bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maintenance of Pain in Children With Functional Abdominal Pain
Authors: Czyzewski Danita I. , Self Mariella M. , Williams Amy E. , Weidler Erica M. , Blatz Allison M. , Shulman Robert J.
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

A significant proportion of children with functional abdominal pain develop chronic pain. Identifying clinical characteristics predicting pain persistence is important in targeting interventions. We examined whether child anxiety and/or pain‐stooling relations were related to maintenance of abdominal pain frequency and compared the predictive value of 3 methods for assessing pain‐stooling relations (ie, diary, parent report, child report).

Methods:

Seventy‐six children (7–10 years old at baseline) who presented for medical treatment of functional abdominal pain were followed up 18 to 24 months later. Baseline anxiety and abdominal pain‐stooling relations based on pain and stooling diaries and child‐ and parent questionnaires were examined in relationship to the persistence of abdominal pain frequency.

Results:

Children's baseline anxiety was not related to persistence of pain frequency. Children who, however, displayed irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms at baseline maintained pain frequency at follow‐up, whereas in children in whom there was no relationship between pain and stooling, pain frequency decreased. Pain and stool diaries and parent report of pain‐stooling relations were predictive of pain persistence but child‐report questionnaires were not.

Conclusions:

The presence of IBS symptoms in school‐age children with functional abdominal pain appears to predict persistence of abdominal pain over time, whereas anxiety does not. Prospective pain and stooling diaries and parent report of IBS symptoms were predictors of pain maintenance, but child report of symptoms was not.
Normal Growth and Essential Fatty Acid Status in Children With Intestinal Failure on Lipid Limitation
Authors: Lam Gillian , Strogach Irina G. , Baron Nicole , Thompson John F.
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

Lipid limitation, that is, ≤1 g · kg−1 · day−1 of soy oil lipid emulsion (SOLE), has been suggested as a method to reduce the risk of intestinal failure (IF)–associated liver disease (IFALD). There are limited data as to the effects of this strategy on growth and essential fatty acid (EFA) status. The aim of the study was to assess growth, prevalence of cholestasis, and EFA deficiency in patients with IF who were provided daily SOLE at a dose ≤1 g · kg−1 · day−1.

Methods:

Medical records were retrospectively reviewed from 9 patients age 16 months to 8 years who had IF requiring parenteral nutrition support for >12 months. Parenteral nutrition supplied a mean of 53% of total energy (range 24%–86%).

Results:

Mean SOLE dose was 0.61 g · kg−1 · day−1 (range 0.4–0.81 g · kg−1 · day−1). After 1 month of lipid limitation between 2011 and 2014, no patient developed IFALD as defined by a direct bilirubin >2 mg/dL. The median direct bilirubin was 0.1 mg/dL (range 0.075–0.85 mg/dL). No patient developed EFA deficiency as defined by a triene‐to‐tetraene ratio >0.2 (median 0.026, range 0.017–0.076). Height z scores increased from mean of −2.568 (range −10.8 to 0.878) to −0.484 (range −3.546 to 0.822). Weight z scores increased from mean of −1.412 (range −5.871 to 0.906) to −0.595 (range −2.178 to 0.926).

Conclusions:

In this case series, lipid limitation allowed normal growth while preventing the development of cholestasis and EFA deficiency.
Prevalence and Health Outcomes of Functional Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Infants From Birth to 12 Months of Age
Authors: Vandenplas Yvan , Abkari Abdelhak , Bellaiche Marc , Benninga Marc , Chouraqui Jean Pierre , Çokura FügenÇullu , Harb Tracy , Hegar Badriul , Lifschitz Carlos , Ludwig Thomas , Miqdady Mohamed , de Morais Mauro Batista , Osatakul Seksit , Salvatore Silvia , Shamir Raanan , Staiano Annamaria , Szajewska Hania , Thapar Nikhil
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

The aim of the study was to review published evidence and the opinion of practising clinicians on the prevalence and long‐term health consequences of functional gastrointestinal symptoms in infants younger than 12 months.

Methods:

PubMed was searched from inception to November 2014 to find articles reporting the prevalence and long‐term health outcomes of infantile colic, regurgitation, functional constipation, functional diarrhoea, and dyschezia in infants younger than <12 months. A questionnaire was sent to practising clinicians worldwide, and a group of 15 international experts met to discuss the likely frequency and longer‐term consequences of these symptoms.

Results:

The literature search identified 30 studies reporting the prevalence of infantile colic (2%–73%), 13 that of regurgitation (3%–87%), 8 that of functional constipation (0.05%–39.3%), 2 that of functional diarrhoea (2%–4.1%), and 3 that of dyschezia (0.9%–5.6%). The studies varied in design, populations investigated, and definition of the symptoms. Questionnaires were received from 369 respondents. The experts agreed that the likely prevalences for colic, regurgitation, and functional constipation were 20%, 30%, and 15%, respectively. The limited data in the literature for functional diarrhoea and dyschezia suggest prevalences <10%. Infantile colic may be associated with future health problems in a subset of infants.

