bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Minor and trace element concentrations in adjacent kamacite and taenite in the Krymka chondrite
Authors: Meftah N. , Mostefaoui S. , Jambon A. , Guedda E. H. , Pont S.
Published: March 2016

We report in situ NanoSIMS siderophile minor and trace element abundances in individual Fe‐Ni metal grains in the unequilibrated chondrite Krymka (LL3.2). Associated kamacite and taenite of 10 metal grains in four chondrules and one matrix metal were analyzed for elemental concentrations of Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Rh, Ir, and Pt. The results show large elemental variations among the metal grains. However, complementary and correlative variations exist between adjacent kamacite‐taenite. This is consistent with the unequilibrated character of the chondrite and corroborates an attainment of chemical equilibrium between the metal phases. The calculated equilibrium temperature is 446 ± 9 °C. This is concordant with the range given by Kimura et al. (2008) for the Krymka postaccretion thermal metamorphism. Based on Ni diffusivity in taenite, a slow cooling rate is estimated of the Krymka parent body that does not exceed ~1K Myr−1, which is consistent with cooling rates inferred by other workers for unequilibrated ordinary chondrites. Elemental ionic radii might have played a role in controlling elemental partitioning between kamacite and taenite. The bulk compositions of the Krymka metal grains have nonsolar (mostly subsolar) element/Ni ratios suggesting the Fe‐Ni grains could have formed from distinct precursors of nonsolar compositions or had their compositions modified subsequent to chondrule formation events.
Microstructural analysis of Wark‐Lovering rims in the Allende and Axtell CV3 chondrites: Implications for high‐temperature nebular processes
Authors: Bolser Diana , Zega Thomas J. , Asaduzzaman Abu , Bringuier Stefan , Simon Steven B. , Grossman Lawrence , Thompson Michelle S. , Domanik Kenneth J.
Published: March 2016

A coordinated, electron‐backscatter‐diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) study was undertaken to obtain information on the origin of rims on refractory inclusions in the Allende and Axtell CV3 chondrites. These measurements were supported by theoretical modeling using density functional theory. Crystal‐orientation analysis of Wark‐Lovering rims via EBSD revealed pyroxene grains with similar crystallographic orientations to one another in both inclusions. An epitaxial relationship between grains within the diopside and anorthite rim layers was observed in Allende. TEM examination of the rims of both samples also revealed oriented crystals at depth. The microstructural data on the rims suggest that grain clusters grew in the form of three‐dimensional islands. Density functional theory calculations confirm that formation of oriented grain islands is the result of energy minimization at high temperature. The results point toward condensation as the mode of origin for the rims studied here.
A contamination assessment of the CI carbonaceous meteorite Orgueil using a DNA‐directed approach
Authors: Aerts J. W. , Elsaesser A. , Röling W. F. M. , Ehrenfreund P.
Published: March 2016

The Orgueil meteorite has become one of the most well‐studied carbonaceous meteorites, after it fell in France 150 yr ago. Extraterrestrial organic compounds such as amino acids and nucleobases in the parts per billion ranges were identified in Orgueil samples with supporting isotopic analyses. However, speculations of terrestrial contamination such as organic inclusions in the form of microbes and seeds accompanied the analyses of the Orgueil meteorite ever since its fall. By using molecular analysis, we performed DNA extractions and spiking experiments combined with 16S and 18S rRNA gene targeted PCR amplification to quantify the level of terrestrial biocontamination. Our results indicate that terrestrial contamination with DNA was insignificant in the investigated meteorite fraction. We also remeasured and confirmed concentrations of amino acids found in previous studies and conclude that their rather high concentrations and distribution cannot be explained by terrestrial contamination with microorganisms alone. These results represent the first analysis using DNA‐directed tools in the analysis of the Orgueil meteorite to determine trace levels of biomarkers.
The Irrelevance Narrative: Queer (In)Visibility in Medical Education and Practice
Authors: Robertson William J.
Published: March 2016

How might heteronormativity be reproduced and become internalized through biomedical practices? Based on in‐depth, person‐centered interviews, this article explores the ways heteronormativity works into medical education through the hidden curriculum. As experienced by my informants, case studies often reinforce unconscious heteronormative orientations and heterosexist/homophobic stereotypes about queer patients among straight and queer medical students alike. I introduce the concept of the irrelevance narrative to make sense of how queer medical students take up a heteronormative medical gaze. Despite recognizing that being queer affects how they interact with patients, my informants describe being queer as irrelevant to their delivery of care. I conclude with a discussion of how these preliminary findings can inform research on knowledge production in biomedical education and practice with an eye toward the tensions between personal and professional identity among biomedical practitioners.
Locating Purity within Corruption Rumors: Narratives of HPV Vaccination Refusal in a Peri‐urban Community of Southern Romania
Authors: Pop Cristina A.
Published: March 2016

