bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of plant genetic diversity on interactions between higher trophic levels
Authors: Moreira Xoaquín , Mooney Kailen A.
Published: March 2013

While the ecological consequences of plant diversity have received much attention, the mechanisms by which intraspecific diversity affects associated communities remains understudied. We report on a field experiment documenting the effects of patch diversity in the plant
Baccharis salicifolia
(genotypic monocultures versus polycultures of four genotypes), ants (presence versus absence) and their interaction on ant-tended aphids, ants and parasitic wasps, and the mechanistic pathways by which diversity influences their multi-trophic interactions. Five months after planting, polycultures (versus monocultures) had increased abundances of aphids (threefold), ants (3.2-fold) and parasitoids (1.7-fold) owing to non-additive effects of genetic diversity. The effect on aphids was direct, as plant genetic diversity did not mediate ant–aphid, parasitoid–aphid or ant–parasitoid interactions. This increase in aphid abundance occurred even though plant growth (and thus aphid resources) was not higher in polycultures. The increase in ants and parasitoids was an indirect effect, due entirely to higher aphid abundance. Ants reduced parasitoid abundance by 60 per cent, but did not affect aphid abundance or plant growth, and these top-down effects were equivalent between monocultures and polycultures. In summary, intraspecific plant diversity did not increase primary productivity, but nevertheless had strong effects across multiple trophic levels, and effects on both herbivore mutualists and enemies could be predicted entirely as an extension of plant–herbivore interactions.
Cultural transmission results in convergence towards colour term universals
Authors: Xu Jing , Dowman Mike , Griffiths Thomas L.
Published: March 2013

As in biological evolution, multiple forces are involved in cultural evolution. One force is analogous to selection, and acts on differences in the fitness of aspects of culture by influencing who people choose to learn from. Another force is analogous to mutation, and influences how culture changes over time owing to errors in learning and the effects of cognitive biases. Which of these forces need to be appealed to in explaining any particular aspect of human cultures is an open question. We present a study that explores this question empirically, examining the role that the cognitive biases that influence cultural transmission might play in universals of colour naming. In a large-scale laboratory experiment, participants were shown labelled examples from novel artificial systems of colour terms and were asked to classify other colours on the basis of those examples. The responses of each participant were used to generate the examples seen by subsequent participants. By simulating cultural transmission in the laboratory, we were able to isolate a single evolutionary force—the effects of cognitive biases, analogous to mutation—and examine its consequences. Our results show that this process produces convergence towards systems of colour terms similar to those seen across human languages, providing support for the conclusion that the effects of cognitive biases, brought out through cultural transmission, can account for universals in colour naming.
Camouflage, detection and identification of moving targets
Authors: Hall Joanna R. , Cuthill Innes C. , Baddeley Roland , Shohet Adam J. , Scott-Samuel Nicholas E.
Published: March 2013

Nearly all research on camouflage has investigated its effectiveness for concealing stationary objects. However, animals have to move, and patterns that only work when the subject is static will heavily constrain behaviour. We investigated the effects of different camouflages on the three stages of predation—detection, identification and capture—in a computer-based task with humans. An initial experiment tested seven camouflage strategies on static stimuli. In line with previous literature, background-matching and disruptive patterns were found to be most successful. Experiment 2 showed that if stimuli move, an isolated moving object on a stationary background cannot avoid detection or capture regardless of the type of camouflage. Experiment 3 used an identification task and showed that while camouflage is unable to slow detection or capture, camouflaged targets are harder to identify than uncamouflaged targets when similar background objects are present. The specific details of the camouflage patterns have little impact on this effect. If one has to move, camouflage cannot impede detection; but if one is surrounded by similar targets (e.g. other animals in a herd, or moving background distractors), then camouflage can slow identification. Despite previous assumptions, motion does not entirely ‘break’ camouflage.
DELLA Proteins and Their Interacting RING Finger Proteins Repress Gibberellin Responses by Binding to the Promoters of a Subset of Gibberellin-Responsive Genes inArabidopsis
Authors: Park Jeongmoo , Nguyen Khoa Thi , Park Eunae , Jeon Jong-Seong , Choi Giltsu
Published: March 2013

DELLA proteins, consisting of GA INSENSITIVE, REPRESSOR OF GA1-3, RGA-LIKE1 (RGL1), RGL2, and RGL3, are central repressors of gibberellin (GA) responses, but their molecular functions are not fully understood. We isolated four DELLA-interacting RING domain proteins, previously designated as BOTRYTIS SUSCEPTIBLE1 INTERACTOR (BOI), BOI-RELATED GENE1 (BRG1), BRG2, and BRG3 (collectively referred to as BOIs). Single mutants of each BOI gene failed to significantly alter GA responses, but the boi quadruple mutant (boiQ) showed a higher seed germination frequency in the presence of paclobutrazol, precocious juvenile-to-adult phase transition, and early flowering, all of which are consistent with enhanced GA signaling. By contrast, BOI overexpression lines displayed phenotypes consistent with reduced GA signaling. Analysis of a gai-1 boiQ pentuple mutant further indicated that the GAI protein requires BOIs to inhibit a subset of GA responses. At the molecular level, BOIs did not significantly alter the stability of a DELLA protein. Instead, BOI and DELLA proteins are targeted to the promoters of a subset of GA-responsive genes and repress their expression. Taken together, our results indicate that the DELLA and BOI proteins inhibit GA responses by interacting with each other, binding to the same promoters of GA-responsive genes, and repressing these genes.
The Influence of Visiting Consultant Clinics on Measures of Access to Cancer Care: Evidence from the State of Iowa
Authors: Tracy Roger , Nam Inwoo , Gruca Thomas S.
Published: March 2013

Objective

To determine the effect of visiting consultant clinics on measures of access to cancer care for rural patients.

