Costello Régis T. , Boehrer Anne , Sanchez Carole , Mercier Delphine , Baier Céline , Le Treut Thérèse , Sébahoun Gérard
Published: January 2013

In monoclonal gammopathies (MG) and multiple myeloma (MM), normal natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) expression (NCR1/NKp46, NCR2/NKp44, NCR3/NKp30) is observed in natural killer (NK) cells. Nonetheless, except in plasma cell leukemia, few tumor plasmocytes are present in PB, while NK studies have been performed on peripheral blood (PB). For this reason we focused our attention on NK from bone marrow (BM). Our study demonstrates that the down‐regulation of NCR3/NKp30 is only detectable in NK from BM but not in PB, and shows a drastic decrease of both NKG2D and CD244/2B4/p38 expression in NK from BM in comparison with PB. In conclusion, our data more precisely describe the mechanism of immune escape of MG/MM from innate immunity since we show a drastic down regulation of 3 major activating NK receptors (NCR3/NKp30, NKG2D and CD244/2B4/p38) at the site of tumor, i.e BM, that was undetectable in PB. Further studies regarding immune regulatory drugs in MG/MM will imperiously require the assessment of immune cell status not only in PB but also in BM to obtain more relevant data regarding anti‐tumor efficacy.
Assortative mating in mixed swarms of the mosquito Anopheles gambiae s.s. M and S molecular forms, in Burkina Faso, West Africa
Authors: DABIRE K. R. , SAWADODGO S. , DIABATE A. , TOE K. H. , KENGNE P. , OUARI A. , COSTANTINI C. , GOUAGNA C. , SIMARD F. , BALDET T. , LEHMANN T. , GIBSON G.
Published: January 2013

The molecular form composition of Anopheles gambiae Giles s.s. (Diptera: Culicidae) mating swarms and the associated mating pairs (copulae) were investigated during two rainy seasons (July to October, 2005 and July to November, 2006) in the villages of Soumousso and Vallée du Kou (VK7). Although the habitats of these villages differ markedly, sympatric populations of M and S molecular forms of An. gambiae s.s. occur in both places periodically. The main aim was to assess the degree to which these molecular forms mate assortatively. In Soumousso, a wooded savannah habitat, the majority of swarm samples consisted of only S‐form males (21/28), although a few M‐form males were found in mixed M‐ and S‐form swarms. In VK7, a rice growing area, the majority of swarm samples consisted of only M‐form males (38/62), until October and November 2006, when there were nearly as many mixed‐form as single‐form swarms. Overall, ∼60% of M‐ and S‐form swarms were temporally or spatially segregated; the two forms were effectively prevented from encountering each other. Of the remaining 40% of swarms, however, only about half were single‐form and the rest were mixed‐form. Of the 33 copulae collected from mixed‐form swarms, only four were mixed‐form pairs, significantly fewer than expected by random pairing between forms (χ2 = 10.34, d.f. = 2, P < 0.01). Finally, all specimens of inseminated females were of the same form as the sperm contained within their spermatheca (n = 91), even for the four mixed‐form copulae. These findings indicate that assortative mating occurs within mixed‐form swarms, mediated most probably by close‐range mate recognition cues.
Validation of the Violence Risk Screening‐10 instrument among clients discharged from a psychiatric hospital in Beijing
Authors: Yao Xiuyu , Li Zheng , Arthur David , Hu Lili , Cheng Gen
Published: January 2013

The Violence Risk Screening‐10 is one of the few instruments available for evaluating violence risk in mental health clients during and after hospitalization. This prospective study examined the applicability of this brief instrument with a sample of 289 clients in the 6 months after discharge from a general psychiatric hospital in Beijing. During the research period, 24 of the 289 clients demonstrated aggression. The receiver–operator characteristic curve yielded an area under the curve of 0.62. At the cut‐off point of 4.5, its sensitivity/specificity was 79.2%/33.3%, and the corresponding positive/negative predictive value was 9.9%/94.5%. The predictive accuracy of this instrument was lower compared with the results of the original study, and was also less accurate than when it was administered while the clients were in the hospital. While promising in its utility for use beyond the hospital, it deserves further modification prior to its wide use across culturally‐diverse China.
Kings and Lords in Tenth‐Century Cornwall
Authors: Insley Charles
Published: January 2013

The cementing of English political control overCornwall and the British of the south‐west in the tenth century falls between the creation of theAnglo‐Saxon kingdoms between the sixth and seventh centuries, and the burst ofEnglish expansionism at the expense of theWelsh,Scots andIrish that occupied the two centuries following theNormanConquest ofEngland. Consequently, the absorption ofCornwall into theEnglish state tends to be a rather neglected subject. This article provides some redress of this neglect and examines, through a consideration of not just the historical narratives but also charters and manumissions, the way in which the kings of theEnglish and their agents extended royal control overCornwall between the late ninth century and the mid‐eleventh. These processes, while makingCornwall part of the new kingdom of theEnglish, also allowed the maintenance of a highly distinctive local identity well into the later medieval period and beyond.
Regional Communities and Royal Authority in the Late Old English Kingdom: The Crisis of 1051–1052 Revisited
Authors: Williams Ann
Published: January 2013

