bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cutaneous lymphomas
Authors: Klemke Claus‐Detlev
Published: January 2014

Primary cutaneous lymphomas are extranodal non‐Hodgkin lymphomas. They are classified into the two main groups of primary cutaneous T‐ and B‐cell lymphomas. Very rare cases are derived from NK or plasmacytoid dendritic cells. The annual incidence is 1/100,000. Two‐thirds of the patients have primary cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, and the remaining one‐third have primary cutaneous B‐cell lymphoma. Over the years, tremendous progress has been made regarding the diagnostics and classification of cutaneous lymphomas. An exact classification of cutaneous lymphomas is of great importance for the patient, because the different skin lymphomas have very different prognoses and require different therapeutic regimens.

The basis for making a diagnosis is a clinical‐pathological correlation, including the use of several immunohistochemical markers and molecular biological methods. Treatment of cutaneous lymphoma is adapted to the type of lymphoma and disease stage. First‐line therapy consists of treatments that target the skin. Systemic treatment is used in advanced disease. Many targeted therapies have been introduced into routine clinical care in recent years. This review presents an up‐to‐date approach to the diagnosis and treatment of primary cutaneous lymphomas.
A highly sensitive fluorescent indicator dye for calcium imaging of neural activity in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Tada Mayumi , Takeuchi Atsuya , Hashizume Miki , Kitamura Kazuo , Kano Masanobu
Published: January 2014

Calcium imaging of individual neurons is widely used for monitoring their activity in vitro and in vivo. Synthetic fluorescent calcium indicator dyes are commonly used, but the resulting calcium signals sometimes suffer from a low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). Therefore, it is difficult to detect signals caused by single action potentials (APs) particularly from neurons in vivo. Here we showed that a recently developed calcium indicator dye, Cal‐520, is sufficiently sensitive to reliably detect single APs both in vitro and in vivo. In neocortical neurons, calcium signals were linearly correlated with the number of APs, and the SNR was > 6 for in vitro slice preparations and > 1.6 for in vivo anesthetised mice. In cerebellar Purkinje cells, dendritic calcium transients evoked by climbing fiber inputs were clearly observed in anesthetised mice with a high SNR and fast decay time. These characteristics of Cal‐520 are a great advantage over those of Oregon Green BAPTA‐1, the most commonly used calcium indicator dye, for monitoring the activity of individual neurons both in vitro and in vivo.
A long‐term nitrogen fertilizer gradient has little effect on soil organic matter in a high‐intensity maize production system
Authors: Brown Kimberly H. , Bach Elizabeth M. , Drijber Rhae A. , Hofmockel Kirsten S. , Jeske Elizabeth S. , Sawyer John E. , Castellano Michael J.
Published: January 2014

Global maize production alters an enormous soil organic C (SOC) stock, ultimately affecting greenhouse gas concentrations and the capacity of agroecosystems to buffer climate variability. Inorganic N fertilizer is perhaps the most important factor affecting SOC within maize‐based systems due to its effects on crop residue production and SOC mineralization. Using a continuous maize cropping system with a 13 year N fertilizer gradient (0–269 kg N ha−1 yr−1) that created a large range in crop residue inputs (3.60–9.94 Mg dry matter ha−1 yr−1), we provide the first agronomic assessment of long‐term N fertilizer effects on SOC with direct reference to N rates that are empirically determined to be insufficient, optimum, and excessive. Across the N fertilizer gradient, SOC in physico‐chemically protected pools was not affected by N fertilizer rate or residue inputs. However, unprotected particulate organic matter (POM) fractions increased with residue inputs. Although N fertilizer was negatively linearly correlated with POM C/N ratios, the slope of this relationship decreased from the least decomposed POM pools (coarse POM) to the most decomposed POM pools (fine intra‐aggregate POM). Moreover, C/N ratios of protected pools did not vary across N rates, suggesting little effect of N fertilizer on soil organic matter (SOM) after decomposition of POM. Comparing a N rate within 4% of agronomic optimum (208 kg N ha−1 yr−1) and an excessive N rate (269 kg N ha−1 yr−1), there were no differences between SOC amount, SOM C/N ratios, or microbial biomass and composition. These data suggest that excessive N fertilizer had little effect on SOM and they complement agronomic assessments of environmental N losses, that demonstrate N2O and NO3 emissions exponentially increase when agronomic optimum N is surpassed.
Implications of land‐use change to Short Rotation Forestry in Great Britain for soil and biomass carbon
Authors: Keith Aidan M. , Rowe Rebecca L. , Parmar Kim , Perks Mike P. , Mackie Ewan , Dondini Marta , McNamara Niall P.
Published: January 2014