Data Sources

2010 Visiting Medical Consultant Database for the state of Iowa (Carver College of Medicine) and the Iowa Physicians Information System (Carver College of Medicine).

Study Design

We compared shortest driving times to the nearest medical oncologist for all Iowa census tracts under two scenarios: including only primary practice locations and adding monthly visiting consultant clinic locations.

Principal Findings

For rural Iowans, the median driving time to the closest site for medical oncology care falls from 51.6 to 19.2 minutes when monthly visiting consultant clinics are considered.

Conclusions

Including visiting consultant clinics has a significant impact on measures of geographic access to cancer care.
Antimicrobial Resistance: Challenges and Perspectives
Authors: Doyle Michael P. , Loneragan Guy H. , Scott H. Morgan , Singer Randall S.
Published: March 2013

In 2006, the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) published an Expert Report entitled “Antimicrobial Resistance: Implications for the Food System” (IFT 2006). That report summarized current scientific knowledge pertaining to the public‐health impact of antimicrobial use in the food system and the development and control of antimicrobial resistance. Since that time, intense interest in this topic has continued within the regulatory and scientific communities as well as the general public. This IFT Scientific Status Summary serves to update that 2006 IFT Expert Report by briefly reviewing new scientific evidence relevant to the goals of the initial report and providing a number of key observations and conclusions.
Long‐Term Treatment of Hyperphosphatemia With Bixalomer in Japanese Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Akizawa Tadao , Kameoka Chisato , Kaneko Yuichiro , Kawasaki Shigenori ,   Bixalomer Study Group
Published: March 2013

Bixalomer is a nonabsorbable polymer that binds phosphate in the gastrointestinal tract and lowers the serum phosphate level by inhibiting phosphate absorption. The safety and efficacy of long‐term bixalomer treatment were assessed in Japanese hemodialysis patients with hyperphosphatemia. This was a multicenter open‐label study with a 48‐week treatment period. The main efficacy endpoints were the serum phosphate level and rate of achieving the target serum phosphate range (3.5–6.0 mg/dL). Bixalomer was initiated at a dose of 1.5 g/day, which was increased to a maximum of 7.5 g/day depending on the serum phosphate response. Of 248 subjects who started treatment, 179 completed the study. The mean serum phosphate level decreased over time and remained around 5.5 mg/dL from weeks 16 to 48. The target serum phosphate level was reached in >50% of subjects by week 7 and was maintained in 65.2% to 75.9% until week 48. The incidence of adverse events and adverse drug reactions was 94.4% and 29.4%, respectively. There was a potential relationship with the study drug for four serious adverse events (ischemic colitis, hemorrhagic intestinal diverticulum, esophageal ulcer, and acute cholecystitis), which occurred in one patient each. Constipation was the most common adverse drug reaction (21.0%). Most adverse events and adverse drug reactions occurred soon after starting administration, and their incidence did not increase during long‐term treatment. Bixalomer did not reduce the bicarbonate level or promote metabolic acidosis. Bixalomer is clinically useful for the long‐term treatment of hyperphosphatemia.
Antioxidant Extraction from Mustard (Brassica juncea) Seed Meal Using High‐Intensity Ultrasound
Authors: Dubie Jeremiah , Stancik Aaron , Morra Matthew , Nindo Caleb
Published: March 2013

Brassicaceae oilseeds provide feedstocks for the biofuels industry, but value‐added coproducts are necessary to supply financial incentives for increased production. Our objective was to use high‐intensity ultrasound to optimize extraction of antioxidants from mustard (Brassica juncea) seed meal. The ultrasound‐assisted extraction (UAE) variables included temperature, solvent‐to‐material ratio, sonication duration, and EtOH concentration. Extracts were analyzed for total phenolics content (TPC), antioxidant activity, and sinapine content. Conventional extraction using water and 70% EtOH (v/v) at 80 °C for 3×30 min yielded 7.83 ± 0.07 and 8.81 ± 0.17 mg sinapic acid equivalents (SAE)/g meal, respectively. UAE extraction at 40 °C for 30 min yielded similar phenolics content (8.85 ± 0.33 mg SAE/g meal) as conventional hot ethanolic extraction, but required less time and lower temperature. The highest TPC (13.79 ± 0.38 mg SAE/g meal) was in the 7‐d aqueous extracts. Sonicated solutions of pure sinapine and sinapic acid showed 1st‐order reaction kinetics with greater degradation of isolated compounds than those present in extracts. Sinapine contained in extracts showed insignificant (P < 0.05) degradation after 30 min of sonication. Our research indicates that ultrasound treatment can assist the extraction of antioxidants from B. juncea meal by reducing both the temperature and time requirement without significant degradation of the primary antioxidants present.
Prevalence, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Virulence Characteristics of mecA‐Encoding Coagulase‐Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Soft Cheese in Brazil
Authors: Fontes Cláudia Oliveira , Silva Vânia Lúcia , de Paiva Mayara Rodrigues Brandão , Garcia Rafaela Alvim , Resende Juliana Alves , Ferreira‐Machado Alessandra Barbosa , Diniz Cláudio Galuppo
Published: March 2013

