bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Functional Connectivity of Vim Nucleus in Tremor‐ and Akinetic‐/Rigid‐Dominant Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Zhang Jia‐Rong , Feng Tao , Hou Ya‐Nan , Chan Piu , Wu Tao
Published: February 2016

Aims

The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of the ventral intermediate nucleus of thalamus (Vim) in the tremor‐ and akinetic‐/rigid‐related networks in Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods

Tremor‐dominant (TD) and akinetic‐/rigid‐dominant (ARD) PD patients were recruited and scanned by resting‐state functional MRI. Functional connectivity from the Vim nucleus was analyzed.

Results

In the TD patients, the Vim nucleus exhibited increased connectivity with the cerebellum/dentate nucleus, primary motor cortex (M1), supplementary motor area (SMA), premotor cortex, thalamus, globus pallidus, putamen, and parietal cortex compared with the controls, while the connections between the Vim nucleus and M1 and cerebellum/dentate nucleus had positive correlations with the tremor scores. In the ARD patients, the Vim nucleus only showed enhanced connectivity with the globus pallidus and limbic lobe compared with the controls, and no connectivity showed correlation against the akinetic–rigidity scores. TD patients had increased connectivity with the Vim nucleus in the cerebellum, M1, SMA, thalamus, globus pallidus, putamen, and parietal cortex compared with ARD patients.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the Vim nucleus has an important role in the tremor‐related network, but not in the akinetic‐/rigid‐related network. Our finding is helpful to explain the selective effect of Vim deep brain stimulation in PD.
Metabarcoding reveals strong spatial structure and temporal turnover of zooplankton communities among marine and freshwater ports
Authors: Chain Frédéric J. J. , Brown Emily A. , MacIsaac Hugh J. , Cristescu Melania E.
Published: February 2016

Aim

The urgent need for large‐scale spatio‐temporal assessments of biodiversity in the face of rapid environmental change prompts technological advancements in species identification and biomonitoring such as metabarcoding. The high‐throughput DNA sequencing of bulk samples offers many advantages over traditional morphological identification for describing community composition. Our objective was to evaluate the applicability of metabarcoding to identify species in taxonomically complex samples, evaluate biodiversity trends across broad geographical and temporal scales and facilitate cross‐study comparisons.

Location

Marine and freshwater ports along Canadian coastlines (Pacific, Arctic and Atlantic) and the Great Lakes.

Methods

We used metabarcoding of bulk zooplankton samples to identify species and profile biodiversity across habitats and seasons in busy commercial ports. A taxonomic assignment approach circumventing sequence clustering was implemented to provide increased resolution and accuracy compared to pre‐clustering.

Results

Taxonomic classification of over seven million sequences identified organisms spanning around 400 metazoan families and complements previous surveys based on morphological identification. Metabarcoding revealed over 30 orders that were previously not reported, while certain taxonomic groups were underrepresented because of depauperate reference databases. Despite the limitations of assigning metabarcoding data to the species level, zooplankton communities were distinct among coastlines and significantly divergent among marine, freshwater and estuarine habitats even at the family level. Furthermore, biodiversity varied substantially across two seasons reaching a beta diversity of 0.9 in a sub‐Arctic port exposed to high vessel traffic.

Main Conclusions

Metabarcoding offers a powerful and sensitive approach to conduct large‐scale biodiversity surveys and allows comparability across studies when rooted in taxonomy. We highlight ways of overcoming current limitations of metabarcoding for identifying species and assessing biodiversity, which has important implications for detecting organisms at low abundance such as endangered species and early invaders. Our study conveys pertinent and timely considerations for future large‐scale monitoring surveys in relationship to environmental change.
Gliptin‐mediated neuroprotection against stroke requires chronic pretreatment and is independent of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor
Authors: Darsalia V. , Larsson M. , Lietzau G. , Nathanson D. , Nyström T. , Klein T. , Patrone C.
Published: February 2016

Gliptins are anti‐type 2 diabetes (T2D) drugs that regulate glycaemia by preventing endogenous glucagon‐like peptide‐1 (GLP‐1) degradation. Chronically administered gliptins before experimental stroke can also induce neuroprotection, and this effect is potentially relevant for reducing brain damage in patients with T2D and high risk of stroke. It is not known, however, whether acute gliptin treatment after stroke (mimicking a post‐hospitalization treatment) is neuroprotective or whether gliptin‐mediated neuroprotection occurs via GLP‐1‐receptor (GLP‐1R) activation. To answer these two questions, wild‐type and glp‐1r−/− mice were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Linagliptin was administered acutely (50 mg/kg intravenously), at MCAO time or chronically (10 mg/kg orally) for 4 weeks before and 3 weeks after MCAO. Neuroprotection was assessed by stroke volume measurement and quantification of NeuN‐positive surviving neurons. Plasma/brain GLP‐1 levels and dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 activity were also measured. The results show that the linagliptin‐mediated neuroprotection against stroke requires chronic pretreatment and does not occur via GLP‐1R. The findings provide essential new knowledge with regard to the potential clinical use of gliptins against stroke, as well as a strong impetus to identify gliptin‐mediated neuroprotective mechanisms.
Confirmatory factor analysis of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (Korean version)
Authors: Cho Young Il , Lee Soonmook , Patton Lauren L. , Kim Hae‐Young
Published: February 2016