Conclusions:

Functional gastrointestinal symptoms appear to occur in a significant proportion of infants younger than 12 months and may have an impact on future health outcomes. Prospective collection of data according to agreed criteria is needed to obtain more accurate estimates of the prevalence and consequences of these symptoms.
Microbiome–Epigenome Interactions and the Environmental Origins of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Fofanova Tatiana Y. , Petrosino Joseph F. , Kellermayer Richard
Published: August 2015

The incidence of pediatric inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis, has risen alarmingly in the Western and developing world in recent decades. Epidemiologic (including monozygotic twin and migrant) studies highlight the substantial role of environment and nutrition in IBD etiology. Here we review the literature supporting the developmental and environmental origins hypothesis of IBD. We also provide a detailed exploration of how the human microbiome and epigenome (primarily through DNA methylation) may be important elements in the developmental origins of IBD in both children and adults.
Timing of Cholecystectomy in Children With Biliary Pancreatitis
Authors: Lin Tom K. , Palermo Joseph J. , Nathan Jaimie D. , Tiao Gregory M. , Hornung Lindsey N. , Fei Lin , Abu‐El‐Haija Maisam
Published: August 2015

Background:

Biliary pancreatitis (BP) is common in adults and children. Current standard of care is to perform a cholecystectomy (CCE) to decrease the recurrence risk of pancreatitis. Controversy exists as to the timing of surgery, early versus delayed surgical intervention. Adult literature suggests a greater benefit of early CCE. Comparatively, there is limited pediatric literature as to the optimal timing of a CCE in children. We report a retrospective case series of children with BP who underwent early versus late CCE.

Methods:

A retrospective chart review was performed of children with BP for a period of 45 months. Reviewed information included patient demographics, timing of CCE, and the occurrence of adverse events preceding or following surgical intervention. Early CCE was defined as surgery during the index admission; late CCE was defined as surgery during a subsequent admission.

Results:

Nineteen children and adolescents (17 girls) were identified to have had BP with a subsequent CCE. Cholecystectomy was performed early in 9 patients with no adverse events. Ten patients had delayed surgery with 4 occurrences of adverse clinical events (recurrence of pancreatitis or biliary colic abdominal pain) while awaiting their CCE.

Conclusions:

Adverse biliary‐related events occur at a higher rate in children with mild BP who undergo a delayed CCE when compared to early CCE performance. Early CCE is safe to perform in children with mild BP.
Development and Validation of a Rome III Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders Questionnaire for Infants and Toddlers
Authors: van Tilburg Miranda A.L. , Rouster Audra , Silver David , Pellegrini Gerard , Gao John , Hyman Paul E.
Published: August 2015

Objective:

Functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) in infants and toddlers are common, but no questionnaire is available for use in clinic and research. The purpose of the present study was to develop and validate a questionnaire assessing symptoms associated with FGIDs in infants and toddlers.

Methods:

Questions were developed based on the Rome III diagnostic criteria for FGIDs. A group of parents of children with FGIDs and experts in FGID reviewed the questionnaire for content, understandability, and completeness (face validity). Initial content validity was established by comparing physician and questionnaire diagnoses in a group of 332 consecutive new patients at a tertiary care clinic.

Results:

Ten parents and 8 experts identified no major problems, indicating good face validity. Of 332 consecutive new patients, age 1 month to 4 year of age, 172 subjects (52% of the sample) qualified for a FGID by parent responses to the questionnaire (mean age = 1.23 year, 53% girls). All of these subjects also received an FGID diagnosis by their physician. Agreement between parent and doctor was fair to substantial (κ = 0.18–0.76), except for infant rumination and functional diarrhea in infants, which showed poor overlap.

Conclusions:

The newly developed Rome III questionnaire for infants and toddlers had good initial face and content validity. This questionnaire will be an important addition to clinical care and research of infant/toddler FGIDs. Replication of these findings in primary care is needed.
Impact of an Institutional Guideline on the Care of Neonates at Risk for Herpes Simplex Virus in the Emergency Department
Authors: Ahmad Fahd A. , Storch Gregory A. , Miller Aaron S.
Published: August 2015

Background and Objectives

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is rare in neonates but carries significant morbidity and mortality in that group. Emergency department (ED) clinicians have little guidance to decide when to test for HSV and give acyclovir. We created an institutional guideline to provide guidance in patients younger than 6 weeks. Our objective was to evaluate whether guideline implementation affected the ED's decision to test for HSV, and ED use of HSV polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and acyclovir.

Methods

We reviewed charts for patients 1 year before implementation and 1 year after implementation of our guideline. Inclusion criteria were younger than 60 days, admitted through the ED, symptom onset younger than 6 weeks, and any one of the following criteria: (1) ED blood culture obtained, (2) ED or inpatient HSV PCR obtained, and (3) ED or inpatient acyclovir treatment. Premature patients and transfer patients were excluded. We compared whether the decision to initiate HSV testing, ED use of HSV PCRs, serum alanine aminotransferase, and acyclovir use changed post-guideline implementation.