Land‐use change can have significant impacts on soil and aboveground carbon (C) stocks and there is a clear need to identify sustainable land uses which maximize C mitigation potential. Land‐use transitions from agricultural to bioenergy crops are increasingly common in Europe with one option being Short Rotation Forestry (SRF). Research on the impact on C stocks of the establishment of SRF is limited, but given the potential for this bioenergy crop in temperate climates, there is an evident knowledge gap. Here, we examine changes in soil C stock following the establishment of SRF using combined short (30 cm depth) and deep (1 m depth) soil cores at 11 sites representing 29 transitions from agriculture to SRF. We compare the effects of tree species including 9 coniferous, 16 broadleaved and 4 Eucalyptus transitions. SRF aboveground and root biomass were also estimated in 15 of the transitions using tree mensuration data allowing assessments of changes in total ecosystem C stock. Planting coniferous SRF, compared to broadleaved and Eucalyptus SRF, resulted in greater accumulation of litter and overall increased soil C stock relative to agricultural controls. Though broadleaved SRF had no overall effect on soil C stock, it showed the most variable response suggesting species‐specific effects and interactions with soil types. While Eucalyptus transitions induced a reduction in soil C stocks, this was not significant unless considered on a soil mass basis. Given the relatively young age and limited number of Eucalyptus plantations, it is not possible to say whether this reduction will persist in older stands. Combining estimates of C stocks from different ecosystem components (e.g., soil, aboveground biomass) reinforced the accumulation of C under coniferous SRF, and indicates generally positive effects of SRF on whole‐ecosystem C. These results fill an important knowledge gap and provide data for modelling of future scenarios of LUC.
Multinational Corporations and Service Provision in Sub‐Saharan Africa: Legitimacy and Institutionalization Matter
Authors: Hönke Jana , Thauer Christian R.
Published: January 2014

This article considers attempts by multinational corporations to provide services in areas of limited statehood. Under which conditions are such attempts effective? We make two arguments: First, they must be legitimate to be effective. Second, the institutional design of the firms’ service provision programs is an important factor for their effectiveness. We assess these arguments by analyzing multinationals in the South African car industry fighting HIV/AIDS, and international mining firms in South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo trying to improve public security. The analysis demonstrates that under conditions of legitimacy and high degrees of institutionalization firm programs effectively contribute to service provision in areas of limited statehood.
Cardiac mucosa at the gastro‐oesophageal junction: indicator of gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease? Data from a prospective central European multicentre study on histological and endoscopic diagnosis of oesophagitis (histoGERD trial)
Authors: Langner Cord , Schneider Nora I , Plieschnegger Wolfgang , Schmack Bertram , Bordel Hartmut , Höfler Bernd , Eherer Andreas J , Wolf Eva‐Maria , Rehak Peter , Vieth Michael
Published: January 2014

Aims

The origin and significance of cardiac mucosa at the gastro‐oesophageal junction are controversial. In the prospective Central European multicentre histoGERD trial, we aimed to assess the prevalence of cardiac mucosa, characterized by the presence of glands composed of mucous cells without parietal cells, and to relate its presence to features related to gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease (GORD).

Methods and results

One thousand and seventy‐one individuals (576 females and 495 males; median age 53 years) were available for analysis. Overall, in biopsy specimens systematically taken from above and below the gastro‐oesophageal junction, cardiac mucosa was observed in 713 (66.6%) individuals. Its presence was associated with patients' symptoms and/or complaints (P = 0.0025), histological changes of the squamous epithelium (P < 0.001) indicative of GORD, intestinal metaplasia (P < 0.001), and an endoscopic diagnosis of oesophagitis (P < 0.001). No association with an endoscopic diagnosis of Barrett's oesophagus or with gastric pathology, particularly Helicobacter infection, was observed.

Conclusions

Cardiac mucosa is a common finding in biopsy specimens taken from the gastro‐oesophageal junction. Its association with reflux symptoms, histological changes indicating GORD and the endoscopic diagnosis of oesophagitis suggests that injury and repair related to GORD contribute to its development and/or expansion.
The accelerating effect of negative pressure wound therapy with Prevena™ on the healing of a closed wound with persistent serous secretion
Authors: Altintas Burak , Biber Roland , Brem Matthias H
Published: January 2014

Negative pressure wound therapy has been lately used on closed incisions in the immediate postoperative period to accelerate wound healing. However, there are no data in the literature regarding the use of this type of therapy for wounds with persistent secretion in the early postoperative care. We present the first report of persistent postoperative serous wound secretion in a patient after femoral nailing treated successfully with Prevena™ (KCI), a closed incision negative pressure management system (CINPWT).
Optimal Technology Sharing Strategies in Dynamic Games of R&D
Authors: Erkal Nisvan , Minehart Deborah
Published: January 2014

A question central to R&D policy making is the impact of competition on cooperation. This paper builds a theoretical foundation for the dynamics of knowledge sharing in private industry. We model an uncertain research process and ask how the incentives to license intermediate steps to rivals change over time as the research project approaches maturity. Such a dynamic approach allows us to analyze the interaction between how close the firms are to product market competition and how intense that competition is. We uncover a basic dynamic of sharing such that firms are less likely to share as they approach the product market. This dynamic is driven by a trade‐off between three effects: the rivalry effect, the duplication effect and the speed effect. We show that this dynamic can be reversed when duopoly profits are sufficiently low or when the firms have asymmetric research capabilities. We also explore the implications of the model for patent policy, and compare policies targeting early research outcomes with policies targeting late research outcomes.
Committee Composition and Networking in Standard Setting: The Case of Wireless Telecommunications
Authors: Bar Talia , Leiponen Aija
Published: January 2014

