bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microcredit on a Large Scale: Appraising the Thailand Village Fund
Authors: Haughton Jonathan , Khandker Shahidur R. , Rukumnuaykit Pungpond
Published: December 2014

The Thailand village fund (VF) is the second‐largest microcredit scheme in the world. Nearly 80 000 elected local VF committees administer loans that reach 30 percent of all households. The value of VF loans has remained steady since 2006, even without new infusions of government funds, and loans go disproportionately to the poor. Based mainly on a custom‐built survey of over 3000 local VFs conducted in 2010, we evaluate the performance of the VF. As expected, profit rates are hard to model, but our regression analysis shows that loan recovery rates, total lending and the proportion of loans going to the poor are all higher when a VF borrows additional funds from a formal bank and on‐lends to households, as done by one in five VFs. An economic analysis suggests, tentatively, that VF benefits exceed the costs. A financial analysis shows that VFs more than break even, with receipts covering their cash costs. Most VFs are social rather than financial intermediaries; they have little incentive to take risks or to innovate, which explains why VF lending has not kept pace with the growth of the Thai economy.
On voluntarism and the role of governments in CSR: towards a contingency approach
Authors: Dentchev Nikolay A. , van Balen Mitchell , Haezendonck Elvira
Published: December 2014

In the corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature, the principle of voluntarism is predominant and implies that responsible business activities are discretionary and reach beyond the rule of law. This principle fails to explain that governments have a great interest in CSR and exercise influence on firms’ CSR activities. Therefore, we argue in favour of a contingency approach on voluntarism in CSR. To this end, we analyse the academic literature to demonstrate how governments are part of the CSR debate. We selected 703 papers where the impact of governments is mentioned from five journals in our field (BEER, BEQ, BSE, BAS, JBE) in the period 1982–2011. We studied the titles and abstracts of these papers and provide an overview of: (i) the geographical orientation of the reviewed studies; (ii) the variety of government levels involved; and (iii) the various subjects where governments appear to be involved. In addition, an in‐depth reading of a subsample of 39 articles offers more details on the role of governments in the CSR literature. Hence, we offer a structured overview on the discussion of CSR and governments while stimulating a contingent understanding of the voluntarism concept in CSR.
Prenatal Screening: Current Practice, New Developments, Ethical Challenges
Authors: de Jong Antina , Maya Idit , van Lith Jan M.M.
Published: December 2014

Prenatal screening pathways, as nowadays offered in most Western countries consist of similar tests. First, a risk‐assessment test for major aneuploides is offered to pregnant women. In case of an increased risk, invasive diagnostic tests, entailing a miscarriage risk, are offered. For decades, only conventional karyotyping was used for final diagnosis. Moreover, several foetal ultrasound scans are offered to detect major congenital anomalies, but the same scans also provide relevant information for optimal support of the pregnancy and the delivery.

Recent developments in prenatal screening include the application of microarrays that allow for identifying a much broader range of abnomalities than karyotyping, and non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) that enables reducing the number of invasive tests for aneuploidies considerably. In the future, broad NIPT may become possible and affordable.

This article will briefly address the ethical issues raised by these technological developments. First, a safe NIPT may lead to routinisation and as such challenge the central issue of informed consent and the aim of prenatal screening: to offer opportunity for autonomous reproductive choice. Widening the scope of prenatal screening also raises the question to what extent ‘reproductive autonomy’ is meant to expand. Finally, if the same test is used for two different aims, namely detection of foetal anomalies and pregnancy‐related problems, non‐directive counselling can no longer be taken as a standard. Our broad outline of the ethical issues is meant as an introduction into the more detailed ethical discussions about prenatal screening in the other articles of this special issue.
Psychometric properties of two measures of childhood internalizing problems in a Bangladeshi sample
Authors: Deeba Farah , Rapee Ronald M. , Prvan Tania
Published: December 2014

Objectives

In order to assist mental health services in developing countries, a key issue is the availability of psychometrically sound, brief, and cost‐effective measures that have been tested within the relevant context. The present study was designed to evaluate within a young Bangladeshi population, the psychometric properties of two widely used Western measures of internalizing distress in young people: the short form of the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale and the Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire.

Method

The sample included 1,360 children and adolescents aged 9–17 years (M = 12.3 years, SD = 2.12) recruited from six districts of Bangladesh, including both community and emotionally at‐risk participants. A total of 179 children were re‐tested on the measures within 3–4 weeks.

Results

Confirmatory factor analyses showed single‐factor structures for both scales in the total sample and in both community and at‐risk participants separately. Multiple group analyses across gender and age‐group within the at‐risk and community samples showed that the single‐factor structure was suitable regardless of subgroup. Analyses also indicated acceptable internal consistency, test–retest reliability and construct validity for both scales.

Conclusion

The two measures show promise as brief, reliable, and valid instruments for the assessment of internalizing distress among young people from Bangla‐speaking communities.

Practitioner points

Positive clinical implications

These two measures of internalizing distress in young people showed solid psychometric properties within samples collected from various parts of Bangladesh. The measures can therefore be used to assess anxiety and depression in Bangla‐speaking youth.

These measures should be of value in both clinical settings and at a community level to assess the need for services.