Results

We reviewed 173 charts pre-implementation and 129 post-implementation. We found a significant decrease in ED testing for HSV among patients who did not meet guideline criteria (P < 0.01). We saw an improvement in the use of alanine aminotransferase among patients who met criteria for testing (P = 0.02), but no change in the use of HSV PCRs or acyclovir use among tested patients.

Conclusions

Guideline implementation reduced HSV evaluations in low-risk patients, but did not improve test utilization or acyclovir administration among those tested. Additional work is needed to improve guideline utilization.
Point-of-Care Ultrasound for the Detection of Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Infants
Authors: McCormick Taylor , Chilstrom Mikaela , Childs Jeannine , McGarry Ryan , Seif Dina , Mailhot Thomas , Perera Phillips , Kang Tarina , Claudius Ilene
Published: August 2015

Objectives

Computed tomography is the criterion standard imaging modality to detect intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in children and infants after closed head injury, but its use can be limited by patient instability, need for sedation, and risk of ionizing radiation exposure. Cranial ultrasound is used routinely to detect intraventricular hemorrhage in neonates. We sought to determine if point-of-care (POC) cranial ultrasound performed by emergency physicians can detect traumatic ICH in infants.

Methods

Infants with ICH diagnosed by computed tomography were identified. For every infant with an ICH, 2 controls with symptoms and diagnoses unrelated to head trauma were identified. Point-of-care cranial ultrasound was performed by an emergency physician on all patients, and video clips were recorded. Two ultrasound fellowship-trained emergency physicians, blinded to the patients' diagnosis and clinical status, independently reviewed the ultrasound clips and determined the presence or absence of ICH.

Results

Twelve patients were included in the study, 4 with ICH and 8 controls. Observer 1 identified ICH with 100% sensitivity (95% confidence interval [CI], 40%–100%) and 100% specificity (95% CI, 60%–100%). Observer 2 identified ICH with 50% sensitivity (95% CI, 9%–98%) and 87.5% specificity (95% CI, 47%–99%). Agreement between observers was 75%, κ = 0.4 (P = 0.079; 95% CI, 0–0.95).

Conclusions

Traumatic ICH can be identified with POC cranial ultrasound by ultrasound fellowship-trained emergency physicians. Although variations between observers and wide confidence intervals preclude drawing meaningful conclusions about sensitivity and specificity from this sample, these results support the need for further investigation into the role of POC cranial ultrasound.
Bacillus gossypii sp. nov., isolated from the stem of Gossypium hirsutum
Authors: Kämpfer Peter , Busse Hans-Jürgen , McInroy John A. , Glaeser Stefanie P.
Published: August 2015

A Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, endospore-forming organism, isolated from the stem of Gossypium hirsutum, was studied to determine its taxonomic position. On the basis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity comparisons, strain JM-267T was grouped in the genus Bacillus, related most closely to the type strains of Bacillus simplex and Bacillus huizhouensis (both 97.8 %), Bacillus muralis (97.7 %), Bacillus butanolivorans and Bacillus psychrosaccharolyticus (both 97.3 %). 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to the sequences of the type strains of other Bacillus species was < 97.0 %. The fatty acid profile supported the grouping of the strain to the genus Bacillus. As major fatty acids, anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C14 : 0 and iso-C16 : 0 were detected. The polar lipid profile contained the major components diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. The major quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). DNA–DNA hybridizations with B. simplex DSM 1321T, B. huizhouensis GSS03T, B. muralis LMG 20238T, B. butanolivorans LMG 23974T and B. psychrosaccharolyticus DSM 6T resulted in values clearly below 70 %. In addition, physiological and biochemical test results allowed the clear phenotypic differentiation of strain JM-267T from the most closely related species. Hence, strain JM-267T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus gossypii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JM-267T ( = DSM 100034T = LMG 28742T).
Pollen contaminated with field-relevant levels of cyhalothrin affects honey bee survival, nutritional physiology, and pollen consumption behavior
Authors: Dolezal Adam G , Carrillo-Tripp Jimena , Miller W. Allen , Bonning Bryony C. , Toth Amy L.
Published: August 2015

Honey bees are exposed to a variety of environmental stressors that impact their health, including nutritional stress, pathogens, and chemicals in the environment. In particular, there has been increasing evidence that sublethal exposure to pesticides can cause subtle, yet important effects on honey bee health and behavior. Here, we add to this body of knowledge by presenting data on bee-collected pollen containing sublethal levels of cyhalothrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, which, when fed to young honey bees, results in significant changes in lifespan, nutritional physiology, and behavior. For the first time, we show that when young, nest-aged bees are presented with pollen containing field-relevant levels of cyhalothrin, they reduce their consumption of contaminated pollen. This indicates that, at least for some chemicals, young bees are able to detect contamination in pollen and change their behavioral response, even if the contamination levels do not prevent foraging honey bees from collecting the contaminated pollen.
Why cancer cells have a more hyperpolarised mitochondrial membrane potential and emergent prospects for therapy
Authors: Forrest Michael D
Published: August 2015

