bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Surgical Model in Male Obese Rats Uncovers Protective Effects of Bile Acids Post-Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Kohli Rohit , Setchell Kenneth DR , Kirby Michelle , Myronovych Andriy , Ryan Karen K. , Ibrahim Samar H. , Berger Jose , Smith Kathi , Toure Mouhamadoul , Woods Stephen C. , Seeley Randy J.
Published: April 2013

Bariatric surgery elevates serum bile acids. Conjugated bile acid administration, such as tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), improves insulin sensitivity, whereas short-circuiting bile acid circulation through ileal interposition surgery in rats raises TUDCA levels. We hypothesized that bariatric surgery outcomes could be recapitulated by short circuiting the normal enterohepatic bile circulation. We established a model wherein male obese rats underwent either bile diversion (BD) or Sham (SH) surgery. The BD group had a catheter inserted into the common bile duct and its distal end anchored into the middistal jejunum for 4–5 weeks. Glucose tolerance, insulin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) response, hepatic steatosis, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress were measured. Rats post-BD lost significantly more weight than the SH rats. BD rats gained less fat mass after surgery. BD rats had improved glucose tolerance, increased higher postprandial glucagon-like peptide-1 response and serum bile acids but less liver steatosis. Serum bile acid levels including TUDCA concentrations were higher in BD compared to SH pair-fed rats. Fecal bile acid levels were not different. Liver ER stress (C/EBP homologous protein mRNA and pJNK protein) was decreased in BD rats. Bile acid gavage (TUDCA/ursodeoxycholic acid [UDCA]) in diet-induced obese rats, elevated serum TUDCA and concomitantly reduced hepatic steatosis and ER stress (C/EBP homologous protein mRNA). These data demonstrate the ability of alterations in bile acids to recapitulate important metabolic improvements seen after bariatric surgery. Further, our work establishes a model for focused study of bile acids in the context of bariatric surgery that may lead to the identification of therapeutics for metabolic disease.
Histidines in Potential Substrate Recognition Sites Affect Thyroid Hormone Transport by Monocarboxylate Transporter 8 (MCT8)
Authors: Braun Doreen , Lelios Iva , Krause Gerd , Schweizer Ulrich
Published: April 2013

Mutations in monocarboxylate transporter 8 (MCT8; SLC16A2) cause the Allan-Herndon-Dudley syndrome, a severe X-linked psychomotor retardation syndrome. MCT8 belongs to the major facilitator superfamily of 12 transmembrane-spanning proteins and transports thyroid hormones across the blood-brain barrier and into neurons. How MCT8 distinguishes thyroid hormone substrates from structurally closely related compounds is not known. The goal of this study was to identify critical amino acids along the transport channel cavity, which participate in thyroid hormone recognition. The fact that T3 is bound between a His-Arg clamp in the crystal structure of the T3 receptor/T3 complex prompted us to investigate whether such a motif might potentially be relevant for T3 recognition in MCT8. We therefore replaced candidate histidines and arginines by site-directed mutagenesis and performed activity assays in MDCK-1 cells and Xenopus oocytes. Histidines were replaced by alanine, phenylalanine, and glutamine to probe for molecular properties like aromatic ring structure and H-bonding properties. It was found that some mutations in His192 and His415 significantly changed substrate transport kinetics. Arg301 at the intracellular end of the substrate channel is at an ideal distance to His415 to participate in a His-Arg clamp and mutation to alanine-abrogated hormone transport. Molecular modeling demonstrates a perfect fit of T3 poised into the substrate channel between His415 and Arg301 and observing the same geometry as in the T3 receptor.
The effect of hypoxia on facial shape variation and disease phenotypes in chicken embryos
Authors: Smith Francis , Hu Diane , Young Nathan M. , Lainoff Alexis J. , Jamniczky Heather A. , Maltepe Emin , Hallgrimsson Benedikt , Marcucio Ralph S.
Published: April 2013

Craniofacial anomalies can arise from both genetic and environmental factors, including prenatal hypoxia. Recent clinical evidence correlates hypoxia to craniofacial malformations. However, the mechanisms by which hypoxia mediates these defects are not yet understood. We examined the cellular mechanisms underlying malformations induced by hypoxia using a chicken (Gallus gallus) embryo model. Eggs were incubated in either hypoxic (7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 or 19% O2) or normoxic (21% O2) conditions. Embryos were photographed for morphological analysis at days 3-6. For analysis of skeletal development, 13-day embryos were cleared and stained with alcian blue and alizarin red for cartilage and bone, respectively. Quantitative analysis of facial shape variation was performed on images of embryos via geometric morphometrics. Early-stage embryos (day 2) were analyzed for apoptosis via whole-mount and section TUNEL staining and immunostaining for cleaved caspase-3, whereas later-stage embryos (days 4-6) were sectioned in paraffin for analysis of cell proliferation (BrdU), apoptosis (TUNEL) and metabolic stress (phospho-AMPK). Results demonstrate that survival is reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Hypoxic embryos displayed a spectrum of craniofacial anomalies, from mild asymmetry and eye defects to more severe frontonasal and cephalic anomalies. Skull bone development was delayed in hypoxic embryos, with some skeletal defects observed. Morphometric analysis showed facial shape variation relative to centroid size and age in hypoxic groups. Hypoxia disrupted cell proliferation and, in early-stage embryos, caused apoptosis of neural crest progenitor cells. Hypoxic embryos also displayed an increased metabolic stress response. These results indicate that hypoxia during early embryonic craniofacial development might induce cellular oxidative stress, leading to apoptosis of the neural crest progenitor cells that are crucial to normal craniofacial morphogenesis.
Improved Detection Rate of Cytogenetic Abnormalities in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Other Mature B-Cell Neoplasms With Use of CpG-Oligonucleotide DSP30 and Interleukin 2 Stimulation
Authors: Shi Min , Cipollini Matthew J. , Crowley-Bish Patricia A. , Higgins Anne W. , Yu Hongbo , Miron Patricia M.
Published: April 2013