One of the major obstacles to an understanding of the late Old English kingdom is that the bulk of the scanty sources which survive were produced by and for the royal court. It has been argued that reliance on such material has seduced scholars into overstating the practical application of royal aspirations, and giving too little attention to resistance on the part of those with their own interests. Such misgivings have led to attacks on the ‘maximist’ view of the Old English state (‘Campbell's kingdom’), arguing that what we are hearing is a royalist interpretation which conceals the existence of a divided and fragmented country. The sources are what they are, and conclusions based upon them can only be a matter of opinion, but an examination of the events of 1051–2, when the English kingdom underwent one of its most dangerous upheavals, may help to illuminate both those forces which divided it, and those which held it together.
Life Cycle Assessment Model for the Use of Alternative Resources in Ironmaking
Authors: Vadenbo Carl O. , Boesch Michael E. , Hellweg Stefanie
Published: January 2013

The iron and steel industry represents an important case for industrial ecology due to its ability to accept waste‐derived inputs and due to the generation of useful by‐products. With the objective of supporting environmentally conscious decisions regarding resource use and waste management, a life cycle assessment (LCA) tool for ironmaking was developed. The tool combines mass flow‐based process models with an LCA database to assess the use of alternative resources in ironmaking, considering various process configurations. The article contains a description of the tool and a case study illustrating two areas of application. In the first part of the case study, an inventory analysis focused on the effects of feedstock recycling of waste plastics in ironmaking on heavy metal distribution is presented. It is demonstrated how uncertainties in input heavy metal concentrations and mass transfer can be incorporated into the model to predict the heavy metal loads in the process outputs. In the second part, the substitution of coke with a range of alternative reducing agents are assessed with regard to impact on climate change and fossil resource depletion. It was found that the use of sustainably sourced charcoal and waste‐derived reducing agents is beneficial both with respect to the impact on climate change and fossil resource depletion at the respective calculated coke replacement ratio, whereas the results for heavy oil, coke oven gas, and raw tar indicate that trade‐offs between impact categories occur. The results also highlight the importance of considering the avoided impacts of alternative treatments for waste‐derived resources.
Volunteer work in youth organizations: predicting distinct aspects of volunteering behavior from self‐ and other‐oriented motives
Authors: Cornelis Ilse , Van Hiel Alain , De Cremer David
Published: January 2013

This study examined the impact of motivational underpinnings of volunteerism on self‐reported volunteer behaviors and satisfaction. Data from 153 volunteers in youth organizations supported a two‐dimensional structure of self‐ and other‐oriented motives. Self‐oriented motives were more important in explaining in‐role volunteer behavior, while other‐oriented concerns were also important in predicting extra‐role volunteer behavior and satisfaction. These findings are discussed in the context of a functional approach to volunteerism and linked to recent findings regarding the role of self‐ and other‐oriented motives from the organizational literature. Suggestions for recruiting and motivating young volunteers in youth development organizations are presented.
Specialization to cold‐water upwellings may facilitate gene flow in seabirds: new evidence from the Peruvian pelican Pelecanus thagus (Pelecaniformes: Pelecanidae)
Authors: Jeyasingham Will S. , Taylor Scott A. , Zavalaga Carlos B. , Simeone Alejandro , Friesen Vicki L.
Published: January 2013

Recent research has shown that tropical seabirds specialized to feed on cold water upwellings exhibit low population genetic differentiation and high gene flow across large geographic distances. This pattern is opposite to the general pattern of differentiation reported for tropical seabirds, and led us to hypothesize that specialization to cold‐water upwellings facilitates gene flow between colonies. As a test of this hypothesis we characterized population differentiation and gene flow across the range of the Peruvian pelican Pelecanus thagus, an upwelling specialist endemic to the Humboldt Current, using an 838 base pair segment of the mitochondrial control region and seven microsatellite loci. In support of our hypothesis we report genetic panmixia across the geographic range of this species and inferred high gene flow between colonies. The high dispersal propensity of upwelling specialist seabirds (adults and/or juveniles) may reduce loss of genetic diversity during population declines, and increase the ability of these species to colonize new islands.
Sex ratio adjustments in common terns: influence of mate condition and maternal experience
Authors: Benito María M. , Schielzeth Holger , González‐Solís Jacob , Becker Peter H.
Published: January 2013