This article locates the symbolic construction of “corrupted purity”—as a key assertion in Romanian parents’ HPV vaccination refusal narratives—within a multiplicity of entangled rumors concerning reproduction and the state. Romania's unsuccessful HPV vaccination campaign is not unique. However, the shifting discourses around purity and corruption—through which some parents conveyed anxieties about their daughters being targeted for the vaccine—place a particular twist on the Romanian case of resisting the HPV vaccination. Parental discourses took the form of clusters of rumors about state medicine's failure to provide adequate reproductive health care, additive‐laden foods, and exposure to radioactive contamination. In these rumors, corruption becomes literally embodied, through ingestion, consumption, contact, or inoculation. Parental discourses about what is being injected into their daughters’ pristine bodies express their uncertainty around navigating the unsettled post‐socialist medical landscape.
Group cell phones are feasible and acceptable for promoting optimal breastfeeding practices in a women's microcredit program in Nigeria
Authors: Flax Valerie L. , Ibrahim Alawiyatu Usman , Negerie Mekebeb , Yakubu Danjuma , Leatherman Sheila , Bentley Margaret E.
Published: March 2016

As part of a breastfeeding promotion intervention trial in Nigeria, we provided one cell phone per group of 5–7 microcredit clients and instructed the group's cell phone recipient to share weekly breastfeeding voice and text messages with group members. We measured the feasibility and acceptability of using group cell phones by conducting semi‐structured exit interviews with 195 microcredit clients whose babies were born during the intervention (target group), in‐depth interviews with eight phone recipients and nine non‐phone recipients, and 16 focus group discussions with other microcredit clients. Women in the target group said the group phone worked well or very well (64%). They were motivated to try the recommended practices because they trusted the information (58%) and had support from others (35%). Approximately 44% of target women reported that their groups met and shared messages at least once a week. Women in groups that met at least weekly had higher odds of exclusive breastfeeding up to 6 months (OR 5.6, 95% CI 1.6, 19.7) than women in groups that never met. In‐depth interviews and focus group discussions indicated that non‐phone recipients had positive feelings towards phone recipients, the group phone met participants' needs, and messages were often shared outside the group. In conclusion, group cell phone messaging to promote breastfeeding among microcredit clients is feasible and acceptable and can be part of an effective behaviour change package.
The bacterial community of entomophilic nematodes and host beetles
Authors: Koneru Sneha L. , Salinas Heilly , Flores Gilberto E. , Hong Ray L.
Published: March 2016

Insects form the most species‐rich lineage of Eukaryotes and each is a potential host for organisms from multiple phyla, including fungi, protozoa, mites, bacteria and nematodes. In particular, beetles are known to be associated with distinct bacterial communities and entomophilic nematodes. While entomopathogenic nematodes require symbiotic bacteria to kill and reproduce inside their insect hosts, the microbial ecology that facilitates other types of nematode–insect associations is largely unknown. To illuminate detailed patterns of the tritrophic beetle–nematode–bacteria relationship, we surveyed the nematode infestation profiles of scarab beetles in the greater Los Angeles area over a five‐year period and found distinct nematode infestation patterns for certain beetle hosts. Over a single season, we characterized the bacterial communities of beetles and their associated nematodes using high‐throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. We found significant differences in bacterial community composition among the five prevalent beetle host species, independent of geographical origin. Anaerobes Synergistaceae and sulphate‐reducing Desulfovibrionaceae were most abundant in Amblonoxia beetles, while Enterobacteriaceae and Lachnospiraceae were common in Cyclocephala beetles. Unlike entomopathogenic nematodes that carry bacterial symbionts, insect‐associated nematodes do not alter the beetles' native bacterial communities, nor do their microbiomes differ according to nematode or beetle host species. The conservation of Diplogastrid nematodes associations with Melolonthinae beetles and sulphate‐reducing bacteria suggests a possible link between beetle–bacterial communities and their associated nematodes. Our results establish a starting point towards understanding the dynamic interactions between soil macroinvertebrates and their microbiota in a highly accessible urban environment.
A Two‐Dimensional Plum‐Blossom Sensor Array‐Based Multiple Signal Classification Method for Impact Localization in Composite Structures
Authors: Zhong Yongteng , Xiang Jiawei
Published: March 2016

The growing use of composite materials on aircraft structures has attracted much attention for the impact monitoring as a kind of structural health monitoring method. Uniform linear sensor array (ULSA)‐based multiple signal classification (MUSIC) technology is a promising method because of its directional scanning ability and easy arrangement of the sensor array. However, the monitoring range of ULSA‐based MUSIC method is 0°–180°, and its beamforming properties degrade at angles close to 0° and 180°. Besides, the ULSA‐based MUSIC methods proposed require the knowledge of the direction dependent velocity profile obtained by additional experiments. This article presents a novel two‐dimensional (2‐D) plum‐blossom sensor array (PBSA)‐based MUSIC method. First, the velocity propagating at the specific direction is estimated by impact signal itself using PBSA directly. Second, 2‐D PBSA‐based MUSIC method well realizes omnidirectional 0°–360° impact localization of composite structures. Experimental results show its successful performance on epoxy laminate plate and complex composite structure.
The cytochrome bd oxidase of Escherichia coli prevents respiratory inhibition by endogenous and exogenous hydrogen sulfide
Authors: Korshunov Sergey , Imlay Karin R. C. , Imlay James A.
Published: March 2016