Detection of cytogenetic abnormalities requires successful culture of the clonal population to obtain metaphase chromosomes for study, and as such, has been hampered by low mitotic indices of mature B cells in culture. Our study presents data on the improved abnormality detection rate with the use of a CpG-oligonucleotide/interleukin 2 (OL/IL-2) culture protocol for mature B-cell neoplasms, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-CLL specimens. The increased detection rate of abnormalities, compared with unstimulated culture and traditional pokeweed mitogen culture, was statistically significant for both CLL and non-CLL neoplasms. For CLL specimens, our data also showed that for cytogenetically visible aberrations, OL/IL-2 was as, if not more, sensitive than detection with interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH). Use of OL/IL-2 allowed a number of abnormalities to be detected, which were not covered by specific iFISH panels, especially balanced translocations. Therefore, OL/IL-2 stimulation improves diagnostic sensitivity and increases discovery rate of novel prognostic findings.
Nonmucinous Cystadenomas of the Pancreas With Pancreatobiliary Phenotype and Ovarian-Like Stroma
Authors: Albores-Saavedra Jorge , Manivel Carlos , Dorantes-Heredia Rita , Chablé-Montero Fredy , Godoy-Valdés César , Chan-Nuñez Carlos , Henson Donald E.
Published: April 2013

Among 31 benign cystic neoplasms of the pancreas diagnosed as mucinous cystadenomas, we identified 9 (29%) cases of nonmucinous cystadenomas with a pancreatobiliary phenotype and an ovarian-like stroma. Although both cystic tumors belong to the same family, they should be separated because their epithelial lining and cyst fluid are different. The lining cells of the nonmucinous cystadenomas consisted of a single layer of cuboidal cells, similar to the epithelial cells of the normal pancreatic ducts, and were not dysplastic (90%–100% of the lining cells). The cyst fluid was described as serous or clear. The remaining 22 classical mucinous cystadenomas, lined predominantly by mucinous and foveolar epithelium, revealed focal pancreatobiliary epithelium in 86% of the cases, and 6 pancreatic invasive mucinous cystadenocarcinomas failed to show pancreatobiliary differentiation. We believe that these nonmucinous cystadenomas of the pancreas represent a distinctive subset of cystic neoplasms of the pancreas that probably have no malignant potential.
Bone Marrow Findings in HIV-Positive Patients With Kaposi Sarcoma Herpesvirus–Associated Multicentric Castleman Disease
Authors: Venkataraman Girish , Uldrick Thomas S. , Aleman Karen , O’Mahony Deirdre , Karcher Donald S. , Steinberg Seth M. , Raffeld Mark A. , Marshall Vickie , Whitby Denise , Little Richard F. , Yarchoan Robert , Pittaluga Stefania , Maric Irina
Published: April 2013

Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus (KSHV), also known as human herpesvirus-8, is associated with 1 form of multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) and is the etiologic agent for most MCD in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected patients. Diagnosis is usually determined by lymph node biopsy. Bone marrow findings in KSHV-MCD are not well characterized. We conducted histomorphologic and immunohistochemical evaluation of bone marrow biopsy specimens in HIV-infected patients with KSHV-MCD, including evaluation for KSHV latency-associated nuclear antigen. Findings were correlated with clinical features and KSHV viral load. Reactive plasmacytosis was the predominant feature. Lymphoid aggregates were less common and not diagnostic of KSHV-MCD. Forty-eight percent of cases contained scattered KSHV-infected mononuclear cells. Although patients were generally cytopenic, bone marrow biopsy specimens were normocellular to hypercellular except in patients receiving hematotoxic therapy. Bone marrow biopsy specimens in KSHV-MCD patients recapitulate findings of interleukin-6 excess. In patients with HIV, unexplained cytopenias, and bone marrow plasmacytosis, evaluation for KSHV-MCD is warranted.
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma With Heterotopic Ossification Is a Special Subtype With Extensive Progression
Authors: Takeda Masahiko , Mikami Tetuo , Numata Yoshiko , Okamoto Makito , Okayasu Isao
Published: April 2013