We examine factors behind firms' decisions to contribute to open standard setting. Our study highlights a novel explanation: firms seek to improve their positions in an interfirm cooperation network. In the wireless telecommunications standard‐setting organization we study, firms develop new technical specifications in small committees. Our panel data analyses demonstrate that interorganizational network connections influence firms' decisions to support committees. Additionally, firms are more likely to support committees when they are technologically distant from the firm that initiated the committee. We argue that standard setting presents opportunities for information exchange and for accessing complementary R&D assets through the cooperation network.
BnWRI1 coordinates fatty acid biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways during oil accumulation in rapeseed
Authors: Wu Xue‐Long , Liu Zhi‐Hong , Hu Zhang‐Hua , Huang Rui‐Zhi
Published: January 2014

Photosynthesis in “green” seeds, such as rapeseed, soybean, and Arabidopsis, plays a substantial role in the improved efficiency of oil accumulation. However, the molecular mechanism underpinning the coordinated expression of fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis‐ and photosynthesis‐related genes in such developing seeds remains to be elucidated. Here, we found that seed‐specific overexpression of BnWRI1, a WRI1 homolog from rapeseed (Brassica napus cv. ZGY2), results in enhanced chlorophyll content in developing seeds and increased oil content and seed mass in matured seeds. BnWRI1 was co‐expressed with BnBCCP and BnCAB, two marker genes of FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis during seed development, respectively. Overexpression of BnWRI1 increased expression of both marker genes. Further, the nuclear‐localized BnWRI1 protein was found to act as a transcription activator. It could bind to the GT1‐element and/or GCC‐box, which are widespread in the upstream regions of genes involved in FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways. Accordingly, BnWRI1 could interact with promoters of BCCP2 and LHB1B2 in vivo. These results suggested that BnWRI1 may coordinate FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways in developing seeds via directly stimulating expression of GT1‐element and/or GCC‐box containing genes.
Conversion disorder in children and adolescents: A disorder of cognitive control
Authors: Kozlowska Kasia , Palmer Donna M. , Brown Kerri J. , Scher Stephen , Chudleigh Catherine , Davies Fiona , Williams Leanne M.
Published: January 2014

Objective

To assess cognitive function in children and adolescents presenting with acute conversion symptoms.

Methods

Fifty‐seven participants aged 8.5–18 years (41 girls and 16 boys) with conversion symptoms and 57 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy controls completed the IntegNeuro neurocognitive battery, an estimate of intelligence, and self‐report measures of subjective emotional distress.

Results

Participants with conversion symptoms showed poorer performance within attention, executive function, and memory domains. Poorer performance was reflected in more errors on specific tests: Switching of Attention (t(79) = 2.17,p = .03); Verbal Interference (t(72) = 2.64,p = .01); Go/No‐Go (t(73) = 2.20,p = .03); Memory Recall and Verbal Learning (interference errors for memory recall;t(61) = 3.13,p < .01); and short‐delay recall (t(75) = 2.05,p < .01) and long‐delay recall (t(62) = 2.24,p = .03). Poorer performance was also reflected in a reduced span of working memory on the Digit Span Test for both forward recall span (t(103) = −3.64,p < .001) and backward recall span (t(100) = −3.22,p < .01). There was no difference between participants and controls onIQestimate (t(94) = −589,p = .56), and there was no correlation between cognitive function and perceived distress.

Conclusions

Children and adolescents with acute conversion symptoms have a reduced capacity to manipulate and retain information, to block interfering information, and to inhibit responses, all of which are required for effective attention, executive function, and memory.
Swedish nursing students' experience of stress during clinical practice in relation to clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the clinical education
Authors: Blomberg Karin , Bisholt Birgitta , Kullén Engström Agneta , Ohlsson Ulla , Sundler Johansson Annelie , Gustafsson Margareta
Published: January 2014

Aims and objectives

To describe nursing students' experience of stress during clinical practice and evaluate the risk of stress in relation to the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the clinical education.

Background

Stress during clinical practice is well documented, but there is a lack of knowledge concerning whether the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the education make a difference.

Design

A cross‐sectional study with evaluative design.

Methods

Data were collected by means of a numerical rating scale for the assessment of stress and questions about the clinical setting characteristics and the organisation of the education. One hundred and eighty‐four students who had completed their final year on the nursing programme at three universities in Sweden were included.

Results

Nearly half of the students (43%) experienced high level of stress during clinical practice. Measured by decision in the tree analysis, the absolute risk of stress was 57% in students with placements in hospital departments, as compared to 13% in students with placements in other clinical settings. The risk of stress increased to 71% if the students with placement in a hospital took the national clinical final examination. Performance of practice in a hospital department overcrowded with patients was also associated with increased risk of stress. The organisation of supervision and number of students at the clinical placement had an effect on the experience of stress, but did not prove to be risk factors in the analysis.