When sulfur compounds are scarce or difficult to process, Escherichia coli adapts by inducing the high‐level expression of sulfur‐compound importers. If cystine then becomes available, the cystine is rapidly overimported and reduced, leading to a burgeoning pool of intracellular cysteine. Most of the excess cysteine is exported, but some is adventitiously degraded, with the consequent release of sulfide. Sulfide is a potent ligand of copper and heme moieties, raising the prospect that it interferes with enzymes. We observed that when cystine was provided and sulfide levels rose, E. coli became strictly dependent upon cytochrome bd oxidase for continued respiration. Inspection revealed that low‐micromolar levels of sulfide inhibited the proton‐pumping cytochrome bo oxidase that is regarded as the primary respiratory oxidase. In the absence of the back‐up cytochrome bd oxidase, growth failed. Exogenous sulfide elicited the same effect. The potency of sulfide was enhanced when oxygen concentrations were low. Natural oxic‐anoxic interfaces are often sulfidic, including the intestinal environment where E. coli dwells. We propose that the sulfide resistance of the cytochrome bd oxidase is a key trait that permits respiration in such habitats.
Production of the Streptomyces scabies coronafacoyl phytotoxins involves a novel biosynthetic pathway with an F420‐dependent oxidoreductase and a short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase
Authors: Bown Luke , Altowairish Mead S. , Fyans Joanna K. , Bignell Dawn R. D.
Published: March 2016

Coronafacoyl phytotoxins are secondary metabolites that are produced by various phytopathogenic bacteria, including several pathovars of the Gram‐negative bacterium Pseudomonas syringae as well as the Gram‐positive potato scab pathogen Streptomyces scabies. The phytotoxins are composed of the polyketide coronafacic acid (CFA) linked via an amide bond to amino acids or amino acid derivatives, and their biosynthesis involves the cfa and cfa‐like gene clusters that are found in P. syringae and S. scabies, respectively. The S. scabies cfa‐like gene cluster was previously reported to contain several genes that are absent from the P. syringae cfa gene cluster, including one (oxr) encoding a putative F420—dependent oxidoreductase, and another (sdr) encoding a predicted short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase. Using gene deletion analysis, we demonstrated that both oxr and sdr are required for normal production of the S. scabies coronafacoyl phytotoxins, and structural analysis of metabolites that accumulated in the Δsdr mutant cultures revealed that Sdr is directly involved in the biosynthesis of the CFA moiety. Our results suggest that S. scabies and P. syringae use distinct biosynthetic pathways for producing coronafacoyl phytotoxins, which are important mediators of host‐pathogen interactions in various plant pathosystems.
The green tea polyphenol EGCG inhibits E. coli biofilm formation by impairing amyloid curli fibre assembly and downregulating the biofilm regulator CsgD via the σE‐dependent sRNA RybB
Authors: Serra Diego O. , Mika Franziska , Richter Anja M. , Hengge Regine
Published: March 2016

In bacterial biofilms, which are often involved in chronic infections, cells are surrounded by a self‐produced extracellular matrix that contains amyloid fibres, exopolysaccharides and other biopolymers. The matrix contributes to the pronounced resistance of biofilms against antibiotics and host immune systems. Being highly inflammatory, matrix amyloids such as curli fibres of Escherichia coli can also play a role in pathogenicity. Using macrocolony biofilms of commensal and pathogenic E. coli as a model system, we demonstrate here that the green tea polyphenol epigallocatachin gallate (EGCG) is a potent antibiofilm agent. EGCG virtually eliminates the biofilm matrix by directly interfering with the assembly of curli subunits into amyloid fibres, and by triggering the σE cell envelope stress response and thereby reducing the expression of CsgD – a crucial activator of curli and cellulose biosynthesis – due to csgD mRNA targeting by the σE‐dependent sRNA RybB. These findings highlight EGCG as a potential adjuvant for antibiotic therapy of biofilm‐associated infections. Moreover, EGCG may support therapies against pathogenic E. coli that produce inflammatory curli fibres along with Shigatoxin.
The role of a cytosolic superoxide dismutase in barley–pathogen interactions
Authors: Lightfoot Damien J. , Mcgrann Graham R. D. , Able Amanda J.
Published: March 2016

Reactive oxygen species (ROS), including superoxide (
/
) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), are differentially produced during resistance responses to biotrophic pathogens and during susceptible responses to necrotrophic and hemi‐biotrophic pathogens. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is responsible for the catalysis of the dismutation of
/
to H2O2, regulating the redox status of plant cells. Increased SOD activity has been correlated previously with resistance in barley to the hemi‐biotrophic pathogen Pyrenophora teres f. teres (Ptt, the causal agent of the net form of net blotch disease), but the role of individual isoforms of SOD has not been studied. A cytosolic CuZnSOD, HvCSD1, was isolated from barley and characterized as being expressed in tissue from different developmental stages. HvCSD1 was up‐regulated during the interaction with Ptt and to a greater extent during the resistance response. Net blotch disease symptoms and fungal growth were not as pronounced in transgenic HvCSD1 knockdown lines in a susceptible background (cv. Golden Promise), when compared with wild‐type plants, suggesting that cytosolic
/
contributes to the signalling required to induce a defence response to Ptt. There was no effect of HvCSD1 knockdown on infection by the hemi‐biotrophic rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae or the biotrophic powdery mildew pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei, but HvCSD1 also played a role in the regulation of lesion development by methyl viologen. Together, these results suggest that HvCSD1 could be important in the maintenance of the cytosolic redox status and in the differential regulation of responses to pathogens with different lifestyles.
Differential contribution of Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis virulence factors to systemic and local infection in tomato
Authors: Chalupowicz Laura , Barash Isaac , Reuven Michal , Dror Orit , Sharabani Galit , Gartemann Karl‐Heinz , Eichenlaub Rudolf , Sessa Guido , Manulis‐Sasson Shulamit
Published: March 2016