An immunohistochemical study was conducted of 108 papillary carcinoma cases, including 48 cases with intratumoral heterotopic ossification (IHO). In 48 cases, papillary carcinoma with IHO was accompanied by nodular fibrosis. Cases of papillary carcinoma with IHO or nodular fibrosis showed higher incidences of lymph node metastasis, multifocal lesions, and extrathyroidal invasion than those without IHO and nodular fibrosis. A higher number of stromal myofibroblasts was observed in papillary carcinoma with IHO or nodular fibrosis than in that without fibrosis. Expression of both basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)–2 was the highest in papillary carcinoma with IHO. Papillary carcinoma with IHO showed higher vascular invasion and higher numbers of capillaries expressing nestin, which is associated with high expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Papillary carcinoma with IHO is a unique subtype with extensive progression including frequent lymph node metastasis, multifocality, and invasive behavior. Papillary carcinoma with IHO was correlated with expression of bFGF, BMP-2, and VEGF in the carcinoma cells, leading to neovascularization.
Defining High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin Concentrations in the Community
Authors: McKie Paul M , Heublein Denise M , Scott Christopher G , Gantzer Mary Lou , Mehta Ramila A , Rodeheffer Richard J , Redfield Margaret M , Burnett John C , Jaffe Allan S
Published: April 2013

BACKGROUND

High-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn) assays are now available that can detect measurable troponin in significantly more individuals in the general population than conventional assays. The clinical use of these hs-cTn assays depends on the development of proper reference values. Therefore, our objective was to define hs-cTnI reference values and determinants in the general community, in a healthy reference cohort, and in subsets with diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A well-characterized community-based cohort of 2042 study participants underwent clinical assessment and echocardiographic evaluation. Baseline hs-cTnI measurements were obtained in 1843 individuals. A healthy reference cohort (n = 565) without cardiac, renal, or echocardiographic abnormalities was identified.

RESULTS

Measurable hs-cTnI was identified in 1716 (93%) of the community-based study cohort and 499 (88%) of the healthy reference cohort. Parameters that significantly contributed to higher hs-cTnI concentrations in the healthy reference cohort included age, male sex, systolic blood pressure, and left ventricular mass. Glomerular filtration rate and body mass index were not independently associated with hs-cTnI in the healthy reference cohort. Individuals with diastolic and systolic dysfunction, hypertension, and coronary artery disease (but not impaired renal function) had significantly higher hs-cTnI values than the healthy reference cohort.

CONCLUSIONS

We assessed an hs-cTnI assay with the aid of echocardiographic imaging in a large, well-characterized community-based cohort. hs-cTnI is remarkably sensitive in the general population, and there are important sex and age differences among healthy reference individuals. These results have important implications for defining hs-cTnI reference values and identifying disease.
Genotyping of 25 Leukemia-Associated Genes in a Single Work Flow by Next-Generation Sequencing Technology with Low Amounts of Input Template DNA
Authors: Rinke Jenny , Schäfer Vivien , Schmidt Mathias , Ziermann Janine , Kohlmann Alexander , Hochhaus Andreas , Ernst Thomas
Published: April 2013

BACKGROUND

We sought to establish a convenient, sensitive next-generation sequencing (NGS) method for genotyping the 26 most commonly mutated leukemia-associated genes in a single work flow and to optimize this method for low amounts of input template DNA.

METHODS

We designed 184 PCR amplicons that cover all of the candidate genes. NGS was performed with genomic DNA (gDNA) from a cohort of 10 individuals with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. The results were compared with NGS data obtained from sequencing of DNA generated by whole-genome amplification (WGA) of 20 ng template gDNA. Differences between gDNA and WGA samples in variant frequencies were determined for 2 different WGA kits.

RESULTS

For gDNA samples, 25 of 26 genes were successfully sequenced with a sensitivity of 5%, which was achieved by a median coverage of 492 reads (range, 308–636 reads) per amplicon. We identified 24 distinct mutations in 11 genes. With WGA samples, we reliably detected all mutations above 5% sensitivity with a median coverage of 506 reads (range, 256–653 reads) per amplicon. With all variants included in the analysis, WGA amplification by the 2 kits tested yielded differences in variant frequencies that ranged from −28.19% to +9.94% [mean (SD) difference, −0.2% (4.08%)] and from −35.03% to +18.67% [mean difference, −0.75% (5.12%)].

CONCLUSIONS

Our method permits simultaneous analysis of a wide range of leukemia-associated target genes in a single sequencing run. NGS can be performed after WGA of template DNA for reliable detection of variants without introducing appreciable bias.
Sodium Channel Cleavage Is Associated with Aberrant Neuronal Activity and Cognitive Deficits in a Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Corbett Brian F. , Leiser Steven C. , Ling Huai-Ping , Nagy Reka , Breysse Nathalie , Zhang Xiaohong , Hazra Anupam , Brown Jon T. , Randall Andrew D. , Wood Andrew , Pangalos Menelas N. , Reinhart Peter H. , Chin Jeannie
Published: April 2013