Adaptive sex allocation has frequently been studied in sexually size dimorphic species, but far less is known about patterns of sex allocation in species without pronounced sexual size dimorphism. Parental optimal investment can be predicted under circumstances in which sons and daughters differ in costs and/or fitness returns. In common terns Sterna hirundo, previous studies suggest that sons are the more costly sex to produce and rear. We investigated whether hatching and fledging sex ratio and sex‐specific chick mortality correlated with the ecological environment (laying date, clutch size, hatching order and year quality) and parental traits (condition, arrival date, experience and breeding success), over seven consecutive years. Population‐wide sex ratios and sex‐specific mortality did not differ from parity, but clutch size, mass of the father, maternal breeding experience and to some extent year quality correlated with hatching sex ratio. The proportion of sons tended to increase in productive years and when the father was heavier, suggesting the possibility that females invest more in sons when the environmental and the partner conditions are good. The proportion of daughters increased with clutch size and maternal breeding experience, suggesting a decline in breeding performance or a resources balance solved by producing more of the cheaper sex. No clear patterns of sex‐specific mortality were found, neither global nor related to parental traits. Our results suggest lines for future studies on adaptive sex allocation in sexually nearly monomorphic species, where adjustment of sex ratio related to parental factors and differential allocation between the offspring may also occur.
Evidence for a krill‐rich diet from non‐destructive analyses of penguin bone
Authors: Thomas Daniel B. , Fordyce R. Ewan , Gordon Keith C.
Published: January 2013

Diet strongly influences the chemistry of vertebrate soft and hard tissues. Bird bone and eggshell mineral preserve reliable records of prey consumption, even beyond the life of the predator, and analyses of hard tissues have usefully reconstructed avian diet. Here, we assess the feasibility of a non‐destructive method for distinguishing krill‐poor from krill‐rich diets in penguins. Krill (Euphausiaceae) are fluoride‐rich, and penguins that consume krill produce fluoride‐rich bones. The chemistry of bone mineral may be elucidated using Raman spectroscopy without recourse to specialised sample preparation. Published data from the diet of six penguin species were compared to a fluoride‐informative spectral band (phosphate symmetric stretch, ν1‐PO43−) in the Raman spectra of penguin humeri. Penguins that consume abundant krill (e.g. Adélie and emperor) have ν1‐PO43−‐band positions higher than 963 cm−1, whereas penguins that primarily eat teleost fish or cephalopods (e.g. Fiordland crested, Humboldt, little blue and yellow‐eyed) have ν1‐PO43−‐band positions lower than 963 cm−1. A krill‐rich diet can therefore be determined from the Raman spectra of penguin bones. Raman spectroscopy could be a useful supplement to existing diet analysis techniques.
Modelling the influence of landscape connectivity on animal distribution: a functional grain approach
Authors: Galpern Paul , Manseau Micheline
Published: January 2013

Landscape change may reduce the connectivity of landscapes and impact the movement of animals. If movement processes have been influenced by landscape connectivity, we hypothesize that animals may distribute themselves in larger connected regions of the landscape in order to minimize the movement costs associated with obtaining required resources and avoiding predators. We adopt the term functional grain to describe a set of functionally connected regions. In this spatial pattern, each region describes a contiguous area of the landscape within which an animal may move freely below a threshold amount of movement cost. We used telemetry data from woodland caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou to test hypothetical functional grains where connectivity was determined by the spatial configuration of resource patches (patch only), by the resistance to movement presented by landscape features (resistance only), and by a combination of the two (patch + resistance). To identify these functional grains, we used a grains of connectivity approach, and introduced a novel lattice‐based variant of this method to build the resistance only model. We developed a measure of fit that describes caribou distribution with respect to larger functionally connected regions in the grain, and used this to ask: 1) are seasonal caribou locations consistent with a random functional grain, implying that landscape connectivity has not shaped their distribution? 2) Given a functional grain model, are seasonal caribou locations distributed in larger functionally connected regions than random points, implying a response to the shape, size, and location of the connected regions. We found support for landscape connectivity influencing animal distribution using grains based on a landscape resistance model, and that support varied between behaviourally defined seasons. We also discuss how our novel lattice approach may be valuable for highly mobile mammals and other species where the identification of resource patches is a limitation.
The Acquisition of Dialectal Phonemes in a Study Abroad Context: The Case of the Castilian Theta
Authors: Knouse Stephanie M.
Published: January 2013

This exploratory study investigates the incorporation of dialectal variants in second language (L2) pronunciation and how the learning context intersects with this acquisition. Specifically, this research examines to what extent L2 learners of Spanish acquire the regional phoneme /θ/ from north‐central Spain in both study abroad (SA) and at‐home (AH) programs. Native versus nonnative L2 pronunciation over time in potential [θ] contexts is also considered. The findings suggest that students rarely produce [θ] after contact with native speakers in either learning context, yet the use of the phone is facilitated by a SA experience and conditioned by select linguistic and extralinguistic factors. Moreover, beginning and intermediate students appear to make greater gains in nativelike pronunciation as a result of the SA experience as compared to advanced students.
Second Language Learners' Use of Marginal Glosses
Authors: O'Donnell Mary E.
Published: January 2013

