bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of the injectable formulation of methadone hydrochloride and methadone in lipid nanocarriers administered orally to horses
Authors: Crosignani N. , Luna S. P. , Dalla Costa T. , Pimenta E. L. , Detoni C. B. , Guterres S. S. , Puoli Filho J. N. , Pantoja J. C. , Pigatto M. C.
Published: January 2017

We investigated the thermal, electrical and mechanical antinociceptive and physiological effects (heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure, head height and abdominal auscultation score), and pharmacokinetics, of 0.5 mg/kg of the injectable formulation (ORAL) or nanoparticulated methadone (NANO) given orally, in six adult mares, using a crossover, blind and prospective design. Repeated‐measure models were used to compare parametric data between and within treatments, followed by Tukey's test. Nonparametric data were analysed with Wilcoxon signed‐rank, adjusted by Bonferroni tests. Blood samples were also collected up to 6 h after dosing for plasma drug quantification by LC‐MS/MS. Methadone pharmacokinetic parameters were determined by noncompartmental and compartmental approaches. There were no differences in pharmacodynamic parameters. No statistical differences were observed in the pharmacokinetic parameters from noncompartmental analysis for both groups, except a significant decrease in peak plasma concentration, increase in apparent volume of distribution per fraction absorbed (Vdss/F) and increased mean residence time (MRT) for NANO. One‐compartment open model with first order elimination best described the pharmacokinetic profiles for both groups. Neither ORAL nor NANO administered orally to horses produced antinociception. The nanoencapsulated formulation of methadone given orally to horses did not improve methadone pharmacokinetic parameters or increased systemic body exposure to methadone.
The wing musculature of the Brown kiwi Apteryx australis mantelli and its bearing on ratite affinities
Authors: McGowan C.
Published: January 2017

Most previous accounts of the wing muscles of the kiwi have only dealt with the proximal muscles. The few accounts that have treated the distal muscles are incomplete in other respects and sufficient uncertainty exists to warrant the present study.

The wing musculature of the kiwi is closely similar to that of other ratites but markedly dissimilar to that of the carinates. In this regard the wing muscles differ from those of the leg. Ratites have far fewer wing muscles than carinates. Significantly, they lack propatagial muscles (and almost certainly propatagia), and neither the M. pectoralis nor the M. supracoracoideus is well developed; in carinates these two flight muscles comprise the bulk of the wing musculature. Furthermore, the insertion tendon of the M. supracoracoideus does not loop through a triosseal canal to effect wing elevation as it does in the carinates. In all of these regards the ratite condition is closer to that of reptiles than of carinates. This raises the question of whether ratites should be regarded as primitive birds, rather than as advanced birds that evolved from carinates. The present skeleto‐muscular data, taken with other evidence, suggests that ratites are primitive birds that evolved from a primitive, volant ancestor.

The elements of the pectoral skeleton show a greater degree of individual variation than those of the pelvic skeleton. Aside from its extreme curvature the humerus is the most rudimentary element and few of its features can be compared with those of the carinate humerus.

Few of the wing muscles have attachments that can be identified with specific osteological features. Myological data for the kiwi are therefore virtually irretrievable from osteological material, as noted previously for the pelvic muscles. While this might be peculiar to the kiwi (which seems unlikely) the fact should serve as a cautionary note to palaeontologists attempting to reconstruct the muscles of extinct animals.
Food, predation and breeding season in Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus)
Authors: Newton Newton , Marquiss M.
Published: January 2017

During a ten‐year study, Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus in south Scotland fed almost entirely on other birds; the smaller male hawk concentrated on smaller prey‐species than the larger female took. Throughout the spring and summer the hawks took large numbers of fledgling birds. Each prey species increased in the hawk diet for a short period after its young had left the nest; and as different prey species produced their young at different dates, the hawks continually switched emphasis from one prey species to another through the season. Breeding by Sparrowhawks coincided almost exactly with the period that fledgling song birds were available each year. The first hawks to lay started within five to ten days after fledglings first became available in spring, and the nestling period of the hawk population, when food demands were greatest, coincided with the period of peak fledgling supply.
The statocyst of the squid Loligo
Authors: Stephens P. R. , Young J. Z.
Published: January 2017

The cavity of the statocyst is shaped and divided to provide angular accelerometers by action of the inertial mass of endolymph upon the cupulae. Some of the anticristae that make the divisions become joined in adult Loligo, producing rather well‐defined canals. These direct the flow across the vertical crista, monitoring movements in the yawing plane. Movement of endolymph across the other sections of the crista is not restrained into canals but is directed by the anticristae and by the shapes of the sacs above and below them. The arrangement of the posterior transverse crista suggests that it may monitor linear accelerations forwards and backwards.

The hooks (hamuli) at the ends of each part of the crista serve to restrict the effective flow across the cupulae. The hamuli are absent at hatching and they grow continually, maintaining a small cupula gap. These conditions are compared with those in the semicircular canals of vertebrates.

The afferent nerve fibres of the crista have a small diameter at their origin, increasing rapidly to 40 µm. They run directly to the brain. The small, presumably efferent, fibres run complex courses along the crista before forming networks around its cells.

The walls of the statocyst are largely covered by a plexus of nerve fibres connected with the nerves of the crista. The plexus contains few nerve cells and the origin of its fibres is uncertain.