Cautions and limitations

Resource limitations did not allow comparison against diagnostic criteria and therefore cut‐off scores to indicate clinical status among Bangladeshi youth will require further research.
Children Use Nonverbal Cues to Make Inferences About Social Power
Authors: Brey Elizabeth , Shutts Kristin
Published: December 2014

Four studies (N = 192) tested whether young children use nonverbal information to make inferences about differences in social power. Five‐ and six‐year‐old children were able to determine which of two adults was “in charge” in dynamic videotaped conversations (Study 1) and in static photographs (Study 4) using only nonverbal cues. Younger children (3–4 years) were not successful in Study 1 or Study 4. Removing irrelevant linguistic information from conversations did not improve the performance of 3‐ to 4‐year‐old children (Study 3), but including relevant linguistic cues did (Study 2). Thus, at least by 5 years of age, children show sensitivity to some of the same nonverbal cues adults use to determine other people's social roles.
Infant Attachment Security and Early Childhood Behavioral Inhibition Interact to Predict Adolescent Social Anxiety Symptoms
Authors: Lewis‐Morrarty Erin , Degnan Kathryn A. , Chronis‐Tuscano Andrea , Pine Daniel S. , Henderson Heather A. , Fox Nathan A.
Published: December 2014

Insecure attachment and behavioral inhibition (BI) increase risk for internalizing problems, but few longitudinal studies have examined their interaction in predicting adolescent anxiety. This study included 165 adolescents (ages 14–17 years) selected based on their reactivity to novelty at 4 months. Infant attachment was assessed with the Strange Situation. Multimethod BI assessments were conducted across childhood. Adolescents and their parents independently reported on anxiety. The interaction of attachment and BI significantly predicted adolescent anxiety symptoms, such that BI and anxiety were only associated among adolescents with histories of insecure attachment. Exploratory analyses revealed that this effect was driven by insecure‐resistant attachment and that the association between BI and social anxiety was significant only for insecure males. Clinical implications are discussed.
Screening colonoscopy in Australia
Authors: Singh Rajvinder , Mangira Dileep , Kawano Hiroshi , Matsuda Takashia
Published: December 2014

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a global epidemic predominantly affecting Western countries. It is the second leading cause of cancer‐related deaths in Australia with one in 12 Australians affected by this condition by the age of 85 years. Appropriate preventive measures by screening followed by colonoscopy can detect cancer and precancerous lesions, which are potentially curable. The National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) is a national screening program implemented by the Australian Government aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality from bowel cancer by actively recruiting and screening the target population. The long‐term goal of the program is to include the at‐risk population (50–74 years of age) in a biennial screening program. Newer technologies could have a potential role in screening programs by enhancing adenoma detection rates. However, until more evidence is available, improving screening uptake and bowel preparation strategies are the prime focus in reducing CRC‐related morbidity and mortality.
Low‐cycle fatigue delamination initiation and propagation in fibre metal laminates
Authors: Mazaheri F. , Hosseini‐Toudeshky H.
Published: December 2014

The aim of this paper is to develop an elastic–plastic‐damage constitutive law and a tool for simulation of delamination initiation and propagation in fibre metal laminates (FMLs) under low‐cycle fatigue loading regime. In the previous studies, the significance of plasticity in delamination growth and modelling of FMLs was not considered. Hence, cohesive zone law that combines the damage evolution with plasticity is developed. The new fatigue damage model is implemented as user‐written subroutines that links with ansys based on the cohesive finite element method. The cohesive zone model constitutive law has been verified by modelling of the delaminated adhesively bonded aluminium joint under normal and shear loadings and compared with the available results in the literature. The developed procedure and tool have been used for the analyses of DCB and ENF specimens under uniform and variable loadings. The obtained results for progressive damage and delamination and stress–strain curves are discussed in this paper.
Redemption of the formalism of segmented linearity: multiscaling of non‐equilibrium and non‐homogeneity applied to fatigue crack growth
Authors: Sih G. C.
Published: December 2014

At the risk of being presumptuous, the influence of non‐equilibrium and non‐homogeneity (NENH) is the key to explain the conundrums of today's physics and mechanics on the basis of the NENH Mechanics of Multiscaling (NNMM). Corrective measures have been used to correct errors caused by the neglect of NENH and multiscaling. The separate conservation of mass and energy is a case in point. The inclusion of NENH leads to the simultaneous conservation of mass and energy as a product. The revised conservation law depends on the degree of system inhomogeneity. The aforementioned vouches the credibility for applying NNMM to resolve the impasse of the misinterpreted fatigue crack growth (FCG) data using monoscale concepts.

The new paradigm is fundamental to contrast the difference between deterministic and non‐deterministic. The phenomena of turbulence and instability in general are determinable when the thresholds are related to the appropriate physical mechanism at the temporal–spatial scale. The correct experiments depend on identifying the role with which NNMM plays in the physical phenomenon. The same applies to FCG.