Cancer cells have a more hyperpolarised mitochondrial membrane potential (ΨIM) than normal cells. ΨIM= ∼−220 mV in cancer cells as compared to ∼−140 mV in normal cells. Until now it has not been known why. This paper explains this disparity, in a mathematical framework, and identifies molecular targets and operations unique to cancer cells. These are thence prospective cancer drug targets. BMS-199264 is proposed as an anti-cancer drug. It inhibits the reverse, proton-pumping mode of ATP synthase, which this paper identifies as crucial to cancer cells but not to healthy, normal adult cells. In the cancer cell model, the adenine nucleotide exchanger (ANT) is inversely orientated in the mitochondrial inner membrane as compared to normal cells. This predicts it to have a different drug interaction profile, which can be leveraged for cancer therapy. Uncouplers, which dissipate the proton motive force, are proposed as anti-cancer medicines e.g. 2,4-dinitrophenol.
A transient ischemic environment induces reversible compaction of chromatin
Authors: Kirmes Ina , Szczurek Aleksander , Prakash Kirti , Charapitsa Iryna , Heiser Christina , Musheev Michael , Schock Florian , Fornalczyk Karolina , Ma Dongyu , Birk Udo , Cremer Christoph , Reid George
Published: August 2015

The environmental effects of ischemia on chromatin nanostructure were evaluated using single molecule localisation microscopy (SMLM) of DNA binding dyes. Short-term oxygen and nutrient deprivation (OND) of the cardiomyocyte cell-line HL-1induces a previously undescribed chromatin architecture, consisting of large, chromatin sparse voids interspersed between DNA-dense hollow helicoid structures of the order of 40 to 700 nm in dimension. OND induced chromatin compaction is reversible, and upon restitution of normoxia and nutrients, chromatin transiently adopts a significantly more open structure than in untreated cells. We show that this compacted state of chromatin reduces transcription, while the open chromatin structure following recovery has a higher transcriptional rate than in untreated cells. Digestion of chromatin with DNAseI and DNA binding dye loading assays confirm that OND induces compaction of chromatin and a general redistribution of chromatin to the nuclear periphery. Mechanistically, chromatin compaction is associated with a depletion of intracellular ATP and a redistribution of the cellular polyamine pool into the nucleus. Additionally, Fluorescence Recovery After Photobleaching (FRAP) shows that core histones are not displaced from compacted chromatin and that the mobility of linker histone H1 is considerably reduced by OND treatment, to an extent that far exceeds the difference in histone H1 mobility between heterochromatin and euchromatin. These studies exemplify the dynamic capacity of chromatin architecture to physically respond to environmental conditions, directly link cellular energy status to chromatin compaction and provide insight into the effect ischemia has on the nuclear architecture of cells.
Integrating Gene Synthesis and Microfluidic Protein Analysis for Rapid Protein Engineering
Authors: Blackburn Matthew C. , Petrova Ekaterina , Correia Bruno E. , Maerkl Sebastian J.
Published: August 2015

The capability to rapidly design proteins with novel functions will have a significant impact on medicine, biotechnology, and synthetic biology. Synthetic genes are becoming a commodity, but integrated approaches have yet to be developed that take full advantage of gene synthesis. We developed a solid-phase gene synthesis method based on asymmetric primer extension (APE) and coupled this process directly to high-throughput, on-chip protein expression, purification, and characterization (mechanically induced trapping of molecular interactions, MITOMI). By completely circumventing molecular cloning and cell-based steps, APE-MITOMI reduces the time between protein design and quantitative characterization to 3-4 days. With APE-MITOMI we synthesized and characterized over 440 zinc-finger (ZF) transcription factors (TF), showing that although ZF TFs can be readily engineered to recognize a particular DNA sequence, engineering the precise binding energy landscape remains challenging. We also found that it is possible to engineer ZF – DNA affinity precisely and independently of sequence specificity and thatin silicomodeling can explain some of the observed affinity differences. APE-MITOMI is a generic approach that should facilitate fundamental studies in protein biophysics, and protein design/engineering.
The marbled crayfish as a paradigm for saltational speciation by autopolyploidy and parthenogenesis in animals
Authors: Vogt Günter , Falckenhayn Cassandra , Schrimpf Anne , Schmid Katharina , Hanna Katharina , Panteleit Jörn , Helm Mark , Schulz Ralf , Lyko Frank
Published: August 2015

The parthenogenetic all-female marbled crayfish is a novel research model and potent invader of freshwater ecosystems. It is a triploid descendant of the sexually reproducing slough crayfish,Procambarus fallax, but its taxonomic status has remained unsettled. By cross-breeding experiments and parentage analysis we show here that marbled crayfish andP. fallaxare reproductively separated. Both crayfish copulate readily, suggesting that the reproductive barrier is set at the cytogenetic rather than the behavioural level. Analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes of marbled crayfish from laboratory lineages and wild populations demonstrates genetic identity and indicates a single origin. Flow cytometric comparison of DNA contents of haemocytes and analysis of nuclear microsatellite loci confirm triploidy and suggest autopolyploidization as its cause. Global DNA methylation is significantly reduced in marbled crayfish implying the involvement of molecular epigenetic mechanisms in its origination. Morphologically, both crayfish are very similar but growth and fecundity are considerably larger in marbled crayfish, making it a different animal with superior fitness. These data and the high probability of a divergent future evolution of the marbled crayfish andP. fallaxclusters suggest that marbled crayfish should be considered as an independent asexual species. Our findings also establish theP. fallax-marbled crayfish pair as a novel paradigm for rare chromosomal speciation by autopolyploidy and parthenogenesis in animals and for saltational evolution in general.
A Graph Theoretical Approach to Data Fusion
Authors: Žurauskienė Justina , Kirk Paul DW , Stumpf Michael PH
Published: August 2015