Cells beneath the epithelium send ciliated projections into the cavity. They carry an elaborate basal network of fibres in the outer statocyst wall. Their significance is not known.
The burrows and burrowing behaviour of Maera loveni (Crustacea: Amphipoda)
Authors: Atkinson R. J. A. , Moore P. G. , Morgan P. J.
Published: January 2017

Twenty‐two burrow systems constructed by the amphipod Maera loveni are described from resin casts taken in Loch Riddon, Scotland. The species burrows in subtidal muds with burrow form varying from a simple U‐shape occupied by a single animal to complexly branched structures with ribbon‐like tunnels and slit‐like surface openings. Such burrows are occupied by a colony of amphipods. The most complex Maera burrows impinged on the burrows of the Norway lobster, Nephrops norvegicus. Within the confines of a colony's perimeter, the Maera burrows considerably increase the sediment/water interface. Animals excavate using their second gnathopods as scoops and cooperative burrowing has been observed in aquarium studies. Initial concealment takes only five minutes and a simple U‐shaped burrow can be achieved by an individual in 27 hours. Once burrows are established, laboratory animals rarely emerge above the sediment surface preferring to remain in their well oxygenated burrows. Behavioural observations led to an investigation of gnathopod morphology using scanning electron microscopy. The disposition and structure of setae on gnathopods 1 and 2 are described and illustrated, indicating the dual role of these limbs in digging and grooming.
A new species of Phestilla; the first record of a corallivorous aeolid nudibranch from tropical America
Authors: Rudman W.B.
Published: January 2017

A new species of aeolid nudibranch mollusc of the genus Phestilla (Tergipedidae) is described from the Bay of Panama, on the Pacific coast of tropical America. It feeds on the scleractinian coral Porites lobata and preliminary histological evidence suggests that it may have a symbiosis with zooxanthellac it removes from the Porites tissue.
The morphology and population dynamics of Aspidopholas obtecta (Bivalvia: Pholadidae) boring into the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) in Hong Kong
Authors: Wonc P. S.
Published: January 2017

The pholadid shell borer Aspidopholas obtecta Sowerby is a pest of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas Thunberg) in Hong Kong. It bores mechanically using the shell as a boring tool. As in other pholads, there are two morphologically distinct adult growth forms: an actively growing form with a strong suctorial foot, and a non‐boring reproductively mature form sealed by a callum. Metamorphosis of the growing to the mature form can occur within one year of post‐settlement and its occurrence increases with the degree of crowding. As the shell grows, it elongates from a round to an oval shape. Size‐frequency analysis showed that the population consists of several age groups with new larval settlement once a year. Spawning occurs in July, and the larvae settle on any available oyster shell, irrespective of age, in August. The annual increment in shell length is about 5 mm and growth takes place throughout the year, but at a lower rate from April to August. This may be the result either of low calcium concentration in the water or of diversion of energy to gonad growth. A high proportion of dead shells was found from May to September and in December and January.
Piketty, Marxian Political Economy, and the Law of the Falling Rate of Profit
Authors: Rockmore Tom
Published: January 2017

This article examines two views about the capitalism that lies at the heart of modern industrial society. We owe to Marx and Piketty two large‐scale, hugely important, but very different studies of the nature of modern industrial capitalism. In Capital, Marx provides a complex analysis of the anatomy of modern industrial capitalism, which he regards not as stable but rather as over time unstable and tending toward internal collapse on several grounds, of which the most important is apparently the so‐called tendency of the falling rate of profit. The falling rate of profit supposedly threatens its continued existence. Piketty criticizes the latter view in the context of his theory of contemporary capitalism. The article suggests, first, that Marx's view of the falling rate of interest is empirically implausible but Piketty's rival claim is empirically plausible. Second, a successful transition from capitalism to communism on Marxian grounds is unlikely in practice. And finally, despite Marx's intentions, it is unlikely to realize itself in practice, and is in this respect a traditional theory.
Moral Philosophers as Ethical Engineers: Limits of Moral Philosophy and a Pragmatist Alternative
Authors: Martela Frank
Published: January 2017

Ever since Kant, moral philosophers have been more or less animated by the mission of discovering inescapable law‐like rules that would provide a binding justification for morality. Recently, however, many have started to question (a) whether this is possible and (b) what, after all, this project could achieve. An alternative vision of the task of moral philosophy starts from the pragmatist idea that philosophizing begins and ends in human experiencing. It leads to a view where morality is seen as a “social technology” that aims to make living together possible, and strengthens people's capability to live a good life within a society. The role of moral philosophy is, accordingly, to develop our moral tools further. Moral philosophers become ethical engineers who use their expertise in ethical topics to criticize existing “moral technology” and construct new concepts, tools, and theories that better answer the current challenges for living a good life.
High engagement, high quality: A guiding framework for developing empirically informed asynchronous e‐learning programs for health professional educators
Authors: Sinclair Peter M. , Levett‐Jones Tracey , Morris Amanda , Carter Ben , Bennett Paul N. , Kable Ashley
Published: January 2017

Abstract

E‐learning involves the transfer of skills and knowledge via technology so that learners can access meaningful and authentic educational materials. While learner engagement is important, in the context of healthcare education, pedagogy must not be sacrificed for edu‐tainment style instructional design. Consequently, health professional educators need to be competent in the use of current web‐based educational technologies so that learners are able to access relevant and engaging e‐learning materials without restriction. The increasing popularity of asynchronous e‐learning programs developed for use outside of formal education institutions has made this need more relevant. In these contexts, educators must balance design and functionality to deliver relevant, cost‐effective, sustainable, and accessible programs that overcome scheduling and geographic barriers for learners.