Empirical support for the factor structure of the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) has not been fully established. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the factor structure of the Korean version of the COHIP (COHIP‐K) empirically using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) based on the theoretical framework and then to assess whether any of the factors in the structure could be grouped into a simpler single second‐order factor. Data were collected through self‐reported COHIP‐K responses from a representative community sample of 2,236 Korean children, 8–15 yr of age. Because a large inter‐factor correlation of 0.92 was estimated in the original five‐factor structure, the two strongly correlated factors were combined into one factor, resulting in a four‐factor structure. The revised four‐factor model showed a reasonable fit with appropriate inter‐factor correlations. Additionally, the second‐order model with four sub‐factors was reasonable with sufficient fit and showed equal fit to the revised four‐factor model. A cross‐validation procedure confirmed the appropriateness of the findings. Our analysis empirically supported a four‐factor structure of COHIP‐K, a summarized second‐order model, and the use of an integrated summary COHIP score.
Stress During Adolescence Shapes Performance in Adulthood: Context‐Dependent Effects on Foraging and Vigilance
Authors: Chaby Lauren E. , Sheriff Michael J. , Cavigelli Sonia A. , Hirrlinger Amy M. , Lim James , Braithwaite Victoria A.
Published: February 2016

Exposure to chronic stress during adolescence can shape behaviour, cognition and physiology in adulthood, but the consequences of these long‐term changes remain unclear. Prior studies reporting altered performance following exposure to stress in adolescence have generally interpreted lasting changes as impairments. However, we have recently shown that exposure to chronic unpredictable stress during adolescence (from post‐natal days 30–70) can enhance performance in a context‐dependent manner during a foraging task. Increases in foraging performance, (previously measured by the number of rewards obtained), are often associated with trade‐offs in other behaviours, such as vigilance. Here, we examined the effect of stress exposure in adolescence on adult foraging in male Sprague Dawley rats to determine (1) whether the increase in foraging performance exhibited by animals exposed to stress in adolescence is balanced by a decrease in vigilance, and (2) whether stress in adolescence alters time allocation between foraging and vigilance behaviours in low‐ and high‐threat conditions. We found no evidence of a trade‐off between foraging and vigilance; under low‐threat conditions, rats exposed to stress in adolescence spent more time being vigilant compared with unstressed rats, suggesting that exposure to stress in adolescence enhances anticipation of threat in adulthood. Under high‐threat conditions, adolescent‐stressed and unstressed rats did not differ in foraging and vigilance behaviours. Given that we have previously found that rats exposed to stress in adolescence nearly double food intake under high‐threat, and we now show that high‐performing rats do not spend more time foraging, it appears that stress exposure in adolescence may enhance foraging efficiency (food consumed/time) under high‐threat conditions rather than time allocation between foraging and competing behaviours. We also examined the relationship, at the level of the individual, between foraging performance and foraging and vigilance behaviours. We found that changes in individual foraging performance between low‐ and high‐threat conditions were independent of behavioural changes (i.e. both highly and poorly performing rats were equally active and contacted a similar number of patches). This suggests that the ability to obtain many rewards under high‐threat conditions may be related to efficiency, rather than the frequency of foraging and effort‐related behaviours.
Learning and Memory in Juvenile Zebrafish: What makes the Difference – Population or Rearing Environment?
Authors: Roy Tamal , Bhat Anuradha
Published: February 2016

The ability to learn and remember about the surrounding environment is crucial for the survival of organisms in their natural habitats. Adults of numerous fish species have been shown to display sophisticated behaviour related to learning and memory. This study deals with testing learning abilities among juveniles (10 wks old) of zebrafish (Danio rerio) through a simple task of finding food. We compared the performance of juveniles from two populations, a wild collected from a natural habitat and an aquarium‐bred purchased from a pet shop, reared in bare environment (lacking visual cues). Additionally, we also tested the effect of early habitat enrichment on the performance among juveniles of the aquarium‐bred population. The experiments involved training fishes to solve a simple maze (with a food reward at the end) and testing their memory. Learning was measured based on the time taken to complete the task (performance time) of finding food in the maze‐arena across repeated trials. Our results showed that juveniles from the two populations possessed significantly different learning abilities. There were population differences in exploratory tendency and time taken to accomplish the task. However, when memory was tested based on performance time between training and test day, individuals (from both populations) were found to be poor at memorizing learnt tasks. On the other hand, juveniles (belonging to aquarium‐bred population) reared in spatially complex environments displayed higher rates of learning and were capable of remembering learnt tasks better than their counterparts from bare environments. This study thus demonstrates the importance of rearing conditions and natural ecology in ontogenetic development of learning and memory functions among zebrafish.
Inside the Great Recession: University Products and Regional Economic Development
Authors: Lendel Iryna , Qian Haifeng
Published: February 2016