Coagulase‐negative staphylococci (CoNS), which are generally neglected as foodborne bacteria, are emerging as significant opportunistic pathogens that may be highly resistant to available antimicrobial drugs. In this study, antimicrobial susceptibility patterns, mecA gene occurrence, and virulence‐associated characteristics were evaluated in CoNS isolated from soft cheese in Brazil. A total of 227 bacterial isolates were recovered from 35 cheese samples belonging to 5 batches with 7 different trademarks. The CoNS counts ranged from 106 to 107 CFU/g. High antimicrobial resistance percentages were observed for oxacillin (76.2%), penicillin (78.5%), erythromycin (67.8%), gentamicin (47.2%), clindamycin (35.7%), rifampicin (26.8%), azithromycin (14.7%), tetracycline (14.7%), levofloxacin (14.2%), and sulfamethoxazole‐trimethoprim (11.9%). A low antimicrobial resistance percentage was observed for chloramphenicol (2.3%), and all of the tested bacteria were susceptible to vancomycin and linezolid. In total, a multiple antibiotic resistance (MAR) index of >0.2 was observed for 80.6% of the isolated CoNS. However, the MAR index ranged from 50% to 92.6% when only bacterial cheese isolates belonging to the same trademark were considered. Regarding to the prevalence of CoNS carrying mecA gene, 81.5% of the isolated strains were mecA+, and 76.2% of these were phenotypically resistant to oxacillin. Three isolates carried the enterotoxin A gene (sea), 29.5% produced biofilm in a laboratory test, and α‐ or ß‐hemolysis were observed for 3% and 5.2%, respectively. This study highlights the extent of the antimicrobial resistance phenomenon in neglected foodborne microorganisms and the potential public health risks that are related to the consumption of CoNS‐contaminated soft cheese.
EasyABC: performing efficient approximate Bayesian computation sampling schemes using R
Authors: Jabot Franck , Faure Thierry , Dumoulin Nicolas
Published: March 2013

Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), a type of likelihood‐free inference, is a family of statistical techniques to perform parameter estimation and model selection. It is increasingly used in ecology and evolution, where the models used can be too complex to be handled with standard likelihood techniques. The essence of ABC techniques is to compare simulation outputs to observed data, in order to select the parameter values of the simulations which best fit the data. ABC techniques are thus computationally demanding. This constitutes a key limitation to their implementation.

We introduce the R package ‘EasyABC’ that enables one to launch a series of simulations from the R platform and to retrieve the simulation outputs in an appropriate format for post‐processing. The ‘EasyABC’ package further implements several efficient parameter sampling schemes to speed up the ABC procedure: on top of the standard prior sampling, it implements various algorithms to perform sequential (ABC‐sequential) and Markov chain Monte Carlo (ABC‐MCMC) sampling schemes. The package functions can furthermore make use of parallel computing.

The R package ‘EasyABC’ complements the package ‘abc’ which enables various post‐processing of simulation outputs. ‘EasyABC’ makes several state‐of‐the‐art ABC implementations available to the large community of R users in the fields of ecology and evolution. It is a freely available R package under the GPL license, and it can be downloaded at http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/EasyABC/index.html.
Benthic diatom assemblages in mountain streams: community structure in relation to environmental and human pressures
Authors: Bere Taurai , Phiri Crispen , Kadye Wilbert T. , Utete Beavan
Published: March 2013

The objective of this study was to determine the environmental factors that best explain the distribution and community composition of benthic diatoms in undisturbed mountain streams in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe. Benthic diatoms were sampled during the dry season from 21 sampling sites established along altitudinal gradient of the study rivers. A total of 119 diatom species belonging to 38 genera and twelve families were recorded for all the 21 sites sampled. No significant differences were observed in species diversity and equitability amongst the three river systems. However, species richness, diversity and equitability decreased significantly along the longitudinal gradient of the rivers, with the highest richness, diversity and evenness being recorded in the upper reaches. Temperature, velocity, NO3− and Ca2+ levels were strongly associated with changes in diatom communities in the three rivers. Inventory of diatom communities has applications in many fields of biological research including conservation and biological monitoring of ecosystem changes.
Seminal Fluid and the Generation of Regulatory T Cells for Embryo Implantation
Authors: Robertson Sarah A. , Prins Jelmer R. , Sharkey David J. , Moldenhauer Lachlan M.
Published: March 2013

