bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beyond the CA1 subfield: Local hippocampal shape changes in MRI‐negative temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Maccotta Luigi , Moseley Emily D. , Benzinger Tammie L. , Hogan R. Edward
Published: March 2015

Objective

Hippocampal atrophy in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) can indicate mesial temporal sclerosis and predict surgical success. Yet many patients with TLE do not have significant atrophy (magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) negative), which presents a diagnostic challenge. We used a new variant of high‐dimensional large‐deformation mapping to assess whether patients with apparently normal hippocampi have local shape changes that mirror those of patients with significant hippocampal atrophy.

Methods

Forty‐seven patients with unilateral TLE and 32 controls underwent structural brain MRI. High‐dimensional large‐deformation mapping provided hippocampal surface and volume estimates for each participant, dividing patients into low versus high hippocampal atrophy groups. A vertex‐level generalized linear model compared local shape changes between groups.

Results

Patients with low‐atrophy TLE (MRI negative) had significant local hippocampal shape changes compared to controls, similar to those in the contralateral hippocampus of high‐atrophy patients. These changes primarily involved the subicular and hilar/dentate regions, instead of the classically affected CA1 region. Disease duration instead co‐varied with lateral hippocampal atrophy, co‐localizing with the CA1 subfield.

Significance

These findings show that patients with “MRI‐negative” TLE have regions of hippocampal atrophy that cluster medially, sparing the lateral regions (CA1) involved in high‐atrophy patients. This suggests an overall effect of temporal lobe seizures manifesting as bilateral medial hippocampal atrophy, and a more selective effect of hippocampal seizures leading to disease‐proportional CA1 atrophy, potentially reflecting epileptogenesis.
Emotional functioning: Long‐term outcomes after pediatric epilepsy surgery
Authors: Tavares Tamara P. , Puka Klajdi , Smith Mary Lou
Published: March 2015

Objective

Children with epilepsy are at a high risk for developing symptoms of anxiety and depression. By improving seizure control, epilepsy surgery has the potential to improve patients’ anxiety and depression symptoms. Few studies have assessed the long‐term outcomes of anxiety and depressive symptoms after pediatric epilepsy surgery while using an appropriate control group. This study examined anxiety and depressive symptoms 4–11 years after surgery in surgical patients and in a control group of nonsurgical patients with pediatric‐onset epilepsy.

Methods

Seventy‐three surgical patients with a mean age of 19.87 (standard deviation [SD] 4.46, range 10.08–28.50) and 40 nonsurgical controls with a mean age of 20.31 (SD 4.01, range 12.08–27.25) completed the study measures. Patients completed the Child Depression Inventory II/Beck Depression Inventory II and State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children/State Trait Anxiety Inventory and parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist/Adult Behavior Checklist to assess the patients’ anxiety and depressive symptoms. Baseline measurements of affective symptoms (Child Behavior Checklist) were retrieved from the patients’ medical records.

Results

Patient‐reported affective functioning was obtained at the follow‐up visit only. Patient‐reported depressive symptoms and state and trait anxiety were similar for both groups. Based on parent reports at follow‐up, patients with seizures were found to have significantly more depressive problems and anxious/depressed symptoms, and marginally more withdrawn symptoms relative to patients without seizures.

Significance

Seizure status was related to the presence of affective symptoms, irrespective of whether the patient had undergone surgery. In addition, parents and not patients reported the presence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, which indicates the importance of obtaining multiple informants to assess affective symptomatology.
Total and aboveground radiation use efficiency in C3 and C4 grass species influenced by nitrogen and water availability
Authors: Cristiano Piedad M. , Posse Gabriela , Di Bella Carlos M.
Published: March 2015

Absorbed solar radiation and radiation use efficiency (RUE) can be used to estimate net primary productivity of terrestrial ecosystems. In ecosystems dominated by grasses, belowground productivity cannot be neglected in terms of carbon balance because of the high proportion of biomass allocated to roots. The objective of this study was to quantify total RUE (tRUE), which includes both below and aboveground biomass of two C3 (Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata) and one C4 (Cynodon dactylon) grass species, under four treatments with contrasting water and nitrogen availabilities. The ratios between tRUE and aboveground RUE (aRUE) for species and treatments were analyzed. The tRUE was calculated from measurements of incoming photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), the fraction of PAR intercepted and shoots and roots productivity in pot experiments. The highest tRUE values in the three species were found in the treatment without growth limitations (4.32–6.93 g MJ−1), while the lowest tRUE values were observed under water and nutrient deficits conditions (2.62–2.85 g MJ−1). Contrary to predictions from the optimization theory, one of the C3 grass species allocated relatively high biomass to the roots when water availability was high while for the C4 grass species the shoot:root ratios and the root mass fraction did not change under resource limitation conditions compared to ample resource availability. tRUE exhibited small changes in the C4 species with variations in resource availability while it did decrease substantially for the C3 species when at least one of the resources was limited. These results highlight belowground biomass importance in calculating RUE of grasses.
Notch signaling regulates venous arterialization during zebrafish fin regeneration
Authors: Kametani Yoshiko , Chi Neil C. , Stainier Didier Y.R. , Takada Shinji
Published: March 2015