Conclusions

The risk of stress in nursing students during their clinical practice differs depending on clinical setting characteristics. The taking of the national clinical final examination could be a source of stress, but this requires further investigation.

Relevance to clinical practice

It is important that supervisors are aware that students in hospital departments overcrowded with patients are at risk of stress and may have increased need of support.
Medical‐surgical nurses' perceived self‐confidence and leadership abilities as first responders in acute patient deterioration events
Authors: Hart Patricia L , Spiva LeeAnna , Baio Pamela , Huff Barbara , Whitfield Denice , Law Tammy , Wells Tiffany , Mendoza Inocenica G
Published: January 2014

Aims and objectives

To explore and understand medical‐surgical nurses' perceived self‐confidence and leadership abilities as first responders in recognising and responding to clinical deterioration prior to the arrival of an emergency response team.

Background

Patients are admitted to hospitals with multiple, complex health issues who are more likely to experience clinical deterioration. The majority of clinical deterioration events occur on medical‐surgical units, and medical‐surgical nurses are frequently the first healthcare professionals to identify signs and symptoms of clinical deterioration and initiate life‐saving interventions.

Design

A prospective, cross‐sectional, descriptive quantitative design using a survey method was used.

Methods

Nurses were recruited from an integrated healthcare system located in the south‐east United States. Nurses completed a demographic, a self‐confidence and a leadership ability questionnaire.

Results

One hundred and forty‐eight nurses participated in the study. Nurses felt moderately self‐confident in recognising, assessing and intervening during clinical deterioration events. In addition, nurses felt moderately comfortable performing leadership skills prior to the arrival of an emergency response team. A significant, positive relationship was found between perceived self‐confidence and leadership abilities. Age and certification status were significant predictors of nurses' leadership ability.

Conclusion

Although nurses felt moderately self‐confident and comfortable with executing leadership abilities, improvement is needed to ensure nurses are competent in recognising patients' deterioration cues and making sound decisions in taking appropriate, timely actions to rescue patients. Further strategies need to be developed to increase nurses' self‐confidence and execution of leadership abilities in handling deterioration events for positive patient outcomes.

Relevance to clinical practice

Educational provisions should focus on various clinical deterioration events to build nurses' self‐confidence and leadership abilities in handling clinical deterioration. Nurses should obtain national certification to increase their knowledge and clinical reasoning skills.
Agmatine ameliorates atherosclerosis progression and endothelial dysfunction in high cholesterol-fed rabbits
Authors: El-Awady Mohammed S , Suddek Ghada M
Published: January 2014

Objectives

The aim of this work was to explore possible effects of agmatine, an endogenous inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), against hypercholesterolemia-induced lipid profile changes and endothelial dysfunction.

Methods

Hypercholesterolemia was induced by feeding rabbits with a high-cholesterol diet (HCD, 0.5%) for 8 weeks. Another HCD-fed group was orally administered agmatine (10 mg/kg/day) during weeks 5 through 8. Serum lipid profile, malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined. Aorta was isolated to analyse vascular reactivity, atherosclerotic lesions and intima/media (I/M) ratio.

Key findings

HCD induced a significant increase in serum total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Agmatine administration significantly decreased HCD-induced elevations in serum TC and LDL-C, MDA, LDH and NO while significantly increased HDL-C levels. Additionally, agmatine significantly protected against HCD-induced attenuation of rabbit aortic endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine. HCD and agmatine did not significantly influence aortic endothelium-independent relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. Moreover, agmatine significantly reduced the elevation in aortic atherosclerotic lesion area and I/M ratio.

Conclusions

This study is the first to reveal that agmatine has the ability to ameliorate hypercholesterolemia-induced lipemic-oxidative and endothelial function injuries possibly by its antioxidant potential and/or iNOS inhibition.
The effect of complementary and alternative medicines on CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of three different substrates: 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethyl-coumarin, midazolam and docetaxel
Authors: Mooiman Kim D , Maas-Bakker Roel F , Hendrikx Jeroen J M A , Bank Paul C D , Rosing Hilde , Beijnen Jos H , Schellens Jan H M , Meijerman Irma
Published: January 2014

Objective

Concomitant use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and anticancer drugs can affect the pharmacokinetics of anticancer drugs by inhibiting the metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) (EC 1.14.13.157). Several in vitro studies determined whether CAM can inhibit CYP3A4, but these studies revealed contradictory results. A plausible explanation for these conflicting results is the use only of a single model CYP3A4 substrate in each study. Therefore, the objective was to determine the potential of selected CAM (β-carotene, Echinacea, garlic, Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, grape seed extract, green tea extract, milk thistle, saw palmetto, valerian, vitamin B6, B12 and C) to inhibit CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of different substrates: 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethyl-coumarin (BFC), midazolam and docetaxel. The effect of CAM on CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of an anticancer drug has never been determined before in vitro, which makes this study unique. The oncolytic CYP3A4 substrate docetaxel was used to establish the predictive value of the model substrates for pharmacokinetic interactions between CAM and anticancer drugs in vitro, and to more closely predict these interactions in vivo.