The rapid development of high throughput experimental techniques has resulted in a growing diversity of genomic datasets being produced and requiring analysis. A variety of computational techniques allow us to analyse such data and to model the biological processes behind them. However, it is increasingly being recognised that we can gain deeper understanding by combining the insights obtained from multiple, diverse datasets. We therefore require scalable computational approaches for data fusion.

We propose a novel methodology for scalable unsupervised data fusion. Our technique exploits network representations of the data in order to identify (and quantify) similarities among the datasets. We may work within the Bayesian formalism, using Bayesian nonparametric approaches to model each dataset; or (for fast, approximate, and massive scale data fusion) can naturally switch to more heuristic modelling techniques. An advantage of the proposed approach is that each dataset can initially be modelled independently (and therefore in parallel), before applying a fast post-processing step in order to perform data fusion. This allows us to incorporate new experimental data in an online fashion, without having to rerun all of the analysis. The methodology can be applied to genomic scale datasets and we demonstrate its applicability on examples from the literature, using a broad range of genomic datasets, and also on a recent gene expression dataset fromSporadic inclusion body myositis Availability. Example R code and instructions are available fromhttps://sites.google.com/site/gtadatafusion/.
Whole genome sequencing of field isolates reveals extensive genetic diversity in Plasmodium vivax from Colombia
Authors: Winter David J , Pacheco Maria A , Vallejo Andres Felipe A , Schwartz Rachel S. , Arevalo-Herrera Myriam , Herrera Socrates , Cartwright Reed , Escalante Ananias
Published: August 2015

Plasmodium vivax is the most prevalent malarial species in South America and exerts a substantial burden on the populations is affects. Its control and eventual elimination are a global health priority. Genomic research contributes to this objective by improving our understanding of the biology of P. vivax and through the development of new genetic markers that can be used to monitor efforts to reduce malaria transmission. Here we analyze whole genome data from eight field samples from a region in Cord ́ oba, Colombia where malaria is endemic. We find considerable genetic diversity within this population, a result that contrasts with earlier studies suggesting that P. vivax had limited diversity in the Americas. We also identify a selective sweep around a substitution known to confer resistance to sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP). This is the first observation of a selective sweep for SP resistance in this parasite. These results indicate that P. vivax has been exposed to SP pressure even when the drug is not in use as a first line treatment for patients afflicted by this parasite. We identify multiple non-synonymous substitutions in three other genes known to be involved with drug resistance in Plasmodium species. Finally, we found extensive microsatellite polymorphisms. Using this information we developed 18 microsatellite loci that are polymorphic and easy to score and can thus be used in epidemiological investigations in South America.
Integrative analysis of RNA, translation, and protein levels reveals distinct regulatory variation across humans
Authors: Cenik Can , Cenik Elif Sarinay , Byeon Gun W. , Grubert Fabian , Candille Sophie I. , Spacek Damek , Alsallakh Bilal , Tilgner Hagen , Araya Carlos L. , Tang Hua , Ricci Emiliano , Snyder Michael P.
Published: August 2015

Elucidating the consequences of genetic differences between humans is essential for understanding phenotypic diversity and personalized medicine. Although variation in RNA levels, transcription factor binding, and chromatin have been explored, little is known about global variation in translation and its genetic determinants. We used ribosome profiling, RNA sequencing, and mass spectrometry to perform an integrated analysis in lymphoblastoid cell lines from a diverse group of individuals. We find significant differences in RNA, translation, and protein levels suggesting diverse mechanisms of personalized gene expression control. Combined analysis of RNA expression and ribosome occupancy improves the identification of individual protein level differences. Finally, we identify genetic differences that specifically modulate ribosome occupancy—many of these differences lie close to start codons and upstream ORFs. Our results reveal a new level of gene expression variation among humans and indicate that genetic variants can cause changes in protein levels through effects on translation.
Overexpression of BAX INHIBITOR-1 Links Plasma Membrane Microdomain Proteins to Stress
Authors: Ishikawa Toshiki , Aki Toshihiko , Yanagisawa Shuichi , Uchimiya Hirofumi , Kawai-Yamada Maki
Published: August 2015