This article investigates the role of universities in the economic development of American metropolitan regions during the Great Recession (2007–2009) and the growth period prior to it (2001–2007). It develops a supply‐side conceptual framework on the role of universities in technology‐led regional economic development. Specifically, this framework highlights three “university products” that can be explicitly defined and measured: educational services, business services, and new knowledge or technology. The empirical test of this conceptual framework finds that the presence of universities is positively associated with regional economic performance during the Great Recession, mainly via the educational services product. Findings indicate that regions with a higher level of university science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates are more resilient to the economic recession.
Nutritional education for management of osteodystrophy: Impact on serum phosphorus, quality of life, and malnutrition
Authors: Karavetian Mirey , Elzein Hafez , Rizk Rana , Jibai Rime , de Vries Nanne
Published: February 2016

Introduction Osteodystrophy management includes dietary phosphorus restriction, which may limit protein intake, exacerbate malnutrition‐inflammation syndrome and mortality among hemodialysis patients. Methods A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in Lebanon, to test the hypothesis that intensive nutrition education focused on phosphorus‐to‐protein balance will improve patient outcomes. Six hemodialysis units were randomly assigned to the trained hospital dietitian (THD) protocol (210 patients). Six others (184 patients) were divided equally according to the patients’ dialysis shifts and assigned to Dedicated Dietitian (DD) and Control protocols. Patients in the THD group received nutrition education from hospital dietitians who were trained by the study team on renal dietetics, but had limited time for hemodialysis patients. Patients in the DD group received individualized nutritional education on dietary phosphorus and protein management for 6 months (2‐hour/patient/month) from study renal dietitians. Patients in the control group continued receiving routine care from hospital dietitians who had limited time for these patients and were blinded to the study. Serum phosphorus (mmol/L), malnutrition‐inflammation score (MIS), health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) index and length of hospital stay (LOS) were assessed at T0 (baseline), T1 (postintervention) and T2 (post6 month follow up). Findings Only the DD protocol significantly improved serum phosphorus (T0:1.78 ± 0.5, T1:1.63 ± 0.46, T2:1.69 ± 0.53), 3 domains of the HRQOL and maintained MIS at T1, but this protective effect resolved at T2. The LOS significantly dropped for all groups. Discussion The presence of competent renal dietitians fully dedicated to hemodialysis units was superior over the other protocols in temporarily improving patient outcomes.
Single nucleotide polymorphisms of TNFAIP3 are associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in Han Chinese population
Authors: Han J.‐W. , Wang Y. , Li H.‐B. , Alateng C. , Bai Y.‐H. , Sun Z.‐Q. , Lv X.‐X. , Wu R.‐N.
Published: February 2016

The polymorphisms of tumour necrosis factor alpha‐induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) have been found to associate with several autoimmune diseases. This study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TNFAIP3 gene with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Han Chinese. Thirty‐two SNPs were genotyped in 284 patients with SLE and 630 controls using the ligation detection reaction (LDR) method. The quality control steps and statistical analyses were performed using the plink 1.07 package and haploview software. We found that 13 SNPs in TNFAIP3 showed significant association with SLE (P < 1.85 × 10−3), and all of them were in high linkage disequilibrium (LD). After conditioning on the SNP rs2230926, other 12 SNPs did not show association (P > 0.27). All 13 SNPs showed most significant association in the dominant model. In haplotype analysis, a long risk SNP haplotype (GCCCGTGTCATGG) showed most significant association (P = 1.00 × 10−4). In conclusion, our data suggest that TNFAIP3 is a susceptible gene for SLE in the Han Chinese population.
Analytical performance evaluation of a high‐volume hematology laboratory utilizing sigma metrics as standard of excellence
Authors: Shaikh M. S. , Moiz B.
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Around two‐thirds of important clinical decisions about the management of patients are based on laboratory test results. Clinical laboratories are required to adopt quality control (QC) measures to ensure provision of accurate and precise results. Six sigma is a statistical tool, which provides opportunity to assess performance at the highest level of excellence. The purpose of this study was to assess performance of our hematological parameters on sigma scale in order to identify gaps and hence areas of improvement in patient care.

Methods

Twelve analytes included in the study were hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), red blood cell count (RBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), red cell distribution width (RDW), total leukocyte count (TLC) with percentages of neutrophils (Neutr%) and lymphocytes (Lymph %), platelet count (Plt), mean platelet volume (MPV), prothrombin time (PT), and fibrinogen (Fbg). Internal quality control data and external quality assurance survey results were utilized for the calculation of sigma metrics for each analyte.

Results

Acceptable sigma value of ≥3 was obtained for the majority of the analytes included in the analysis. MCV, Plt, and Fbg achieved value of <3 for level 1 (low abnormal) control. PT performed poorly on both level 1 and 2 controls with sigma value of <3.