T regulatory (Treg) cells are essential mediators of the maternal immune adaptation necessary for embryo implantation. In mice, insufficient Treg cell activity results in implantation failure, or constrains placental function and fetal growth. In women, Treg cell deficiency is linked with unexplained infertility, miscarriage, and pre‐eclampsia. To devise strategies to improve Treg cell function, it is essential to define the origin of the Treg cells in gestational tissues, and the regulators that control their functional competence and recruitment. Male seminal fluid is a potent source of the Treg cell‐inducing agents TGFβ and prostaglandin E, and coitus is one key factor involved in expanding the pool of inducible Treg cells that react with paternal alloantigens shared by conceptus tissues. In mice, coitus initiates a sequence of events whereby female dendritic cells cross‐present seminal fluid antigens and activate T cells, which in turn circulate via the blood to be sequestered into the endometrium. Similar events may occur in the human genital tract, where seminal fluid induces immune cell changes that appear competent to prime Treg cells. Improved understanding of how seminal fluid influences Treg cells in women should ultimately assist in the development of new therapies for immune‐mediated pathologies of pregnancy.
Propofol and memory: a study using a process dissociation procedure and functional magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Quan X. , Yi J. , Ye T. H. , Tian S. Y. , Zou L. , Yu X. R. , Huang Y. G.
Published: March 2013

Thirty volunteers randomly received either mild or deep propofol sedation, to assess its effect on explicit and implicit memory. Blood oxygen level‐dependent functional magnetic resonance during sedation examined brain activation by auditory word stimulus and a process dissociation procedure was performed 4 h after scanning. Explicit memory formation did not occur in either group. Implicit memories were formed during mild but not deep sedation (p = 0.04). Mild propofol sedation inhibited superior temporal gyrus activation (Z value 4.37, voxel 167). Deep propofol sedation inhibited superior temporal gyrus (Z value 4.25, voxel 351), middle temporal gyrus (Z value 4.39, voxel 351) and inferior parietal lobule (Z value 5.06, voxel 239) activation. Propofol only abolishes implicit memory during deep sedation. The superior temporal gyrus is associated with explicit memory processing, while the formation of both implicit and explicit memories is associated with superior and middle temporal gyri and inferior parietal lobule activation.
Nasotracheal intubation with three indirect laryngoscopes assisted by standard or modified Magill forceps
Authors: Staar S. , Biesler I. , Müller D. , Pförtner R. , Mohr C. , Groeben H.
Published: March 2013

We assessed the effect of modifying standard Magill forceps on the laryngeal introduction of an Eschmann stylet during nasotracheal intubations with three indirect laryngoscopes (Airtraq™, C‐MAC® or GlideScope®) in patients with predicted difficult intubation. We allocated 50 participants to each laryngoscope. The stylet was advanced by one forceps followed by the other (standard or modified), with each sequence allocated to 25/50 for each laryngoscope. There were no differences in rates of failed tracheal intubation with the allocated laryngoscopes: 6/50, 5/50 and 5/50, respectively. An Eschmann stylet was advanced into the trachea less often with the standard forceps (65% vs 93%, p < 0.0001). Mean (SD) time for stylet advancement was longer with the standard forceps, 38 (30) vs 19 (19) s, p < 0.0001. In conclusion, the modified Magill forceps facilitated nasotracheal intubation, independent of the type of indirect laryngoscope.
Clostridial myonecrosis, haemolytic anaemia, hepatopathy, osteitis and transient hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after intramuscular injection in a Thoroughbred gelding
Authors: Anderson FL , Secombe CJ , Lester GD
Published: March 2013

A 9‐year‐old Thoroughbred gelding was presented for swelling over the left neck and inappetence. There was recent history of intramuscular administration of flunixin meglumine into the left neck. On examination, there was evidence of focal myositis, anaemia, haemolysis and pigmenturia. Culture of aspirated fluid from the left side of the neck produced a heavy growth of aClostridiumspecies. Complications of infection included haemolytic anaemia, hepatopathy, osteitis and transient hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Treatment included intravenous fluid therapy, antibiotics, anti‐inflammatory drugs, blood transfusion and surgical debridement. There was complete resolution of clinical, haematological, biochemical and echocardiographic abnormalities, and the horse returned to ridden work. This report highlights the complications that can arise from clostridial myonecrosis, including the effect on the myocardium.
Indigofera spicata (creeping indigo) poisoning of three ponies
Authors: Ossedryver SM , Baldwin GI , Stone BM , McKenzie RA , van Eps AW , Murray S , Fletcher MT
Published: March 2013

Three ponies continuously grazed a pasture containing an estimated 24% Indigofera spicata (wet weight basis) for 4–6 weeks in April and May 2004. They developed ataxia, paresis, depression, muscle fasciculations, dysphagia, ptyalism and halitosis. Two also developed corneal opacity. One pony recovered with supportive treatment, but the other two were euthanased and necropsied. Neuropathology was not present in either case, but both livers had periacinar and periportal lymphocytic infiltrations and hydropic degeneration of mid‐zonal hepatocytes, with mild to moderate periacinar necrosis also evident in one. The I. spicata contained 2.66 mg 3‐nitropropionic acid (3‐NPA)/g dry matter and 1.5 mg indospicine/g dry matter. Indospicine, but not 3‐NPA, was detected in serum from both of the euthanased ponies and indospicine was detected in heart, liver and muscle from the one pony in which this assay was performed. The clinical syndrome closely resembled ‘Birdsville horse disease’ caused by I. linnaei and was similar to that reported in horses poisoned by the closely related species I. hendecaphylla and to 3‐NPA poisoning of other animals, including humans. 3‐NPA is thought to cause this neurological syndrome. To our knowledge, this is the first authenticated report of I. spicata poisoning in grazing animals. We also report here the first published evidence that 3‐NPA and indospicine exist in naturalised I. spicata in Australia and of the formation of indospicine residues in tissues of animals grazing paddocks infested with I. spicata.
Temporohyoid osteoarthropathy in two young horses
Authors: Readford PK , Lester GD , Secombe CJ
Published: March 2013