The use of marginal reading glosses by 18 second language (L2) learners is examined through a quantitative and qualitative analysis of audiotaped think‐aloud protocols. How these readers interact with the glosses is identified and divided into five categories or gloss interactions. Examples from each are presented. The primary research question investigated is the following: In print medium, how do intermediate‐level readers of L2 Spanish interact with and apply marginal glosses? More specifically, as identified through think‐aloud oral expression, how is readers' comprehension positively or negatively influenced by marginal gloss use? Findings reveal that although the participants used the glosses to facilitate comprehension 54% of the time, unanticipated uses are also identifiable. Included are examples and suggestions for promoting reading comprehension through marginal gloss use.
Evidence and hypothesis in biogeography
Authors: Parenti Lynne R. , Ebach Malte C.
Published: January 2013

Evidence can provide support for or against a particular biogeographical hypothesis. Treating a hypothesis as if it were evidence or an empirical observation confounds many biogeographical analyses. We focus on two recent publications that address, in part, the evolution of the biota of Sulawesi, the large Indonesian island in the centre of the Indo‐Australian Archipelago. Many biogeographical explanations are hampered by invoking simple notions of mechanism or process – dispersal and vicariance – or constraints, such as dispersal from a centre of origin, and, in so doing, dismiss more complex geological phenomena such as emergent volcanoes within island chains or composite areas as irrelevant. Moreover, they do not search for, therefore never discover, biogeographical patterns that may better explain the distribution of biota through time.
Process, correlation and parameter fitting in species distribution models: a response to Kriticos et al
Authors: Schymanski Stanislaus J. , Dormann Carsten F. , Cabral Juliano , Chuine Isabelle , Graham Catherine H. , Hartig Florian , Kearney Michael , Morin Xavier , Römermann Christine , Schröder Boris , Singer Alexander
Published: January 2013

In a recent article (Dormann et al., 2012, Journal of Biogeography, 39, 2119–2131), we compared different approaches to species distribution modelling and depicted modelling approaches along an axis from purely ‘correlative’ to ‘forward process‐based’ models. In their correspondence, Kriticos et al. (2013, Journal of Biogeography, doi:10.1111/j.1365‐2699.2012.02791.x) challenge this view, claiming that our continuum representation neglects differences among models and does not consider the ability of fitted process‐based models to combine the advantages of both process‐based and correlative modelling approaches. Here we clarify that the continuum view resulted from recognition of the manifold differences between models. We also reinforce the point that the current trend towards combining different modelling approaches may lead not only to the desired combination of the advantages but also to the accumulation of the disadvantages of those approaches. This point has not been made sufficiently clear previously.
‘Next generation’ biogeography: towards understanding the drivers of species diversification and persistence
Authors: Lexer Christian , Mangili Sofia , Bossolini Eligio , Forest Felix , Stölting Kai N. , Pearman Peter B. , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Salamin Nicolas
Published: January 2013

The drivers of species diversification and persistence are of great interest to current biogeography, especially in those global biodiversity ‘hotspots’ harbouring most of Earth's animal and plant life. Classical multispecies biogeographical work has yielded fascinating insights into broad‐scale patterns of diversification, and DNA‐based intraspecific phylogeographical studies have started to complement this picture at much finer temporal and spatial scales. The advent of novel next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provides the opportunity to greatly scale up the numbers of individuals, populations and species sampled, potentially merging intraspecific and interspecific approaches to biogeographical inference. Here, we outline these prospects and issues by using the example of an undisputed hotspot, the Cape of southern Africa. We outline the current state of knowledge on the biogeography of species diversification within the Cape, review the literature for phylogeographical evidence of its likely drivers and mechanisms, and suggest possible ways forward based on NGS approaches. We demonstrate the potential of these methods and current bioinformatic issues with the help of restriction‐site‐associated DNA (RAD) sequencing data for three highly divergent species of the Restionaceae, an important plant radiation in the Cape. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms that facilitate species diversification and persistence in spatially structured, species‐rich environments will require the adoption of novel genomic and bioinformatic tools in biogeographical studies.
Taxes, Theft, and Firm Performance
Authors: MIRONOV MAXIM
Published: January 2013

This paper examines the interaction between income diversion and firm performance. Using unique Russian banking transaction data, I identify 42,483 spacemen, fly‐by‐night firms created specifically for income diversion. Next, I build a direct measure of income diversion for 45,429 companies and show that it is negatively related to firm performance. I identify the main reason for the observed effect as managerial diversion rather than tax evasion per se. I further show that stricter tax enforcement can improve firm performance: a one standard deviation increase in tax enforcement corresponds to an increase in the annual revenue growth rate of 2.6%.
The TIPS‐Treasury Bond Puzzle
Authors: FLECKENSTEIN MATTHIAS , LONGSTAFF FRANCIS A. , LUSTIG HANNO
Published: January 2013