To reiterate, the aim is not to develop new theories but rather to offer corrective measures by including NENH and multiscaling to show that the understanding of FCG is no less challenging than some of the conundrums of physics and mechanics of today.
Liver‐related deaths in HIV‐infected patients between 1995 and 2010 in France: the Mortavic 2010 study in collaboration with the Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le SIDA (ANRS) EN 20 Mortalité 2010 survey
Authors: Rosenthal E , Roussillon C , Salmon‐Céron D , Georget A , Hénard S , Huleux T , Gueit I , Mortier E , Costagliola D , Morlat P , Chêne G , Cacoub P ,   the Mortalité 2010 and GERMIVIC study groups
Published: December 2014

Objectives

The aim of this study was to describe the proportion of liver‐related diseases (LRDs) as a cause of death in HIV‐infected patients in France and to compare the results with data from our five previous surveys.

Methods

In 2010, 24 clinical wards prospectively recorded all deaths occurring in around 26 000 HIV‐infected patients who were regularly followed up. Results were compared with those of previous cross‐sectional surveys conducted since 1995 using the same design.

Results

Among 230 reported deaths, 46 (20%) were related to AIDS and 30 (13%) to chronic liver diseases. Eighty per cent of patients who died from LRDs had chronic hepatitis C, 16.7% of them being coinfected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Among patients who died from an LRD, excessive alcohol consumption was reported in 41%. At death, 80% of patients had undetectable HIV viral load and the median CD4 cell count was 349 cells/μL. The proportion of deaths and the mortality rate attributable to LRDs significantly increased between 1995 and 2005 from 1.5% to 16.7% and from 1.2‰ to 2.0‰, respectively, whereas they tended to decrease in 2010 to 13% and 1.1‰, respectively. Among liver‐related causes of death, the proportion represented by hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) dramatically increased from 5% in 1995 to 40% in 2010 (p = 0.019).

Conclusions

The proportion of LRDs among causes of death in HIV‐infected patients seems recently to have reached a plateau after a rapid increase during the decade 1995−2005. LRDs remain a leading cause of death in this population, mainly as a result of hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection, HCC representing almost half of liver‐related causes of death.
IL5RA polymorphisms, smoking and eczema in Japanese women: the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study
Authors: Miyake Y. , Tanaka K. , Arakawa M.
Published: December 2014

The present case–control study examined the relationship between IL5RA SNPs and eczema in young adult Japanese women. Cases and control subjects were selected from pregnant women who participated in the baseline survey of the Kyushu Okinawa Maternal and Child Health Study, which is an ongoing prebirth cohort study. Cases comprised 188 women with eczema in the previous 12 months as defined according to the criteria of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), regardless of the presence of a doctor's diagnosis of atopic eczema. Control subjects comprised 1130 women without eczema as defined according to the ISAAC criteria who also had not been diagnosed with atopic eczema by a doctor. Compared with the AA genotype of IL5RA SNP rs17881144, the AT genotype, but not the TT genotype, was significantly associated with a decreased risk of eczema. The ATTAGA haplotype and the GTAGCA haplotype of rs17882210, rs3804797, rs334809, rs9831572, rs6771148 and rs17881144 were significantly associated with an increased risk of eczema. In contrast, the GCTGCA haplotype was significantly related to a decreased risk of eczema. Multiplicative interactions between IL5RA SNPs rs334809 and rs17881144 and smoking with respect to eczema were marginally significant (P = 0.07 and 0.07, respectively). This is the first study to show significant associations between IL5RA SNP rs17881144, the ATTAGA haplotype, the GTAGCA haplotype, and the GCTGCA haplotype and eczema. Smoking may modify the relationships between SNPs rs334809 and rs17881144 and eczema.
Attitudes of adolescents towards sexual health in three cities from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina
Authors: Puharić D. , Borovac J.A. , Petrov B.
Published: December 2014

Aim

This study aimed to determine the attitudes of adolescents towards sexual health and to assess their understanding of contraception use and knowledge about sexually transmitted infections in three ethnically different areas of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Methods

A total of 146 adolescent high school students between 17 and 19 years of age from three different cities were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. The participants completed two anonymous questionnaires: one that measured attitudes towards safe sex practice and another that measured contraception and general sexual health knowledge.

Results

Shame was identified as the main factor why adolescents did not seek information about sexual health and contraception. On average, respondents correctly answered only 35% of questions regarding sexual health. Adolescents from East Mostar, with a predominantly Bosniak population, had more positive attitudes towards safe sex and showed less contraception knowledge in comparison to their colleagues from two cities in Croatia.

Limitations

Our study design might be burdened by socially desirable reporting and other biases inherent to the survey design.

Conclusion

Adolescents from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, countries that experienced war and are still undergoing post‐communist socio‐economic transition, generally did not have adequate knowledge with respect to safe sex lifestyles. Respondents had major problems identifying sexually transmitted infections and their knowledge about contraception was insufficient.