Two cases of temporohyoid osteoarthropathy (THO) in young Australian horses are described. The pathogenesis of THO is yet to be fully elucidated, but current theories include extension of infection from otitis media or interna to the temporohyoid joint or a primary but non‐infectious degenerative condition within the temporohyoid joint. The young age of the horses and the unilateral distribution suggested an infectious aetiology. Both horses partially responded to treatment with broad‐spectrum antimicrobial and anti‐inflammatory drugs with concurrent management of ulcerative keratitis. The management of violent head shaking in one horse included the administration of gabapentin, an anticonvulsant known to have antihyperalgesic effects and reduce neuropathic pain.
Through doctors' eyes: A qualitative study of hospital doctor perspectives on their working conditions
Authors: McGowan Yvonne , Humphries Niamh , Burke Helen , Conry Mary , Morgan Karen
Published: March 2013

Background

Hospital doctors face significant challenges in the current health care environment, working with staff shortages and cutbacks to health care expenditure, alongside increased demand for health care and increased public expectations.

Objective

This article analyses challenges faced by junior hospital doctors, providing insight into the experiences of these frontline staff in delivering health services in recessionary times.

Design

A qualitative methodology was chosen.

Methods

Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were conducted with 20 doctors from urban Irish hospitals. Interviews were recorded via note taking. Full transcripts were analysed thematically using NVivo software.

Results

Dominant themes included the following: (1) unrealistic workloads: characterized by staff shortages, extended working hours, irregular and frequently interrupted breaks; (2) fatigue and its impact: the quality of care provided to patients while doctors were sleep‐deprived was questioned; however, little reflection was given to any impact this may have had on junior doctors own health; (3) undervalued and disillusioned: insufficient training, intensive workloads and a perceived lack of power to influence change resulted in a sense of detachment among junior doctors. They appeared immune to their surroundings.

Conclusion

Respondents ascribed little importance to the impact of current working conditions on their own health. They felt their roles were underappreciated and undervalued by policy makers and hospital management. Respondents were concerned with the lack of time and opportunity for training. This study highlighted several ‘red flags’, which need to be addressed in order to increase retention and sustain a motivated junior medical workforce.

Statement of contribution

What is already known on this subject?

Loss of public funding in Ireland has led to large numbers of Irish trained doctors emigrating.

Research indicates the likelihood of medical graduates returning depends on improvements to working conditions.

Good working conditions are likely to encourage doctor retention yet little research has been conducted in this area.

What does this study add?

Intense workplace demands reduce confidence and productivity among doctors.

Junior doctors were reluctant to reflect on the impact current working conditions had on their own health.

Early warning signs of burnout appear to resonate with many of the issues raised by junior doctors in this study.
Design Management Absorption Model: A Framework to Describe and Measure the Absorption Process of Design Knowledge by SMEs with Little or no Prior Design Experience
Authors: Acklin Claudia
Published: March 2013

The introduction of new design knowledge or design resources in companies with little or no design experience has been at the core of design support programmes in several countries. Scholars investigated the use of design and identified different design and design management capabilities to deploy design effectively in companies of all sizes. However, how design and design management capability is built in SMEs with little or no prior design experience is insufficiently investigated. Based on the absorptive capacity construct from the broader field of innovation studies, this paper proposes a comprehensive design management absorption model that includes design management capabilities enabling design absorption in SMEs with little or no prior design experience as well as indicators to measure the progress of absorption. The model allows for analysing and guiding the process companies go through when using design as a strategic resource for the first time.
Delineating Design Leaders: A Framework of Design Management Roles in Fashion Retail
Authors: Miller Karen , Moultrie James
Published: March 2013

Design management is widely acknowledged as important in optimizing the contribution of design in organizations, especially where survival in turbulent industries such as fashion retail depends upon design for differentiation, value engineering and an agile response. However, design management in this industry has received scant attention, in spite of the sector's degree of design intensity. This paper seeks to redress this imbalance with interview‐based case studies in seven leading UK‐based international retailers, by investigating design management activities. The results reveal design management is composed of two distinct cohorts, with true design leaders privileged by formal design education and extensive design experience and others we term ‘managers of design’. From these findings we provide a framework, which more accurately depicts the roles of design management in this dynamic industry, thereby helping to develop understanding in both academic and practical contexts.
Nasal lysine aspirin challenge in the diagnosis of aspirin ‐ exacerbated respiratory disease
Authors: Miller B. , Mirakian R. , Gane S. , Larco J. , Sannah A. A. , Darby Y. , Scadding G.
Published: March 2013

Background

Aspirin‐exacerbated respiratory disease is under‐diagnosed and therefore effective and inexpensive therapy with aspirin desensitization is rarely performed.

Methods

We present an audit of 150 patients with difficult to treat nasal polyposis, 132 of whom also had asthma, 131 of whom underwent challenge with the only soluble form of aspirin, lysine aspirin (LAS), to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of aspirin‐exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD).