BAX INHIBITOR-1 (BI-1) is a cell death suppressor widely conserved in plants and animals. Overexpression of BI-1 enhances tolerance to stress-induced cell death in plant cells, although the molecular mechanism behind this enhancement is unclear. We recently found that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) BI-1 is involved in the metabolism of sphingolipids, such as the synthesis of 2-hydroxy fatty acids, suggesting the involvement of sphingolipids in the cell death regulatory mechanism downstream of BI-1. Here, we show that BI-1 affects cell death-associated components localized in sphingolipid-enriched microdomains of the plasma membrane in rice (Oryza sativa) cells. The amount of 2-hydroxy fatty acid-containing glucosylceramide increased in the detergent-resistant membrane (DRM; a biochemical counterpart of plasma membrane microdomains) fraction obtained from BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. Comparative proteomics analysis showed quantitative changes of DRM proteins in BI-1-overexpressing cells. In particular, the protein abundance of FLOTILLIN HOMOLOG (FLOT) and HYPERSENSITIVE-INDUCED REACTION PROTEIN3 (HIR3) markedly decreased in DRM of BI-1-overexpressing cells. Loss-of-function analysis demonstrated that FLOT and HIR3 are required for cell death by oxidative stress and salicylic acid, suggesting that the decreased levels of these proteins directly contribute to the stress-tolerant phenotypes in BI-1-overexpressing rice cells. These findings provide a novel biological implication of plant membrane microdomains in stress-induced cell death, which is negatively modulated by BI-1 overexpression via decreasing the abundance of a set of key proteins involved in cell death.
Isolation and Characterization of O-methyltransferases Involved in the Biosynthesis of Glaucine in Glaucium flavum
Authors: Chang Limei , Hagel Jillian M. , Facchini Peter J.
Published: August 2015

Transcriptome resources for the medicinal plant Glaucium flavum were searched for orthologs showing identity with characterized O-methyltransferases (OMTs) involved in benzylisoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis. Seven recombinant proteins were functionally tested using the signature alkaloid substrates for six OMTs: norlaudanosoline 6-OMT, 6-O-methyllaudanosoline 4′-OMT, reticuline 7-OMT, norreticuline 7-OMT, scoulerine 9-OMT, and tetrahydrocolumbamine OMT. A notable alkaloid in yellow horned poppy (G. flavum [GFL]) is the aporphine alkaloid glaucine, which displays C8-C6′ coupling and four O-methyl groups at C6, C7, C3′, and C4′ as numbered on the 1-benzylisoquinoline scaffold. Three recombinant enzymes accepted 1-benzylisoquinolines with differential substrate and regiospecificity. GFLOMT2 displayed the highest amino acid sequence identity with norlaudanosoline 6-OMT, showed a preference for the 6-O-methylation of norlaudanosoline, and O-methylated the 3′ and 4′ hydroxyl groups of certain alkaloids. GFLOMT1 showed the highest sequence identity with 6-O-methyllaudanosoline 4′OMT and catalyzed the 6-O-methylation of norlaudanosoline, but more efficiently 4′-O-methylated the GFLOMT2 reaction product 6-O-methylnorlaudanosoline and its N-methylated derivative 6-O-methyllaudanosoline. GFLOMT1 also effectively 3′-O-methylated both reticuline and norreticuline. GFLOMT6 was most similar to scoulerine 9-OMT and efficiently catalyzed both 3′- and 7′-O-methylations of several 1-benzylisoquinolines, with a preference for N-methylated substrates. All active enzymes accepted scoulerine and tetrahydrocolumbamine. Exogenous norlaudanosoline was converted to tetra-O-methylated laudanosine using combinations of Escherichia coli producing (1) GFLOMT1, (2) either GFLOMT2 or GFLOMT6, and (3) coclaurine N-methyltransferase from Coptis japonica. Expression profiles of GFLOMT1, GFLOMT2, and GFLOMT6 in different plant organs were in agreement with the O-methylation patterns of alkaloids in G. flavum determined by high-resolution, Fourier-transform mass spectrometry.
The RING-Finger Ubiquitin Ligase HAF1 Mediates Heading date 1 Degradation during Photoperiodic Flowering in Rice
Authors: Yang Ying , Fu Debao , Zhu Chunmei , He Yizhou , Zhang Huijun , Liu Tao , Li Xianghua , Wu Changyin
Published: August 2015

The photoperiodic response is one of the most important factors determining heading date in rice (Oryza sativa). Although rhythmic expression patterns of flowering time genes have been reported to fine-tune the photoperiodic response, posttranslational regulation of key flowering regulators has seldom been elucidated in rice. Heading date 1 (Hd1) encodes a zinc finger transcription factor that plays a crucial role in the photoperiodic response, which determines rice regional adaptability. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of Hd1 accumulation during the photoperiod response. Here, we identify a C3HC4 RING domain-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase, Heading date Associated Factor 1 (HAF1), which physically interacts with Hd1. HAF1 mediates ubiquitination and targets Hd1 for degradation via the 26S proteasome-dependent pathway. The haf1 mutant exhibits a later flowering heading date under both short-day and long-day conditions. In addition, the haf1 hd1 double mutant headed as late as hd1 plants under short-day conditions but exhibited a heading date similar to haf1 under long-day conditions, thus indicating that HAF1 may determine heading date mainly through Hd1 under short-day conditions. Moreover, high levels of Hd1 accumulate in haf1. Our results suggest that HAF1 is essential to precise modulation of the timing of Hd1 accumulation during the photoperiod response in rice.
Process-oriented disaster response management: a structured literature review
Authors: Hofmann Marlen , Betke Hans , Sackmann Stefan
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The application of business process methods in the domain of disaster response management (DRM) is seen as promising approach due to the similarity of business processes and disaster response processes at the general structure and goals. But up to now only a few approaches were able to handle the special characteristics of the DRM domain. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to identify the existing approaches and analyze them for the discussion of general requirements for applying methods and tools from business process management to DRM.