BACE1 is the rate-limiting enzyme that cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) to produce the amyloid β peptides that accumulate in Alzheimer's disease (AD). BACE1, which is elevated in AD patients and APP transgenic mice, also cleaves the β2-subunit of voltage-gated sodium channels (Navβ2). Although increased BACE1 levels are associated with Navβ2 cleavage in AD patients, whether Navβ2 cleavage occurs in APP mice had not yet been examined. Such a finding would be of interest because of its potential impact on neuronal activity: previous studies demonstrated that BACE1-overexpressing mice exhibit excessive cleavage of Navβ2 and reduced sodium current density, but the phenotype associated with loss of function mutations in either Navβ-subunits or pore-forming α-subunits is epilepsy. Because mounting evidence suggests that epileptiform activity may play an important role in the development of AD-related cognitive deficits, we examined whether enhanced cleavage of Navβ2 occurs in APP transgenic mice, and whether it is associated with aberrant neuronal activity and cognitive deficits. We found increased levels of BACE1 expression and Navβ2 cleavage fragments in cortical lysates from APP transgenic mice, as well as associated alterations in Nav1.1α expression and localization. Both pyramidal neurons and inhibitory interneurons exhibited evidence of increased Navβ2 cleavage. Moreover, the magnitude of alterations in sodium channel subunits was associated with aberrant EEG activity and impairments in the Morris water maze. Together, these results suggest that altered processing of voltage-gated sodium channels may contribute to aberrant neuronal activity and cognitive deficits in AD.
Application of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation to the DLPFC Alters Human Prefrontal–Hippocampal Functional Interaction
Authors: Bilek Edda , Schäfer Axel , Ochs Elisabeth , Esslinger Christine , Zangl Maria , Plichta Michael M. , Braun Urs , Kirsch Peter , Schulze Thomas G. , Rietschel Marcella , Meyer-Lindenberg Andreas , Tost Heike
Published: April 2013

Neural plasticity is crucial for understanding the experience-dependent reorganization of brain regulatory circuits and the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. An important circuit-level feature derived from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is prefrontal-hippocampal seeded connectivity during working memory, the best established intermediate connectivity phenotype of schizophrenia risk to date. The phenotype is a promising marker for the effects of plasticity-enhancing interventions, such as high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), and can be studied in healthy volunteers in the absence of illness-related confounds, but the relationship to brain plasticity is unexplored. We recruited 39 healthy volunteers to investigate the effects of 5 Hz rTMS on prefrontal-hippocampal coupling during working memory and rest. In a randomized and sham-controlled experiment, neuronavigation-guided rTMS was applied to the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and fMRI and functional connectivity analyses [seeded connectivity and psychophysiological interaction (PPI)] were used as readouts. Moreover, the test-retest reliability of working-memory related connectivity markers was evaluated. rTMS provoked a significant decrease in seeded functional connectivity of the right DLPFC and left hippocampus during working memory that proved to be relatively time-invariant and robust. PPI analyses provided evidence for a nominal effect of rTMS and poor test-retest reliability. No effects onn-back-related activation and DLPFC–hippocampus resting-state connectivity were observed. These data provide the firstin vivoevidence for the effects of plasticity induction on human prefrontal-hippocampal network dynamics, offer insights into the biological mechanisms of a well established intermediate phenotype linked to schizophrenia, and underscores the importance of the choice of outcome measures in test-retest designs.
Neuronal Avalanches in the Resting MEG of the Human Brain
Authors: Shriki Oren , Alstott Jeff , Carver Frederick , Holroyd Tom , Henson Richard N.A. , Smith Marie L. , Coppola Richard , Bullmore Edward , Plenz Dietmar
Published: April 2013

What constitutes normal cortical dynamics in healthy human subjects is a major question in systems neuroscience. Numerousin vitroandin vivoanimal studies have shown that ongoing or resting cortical dynamics are characterized by cascades of activity across many spatial scales, termed neuronal avalanches. In experiment and theory, avalanche dynamics are identified by two measures: (1) a power law in the size distribution of activity cascades with an exponent of −3/2 and (2) a branching parameter of the critical value of 1, reflecting balanced propagation of activity at the border of premature termination and potential blowup. Here we analyzed resting-state brain activity recorded using noninvasive magnetoencephalography (MEG) from 124 healthy human subjects and two different MEG facilities using different sensor technologies. We identified large deflections at single MEG sensors and combined them into spatiotemporal cascades on the sensor array using multiple timescales. Cascade size distributions obeyed power laws. For the timescale at which the branching parameter was close to 1, the power law exponent was −3/2. This relationship was robust to scaling and coarse graining of the sensor array. It was absent in phase-shuffled controls with the same power spectrum or empty scanner data. Our results demonstrate that normal cortical activity in healthy human subjects at rest organizes as neuronal avalanches and is well described by a critical branching process. Theory and experiment have shown that such critical, scale-free dynamics optimize information processing. Therefore, our findings imply that the human brain attains an optimal dynamical regime for information processing.
MER5101, a Novel Aβ1-15:DT Conjugate Vaccine, Generates a Robust Anti-Aβ Antibody Response and Attenuates Aβ Pathology and Cognitive Deficits in APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Transgenic Mice
Authors: Liu Bin , Frost Jeffrey L. , Sun Jing , Fu Hongjun , Grimes Stephen , Blackburn Peter , Lemere Cynthia A.
Published: April 2013