This paper presents 10 guiding design principles and their application in the development of an e‐learning program for general practice nurses focused on behavior change. Consideration of these principles will assist educators to develop high quality, pedagogically sound, engaging, and interactive e‐learning resources.
A novel mutation conferring the nonbrittle phenotype of cultivated barley
Authors: Civáň Peter , Brown Terence A.
Published: January 2017

The nonbrittle rachis, resulting in a seed head which does not shatter at maturity, is one of the key phenotypes that distinguishes domesticated barley from its wild relatives. The phenotype is associated with two loci, Btr1 and Btr2, with all domesticated barleys thought to have either a 1 bp deletion in Btr1 or an 11 bp deletion in Btr2.

We used a PCR genotyping method with 380 domesticated barley landraces to identify those with the Btr1 deletion and those with the Btr2 deletion.

We discovered two landraces, from Serbia and Greece, that had neither deletion. Instead these landraces possess a novel point mutation in Btr1, changing a leucine to a proline in the protein product. We confirmed that plants carrying this mutation have the nonbrittle phenotype and identified wild haplotypes from the Gaziantep region of southeast Turkey as the closest wild relatives of these two landraces.

The presence of a third mutation conferring the nonbrittle phenotype of domesticated barley shows that the origin of this trait is more complex than previously thought, and is consistent with recent models that view the transition to agriculture in southwest Asia as a protracted and multiregional process.
Does plant diversity increase top–down control of herbivorous insects in tropical forest?
Authors: Leles Bruno , Xiao Xue , Pasion Bonifacio O. , Nakamura Akihiro , Tomlinson Kyle W.
Published: January 2017

Higher trophic level interactions are key mediators of ecosystem functioning in tropical forests. A rich body of theory has been developed to predict the effects of plant diversity on communities at higher trophic levels and the mechanisms underlying such effects. The 'enemies hypothesis’ states that predators exert more effective top–down control of herbivorous insects with increasing plant diversity. Support for this hypothesis has been found in temperate forests and agroecosystems, but remains understudied in tropical forests. We compared incidence of attacks of different natural enemies using artificial caterpillars in a tropical forest landscape and investigated the role of plant community structure (i.e. species richness, composition and density), and the role of forest fragmentation (i.e. patch size, edge distance and canopy openness) on predation intensity. Plant community effects were tested with respect to three vegetation strata: trees, saplings and herbs. Observed predation was substantially due to ants. Predation rates increased with plant species richness for trees and herbs. Density of saplings, herb cover and herb species composition were important factors for predation. No significant patterns were found for fragmentation parameters, suggesting that forest fragmentation has not altered predation intensity. We conclude that in tropical forests, top–down control of herbivorous insects in the understory vegetation is affected by a combination of plant diversity, plant species composition and structural features of the plant community.
“A dying vibration”
Authors: Rawson Eric
Published: January 2017

Conrad's jarring juxtapositions of sound and silence in Heart of Darkness emphasize the epistemological and ontological concerns of a narrative the stands at the threshold of the modern information age, in which the sounds of the world are being rapidly reorganized into an electroacoustical coding and decoding of information that collapses traditional notions of the communicative availability of the aural. While not as immediately engaging as the novel's fraught visual imagery, the soundscape of Heart of Darkness shapes Marlow's – and the reader's – understanding of his African journey.
Mircea Cărtărescu en suédois
Authors: Lutas Liviu
Published: January 2017

Dans cet article, nous analysons le phénomène de la réception d'un écrivain roumain en Suède, avec une attention particulière accordée au phénomène de la traduction et de l’éventuelle influence de cette traduction sur la réception. Il s'agit notamment du premier volume de la trilogie Orbitor de Mircea Cărtărescu, publié en 1996 et intitulé Orbitor. Aripa stângă en roumain, et traduit en 2004 en suédois comme Orbitór. Vänster vinge. Nous nous concentrons surtout sur le choix de la traductrice suédoise Inger Johansson en ce qui concerne la stratégie de rendre le texte transparent – le naturaliser – ou opaque – l'exotiser – pour le public suédois. Nous nous appuyons sur les discours théoriques sur les stratégies traductionnelles « sourcière » ou « cibliste », soulignant surtout les enjeux culturels et éthiques d'un choix entre celles‐ci. Pour ce faire, nous comparons la traduction suédoise avec les traductions en français et en anglais, afin de mieux pouvoir dégager une stratégie.
The Influence of Quality Inspections on the Optimal Safety Stock Level
Authors: Sonntag Danja , Kiesmüller Gudrun P.
Published: January 2017