We show that the price of a Treasury bond and an inflation‐swapped Treasury Inflation‐Protected Securities (TIPS) issue exactly replicating the cash flows of the Treasury bond can differ by more than $20 per $100 notional. Treasury bonds are almost always overvalued relative to TIPS. Total TIPS‐Treasury mispricing has exceeded $56 billion, representing nearly 8% of the total amount of TIPS outstanding. We find direct evidence that the mispricing narrows as additional capital flows into the markets. This provides strong support for the slow‐moving‐capital explanation of arbitrage persistence.
Occurrence, diel patterns, and the influence of melatonin on the photosynthetic performance of cultured Symbiodinium
Authors: Roopin Modi , Yacobi Yosef Z. , Levy Oren
Published: January 2013

Dinoflagellata is the earliest phylum in which true circadian regulation of melatonin rhythms has been convincingly demonstrated. Here, diel profiling of melatonin in a cultured member of this phylum belonging to the genus Symbiodinium indicated that melatonin levels oscillate with significant nocturnal peaks. However, unlike in other previously studied dinoflagellate species, the diel rhythmicity of melatonin in Symbiodinium did not persist under constant dark conditions. Thus, the oscillating pattern of melatonin in Symbiodinium is presumed not to be driven by endogenous circadian control of melatonin production, but rather by changes in the daily photocycle, most likely through a mechanism involving the enhanced photo‐consumption of melatonin by free radicals. Although direct interactions of melatonin with detrimental radicals have been previously studied in several basal species, including dinoflagellates, none of these investigations addressed the effects that this molecule may have on photosynthesis, a major source of radical species in unicellular algae. In the present work, real‐time monitoring of oxygen evolution in Symbiodinium cultures indicated a significant decrease in photosynthesis rates upon treatment with various doses of melatonin. Analyses of chlorophyll a fluorescence and xanthophyll cycle activity confirmed this effect and further revealed that this slowdown may occur through an enhanced engagement of photoprotective mechanisms in melatonin‐treated cells. These findings are of great importance as they demonstrate that in certain photoautotroph species, the interactions of elevated melatonin levels with photosynthesis may extend beyond the general purpose of antioxidant protection.
Identification of suitable housekeeping genes for normalization of quantitative real‐time PCR data during different physiological stages of mammary gland in riverine buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)
Authors: Aggarwal J. , Sharma A. , Kishore A. , Mishra B. P. , Yadav A. , Mohanty A. , Sodhi M. , Kataria R. S. , Malakar D. , Mukesh M.
Published: January 2013

Gene expression analysis unravels the complex changes or relations at transcriptomic level. To nullify all type of errors that can be incorporated during any stage of RNA extraction into cDNA synthesis and for reliable results, the data obtained from qPCR have to be normalized using the appropriate/suitable housekeeping genes (HKGs). Unfortunately, till date, no such HKG has been reported for bubaline mammary gland. The objective of the present study was thus to identify and validate the potential HKGs for the gene expression studies in buffalo mammary gland. Mammary tissues from twelve buffaloes during different physiological stages: pre‐pubertal (heifer), lactation and involution were obtained for the present study. A total of 16 potential HKGs (GAPDH, β‐actin, UXT, β2M, A2M, RPl4, RPS9, RPS15A, RPS18, RPS23, HMBS, HPRT1, GTP, EEF1A1, UB1 and RPL22) from different functional classes were evaluated. The analysis revealed that the expression of EEF1A1, RPl4, β2M and RPS15A was most consistent across different physiological stages of buffalo mammary gland. On the other hand, β‐actin, A2M, RPL22 and GAPDH were the least stable genes making them unsuitable as HKGs. Based on our analysis, we recommend the use of EEF1A1, RPl4, β2M and RPS15A genes as suitable HKGs for accurate normalization of gene expression data in bubaline mammary gland.
Quantum requirements for growth and fatty acid biosynthesis in the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (Bacillariophyceae) in nitrogen replete and limited conditions
Authors: Frada Miguel J. , Burrows Elizabeth H. , Wyman Kevin D. , Falkowski Paul G.
Published: January 2013

We determined the quantum requirements for growth (1/ϕμ) and fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis (1/ϕFA) in the marine diatom, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, grown in nutrient replete conditions with nitrate or ammonium as nitrogen sources, and under nitrogen limitation, achieved by transferring cells into nitrogen free medium or by inhibiting nitrate assimilation with tungstate. A treatment in which tungstate was supplemented to cells grown with ammonium was also included. In nutrient replete conditions, cells grew exponentially and possessed virtually identical 1/ϕμ of 40–44 mol photons · mol C−1. In parallel, 1/ϕFA varied between 380 and 409 mol photons · mol C−1 in the presence of nitrate, but declined to 348 mol photons · mol C−1 with ammonium and to 250 mol photons · mol C−1 with ammonium plus tungstate, indicating an increase in the efficiency of FA biosynthesis relative to cells grown on nitrate of 8% and 35%, respectively. While the molecular mechanism for this effect remains poorly understood, the results unambiguously reveal that cells grown on ammonium are able to direct more reductant to lipids. This analysis suggests that when cells are grown with a reduced nitrogen source, fatty acid biosynthesis can effectively become a sink for excess absorbed light, compensating for the absence of energetically demanding nitrate assimilation reactions. Our data further suggest that optimal lipid production efficiency is achieved when cells are in exponential growth, when nitrate assimilation is inhibited, and ammonium is the sole nitrogen source.
Contrasting effects of productivity and disturbance on plant functional diversity at local and metacommunity scales
Authors: Laliberté Etienne , Norton David A. , Scott David
Published: January 2013

Questions

Is trait convergence more intense when soil resource availability and disturbance constrain productivity and limit above‐ground competition? Do the effects of productivity and disturbance on functional diversity differ between the local and metacommunity scales?