Results

One hundred patients proved positive on nasal challenge, 31 who were negative went onto oral LAS challenge and a further 14 gave positive results, leaving 17 who were negative to a dose equivalent to over 375 mg of aspirin. Nineteen were not challenged because of contraindications.

With the exception of one patient who developed facial angioedema and two patients with > 20% drop in FEV1 (following nasal plus oral challenge) no other severe adverse events occurred. No hospitalization was required for these three patients.

Nasal inspiratory peak flow monitoring was less sensitive to obstruction caused by aspirin than was acoustic rhinometry – which should be employed when aspirin challenge is an outpatient procedure.

Conclusions

Provided patients are carefully chosen and monitored LAS challenge is suitable for ENT day case practice where respiratory physician help with asthma is available and should reduce the under‐diagnosis of this condition.
The Emerging Use of Ketamine for Anesthesia and Sedation in Traumatic Brain Injuries
Authors: Chang Lee C. , Raty Sally R. , Ortiz Jaime , Bailard Neil S. , Mathew Sanjay J.
Published: March 2013

Traditionally, the use of ketamine for patients with traumatic brain injuries is contraindicated due to the concern of increasing intracranial pressure (ICP). These concerns, however, originated from early studies and case reports that were inadequately controlled and designed. Recently, the concern of using ketamine in these patients has been challenged by a number of published studies demonstrating that the use of ketamine was safe in these patients. This article reviews the current literature in regards to using ketamine in patients with traumatic brain injuries in different clinical settings associated with anesthesia, as well as reviews the potential mechanisms underlying the neuroprotective effects of ketamine. Studies examining the use of ketamine for induction, maintenance, and sedation in patients with TBI have had promising results. The use of ketamine in a controlled ventilation setting and in combination with other sedative agents has demonstrated no increase in ICP. The role of ketamine as a neuroprotective agent in humans remains inconclusive and adequately powered; randomized controlled trials performed in patients undergoing surgery for traumatic brain injury are necessary.
Congenital melanocytic nevus with features of hybrid schwannoma/perineurioma
Authors: Wang Lei , Wang Gang , Gao Tianwen
Published: March 2013

Neural differentiation by melanocytic nevi represents a well‐recognized phenomenon, and melanocytic nevi with perineurial differentiation have been reported recently. We reported a case of a congenital melanocytic nevus with histopathologic features of hybrid schwannoma/perineurioma. The patient was a 36‐year‐old male who presented with a black tumor on his arm since birth. Histopathology showed a congenital melanocytic nevus in the superficial dermis, but more strikingly, in continuity with the melanocytic nevus, there was a well‐circumscribed but unencapsulated nodule in the deep dermis. The nodule was composed of cellular and myxoid areas with storiform, laminated or whorled growth patterns. The cellular area was mainly composed of proliferation of plump spindle, oval or epithelioid cells. The myxoid area was mainly composed of proliferation of slender spindle cells with mucin deposition. Immunohistochemical stains showed that the cellular area was positive for S100 and CD34, weakly positive for EMA, negative for Glut‐1 and collagen IV, the myxoid area was positive for S100, negative for CD34, strongly positive for EMA and focally positive for Glut‐1 and collagen IV. Our results show that congenital melanocytic nevi may show neural differentiation with histopathologic features of hybrid schwannoma/perineurioma.
Homovanillic acid in cerebrospinal fluid of 1388 children with neurological disorders
Authors: Molero‐Luis Marta , Serrano Mercedes , Ormazábal Aida , Pérez‐Dueñas Belén , García‐Cazorla Àngels , Pons Roser , Artuch Rafael ,   The Neurotransmitter Working Group
Published: March 2013

Aim

To determine the prevalence of dopaminergic abnormalities in 1388 children with neurological disorders, and to analyse their clinical, neuroradiological, and electrophysiological characteristics.

Method

We studied biogenic amines in 1388 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from children with neurological disorders (mean age 3y 10mo, SD 4y 5mo; 712 males, 676 females. Correlations among CSF homovanillic acid (HVA) values and other biochemical, clinical, neuroradiological, and electrophysiological parameters were analysed.

Results

Twenty‐one patients with primary dopaminergic deficiencies were identified. Of the whole sample, 20% showed altered HVA. We report neurological diseases with abnormal CSF HVA values such as pontocerebellar hypoplasia, perinatal asphyxia, central nervous system infections, mitochondrial disorders, and other genetic diseases. Overlapping HVA levels between primary and secondary dopamine deficiencies were observed. Prevalence of low CSF HVA levels was significantly higher in neonatal patients (χ2=84.8, p<0.001). Abnormalities in white matter were associated with low CSF HVA (odds ratio 2.3, 95% confidence interval 1.5–3.5).

Interpretation

HVA abnormalities are observed in various neurological diseases, but some are probably an unspecific finding. No clear limits for CSF HVA values pointing towards primary diseases can be stated. We report several neurological diseases showing HVA alterations. No neuroimaging traits were associated with low HVA values, except for white matter abnormalities.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver in nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndromes
Authors: Boddi Maria , Tarquini Roberto , Chiostri Marco , Marra Fabio , Valente Serafina , Giglioli Cristina , Gensini Gian F. , Abbate Rosanna
Published: March 2013

Background

Growing evidence was collected that non‐alcoholic liver fatty disease (NAFLD) is a risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis in terms of angiographic appearance, but its involvement in acute coronary syndromes is still debated. We investigated the prevalence and severity of NAFLD in non‐diabetic patients admitted for ST‐segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and its association with multi‐vessel coronary artery disease (CAD).