Due to yields of less than 50% during the production of curved glass for the displays on their new cell phone series, Samsung has to deal with higher than expected production costs of several million dollars. Where there is random yield, production costs as well as holding costs can be reduced by introducing quality inspections, in which defective items are discarded before further production. To achieve the greatest cost savings, it is important to determine the optimal number and positions of these inspections across the production process which, due to several influencing parameters, is not simple. We show how the positions of inspection within a production process influence the safety stock level that is required to buffer against uncertainties due to demand and yield randomness. Our approach is the first one, combining decisions about the number and positions of inspections with inventory control strategies in a warehouse. We achieve a maximum safety stock reduction of more than 30% in our examples, which can be even larger depending on the parameter setting. For a company like Intel, reporting inventories for finished goods of nearly 1.5 billion dollars in the 2014 annual report, this allows for significant savings.
Alteration of fatty acid chain length of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by simultaneous expression of medium‐chain‐specific thioesterase and acyl carrier protein
Authors: Inaba Yu , Nakahigashi Kenji , Ito Takuro , Tomita Masaru
Published: January 2017

Biofuel from fatty acids with chain lengths of 8–15 (C8–C15) have properties similar to those of conventional diesel and jet fuels, thus, can save time and reduce costs for the refurbishment of engines and maintenance of oiling facilities. Most oil‐producing algae yield C16–C18 fatty acids; however, the manipulation of algae using genetic engineering is a promising approach to obtain C8–C15 fatty acids. The introduction of a medium‐chain‐specific thioesterase (TE) is expected to effectively alter algae to produce medium‐chain fatty acids (MCFAs). TE is the main determinant of fatty acid chain length as it releases fatty acids from the acyl carrier protein (ACP) in the fatty acid elongation cycle. In a previous study, the introduction of heterologous C8–C12‐specific TEs into Chlamydomonas reinhardtii did not increase the yield of MCFAs. This effect was attributed to a low affinity of the heterologous TEs to C. reinhardtii ACP. Therefore, we introduced both the C10–C14‐specific TE gene and the ACP gene from the land plant Cuphea lanceolata into C. reinhardtii. We measured free fatty acids (FFAs) and triacylglycerols (TAGs) in the transformants using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. The production of C12:0 and C14:0, chain length 12 and 14 without unsaturation, FFAs was not significantly increased in any of the tested strains. However, we found a slight but significant increase in TAG‐containing MCFAs in both TE only and TE–ACP transformants. The increased production rate of C14:0‐containing TAGs ranged from 1.25‐ to 1.58‐fold, indicating the ability of medium‐chain‐specific TE to increase MCFAs. These results suggest that the selection of specific TEs is important when modifying eukaryotic algae to produce MCFAs.
Advances in culture and genetic modification approaches to lipid biosynthesis for biofuel production and in silico analysis of enzymatic dominions in proteins related to lipid biosynthesis in algae
Authors: Tamayo‐Ordóñez Yahaira J. , Ayil‐Gutiérrez Benjamin A. , Sánchez‐Teyer Felipe L. , De la Cruz‐Arguijo Erika A. , Tamayo‐Ordóñez Francisco A. , Córdova‐Quiroz Atl Victor , Tamayo‐Ordóñez Maria C.
Published: January 2017

Biofuels have been shown to be a promising and highly attractive alternative for minimizing the use of fossil fuels, and microalgae have positioned themselves as potential candidates for production of lipids and other substances of commercial interest. We briefly review recent advances made in microalgae culture conditions and genetic manipulation for improving lipid yields for biofuel production – with both approaches showing similar yields of triacylglycerides, indicating that more work is required for improving lipid yield and accumulation in algae. Aiming at gaining knowledge of algae genetic manipulation and exploring future use of this information for modifying the lipid biosynthesis pathway, we investigated whether some characteristics of enzymes involved in lipid biosynthesis could relate to lipid yield and accumulation in algae. We made an in silico analysis of amino acid sequence of enzymatic domains and modeled tertiary structure of three proteins involved in the biosynthesis of lipids in microalgae: acetyl‐CoA carboxylase, Acyl‐CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferase, and glycerol‐3‐phosphate acyltransferase. Our results suggest that, based on primary amino acid sequences and tertiary structure of proteins shared by certain algae, it is likely that these proteins may relate to lipid yield and accumulation, which makes bioinformatics a powerful tool for in silico study of proteins and for selecting genes involved in lipid biosynthesis that could be useful for heterologous transformation in algae with the long term objective of improving their yield, accumulation, and fatty acid composition by genetic engineering.
A high‐resolution reference genetic map positioning 8.8 K genes for the conifer white spruce: structural genomics implications and correspondence with physical distance
Authors: Pavy Nathalie , Lamothe Manuel , Pelgas Betty , Gagnon France , Birol Inanç , Bohlmann Joerg , Mackay John , Isabel Nathalie , Bousquet Jean
Published: January 2017