Implications for nursing and health policy

Providing care for adolescent populations should address specificities in local ethnical and socio‐economical circumstances. There is a need for further studies to determine social, cultural and religious factors influencing the knowledge and attitudes towards sexual health in order to provide most effective interventions for specific adolescent populations.
The influence of ethnicity on organizational commitment and merit pay of IT workers: the role of leader support
Authors: Windeler Jaime B. , Riemenschneider Cynthia K.
Published: December 2014

Projections of looming shortages in the supply of skilled IT workers, along with high employee replacement costs, make employee attraction, retention and support a pressing concern for organizations. One potential remedy for these shortages is to focus more attention on historically underrepresented groups. We explore ways organizations can support ethnic minority IT professionals to enhance their career success. Integrating affective, cognitive and social perspectives through affective events theory and social exchange theory, our objective is to explore the implications of ethnic minority status for the relationship between leader support (i.e., mentoring and leader–member exchange (LMX)) and subjective and objective indicators of career success (i.e., organizational commitment and merit pay) among IT workers. To test the model, we conducted a field study of 289 IT workers in a Fortune 500 company. Our results showed that LMX influenced organizational commitment for ethnic minorities, while career mentoring and LMX influenced organizational commitment for majorities. Psychosocial mentoring influenced merit pay for ethnic minorities, while neither LMX nor mentoring influenced merit pay for majorities. Our study contributes to the literature on IT personnel issues by exploring how and why these leader support mechanisms enhance organizational commitment and merit pay for IT workers. Moreover, we demonstrate that ethnicity is an important consideration for researchers studying organizational commitment, merit pay, mentoring and LMX. Our findings suggest that managers can boost organizational commitment among IT workers by focusing on LMX and career mentoring. Moreover, they may want to place particular emphasis on psychosocial mentoring and interventions to enhance LMX for their ethnic minority IT workers.
Are anti‐inflammatory agents effective in treating gingivitis as solo or adjunct therapies? A systematic review
Authors: Polak David , Martin Conchita , Sanz‐Sánchez Ignacio , Beyth Nurit , Shapira Lior
Published: December 2014

Objective

Systematically review the scientific evidence for efficiency of anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis, either as solo treatments or adjunctive therapies.

Methods

A protocol was developed aimed to answer the following focused question: “Are anti‐inflammatory agents effective in treating gingivitis as solo or adjunct therapies?” RCTs and cohort studies on anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis studies were searched electronically. Screening, data extraction and quality assessment were conducted. The primary outcome measures were indices of gingival inflammation. A sub‐analysis was performed dividing the active agents into anti‐inflammatory and other drugs.

Results

The search identified 3188 studies, of which 14 RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The use of anti‐inflammatory or other agents, in general showed a higher reduction in the test than in the control in terms of gingival indexes and bleeding scores. Only two RCTs on inflammatory drugs could be meta‐analysed, showing a statistically significant reduction in the GI in the experimental group [WMD = −0.090; 95% CI (−0.105; −0.074); p = 0.000]. However, the contribution of both studies to the global result was unbalanced (% weight: 99.88 and 0.12 respectively).

Conclusions

Most of the tested material showed beneficial effect as anti‐inflammatory agents against gingivitis, either as a single treatment modality or as an adjunctive therapy.
Craniocerebral gunshot wound in a baby chimpanzee – an uncommon experience of neurosurgical treatment conducted in the Guinean forest
Authors: Champeaux C. , Raballand E.
Published: December 2014

An orphan female chimpanzee was wounded by a left craniocerebral gunshot complicated with a right hemiparesis. Local treatment and long‐term antibiotherapy failed to lead to healing. A neurosurgical procedure was planned and achieved. She fully recovered, and 2 years after the procedure, there is no evidence of infection.
Clinical and Neuroimaging Profile of Children with Lesions in the Corpus Callosum
Authors: Harini Chellamani , Das Rohit R. , Prabhu Sanjay P. , Singh Kanwaljit , Haldar Amit , Takeoka Masanori , Bergin Ann M. , Loddenkemper Tobias , Kothare Sanjeev V.
Published: December 2014

PURPOSE

T2‐hyperintense signal changes in corpus callosum (CC) have been described in epilepsy and encephalitis/encephalopathy. Little is known about their pathophysiology. The aim of this study was to examine the clinical presentation and evolution of CC lesions and relationship to seizures.

METHODS

We identified 12 children among 29,634 patients from Radiology Database. We evaluated following characteristics: seizures and accompanying medical history, antiepileptic drug usage, presenting symptoms, and radiological evolution of lesions.

RESULTS

CC lesions were seen in patients with prior diagnosis of epilepsy (n = 5) or in those with new onset seizures (n = 3), or with encephalitis/encephalopathy without history of seizures (n = 4). Seizure clustering or disturbances of consciousness were the main presenting symptoms. No relationship was observed between CC lesion and AEDs. On imaging, ovoid lesions at presentation resolved on follow up imaging and linear lesions persisted. DTI showed that the fibers passing through splenial lesions originated from the posterior parietal cortex and occipital cortex bilaterally.