Active amyloid-β (Aβ) immunotherapy is under investigation to prevent or treat early Alzheimer's disease (AD). In 2002, a Phase II clinical trial (AN1792) was halted due to meningoencephalitis in ∼6% of the AD patients, possibly caused by a T-cell-mediated immunological response. Thus, generating a vaccine that safely generates high anti-Aβ antibody levels in the elderly is required. In this study, MER5101, a novel conjugate of Aβ1-15 peptide (a B-cell epitope fragment) conjugated to an immunogenic carrier protein, diphtheria toxoid (DT), and formulated in a nanoparticular emulsion-based adjuvant, was administered to 10-month-old APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic (Tg) and wild-type (Wt) mice. High anti-Aβ antibody levels were observed in both vaccinated APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Tg and Wt mice. Antibody isotypes were mainly IgG1 and IgG2b, suggesting a Th2-biased response. Restimulation of splenocytes with the Aβ1-15:DT conjugate resulted in a strong proliferative response, whereas proliferation was absent after restimulation with Aβ1-15 or Aβ1-40/42 peptides, indicating a cellular immune response against DT while avoiding an Aβ-specific T-cell response. Moreover, significant reductions in cerebral Aβ plaque burden, accompanied by attenuated microglial activation and increased synaptic density, were observed in MER5101-vaccinated APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Tg mice compared with Tg adjuvant controls. Last, MER5101-immunized APPswe/PS1ΔE9 Tg mice showed improvement of cognitive deficits in both contextual fear conditioning and the Morris water maze. Our novel, highly immunogenic Aβ conjugate vaccine, MER5101, shows promise for improving Aβ vaccine safety and efficacy and therefore, may be useful for preventing and/or treating early AD.
Depletion of Perineuronal Nets Enhances Recognition Memory and Long-Term Depression in the Perirhinal Cortex
Authors: Romberg Carola , Yang Sujeong , Melani Riccardo , Andrews Melissa R. , Horner Alexa E. , Spillantini Maria G. , Bussey Timothy J. , Fawcett James W. , Pizzorusso Tommaso , Saksida Lisa M.
Published: April 2013

Perineuronal nets (PNNs) are extracellular matrix structures surrounding cortical neuronal cell bodies and proximal dendrites and are involved in the control of brain plasticity and the closure of critical periods. Expression of the link protein Crtl1/Hapln1 in neurons has recently been identified as the key event triggering the formation of PNNs. Here we show that the genetic attenuation of PNNs in adult brain Crtl1 knock-out mice enhances long-term object recognition memory and facilitates long-term depression in the perirhinal cortex, a neural correlate of object recognition memory. Identical prolongation of memory follows localized digestion of PNNs with chondroitinase ABC, an enzyme that degrades the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan components of PNNs. The memory-enhancing effect of chondroitinase ABC treatment attenuated over time, suggesting that the regeneration of PNNs gradually restored control plasticity levels. Our findings indicate that PNNs regulate both memory and experience-driven synaptic plasticity in adulthood.
Linking size‐dependent growth and mortality with architectural traits across 145 co‐occurring tropical tree species
Authors: Iida Yoshiko , Poorter Lourens , Sterck Frank , Kassim Abd Rahman , Potts Matthew D. , Kubo Takuya , Kohyama Takashi S.
Published: April 2013

Tree architecture, growth, and mortality change with increasing tree size and associated light conditions. To date, few studies have quantified how size‐dependent changes in growth and mortality rates co‐vary with architectural traits, and how such size‐dependent changes differ across species and possible light capture strategies. We applied a hierarchical Bayesian model to quantify size‐dependent changes in demographic rates and correlated demographic rates and architectural traits for 145 co‐occurring Malaysian rain‐forest tree species covering a wide range of tree sizes. Demographic rates were estimated using relative growth rate in stem diameter (RGR) and mortality rate as a function of stem diameter. Architectural traits examined were adult stature measured as the 95‐percentile of the maximum stem diameter (upper diameter), wood density, and three tree architectural variables: tree height, foliage height, and crown width. Correlations between demographic rates and architectural traits were examined for stem diameters ranging from 1 to 47 cm. As a result, RGR and mortality varied significantly with increasing stem diameter across species. At smaller stem diameters, RGR was higher for tall trees with wide crowns, large upper diameter, and low wood density. Increased mortality was associated with low wood density at small diameters, and associated with small upper diameter and wide crowns over a wide range of stem diameters. Positive correlations between RGR and mortality were found over the whole range of stem diameters, but they were significant only at small stem diameters.

Associations between architectural traits and demographic rates were strongest at small stem diameters. In the dark understory of tropical rain forests, the limiting amount of light is likely to make the interspecific difference in the effects of functional traits on demography more clear. Demographic performance is therefore tightly linked with architectural traits such as adult stature, wood density, and capacity for horizontal crown expansion. The enhancement of a demographic trade‐off due to interspecific variation in functional traits in the understory helps to explain species coexistence in diverse rain forests.
Accounting for female reproductive cycles in a superpopulation capture–recapture framework
Authors: Carroll E. L. , Childerhouse S. J. , Fewster R. M. , Patenaude N. J. , Steel D. , Dunshea G. , Boren L. , Baker C. S.
Published: April 2013

