bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Salvia officinalis L. (sage) leaves on morphine‐induced memory impairment in adult male rats
Authors: Gomar Ali , Hosseini Abdolkarim , Mirazi Naser
Published: January 2015

Background

Salvia officinalis L. (sage) is a herbal medicine that is reported to have a wide range of biological activities, including anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective effects.

Objective

To examine the effect of a hydroethanolic extract of S. officinalis (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg, via intraperitoneal injection) on morphine‐induced memory impairment in rats.

Methods

Sixty‐four rats were divided into eight equal groups: normal saline, morphine (5 mg/kg), S. officinalis extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg), or morphine (5 mg/kg) plus S. officinalis extract (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg). Rats were placed into a two‐way shuttle box, comprising an illuminated and dark compartment, 45 min after treatment (training phase). Rats received an electric shock whenever they entered the dark compartment. Twenty‐four hours later (retention phase), and 30 min after treatment, the rats were placed in the box again, and the latency of entering the dark compartment [step‐through latency (STL)] and the total time in the dark compartment (TDC) were recorded.

Results

The STL in the morphine‐treated group was lower than the saline control (P<0.001). Treatment of the animals with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of S. officinalis extract before the training phase increased the STL and decreased the TDC (P<0.05, P<0.001 and P<0.01, respectively). Administration of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg doses of the extract in morphine‐treated animals before the retention phase also increased the STL and decreased the TDC when compared with the morphine‐treated group (P<0.01 and P<0.001).

Conclusions

The results reveal that S. officinalis extract attenuates morphine‐induced memory impairment.
Fracture mechanics based assessment of the fatigue strength: approach for the determination of the initial crack size
Authors: Zerbst U. , Madia M.
Published: January 2015

In a number of previous papers, the authors have proposed a model for fracture mechanics based prediction of the S‐N characteristics of metallic components with large microstructural defects. Here, an extension to materials that do not show large defects onto the fracture surfaces is provided. In such cases, an approach based on a so‐called cyclic R‐curve analysis is proposed for the determination of the initial flaw size, which has to be used in the calculation of fatigue crack propagation. The principle is explained and demonstrated by a first application to a welded joint.
Assessing the distribution of sedimentary C40 carotenoids through time
Authors: French K. L. , Rocher D. , Zumberge J. E. , Summons R. E.
Published: January 2015

A comprehensive marine biomarker record of green and purple sulfur bacteria (GSB and PSB, respectively) is required to test whether anoxygenic photosynthesis represented a greater fraction of marine primary productivity during the Precambrian than the Phanerozoic, as current models of ocean redox evolution suggest. For this purpose, we analyzed marine rock extracts and oils from the Proterozoic to the Paleogene for C40 diagenetic products of carotenoid pigments using new analytical methods. Gas chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry provides a new perspective on the temporal distributions of carotenoid biomarkers for phototrophic sulfur bacteria, specifically okenane, chlorobactane, and paleorenieratane. According to conventional paleoredox interpretations, this revised stratigraphic distribution of the GSB and PSB biomarkers implies that the shallow sunlit surface ocean (<24 m) became sulfidic more frequently in the geologic past than was previously thought. We reexamine whether there is evidence supporting a planktonic source of GSB and PSB pigments in marine systems or whether additional factors are required to explain the marine phototrophic sulfur bacteria record. To date, planktonic GSB and PSB and their pigments have been identified in restricted basins and lakes, but they have yet to be detected in the unrestricted, transiently sulfidic, marine systems. Based on modern observations, additional environmental factors, including basin restriction, microbial mats, or sediment transport, may be required to fully explain GSB and PSB carotenoids in the geologic record.
Phylogenetic analysis of HpnP reveals the origin of 2‐methylhopanoid production in Alphaproteobacteria
Authors: Ricci J. N. , Michel A. J. , Newman D. K.
Published: January 2015

Hopanoids are bacterial steroid‐like lipids that can be preserved in the rock record on billion‐year timescales. 2‐Methylhopanoids are of particular interest to geobiologists because methylation is one of the few chemical modifications that remain after diagenesis and catagenesis. 2‐Methylhopanes, the molecular fossils of 2‐methylhopanoids, are episodically enriched in the rock record, but we do not have a robust interpretation for their abundance patterns. Here, we exploit the evolutionary record found in molecular sequences from extant organisms to reconstruct the biosynthetic history of 2‐methylhopanoids using the C‐2 hopanoid methylase, HpnP. Based on HpnP phylogenetic analysis, we find that 2‐methylhopanoids originated in a subset of the Alphaproteobacteria. This conclusion is statistically robust and reproducible in multiple trials varying the outgroup, trimming stringency, and ingroup dataset used to infer the evolution of this protein family. The capacity for 2‐methylhopanoid production was likely horizontally transferred from the Alphaproteobacteria into the Cyanobacteria after the Cyanobacteria's major divergences. Together, these results suggest that the ancestral function of 2‐methylhopanoids was not related to oxygenic photosynthesis but instead to a trait already present in the Alphaproteobacteria. Moreover, given that early 2‐methylhopane deposits could have been made solely by Alphaproteobacteria before the acquisition of hpnP by Cyanobacteria, and that the Alphaproteobacteria are thought to be ancestrally aerobic, we infer that 2‐methylhopanoids likely arose after the oxygenation of the atmosphere. This finding is consistent with the geologic record—the oldest syngenetic 2‐methylhopanes occur after the rise of oxygen, in middle Proterozoic strata of the Barney Creek Formation.
Odor tracking in sharks is reduced under future ocean acidification conditions
Authors: Dixson Danielle L. , Jennings Ashley R. , Atema Jelle , Munday Philip L.
Published: January 2015