Over the last decade, extensive genetic and genomic resources have been developed for the conifer white spruce (Picea glauca, Pinaceae), which has one of the largest plant genomes (20 Gbp). Draft genome sequences of white spruce and other conifers have recently been produced, but dense genetic maps are needed to comprehend genome macrostructure, delineate regions involved in quantitative traits, complement functional genomic investigations, and assist the assembly of fragmented genomic sequences. A greatly expanded P. glauca composite linkage map was generated from a set of 1976 full‐sib progeny, with the positioning of 8793 expressed genes. Regions with significant low or high gene density were identified. Gene family members tended to be mapped on the same chromosomes, with tandemly arrayed genes significantly biased towards specific functional classes. The map was integrated with transcriptome data surveyed across eight tissues. In total, 69 clusters of co‐expressed and co‐localising genes were identified. A high level of synteny was found with pine genetic maps, which should facilitate the transfer of structural information in the Pinaceae. Although the current white spruce genome sequence remains highly fragmented, dozens of scaffolds encompassing more than one mapped gene were identified. From these, the relationship between genetic and physical distances was examined and the genome‐wide recombination rate was found to be much smaller than most estimates reported for angiosperm genomes. This gene linkage map shall assist the large‐scale assembly of the next‐generation white spruce genome sequence and provide a reference resource for the conifer genomics community.
Western blot analysis of sera from dogs with suspected food allergy
Authors: Favrot Claude , Linek Monika , Fontaine Jacques , Beco Luc , Rostaher Ana , Fischer Nina , Couturier Nicolas , Jacquenet Sandrine , Bihain Bernard E.
Published: January 2017

Background

Food allergy is often suspected in dogs with clinical signs of atopic dermatitis. This diagnosis is confirmed with an elimination diet and a subsequent challenge with regular food. Laboratory tests for the diagnosis of food allergy in dogs are unreliable and/or technically difficult. Cyno‐DIAL®is a Western blot method that might assist with the selection of an appropriate elimination diet.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To evaluate the performance of Cyno‐DIAL®for the selection of an elimination diet and diagnosis of food allergy.

Animals/Methods

Thirty eight dogs with atopic dermatitis completed an elimination diet. Combining the results of the diet trials and the challenges, 14 dogs were classified as food allergic (FA), 22 as nonfood‐allergic and two as ambiguous cases.

Results

Amongst all dogs and amongst dogs with a clinical diagnosis ofFA, 3% and 7% (respectively) were positive to Royal Canin Anallergenic®, Vet‐Concept Kanguru®or Vet‐Concept Dog Sana®; 8% and 7% to Hill's d/d Duck and Rice®; 8% and 21% to Hill's z/d Ultra Allergen Free®; 53% and 64% to Eukanuba DermatosisFP®; and 32% and 43% to a home‐cooked diet of horse meat, potatoes and zucchini. The specificity and sensitivity of Cyno‐DIAL®for diagnosing food allergy were 73% and 71%, respectively.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Although Cyno‐DIAL®was considered potentially useful for identifying appropriate foods for elimination diet trials, it cannot be recommended for the diagnosis of food allergy. The Cyno‐DIAL®test performed better than some previously evaluatedELISA‐based tests.
Effect of semiquantitative culture results from complex host surgical wounds on dehiscence rates
Authors: Elmarsafi Tammer , Garwood Caitlin S. , Steinberg John S. , Evans Karen K. , Attinger Christopher E. , Kim Paul J.
Published: January 2017

The primary aim of this study was to determine the effect of positive bacterial cultures at the time of closure on dehiscence rates. Pre‐ and post‐débridement wound cultures from patients undergoing serial surgical débridement of infected wounds were compared with outcomes 30 days postoperatively. One‐hundred patients were enrolled; 35 were excluded for incomplete culture data. Sixty‐five patients were evaluated for species counts, including Coagulase negative Staphylococcus (CoNS), and semiquantitative culture data for each débridement. The post‐débridement cultures on the date of closure had no growth in 42 patients (64.6%) of which 6 dehisced (14.3%), and 36 remained closed; with no statistically significant difference in dehiscence rates (p = 0.0664). Pre‐débridement cultures from the 1st débridement of the 65 patients showed 8 patients had no growth, 29 grew 1 species, 19 grew 2 species, and 9 had 3–5 species. There was a reduction in the number of species and improvement of semiquantitative cultures with each subsequent débridement. The dehiscence rate for those who had 2 débridements (n = 42) was 21.4% at 30 day follow‐up and 21.7% in those who had 3 débridements (n = 23). The number of débridements had no statistical significance on dehiscence rates. The presence of CoNS on the day of closure was a statistically significant risk for dehiscence within 30 days (p = 0.0091) postoperatively. This data demonstrates: (1) positive post‐débridement cultures (scant/rare, growth in enrichment broth) at the time of closure did not affect overall dehiscence rates (p = 0.0664), (2) the number of species and semiquantitative culture results both improved with each subsequent débridement, (3) the number of surgical débridement did not influence postclosure dehiscence rates. (4) Positive cultures containing CoNS at the time of closure is a risk factor for dehiscence (p = 0.0091).
Investigating Prospective Social Studies Teachers’ Perceptions of European Union through Metaphor Analysis
Authors: Akgün İsmail Hakan
Published: January 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate metaphors developed by social studies teacher candidates about the European Union. 185 second, third and fourth year social studies teacher candidates participated in the study. This study was designed as a phenomenological study and matephor analysis was conducted. At the end of the study, the students developed 168 metaphors about the European Union. The metaphors developed by the students were grouped into 4 categories after coding and extracting phases. The categories were (1) a religious community, (2) a seemingly powerful but decadent formation, (3) a powerful formation and (4) does anything for its own interest. It was determined in the study that the students perceived the EU mostly as a powerful formation (36.14%), followed by a religious community (34.33%), does anything for its own interest (20.48%) and a seemingly powerful but decadent formation (8.43%).
Late gestational intermittent hypoxia induces metabolic and epigenetic changes in male adult offspring mice
Authors: Khalyfa Abdelnaby , Cortese Rene , Qiao Zhuanhong , Ye Honggang , Bao Riyue , Andrade Jorge , Gozal David
Published: January 2017

Key points

Late gestation during pregnancy has been associated with a relatively high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).