CONCLUSION

In patients with seizures, no clear relationship was demonstrated between seizure characteristics or AED use with CC lesions. Ovoid lesions resolved and may have different pathophysiologic mechanism when compared to linear lesions that persisted.
TMD pain is partly heritable. A systematic review of family studies and genetic association studies
Authors: Visscher C. M. , Lobbezoo F.
Published: December 2014

The aim of this study was to describe the current knowledge on the role of heritability in TMD pain through a systematic review of the literature, including familiar aggregation studies and genetic association studies. For the systematic search of the literature, the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses) guidelines were followed. In total, 21 studies were included in the review, including five familiar aggregation studies and 16 genetic association studies. From both familiar aggregation studies and genetic association studies, modest evidence for the role of heritability in TMD pain was found. The literature mainly suggests genetic contributions from candidate genes that encode proteins involved in the processing of painful stimuli from the serotonergic and catecholaminergic system. This systematic review shows that the evidence for the role of heritability in the development of TMD pain is cumulating.
Section 5(4) (nurse's holding power) of the Mental Health Act 1983: a literature review
Authors: Ashmore R.
Published: December 2014

Accessible summary

Section 5(4) (nurse's holding power) of the Mental Health Act 1983 permits nurses of the ‘prescribed class’ to detain an informal inpatient. The patient must already be receiving treatment for mental disorder. The section lasts for up to 6 h.

Section 5(4) is over 30 years old; however, there is relatively little literature exploring its use.

Existing literature has limited itself to surveys and audits investigating: nurses' opinions of Section 5(4); nurses' knowledge of Section 5(4); and trends associated with the implementation of Section 5(4).

The literature review suggests that what is known about the implementation of Section 5(4) is incomplete. For example, there are no accounts of how and why the holding power is implemented from both a nursing and patient perspective.

Section 5(4) (nurse's holding power) of the Mental Health Act 1983 in England and Wales accounts for 10% (n = 1714) of all detentions after admission to hospital. It is followed by further detention in 66% of cases and may require nurses to restrain, seclude or closely observe the patient to prevent them harming themselves and/or others. To conduct a literature review of empirical articles concerning the implementation of Section 5(4), a literature search was undertaken in ASSIA, British Nursing Index, Medline, PsycINFO and Lawtel, using a combination of the keywords ‘Section 5(4)’, ‘nurse's holding powers’, ‘holding powers’, ‘Mental Health Act 1983’, ‘MHA’, ‘compulsory detention’, ‘formal detention’, ‘emergency psychiatric interventions’, ‘containment interventions’ and ‘involuntary commitment’. Twenty‐five articles were included in the review. Existing literature has focused on surveys and audits investigating: nurses' opinions of Section 5(4); nurses' knowledge of Section 5(4); and trends associated with the implementation of Section 5(4). While this literature has provided some insights into the implementation of Section 5(4), it is clear that what is known about its use is incomplete. Further research is required to examine a number of areas, for example, how and why the section is implemented.
Barriers to mental health care in Japan: Results from the World Mental Health Japan Survey
Authors: Kanehara Akiko , Umeda Maki , Kawakami Norito ,   the World Mental Health Japan Survey Group
Published: December 2014

Aims

The reasons for accessing and maintaining access to mental health services in Japan may be different to those in other countries. Using the World Health Organization World Mental Health Japan survey data, this study investigated the prevalence of sociodemographic correlates of barriers for the use of, reasons for delayed access to, and reasons for dropping out from mental health care in a Japanese community‐based sample.

Methods

An interview survey was conducted with a random sample of residents living in 11 communities across Japan during the years 2002–2006. Data from 4130 participants were analyzed.

Results

The most frequently reported reason for not seeking mental health care was a low perceived need (63.9%). The most common reason for delaying access to help was the wish to handle the problem on one's own (68.8%), while the most common reason for dropping out of care was also a low perceived need (54.2%). Being a woman and of younger age were key sociodemographic barriers to the use of mental health services.

Conclusions

Low perceived need was a major reason for not seeking, delay in using, and dropout from mental health services in Japan. In addition, low perceived need and structural barriers were more frequently reported than attitudinal barriers, with the exception of a desire to handle the problem on one's own. These findings suggest that improving therapist–patient communication and quality of mental health care, as well as mental health literacy education in the community, might improve access to care in Japan.
Melon chlorotic mosaic virus and associated alphasatellite from Venezuela: genetic variation and sap transmission of a begomovirus–satellite complex
Authors: Romay G. , Lecoq H. , Desbiez C.
Published: December 2014

Begomoviruses represent one of the most damaging virus groups on many important crops worldwide. In Venezuela, the begomovirus Melon chlorotic mosaic virus (MeCMV) is the major constraint for melon and watermelon production. MeCMV has been associated with the satellite Melon chlorotic mosaic alphasatellite (MeCMA). Full‐length genome sequencing of 20 and 35 isolates of MeCMV and MeCMA, respectively, was carried out to estimate their genetic variability. Furthermore, mechanical transmission assays of MeCMV alone, or in conjunction with MeCMA, were performed. Genetic variation was low among MeCMV isolates, which exhibited 97–100% nucleotide identity for the DNA‐A component and 95–100% for the DNA‐B component. Alphasatellite isolates were highly variable ranging from 86·5 to 100% nucleotide identity. MeCMV isolates were phylogenetically related to begomoviruses belonging to the Squash leaf curl virus (SLCV) clade, while MeCMA isolates were clustered in two subgroups related to alphasatellites from the New World (Cuba and Brazil). MeCMV has a host range restricted to cucurbit species and two experimental hosts: Nicotiana benthamiana and Nicotiana clevelandii. MeCMV can be mechanically transmitted with up to 100% efficiency in melon. The physiological stage of the inoculated organ (cotyledon or leaf) represents a key factor for inoculation efficiency. This result provides a simple and reliable inoculation method to develop extensive screening for MeCMV resistance sources. In addition, the complex MeCMV + MeCMA was mechanically transmitted to melon, N. benthamiana and N. clevelandii plantlets and successfully back‐transmitted. To the authors’ knowledge, this finding is the first evidence of sap transmission for a begomovirus–satellite complex.
SARA: a “new” low‐frequencyMNSantigen (MNS47) provides further evidence of the extreme diversity of theMNSblood group system
Authors: McBean Rhiannon S. , Hyland Catherine A. , Hendry Julia L. , Shabani‐Rad Meer‐Taher , Flower Robert L.
Published: December 2014