Recent studies show that ocean acidification impairs sensory functions and alters the behavior of teleost fishes. If sharks and other elasmobranchs are similarly affected, this could have significant consequences for marine ecosystems globally. Here, we show that projected future CO2 levels impair odor tracking behavior of the smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis). Adult M. canis were held for 5 days in a current‐day control (405 ± 26 μatm) and mid (741 ± 22 μatm) or high CO2 (1064 ± 17 μatm) treatments consistent with the projections for the year 2100 on a ‘business as usual’ scenario. Both control and mid CO2‐treated individuals maintained normal odor tracking behavior, whereas high CO2‐treated sharks significantly avoided the odor cues indicative of food. Control sharks spent >60% of their time in the water stream containing the food stimulus, but this value fell below 15% in high CO2‐treated sharks. In addition, sharks treated under mid and high CO2 conditions reduced attack behavior compared to the control individuals. Our findings show that shark feeding could be affected by changes in seawater chemistry projected for the end of this century. Understanding the effects of ocean acidification on critical behaviors, such as prey tracking in large predators, can help determine the potential impacts of future ocean acidification on ecosystem function.
Presence of and correction for interviewer error on an instrument assessing cognitive function of older adults
Authors: Malhotra Rahul , Haaland Benjamin A , Chei Choy‐Lye , Chan Angelique , Malhotra Chetna , Matchar David B
Published: January 2015

Aim

To determine the extent of interviewer error on the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), the association between interviewer‐level variables and SPMSQ score, compare the prevalence of SPMSQ cognitive status categories before and after correction for interviewer error, and identify SPMSQ items prone to interviewer error.

Methods

Data of 4542 older adults from a national survey in Singapore were utilized. Multilevel models, which adjusted for respondent‐level variables known to be associated with cognitive status, were utilized to determine the intraclass correlation on the SPMSQ, association of interviewer‐level variables (age, ethnicity, education and number of interviews carried out) with SPMSQ and identify SPMSQ items prone to interviewer error.

Results

The intraclass correlation, after adjusting for respondent‐level variables, was 0.265. Interviewer educational status was associated with SPMSQ score. Correction for interviewer error resulted in an “improvement” in cognitive status of a substantial proportion of those initially classified as moderately or severely impaired. Two of the SPMSQ items, “Please count backward from 20 by 3” and “When were you born?” were particularly prone to interviewer error.

Conclusions

Investigators using the SPMSQ, and potentially, other instruments, for assessing cognitive function in surveys of older adults and using face‐to‐face interviews for data collection should be cognizant of the sensitivity of such instruments to interviewer error. Intensive training of interviewers to standardize instrument administration as well as assessment for interviewer error and its correction, using appropriate statistical models, such as multilevel models, is warranted. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 372–380.
Walking speed is associated with self‐perceived hearing handicap in high‐functioning older adults: The Fujiwara‐kyo study
Authors: Tomioka Kimiko , Harano Akihiro , Hazaki Kan , Morikawa Masayuki , Iwamoto Junko , Saeki Keigo , Okamoto Nozomi , Kurumatani Norio
Published: January 2015

Aim

The present study investigated whether physical performance and musculoskeletal pain (MSP) are associated with self‐perceived hearing handicap (HH) among high‐functioning older adults.

Methods

We analyzed a total of 3982 community‐dwelling high‐functioning older adults (age 65 years and older). HH was assessed using the Hearing Handicap Inventory for Elderly‐Screening. Self‐reported hearing impairment (HI) was evaluated using a single question. We measured handgrip strength, walking speed (WS) and standing balance for assessments of physical performance. The severity of MSP assessed by interviews took into account its duration, limitation of daily activity and frequency.

Results

The prevalence of HH and HI in our sample was 22.2% and 28.1%, respectively. After adjusting for other two physical performance measures, MSP, sex, age, education, marital status, risk factors for hearing loss, instrumental activity of daily living, depression, cognitive function and self‐reported HI, the odds ratios for HH in the second fastest, the second slowest, and the slowest WS quartile were 1.14 (95% CI = 0.81–1.58), 1.29 (95% CI = 0.92–1.79), and 1.58 (95% CI = 1.11–2.23), respectively, compared with the fastest WS quartile. A significant dose–response relationship was found between slower WS and HH (P for trend = 0.01). No significant association with HH was found in handgrip strength, standing balance and MSP.