Location

Semi‐arid grasslands in New Zealand (43°59′ S, 170°27′ E).

Methods

We measured trait convergence and divergence in grasslands along gradients of primary productivity and disturbance at local (i.e. 1 m × 1 m) and metacommunity (8 m × 50 m) scales, using long‐term (27‐yr) manipulations of soil resource availability and grazing intensity. We compared trait dispersion metrics to those expected under different null models.

Results

At the metacommunity scale, we found stronger trait convergence with increasing productivity and grazing intensity, where all short, slow‐growing species were excluded from the potential species pool. However, once this broad‐scale filter on species pool was taken into account, we found that at the local scale, abundance‐weighted functional dispersion of co‐occurring species was stronger than expected under our null model, thereby suggesting limiting similarity. Moreover, trait divergence became stronger at higher productivity and lower grazing intensity, where size‐asymmetric competition for light is likely to have been more intense.

Conclusions

At the metacommunity scale, environmental filtering led to species with particular traits being excluded from the species pool. In contrast, at the local community scale where individuals interact, there was evidence of limiting similarity. Our results suggest that environmental filtering and limiting similarity are not mutually exclusive and jointly determine community structure, but can operate at different spatial scales.
Noninvasive fibrosis indices predict intrahepatic distant recurrence of hepatitis B‐related hepatocellular carcinoma following radiofrequency ablation
Authors: Seo Ji Yeon , Kim Won , Kwon Jee Hye , Jin Eun Hyo , Yu Su Jong , Kim Hwi Young , Jung Yong Jin , Kim Donghee , Kim Yoon Jun , Yoon Jung‐Hwan , Lee Hyo‐Suk
Published: January 2013

Backgrounds & aims

Intrahepatic recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) occurs as a result of direct dissemination or de novo oncogenesis. Hepatocellular carcinogenesis is related to the progression of cirrhosis, and noninvasive fibrosis scoring systems reflect the severity of hepatic fibrosis. Hence, the aim of this study was to elucidate the correlation between noninvasive fibrosis indices and intrahepatic distant recurrence (IDR) of HCC after RFA.

Methods

Patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related, solitary HCC undergoing RFA were prospectively enrolled. Noninvasive serum fibrosis indices were calculated at the time of RFA. IDR was defined as recurrent HCC beyond >2 cm from the ablation margin of RFA. Predictors of IDR and overall survival were analysed by a Cox regression model.

Results

Two hundred forty‐six patients received RFA as initial treatment, and the median follow‐up duration was 19.7 months (IQR, 11.9–29.8). Among these cases, 133 (45.9%) showed IDR after RFA. In multivariable analysis, serum alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP) (HR, 1.000; 95% CI, 1.000–1.001; P = 0.001) and age‐platelet index (API) (1.19; 1.01–1.39; P = 0.033) were independent predictors of IDR. In particular, patients with API ≤7 showed a significantly higher recurrence‐free survival rate than patients with API >7 (P = 0.004). With regard to overall survival, male sex (4.69; 1.52–14.52; P = 0.007), serum bilirubin (2.78; 1.31–5.90; P = 0.008) and AFP (1.000; 1.000–1.001; P = 0.006) were significantly correlated with shortened survival.

Conclusion

High levels of AFP and API predict IDR of HBV‐related HCC after RFA. Therefore, noninvasive fibrosis indices could play an important role in predicting IDR of HCC following percutaneous ablation.
The cell survival kinase SGK1 and its targets FOXO3a and NDRG1 in aged human brain
Authors: Sahin P. , McCaig C. , Jeevahan J. , Murray J. T. , Hainsworth A. H.
Published: January 2013

Aims

Serum‐ and glucocorticoid‐inducible kinase 1 (SGK1) protects neuronal cells from injury stimuli in vitro, and exerts anti‐apoptotic effects via downstream targets including the forkhead‐like transcription factor FOXO3a. SGK1 is a homolog of Akt, a related survival kinase that is up‐regulated in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here we aimed to examine the expression pattern of SGK1 and FOXO3a in aged human cerebral cortex.

Methods

Cortical tissue from aged donors without brain disease (aged controls, AC, n = 19) and from severe AD patients (Braak stage V‐VI; n = 14) were examined by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot analysis.