Materials and methods

Ninety‐five consecutive non‐diabetic patients admitted to cardiac ICU for STEMI were studied by ultrasound within 72 h from admission. NAFLD was graded according to a semi‐quantitative severity score as mild (score < 3) or moderate‐severe (> 3 score). Prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors, atherosclerotic burden markers and metabolic syndrome (MS) was investigated.

Results

The overall prevalence of NAFLD was 87%. Forty‐eight patients showed moderate‐severe NAFLD (SFLD). Thirty‐five patients showed mild NAFLD (MLFD group) and 12 patients had no NAFLD. Patients with SFLD were younger and showed higher prevalence of multi‐vessel CAD (i.e. > 2) than patients with mild MFLD (P < 0·01). Total cholesterol, triglycerides, body mass index and waist circumference were higher and HDL lower in SFLD than MFLD patients. About 50% of all NAFLD patients did not have MS. MS prevalence was higher in SFLD than MLFD patients (P < 0·05) and among MS components, waist circumference and triglyceride levels showed the strongest association with SFLD (P < 0·05). At logistic regression analysis, SFLD was independently associated with a three‐fold risk of multi‐vessel CAD.

Conclusions

In non‐diabetic patients admitted for STEMI NAFLD prevalence was very high. Severe NAFLD independently increased the risk for multi‐vessel CAD associated to CV events.
Autotransplantation or replantation of cryopreserved teeth: a case series and literature review
Authors: Yoshizawa Michiko , Koyama Takahiro , Izumi Naoya , Niimi Kanae , Ono Yukiko , Ajima Hisao , Funayama Akinori , Mikami Toshihiko , Kobayashi Tadaharu , Ono Kazuhiro , Takagi Ritsuo , Saito Chikara
Published: March 2013

Background

The aim of this report was to evaluate the outcome of autotransplantation or replantation of cryopreserved teeth clinically and radiographically. Donor teeth were slowly frozen in a controlled‐rate freezer using 5% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and 6% hydroxyethyl starch (HES) as protectants. Seven cryopreserved teeth, with duration of storage ranging from 4 to 36 months, were autotransplanted or replanted at Niigata University Medical and Dental Hospital. Endodontic treatment involving root canal debridement followed by interim root canal filling with calcium hydroxide was started 3 weeks after the operation and continued with replacement of the calcium hydroxide filling at 2‐week to 3‐month intervals. Three transplants showed periodontal regeneration clinically and radiographically, whereas replacement root resorption was observed in the remaining transplants. From the results, it can be concluded that cryopreserved tooth autotransplantation has potential for clinical use; however, the risk of replacement root resorption remains.
Foliar fungal pathogens of European woody plants in Siberia: an early warning of potential threats?
Authors: Tomoshevich M. , Kirichenko N. , Holmes K. , Kenis M.
Published: March 2013

In this article, we report observations made during thirteen years on foliar fungal pathogens attacking European and Eurasian woody broadleaved species in Siberian arboreta and cities and discuss the possibility of using such data for detecting exotic pathogens that may represent a danger for European tree and shrub species, should these pathogens be introduced into Europe. A total of 102 cases of symptomatic infections (fungus‐host plant associations) involving 67 fungal species were recorded on 50 of the 52 European and Eurasian woody plant species. All but four of the fungi found during the surveys were previously reported in Europe. However, 29 fungus–host plant associations are apparently new to science, suggesting that complexes of cryptic species differing in their host range and geographic range may occur. Seventeen percentage of associations were given a high damage score, that is, more than 50% of plant area was attacked, for at least some localities. In nearly half of the cases, fungus–host plant associations were found to be very frequent, that is, occurring every year and at all locations where the plant was inspected. A list of pathogen–host associations in Siberia deserving further investigation is provided, either because the pathogen is not yet recorded in Europe or because the pathogen–host association has not yet been reported, and the damage is high or, finally, because the damage and infestation level is unusually high in known associations. Further studies should involve molecular characterization of these foliar pathogens and their host range testing.
Previously unrecorded low‐temperature Phytophthora species associated with Quercus decline in a Mediterranean forest in eastern Spain
Authors: Pérez‐Sierra A. , López‐García C. , León M. , García‐Jiménez J. , Abad‐Campos P. , Jung T.
Published: March 2013