Conclusion

WS is associated with self‐perceived HH in high‐functioning older adults. The present study suggests that exercise programs to improve walking ability might be effective in preventing HH of self‐sustainable older adults. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2015; 15: 745–754.
Spontaneous ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yoshida Hiroshi , Mamada Yasuhiro , Taniai Nobuhiko , Uchida Eiji
Published: January 2015

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising worldwide. Spontaneous rupture of HCC occasionally occurs, and ruptured HCC with intraperitoneal hemorrhage is potentially life‐threatening. The most common symptom of ruptured HCC is acute abdominal pain. The tumor size in ruptured HCC is significantly greater than that in non‐ruptured HCC, and HCC protrudes beyond the original liver margin. In the acute phase, hemostasis is the primary concern and tumor treatment is secondary. Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) can effectively induce hemostasis. The hemostatic success rate of TAE ranges 53–100%. A one‐stage surgical operation is a treatment modality for selected patients. Conservative treatment is usually given to patients in a moribund state with inoperable tumors and thus has poor outcomes. Patients with severe ruptures of advanced HCC and poor liver function have high mortality rates. Liver failure occurs in 12–42% of patients during the acute phase. In the stable phase, tumor treatment, such as transarterial chemoembolization or hepatic resection should be concerned. The combination of acute hemorrhage and cancer in patients with ruptured HCC requires a two‐step therapeutic approach. TAE followed by elective hepatectomy is considered an effective strategy for patients with ruptured HCC.
Comparison of two negative pressure systems and syringe irrigation for root canal irrigation: an ex vivo study
Authors: Adorno C. G. , Fretes V. R. , Ortiz C. P. , Mereles R. , Sosa V. , Yubero M. F. , Escobar P. M. , Heilborn C.
Published: January 2015

Aim

To compare in a laboratory study two negative pressure systems and syringe irrigation, regarding the delivery of a contrast solution (CS) to working length (WL) and into simulated lateral canals and the effective volume of irrigant aspirated during negative pressure irrigation.

Methodology

Twenty single‐canaled incisor training models were constructed with six simulated lateral canals each (2, 4 and 6 mm to WL) and a size 40, 0.04 taper apical size canal. Each model underwent all irrigation procedures (EndoVac at WL (EndoVac‐0) and WL–2 mm (EndoVac‐2), iNP needle with negative pressure (iNPn) and syringe irrigation with the iNP needle (iNPs) and a 30‐G side‐slot needle placed at WL (SI0) and WL–2 (SI2) mm in a crossover design. CS was delivered at 4 mL min−1 for 60 s with a peristaltic pump and a recovery device collected the volume (in mL) of irrigant suctioned by the negative pressure groups. The irrigation procedures were digitally recorded, and a still image of the 60‐s time‐point of irrigation was evaluated for CS distance to WL (in millimetres) after irrigation and penetration into lateral canals (3‐point scale). Statistical tests used were Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn's test.

Results

EndoVac‐0, iNPn and iNPs had median distances of CS to WL of 0 mm, followed by SI0 (0.2 mm), SI2 (0.7 mm) and EndoVac‐2 (1.7 mm). There were no significant differences between EndoVac‐0, iNPn, iNPs and SI0, but these were significantly different to SI2 and EndoVac‐2 (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the volume of CS delivered by syringe irrigation and that collected by iNPn (4 mL), but these were significantly greater than EndoVac‐0 (2.8 mL, P < 0.001) and EndoVac‐2 (2.85 mL, P < 0.001), which were not different to each other (P = 1.0). The irrigation procedures were ineffective at penetration into lateral canals.

Conclusion

iNPn, EndoVac‐0, iNPs and SI0 achieved greater irrigant penetration to WL. iNPn was able to collect a median volume of CS (4 mL) similar to that delivered by syringe irrigation (iNPp, SI0 and SI2). An adequate irrigant penetration into lateral canals could not be achieved by any of the systems.
A review of instrumentation kinematics of engine‐driven nickel–titanium instruments
Authors: Çapar I. D. , Arslan H.
Published: January 2015

Over the years, NiTi alloys have become indispensable materials in endodontic treatment. With technological advancements in metallurgy, manufacturers have attempted to produce instruments with enhanced features. In parallel with these developments, endodontic motors have undergone improvements in terms of torque control and kinematics that are adjustable in different directions. This review presents an overview of the advancements in instrumentation kinematics and the effect of instrumentation kinematics on root canal shaping procedures and instrument performance. The literature search for this narrative review was conducted in Google Scholar, Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science using the keywords ‘kinematics and endodontics’ and ‘reciprocation and endodontics’. In addition, historical literature was searched using the keyword ‘nickel–titanium and endodontics’. Overall, 143 articles were included up to 2015.
Universal Development and L1–L2 Convergence in Bilingual Construal of Manner in Speech and Gesture in Mandarin, Japanese, and English
Authors: Brown Amanda
Published: January 2015