Design/methodology/approach

– A structured literature review covering a wide field of information system-related publications (conferences and journals) is used to identify and classify general requirements discussed as the state of the art.

Findings

– The work in this paper resulted in a suitable classification of requirements for the development of process-oriented DRM approaches deduced from the existing work. This was used to outline and analyze the current research landscape of this topic and identify research gaps as well as existing limitations.

Research limitations/implications

– Although the review of the state of the art is based on a wide set of publication databases, there may exist relevant research papers which have not been taken into consideration.

Originality/value

– The elaborated requirements provide value for both the research community and practitioners. They can be considered to develop new or improve existing DRM systems and, thus, to exploit the potentials of process-oriented IT in supporting DRM in the case of disaster.
The relationships among JIT, TQM and production operations performance
Authors: Chen Zhixiang
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationships among just-in-time (JIT), total quality management (TQM) and production operations performance (POP) based on the survey data from Chinese manufacturing firms, provide managerial implications of effectively implementing JIT and TQM for firms in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

– Questionnaires were collected from 173 Chinese manufacturing firms. Three hypotheses on the relationships among JIT, TQM and POP were first established based on literature review. Empirical study method of structural equation modeling using SPSS and AMOS as data processing tools is employed to test the hypotheses.

Findings

– The results show that, on one hand, JIT positively influences TQM and POP; on the other hand, although TQM also has positive relationship with POP, the relationship is not significant at a given significant level. Meanwhile, the author survey also shows that JIT and TQM have complementary relationship, i.e., JIT and TQM can benefit each other in a firm.

Practical implications

– TQM is a base of implementing JIT, it is valuable to concurrently implement JIT and TQM in manufacturing firms in order to improve the POP.

Originality/value

– It is believed that this research reveals new insights about the JIT and TQM implementation in Chinese manufacturing firms; it has practice value for firms to improve the implementation performance of JIT and TQM.
“You would expect the successful person to be the man”
Authors: Jones Sally
Published: August 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to to explore power and legitimacy in the entrepreneurship education classroom by using Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological and educational theories. It highlights the pedagogic authority invested in educators and how this may be influenced by their assumptions about the nature of entrepreneurship. It questions the role of educators as disinterested experts, exploring how power and gendered legitimacy “play out” in staff–student relationships and female students’ responses to this.

Design/methodology/approach

– A multiple-method, qualitative case study approach is taken, concentrating on a depth of focus in one UK’s higher education institution (HEI) and on the experiences, attitudes and classroom practices of staff and students in that institution. The interviews, with an educator and two students, represent a self-contained story within the more complex story of the case study.

Findings

– The interviewees’ conceptualization of entrepreneurship is underpinned by acceptance of gendered norms, and both students and staff misrecognize the masculinization of entrepreneurship discourses that they encounter as natural and unquestionable. This increases our understanding of symbolic violence as a theoretical construct that can have real-world consequences.

Originality/value

– The paper makes a number of theoretical and empirical contributions. It addresses an important gap in the literature, as educators and the impact of their attitudes and perceptions on teaching and learning are rarely subjects of inquiry. It also addresses gaps and silences in understandings of the gendered implications of HE entrepreneurship education more generally and how students respond to the institutional arbitration of wider cultural norms surrounding entrepreneurship. In doing so, it challenges assertions that Bourdieu’s theories are too abstract to have any empirical value, by bridging the gap between symbolic violence as a theory and its manifestation in teaching and learning practices.
The potential for fungal biopesticides to reduce malaria transmission under diverse environmental conditions
Authors: Heinig Rebecca L. , Paaijmans Krijn P. , Hancock Penelope A. , Thomas Matthew B.
Published: August 2015

The effectiveness of conventional malaria vector control is being threatened by the spread of insecticide resistance. One promising alternative to chemicals is the use of naturally occurring insect‐killing fungi. Numerous laboratory studies have shown that isolates of fungal pathogens such as Beauveria bassiana can infect and kill adult mosquitoes, including those resistant to chemical insecticides.

Unlike chemical insecticides, fungi may take up to a week or more to kill mosquitoes following exposure. This slow kill speed can still reduce malaria transmission because the malaria parasite itself takes at least eight days to complete its development within the mosquito. However, both fungal virulence and parasite development rate are strongly temperature‐dependent, so it is possible that biopesticide efficacy could vary across different transmission environments.

We examined the virulence of a candidate fungal isolate against two key malaria vectors at temperatures from 10 to 34 °C. Regardless of temperature, the fungus killed more than 90% of exposed mosquitoes within the predicted duration of the malarial extrinsic incubation period, a result that was robust to realistic diurnal temperature variation.