Clavibacter michiganensis ssp. michiganensis (Cmm) causes substantial economic losses in tomato production worldwide. The disease symptoms observed in plants infected systemically by Cmm are wilting and canker on the stem, whereas blister‐like spots develop in locally infected leaves. A wide repertoire of serine proteases and cell wall‐degrading enzymes has been implicated in the development of wilt and canker symptoms. However, virulence factors involved in the formation of blister‐like spots, which play an important role in Cmm secondary spread in tomato nurseries, are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Cmm virulence factors play different roles during blister formation relative to wilting. Inoculation with a green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐labelled Cmm382 indicates that penetration occurs mainly through trichomes. When spray inoculated on tomato leaves, the wild‐type Cmm382 and Cmm100 (lacking plasmids pCM1 and pCM2) strains form blister‐like spots on leaves, whereas Cmm27 (lacking the chp/tomA pathogenicity island) is non‐pathogenic, indicating that plasmid‐borne genes, which have a crucial role in wilting, are not required for blister formation. Conversely, mutations in chromosomal genes encoding serine proteases (chpC and sbtA), cell wall‐degrading enzymes (pgaA and endX/Y), a transcriptional regulator (vatr2), a putative perforin (perF) and a putative sortase (srtA) significantly affect disease incidence and the severity of blister formation. The transcript levels of these genes, as measured by quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction, showed that, during blister formation, they are expressed early at 8–16 h after inoculation, whereas, during wilting, they are expressed after 24–72 h or expressed at low levels. Plant gene expression studies suggest that chpC is involved in the suppression of host defence.
John Turnbull Thomson, Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society: An early New Zealand geographer
Authors: Roche Michael
Published: March 2016

John Turnbull Thomson is more known in New Zealand for his work as Chief Surveyor of Otago Province (1856–1876) and first Surveyor General of New Zealand (1877–1879). He was also a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society of London from 1848 until his death in 1884. Thomson was an important and early self‐declared ‘does’ of geographer in New Zealand, prior to the establishment of university geography in 1937. Thomson's contribution included survey and mapping but he also gave public lectures on geography and contributed to debates about glaciation.
Functional composition of plant communities determines the spatial and temporal stability of soil microbial properties in a long‐term plant diversity experiment
Authors: Strecker Tanja , Macé Odette González , Scheu Stefan , Eisenhauer Nico
Published: March 2016

Stable provisioning of ecosystem functions and services is crucial for human well‐being in a changing world. Two essential ecological components driving vital ecosystem functions in terrestrial ecosystems are plant diversity and soil microorganisms. In this study, we tracked soil microbial basal respiration and biomass over a time period of 12 years in a grassland biodiversity experiment (the Jena Experiment) and examined the role of plant diversity and plant functional group composition for the spatial and temporal stability of soil microbial properties (basal respiration and biomass) in bulk‐soil. Spatial and temporal stability were calculated as the inverse coefficient of variation (CV−1) of soil microbial respiration and biomass measured from soil samples taken over space and time, respectively. We found that 1) plant species richness consistently increased soil microbial properties after a time lag of four years since the establishment of the experimental plots, 2) plant species richness had minor effects on the spatial stability of soil microbial properties, whereas 3) the functional composition of plant communities significantly affected spatial stability of soil microbial properties, with legumes and tall herbs reducing both the spatial stability of microbial respiration and biomass, while grasses increased the latter, and 4) the effect of plant diversity on temporal stability of soil microbial properties turned from being negative to neutral, suggesting that the recovery of soil microbial communities from former arable land‐use takes more than a decade. Our results highlight the importance of plant functional group composition for the spatial and temporal stability of soil microbial properties, and hence for microbially‐driven ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and element cycling, in temperate semi‐natural grassland.
Collagen‐binding proteins of Streptococcus mutans and related streptococci
Authors: Avilés‐Reyes A. , Miller J.H. , Lemos J.A. , Abranches J.
Published: March 2016

The ability of Streptococcus mutans to interact with collagen through the expression of collagen‐binding proteins (CBPs) bestows this oral pathogen with an alternative to the sucrose‐dependent mechanism of colonization classically attributed to caries development. Based on the abundance and distribution of collagen throughout the human body, stringent adherence to this molecule grants S. mutans with the opportunity to establish infection at different host sites. Surface proteins, such as SpaP, WapA, Cnm and Cbm, have been shown to bind collagen in vitro, and it has been suggested that these molecules play a role in colonization of oral and extra‐oral tissues. However, robust collagen binding is not achieved by all strains of S. mutans, particularly those that lack Cnm or Cbm. These observations merit careful dissection of the contribution from these different CBPs towards tissue colonization and virulence. In this review, we will discuss the current understanding of mechanisms used by S. mutans and related streptococci to colonize collagenous tissues, and the possible contribution of CBPs to infections in different sites of the host.
Pulmonary aspiration under GA: a 13‐year audit in a tertiary pediatric unit
Authors: Tan Zihui , Lee Shu Ying
Published: March 2016

Introduction

Pulmonary aspiration is a known risk of general anesthesia. We aim to find out the incidence, risk factors, and outcome of pulmonary aspiration in our pediatric population.