Methods

The inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of 7-benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethyl-coumarin (BFC) by CAM was assessed in Supersomes, using the fluorometric CYP3A4 inhibition assay. In human liver microsomes (HLM) the inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of midazolam and docetaxel was determined, using liquid-chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Key findings

The results confirmed grape seed and green tea as potent inhibitors and milk thistle as moderate inhibitor of CYP3A4-mediated metabolism of BFC, midazolam and docetaxel.

Conclusion

Clinical studies are required to determine the clinical relevance of the determined CYP3A4 inhibition by grape seed, green tea and milk thistle.
Samurai and Gentlemen: The Anglophone Japan Corpus and New Avenues into Orientalism (Part II)
Authors: Holt Jenny
Published: January 2014

The article as a whole seeks to explore new ways of looking at the literature of intercultural encounter using ideas of culture shock, cultural adaptation, and narrative theory. It also demonstrates the importance of Anglophone literature about Japan to the understanding of how writers from the late 19th and early 20th centuries sought to engage with people from other ethnic groups. From the 1850s, when Japan ended its policy of national isolation, until the beginning of World War II, the literary marketplace was flooded with numerous English‐language texts, which dealt with almost every aspect of Japanese life, covering subjects as diverse as art and design, botany, geology, women's rights, war, public health, theater, linguistics, and religion. However, despite the size of this Anglophone Japan corpus, only well‐known texts such as Isabella Bird's Unbeaten Tracks in Japan and the works of Lafcadio Hearn have attracted substantial in‐depth analysis. One reason for the neglect of the field is that previous decades of scholars regarded this literature as too ephemeral to be worth studying. Another may be that conventional Saidian frameworks for interpreting the literature of cultural encounter fail to provide a satisfactory understanding of relationships between westerners and the Japanese. However, this resistance to Saidian interpretation means that the Anglophone Japan corpus is ideal for testing alternative readings of cross‐cultural literature. After having made a brief overview of Anglophone literature on Japan and investigating some of the new strategies being put forward for interpreting these texts in the first section of the paper, I now go on to present a case study of one theme which dominated discussions of Japan in the early 20th century: the figure of the samurai and the idea of ‘Bushidō’ (the ‘way of the samurai’). By undertaking this analysis, I demonstrate how ideas of culture shock and narrative psychology can be used to give a more nuanced understanding of the personal and social motives behind the literature of intercultural encounter.
LeuO, a dormant sentinel for SPI‐1?
Authors: Bustamante Víctor H. , Calva Edmundo
Published: January 2014

A new mechanism for the turning‐off of gene expression in Salmonella Pathogenicity Island 1 (SPI‐1) is proposed by Espinosa and Casadesús, which involves the action of the LeuO quiescent regulator, by two different pathways. A major one through the activation of the hilE gene, where the HilE protein would in turn inactivate HilD, a major positive transcriptional regulator of SPI‐1; and a minor HilE‐HilD‐independent pathway. This could constitute a back‐up or an aid for the turn‐off of SPI‐1 genes mediated by the nucleoid protein H‐NS.
Warty dyskeratoma of the buccal mucosa
Authors: Steele J.C. , Dutton A.R. , Triantafyllou A. , Rajlawat B.P.
Published: January 2014

The report illustrates a rare case of warty dyskeratoma on the oral mucosa of an elderly male and emphasises the correspondence of histopathological features (invagination of surface epithelium) with clinical appearance (cavitation). Warty dyskeratoma should be considered in the differential diagnosis of a centrally cavitated white oral lesion.
Molecular mapping of greenbug (Schizaphis graminum) resistance gene Rsg1 in barley
Authors: Azhaguvel Perumal , Mornhinweg Dolores , Vidya‐Saraswathi Dhanasekaran , Rudd Jackie C. , Chekhovskiy Konstantin , Saha Malay , Close Timothy J. , Dahleen Lynn S. , Weng Yiqun
Published: January 2014

The greenbug, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) is an extremely damaging aphid pest of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) particularly in the southern Great Plains of the USA. The simply inherited, dominant resistance gene Rsg1 is in all greenbug‐resistant US barley cultivars. In this study, we conducted molecular mapping of Rsg1 using an F2:3 population derived from a cross between the greenbug‐resistant Post 90*4/R015 and susceptible CI2260 inbred lines. Segregation of host responses to greenbug biotype E infestation confirmed that a single dominant gene is responsible for greenbug resistance in Post 90*4/R015. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers evenly distributed along the seven barley chromosomes were employed for the construction of a framework genetic map. Linkage analysis placed the Rsg1 locus in the long arm of chromosome 3H (3HL) flanked by SSR markers Bmag0877 and GBM1420 that were 35 cM apart. Polymorphic single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in 3HL were identified from an Illumina GoldenGate SNP assay and used for targeted mapping to locate Rsg1 to an 8.4‐cM interval. Comparative analysis identified syntenic genomic regions in Brachypodium distachyon chromosome 2, in which 37 putative genes were annotated including a NB‐LRR‐type resistance gene homologue that may be a potential candidate gene for the Rsg1 locus of barley. Results from this study offer a starting point for fine mapping and cloning of this aphid resistance gene in barley.
Leaf gas films delay salt entry and enhance underwater photosynthesis and internal aeration of Melilotus siculus submerged in saline water
Authors: TEAKLE NATASHA LEA , COLMER TIMOTHY DAVID , PEDERSEN OLE
Published: January 2014