Background

Until recently,SARAH(SARA) was a low‐frequency antigen within the 700 series (700.052).SARAwas discovered inAustralia and subsequently described inCanada where anti‐SARAwas implicated in severe hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn (HDFN). This study investigated whetherSARAcould be recategorized into an existing, or novel, blood group system.

Study Design and Methods

Serologically typedAustralianSARAfamily members (n = 9) were exome sequenced followed by bioinformatics analysis. Sanger sequencing ofExon 3 ofGYPAofAustralian (n = 9) andCanadian (n = 9) family members was then performed, as were peptide inhibition studies.

Results

Exome sequencing identified 499,329 single‐nucleotide variants (SNVs) within the nine individuals. Filtering excludedSNVswith anNCBI dbSNP ID(n = 482,177) and non–protein codingSNVs(n = 14,008); for the remaining 3144SNVs, only one, c.240G>TofGYPAencoding p.Arg80Ser, was present in all sixSARA‐positive individuals. Sanger sequencing confirmed the presence of c.240G>Tin theAustralianSARA‐positive individuals and demonstrated the same genetic basis in theCanadianSARAfamily. For a peptide representing theSARAsequence, inhibition of anti‐SARAagainstSARA‐positive cells was 84.6% at a concentration of 1.0 mg/mL.

Conclusion

We provide evidence that theSARAantigen is encoded by aSNVonGYPAandSARAhas been reassigned to theMNSblood group system, nowMNS47. This discovery provides a basis for application of genetic approaches inSARAtyping when clinically indicated, for example, inHDFN.
PCNA and grade in 13 canine oral squamous cell carcinomas: association with prognosis
Authors: Mestrinho L. A. , Faísca P. , Peleteiro M. C. , Niza M. M. R. E.
Published: December 2014

This study evaluated the prognosis factors of age, tumour size, anatomic location, histological grade and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in 13 dogs with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with bone invasion and without signs of lymph node or distant metastasis. All animals were treated with radical excision performed with at least 1 cm margin, based on computed tomography images. In the 2‐year follow‐up, median disease‐free survival was 138 days for dogs with grade 3 tumours and was not reached for those with grade 2 tumours. Grade 3 tumours and PCNA labelling index ≥65% were related with a shorter disease‐free survival time and consequently poor prognosis (p = 0.003 and p = 0.034, respectively). Mean PCNA labelling index was significantly higher in recurrent cases (p = 0.011). Histological grade and PCNA expression may be important prognosis factors in canine OSCC.
A 3·0‐kb deletion including an erythroid cell‐specific regulatory element in intron 1 of the ABO blood group gene in an individual with the Bm phenotype
Authors: Sano R. , Kuboya E. , Nakajima T. , Takahashi Y. , Takahashi K. , Kubo R. , Kominato Y. , Takeshita H. , Yamao H. , Kishida T. , Isa K. , Ogasawara K. , Uchikawa M.
Published: December 2014

We developed a sequence‐specific primer PCR (SSP‐PCR) for detection of a 5·8‐kb deletion (Bm5·8) involving an erythroid cell‐specific regulatory element in intron 1 of the ABO blood group gene. Using this SSP‐PCR, we performed genetic analysis of 382 individuals with Bm or ABm. The 5·8‐kb deletion was found in 380 individuals, and disruption of the GATA motif in the regulatory element was found in one individual. Furthermore, a novel 3·0‐kb deletion involving the element (Bm3·0) was demonstrated in the remaining individual. Comparisons of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms and microsatellites in intron 1 between Bm5·8 and Bm3·0 suggested that these deletions occurred independently.
Molecular phylogeny of the deep‐sea penaeid shrimp genus Parapenaeus (Crustacea: Decapoda: Dendrobranchiata)
Authors: Yang Chien‐Hui , Sha Zhongli , Chan Tin‐Yam , Liu Ruiyu
Published: December 2014

The commercial deep‐sea penaeid shrimp genus Parapenaeus contains 15 species, three subspecies and two forms in the Indo‐West Pacific and the Atlantic. Novel nucleotide sequence data from five different genes (COI, 16S, 12S, NaK and PEPCK) were collected to estimate phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status amongst all but one subspecies in this genus. The phylogenetic results only support two of the four species groups previously proposed for this genus and indicate an evolution direction of the genital organs from simple to complex. The present results suggest that Parapenaeus originated in the shallow waters of the West Pacific with subsequent migration to the deep sea and the Atlantic. The molecular data reveal that there was probably misidentification of females between Parapenaeus australiensis and Parapenaeus ruberoculatus, with females previously assigned as P. australiensis likely being the females of P. ruberoculatus, while material identified as P. australiensis forma nodosa being the true P. australiensis females. On the other hand, Parapenaeus longipes forma denticulata truly represents a variation of the same species, while the subspecies Parapenaeus fissuroides indicus warrants a specific rank.
NOTE ON A METHOD FOR THE DEMONSTRATION OF PULMONARY VASOMOTOR FIBRES
Authors: Daly I. De Burgh , Duke Helen
Published: December 2014