Methods

Since 2000, all critical incidents are reported on a standardized audit form. All cases with pulmonary aspiration being reported as a critical incident were identified and their case notes traced to look at the perioperative details.

Results

From 2000 to 2013, a total of 102 425 pediatric cases were done in our hospital. Twenty‐two cases were reported to have aspirated during anesthesia giving an incidence of 0.02% (1 in 4655). Majority (59.0%) of the children were between the ages of 3–12 and of ASA 1 (54.5%). None of them had any history of pulmonary aspiration.

Of the 22 cases, 12 occurred during induction, three during maintenance, three during emergence, three during recovery, and one occurred preinduction. Twelve cases had intravenous induction while the rest received inhalational induction. The type of induction does not appear to affect the incidence of aspiration (OR1.139 95%CI: 0.457–2.818 P = 0.76).

Two cases were found to have a difficult airway during induction and 45.5% were emergency operations. Emergency surgeries put the patient at a higher risk of aspiration (OR4.321 95%CI: 1.735–10.687 P = 0.001).

No mortality was reported. Surgery was canceled for one patient, two had unplanned admissions, seven were admitted to high dependency unit or intensive care unit with two requiring postoperative ventilation.

Conclusion

The incidence of aspiration under general anesthesia in our hospital is comparable to published reports. Our audit highlights the fact that pulmonary aspiration although rare mostly occur in healthy ASA 1 and 2 children with no prior history. Emergency surgeries put the patient at a higher risk of aspiration. They occurred usually during induction, a process which tends to be variable (in technique and duration) for pediatric patients.
A Comparison of Expectations of Physicians and Patients with Chronic Pain for Pain Clinic Visits
Authors: Calpin Pádraig , Imran Ather , Harmon Dominic
Published: March 2016

Background

The patient–physician encounter forms the cornerstone of every health service. However, optimal medical outcomes are often confounded by inadequate patient–physician communication. Chronic pain is estimated to affect over 25% of the population. Its effects are multifaceted with patients at increased risk of experiencing emotional and functional disturbances. Therefore, it is crucial to address all components of the patient's pain experience, including beliefs and expectations. It is our understanding that no other study to date has evaluated the expectations of physicians and compared them to those of patients for pain clinic visits. We sought to describe and compare expectations of chronic pain patients and their physicians during a clinic consultation.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review on patients attending the pain clinic for the first time who were enrolled and completed a questionnaire asking their expectations for their clinic visit as well as outcomes that would satisfy and disappoint them. Pain physicians were also included. We compared physicians' to patients' responses and evaluated relationships between patient responses and age, gender, pain location, Pain Self‐Efficacy, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.

Results

One hundred chronic pain patients and 10 pain physicians were surveyed. Patients' clinical expectations for visits focused primarily on some pain relief (34%), education on the cause of pain (24%), and a definitive diagnosis (18%). Physician's expectations included formulation and communication of a management plan (70%), patient assessment for cause of pain (50%), and the education of patients on the cause of pain (40%) as important aims. Pain relief would satisfy the majority of patients (74%) and physicians (70%). No improvement would cause greatest dissatisfaction for patients (52%), but causing more harm would be disappointing to physicians (50%). Gender, age, pain location, and sleep quality all significantly influenced patients' expectations and affective pain comorbidities.

Conclusion

We found some agreement and some discordance of clinical expectations between pain patients and physicians. Patient factors may also impact on expectations and comorbidities. Findings from this study will help doctors consider patients' expectations in planning pain clinic visits, improve patient–doctor communication and pain management, and may lead to further hypothesis‐driven studies.
Lubiprostone for Opioid‐Induced Constipation Does Not Interfere with Opioid Analgesia in Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain
Authors: Spierings Egilius L. H. , Brewer Randall P. , Rauck Richard L. , Losch‐Beridon Taryn , Mareya Shadreck M.
Published: March 2016

Objective

To determine whether lubiprostone 24 μg twice daily (BID), administered to relieve opioid‐induced constipation (OIC), affects opioid analgesia in patients with chronic noncancer pain.

Methods

Data were pooled from 3 randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials of lubiprostone in adults with chronic noncancer pain receiving stable opioid analgesia and who had documented OIC. In each study, lubiprostone 24 μg BID or placebo was administered for 12 weeks for relief of OIC using a common protocol. The Brief Pain Inventory short form (BPI‐SF) was administered, and opioid use (expressed as morphine‐equivalent daily dose [MEDD]) was recorded at baseline and months 1, 2, and 3. The BPI‐SF provided patient scores for pain severity, the worst pain experienced in the past 24 hours, and pain interference with daily life.