Intermittent hypoxia, a hallmark of OSA, could impose significant long‐term effects on somatic growth, energy homeostasis and metabolic function in offspring.

Here we show that late gestation intermittent hypoxia induces metabolic dysfunction as reflected by increased body weight and adiposity index in adult male offspring that is paralleled by epigenomic alterations and inflammation in visceral white adipose tissue.

Fetal perturbations by OSA during pregnancy impose long‐term detrimental effects manifesting as metabolic dysfunction in adult male offspring.

Pregnancy, particularly late gestation (LG), has been associated with a relatively high prevalence of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Intermittent hypoxia (IH), a hallmark of OSA, could impose significant long‐term effects on somatic growth, energy homeostasis, and metabolic function in offspring. We hypothesized that IH during late pregnancy (LG‐IH) may increase the propensity for metabolic dysregulation and obesity in adult offspring via epigenetic modifications. Time‐pregnant female C57BL/6 mice were exposed to LG‐IH or room air (LG‐RA) during days 13–18 of gestation. At 24 weeks, blood samples were collected from offspring mice for lipid profiles and insulin resistance, indirect calorimetry was performed and visceral white adipose tissues (VWAT) were assessed for inflammatory cells as well as for differentially methylated gene regions (DMRs) using a methylated DNA immunoprecipitation on chip (MeDIP‐chip). Body weight, food intake, adiposity index, fasting insulin, triglycerides and cholesterol levels were all significantly higher in LG‐IH male but not female offspring. LG‐IH also altered metabolic expenditure and locomotor activities in male offspring, and increased number of pro‐inflammatory macrophages emerged in VWAT along with 1520 DMRs (P < 0.0001), associated with 693 genes. Pathway analyses showed that genes affected by LG‐IH were mainly associated with molecular processes related to metabolic regulation and inflammation. LG‐IH induces metabolic dysfunction as reflected by increased body weight and adiposity index in adult male offspring that is paralleled by epigenomic alterations and inflammation in VWAT. Thus, perturbations to fetal environment by OSA during pregnancy can have long‐term detrimental effects on the fetus, and lead to persistent metabolic dysfunction in adulthood.
Diltiazem prevents stress‐induced contractile deficits in cardiomyocytes, but does not reverse the cardiomyopathy phenotype in Mybpc3‐knock‐in mice
Authors: Flenner Frederik , Geertz Birgit , Reischmann‐Düsener Silke , Weinberger Florian , Eschenhagen Thomas , Carrier Lucie , Friedrich Felix W.
Published: January 2017

Key points

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the most common inherited cardiac illness and can lead to diastolic dysfunction, sudden cardiac death and heart failure.

Treatment of HCM patients is empirical and current pharmacological treatments are unable to stop disease progression or reverse hypertrophy.

In this study, we tested if the non‐dihydropyridine Ca2+ channel blocker diltiazem, which previously showed potential to stop disease progression, can improve the phenotype of a HCM mouse model (Mybpc3‐targeted knock‐in), which is based on a mutation commonly found in patients.

Diltiazem improved contractile function of isolated ventricular cardiomyocytes acutely, but chronic application did not improve the phenotype of adult mice with a fully developed HCM.

Our study shows that diltiazem has beneficial effects in HCM, but long‐term treatment success is likely to depend on characteristics and cause of HCM and onset of treatment.

Left ventricular hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction and fibrosis are the main features of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Guidelines recommend β‐adrenoceptor or Ca2+ channel antagonists as pharmacological treatment. The Ca2+ channel blocker diltiazem recently showed promising beneficial effects in pre‐clinical HCM, particularly in patients carrying MYBPC3 mutations. In the present study we evaluated whether diltiazem could ameliorate or reverse the disease phenotype in cells and in vivo in an Mybpc3‐targeted knock‐in (KI) mouse model of HCM. Sarcomere shortening and Ca2+ transients were measured in KI and wild‐type (WT) cardiomyocytes in basal conditions (1‐Hz pacing) and under stress conditions (30 nm isoprenaline, 5‐Hz pacing) with or without pre‐treatment with 1 μm diltiazem. KI cardiomyocytes exhibited lower diastolic sarcomere length (dSL) at baseline, a tendency to a stronger positive inotropic response to isoprenaline than WT, a marked reduction of dSL and a tendency towards arrhythmias under stress conditions. Pre‐treatment of cardiomyocytes with 1 μm diltiazem reduced the drop in dSL and arrhythmia frequency in KI, and attenuated the positive inotropic effect of isoprenaline. Furthermore, diltiazem reduced the contraction amplitude at 5 Hz but did not affect diastolic Ca2+ load and Ca2+ transient amplitude. Six months of diltiazem treatment of KI mice did not reverse cardiac hypertrophy and dysfunction, activation of the fetal gene program or fibrosis. In conclusion, diltiazem blunted the response to isoprenaline in WT and KI cardiomyocytes and improved diastolic relaxation under stress conditions in KI cardiomyocytes. This beneficial effect of diltiazem in cells did not translate in therapeutic efficacy when applied chronically in KI mice.
Factores relacionados con la permanencia estudiantil en programas de pregrado de una universidad pública
Authors: Parada Rico Doris Amparo
Published: January 2017