In the atropinised dog in which the left lung only is perfused at constant blood inflow, experiments are described which give evidence of the presence of pulmonary vasoconstrictor fibres in the thoracic vagosympathetic nerves.
THE GLYCOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF THE HEARTS OF VERTEBRATES
Authors: Wu Jone J. , Chang I.
Published: December 2014

1. The glycolytic activity of the hearts of mammals, turtle, toad, and eel was studied in vitro. Under all the circumstances studied, such as the presence of alkali, lactic acid, or iodoacetate, the glycolytic activity is highest in the eel's heart, somewhat lower in the toad's and turtle's heart, and lowest in the mammal's heart.

2. Since glycolysis forms probably the sole source of energy for the anaerobically beating heart, the above results seem to provide an explanation for the difference in the anaerobic activity of the hearts of vertebrates.
An electrophysiological study of the effects of atropine and physostigmine on transmission to the guinea‐pig vas deferens
Authors: Bell Christopher
Published: December 2014

1. The effects of physostigmine and atropine on transmission to the longitudinal musculature of in vitro preparations of the guinea‐pig vas deferens have been examined using intracellular micro‐electrodes.

2. Atropine (5 × 10−7 to 10−6 g/ml.) increased the rate of decay of excitatory junction potentials (EJPs) in response to post‐ganglionic stimulation.

3. Physostigmine (5 × 10−6 g/ml.) reduced the mean resting potential of the muscle cells from ‐60·5 to ‐51·5 mV and lowered the voltage of post‐ganglionic stimulation necessary for initiation of an action potential in the muscle. In some but not all of the cells studied the time course of the EJP was markedly prolonged.

4. At concentrations which did not alter the response to post‐ganglionic stimulation (5 × 10−7 to 10−6 g/ml.), physostigmine caused fully facilitated EJPs to appear with the first pulse of a preganglionic train of stimulation.

5. Atropine antagonized all the above effects of physostigmine.

6. Physostigmine (5 × 10−7 to 10−6 g/ml.) also lowered the voltage of preganglionic stimulation necessary for initiation of an action potential in the muscle. This effect was not antagonized by atropine.

7. The results are interpreted as being evidence for the existence of separate cholinergic and adrenergic motor fibres to the musculature of the guinea‐pig vas deferens.
Fixed charge in the cell membrane
Authors: Elul R.
Published: December 2014

1. Focal electric field was generated by passing a current of 5 × 10−7 to 1 × 10−5 A from a micropipette into the culture medium. Movement of cells at a distance of 5‐50 μ from the electrode tip was observed. In case of cells embedded in the culture only local deformation of the membrane was observed.

2. The cell species explored included neurones, glia, muscle fibres, connective cells, malignant cells and erythrocytes. All cells responded in a similar manner to the electric field, and the current required was in the same range.

3. Cells were attracted to a positive micropipette and repelled from a negative one: the only exception was observed in certain malignant cells which moved in the opposite direction.

4. Movement and membrane deformation could be obtained with electrodes filled with various concentrated and isotonic solutions. The composition of the culture medium also had no qualitative influence on these effects.

5. Metabolic poisons or rupture of the cell membrane had no effect on the movement. Isolated membrane fragments showed movement similar to that of intact cells.

6. The possibility of artifacts due to proximity of the focal electrode is considered. It is shown that electro‐osmosis cannot account for the present observations. Some other artifacts are also excluded.

7. It is proposed that the most satisfactory way to account for the present observations is by a membrane carrying negative fixed charge of the order of 2·5 × 103 e.s.u./cm2. Some physiological consequences of presence of negative charge in the membrane are briefly discussed.
Action of some foreign cations and anions on the chloride permeability of frog muscle
Authors: Hutter O. F. , Warner Anne E.
Published: December 2014

1. Evidence for the existence in skeletal muscle of a specific cation binding system capable of lowering the chloride permeability was obtained by testing the effect of several metal ion species upon the efflux of 36Cl from frog muscles equilibrated in high‐KCl solution.

2. Cu2+, Zn2+ and UO22+ ions, when present in concentrations of approximately 10−4
M in inactive wash solution at pH 7·4 slowed the efflux of 36Cl to half its original value. At pH 5·0, when the chloride permeability was already low as a consequence of hydrogen ion binding, these metal ions had little further effect.

3. Presence of Ni2+, Co2+, Pb2+, Ce3+ and La3+ in 10−4
M or higher concentrations had no detectable influence on the 36Cl efflux. Wide variations in Ca2+ concentration were similarly ineffective.

4. The influence of more adsorbable anions on the chloride permeability was examined at different pH values. Extracellular iodide greatly slowed the rapid efflux of 36Cl into alkaline solution. In acid solutions, when the chloride permeability was already low, the effect of iodide was less pronounced, but still demonstrable. The chloride permeability was consequently increased to a lesser extent by a rise in pH in the presence of iodide.