Results

The pooled patient population (N = 1300) was predominately female (62.5%) and white (82.1%), with a mean age of 50.5 years. The MEDD was 97.5 mg (range, 5 to 3656 mg) in patients receiving placebo and 112.5 mg (range, 4 to 7605 mg) in patients treated with lubiprostone. Lubiprostone 24 μg BID treatment did not appear to affect opioid use or pain scores; changes from baseline were not significantly different with placebo vs. lubiprostone 24 μg BID at months 1, 2, and 3 for MEDD (P ≥ 0.435) and for BPI‐SF scores for pain interference, pain severity, and worst pain (P ≥ 0.402).

Discussion

Lubiprostone 24 μg BID administered for relief of OIC in patients with chronic noncancer pain does not interfere with opioid analgesia.
Opioid‐Induced Constipation Survey in Patients with Chronic Noncancer Pain
Authors: Rauck Richard L. , Hong Kyung‐soo Jason , North James
Published: March 2016

Chronic pain patients relying on chronic opioid therapy are often challenged with opioid‐induced constipation (OIC), a difficult condition to treat that has a significant psychosocial impact on those who are affected (Bruner et al., J Pain Res, 8, 2015, 289). Unlike other side effects of opioids, OIC does not resolve over time during chronic opioid use, and treatments used for functional constipation often fail to provide adequate symptom relief (Nelson and Camilleri, Therap Adv Gastroenterol, 8, 2015, 206). Estimates of the prevalence of OIC vary. It has been reported that 15% to 90% of opioid users are affected by OIC (Gaertner et al., J Clin Gastroenterol, 49, 2015, 9; Wan et al., Am Health Drug Benefits, 8, 2015, 93; Coyne et al., Clinicoecon Outcomes Res, 6, 2014, 269). In addition, a recent rise in opioid prescriptions by nonpain specialists has contributed to the increase in opioid‐related side effects, such as OIC (Nelson and Camilleri, Therap Adv Gastroenterol, 8, 2015, 206; Tuteja et al., Neurogastroenterol Motil, 22, 2010, 424). We conducted a survey on OIC through PainPathways magazine in fall of 2014 and in spring of 2015. Survey results showed the prevalence of depression and the modification of opioid dosage were higher than previously thought. Additionally, we found that discussions with healthcare workers regarding OIC do not take place regularly. Our results re‐emphasize the need for a consensus on OIC‐specific diagnostic criteria, evidence‐based treatment strategies, outcome metrics, and education about OIC for both prescribers and patients to improve clinical outcome as well as patient satisfaction.
A Robertsonian translocation from Thinopyrum bessarabicum into bread wheat confers high iron and zinc contents
Authors: Ardalani Somayeh , Mirzaghaderi Ghader , Badakhshan Hedyeh
Published: March 2016

Development of wheat–alien translocation lines has facilitated practical utilization of alien species in wheat improvement. The production of a compensating Triticum aestivum–Thinopyrum bessarabicum whole‐arm Robertsonian translocation (RobT) involving chromosomes 6D of wheat and 6Eb of Th. bessarabicum (2n = 2x = 14, EbEb) through the mechanism of centric breakage–fusion is reported here. An F2 population was derived from plants double‐monosomic for chromosome 6D and 6Eb from crosses between a DS6Eb(6D) substitution line and bread wheat cultivar ‘Roushan’ (2n = 6x = 42, AABBDD) as female parent. Eighty F2 genotypes (L1–L80) were screened for chromosome composition. Three PCR‐based Landmark Unique Gene (PLUG) markers specific to chromosomes 6D and 6Eb were used for screening the F2 plants. One plant with a T6EbS.6DL centric fusion (RobT) was identified. A homozygous translocation line with full fertility was recovered among F3 families and verified with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH). Grain micronutrient analysis showed that the DS6Eb(6D) substitution line and T6EbS.6DL stock have higher Fe and Zn contents than the recipient wheat cultivar ‘Roushan’.
Oral secretions from Mythimna separata insects specifically induce defence responses in maize as revealed by high‐dimensional biological data
Authors: Qi Jinfeng , Sun Guiling , Wang Lei , Zhao Chunxia , Hettenhausen Christian , Schuman Meredith C. , Baldwin Ian T. , Li Jing , Song Juan , Liu Zhudong , Xu Guowang , Lu Xin , Wu Jianqiang
Published: March 2016

Attack from insect herbivores poses a major threat to plant survival, and accordingly, plants have evolved sophisticated defence systems. Maize is cultivated as a staple crop worldwide, and insect feeding causes large production losses. Despite its importance in agriculture, little is known about how maize reacts to insect herbivory. Taking advantage of advances in sequencing and mass spectrometry technology, we studied the response of maize to mechanical wounding and simulated Mythimna separata (a specialist insect) herbivory by applying its oral secretions (OS) to wounds. In comparison to the responses induced by mechanical wounding, OS elicited larger and longer‐lasting changes in the maize transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and phytohormones. Specifically, many genes, proteins and metabolites were uniquely induced or repressed by OS. Nearly 290 transcription factor genes from 39 families were involved in OS‐induced responses, and among these, more transcription factor genes were specifically regulated by OS than by wounding. This study provides a large‐scale omics dataset for understanding maize response to chewing insects and highlights the essential role of OS in plant–insect interactions.
On Continuity: Rush Rhees on Outer and Inner Surfaces of Bodies
Authors: Erbacher Christian , Schirmer Tina
Published: March 2016