A combination of flooding and salinity is detrimental to most plants. We studied tolerance of complete submergence in saline water for Melilotus siculus, an annual legume with superhydrophobic leaf surfaces that retain gas films when under water. M. siculus survived complete submergence of 1 week at low salinity (up to 50 mol m–3 NaCl), but did not recover following de‐submergence from 100 mol m–3 NaCl. The leaf gas films protected against direct salt ingress into the leaves when submerged in saline water, enabling underwater photosynthesis even after 3 d of complete submergence. By contrast, leaves with the gas films experimentally removed suffered from substantial Na+ and Cl− intrusion and lost the capacity for underwater photosynthesis. Similarly, plants in saline water and without gas films lost more K+ than those with intact gas films. This study has demonstrated that leaf gas films reduce Na+ and Cl− ingress into leaves when submerged by saline water – the thin gas layer physically separates the floodwater from the leaf surface. This feature aids survival of plants exposed to short‐term saline submergence, as well as the previously recognized beneficial effects of gas exchange under water.
Clinical features of patients with designer‐drug‐related disorder in Japan: A comparison with patients with methamphetamine‐ and hypnotic/anxiolytic‐related disorders
Authors: Matsumoto Toshihiko , Tachimori Hisateru , Tanibuchi Yuko , Takano Ayumi , Wada Kiyoshi
Published: January 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical features of designer‐drug‐abusing patients through comparisons with methamphetamine‐abusing patients and hypnotics/anxiolytics‐abusing patients.

Methods

Information on 126 designer‐drug‐abusing patients, 138 methamphetamine‐abusing patients, and 87 hypnotics/anxiolytics‐abusing patients was extracted from the 2012 database of ‘The Nationwide Mental Hospital Survey on Drug‐related Psychiatric Disorders’ and the clinical variables of designer‐drug‐abusing patients compared with those of the other two groups.

Results

Multivariate analysis indicated the following significant differences between designer‐drug‐abusing patients and the other two types of patients: designer‐drug‐abusing patients were younger, included more men, had higher education and fewer relationships with antisocial groups, and included more patients meeting ICD‐10 F1 sub‐classification categories of ‘Harmful use’ and ‘Psychotic disorders’ than methamphetamine‐abusing patients. Compared with hypnotics/anxiolytics‐abusing patients, designer‐drug‐abusing patients were younger, included more men and more patients meeting criteria for ‘Psychotic disorders’, and more frequently cited ‘peer pressure’, ‘unable to refuse’, and ‘seeking stimulation’ as reasons for using the drug.

Conclusion

The advent of designer drugs has created a new class of drug abuse, and abuse of designer drugs may carry a strong psychosis‐inducing risk, exceeding that of methamphetamine.
Physiological history may mask the inherent inducible desiccation tolerance strategy of the desert moss Crossidium crassinerve
Authors: Stark L. R. , Greenwood J. L. , Brinda J. C. , Oliver M. J.
Published: January 2014

Shoots of bryophytes collected in the desiccated state from the field are likely to be hardened to desiccation tolerance (DT) to varying degrees. To account for this, most studies on DT include a relatively short deacclimation period. However, no study has experimentally determined the appropriate deacclimation time for any bryophyte species. Our purposes are to (i) determine if ‘field effects’ are biologically relevant to DT studies and how long a deacclimation period is required to remove them; and (ii) utilise field versus cultured shoot responses within the context of a deacclimation period to elucidate the ecological strategy of DT. Our hypothesis (based on an extensive literature on DT) is that a deacclimation period from 24 to 72 h should be sufficient to eliminate historical stress effects on the physiology of the shoots and allow an accurate determination of the inherent ecological DT strategy (constitutive or inducible). We determined, however, using chlorophyll fluorescence and visual estimates of shoot damage, that field‐collected shoots of the desert moss Crossidium crassinerve required an experimental deacclimation period of >7 days before field effects were removed, and revealed an ecological DT strategy of inducible DT. If the deacclimation period was <6 days, the shoot response conformed to an ecological strategy of constitutive protection. Thus the presence of field effects can obscure the ecological strategy of desiccation tolerance exhibited by the species, and this translates into a need to re‐evaluate previous mechanistic and ecological studies of desiccation tolerance in plants.
Differential interactions between strains of Rhizorhapis,Sphingobium,Sphingopyxis or Rhizorhabdus and accessions of Lactuca spp. with respect to severity of corky root disease
Authors: van Bruggen A. H. C. , Ochoa O. , Francis I. M. , Michelmore R. W.
Published: January 2014