This article investigates bilingual versus monolingual construal of manner of motion in speech and gesture across three languages—Mandarin, Japanese, and English—argued to be typologically distinct in speech and co‐speech gesture (Brown & Chen, 2013; McNeill, 2001; Slobin, 2004b; Talmy, 1991). Narrative descriptions of motion were elicited in the L1 and L2 from bilingual Mandarin–English (n = 12) and Japanese–English (n = 15) speakers at an intermediate, CEFR–B level of L2 proficiency, and from monolingual speakers of Mandarin (n = 14), Japanese (n = 16), and English (n = 13). Results revealed that encoding of manner in L2 speech is characterized by universal features of development, while construal of manner in gesture is characterized by bidirectional interactions between properties of the source and target languages involved, yielding a convergence between the L1 and L2, specifically in the use of manner‐highlighting gestures. The study supports growing evidence of the complex inter‐relationships between the L1 and L2, the need for a reconceptualization of what constitutes target‐like performance in the L2, and the complementary use of gesture analysis, which may provide a wider lens through which the relationships between languages in the bilingual mind may be observed.
Driving Along the Road or Heading for the Village? Conceptual Differences Underlying Motion Event Encoding in French, German, and French–German L2 Users
Authors: Flecken Monique , Carroll Mary , Weimar Katja , Von Stutterheim Christiane
Published: January 2015

The typological contrast between verb‐ and satellite‐framed languages (Talmy, 1985) has set the basis for many empirical studies on L2 acquisition. The current analysis goes beyond this typology by looking in detail at the conceptualization of the path of motion in a motion event. We take as a starting point the cognitive salience of specific elements of motion events that are relevant when conceptualizing space. When expressing direction in French, specific spatial relations involving the entity in motion (its alignment and its distance toward a [potential] endpoint) are relevant, given a variety of path verbs in the lexicon expressing this information (e.g., se diriger vers, avancer ‘to direct oneself toward,’ ‘to advance’). This is not the case in German (manner verbs in the lexicon mainly). In German, spatial information is packaged in adjuncts and particles and the path of motion is typically structured via features of the ground (entlanglaufen/fahren ‘to walk/drive along’) or endpoints (‘to walk/drive to/toward’). We investigate those fundamental differences in spatial conceptualization in French and German, as reflected in pre‐articulatory patterns of attention allocation (measured with eye tracking) to moving entities and endpoints in motion scenes in an event description task. Our focus is on spatial conceptualization in an L2 (French L2 users of German), analyzing the extent to which these L2 users display target‐like patterns or traces of L1 conceptualization transfer.

Findings show that, in line with directional concepts expressed in verbs, L1 French speakers allocate more attention to entities in motion and endpoints, before utterance onset, than L1 German speakers do. The L2 German speakers pattern with L1 German speakers in the use of manner verbs, but they have not fully acquired the spatial concepts and means that structure the path of motion in the L2. This is reflected in pre‐articulatory attention allocation patterns, according to which the L2 speakers pattern with native speakers of their L1 (French). The findings show a continued deep entrenchment of L1‐based processing patterns and spatial frames of reference when speakers prepare for speech in an L2.
Traits in Spring Wheat Cultivars Associated with Yield Loss Caused by a Heat Stress Episode after Anthesis
Authors: Vignjevic M. , Wang X. , Olesen J. E. , Wollenweber B.
Published: January 2015

Heat stress resulting from climate change and more frequent weather extremes is expected to negatively affect wheat yield. We evaluated the response of different spring wheat cultivars to a post‐anthesis high temperature episode and studied the relationship between different traits associated with heat tolerance. Fifteen spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars were grown in pots under semifield conditions, and heat stress (35/26 °C) and control treatments (20/12 °C) were applied in growth chambers for 5 days starting 14 days after flowering. The heat stress treatment reduced final yield in all cultivars. Significant variation was observed among cultivars in the reduction in average grain weight and grain dry matter yield under heat stress (up to 36 % and 45 %, respectively). The duration of the grain‐filling period was reduced by 3–12 days by the heat treatment. The reduction in the grain‐filling period was negatively correlated with grain nitrogen yield (r = −0.60). A positive correlation (r = 0.73) was found between the treatment effect on green leaf area (GLA) and the reduction in yield resulting from heat stress. The amount of stem water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC) was not related to treatment effects on grain yield or grain weight. However, the treatment effect on stem WSC remobilization was negatively correlated with reduction in grain‐filling duration due to heat stress (r = −0.74) and positively with treatment effect on grain N yield (r = 0.52). The results suggest that the effect of the heat treatment on GLA was the trait most associated with yield reduction in all cultivars. These findings suggest the importance of ‘stay green’‐associated traits in plant breeding as well as the need for better modelling of GLA in crop models, especially with respect to brief heat episodes during grain filling. There is in particular a need to model how heat and other stresses, including interacting effects of heat and drought, affect duration of GLA after flowering and how this affects source–sink relations during grain filling.
MicroRNA‐30d and microRNA‐181a regulate HOXA11 expression in the uterosacral ligaments and are overexpressed in pelvic organ prolapse
Authors: Jeon Myung Jae , Kim Eun Jae , Lee Maria , Kim Hoguen , Choi Jong Rak , Chae Hee Dong , Moon Yeo Jung , Kim Sei Kwang , Bai Sang Wook
Published: January 2015