This article presents an edited excerpt from a hitherto unknown fragmentary treatise by Rush Rhees. In the treatise, Rhees gives his account of the problem of continuity that he had started elaborating before he became acquainted with Wittgenstein. The excerpt, which contains Rhees' original distinction between outer and inner surfaces of bodies, builds on Brentano's theory of the continuum and his doctrine of plerosis. This treatment of continuity sheds light on Rhees' early philosophical development and confirms that even though he and Wittgenstein discussed the problem of continuity, Rhees' own approach remained distinct from that of Wittgenstein.
Health Disparities and Delayed Health care among Older Adults in California: A Perspective from Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration
Authors: Du Yan , Xu Qingwen
Published: March 2016

Objectives

To examine racial/ethnic/immigration disparities in health and to investigate the relationships among race/ethnic/immigration status, delayed health care, and health of the elderly.

Design and Sample

Responses from 13,508 people aged 65 and above were analyzed based on the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2011–2012.

Measures

Key variables include race/ethnicity/immigration status, health outcome, and delayed health care. Age, gender, education, work status, and annual family income are used as covariates.

Results

The findings indicate that Whites (regardless of country of birth) and U.S.‐born Asians enjoy better health than Latinos, African‐Americans, and Foreign‐born Asians. Foreign‐born Asians and foreign‐born Latinos have the poorest self‐reported health and mental health, respectively. Delayed use of health care is negatively associated with both self‐reported health and mental health status.

Conclusions

Health disparities exist among older adult populations; the combined effects of minority and immigrant status can be approximated from the results in this study. Health care accessibility and the quality of care should be promoted in minority/immigrant populations. Public health nurses have a strong potential to aide in reducing health disparities among an aging American population that continues to exhibit increasing racial/ethnic diversity.
Bleeding canker of horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) in Ireland: incidence, severity and characterization using DNA sequences and real‐time PCR
Authors: McEvoy A. , O'Regan F. , Fleming C. C. , Moreland B. P. , Pollock J. A. , McGuinness B. W. , Hodkinson T. R.
Published: March 2016

A survey of bleeding canker disease, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. aesculi, was undertaken across Ireland. Incidence has become severe and can be considered epidemic, as 61% of the 1587 horse chestnut trees surveyed showed symptoms of the disease. Bacteria were isolated from a sample of trees and characterized using gyrBDNA sequencing. DNA was also extracted directly from wound tissue. The Irish P. syringae pv. aesculi genotype was identical to genotypes previously sequenced with gyrB from the UK and some other locations in Europe. Real‐time PCR, using existing primers and a newly designed, more pathovar‐specific primer set, was assessed for use in disease screening. With molecular screening, a total of 11 trees from a sample of 55 tested positive for P. syringae pv. aesculi in Ireland. It was more efficient to extract DNA directly from wound tissue, especially fresh bark, for disease detection than to undertake bacterial isolation with subsequent molecular analysis. A further set of sequencing primers was developed for the amplification of the gyrB gene from P. syringae pv. aesculi and their specificity was shown using a diverse sample of bacterial isolate DNAs. The study also isolated and identified other bacterial species from diseased material; some of these are known pathogens (Brenneria nigrifluens, P. marginalis and P. syringae) or have previously been identified as potentially beneficial endophytes of host trees (Erwinia billingiae, E. tolentana, P. fluorescens, P. putida and Raoultella).
Attentional guidance by relative features: Behavioral and electrophysiological evidence
Authors: Schönhammer Josef G. , Grubert Anna , Kerzel Dirk , Becker Stefanie I.
Published: March 2016

Our ability to select task‐relevant information from cluttered visual environments is widely believed to be due to our ability to tune attention to the particular elementary feature values of a sought‐after target (e.g., red, orange, yellow). By contrast, recent findings showed that attention is often tuned to feature relationships, that is, features that the target has relative to irrelevant features in the context (e.g., redder, yellower). However, the evidence for such a relational account is so far exclusively based on behavioral measures that do not allow a safe inference about early perceptual processes. The present study provides a critical test of the relational account, by measuring an electrophysiological marker in the EEG of participants (N2pc) in response to briefly presented distractors (cues) that could either match the physical features of the target or its relative features. In a first experiment, the target color and nontarget color were kept constant across trials. In line with a relational account, we found that only cues with the same relative color as the target were attended, regardless of whether the cues had the same physical color as the target. In a second experiment, we demonstrate that attention is biased to the exact target feature value when the target is embedded in a randomly varying context. Taken together, these results provide the first electrophysiological evidence that attention can modulate early perceptual processes differently; in a context‐dependent manner versus a context‐independent manner, resulting in marked differences in the range of colors that can attract attention.
The evaluation of risk in pharmaceutical research: a study of current models and techniques
Authors: Oreskovich Anne‐Marie , Gittins John
Published: March 2016