To protect against blood pressure, a mature artery is supported by mural cells which include vascular smooth muscle cells and pericytes. To regenerate a functional vascular system, arteries should be properly reconstructed with mural cells although the mechanisms underlying artery reconstruction remain unclear. In this study, we examined the process of artery reconstruction during regeneration of the zebrafish caudal fin as a model to study arterial formation in an adult setting. During fin regeneration, the arteries and veins form a net‐like vasculature called the vascular plexus, and this plexus undergoes remodeling to form a new artery and two flanking veins. We found that the new vascular plexus originates mainly from venous cells in the stump but very rarely from the arterial cells. Interestingly, these vein‐derived cells contributed to the reconstructed arteries. This arterialization was dependent on Notch signaling, and further analysis showed that Notch signaling was required for the initiation of arterial gene expression. In contrast, venous remodeling did not require Notch signaling. These results provide new insights toward understanding mechanisms of vascular regeneration and illustrate the utility of the adult zebrafish fin to study this process.
Ontogenic differences in sexual size dimorphism across four plover populations
Authors: Dos Remedios Natalie , Székely Tamás , Küpper Clemens , Lee Patricia L. M. , Kosztolányi András
Published: March 2015

Sexual size dimorphism (SSD) among adults is commonly observed in animals and is considered to be adaptive. However, the ontogenic emergence ofSSD, i.e. the timing of divergence in body size between males and females, has only recently received attention. It is widely acknowledged that the ontogeny ofSSDmay differ between species, but it remains unclear how variable the ontogeny ofSSDis within species. Kentish PloversCharadrius alexandrinusand Snowy PloversC. nivosusare closely related wader species that exhibit similar, moderate (c. 4%), male‐biased adultSSD. To assess whenSSDemerges we recorded tarsus length variation among 759 offspring in four populations of these species. Tarsus length of chicks was measured on the day of hatching and up to three times on recapture before fledging. In one population (Mexico, Snowy Plovers), males and females differed in size from the day of hatching, whereas growth rates differed between the sexes in two populations (Turkey and United Arab Emirates, both Kentish Plovers). In contrast, a fourth population (Cape Verde, Kentish Plovers) showed no significantSSDin juveniles. Our results suggest that adultSSDcan emerge at different stages of development (prenatal, postnatal and post‐juvenile) in different populations of the same species. We discuss the proximate mechanisms that may underlie these developmental differences.
Promoting a higher retirement age: A prospect‐theoretical approach
Authors: Domonkos Stefan
Published: March 2015

Demographic ageing and the necessity of raising the retirement age is one of the most frequently debated topics among European welfare policy experts. This study used prospect theory as developed in behavioural economics to explain public attitudes towards pension reforms. It argues that, in line with prospect theory, negative incentives are more useful in changing people's attitudes in favour of a higher statutory retirement age than are positive incentives. Therefore, in the case of increasing life expectancy, defined‐contribution schemes that apply actuarial formulae linking the level of starting monthly pension benefits to life expectancy are more useful in promoting a higher retirement age than conventional defined‐benefit schemes, which typically do not forge an automatic connection between longevity and starting pensions. The implications of prospect theory for attitudes towards pension reforms were tested using Eurobarometer survey data collected in 2004 and 2009 in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia.
Large Scale Preparation of β‐CaSiO3 Nanostructures by Solid‐State Reaction in NaCl–H2O(v) System at Lower Temperature
Authors: Zhang Junhao , Huang Man , Yanagisawa Kazumichi , Yao Shanshan , Qiu Yushi , Zheng Hongjuan
Published: March 2015

An environmentally friendly NaCl–H2O(v) system was developed to prepare β‐CaSiO3 nanostructures from commercially available raw materials, CaCO3 and amorphous SiO2 (α‐SiO2), by a one‐step solid‐state reaction at 575°C for 2 h. The formation of β‐CaSiO3 was accelerated by NaCl–H2O(v) system. The results demonstrated that both NaCl and H2O(v) played vital roles in the formation of β‐CaSiO3 nanostructures at a lower temperature. NaCl is considered to enhance the diffusivity of starting materials and the rate of solid‐state reactions, and promote the crystallization at lower temperature. Water vapor can accelerate the decomposition of CaCO3, and absorbed water on the surface of solid materials can dissolve NaCl to form an aqueous ionic liquid composed of Na and Cl ions, which is similar to a hydrothermal process, and will further increase the diffusivity of components and reduce the reaction temperature.
Effects of Ultra‐High Pressure Tenderizing Treatment on the Quality Characteristics of Venison
Authors: Zhou Yajun , He Qin , Su Dan , Huang Hui
Published: March 2015

To improve quality of venison, the quality characteristics affected by the ultra‐high pressure tenderizing method were examined. Different pressures and pressurizing times were studied to compare their different effects on myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), content of soluble protein (CSP), collagen heat solubility and texture properties, which could present tenderizing effects. The results showed that ultra‐high pressure treatment can tenderize venison and had significant effects on the proteins therein. The optimized parameters were: a pressure of 300–400 MPa and a pressurizing time of 2–6 min. Compared with a control, MFI of treated samples increased by 32%, collagen heat solubility increased, CSP decreased slightly, hardness decreased by about 58.7% and chewiness decreased by 75%. Ultra‐high pressure treatment, as an emerging technology, exerted a significant influence on improving the quality characteristics of venison.