Over 100 isolates of Rhizorhapis suberifaciens, Sphingobium (Sb.) sp., Sb. mellinum, Sb. xanthum, Rhizorhabdus sp., and Sphingopyxis sp. (Sphingomonodaceae) were tested for pathogenicity on lettuce (Lactuca sativa) cultivars Salinas and Green Lakes, susceptible and resistant, respectively, or their resistant descendent breeding line (B.L.) 440‐8, to R. suberifaciens type strain CA1T. Rhizorhabdus sp. CA15 and NL2, R. suberifaciens CA3, and Sphingopyxis CA32 were equally virulent to Green Lakes or B.L. 440‐8 and Salinas. Over 40 accessions from four Lactuca species were tested for resistance to R. suberifaciens CA1T/CA3 or Rhizorhabdus sp. CA15/NL2. All lettuce accessions with resistance to CA1T were susceptible to isolates CA15, NL2 and/or CA3. None of the Lactuca lines were highly resistant to all four isolates. There was a significant differential interaction between eight Lactuca lines and ten isolates of Rhizorhapis and related genera with respect to corky root severity. Three strains of isolates were distinguished: (i) isolates with a similar virulence pattern as R. suberifaciens CA1T, (ii) isolates with a virulence pattern similar to that of R. suberifaciens CA3 and Sphingopyxis sp. CA32, and (iii) isolates of Rhizorhabdus being moderately aggressive to all Lactuca lines. Thus, strains belonging to several genera can cause similar symptoms (a rare phenomenon) but have different virulence patterns on Lactuca species and cultivars.
The Distributional Incidence of Growth: A Social Welfare Approach
Authors: Palmisano Flaviana , Peragine Vito
Published: January 2014

This paper provides a normative framework for the assessment of the distributional incidence of growth. By removing the anonymity axiom, such framework is able to evaluate the individual income changes over time and the reshuffling of individuals along the income distribution that are determined by the pattern of income growth. We adopt a rank dependent social welfare function expressed in terms of initial rank and individual income change and we obtain partial and complete dominance conditions over different growth paths. These dominance conditions account for the different components determining the overall impact of growth, that is the size of growth and its vertical and horizontal incidence. We then provide an empirical application for Italy: this analysis shows the distributional impact of the recent economic crisis suffered by the Italian populaltion.
Toward Improving the Mathematics Preparation of Elementary Preservice Teachers
Authors: Cardetti Fabiana , Truxaw Mary P.
Published: January 2014

Research suggests the importance of mathematics knowledge for teaching (MKT) for enabling elementary school teachers to effectively teach mathematics. MKT involves both mathematical content knowledge (M‐CK) and mathematical pedagogical content knowledge (M‐PCK). However, there is no consensus on how best to prepare elementary preservice teachers (PSTs) to achieve M‐CK and M‐PCK. This study builds on research related to MKT by investigating influences of mathematics content courses designed specifically for elementary PSTs (IMPACT courses—Impact of Mathematics Pedagogy and Content on Teaching) on their attitudes (i.e., confidence and motivation) toward M‐CK and M‐PCK. Results suggest that the PSTs who participated in these IMPACT courses not only acquired high levels of confidence and motivation toward M‐CK, but also showed significant and greater gains in attitudes toward M‐PCK, after taking the required mathematics methods course, than their counterparts. Further, the findings suggest that these IMPACT courses provided a mathematical foundation that allowed the PSTs to engage in mathematics teaching methods better than those PSTs who did not have such a foundation. These results suggest potential course experiences that may enhance M‐CK and M‐PCK for elementary PSTs.
Comparison of Different Biaxial Tests for the Inverse Identification of Sheet Steel Material Parameters
Authors: Schmaltz S. , Willner K.
Published: January 2014

The aim of this work is to compare different biaxial specimen geometries and loading conditions concerning their applicability as experimental database for an inverse finite element model updating procedure to identify the material parameters of sheet steel. Therefore, the deformation of the specimens is recorded with an optical, three‐dimensional full‐field deformation measurement system, and the utilised displacement data at the surface of the specimens are calculated via digital image correlation.