Superpopulation capture–recapture models are useful for estimating the abundance of long‐lived, migratory species because they are able to account for the fluid nature of annual residency at migratory destinations. Here we extend the superpopulation POPAN model to explicitly account for heterogeneity in capture probability linked to reproductive cycles (POPAN‐τ). This extension has potential application to a range of species that have temporally variable life stages (e.g., non‐annual breeders such as albatrosses and baleen whales) and results in a significant reduction in bias over the standard POPAN model. We demonstrate the utility of this model in simultaneously estimating abundance and annual population growth rate (λ) in the New Zealand (NZ) southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) from 1995 to 2009. DNA profiles were constructed for the individual identification of more than 700 whales, sampled during two sets of winter expeditions in 1995–1998 and 2006–2009. Due to differences in recapture rates between sexes, only sex‐specific models were considered. The POPAN‐τ models, which explicitly account for a decrease in capture probability in non‐calving years, fit the female data set significantly better than do standard superpopulation models (ΔAIC > 25). The best POPAN‐τ model (AIC) gave a superpopulation estimate of 1162 females for 1995–2009 (95% CL 921, 1467) and an estimated annual increase of 5% (95% CL −2%, 13%). The best model (AIC) gave a superpopulation estimate of 1007 males (95% CL 794, 1276) and an estimated annual increase of 7% (95% CL 5%, 9%) for 1995–2009. Combined, the total superpopulation estimate for 1995–2009 was 2169 whales (95% CL 1836, 2563). Simulations suggest that failure to account for the effect of reproductive status on the capture probability would result in a substantial positive bias (+19%) in female abundance estimates.
Seasonal variation in density dependence in age‐specific survival of a long‐distance migrant
Authors: Lok Tamar , Overdijk Otto , Tinbergen Joost M. , Piersma Theunis
Published: April 2013

Density dependence in vital rates is key to population regulation. Rather than being constant, the strength of density dependence may vary throughout the year, but empirical evidence is limited. Based on 22 years of data of color‐banded birds from a recovering population of Eurasian Spoonbills Platalea leucorodia leucorodia, we show, for the first time, seasonal variation in density dependence in survival of a long‐distance migrating bird. Combining resightings and dead recoveries at breeding, stopover, and nonbreeding areas enabled us to (1) separate true survival from permanent emigration from the breeding area, and (2) estimate survival in three seasons: summer, early winter (including autumn migration), and late winter (including spring migration). Accompanying the rapid population growth, juvenile annual survival initially increased, manifested in early winter, but thereafter, at high population sizes, it strongly decreased through a combination of decreasing survival in all seasons. Annual survival of subadult (second‐ and third‐year) and adult birds decreased more gradually with increasing population size, with density dependence occurring in early winter for subadults and late winter for adults. Thus, the shape and strength of density dependence in survival varied with age and season. Understanding the seasonal timing of density dependence, especially with reference to underlying mechanisms, is important for the design of effective conservation strategies.
LES-CMS simulations of a turbulent lifted hydrogen flame in vitiated co-flow
Authors: Stankovic Ivana , Merci Bart
Published: April 2013

Results from a study of turbulent lifted jet flame with Conditional Moment
Closure (CMC) turbulent combustion model are reported. First, a qualitative
description of the simulation results is given, by examining the
instantaneous resolved species mass fraction fields. The structure of the
lifted flame is also assessed by comparing the measured temperature and
species mass fraction profiles and the simulation results. The model is able
to capture the axial and radial profiles of mixture fraction, temperature and
major species. The sensitivity of prediction to boundary conditions is also
explored and the lift-off height is found to be very sensitive to the co-flow
temperature. Finally, the stabilisation mechanisms, auto-ignition or premixed
flame propagation, are addressed. No evidence of premixed flame propagation
is found: the diffusion in physical space is negligible for all studied
conditions.
Design of a vertical annulus with MHD flow using entropy generation analysis
Authors: Mahian Omid , Oztop Hakan , Pop Ioan , Mahmud Shohel , Wongwises Somchai
Published: April 2013

Optimal design of a heat exchanger is one of the concerns of energy
conversion engineers. In the present work, the mixed convection flow between
two vertical concentric pipes with constant heat flux at the boundaries and
MHD flow effects is considered. To determine the optimal design for such a
heat exchanger, at first, the momentum and energy equations are simplified
and solved analytically. Next, using entropy generation analysis and cost
analysis, the operational costs due to entropy generation are estimated. It
is concluded that with an increase in the Hartmann number, the energy costs
increase. In addition, for two small deviations from the base radius ratio
)2(=P including 9.1=P and 1.2=P , the changes in the energy cost are
calculated. It is found that for 9.1=P the energy cost increases by 17.5%
while for P = 2.1 the energy cost is reduced by 13.6 %.
Some More Light on the Text: Watching HBO’sDeadwoodwith and without the Apostle Paul
Authors: Mitchell Matthew W.
Published: April 2013

Abstract:

Study of film and media may be a growth area for biblical scholars, but as far as the sub-field of Pauline scholarship is concerned, the direct use of Pauline materials by popular media is relatively rare. A notable exception occurs in Season One of the HBO television series Deadwood, in which recurring and explicit use of Paul’s letters is made. However, rather than finding new meaning in the selected passages, this paper argues that the specific Pauline texts serve as narrative devices deployed in the service of the television show’s plot development.
Marking Mormon Difference: How Western Perceptions of Islam Defined the “Mormon Menace”
Authors: Heise Tammy
Published: April 2013

Abstract:

This article argues that inaccurate perceptions of Muslim and Mormon sexual and political deviance merged to help fuel a sustained anti-Mormon campaign in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century America. The inflammatory rhetoric of slavery and defilement that anti-Mormon writers deployed to equate the violation of the individual female body in plural marriage with the violation of the social body through Mormon treachery and authoritarianism relied largely on anti-Muslim caricatures for both its venom and its meaning. Only when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints embraced a model of the church that fit within the framework of American denominationalism did the Mormon menace begin to recede and anti-Muslim vitriol begin to fade from anti-Mormon discourse. This article further contends that the political compromise that allowed Mormonism to survive—indeed, to flourish within the United States—helped demonstrate the boundaries of religious and political freedom not just for Mormons but for all Americans. In this context, the evolution of polemic literature served to mark significant cultural change.
Third Ventricular and Interpeduncular Fossa Tubercular Abscess With Triventriculomegaly - Ventriculoscopic Surgical Management
Authors: Chowdhury Forhad Hossain , Haque Mohammod Raziul , Alam Mohammod Sarwar Morshed
Published: April 2013

Intracranial tuberculomas are rather common lesions in developing world.Tuberculomas are usually located in cerebellum, basal ganglia and cerebral hemispheres, particularly in frontoparietal region.Less common sites include the corpus callosum, quadrigeminal plate,the cerebellopontine angle, the retro-orbital region, the anterior optic pathway and the supraseller region.The central nervous system (CNS) involvement comprises approximately 1015% of all tuberculous infections. Brain tuberculosis is usually parenchymal. Intraventricular tuberculosis is very rare and only little number of cases has been reported. Intraventricular tubercular abscess is further rarer. Here we report a case of third ventricular tubercular abscess with triventriculomegaly that was managed by ventriculoscopic drainage and third ventriculostomy though preoperative diagnosis & surgical planning was different. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i1.11415 J MEDICINE 2013; 14 : 72-73
Apical Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy and Myocardial Infarction in a Young Adult, a Rare Combination
Authors: Datta Gautam , Mukherjee Dipankar , Bhubanmajhi DM , Singh Rupesh , Bhattacharya Sudhir
Published: April 2013

A teenage boy of 19 years without traditional risk factors for coronary artery disease, presented with typical anginal pain with ST-T changes in anterior leads and elevated cardiac troponin T. Investigation revealed the patient havingapical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with normal coronary angiography and a spade shaped apex on LV angiography. With a diagnosis of microvascular infraction, further investigations revealed elevated LP (a), serum homocysteineand low HDL probably playing a contributory role.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i1.14557 J MEDICINE 2013; 14 : 74-76
Splenic Tuberculosis: A Cause of Pyrexia of Unknown Origin Report of Two Cases
Authors: Kabir Ahmedul , Das Aparna , Banna Mahmudul Hassan , Minnat Baharul , Ahasan H A M Nazmul
Published: April 2013

Tuberculosis of spleen is an extremely rare clinical entity. It often poses diagnostic difficulties as microbiological confirmation of diagnosis is not easy. We encountered two casas who presented with prolong fever but no other symptoms. Laboratory data provided no specific information for diagnosis. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed splenomegaly with multiple small hypoechoic lesions within the spleen. A diagnosis of isolated splenic tuberculosis was confirmed after a splenic puncture and histopathological examination.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i1.14586 J MEDICINE 2013; 14 : 88-90
Askins Tumor - A Rare Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Das Aparna , Hossain Ahmed , Chowdhury Maruf H. , Rahman H.M. Mustafijur , Zahid Shumona
Published: April 2013

Askins Tumour (Synonym: Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor) is a rare neoplasm of the chest wall. In 1979 Askin and Rosai described an unique clinicopathological entity, characterised as a malignant small-cell tumour of the soft tissues of the chest wall in childhood and adolescence. We report on a case of a 30-year old male who had a massive tumour in the left thorax. The clinical symptoms were cough and increasing dyspnoea. The tumour was revealed as a Primitive Neuro-Ectodermal Tumor (PNET) compatible with ASKINs Tumor by CT-guided fine needle aspiration. Immunohistochemical studies showed positive staining for CD99. In our case , radiotherapy followed by chemotherapy was given. Microscopy and immunohistological stain of the specific markerneuron-specific enolaseare essential. Multimodal treatment allows a long-term survival, but often the prognosis is variable.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jom.v14i1.14588 J MEDICINE 2013; 14 : 94-97
The Power of Market Intermediaries: From Information to Valuation Processes
Authors: Bessy Christian , Chauvin Pierre-Marie
Published: April 2013

Sociology and economics tend to focus more and more on the intermediaries involved in economic and social relations, in the shape of distributors, matchmakers, consultants, and evaluators. Once they are distinguished according to their forms, their types of intervention and their effects, the intermediaries are a helpful category in order to study the social organization of markets as well as the changes that operate on them, especially regarding the social and economic values of goods, individuals and organizations. We discuss in the first section the link between intermediaries and information, through an analysis of the functions they fulfill that may explain their emergence, as well as the opportunistic behavior of intermediaries in relation to information flows. In the second section, we adopt a more pragmatist perspective on issues of valuation mainly based on “economics of convention”, which emphasizes the collective dynamics of valuation. We show how intermediaries contribute to de!ne valuation through their different activities and foster valuation frames that can improve the coordination of actors, but also reorganize the markets in different ways. We suggest an analytical distinction between the distribution, the temporality and the generality of the frames, and raise the issue of the valuation power of market intermediaries, their legitimation and the eventual regulation of their activities.
Use of Anecdotal Occurrence Data in Species Distribution Models: An Example Based on the White-Nosed Coati (Nasua narica) in the American Southwest
Authors: Frey Jennifer , Lewis Jeremy , Guy Rachel , Stuart James
Published: April 2013