Practical Applications

Venison is suitable for human consumption. The number of venison consumers has gradually increased because of its advantages of high protein content, low cholesterol and ease of digestion. Most deer are raised for long enough to allow their antlers to be taken and the quality of the resulting venison is poor. It is essential to improve the quality of venison to be sold in the market. This study of ultra‐high pressure methods used to tenderize venison is important to the development of the venison market. Consumers are more likely to purchase venison if it is tender. The results of this study are helpful to the further study of ultra‐high pressure methods of improving the quality of venison and, as such, are of practical significance.
Asia Pacific Consensus Statements on Crohn's disease. Part 1: Definition, diagnosis, and epidemiology
Authors: Ooi Choon Jin , Makharia Govind K , Hilmi Ida , Gibson Peter R , Fock Kwong Ming , Ahuja Vineet , Ling Khoon Lin , Lim Wee Chian , Thia Kelvin T , Wei Shu‐chen , Leung Wai Keung , Koh Poh Koon , Gearry Richard B , Goh Khean Lee , Ouyang Qin , Sollano Jose , Manatsathit Sathaporn , de Silva H Janaka , Rerknimitr Rungsun , Pisespongsa Pises , Abu Hassan Muhamad Radzi , Sung Joseph , Hibi Toshifumi , Boey Christopher C M , Moran Neil , Leong Rupert W L ,   Asia Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE) Working Group on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Published: March 2015

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was previously thought to be rare in Asia, but emerging data indicate rising incidence and prevalence of IBD in the region. The Asia Pacific Working Group on Inflammatory Bowel Disease was established in Cebu, Philippines, at the Asia Pacific Digestive Week conference in 2006 under the auspices of the Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology with the goal of developing best management practices, coordinating research, and raising awareness of IBD in the region. The consensus group previously published recommendations for the diagnosis and management of ulcerative colitis with specific relevance to the Asia‐Pacific region. The present consensus statements were developed following a similar process to address the epidemiology, diagnosis, and management of Crohn's disease. The goals of these statements are to pool the pertinent literature specifically highlighting relevant data and conditions in the Asia‐Pacific region relating to the economy, health systems, background infectious diseases, differential diagnoses, and treatment availability. It does not intend to be all comprehensive and future revisions are likely to be required in this ever‐changing field.
Benefits and Challenges of a Nurse‐Midwife Fellowship: A Review of the Ruth B. Stifel Fellowship Program at The Midwife Center for Birth and Women's Health
Authors: McCarthy Ann M.
Published: March 2015

New graduate nurse‐midwives are looking for a bridge between their education and clinical practice, whereas birth centers often have a difficult time recruiting midwives to hire. At the same time, women are seeking birth center and midwifery care in growing numbers. A well‐designed fellowship program helps address all of these needs in a supported, safe way. This article describes one birth center's fellowship program and the benefits and challenges of the program. This article is part of a special series of articles that address midwifery innovations in clinical practice, education, interprofessional collaboration, health policy, and global health.
Molecular mechanism of monoamine oxidase A gene regulation under inflammation and ischemia‐like conditions: key roles of the transcription factors GATA2, Sp1 and TBP
Authors: Gupta Vinayak , Khan Abrar A. , Sasi Binu K. , Mahapatra Nitish R.
Published: March 2015

Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) plays important roles in the pathogenesis of several neurological and cardiovascular disorders. The mechanism of transcriptional regulation of MAOA under basal and pathological conditions, however, remains incompletely understood. Here, we report systematic identification and characterization of cis elements and transcription factors that govern the expression of MAOA gene. Extensive computational analysis of MAOA promoter, followed by 5′‐promoter deletion/reporter assays, revealed that the −71/−40 bp domain was sufficient for its basal transcription. Gel‐shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays provided evidence of interactions of the transcription factors GATA‐binding protein 2 (GATA2), Sp1 and TATA‐binding protein (TBP) with this proximal promoter region. Consistently, over‐expression of GATA2, Sp1 and TBP augmented MAOA promoter activity in a coordinated manner. In corroboration, siRNA‐mediated down‐regulation of GATA2/Sp1/TBP repressed the endogenous MAOA expression as well as transfected MAOA promoter activity. Tumor necrosis factor‐α and forskolin activated MAOA transcription that was reversed by Sp1 siRNA; in support, tumor necrosis factor‐α‐ and forskolin‐induced activities were enhanced by ectopic over‐expression of Sp1. On the other hand, MAOA transcription was diminished upon exposure of neuroblasts or cardiac myoblasts to ischemia‐like conditions because of reduced binding of GATA2/Sp1/TBP with MAOA promoter. In conclusion, this study revealed previously unknown roles of GATA2, Sp1 and TBP in modulating MAOA expression under basal as well as pathophysiological conditions such as inflammation and ischemia, thus providing new insights into the molecular basis of aberrant MAOA expression in neuronal/cardiovascular disease states.

image

Dysregulation of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) have been implicated in several behavioral and neuronal disease states. Here, we identified three crucial transcription factors (GATA2, Sp1 and TBP) that regulate MAOA gene expression in a coordinated manner. Aberrant MAOA expression under pathophysiological conditions including inflammation and ischemia is mediated by altered binding of GATA2/Sp1/TBP with MAOA proximal promoter. Thus, these findings provide new insights into pathogenesis of several common diseases. GATA2, GATA‐binding protein 2; Sp1, specificity protein 1; TBP, TATA‐binding protein.
Modulation of actin dynamics by Rac1 to target cognitive function
Authors: Tejada‐Simon Maria V.
Published: March 2015