The balanced turnover of collagen is necessary to maintain the mechanical strength of pelvic supportive connective tissues. Homeobox (HOX) A11 is a key transcriptional factor that controls collagen metabolism and homoeostasis in the uterosacral ligaments (USLs), and the deficient HOXA11 signalling may contribute to alterations in the biochemical strength of the USLs, leading to pelvic organ prolapse (POP). However, it is unknown how HOXA11 transcripts are regulated in the USLs. In this study, we found that microRNA (miRNA)‐30d and 181a were overexpressed in women with POP, and their expression was inversely correlated with HOXA11 mRNA levels. The overexpression of miR‐30d or 181a suppressed HOXA11 mRNA and protein levels in 293T cells, whereas the knockdown of these miRNAs enhanced HOXA11 levels and collagen production. Cotransfection of a luciferase reporter plasmid containing the 3′‐untranslated region of HOXA11 with miR‐30d or 181a mimic resulted in decreased relative luciferase activity. Conversely, cotransfection with anti‐miR‐30d or 181a increased luciferase activity. Taken together, these results indicate that both miR‐30d and 181a are important posttranscriptional regulators of HOXA11 in the USLs and could be a potential therapeutic target for POP.
Principles in prevention of periodontal diseases
Authors: Tonetti Maurizio S. , Eickholz Peter , Loos Bruno G. , Papapanou Panos , van der Velden Ubele , Armitage Gary , Bouchard Philippe , Deinzer Renate , Dietrich Thomas , Hughes Frances , Kocher Thomas , Lang Niklaus P. , Lopez Rodrigo , Needleman Ian , Newton Tim , Nibali Luigi , Pretzl Bernadette , Ramseier Christoph , Sanz‐Sanchez Ignacio , Schlagenhauf Ulrich , Suvan Jean E.
Published: January 2015

Aims

In spite of the remarkable success of current preventive efforts, periodontitis remains one of the most prevalent diseases of mankind. The objective of this workshop was to review critical scientific evidence and develop recommendations to improve: (i) plaque control at the individual and population level (oral hygiene), (ii) control of risk factors, and (iii) delivery of preventive professional interventions.

Methods

Discussions were informed by four systematic reviews covering aspects of professional mechanical plaque control, behavioural change interventions to improve self‐performed oral hygiene and to control risk factors, and assessment of the risk profile of the individual patient. Recommendations were developed and graded using a modification of the GRADE system using evidence from the systematic reviews and expert opinion.

Results

Key messages included: (i) an appropriate periodontal diagnosis is needed before submission of individuals to professional preventive measures and determines the selection of the type of preventive care; (ii) preventive measures are not sufficient for treatment of periodontitis; (iii) repeated and individualized oral hygiene instruction and professional mechanical plaque (and calculus) removal are important components of preventive programs; (iv) behavioural interventions to improve individual oral hygiene need to set specific Goals, incorporate Planning and Self monitoring (GPS approach); (v) brief interventions for risk factor control are key components of primary and secondary periodontal prevention; (vi) the Ask, Advise, Refer (AAR) approach is the minimum standard to be used in dental settings for all subjects consuming tobacco; (vii) validated periodontal risk assessment tools stratify patients in terms of risk of disease progression and tooth loss.

Conclusions

Consensus was reached on specific recommendations for the public, individual dental patients and oral health care professionals with regard to best action to improve efficacy of primary and secondary preventive measures. Some have implications for public health officials, payers and educators.
Fitness costs of resistance to Cry3Bb1 maize by western corn rootworm
Authors: Hoffmann A. M. , French B. W. , Hellmich R. L. , Lauter N. , Gassmann A. J.
Published: January 2015

Crops producing toxins derived from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) are widely planted to manage insect pests including western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), which is a significant pest of maize in the United States and Europe. However, the widespread use of Bt maize places intense selection pressure on pest populations to evolve resistance, and field‐evolved resistance to Bt maize by western corn rootworm has been documented in the United States. In conjunction with non‐Bt refuges, fitness costs of Bt resistance can delay resistance evolution. Fitness costs arise in the absence of Bt toxin when individuals with resistance alleles have lower fitness than Bt‐susceptible genotypes. We quantified the level of resistance and fitness costs of resistance for a strain of western corn rootworm with laboratory‐selected resistance to transgenic maize (Zea mays L.) producing Bt toxin Cry3Bb1. Survival to adulthood on Cry3Bb1 maize was more than twofold higher for resistant insects vs. susceptible insects, which is similar to the magnitude of resistance first observed in the field. Fitness costs were measured in two experiments; the first used maize hybrids and the second used inbred lines. The experiment with maize hybrids compared resistant and susceptible strains while the experiment with maize inbreds compared resistant, susceptible and heterozygous genotypes. The only non‐recessive fitness cost detected (i.e. cost affecting heterozygotes) was for adult size. Recessive fitness costs (i.e. costs affecting the resistant strain) were observed for developmental rate, female survival and egg viability. However, when reared on non‐Bt maize, the resistant strain also displayed higher fecundity, higher survival for males and greater adult longevity compared to the susceptible strain. These results suggest that resistance to Bt maize by western corn rootworm may not impose substantial fitness costs, and consequently, may evolve quickly and persist once present.
Production and characterization of a monoclonal antibody against a late gene encoded by grouper iridovirus 64L
Authors: Chen Z‐Y , Chiou P P , Liou C‐J , Lai Y‐S
Published: January 2015