Results

SGK1 was present in all samples (detected by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting). Large cortical neuronal cells were strongly positive for SGK1, with predominantly nuclear labelling. Some astrocytes and oligodendrocytes were also labelled. SGK1 was not seen in nerve tracts (axons or myelin) and rarely seen in CD68‐positive cells (microglia, perivascular macrophages) or vascular cells (myocytes or endothelia). The fraction of large cortical neurones with nuclear FOXO3a was lower in AD cases relative to AC (54%, 70%, respectively, P < 0.001). In immunoblots no difference in SGK1 abundance was detected between AC and AD tissues. Phosphorylation of NDRG1 (an SGK1‐specific target) was greater in AD, relative to AC cases (approximately twofold, P = 0.023).

Conclusions

Neuronal expression of SGK1 in aged human brain and its nuclear compartmentalization suggest a possible neuroprotective role. FOXO3a and NDRG1 data suggest augmented SGK1 activity (as reported for Akt) in severe AD. Increased intracellular SGK1 may complement enhanced Akt, with a distinct subcellular localization.
Abdominal accommodation induced by meal ingestion: differential responses to gastric and colonic volume loads
Authors: Burri E. , Cisternas D. , Villoria A. , Accarino A. , Soldevilla A. , Malagelada J.‐R. , Azpiroz F.
Published: January 2013

Background  Using an experimental model of colonic gas infusion, we previously showed that the abdominal walls adapt to its content by an active phenomenon of abdominal accommodation. We now hypothesized that abdominal accommodation is a physiological phenomenon, and aimed to confirm that it can be induced by ingestion of a meal; a secondary aim was to determine whether the response to gut filling is region‐specific.

Methods  In healthy subjects (n = 24) a nutrient test meal was administered until tolerated at a rate of 50 mL min−1. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the anterior wall (upper and lower rectus, external and internal oblique) was measured via four pairs of surface electrodes, and EMG activity of the diaphragm via intraluminal electrodes on an esophageal tube. To address the secondary aim, the response to gastric filling was compared with that induced by colonic filling (1440 mL 30 min−1 anal gas infusion; n = 8).

Key Results  Participants tolerated 927 ± 66 mL of meal (450–1500 mL). Meal ingestion induced progressive diaphragmatic relaxation (EMG reduction by 16 ± 2%; P < 0.01) and selective contraction of the upper abdominal wall (24 ± 2% increase in activity of the upper rectus and external oblique; P < 0.01 for both), with no significant changes in the lower rectus (4 ± 2%) or internal oblique (5 ± 3%). Colonic gas infusion induced a similar response, but with an overall contraction of the anterior wall.

Conclusions & Inferences  Meal ingestion induces a metered and region‐specific response of the abdominal walls to accommodate the volume load. Abnormal abdominal accommodation could be involved in postprandial bloating.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: an emerging threat to obese and diabetic individuals
Authors: Masuoka Howard C. , Chalasani Naga
Published: January 2013

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the Western world and its incidence is increasing rapidly. NAFLD is a spectrum ranging from simple steatosis, which is relatively benign hepatically, to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which can progress to cirrhosis. Obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia are the most important risk factors for NAFLD. Due to heavy enrichment with metabolic risk factors, individuals with NAFLD are at significantly higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Individuals with NAFLD have higher incidence of type 2 diabetes. The diagnosis of NAFLD requires imaging evidence of hepatic steatosis in the absence of competing etiologies including significant alcohol consumption. Liver biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosing NASH and for determining prognosis. Weight loss remains a cornerstone of treatment. Weight loss of ∼5% is believed to improve steatosis, whereas ∼10% weight loss is necessary to improve steatohepatitis. A number of pharmacologic therapies have been investigated to treat NASH, and agents such as vitamin E and thiazolidinediones have shown promise in select patient subgroups.
Islet β cell mass in diabetes and how it relates to function, birth, and death
Authors: Weir Gordon C. , Bonner‐Weir Susan
Published: January 2013

In type 1 diabetes (T1D) β cell mass is markedly reduced by autoimmunity. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) results from inadequate β cell mass and function that can no longer compensate for insulin resistance. The reduction of β cell mass in T2D may result from increased cell death and/or inadequate birth through replication and neogenesis. Reduction in mass allows glucose levels to rise, which places β cells in an unfamiliar hyperglycemic environment, leading to marked changes in their phenotype and a dramatic loss of glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), which worsens as glucose levels climb. Toxic effects of glucose on β cells (glucotoxicity) appear to be the culprit. This dysfunctional insulin secretion can be reversed when glucose levels are lowered by treatment, a finding with therapeutic significance. Restoration of β cell mass in both types of diabetes could be accomplished by either β cell regeneration or transplantation. Learning more about the relationships between β cell mass, turnover, and function and finding ways to restore β cell mass are among the most urgent priorities for diabetes research.
Nasal Cutaneous Infection in a Healthy Boy Caused by Fusarium moniliforme
Authors: Yan Xiaoxiao , Yu Changping , Shi Zhongxiang , Wang Shufen , Zhang Furen
Published: January 2013

A healthy 10‐year‐old Chinese boy developed verrucous plaques on the nose. The fungus was identified as Fusarium moniliforme via culture of biopsy fragments. The patient had normal immune status and was successfully treated with oral itraconazole (100 mg/day) for 2 months and application of oral itraconazole and topical sertaconazole nitrate cream.