Conclusions

Despite acceptable conventional QC tools, application of sigma metrics can identify analytical deficits and hence prospects for the improvement in clinical laboratories.
The effects of zoo visitors on a group of Western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla before and after the birth of an infant at Dublin Zoo
Authors: Collins C. K. , Marples N. M.
Published: February 2016

Increasingly, it is understood that one must take into consideration all aspects of the zoo environment when assessing visitor effects. One of the unexplored topics in this area is the impact of a new group member in combination with the visitor effect on primates. Here, we investigate the effect visitors have on a group of Western lowland gorillas Gorilla gorilla gorilla before and after the birth of an infant. Observational data were obtained through scan sampling before and after the infant's birth and during different visitor conditions. Results indicate that the birth of the infant lessened some of the negative visitor effects previously observed in this group of gorillas. Particularly when in the ‘high’ visitor numbers category, the adult ♂ foraged more, was less inactive and more social after the infant's birth than he had been before. However, certain negative behaviours associated with increased visitor number, such as aggression and ‘back to viewing window’, were not diminished with the birth of the infant. Although results varied between individuals, there are indications that an event such as the birth of an infant may lessen negative visitor effects.
Forty‐Nine Major and Trace Element Concentrations Measured in Soil Reference Materials NIST SRM 2586, 2587, 2709a, 2710a and 2711a Using ICP‐MS and Wavelength Dispersive‐XRF
Authors: Byers Harris L. , McHenry Lindsay J. , Grundl Timothy J.
Published: February 2016

Excellent agreement was noted in the concentration of major and trace elements in five NIST (National Institute for Science and Technology) soil reference materials (NIST SRM 2586, 2587, 2709a, 2710a and 2711a) between measurement results from wavelength dispersive‐XRF and ICP‐MS from two independent laboratories, and NIST certificate of analysis and literature data. We describe the variability in concentrations of up to forty‐nine elements (plus loss on ignition) and provide values for up to twenty‐one elements previously uncharacterised by NIST in these soil RMs. The additional characterisation provided in this investigation can be utilised to reduce the measurement bias of custom calibration routines and improve the quality of control checks developed using these NIST RMs.
Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities: Do educators assign them a fully human status?
Authors: Capozza Dora , Di Bernardo Gian Antonio , Falvo Rossella , Vianello Renzo , Calò Luca
Published: February 2016

The present research investigates the humanity attributions to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). In three studies, professional educators, who worked in day‐care or community centers, were examined. Humanity attributions were assessed using emotion‐based and trait‐based measures. As expected, individuals with IDD were denied a fully human status: they were perceived as having more non‐uniquely than uniquely human attributes. Furthermore, a lower human status was assigned to individuals with IDD in relation to educators. We also discovered that humanity attributions, but not attitudes, were related to approach/avoidance responses. Altogether, findings show the importance of considering humanity perceptions in the study of social relationships of individuals with IDD. Dehumanizing perceptions can explain the differential treatment these individuals face in various social settings.
Plasticity and evolution in correlated suites of traits
Authors: Fischer E. K. , Ghalambor C. K. , Hoke K. L.
Published: February 2016

When organisms are faced with new or changing environments, a central challenge is the coordination of adaptive shifts in many different phenotypic traits. Relationships among traits may facilitate or constrain evolutionary responses to selection, depending on whether the direction of selection is aligned or opposed to the pattern of trait correlations. Attempts to predict evolutionary potential in correlated traits generally assume that correlations are stable across time and space; however, increasing evidence suggests that this may not be the case, and flexibility in trait correlations could bias evolutionary trajectories. We examined genetic and environmental influences on variation and covariation in a suite of behavioural traits to understand if and how flexibility in trait correlations influences adaptation to novel environments. We tested the role of genetic and environmental influences on behavioural trait correlations by comparing Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) historically adapted to high‐ and low‐predation environments that were reared under native and non‐native environmental conditions. Both high‐ and low‐predation fish exhibited increased behavioural variance when reared under non‐native vs. native environmental conditions, and rearing in the non‐native environment shifted the major axis of variation among behaviours. Our findings emphasize that trait correlations observed in one population or environment may not predict correlations in another and that environmentally induced plasticity in correlations may bias evolutionary divergence in novel environments.
The Effects of Moisture Content and Loading Orientation on Some Physical and Mechanical Properties of “Tafo Hybrid” and “Amelonado” Cocoa Beans
Authors: Amoah Robert Sarpong , Abano Ernest Ekow , Anyidoho Elliot Kwaku
Published: February 2016