Viral envelope proteins play important roles in viral infection and assembly. The grouper iridovirus ORF 64L (GIV‐64L) was predicted to encode an envelope protein and was conserved in all sequenced Ranaviruses. In this study, the complete nucleotide sequence of the GIV‐64L gene (1215 bp) was cloned into the isopropyl β‐D‐1‐thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) induction prokaryotic expression vector pET23a. The approximately 50.2 kDa recombinant GIV‐64L‐His protein was induced, purified and used as an immunogen to immunize BALB/c mice. Three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), all IgG1 class antibodies against GIV‐64L protein, were produced by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analyses revealed GIV‐64L to be a late gene when expressed in grouper kidney cells during GIV infection with cycloheximide (an inhibitor of protein synthesis) or cytosine arabinoside (an inhibitor of DNA synthesis) present. Finally, one of the established mAbs, GIV‐64L‐mAb‐17, was used in Western blotting and an immunofluorescence assay, which showed that GIV‐64L protein was expressed at 24 h post‐infection and localized only in the cytoplasm in GIV‐infected cells, packed into a whole virus particle. The presently characterized GIV‐64L mAbs should have widespread applications in GIV immunodiagnostics and other research, and these results should offer important insights into the pathogenesis of GIV.
Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV‐1 μVar in Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) of the Wadden Sea, a UNESCO world heritage site
Authors: Gittenberger A , Voorbergen‐Laarman M A , Engelsma M Y
Published: January 2015

The Wadden Sea is an extensive wetland area, recognized as UNESCO world heritage site of international importance. Since the mid‐1990s, the invasive Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg 1793) population in the area has grown exponentially, having a distinct impact on the ecosystem. The recent spread of the emerging oyster pathogen Ostreid herpesvirus OsHV‐1 μVar worldwide and specifically in the oyster culture areas in the south of the Netherlands raised the question whether the virus may also be present in the Wadden Sea. In the summer of 2012 juvenile Pacific oysters were collected from five locations in the Dutch Wadden Sea. The virus was shown to be present in three of the five locations by real‐time PCR and sequencing. It was concluded that OsHV‐1 μVar has settled itself in Pacific oyster reefs in the Wadden Sea. These results and the recent discoveries of OsHV‐1 microvariants in Australia and Korea indicate that OsHV‐1 μVar and related variants might be more widespread than can be deduced from current literature. In particular in regions with no commercial oyster culture, similar to the Wadden Sea, the virus may go undetected as wild beds with mixed age classes hamper the detection of mortality among juvenile oysters.
Differential viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus genotype IVb infection in fin fibroblast and epithelial cell lines from walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), at cold temperatures
Authors: Vo N T K , Bender A W , Lumsden J S , Dixon B , Bols N C
Published: January 2015

A cell line, WE‐cfin11e, with an epithelial‐like morphology was developed from a caudal fin of walleye, Sander vitreus (Mitchill), characterized as distinct from the established walleye caudal fin fibroblast‐like cell line, WE‐cfin11f, and compared with WE‐cfin11f for susceptibility to VHSV IVb. Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy were used to localize the intermediate filament protein, vimentin, the tight junction protein, zonula occludens‐1 (ZO‐1), the extracellular matrix protein, collagen I, and the viral protein, G. Although both cell lines contained vimentin, only WE‐cfin11e stained for ZO‐1 and only WE‐cfin11f stained for collagen I. Ascorbic acid increased the accumulation of collagen I and caused the appearance of collagen fibres only in WE‐cfin11f cultures. At 14 °C, both cell lines produced VHSV IVb, but the infection developed more rapidly in WE‐cfin11f. At 4 °C, both cell lines became infected with VHSV IVb as judged by the expression of viral proteins, N and G, but only WE‐cfin11f produced virus. The results suggest that cold temperatures can modulate viral tropism.
Explaining differences in flood management approaches in Europe and in the USA – a comparative analysis
Authors: Bubeck P. , Kreibich H. , Penning‐Rowsell E.C. , Botzen W.J.W. , de Moel H. , Klijn F.
Published: January 2015

Flood risk management in Europe and worldwide is not static but constantly in a state of flux. There has been a trend towards more integrated flood risk management in many countries. However, the initial situation and the pace and direction of change is very different in the various countries. In this paper, we will present a conceptual framework that seeks to explain why countries opt for different flood risk management portfolios. The developed framework utilises insights from a range of policy science concepts in an integrated way and considers, among others, factors such as geographical characteristics, the experience with flood disasters, as well as human behavioural aspects.
Use of the Physician Orders for Life‐Sustaining Treatment Program in the Clinical Setting: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: Hickman Susan E. , Keevern Elisabeth , Hammes Bernard J.
Published: January 2015