The small GTPase Rac1 is well known for regulating actin cytoskeleton reorganization in cells. Formation of extensions at the surface of the cell is required for migration and even for cell invasion and metastases. Because an elevated level and hyperactivation of this protein has been associated with metastasis in cancer, direct regulators of Rac1 are currently envisioned as a potential strategy to treat certain cancers. Less research, however, has been done regarding the role of this small GTP‐binding protein in brain development, where it has an important role in dendritic spine morphogenesis through the regulation of actin. Alteration of dendritic development and spinogenesis has been often associated with mental disorders. Rac1 is associated with and required for learning and the formation of memories in the brain. Rac1 appears to be dysregulated in certain neurodevelopmental disorders that present all these three alterations: mental retardation, atypical synaptic plasticity and aberrant spine morphology. Thus, to develop novel therapies for rescuing cognitive impairment, a reasonable approach might be to target this protein, Rac1, which plays a pivotal role in directing signals that regulate actin dynamics, which in turn might have an effect in spine cytoarchitecture and synaptic function. It is possible that novel drugs that regulate Rac1 activation and function could modulate actin cytoskeleton and spine dynamics, representing potential candidates to repair intellectual disability in disorders associated with spine abnormalities. Herein, we present a list of the current Rac1 inhibitors that might fulfill this role together with a summary of the latest findings concerning their function as they relate to neuronal studies.

image

While the small GTPase Rac1 is well known for regulating actin cytoskeleton reorganization in different type of cells, it appears to be also required for learning and the formation of memories in the brain. Abnormal regulation of this protein has been associated with cognitive disabilities, atypical synaptic plasticity and abnormal morphology of dendritic spines in certain neurodevelopmental disorders. Thus, modulation of Rac1 activity using novel inhibitors might be a strategy to reestablish cognitive function.
Outcome comparison of very preterm infants cared for in the neonatal intensive care units in Australia and New Zealand and in Canada
Authors: Hossain Sadia , Shah Prakesh S , Ye Xiang Y , Darlow Brian A , Lee Shoo K , Lui Kei ,   Canadian Neonatal Network,   Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network
Published: March 2015

Aim

To compare risk‐adjusted neonatal intensive care unit outcomes between regions of similar population demography and health‐care systems in Australia–New Zealand and Canada to generate meaningful hypothesis for outcome improvements.

Methods

Retrospective study of data from preterm infants (<32 weeks gestational age) cared for in 29 ANZNN (Australian and New Zealand Neonatal Network) and 26 Canadian Neonatal Network (CNN) intensive care unit admitted between 2005 and 2007. Moribund infants or those with major congenital malformation were excluded.

Results

The 9995 ANZNN infants had a higher gestational age (29 vs. 28 weeks, P < 0.0001), lower rate of outborn status (13.2% vs. 19.1%, P < 0.0001) and Apgar score <7 at 5 min (14.8% vs. 21.6%, P < 0.0001) than their 7141 CNN counterparts. After adjustment, ANZNN and CNN infants had a similar likelihood of survival (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.01 (0.88, 1.16)), but ANZNN infants were at lower risk of severe retinopathy (AOR 0.71 (0.61, 0.83)), severe ultrasound neurological injury (AOR 0.68 (0.59, 0.78)), necrotising enterocolitis (AOR 0.65 (0.56, 0.76)), chronic lung disease (AOR 0.67 (0.62, 0.73)) and late‐onset sepsis (AOR 0.83 (0.76, 0.91)). ANZNN infants were at a higher risk of pulmonary air leak (AOR 1.20 (1.01, 1.42)), early‐onset sepsis (AOR 1.33 (1.02, 1.74)). More ANZNN infants received any respiratory support (AOR 1.27 (1.14, 1.41)) and continuous positive airway pressure as sole respiratory support (AOR 2.50 (2.27, 2.70)).

Conclusions

Despite similarities in settings, ANZNN infants fared better in most measures. Outcome disparities may be related to differences in tertiary service provision, referral and clinical practices.
The role of light availability and herbivory on algal responses to nutrient enrichment in a riparian wetland, Alaska
Authors: Rober Allison R. , Stevenson R. Jan , Wyatt Kevin H.
Published: March 2015