The physical and mechanical properties of the newly released “Tafo Hybrid” and the traditional “Amelonado” cocoa varieties were studied. Quasi‐static uniaxial compressive loads were applied along the lateral and longitudinal axes of the beans after conditioning to moisture contents between 5 and 21% (wb). Moisture‐induced changes in the size of “Tafo Hybrid” (geometric mean diameter 13.085 mm) were statistically not significant (P > 0.05) while those of “Amelonado” (geometric mean diameter 12.884 mm) increased significantly (P = 0.004). The energy absorbed at rupture point increased quadratically from the average of 60–83 mJ as moisture increased from 5 to 21%. In consequence, the rupture force decreased linearly from the average of 136.89–48.58 N. Significantly greater force was required to rupture the beans in the lateral orientation (mean value 131.79 N) compared with the longitudinal loading (mean value 46.58 N). “Tafo Hybrid” cocoa beans possessed higher mechanical strength than “Amelonado.” The effects are discussed in relation to their compressive strength, compressive strain and the apparent modulus at rupture, which showed differential responses to moisture changes.

Practical Applications

The study is potentially useful for the design of handling and processing equipment for cocoa beans, especially the newly introduced “Tafo Hybrid” variety whose mechanical properties have not been evaluated. Knowledge of the physical and mechanical properties is particularly needed for the optimal design of grinding machines and determination of the corresponding energy expenditure under varying moisture conditions of the beans.
Growth and Survival of Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Bifidum in Probiotic Yogurts Enriched by Barberry Extract
Authors: Hassani Mina , Sharifi Akram , Mohammadi Sani Ali , Hassani Bahram
Published: February 2016

This study investigated the effect of functional properties of barberry aqueous extract in different concentration of 4 and 5% (w/w) on the growth and survival of probiotic cultures (L. acidophilus, B. bifidum and an equal mixture of the two strains) in the set and stirred yogurt samples. The viable counts of L. acidophilus and B. bifidum in the set and stirred probiotic yogurts containing barberry extract were significantly higher than the control yogurt sample during the storage period. In a single strain of L. acidophilus, the highest viable populations of L. acidophilus in the set and stirred yogurts containing 5% of barberry extract were 1.15 × 108 and 1.1 × 108 on the first day, respectively. Additionally, L. acidophilus counts showed sharp decrease throughout the storage period but its counts held probiotic value of 106 log cfu/gr until Day 21, also the lowest viable count of B. bifidum (9.3 × 105 log cfu/gr) was observed in the control sample at the end of the 21st day in a single strain of B. bifidum.

Practical Applications

Fruit and vegetable extracts are widely incorporated in food flavoring and are recently applied as growth‐stimulators of probiotic bacteria. The findings of this study indicated that probiotic yogurt samples fortified with barberry extract could be used as an adequate carrier of probiotic bacteria with bacterial counts more than the suggested level.
Task Analysis as a Resource for Strengthening Health Systems
Authors: Hart Leah J. , Carr Catherine , Fullerton Judith T.
Published: February 2016

Task analysis is a descriptive study methodology that has wide application in the health professions. Task analysis is particularly useful in assessment and definition of the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that define the scope of practice of a health profession or occupation. Jhpiego, a US‐based nongovernmental organization, has adapted traditional task analysis methods in several countries in assessment of workforce education and practice issues. Four case studies are presented to describe the utility and adaptability of the task analysis approach. Traditional task analysis field survey methods were used in assessment of the general and maternal‐child health nursing workforce in Mozambique that led to curriculum redesign, reducing the number of education pathways from 4 to 2. The process of health system strengthening in Liberia, following a long history of civil war conflict, included a traditional task analysis study conducted among 119 registered nurses and 46 certified midwives who had graduated in the last 6 months to 2 years to determine gaps in education and preparation. An innovative approach for data collection that involves “playing cards” to document participant opinions (Task Master, Mining for Data) was developed by Jhpiego for application in other countries. Results of a task analysis involving 54 nurses and 100 nurse‐midwives conducted in Lesotho were used to verify the newly drafted scope and standards of practice for nurses and to inform planning for a competency‐based preservice curriculum for nursing. The Nursing and Midwifery Council developed a 100‐question licensing examination for new graduates following a task analysis in Botswana. The task analysis process in each country resulted in recommendations that were action oriented and were implemented by the country governments. For maximal utility and ongoing impact, a task analysis study should be repeated on a periodic basis and more frequently in countries undergoing rapid change in development of workforce policy.
Couple Resilience to Economic Pressure Over Time and Across Generations
Authors: Masarik April S. , Martin Monica J. , Ferrer Emilio , Lorenz Frederick O. , Conger Katherine J. , Conger Rand D.
Published: February 2016

Research suggests that economic stress disrupts perceived romantic relationship quality, yet less is known regarding the direct influence of economic stress on negative behavioral exchanges between partners over time. Another intriguing question concerns the degree to which effective problem solving might protect against this hypothesized association. To address these issues, the authors studied two generations of couples who were assessed approximately 13 years apart (Generation 1: N = 367, Generation 2: N = 311). On average and for both generations, economic pressure predicted relative increases in couples' hostile, contemptuous, and angry behaviors; however, couples who were highly effective problem solvers experienced no increases in these behaviors in response to economic pressure. Less effective problem solvers experienced the steepest increases in hostile behaviors in response to economic pressure. Because these predictive pathways were replicated in both generations of couples, it appears that these stress and resilience processes unfold over time and across generations.
History of Childhood Abuse and Intergenerational Support to Mothers in Adulthood
Authors: Kong Jooyoung , Moorman Sara M.
Published: February 2016