The Physician Orders for Life‐Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form is a palliative care tool that contains standardized, actionable medical orders. It is designed to ensure that patient treatment preferences are elicited, communicated, and honored throughout the healthcare system. A systematic review of the literature was conducted to evaluate what is currently known about the POLST program and identify directions for future research. Twenty‐three research studies focused on POLST use in the clinical setting were identified. A majority of studies have been conducted all or in part in Oregon, with chart review the most frequently used methodology. Research suggests that POLST is most commonly used in older, white patients who are near the end of life. A nonphysician facilitator usually prepares the POLST form for the physician to review and sign. The orders documented on POLST reflect a wide degree of individualization, with only approximately one‐third of patients having orders reflecting the lowest level of treatment in all POLST form sections. Clinicians have generally positive attitudes regarding use of POLST yet report a wide range of challenges. POLST alters treatment in a way that is consistent with orders. However, evidence that POLST reflects patient or surrogate treatment preferences is lacking. Research is needed to evaluate the quality of POLST decisions, explore the experiences of patients and their surrogates, develop decision‐support tools, improve clinician education, and assess the effect of POLST on care outcomes through intervention and population‐based studies.
Heat shock protein responses to aging and proteotoxicity in the olfactory bulb
Authors: Crum Tyler S. , Gleixner Amanda M. , Posimo Jessica M. , Mason Daniel M. , Broeren Matthew T. , Heinemann Scott D. , Wipf Peter , Brodsky Jeffrey L. , Leak Rehana K.
Published: January 2015

The olfactory bulb is one of the most vulnerable brain regions in age‐related proteinopathies. Proteinopathic stress is mitigated by the heat shock protein (Hsp) family of chaperones. Here, we describe age‐related decreases in Hsc70 in the olfactory bulb of the female rat and higher levels of Hsp70 and Hsp25 in middle and old age than at 2–4 months. To model proteotoxic and oxidative stress in the olfactory bulb, primary olfactory bulb cultures were treated with the proteasome inhibitors lactacystin and MG132 or the pro‐oxidant paraquat. Toxin‐induced increases were observed in Hsp70, Hsp25, and Hsp32. To determine the functional consequences of the increase in Hsp70, we attenuated Hsp70 activity with two mechanistically distinct inhibitors. The Hsp70 inhibitors greatly potentiated the toxicity of sublethal lactacystin or MG132 but not of paraquat. Although ubiquitinated protein levels were unchanged with aging in vivo or with sublethal MG132 in vitro, there was a large, synergistic increase in ubiquitinated proteins when proteasome and Hsp70 functions were simultaneously inhibited. Our study suggests that olfactory bulb cells rely heavily on Hsp70 chaperones to maintain homeostasis during mild proteotoxic, but not oxidative insults, and that Hsp70 prevents the accrual of ubiquitinated proteins in these cells.

image

The olfactory bulb is affected in the early phases of many age‐related neurodegenerative disorders. Here, we described the impact of aging on multiple heat shock proteins (Hsps), such as Hsp70, in the female rat olfactory bulb in vivo. Using multiple proteasome and Hsp70 inhibitors (see schematic), we found that proteotoxicity elicited a compensatory increase in Hsp70 in primary olfactory bulb cells in vitro. Hsp70 then reduced the proteotoxic buildup of ubiquitinated proteins and robustly protected against cell death according to three independent viability assays. Thus, olfactory bulb neurons can mount impressive natural adaptations to proteotoxic injury, perhaps explaining why neurodegenerative disorders are so delayed in onset and so slow to progress.

Cover Image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.12884.
The Epistemics of Symptom Experience and Symptom Accounts in Mapuche Healing and Pediatric Primary Care inSouthernChile
Authors: Guzmán Jennifer R.
Published: January 2015

Because symptoms are quintessentially subjective phenomena, individuals generally exercise primary epistemic rights and speaking privileges concerning their experience of symptoms. Yet in some diagnostic practices, this ordinary association between self‐knowledge and speaking rights is disrupted, and the responsibility to report on illness is allocated to someone other than the ailing person. This article documents two such settings,Chilean pediatric primary care andMapuche medicine, and discusses how the epistemological frameworks of these healing traditions and the pragmatic concerns of their participants influence the distribution of legitimate knowledge about illness and the allocation of speaking responsibilities across practitioners, patients, and family caregivers.
Toward a Resolution of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well‐Being
Authors: Busseri Michael A.
Published: January 2015

Diener (1984) introduced the concept of “subjective well‐being” (SWB) as comprising three primary components: life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA). Busseri and Sadava (2011) identified multiple competing conceptualizations of the tripartite structure of SWB and delineated problems with this ambiguity with respect to defining, operationalizing, analyzing, and synthesizing information concerning SWB. The present work provides an empirical evaluation of four competing structural approaches in which SWB is conceptualized variously as three separate components (Model 1), a hierarchical construct (Model 2), a causal system (Model 3), and a composite (Model 4). Data from a longitudinal study of middle‐aged Americans (N = 3,707; 20–75 years old, 55% female, 94% Caucasian) were used to examine the relatedness versus independence of the three SWB components within and across time, as well as predictive effects on SWB. The various structural models differ in how adequately they accommodate the joint relatedness/independence of the SWB components and lead to different conclusions concerning predictive effects on SWB. Conceptual and empirical considerations are considered within and across models. Implications and next steps for further understanding the tripartite structure of SWB are discussed.
Subgaleal haemorrhage in the newborn: A call for early diagnosis and aggressive management
Authors: Colditz Michael J , Lai Melissa M , Cartwright David W , Colditz Paul B
Published: January 2015