We investigated how the relative availability of solar radiation in the presence or absence of grazing alters the ability of benthic algae to respond to nutrient enrichment in an Alaskan marsh. We used a factorial mesocosm experiment that included nutrient enrichment (enriched or control), grazing (grazed or ungrazed), and light (unshaded or shaded) to simulate shading by macrophytes early and late in the growing season, respectively. We found stronger effects of grazers and nutrients compared to light on benthic algal biomass and taxonomic composition. Algal biomass increased in nutrient‐enriched treatments and was reduced by grazing. Shading did not have an effect on algal biomass or taxonomic composition, but the concentration of chl a per algal biovolume increased with shading, demonstrating the ability of algae to compensate for changes in light availability. Algal taxonomic composition was more affected by grazer presence than nutrients or light. Grazer‐resistant taxa (basal filaments of Stigeoclonium) were replaced by diatoms (Nitzschia) and filamentous green algae (Ulothrix) when herbivores were removed. The interacting and opposing influences of nutrients and grazing indicate that the algal community is under dual control from the bottom‐up (nutrient limitation) and from the top‐down (consumption by herbivores), although grazers had a stronger influence on algal biomass and taxonomic composition than nutrient enrichment. Our results suggest that low light availability will not inhibit the algal response to elevated nutrient concentrations expected with ongoing climate change, but grazers rapidly consume algae following enrichment, masking the effects of elevated nutrients on algal production.
Temporal fine‐scale genetic variation in the zoonosis‐carrying long‐tailed pygmy rice rat in Patagonia, Argentina
Authors: González‐Ittig R. E. , Polop F. J. , Andreo V. C. , Chiappero M. B. , Levis S. , Calderón G. , Provensal M. C. , Polop J. J. , Gardenal C. N.
Published: March 2015

Factors modeling the population genetic structure are of major importance when species involved in the transmission of zoonoses are considered. The long‐tailed pygmy rice rat or ‘colilargo’ Oligoryzomys longicaudatus is a highly vagile rodent species which acts as the reservoir of the Andes hantavirus in southern Argentina and Chile. To contribute to the knowledge of the processes determining the microgeographical genetic structure of populations of this species, we used 10 microsatellite loci to estimate the levels of polymorphism, individual relatedness and the population effective sizes through time and to explore if the effective size correlated with density. Individuals were sampled seasonally during a 25‐month period in a population from the Argentinean Patagonia located in the endemic area of Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome. We detected three genetic clusters. An important temporal change in cluster prevalence was detected after a population bottleneck. Individuals of the same period presented higher mean relatedness values than between consecutive periods. Density and effective population size estimations were correlated. All analyses performed in this study are in line with the conclusion that high levels of gene flow encompassing different habitats would be a major process producing fine‐scale temporal changes in the genetic composition of the studied population.
Detecting land use/land cover changes in the Lake Hayq (Ethiopia) drainage basin, 1957–2007
Authors: Yesuf Hassen M. , Assen Mohammed , Melesse Assefa M. , Alamirew Tena
Published: March 2015

Land use/land cover changes in a lake drainage basin reflect changes in the magnitude of the water balance components and rate of sediment deposition in a lake as a reflection of the fundamental linkage between what happens in a lake considered against what is happening in the drainage basin of the lake. The objective of this study was to quantify the spatio‐temporal land cover/land use changes across the Lake Hayq closed drainage basin in north‐east Ethiopia over a 50‐years period, using multitemporal remote sensing and geospatial data. Two historical occasions of aerial photographs (1957 and 1986) and one satellite image (2007) were examined with image analysis tools: Leica Photogrammetric Suite (LPS 9.2) Project Manager, ArcGIS10.0, and ERDAS EMAGINE 9.2. Seven aerial coverage of land use/land cover categories were identified and mapped for the past three historical times. The results indicated that farmlands/settlements and shrublands/degraded lands increased by 43.1% and 136.9%, at an annual rate of 27.4 and 13.5 ha year−1, respectively, between 1957 and 2007. In contrast, bushlands, grasslands, forestlands and lake surface area were diminished by 68.8%, 62.7%, 90.5% and 7.6%, at a rate of 24.0, 7.6, 6.1 and 3.7 ha year−1, respectively, over the past five decades. The basin had undergone significant transformation in land use/land cover over the past half century, affecting the lake's biophysical stability by accelerating soil erosion in the basin, sediment accumulation, and a reduced quantity and quality of cumulative stream flow into the lake.
Regime shifts observed in Lake Kasumigaura, a large shallow lake in Japan: Analysis of a 40‐year limnological record
Authors: Fukushima Takehiko , Arai Hiroyuki
Published: March 2015

Lake Kasumigaura, which is composed of the two basins (Nishiura and Kitaura), is a large, shallow, hypereutrophic lake. Phytoplankton and water quality records from the past forty years were analysed to elucidate whether or not, when, and what type of certain regime shifts may have occurred, based on using inferential regime shift detectors. Characteristics of the phytoplankton and water quality changes were similar at 6 sampling sites in the two basins, with 20 water quality parameters being classified into four groups, based on cluster analysis. Shifts in dominant plankton groups (DPGs) and water quality occurring almost concomitantly, concentration on the period from 1987 to 1992 (Shift A) and from 1997 to 2001 (Shift B), with those observed for the two basins usually being similar with small differences. Two types of inferential regime shift detectors (sequential t‐test type; Rodionov's RSD and sequential F‐test type: package strucchange in R) yielded similar timings and significances of the shifts. Furthermore, changes in skewness and conditional heteroskedasticity (package early warnings in R) usually represented early warning signals before the shifts. Correlation analysis and ratios of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) vs. total phosphorus (TP) supported the hypothesis that phosphorus was the phytoplankton biomass limiting nutrient, except for one period for the Nishiura basin. Neither the nitrogen:phosphorus (N/P) ratio hypothesis and ammonia–nitrate (NH4‐N/NO3‐N) hypothesis satisfactorily explain the DPGs before and after Shift A (Microcystis spp. and Planktothrix spp., respectively), although it may be possible that these ratios triggered the DPG change in this shift. A considerable increase in silicon was observed for Shift B when the DPGs changed from cyanobacteria to diatoms. Further studies on the accurate types and triggers of the regime shifts are necessary to better understand the interactions between ecosystem and water quality for this and similar lakes elsewhere.
Likelihood Ratio Tests for High‐Dimensional Normal Distributions
Authors: Jiang Tiefeng , Qi Yongcheng
Published: March 2015