The authors examined the association between maternal childhood abuse and the frequency of providing social support to mothers when the victim is an adult and investigated the mediating effects of internal working models (self‐esteem, positive relations with others) and maladaptive coping. Using data from the National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States II, they analyzed a sample of 887 adult children using a structural equation modeling approach. The results showed that maternal childhood abuse was associated with providing less frequent emotional support to mothers, although the authors did not find significant mediating effects of internal working models and maladaptive coping in the association between child abuse and intergenerational support giving. The findings suggest implications for theory, practice, and policy to address specific concerns and possible challenges that adults with a history of childhood abuse may experience in the relationship with their mothers.
The Moderating Effects of Age on the Relationships of Self‐Compassion, Self‐Esteem, and Mental Health
Authors: Hwang Soodeok , Kim Geunyoung , Yang Jae‐Won , Yang Eunjoo
Published: February 2016

This study investigated the interactive effects of self‐compassion, self‐esteem, and age on mental health. Numerous previous studies have found that self‐compassion has a significant positive association with well‐being but most of these studies were conducted with young adults represented by college students. This study extended the previous findings by comparing its distinctive functions in different age groups. A total of 1,813 adults whose age ranged from twenties to fifties (M = 39.28 years, SD = 11.27) completed a questionnaire measuring self‐compassion, self‐esteem, subjective well‐being, and depression. The results of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that the positive relationship between self‐compassion and subjective well‐being was rendered stronger with older adults. In addition, self‐compassion moderated the relationship between self‐esteem and depression regardless of age. These results imply that self‐compassion may be complimentary to self‐esteem in improving mental health, especially for older adults.
Early Psychological Apparatuses Stored in Japan: Imported, Replicated, and Reformed Apparatuses before World War II
Authors: Yoshimura Hirokazu
Published: February 2016

A considerable number of classic psychological apparatuses (early apparatuses) are stored in the former Imperial Universities and a few private universities in Japan. Since 2013, the author has been investigating these classic psychological apparatuses as a member of the Historic Document Preservation Committee of the Japanese Psychological Association (JPA). He recently finished the main investigations and found that the classic apparatuses could be divided into three categories: imported products from European and American companies, replicas of the imported products, and reformed products. The latter two categories of apparatuses were made mainly by four Japanese companies, while a considerable number of the imported apparatuses were made by E. Zimmermann's firm. Although the apparatuses made by Japanese companies were not easy to distinguish from each other (i.e., reformed products from replicas), the author identified the existent replicas. Catalogs from domestic and foreign companies contributed considerably to helping him identify the apparatuses in all of the three categories.
Bile ductal injury and ductular reaction are frequent phenomena with different significance in autoimmune hepatitis
Authors: Verdonk Robert C. , Lozano Mallaki F. , van den Berg Aad P. , Gouw Annette S. H.
Published: February 2016

Background & Aims

The significance of bile duct injury and ductular reaction in biopsies from autoimmune hepatitis patients is not clear. We aim to establish the prevalence and clinical relevance of both phenomena in autoimmune hepatitis.

Methods

Cases of newly diagnosed, untreated autoimmune hepatitis without overlap syndrome were selected. Pretreatment and follow up biopsies were scored for inflammation, fibrosis, bile ductal injury and ductular reaction.

Results

Thirty‐five cases were studied of whom 14 cases had follow up biopsies. Bile duct injury was present in 29 cases (83%), mostly in a PBC‐like pattern and was not correlated with demographical or laboratory findings. Ductular reaction, observed in 25 of 35 cases (71%) using conventional histology and in 30 of 32 cases (94%) using immunohistochemistry, was correlated with portal and lobular inflammation, interface hepatitis and centrilobular necrosis as well as bile duct injury and fibrosis. In 11 of 14 cases (79%) ductular reaction remained present on post‐treatment biopsy whereas bile duct injury persisted in six of 14 (43%) of cases.