Oak decline has been a serious problem in Europe since the beginning of the twentieth century. In south‐west Spain,
Quercus ilex and
Q. suber are the main affected species, and their decline has been associated with
Phytophthora cinnamomi. During the last 10 years, a severe decline of
Q. ilex and
Q. faginea accompanied by a significant decrease in the production of acorns affecting natural regeneration was observed in the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible involvement of Phytophthora spp. in the decline. A forest in the Natural Park ‘Carrascar de la Font Roja’ in Comunidad Valenciana (eastern Spain), which is dominated by
Q. ilex and
Q. faginea, was surveyed during 2010–2011. Symptomatic trees showed thinning and dieback of the crown, withering of leaves and death. An extensive loss of both lateral small woody roots and fine roots and callusing or open cankers on suberized roots were observed. Soil samples containing fine roots were baited using both
Q. robur leaves and apple fruits. Six
Phytophthora species were isolated:
P. cryptogea, P. gonapodyides, P. megasperma, P. quercina, P. psychrophila and
P. syringae. These are the first records of
P. quercina and
P. psychrophila on
Q.
faginea, of
P. quercina in Spain and of
P. psychrophila in mainland Spain. A soil infestation trial was conducted for 6 months under controlled conditions with 1‐year‐old seedlings of
Q. ilex and
Q. faginea.
Phytophthora cinnamomi was included in the pathogenicity test for comparison. The results showed that
Q. ilex seedlings were generally more susceptible to infection than
Q. faginea with
P. cinnamomi being the most aggressive pathogen to both oak species. The two most commonly isolated
Phytophthora species,
P. quercina and
P. psychrophila, also proved their pathogenicity towards both
Q. ilex and
Q. faginea.
A meta‐analysis suggesting that the relationship between biodiversity and risk of zoonotic pathogen transmission is idiosyncratic
Authors: Salkeld Daniel J , Padgett Kerry A , Jones James Holland
Published: March 2013

Zoonotic pathogens are significant burdens on global public health. Because they are transmitted to humans from non‐human animals, the transmission dynamics of zoonoses are necessarily influenced by the ecology of their animal hosts and vectors. The ‘dilution effect’ proposes that increased species diversity reduces disease risk, suggesting that conservation and public health initiatives can work synergistically to improve human health and wildlife biodiversity. However, the meta‐analysis that we present here indicates a weak and highly heterogeneous relationship between host biodiversity and disease. Our results suggest that disease risk is more likely a local phenomenon that relies on the specific composition of reservoir hosts and vectors, and their ecology, rather than patterns of species biodiversity.
Evolution and spread of glyphosate resistance in Conyza canadensis in California
Authors: Okada Miki , Hanson Bradley D. , Hembree Kurt J. , Peng Yanhui , Shrestha Anil , Stewart Charles Neal , Wright Steven D. , Jasieniuk Marie
Published: March 2013

Recent increases in glyphosate use in perennial crops of California, USA, are hypothesized to have led to an increase in selection and evolution of resistance to the herbicide in Conyza canadensis populations. To gain insight into the evolutionary origins and spread of resistance and to inform glyphosate resistance management strategies, we investigated the geographical distribution of glyphosate resistance in C. canadensis across and surrounding the Central Valley, its spatial relationship to groundwater protection areas (GWPA), and the genetic diversity and population structure and history using microsatellite markers. Frequencies of resistant individuals in 42 sampled populations were positively correlated with the size of GWPA within counties. Analyses of population genetic structure also supported spread of resistance in these areas. Bayesian clustering and approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) analyses revealed multiple independent origins of resistance within the Central Valley. Based on parameter estimation in the ABC analyses, resistant genotypes underwent expansion after glyphosate use began in agriculture, but many years before it was detected. Thus, diversity in weed control practices prior to herbicide regulation in GWPA probably kept resistance frequencies low. Regionally coordinated efforts to reduce seed dispersal and selection pressure are needed to manage glyphosate resistance in C. canadensis.
The effect of a unique halide‐stabilizing residue on the catalytic properties of haloalkane dehalogenase DatA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58
Authors: Hasan Khomaini , Gora Artur , Brezovsky Jan , Chaloupkova Radka , Moskalikova Hana , Fortova Andrea , Nagata Yuji , Damborsky Jiri , Prokop Zbynek
Published: March 2013

Haloalkane dehalogenases catalyze the hydrolysis of carbon–halogen bonds in various chlorinated, brominated and iodinated compounds. These enzymes have a conserved pair of halide‐stabilizing residues that are important in substrate binding and stabilization of the transition state and the halide ion product via hydrogen bonding. In all previously known haloalkane dehalogenases, these residues are either a pair of tryptophans or a tryptophan–asparagine pair. The newly‐isolated haloalkane dehalogenase DatA from Agrobacterium tumefaciens C58 (EC 3.8.1.5) possesses a unique halide‐stabilizing tyrosine residue, Y109, in place of the conventional tryptophan. A variant of DatA with the Y109W mutation was created and the effects of this mutation on the structure and catalytic properties of the enzyme were studied using spectroscopy and pre‐steady‐state kinetic experiments. Quantum mechanical and molecular dynamics calculations were used to obtain a detailed analysis of the hydrogen‐bonding patterns within the active sites of the wild‐type and the mutant, as well as of the stabilization of the ligands as the reaction proceeds. Fluorescence quenching experiments suggested that replacing the tyrosine with tryptophan improves halide binding by 3.7‐fold, presumably as a result of the introduction of an additional hydrogen bond. Kinetic analysis revealed that the mutation affected the substrate specificity of the enzyme and reduced its K0.5 for selected halogenated substrates by a factor of 2–4, without impacting the rate‐determining hydrolytic step. We conclude that DatA is the first natural haloalkane dehalogenase that stabilizes its substrate in the active site using only a single hydrogen bond, which is a new paradigm in catalysis by this enzyme family.