In their recent work, Jiang and Yang studied six classical Likelihood Ratio Test statistics under high‐dimensional setting. Assuming that a random sample of sizenis observed from ap‐dimensional normal population, they derive the central limit theorems (CLTs) whenpandnare proportional to each other, which are different from the classical chi‐square limits asngoes to infinity, whilepremains fixed. In this paper, by developing a new tool, we prove that the mentioned six CLTs hold in a more applicable setting:pgoes to infinity, andpcan be very close ton. This is an almost sufficient and necessary condition for the CLTs. Simulations of histograms, comparisons on sizes and powers with those in the classical chi‐square approximations and discussions are presented afterwards.
The effect of different training modes on skeletal muscle microvascular density and endothelial enzymes controlling NO availability
Authors: Cocks Matthew , Wagenmakers Anton J. M.
Published: March 2015

It is becoming increasingly apparent that a high vasodilator response of the skeletal muscle microvasculature to insulin and exercise is of critical importance for adequate muscle perfusion and long‐term microvascular and muscle metabolic health. Previous research has shown that a sedentary lifestyle, obesity and ageing lead to impairments in the vasodilator response, while a physically active lifestyle keeps both microvascular density and vasodilator response high. To investigate the molecular mechanisms behind these impairments and the benefits of exercise training interventions, our laboratory has recently developed quantitative immunofluorescence microscopy methods to measure protein content of eNOS and NAD(P)Hoxidase specifically in the endothelial layer of capillaries and arterioles of human skeletal muscle. As eNOS produces nitric oxide (NO) and NAD(P)Hoxidase produces superoxide anions (O2−, quenching NO) we propose that the eNOS/NAD(P)Hoxidase protein ratio is a marker of vasodilator capacity. The novel methods show that endurance training (ET) and high intensity interval training (HIT), generally regarded as a time‐efficient alternative to ET, increase eNOS protein content and the eNOS/NADP(H)oxidase protein ratio in previously sedentary lean and obese young men. Resistance exercise training had smaller but qualitatively similar effects. Western blot data of other laboratories suggest that endurance exercise training leads to similar changes in sedentary elderly men. Future research will be required to investigate the relative importance of other sources and tissues in the balance between NO and O2− production seen by the vascular smooth muscle layer of terminal arterioles.
Connections Between the Design Tool, Design Attributes, and User Preferences in Early Stage Design
Authors: Häggman Anders , Tsai Geoff , Elsen Catherine , Honda Tomonori , Yang Maria C.
Published: March 2015

Gathering user feedback on provisional design concepts early in the design process has the potential to reduce time-to-market and create more satisfying products. Among the parameters that shape user response to a product, this paper investigates how design experts use sketches, physical prototypes, and computer-aided design (CAD) to generate and represent ideas, as well as how these tools are linked to design attributes and multiple measures of design quality. Eighteen expert designers individually addressed a 2 hr design task using only sketches, foam prototypes, or CAD. It was found that prototyped designs were generated more quickly than those created using sketches or CAD. Analysis of 406 crowdsourced responses to the resulting designs showed that those created as prototypes were perceived as more novel, more aesthetically pleasing, and more comfortable to use. It was also found that designs perceived as more novel tended to fare poorly on all other measured qualities.
Mixed Elastohydrodynamic Lubrication With Three-Dimensional Machined Roughness in Spiral Bevel and Hypoid Gears
Authors: Pu Wei , Wang Jiaxu , Yang Rongsong , Zhu Dong
Published: March 2015

Spiral bevel and hypoid gears are key components widely used for transmitting significant power in various types of vehicles and engineering machineries. In reality, these gear surfaces are quite rough with three-dimensional (3D) topography that may significantly influence the lubrication formation and breakdown as well as components failures. Previous spiral bevel and hypoid gears lubrication studies, however, were limited mostly to cases under the full-film lubrication condition with smooth surfaces. In the present study, a comprehensive analysis for gearing geometry, kinematics, mixed lubrication performance, and friction and interfacial flash temperature in spiral bevel and hypoid gears is developed based on a recently developed mixed elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) model that is capable of handling practical cases with 3D machined roughness under severe operating conditions and considering the effect of arbitrary entrainment angle. Obtained results from sample cases show that the simulation model developed can be used as an engineering tool for spiral bevel and hypoid gears design optimization and strength prediction.
An Examination of the Relationship Between Athletic Identity and Career Maturity in Student-Athletes
Authors: Houle James L. W. , Kluck Annette S.
Published: March 2015