We then incorporated temperature sensitivities of a suite of mosquito, parasite and fungus life‐history traits that are important determinants of malaria transmission into a stage‐structured malaria transmission model. The model predicted that, at achievable daily fungal infection rates, fungal biopesticides have the potential to deliver substantial reductions in the density of malaria‐infectious mosquitoes across all temperatures representative of malaria transmission environments.

Synthesis and applications. Our study combines empirical data and theoretical modelling to prospectively evaluate the potential of fungal biopesticides to control adult malaria vectors. Our results suggest that Beauveria bassiana could be a potent tool for malaria control and support further development of fungal biopesticides to manage infectious disease vectors.
Butterfly abundance is determined by food availability and is mediated by species traits
Authors: Curtis Robin J. , Brereton Tom M. , Dennis Roger L. H. , Carbone Chris , Isaac Nick J. B.
Published: August 2015

Understanding the drivers of population abundance across species and sites is crucial for effective conservation management. At present, we lack a framework for predicting which sites are likely to support abundant butterfly communities.

We address this problem by exploring the determinants of abundance among 1111 populations of butterflies in theUK, spanning 27 species on 54 sites. Our general hypothesis is that the availability of food resources is a strong predictor of population abundance both within and between species, but that the relationship varies systematically with species’ traits.

We found strong positive correlations between butterfly abundance and the availability of food resources. Our indices of host plant and nectar are both significant predictors of butterfly population density, but the relationship is strongest for host plants, which explain up to 36% of the inter‐site variance in abundance for some species.

Among species, the host plant–abundance relationship is mediated by butterfly species traits. It is strongest among those species with narrow diet breadths, low mobility and habitat specialists. Abundance for species with generalist diet and habitat associations is uncorrelated with our host plant index.

The host plant–abundance relationship is more pronounced on sites with predominantly north‐facing slopes, suggesting a role for microclimate in mediating resource availability.

Synthesis and applications. We have shown that simple measures can be used to help understand patterns in abundance at large spatial scales. For some butterfly species, population carrying capacity on occupied sites is predictable from information about the vegetation composition. These results suggest that targeted management to increase host plant availability will translate into higher carrying capacity. AmongUKbutterflies, the species that would benefit most from such intervention have recently experienced steep declines in both abundance and distribution. The host plant–abundance relationship we have identified is likely to be transferrable to other systems characterized by strong interspecific interactions across trophic levels. This raises the possibility that the quality of habitat patches for specialist species is estimable from rapid assessment of the host plant resource.
A Novel Method for Removing a Spinal Cord with Attached Cervical Ganglia from a Pediatric Decedent
Authors: Peterson Jo Elle G. , Love Jennifer C. , Pinto Deborrah C. , Wolf Dwayne A. , Sandberg Glenn
Published: August 2015

A diagnosis of child abuse is dependent on a comprehensive and accurate assessment of injury in the context of a thorough investigation. However, signatures of trauma are often subtle and interpretation can be very difficult. Recently, researchers have refocused their attention from the head to the neck in search of traumatic signatures of abusive head trauma. HCIFS has developed a technique to remove the cervical spinal cord with the ganglia attached that is less destructive and more time and cost efficient than alternative methods previously published. Once removed, the dorsal nerve roots and ganglia are evaluated for the presence of hemorrhage. The authors performed a small pilot study using the novel method to evaluate 20 decedents with a history of blunt force trauma and eight without a traumatic history. Fifteen of the traumatic deaths and two of the nontraumatic deaths were found to have dorsal nerve root and/or ganglia hemorrhage.
Effect of flavonoids on remineralization of artificial root caries
Authors: Epasinghe DJ , Yiu CKY , Burrow MF
Published: August 2015

Background

This study compared the effects of three flavonoids, including proanthocyanidin, naringin and quercetin on remineralization of artificial root caries.

Methods

Demineralized root fragments (n = 75) were randomly divided into five groups for treatment with the remineralizing agents for 10 minutes: (1) 6.5% proanthocyanidin; (2) 6.5% naringin; (3) 6.5% quercetin; (4) 1000 ppm fluoride; and (5) deionized water (control). The demineralized samples were pH‐cycled through treatment solutions, acidic buffer and neutral buffer for eight days at six cycles per day. The remineralization effects were evaluated using Knoop microhardness, transverse microradiography (lesion depth and mineral loss) and confocal laser scanning microscopy. Microhardness at different lesion depths was analysed with two‐way ANOVA and Tukey's test, while lesion depths and mineral loss were analysed with one‐way ANOVA and Tukey's test.

Results

Artificial caries lesions treated with fluoride and flavonoids showed significantly greater hardness than the control group (p < 0.05). Both lesion depths and mineral loss of the flavonoid treated groups were significantly lower than the control group (p < 0.05), but significantly higher than the fluoride treated group. No significant difference in lesion depth and mineral loss was found among the three flavonoids (p > 0.05).

Conclusions

All three flavonoids showed positive effects on artificial root caries remineralization, which are significantly lower than that of 1000 ppm fluoride.