The numerical material model for the simulations is based on a three‐dimensional, anisotropic elasto‐plastic ansatz and is implemented into a commercial finite element software code. The material parameters that are identified with the different specimen geometries are the hardening variables and the anisotropic plastic values. Based on the identification results, a selection criterion for the evaluation of specimen geometries for the inverse parameter identification is presented.
HLA‐class II alleles in patients with drug‐resistant pulmonary tuberculosis in Kazakhstan
Authors: Kuranov A. B. , Kozhamkulov U. A. , Vavilov M. N. , Belova E. S. , Bismilda V. L. , Alenova A. H. , Ismailov S. S. , Momynaliev K. T.
Published: January 2014

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system has a major role in the regulation of the immune response as it is involved in the defense against pathogens. Some studies have reported that HLA class II genes play a strong role in severe cases of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) in several populations. Thus the aim of the study was to compare the HLA‐class II alleles of patients with drug resistant tuberculosis with those of healthy controls from the same ethnic group in Kazakhstan. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the correlation of HLA‐class II alleles by patients with drug resistant tuberculosis and the healthy controls of the same ethnic group in Kazakhstan. The HLA‐class II alleles of 76 patients with tuberculosis (TB) and 157 healthy volunteers were investigated using sequence‐based typing (SBT)‐method. HLA‐DQA1*03:02 HLA‐DRB1*08:01 and DRB1*08:03 occurred more frequently (P = 0.05) in patients with drug resistant tuberculosis than in controls. We observed a possible association between certain HLA alleles and TB that are specific for the Kazakh population. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings using a larger number of patients with drug resistant tuberculosis.
Haematological and biochemical reference values of Gambian infants
Authors: Odutola Aderonke A. , Afolabi Muhammed O. , Jafali James , Baldeh Ignatius , Owolabi Olumuyiwa A. , Owiafe Patrick , Bah Gibril , Jaiteh Boto , Mohammed Nuredin I. , Donkor Simon A. , Ndure Jorjoh , Adetifa Jane , Flanagan Katie L. , Ota Martin O. C.
Published: January 2014

Objective

To establish haematological and biological reference values for Gambian infants.

Methods

Basic haematological and biochemical indices were analysed in blood samples obtained from healthy infants from Sukuta in the Western Division of The Gambia. The 2.5 and the 97.5 centiles for these indices were estimated.

Results

Reference ranges for haematological and biochemical indices were determined. Haemoglobin, total white cell count (WBC) and platelet levels decreased with age (P < 0.001), whereas most of the white cell count subsets except monocytes did not vary with age. Potassium and alkaline phosphatase fell significantly with increasing age (P < 0.001; P < 0.001), whereas urea and creatinine rose with increasing age (P = 0.002; P < 0.001, respectively).

Conclusion

Our set of haematological and biochemical reference values for healthy infants in The Gambia differs from values in other settings, thus underscoring the importance of establishing region‐specific paediatric reference ranges to ensure optimal patient management and evaluate the impact of interventions in clinical research.
Kainate receptor subunit diversity underlying response diversity in retinal Off bipolar cells
Authors: Lindstrom Sarah H. , Ryan David G. , Shi Jun , DeVries Steven H.
Published: January 2014

Key points

The temporal signals mediated by postsynaptic kainate receptors differ depending on subunit composition (GluK1–GluK5) and the presence of the auxiliary subunits Neto1 and Neto2.

In ground squirrel retina, four anatomical types of Off bipolar cells can be divided into two functional groups, cb1a/b and cb3a/b, based on differences in the temporal responses of their kainate receptors to cone glutamate release; the kainate receptor subunits expressed by the two groups are not known.

Our pharmacological results suggests that cb1 and cb3 cells both express the GluK1 subunit, a finding corroborated in cb3 cells by in situ hybridization with a GluK1‐specific probe.

Additional results from pharmacology, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry suggest that the temporal differences in receptor responses may arise through the selective expression in cb3 cells of GluK3, GluK5, and Neto1.

These results establish a relationship between kainate receptor subunit composition and parallel signal processing at the cone photoreceptor synapse.

Postsynaptic kainate receptors mediate excitatory synaptic transmission over a broad range of temporal frequencies. In heterologous systems, the temporal responses of kainate receptors vary when different channel‐forming and auxiliary subunits are co‐expressed but how this variability relates to the temporal differences at central synapses is incompletely understood. The mammalian cone photoreceptor synapse provides advantages for comparing the different temporal signalling roles of kainate receptors, as cones release glutamate over a range of temporal frequencies, and three functionally distinct Off bipolar cell types receive cone signals at synapses that contain either AMPA or kainate receptors, all with different temporal properties. A disadvantage is that the different receptor subunits are not identified. We used in situ hybridization, immunocytochemistry, and pharmacology to identify the kainate receptor and auxiliary subunits in ground squirrel (Ictidomys tridecimlineatus) cb1a/b, cb2, and cb3a/b Off bipolar cell types. As expected, the types showed distinct subunit expression patterns. Kainate receptors mediated ∼80% of the synaptic response in cb3a/b cells and were heteromers of GluK1 and GluK5. Cb3a/b cells contained message for GluK1 and GluK5, and also GluK3 and the auxiliary subunit Neto1. The synaptic responses in cb1a/b cells were mediated by GluK1‐containing kainate receptors that behaved differently from the receptors expressed by cb3a/b cells. AMPA receptors mediated the entire synaptic response in cb2 cells and the remaining synaptic response in cb3a/b cells. We conclude that GluK1 is the predominant kainate receptor subunit in cb1 and cb3 Off bipolar cells. Different temporal response properties may result from selective association with GluK3, GluK5, or Neto1.