Subgaleal haemorrhage (SGH) is an important cause of preventable morbidity and mortality in the neonate. Its increased prevalence in recent years has coincided with the rise in the number of births assisted by vacuum extraction. Three deaths in Australia within the last 7 years have been the subject of two coronial inquests. Subsequent coronial reports have highlighted that neonatal death from SGH can be prevented if appropriate attention is paid to identification of risk factors, early diagnosis, close observation and aggressive treatment. To prevent unnecessary deaths, all involved in the care of the baby after birth need to be aware of the importance of prompt diagnosis, monitoring and early treatment of SGH.
Phenotyping: Targeting genotype's rich cousin for diagnosis
Authors: Baynam Gareth , Walters Mark , Claes Peter , Kung Stefanie , LeSouef Peter , Dawkins Hugh , Bellgard Matthew , Girdea Marta , Brudno Michael , Robinson Peter , Zankl Andreas , Groza Tudor , Gillett David , Goldblatt Jack
Published: January 2015

There are many current and evolving tools to assist clinicians in their daily work of phenotyping. In medicine, the term ‘phenotype’ is usually taken to mean some deviation from normal morphology, physiology and behaviour. It is ascertained via history, examination and investigations, and a primary aim is diagnosis. Therefore, doctors are, by necessity, expert ‘phenotypers’. There is an inherent and partially realised power in phenotypic information that when harnessed can improve patient care. Furthermore, phenotyping developments are increasingly important in an era of rapid advances in genomic technology. Fortunately, there is an expanding network of phenotyping tools that are poised for clinical translation. These tools will preferentially be implemented to mirror clinical workflows and to integrate with advances in genomic and information‐sharing technologies. This will synergise with and augment the clinical acumen of medical practitioners. We outline key enablers of the ascertainment, integration and interrogation of clinical phenotype by using genetic diseases, particularly rare ones, as a theme. Successes from the test bed or rare diseases will support approaches to common disease.
Vibrators and Other Sex Toys are Commonly Recommended to Patients, But Does Size Matter? Dimensions of Commonly Sold Products
Authors: Herbenick Debby , Barnhart Kathryn J. , Beavers Karly , Benge Stephanie
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Vibrators and dildos are commonly used by women and men in the United States, and are increasingly recommended by clinicians. In addition, sex toys and various household objects are sometimes used for sexual stimulation in ways that pose health risks to their users. Data about the dimensions of such products may inform clinicians' recommendations.

Aim

The purpose of the present study was to assess the sizes (length and circumference) of vibrators and dildos marketed for vaginal or anal insertion on websites that sell sexual enhancement products.

Methods

Eight websites that sell sexual enhancement products were identified for inclusion in the study. The dimensions of vaginal vibrators and dildos listed for sale on each website were noted, and descriptive data were calculated for each website.

Main Outcome Measures

Product length and circumference (mean, median, and range).

Results

Popular sex toy distributers offer a variety of product sizes. The length of many vibrators and dildos was sized between 4 and 6 in, and circumference was between 4 and 5 in. However, some companies featured products of a considerably larger size than others.

Conclusion

Length and circumference of vibrators and dildos varied, but on average approximated mean penile dimensions. Clinicians' recommendations for use of vaginal or anal products can be enhanced by familiarity and offering additional information about product sizes and retailers.
Gene Expression Profile of the Neonatal Female Mouse Brain After Administration of Testosterone Propionate
Authors: Nakachi Yutaka , Iseki Mioko , Yokoo Tomotaka , Mizuno Yosuke , Okazaki Yasushi
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Clinical care decisions for peripubertal adolescents with gender dysphoria (GD) should be made carefully. Furthermore, the identification of biomarkers is very important for rapid and accurate diagnosis of GD in young people.

Aim

The aim of this study was to investigate gene expression profiles during masculinization of the neonatal female mouse brain by testosterone and to identify biomarkers related to GD.

Methods

Microarray analysis was performed using RNAs extracted from the brains of neonatal mice treated by intraperitoneal injection of testosterone propionate during the sexual determination period. Sequence motif enrichment analysis for sex hormone receptor responsive elements was performed for the flanking regions of genes that showed significant expression changes following administration of testosterone propionate.

Main Outcome Measures

We revealed a gene set with marked changes in expression during brain masculinization of neonatal female mice following administration of testosterone propionate.

Results

We identified 334 genes that showed differential expression in the masculinized neonatal female brain after testosterone propionate treatment. Interestingly, most of these genes are not reported to be expressed in a sexually dimorphic manner. Moreover, sequence motif enrichment analysis suggested that masculinization of the neonatal female brain by testosterone was controlled more by estrogen receptors than androgen receptors.

Conclusions

Differences in genes that are expressed differentially following administration of testosterone injection from known sexually dimorphic genes suggest that many GD-related genes are upregulated during female brain masculinization. The gene set identified in this study provides a basis to better understand the mechanisms of GD and delineate its associated biomarkers.