This paper reviews the need for risk management in pharmaceutical industry research and development and the analytical procedures available for that purpose. These are shown to be inadequate. We propose two new measures of risk which are illustrated with the use of current pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) data. Our most important findings are twofold: that risk quantification in pharmaceutical R&D today often does not capture the full extent of a company's exposure to financial risk, and that better methods such as our new risk measures can and should be developed. We hope that our work both in this literature review and in the creation of new risk measures will inspire companies to take a closer look at their current R&D management strategies, and to refresh and update their risk mitigation policies accordingly.
Total Cell Number and its Allocation to Trophectoderm and Inner Cell Mass in In Vitro Obtained Cats' Blastocysts
Authors: Ochota M , Wojtasik B , Niżański W
Published: March 2016

Contents

The aim of this study was to evaluate the developmental kinetics of cats' blastocysts in connection with their morphology and blastomeres allocation to trophoblast or embryoblast cells. We examined gross blastocyst morphology and the total number of blastomeres together with its allocation to inner cell mass (ICM) or trophectoderm (TE) cells in pre‐implantation feline embryos obtained from 6th to 9th day of in vitro culture. From all the investigated embryos, 61.8% developed to early blastocyst, 37.4% to full and 7.6% to hatching blastocyst stage. The total cell number (TCN) varied form 58 cells in early day 6 to 245 in hatching day 8 blastocyst, with the mean 84.9 cells in early, 156.7 in full, and 204.4 in hatching ones. Day 8 blastocyst had the highest number of total cells, together with the highest mean number of ICM regardless of its morphological assessment. Early blastocyst (apart from day 6) had the highest number of arrested cells, while dead cells were the highest in full day 9 blastocyst. More data about the relationship between blastocyst development and morphology would facilitate the selection of optimal blastocysts for further procedures.
Association between histone hyperacetylation status in memory T lymphocytes and allergen‐induced eosinophilic airway inflammation
Authors: Zhang Hong Ping , Wang Lei , Fu Juan Juan , Fan Tao , Wang Zeng Li , Wang Gang
Published: March 2016

Background and objective

T lymphocytes, which are characterized by longevity and immune memory, play an important role in airway inflammation in asthma. Here, we assessed the association between immune memory and histone deacetylation and/or acetylation status.

Methods

CD4 + CD45RBlow cells (memory T (Tm)) obtained from the spleens of asthma mice models were co‐cultured with glucocorticoids (GCs), trichostatin A (TSA) or anacardic acid (AA) and adoptively transferred to naïve mice. Interleukin (IL)‐4, 5 and 13 and IFN‐γ concentrations were measured in culture supernatants and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Histone deacetylase (HDAC) and histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activities and the expression of T‐bet, GATA‐3, HDACs 1–11 and alveolar eosinophilic inflammation index (AEII) were determined in lung tissues.

Results

Culture supernatants and the BALF showed similar cytokine profiles. AA and GCs significantly inhibited HAT activity (P = 0.002 and P = 0.018), whereas TSA inhibited and GCs promoted HDAC activity (P = 0.004 and P = 0.025). HDACs 7, 9 and 10 were upregulated by AA and GCs (all P < 0.032), while HDAC11 was upregulated by GCs (P = 0.028). GC‐induced inhibition of Tm histone acetylation alleviated AEII by downregulating IL‐4, 5 and 13, similar to the effect of AA.

Conclusion

Histone hyperacetylation status induced by low expression of HDACs 7, 9 and 10 in allergen‐specific Tm cells contributes to eosinophilic airway inflammation. The mechanism by which GCs improve airway inflammation involves the upregulation of HDACs 7, 9, 10 and 11 and especially HDAC‐10. The role of individual HDACs and AA as novel therapeutic agents for allergic asthma needs to be explored in the future.
Histopathology of removed indwelling pleural catheters from patients with malignant pleural diseases
Authors: Tobin Claire L. , Thomas Rajesh , Chai Siaw Ming , Segal Amanda , Lee Y. C. Gary
Published: March 2016

Background and objective

Indwelling pleural catheters (IPC), used for management of malignant pleural effusions, are often left in situ for a long duration. This study reports for the first time the histological findings of IPCs removed from patients with underlying pleural malignancy.

Methods

Forty‐one IPCs (in situ for median 126 days, interquartile range 43–226) that were removed over a 54‐month period from a single centre were examined.

Results

Mesothelioma (n = 18) was the predominant underlying malignancy followed by breast, tubo‐ovarian and lung carcinomas. The catheter tubing was fully intact macroscopically in all IPCs. There was no evidence of direct tumour invasion or cancer cell growth on the catheter surfaces in none of the 29 IPCs that were histologically examined. Malignant cells were seen within organizing fibrinous tissues in the lumen of 11 IPCs (27%). A foreign body giant cell reaction was present at the cuff site in all the 29 IPC in which the subcutaneous cuff was examined. Acute (n = 10) and/or chronic inflammatory changes were seen in the luminal contents in all 41 IPCs.

Conclusion

Our study provides reassuring evidence that the IPC material does not support direct tumour growth or invasion even in the setting of high mesothelioma prevalence.

See Editorial, page 787