This study explored the extent to which athletic identity, belief of financial sustainability through participation at the professional level, scholarship status, and career decision-making self-efficacy predicted career maturity in college athletes. In addition, whether the relationship between athletic identity and career maturity differed depending upon scholarship status, belief of sustaining oneself financially as a professional athlete, and career decision-making self-efficacy was explored. Participants were 221 student-athletes from a large southeastern university. Participants provided demographic information and completed the Athletic Identity Measurement Scale, Career Decision Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form, and Career Decision Scale. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that athletic identity was inversely related to career maturity. In addition, career decision-making self-efficacy was related to career maturity, with high career decision-making self-efficacy associated with higher career maturity. Future research is needed to further explore psychological variables that may explain the relationship between athletic identity and career maturity.
Immunotherapy: Making the case for precision medicine
Authors: Bluestone Jeffrey A. , Tang Qizhi
Published: March 2015

Immunotherapy illustrates precision medicine’s potential to turn molecular data on human diseases into targeted treatments.
Sublethal Exposure to Commercial Formulations of the Herbicides Dicamba, 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid, and Glyphosate Cause Changes in Antibiotic Susceptibility in Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Kurenbach Brigitta , Marjoshi Delphine , Amábile-Cuevas Carlos F. , Ferguson Gayle C. , Godsoe William , Gibson Paddy , Heinemann Jack A.
Published: March 2015

Biocides, such as herbicides, are routinely tested for toxicity but not for sublethal effects on microbes. Many biocides are known to induce an adaptive multiple-antibiotic resistance phenotype. This can be due to either an increase in the expression of efflux pumps, a reduced synthesis of outer membrane porins, or both. Exposures of
Escherichia coli
and
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium to commercial formulations of three herbicides—dicamba (Kamba), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), and glyphosate (Roundup)—were found to induce a changed response to antibiotics. Killing curves in the presence and absence of sublethal herbicide concentrations showed that the directions and the magnitudes of responses varied by herbicide, antibiotic, and species. When induced, MICs of antibiotics of five different classes changed up to 6-fold. In some cases the MIC increased, and in others it decreased. Herbicide concentrations needed to invoke the maximal response were above current food maximum residue levels but within application levels for all herbicides. Compounds that could cause induction had additive effects in combination. The role of
soxS
, an inducer of the AcrAB efflux pump, was tested in β-galactosidase assays with
soxS-lacZ
fusion strains of E. coli. Dicamba was a moderate inducer of the
sox
regulon. Growth assays with Phe-Arg β-naphtylamide (PAβN), an efflux pump inhibitor, confirmed a significant role of efflux in the increased tolerance of E. coli to chloramphenicol in the presence of dicamba and to kanamycin in the presence of glyphosate. Pathways of exposure with relevance to the health of humans, domestic animals, and critical insects are discussed.

IMPORTANCE
Increasingly common chemicals used in agriculture, domestic gardens, and public places can induce a multiple-antibiotic resistance phenotype in potential pathogens. The effect occurs upon simultaneous exposure to antibiotics and is faster than the lethal effect of antibiotics. The magnitude of the induced response may undermine antibiotic therapy and substantially increase the probability of spontaneous mutation to higher levels of resistance. The combination of high use of both herbicides and antibiotics in proximity to farm animals and important insects, such as honeybees, might also compromise their therapeutic effects and drive greater use of antibiotics. To address the crisis of antibiotic resistance requires broadening our view of environmental contributors to the evolution of resistance.
Modifications in electrical properties of ZnO:In/PS/Si (100) heterojunction by ZnO intermediate layer
Authors: Belaid H. , Nouiri M. , Sayari A. , Ben Ayadi Z. , Djessas K. , El Mir L.
Published: March 2015

The sol-gel method has been used for the synthesis of indium doped zinc oxide (IZO) aerogel nanopowder; the obtained product was used in the target as a source for the deposition of thin IZO layers onto p-type porous silicon (PS) substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. We deposited two heterostructures with (IZO/ZnO/PS/Si) and without (IZO/PS/Si) ZnO intermediate layer to study its role on the electrical properties. The obtained IZO thin films with a thickness of about 400 nm using indium concentration of 4 at%, were polycrystalline with a hexagonal wurtzite structure and preferential orientation in the (002) crystallographic direction. The effect of the intermediate ZnO layer on the electrical properties of the two heterojunctions, n-IZO/PS/p-Si and n-IZO/ZnO/PS/p-Si, was systematically investigated by current–voltage (I–V), capacitance–voltage (C–V), and capacitance–frequency (C–F) characteristics. Our measurements show that the junction properties strongly depend on temperature and the intermediate ZnO layer has significant impact on the transport properties in the n-IZO/ZnO/PS/p-Si heterostructure. The junction fabricated without intermediate ZnO layer possessed ideal rectifying behaviors (IF/IR = 32 at 300 K and 6 × 103 at 80 K for ±3 V). However, the rectifying behavior degrades for the n-IZO/ZnO/PS/p-Si heterojunction (IF/IR ∼ 8 at 300 K and 7 at 80 K for ±3 V). The ambiguous behavior of IF/IR in the low temperature range (80–140 K) for the n-IZO/ZnO/PS/p-Si heterojunction was explained by the existence of tunnel paths active in this temperature range. The transport properties of the two diodes were explained in terms of the Anderson model and the space charge limited current model. The C–V measurements show a complex electrical behavior for the IZO/ZnO/PS/Si heterojunction, which is attributed to indium diffusion in the undoped ZnO intermediate layer during the growth process.
Antidepressant-like effect of simvastatin in diabetic rats
Authors: ElBatsh Maha Mohamed
Published: March 2015