Conclusions

Bile duct injury and ductular reaction are very common in newly diagnosed autoimmune hepatitis and cannot be predicted biochemically. Bile duct injury may subside in the majority of treated AIH cases while DR tends to persist during follow up. These findings show that the two phenomena are part of the spectrum of AIH with dissimilar responses to treatment and do not necessarily point towards an overlap syndrome. Persistence of ductular reaction after treatment supports the notion that it represents a regenerative response.
Visually Situated Language Comprehension
Authors: Knoeferle Pia , Guerra Ernesto
Published: February 2016

Over the past two decades, ‘visually situated’ language comprehension (the interplay between language comprehension, attention, and non‐linguistic visual context) has emerged as an increasingly active area of research. One important result in this area is that both linguistic and world knowledge, as well as visual cues, can rapidly inform the unfolding interpretation as reflected by comprehenders' eye movements to objects during spoken language comprehension. However, upon closer inspection, temporal delays of object‐directed gaze are not infrequent and emerge for the processing of non‐canonical (vs. canonical) structures, for scalar implicatures and for recently learned world–language associations. While it may further be tempting to assume that the different knowledge sources and visual cues are on a par in guiding visual attention, comprehenders' eye movements in many instances reveal a robust referential priority (more looks go to the referent of a word than to other objects). Should this priority be taken as a trivial observation? In the present article, we argue that the tension between this referential priority and other world–language relations constitutes an important constraint on the linking hypotheses and mechanisms implicated in situated language comprehension and should be considered when conceptualizing models and accounts of visually situated language comprehension.
Alarmone (p)ppGpp regulates the transition from pathogenicity to mutualism in Photorhabdus luminescens
Authors: Bager Ragnhild , Roghanian Mohammad , Gerdes Kenn , Clarke David J.
Published: February 2016

The enteric gamma‐proteobacterium Photorhabdus luminescens kills a wide range of insects, whilst also maintaining a mutualistic relationship with soil nematodes from the family Heterorhabditis. Pathogenicity is associated with bacterial exponential growth, whilst mutualism is associated with post‐exponential (stationary) phase. During post‐exponential growth, P. luminescens also elaborates an extensive secondary metabolism, including production of bioluminescence, antibiotics and pigment. However, the regulatory network that controls the expression of this secondary metabolism is not well understood. The stringent response is a well‐described global regulatory system in bacteria and mediated by the alarmone (p)ppGpp. In this study, we disrupted the genes relA and spoT, encoding the two predicted (p)ppGpp synthases of P. luminescens TTO1, and we showed that (p)ppGpp is required for secondary metabolism. Moreover, we found the (p)ppGpp is not required for pathogenicity of P. luminescens, but is required for bacterial survival within the insect cadaver. Finally, we showed that (p)ppGpp is required for P. luminescens to support normal nematode growth and development. Therefore, the regulatory network that controls the transition from pathogenicity to mutualism in P. luminescens requires (p)ppGpp. This is the first report outlining a role for (p)ppGpp in controlling the outcome of an interaction between a bacteria and its host.
Peripheral nervous system involvement in primary burning mouth syndrome—results of a pilot study
Authors: Puhakka A , Forssell H , Soinila S , Virtanen A , Röyttä M , Laine M , Tenovuo O , Teerijoki‐Oksa T , Jääskeläinen SK
Published: February 2016

Objective

The pathophysiology of primary burning mouth syndrome (BMS) has remained enigmatic, but recent studies suggest pathology within the nervous system at multiple levels. This study aimed to investigate in detail the contribution of either focal or generalized alterations within the peripheral nervous system (PNS) in the etiopathogenesis of BMS.

Subjects and methods

Intraepithelial nerve fiber density (IENFD) of tongue mucosa was assessed in 10 carefully characterized BMS, and the results were compared to 19 age‐ and gender‐matched cadaver controls, 6 with lifetime diabetes. Extensive neurophysiologic and psychophysical examinations of the trigeminal system and distal extremities were performed to profile PNS function in BMS.

Results

Patients with BMS had significantly fewer intraepithelial nerve fibers (0,27, s.e. 0,18 mm−1; P = 0.0253) than non‐diabetic controls (0,92, s.e. 0,15 mm−1). In the subepithelial space, the amount of nerve fibers did not differ between the groups. The majority (9/10) of patients with BMS showed neurophysiologic or psychophysical signs of a more generalized PNS dysfunction.

Conclusions

Our results in neurophysiologically optimally characterized BMS patients confirm that pure focal small fiber neuropathy of the oral mucosa has a role in the pathophysiology of primary BMS. Furthermore, BMS may be related to a more generalized, yet subclinical peripheral neuropathy.
Gene‐for‐gene resistance is expressed in cotyledons, leaves and pods, but not during late stages of stem colonization in the Leptosphaeria maculans–Brassica napus pathosystem
Authors: Elliott Vicki L. , Marcroft Steve J. , Howlett Barbara J. , Van de Wouw Angela P.
Published: February 2016

The blackleg fungus, Leptosphaeria maculans, interacts with canola (Brassica napus) in a gene‐for‐gene manner. These major resistance genes are well characterized in the seedling stage of development, but not in other plant organs. Cotyledons, leaves, pods and stems of plants of two cultivars of B. napus, each harbouring a different major resistance gene (Rlm1 and Rlm4), were inoculated with two individual L. maculans isolates with different alleles of the corresponding avirulence genes (AvrLm1, avrLm4 and avrLm1, AvrLm4), and the disease phenotype in terms of lesion development was determined. Major gene resistance was expressed in cotyledons, all leaves and during pod set, but not in the stems of the adult plant. This is the first time major gene resistance has been shown to be effective in B. napus pods.
Self‐esteem and caregiving in romantic relationships: Self‐ and partner perceptions
Authors: KNAPP DARIN J. , DURTSCHI JARED A. , CLIFFORD CHARITY E. , KIMMES JONATHAN G. , BARROS‐GOMES PATRICIA , SANDBERG JONATHAN
Published: February 2016