De acuerdo a cifras del Ministerio de Educación Nacional, Colombia posee una tasa de graduación en el nivel de formación universitario de 36%, no obstante los resultados en la educación superior son diversos en las diferentes regionales del país y las cifras de deserción son alarmantes. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo determinar los factores relacionados con la permanencia estudiantil en los programas de pregrado presencial ofertados por la Universidad Francisco de Paula Santander en la ciudad de Cúcuta durante el segundo semestre de 2014. La  metodología utilizada fue la investigación cuantitativa, descriptiva, la muestra estuvo conformada por 271 estudiantes de último semestre. El instrumento utilizado es la encuesta “Factores relacionados con la permanencia estudiantil en los programas académicos de pregrado presencial”, diseñado por las autoras y validado a través de pruebas de contenido y confiabilidad, que demuestran un alfa de Cronbach de 0,938. Como resultados se halló que de los factores analizados (personales, socioeconómicos, institucionales y académicos), el que tiene mayor influencia con la permanencia estudiantil es el personal. Dentro de los aspectos evaluados en cada factor, se identificó como conclusiones que la motivación y el gusto por la carrera seleccionada, el método de estudio implementado, el aporte económico de los padres, trabajar mientras se estudia cuando se tiene un propósito claro, la calidad del programa académico, la metodología del docente y  los servicios de biblioteca y cómputo, representaron alta influencia en la permanencia estudiantil.

Palabras clave: Escolaridad; graduación; motivación; educación profesional. Fuente: Decs Bireme)
Pensamiento reflexivo del estudiante de enfermería en su prácticum clínico
Authors: Rivera Álvarez Luz Nelly
Published: January 2017

Objetivos: Describir cómo emergen los procesos de pensamiento reflexivo del estudiante de enfermería en su práctica clínica; y describir la experiencia de la estudiante delante de situaciones clínicas, donde integra la práctica reflexiva, el razonamiento clínico y la ética del cuidado. Método: Investigación cualitativa, hermenéutico-fenomenológica, realizada en las asignaturas Practicum Hospitalario II y Estades Clíniques II durante las prácticas clínicas de once estudiantes de enfermería de una Facultad de Enfermería y un Hospital Universitario de Barcelona (España), de febrero de 2011 a febrero de 2012. Las estrategias de recogida de datos fueron: observación participante, conversación informal, entrevista en profundidad y materiales escritos. Para el análisis de la información se empleó el método de comparaciones constantes de Strauss y Corbin. Resultados: El eje cualitativo emergente fue: Convergencia de significados entre estudiante y enfermera respecto al cuidar competente en enfermería; y la  metacategoría resultante fue: Pensamiento reflexivo del estudiante, con las subsiguientes categorías: capacidad perceptiva y consciencia situada de las necesidades del otro; curiosidad epistemológica; atención operativa; la anticipación: conversación reflexiva en la acción; e imitación reflexiva. Conclusiones: La observación deliberativa, la atención operativa, la conversación reflexiva en y sobre la acción, la curiosidad epistemológica, la experimentación insitu e imitación reflexiva, emergen de manera gradual y acorde a la calidad en la continuidad e interacción del estudiante con los diferentes elementos de su prácticum clínico; estos procesos reflexivos propician en el estudiante la posibilidad de reflexionar, interpretar y significar su propia práctica.
Prevalencia de Síndrome Metabólico en estudiantes universitarios de Tunja, Boyacá, Colombia, 2014
Authors: BARRERA SANCHEZ LINA FERNANDA , OSPINA DIAZ JUAN MANUEL , TEJEDOR BONILLA MARLON FERNANDO
Published: January 2017

Antecedentes. En la literatura científica se reporta incremento en la prevalencia de síndrome metabólico en los grupos de escolares y adolescentes, asociado probablemente a la transición epidemiológica. Objetivo: determinar la prevalencia de Síndrome Metabólico y frecuencia de algunos componentes diagnósticos, en una población joven, para aportar a quienes toman decisiones, una herramienta en la formulación de políticas públicas encaminadas al bienestar Universitario. Materiales y Métodos. Estudio descriptivo de corte transversal. A una muestra de 167 estudiantes universitarios se realizaron mediciones antropométricas y determinación de los niveles séricos de Glucosa, HDL, LDL, Colesterol Total y Triglicéridos, para determinar la presencia de SM. Resultados. Se encontró prevalencia de SM de 8,4%, mayor en hombres (12,6%) que en mujeres (3,75%). Los componentes diagnósticos que con mayor frecuencia se registraron alterados fueron el aumento del perímetro abdominal (27,5%) y la concentración sérica de HDL (32,7%). Conclusiones. Se encontró una prevalencia similar a la reportada en la literatura para este grupo de edad; el hallazgo invita a realizar estudios más profundos de tamizaje para diagnóstico precoz e intervención oportuna, así como al diseño de estrategias educativas que faciliten el cambio de estilos de vida en los estudiantes universitarios.
A new species of Lohmannia (Lohmannia) (Acari, Oribatida, Lohmanniidae) from Vietnam, with supplementary description of L. (Lohmannia) turcmenica (Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1960)
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G.
Published: January 2017