5. The efflux of iodide and bromide was measured at different pH values under conditions of self exchange. In alkaline solution the permeabilities to iodide and bromide were considerably lower than that to chloride. In acid solution the membrane differentiated less between anion species of different adsorbability.
Spike propagation in the smooth muscle of the guinea‐pig taenia coli
Authors: Tomita T.
Published: December 2014

1. Spike activity was produced by external field stimulation of the guinea‐pig taenia coli. Spikes were evoked by depolarization of the muscle membrane. Though the activity was usually also observed during hyperpolarization, this was shown to be conducted activity from the depolarized region of the tissue. Spike conduction was blocked when hyperpolarization exceeded 10 mV.

2. The shape of the conducted spike was influenced by membrane polarization. Sometimes a notch appeared on the spike and sometimes the spike was split into two by hyperpolarization. This is probably due to the fact that functional bundles form a network and that the branches between bundles are more susceptible to the membrane polarization.

3. There was a critical spike amplitude for normal propagation. Therefore, different spike amplitudes were observed near the stimulating electrode, but only spikes of nearly full size amplitude were recorded far from the stimulating electrode, i.e. at a distance of more than 5 mm.

4. When repetitive stimulation was applied, the spike amplitude decreased with increasing frequency of stimulation. No steady level was reached, however, but the spike amplitude fluctuated at about 0·3 c/s.
The field potential profile during activation of the avian optic tectum
Authors: Holden A. L.
Published: December 2014

1. The field potential profile resulting from electrical stimulation of the optic nerve‐head was recorded with micro‐electrodes inserted radially into the pigeon optic tectum.

2. The first response, in the superficial tectum, was a graded negative wave, the N‐wave. Its latency was 2·3 msec,
S.D. 0·22 msec. The wave form underwent an abrupt polarity reversal in the R‐zone, to yield a graded positive wave, the P‐wave, in deeper laminae. The P‐wave had a latency of 2·0 msec,
S.D. 0·16 msec.

3. Both N‐wave and P‐wave showed a graded increase in amplitude as stimulating current was increased. On any given track this increase occurred over a similar range of stimulating current.

4. In many tracks the rise‐time and duration of the N‐wave were independent of amplitude.

5. The rise‐time of the P‐wave was longer, and its duration was shorter, than the rise‐time and duration of the N‐wave. This effect was shown to be due to two successive sinks occurring superficially to the P‐zone.

6. Depth profiles also showed these two sinks, separately located in the N‐zone and R‐zone.

7. To paired stimuli the N‐wave showed refractoriness at intervals of 2‐4·5 msec, facilitation at intervals up to 25 msec, and subsequent depression. It showed low‐frequency depression at 10 and 20/sec.

8. The R‐zone was localized by a lesion technique to sub‐layers d to g of the stratum griseum et fibrosum superficiale. Thus the tissue negativity was closely co‐extensive with the anatomical distribution of optic nerve terminals.

9. It is suggested that the N‐wave is the sink of excitatory synaptic potentials produced in the superficial tectum, and predictions relating unitary firing to the field potential profile are made.
Types of unitary response and correlation with the field potential profile during activation of the avian optic tectum
Authors: Holden A. L.
Published: December 2014

1. Unitary responses were recorded in the lateral tectum of the pigeon, with electrolyte‐filled micropipettes after electrical stimulation of the optic nerve‐head.

2. Optic nerve fibre spikes could be recognized by their conformation, fixed latency, brief recovery times, and location in the superficial tectum. Their action potentials were either triphasic with a prominent second phase, or monophasic positive.

3. The optic nerve consists of small myelinated fibres conducting at 5·3‐8·0 m/sec. These axons probably have diameters in the order of 1·6‐2·2 μ.

4. The fibre spikes were localized to the N‐zone and R‐zone. None was recorded deeper. Most of the fibre spikes preceded the tectal N‐wave.

5. One hundred and fifty‐six post‐synaptically fired cells were recorded. These had a diphasic positive‐negative conformation, and were fired at variable latency.

6. One hundred and forty of these cells fired a single spike to each stimulus to the optic nerve‐head. Even the most stably fired cells could be proved to be trans‐synaptically activated by the evidence of non‐collision.

7. Sixteen of the 156 cells fired repetitively to single stimuli to the optic nerve‐head.

8. Evidence could be obtained that afferent inhibition operates upon tectal cells.

9. Cells in the N‐zone were fired earliest in the 3 msec interval, corresponding to the rising phase of the tectal N‐wave. By comparison, cells in the P‐zone were not fired in the 3 msec interval, and the proportion fired in the 4 msec interval was reduced. Cell firing in the P‐zone must be produced by tectal interneurones.

10. Cells were present in the N‐zone with recovery times below 5 msec. No cells in the P‐zone had recovery times below 5 msec.

11. A clear correlation could be made between the distribution of fibre and cell spikes, and the field potential profile. A correlation could also be made between the timing and recovery time of cells in the N‐zone and P‐zone. The unitary records show that the tectum is activated radially by the retinotectal pathway.