Self‐esteem may be associated with romantic partners' experience of emotional support and caregiving. Using a sample of 6,385 heterosexual couples in committed relationships gathered from the RELATionship Evaluation (RELATE) data set (see www.relate‐institute.org), structural equation modeling was used to compare two actor–partner interdependence models examining the associations between both partners' self‐esteem and perceptions of partner caregiving responsiveness (i.e., accessibility, responsiveness, and engagement). Male and female self‐esteem was significantly related to partners' caregiving responsiveness while controlling for family‐of‐origin attachment experiences and relationship stability. Female self‐esteem was also significantly associated with females' caregiving responsiveness. These findings yield important implications, demonstrating that higher self‐esteem may be associated with improved caregiving behaviors between romantic partners. Relevant implications and future research directions are discussed.
Vaccinations, response, and controls before and after intestinal transplantation in children
Authors: Demir Z. , Frange P. , Lacaille F.
Published: February 2016

Vaccination is an effective strategy to decrease infections in transplant recipients. Children after intestinal transplantation carry a high risk of infection due to increased immunosuppression. In a series of 22 children after intestinal transplantation, we studied the vaccination schedules and the antibodies against vaccine‐preventable diseases before transplantation, and at one and five yr after transplantation. We reviewed whether the vaccination schedules were complete, and we analysed the factors that may influence serological immunity and the incidence of disease in patients with deficient immunity. All patients completed the recommended vaccination schedules for DTaP‐IPV and HBV. After transplantation, the negative antibodies against vaccine‐preventable diseases were mostly related to an antirejection therapy: for DTaP‐IPV: four of four patients with no antibody had been treated for rejection, for HBV: two of five, HAV: three of four, MMR: three of seven, and VZV: three of four. A post‐transplantation varicella infection was followed by acute rejection, with probability for a relationship between both events. We observed 50% of varicella cases in unvaccinated children, highlighting the importance of pretransplant vaccination. Waning immunogenicity mediated by antibodies against vaccine‐preventable disease after transplantation indicated a need for boosters. The recommendations should be regularly enforced, as the reliance on routine immunizations schedules is not adequate in immunocompromised patients.
Knowledge of Our Own Beliefs
Authors: Roush Sherrilyn
Published: February 2016

There is a widespread view that in order to be rational we must mostly know what we believe. In the probabilistic tradition this is defended by arguments that a person who failed to have this knowledge would be vulnerable to sure loss, or probabilistically incoherent. I argue that even gross failure to know one's own beliefs need not expose one to sure loss, and does not if we follow a generalization of the standard bridge principle between first‐order and second‐order beliefs. This makes it possible for a subject to use probabilistic decision theory to manage in a rational way cases of potential failure of this self‐knowledge, as we find in implicit bias. Through such cases I argue that it is possible for uncertainty about what our beliefs are to be not only rationally permissible but advantageous.
Diversity and functional traits of culturable microbiome members, including cyanobacteria in the rice phyllosphere
Authors: Venkatachalam S. , Ranjan K. , Prasanna R. , Ramakrishnan B. , Thapa S. , Kanchan A.
Published: February 2016

The diversity and abundance of culturable microbiome members of the rice phyllosphere was investigated using cv. Pusa Punjab Basmati 1509. Both diversity and species richness of bacteria were significantly higher in plants in pots in a semi‐controlled environment than those in fields. Application of fertilisers reduced both diversity and species richness in field‐grown plants under a conventional flooded system of rice intensification (SRI) and in dry‐seeded rice (DSR) modes. Sequence analyses of 16S rDNA of culturable bacteria, those selected after amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), showed the dominance of α‐proteobacteria (35%) and actinobacteria (38%); Pantoea, Exiguobacterium and Bacillus were common among the culturable phyllospheric bacteria. About 34% of 83 culturable bacterial isolates had higher potential (>2 μg·ml−1) for indole acetic acid production in the absence of tryptophan. Interestingly, the phyllosphere bacterial isolates from the pot experiment had significantly higher potential for nitrogen fixation than isolates from the field experiment. Enrichment for cyanobacteria showed both unicellular forms and non‐heterocystous filaments under aerobic as well as anaerobic conditions. PCR‐DGGE analysis of these showed that aerobic and anaerobic conditions as well as the three modes of cultivation of rice in the field strongly influenced the number and abundance of phylotypes. The adaptability and functional traits of these culturable microbiome members suggest enormous diversity in the phyllosphere, including potential for plant growth promotion, which was also significantly influenced by the different methods of growing rice.