Fusarium is a ubiquitous hyalohyphomycete isolated from food that is also widespread in the environment and is present at all latitudes. Infections due to this mold may be disseminated or localized. Fusarium species have been known to colonize the cornea, nails, and burn eschars in otherwise healthy patients. Cutaneous and disseminated infections have been reported mostly in immunocompromised hosts. Here we describe an unusual case of localized infection caused by Fusarium moniliforme in an otherwise healthy child, with significant improvement after 2 months of oral itraconazole and topical sertaconazole nitrate cream therapy.
Psoriasis from a Prosthesis: Unusual Koebner Phenomenon in a Girl with Autoamputation of the Leg
Authors: Benoit Sandrine , Hamm Henning
Published: January 2013

An 8‐year‐old girl showed psoriatic lesions confined to her autoamputated left thigh. She was wearing an above‐the‐knee prosthesis that induced plaque psoriasis by koebnerization. Rapid clinical remission was achieved using tacrolimus 0.03% ointment.
Necrotic Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in a Child
Authors: Maldonado García César , Valente Duarte de Sousa Isabel Cristina , López Cepeda Larissa
Published: January 2013

Median nerve entrapment at the wrist level causes carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Although frequent in adults, CTS is a rare entity in children. Bouvier described an exceptional necrotic variant in 1979 in which skin, nail, and bone lesions are typical. We report the case of a 10‐year‐old child with necrotic CTS secondary to trauma. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported in a child.
Effect of hospital volume on the mortality of congenital diaphragmatic hernia in Japan
Authors: Hayakawa Masahiro , Ito Miharu , Hattori Tetsuo , Kanamori Yutaka , Okuyama Hiroomi , Inamura Noboru , Takahashi Shigehiro , Nagata Kouji , Taguchi Tomoaki , Usui Noriaki ,   The Japanese Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia Study Group
Published: January 2013

Background

During the last decade, new supportive modalities and new therapeutic strategies to treat congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) have been introduced. In Japan, the large number of hospitals prevents centralizing infants with CDH in tertiary centers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlations between the number of CDH patients, survival rates, and the current strategies employed to treat CDH at the individual hospitals.

Methods

Eighty‐three hospitals with 674 CDH cases were analyzed using questionnaires. We classified the hospitals into three groups according to the number of CDH patients treated: Group 1 (G1; more than 21 patients), Group 2 (G2; 11–20 patients), and Group 3 (G3; fewer than 10 patients).

Results

The median number of CDH patients in G1, G2, and G3 were 28, 14, and 4, respectively. The overall survival rate was 74.5%. When only the isolated CDH cases with a prenatal diagnosis were included, the overall survival rate was 79.3%. The survival rate of isolated CDH cases with a prenatal diagnosis was significantly higher in G1 than that in G2 or G3 (87.2% vs 75.2% vs 74.3%; P < 0.001). There were no differences in perinatal therapeutic strategies among the three groups.

Conclusions

We concluded that it might therefore be important to centralize infants with CDH, especially those with isolated CDH with a prenatal diagnosis, to tertiary centers in Japan in order to improve the survival rates.
The influence of playing level on the biomechanical demands experienced by rugby union forwards during machine scrummaging
Authors: Preatoni E. , Stokes K. A. , England M. E. , Trewartha G.
Published: January 2013

This study investigated machine scrummaging at different playing levels in rugby union and analysed kinetic factors that might influence performance and injury risk. Thirty‐four forward packs from six different playing levels scrummaged against an instrumented scrum machine under real environmental conditions. Applied forces were measured in three orthogonal directions. The peak (SD) of the overall compression forces during engagement ranged between 16.5 (1.4) kN (International‐Elite) and 8.7 (0.1) kN (Women), while sustained compression forces spanned between 8.3 (1.0) kN (International) and 4.8 (0.5) kN (Women). The peak of the overall vertical force during the initial engagement phase was between −3.9 (0.7) kN (Elite) and −2.0 (1.0) kN (School), and the range of lateral forces was between 1.8 (0.3) kN (International) and 1.1 (0.3) kN (School). Forces measured across all playing levels, particularly during initial engagement, were generally higher than those measured in the most commonly cited previous studies. This increase may be due to a combination of changes in modern scrummaging technique, changes in players' anthropometrics, and experimental conditions that better respect ecological validity. The magnitude of the measured forces is in the range of values that studies on cadaveric specimens have indicated as potentially hazardous for (chronic) spine injuries.