A new species of the subgenus Lohmannia (Lohmannia) is described from decomposing logs in the Vietnamese polydominant forest, based on the adult and tritonymphal instars. Lohmannia (Lohmannia) pseudoturcmenica sp. nov. differs from L. (Lohmannia) jornoti Mahunka, 1985, L. (Lohmannia) juliae Mahunka, 1984 and L. (Lohmannia) turcmenica Bulanova-Zachvatkina, 1960 by the presence of heavily tuberculate sculpture on the body and legs. A supplementary description of L. (Lohmannia) turcmenica is presented based on Spanish specimens.
First report of a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say (Acari: Ixodidae), parasitizing a raptor in Canada
Authors: Scott John D. , Foley Janet E. , Young Monica R. , Durden Lance A.
Published: January 2017

We document the first report of a blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis Say, parasitizing an American Kestrel, Falco sparverius Linnaeus (Falconiformes: Falconidae), in Canada. A fully engorged I. scapularis nymph was collected from the base of the tongue of an American Kestrel nestling recovered at Mirabel, Québec. This nestling had recently fledged the nest, and was exposed to I. scapularis immatures that were host-seeking in the surrounding low-level vegetation. DNA barcoding was used to confirm the identification of the tick. Primers of the flagellin (fla) gene were employed to determine whether the Lyme disease spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, was present in the I. scapularis nymph; the tick was negative. We provide the first report of I. scapularis parasitizing a raptor in Canada and, likewise, the first account of this tick species attached to the oral cavity of a bird. Moreover, this bird parasitism is the first documentation of a tick on a falconid bird in Canada.
Advanced endoscopic imaging in gastric neoplasia and preneoplasia
Authors: Lee Jonathan W J , Lim Lee Guan , Yeoh Khay Guan ,   part of the Singapore Gastric Cancer Consortium
Published: January 2017

Conventional white light endoscopy remains the current standard in routine clinical practice for early detection of gastric cancer. However, it may not accurately diagnose preneoplastic gastric lesions. The technological advancements in the field of endoscopic imaging for gastric lesions are fast growing. This article reviews currently available advanced endoscopic imaging modalities, in particular chromoendoscopy, narrow band imaging and confocal laser endomicroscopy, and their corresponding evidence shown to improve diagnosis of preneoplastic gastric lesions. Raman spectrometry and polarimetry are also introduced as promising emerging technologies.
[GaX2(dmpe)2][GaX4] (X = Cl, Br, I): a synthetic, solid state, and computational study
Authors: Gray Paul A. , Saville James W. , Krause Katherine D. , Burford Neil , McDonald Robert , Ferguson Michael J.
Published: January 2017

Derivatives of [GaX2(dmpe)2][GaX4] (X = Cl,Br, I) were prepared and characterized. The salts contain a cation involving two diphosphine ligands bound to GaX2+, imposing a pseudo-octahedral geometry at gallium. A variety of possible structural alternatives for the equimolar combination of GaX3 and dmpe have been computationally modelled and shown to be energetically similar to the observed cations, indicating potential fluxionality in the system, and are in agreement with spectroscopic characterization.
A practical synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of tribenzo[a,d,j]corannulene
Authors: Smith Natalie J. , Scott Lawrence T.
Published: January 2017

Tribenzo[a,d,j]corannulene (5) has been synthesized in four linear steps from commercially available starting materials on a half-gram scale in 18% overall yield. An X-ray crystal structure of this triply benzannulated geodesic polyarene confirms the prediction that successive benzannulation of corannulene has a gradual flattening effect on the bowl-shaped core.
Evaluation of spatiotemporal imputations for fishing catch rate standardization
Authors: Marriott Ross J. , Turlach Berwin A. , Murray Kevin , Fairclough David V.
Published: January 2017

As commercial fishing activity shifts to target different grounds over time, spatial gaps can be created in catch rate data, leading to biases in derived indices of fish abundance. Imputation has been shown to reduce such biases. In this study, the relative performance of several imputation methods was assessed using simulated catch rate data sets. Simulations were carried out for three fish stocks targeted by a commercial hook-and-line fishery off the southwestern coast of Australia: snapper (Chrysophrys auratus), West Australian dhufish (Glaucosoma hebraicum), and baldchin groper (Choerodon rubescens). For high-growth scenarios, the mean squared errors (MSEs) of geometric and linear imputations were lower, indicating higher accuracy and precision than that for base method (constant value) imputations. For low-growth scenarios, the lowest MSEs were achieved for base method imputations. However, for the final standardized and imputed abundance indices, the base method index consistently demonstrated the largest biases. Our results demonstrate the importance of selecting an appropriate imputation method when standardizing catch rates from a commercial fishery that has changed its spatial pattern of fishing over time.