Diabetes mellitus is accompanied by hormonal and neurochemical changes that can be associated with anxiety and depression. I investigated the antidepressant effect of simvastatin (SMV) on diabetic rats. Rats were divided into control (CTR) and streptozotocin-induced diabetic (STZ) groups and were orally administered 0, 5, or 10 mg/kg of SMV daily for 14 days, then exposed to the forced swimming test (FST). Our results showed that diabetic rats had higher immobility duration than the CTR rats, and SMV decreased this depressive-like behavior in the diabetic rats. However, clomipramine lowered the immobility time in the CTR and STZ rats. STZ decreased serotonin concentration in the hippocampus, which was reversed by SMV and clomipramine. The dopamine concentration in the hippocampus decreased in the STZ groups compared with the CTR groups. However, SMV and clomipramine had no significant effect on the dopamine levels in either the CTR or STZ groups. Corticosterone levels were increased in the untreated STZ group; SMV and clomipramine significantly decreased corticosterone levels in the STZ groups, but had no effect on the CTR groups. In conclusion, SMV exerts an antidepressant-like effect on diabetic rats that are submitted to the FST. The antidepressant-like effect of SMV in the FST appears to be mediated, at least in part, by the biochemical changes to the blood levels of corticosterone and of serotonin concentration in the hippocampus.
Homogeneous locally conformally Kähler and Sasaki manifolds
Authors: Alekseevsky D. V. , Cortés V. , Hasegawa K. , Kamishima Y.
Published: March 2015

We prove various classification results for homogeneous locally conformally symplectic manifolds. In particular, we show that a homogeneous locally conformally Kähler manifold of a reductive group is of Vaisman type if the normalizer of the isotropy group is compact. We also show that such a result does not hold in the case of non-compact normalizer and determine all left-invariant lcK structures on reductive Lie groups.
Stable cohomotopy Seiberg–Witten invariants of connected sums of four-manifolds with positive first Betti number, I: Non-vanishing theorem
Authors: Ishida Masashi , Sasahira Hirofumi
Published: March 2015

We shall prove a new non-vanishing theorem for the stable cohomotopy Seiberg–Witten invariant [S. Bauer and M. Furuta, Stable cohomotopy refinement of Seiberg–Witten invariants: I, Invent. Math.155 (2004) 1–19; S. Bauer, Stable cohomotopy refinement of Seiberg–Witten invariants: II, Invent. Math.155 (2004) 21–40.] of connected sums of 4-manifolds with positive first Betti number.
The fixed point set of a holomorphic isometry, the intersection of two real forms in a Hermitian symmetric space of compact type and symmetric triads
Authors: Ikawa Osamu , Tanaka Makiko Sumi , Tasaki Hiroyuki
Published: March 2015

We show a necessary and sufficient condition that the fixed point set of a holomorphic isometry and the intersection of two real forms of a Hermitian symmetric space of compact type are discrete and prove that they are antipodal sets in the cases. We also consider some relations between the intersection of two real forms and the fixed point set of a certain holomorphic isometry.
Effects of magnetic field intensity on carbon diffusion coefficient in pure iron in γ-Fe temperature region
Authors: Wu Yan , Duan Guosheng , Zhao Xiang
Published: March 2015

Effects of magnetic field intensity on carbon diffusion coefficient in pure iron in the γ- Fe temperature region were investigated using carburizing technology. The carbon penetration profiles from the iron surface to interior were measured by field emission electron probe microanalyzer. The carbon diffusion coefficient in pure iron carburized with different magnetic field intensities was calculated according to the Fick's second law. It was found that the magnetic field intensity could obviously affect the carbon diffusion coefficient in pure iron in the γ- Fe temperature region, and the carbon diffusion coefficient decreased obviously with the enhancement of magnetic field intensity, when the magnetic field intensity was higher than 1 T, the carbon diffusion coefficient in field annealed specimen was less than half of that of the nonfield annealed specimen, further enhancing the magnetic field intensity, the carbon diffusion coefficient basically remains unchanged. The stiffening of lattice due to field-induced magnetic ordering was responsible for an increase in activation barrier for jumping carbon atoms. The greater the magnetic field intensity, the stronger the inhibiting effect of magnetic field on carbon diffusion.
On the slice genus and some concordance invariants of links
Authors: Cavallo Alberto
Published: March 2015

We introduce a new class of links for which we give a lower bound for the slice genus g*, using the generalized Rasmussen invariant. We show that this bound, in some cases, allows one to compute g* exactly; in particular, we compute g* for torus links. We also study another link invariant: the strong slice genus [Formula: see text]. Studying the behavior of a specific type of cobordisms in Lee homology, a lower bound for [Formula: see text] is also given.
Cartan invariants for the Witt superalgebra W(2) in positive characteristic
Authors: Duan Feifei , Li Fang
Published: March 2015

The aim of this paper is to study the projective modules of the [Formula: see text]-reduced enveloping superalgebra [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is the Lie superalgebra of superderivations on the Grassmann superalgebra [Formula: see text], over an algebraically closed field k of characteristic [Formula: see text]. Mainly, the Cartan invariants and the dimensions of indecomposable projective modules of [Formula: see text] are determined for any [Formula: see text]-character [Formula: see text] up to isomorphism.