Species distributions are usually inferred from occurrence records. However, these records are prone to errors in spatial precision and reliability. Although influence of spatial errors has been fairly well studied, there is little information on impacts of poor reliability. Reliability of an occurrence record can be influenced by characteristics of the species, conditions during the observation, and observer’s knowledge. Some studies have advocated use of anecdotal data, while others have advocated more stringent evidentiary standards such as only accepting records verified by physical evidence, at least for rare or elusive species. Our goal was to evaluate the influence of occurrence records with different reliability on species distribution models (SDMs) of a unique mammal, the white-nosed coati (Nasua narica) in the American Southwest. We compared SDMs developed using maximum entropy analysis of combined bioclimatic and biophysical variables and based on seven subsets of occurrence records that varied in reliability and spatial precision. We found that the predicted distribution of the coati based on datasets that included anecdotal occurrence records were similar to those based on datasets that only included physical evidence. Coati distribution in the American Southwest was predicted to occur in southwestern New Mexico and southeastern Arizona and was defined primarily by evenness of climate and Madrean woodland and chaparral land-cover types. Coati distribution patterns in this region suggest a good model for understanding the biogeographic structure of range margins. We concluded that occurrence datasets that include anecdotal records can be used to infer species distributions, providing such data are used only for easily-identifiable species and based on robust modeling methods such as maximum entropy. Use of a reliability rating system is critical for using anecdotal data.
Capacitive Mixing for Harvesting the Free Energy of Solutions at Different Concentrations
Authors: Rica Raúl , Ziano Roberto , Salerno Domenico , Mantegazza Francesco , Van Roij Renéa , Brogioli Doriano
Published: April 2013

An enormous dissipation of the order of 2 kJ/L takes place during the natural mixing process of fresh river water entering the salty sea. “Capacitive mixing” is a promising technique to efficiently harvest this energy in an environmentally clean and sustainable fashion. This method has its roots in the ability to store a very large amount of electric charge inside supercapacitor or battery electrodes dipped in a saline solution. Three different schemes have been studied so far, namely, Capacitive Double Layer Expansion (CDLE), Capacitive Donnan Potential (CDP) and Mixing Entropy Battery (MEB), respectively based on the variation upon salinity change of the electric double layer capacity, on the Donnan membrane potential, and on the electrochemical energy of intercalated ions.
Trapping DNA Replication Origins from the Human Genome
Authors: Eki Toshihiko , Murakami Yasufumi , Hanaoka Fumio
Published: April 2013

Synthesis of chromosomal DNA is initiated from multiple origins of replication in higher eukaryotes; however, little is known about these origins’ structures. We isolated the origin-derived nascent DNAs from a human repair-deficient cell line by blocking the replication forks near the origins using two different origin-trapping methods (i.e., UV- or chemical crosslinker-treatment and cell synchronization in early S phase using DNA replication inhibitors). Single-stranded DNAs (of 0.5–3 kb) that accumulated after such treatments were labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). BrdU-labeled DNA was immunopurified after fractionation by alkaline sucrose density gradient centrifugation and cloned by complementary-strand synthesis and PCR amplification. Competitive PCR revealed an increased abundance of DNA derived from known replication origins (c-myc and lamin B2 genes) in the nascent DNA fractions from the UV-treated or crosslinked cells. Nucleotide sequences of 85 and 208 kb were obtained from the two libraries (I and II) prepared from the UV-treated log-phase cells and early S phase arrested cells, respectively. The libraries differed from each other in their G+C composition and replication-related motif contents, suggesting that differences existed between the origin fragments isolated by the two different origin-trapping methods. The replication activities for seven out of 12 putative origin loci from the early-S phase cells were shown by competitive PCR. We mapped 117 (library I) and 172 (library II) putative origin loci to the human genome; approximately 60% and 50% of these loci were assigned to the G-band and intragenic regions, respectively. Analyses of the flanking sequences of the mapped loci suggested that the putative origin loci tended to associate with genes (including conserved sites) and DNase I hypersensitive sites; however, poor correlations were found between such loci and the CpG islands, transcription start sites, and K27-acetylated histone H3 peaks.
Identifying Differentially Expressed Genes in Pollen from Self-Incompatible “Wuzishatangju” and Self-Compatible “Shatangju” Mandarins
Authors: Miao Hongxia , Ye Zixing , Silva Jaime , Qin Yonghua , Hu Guibing
Published: April 2013

Self-incompatibility (SI) is one of the important factors that can result in seedless fruit in Citrus. However, the molecular mechanism of SI in Citrus is not yet clear. In this study, two suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) libraries (forward, F and reverse, R) were constructed to isolate differentially expressed genes in pollen from “Wuzishatangju” (SI) and “Shatangju” (self-compatibility, SC) mandarins. Four hundred and sixty-eight differentially expressed cDNA clones from 2077 positive clones were sequenced and identified. Differentially expressed ESTs are possibly involved in the SI reaction of “Wuzishatangju” by regulating pollen development, kinase activity, ubiquitin pathway, pollen-pistil interaction, and calcium ion binding. Twenty five SI candidate genes were obtained, six of which displayed specific expression patterns in various organs and stages after self- and cross-pollination. The expression level of the F-box gene (H304) and S1 (F78) in the pollen of “Wuzishatangju” was 5-fold higher than that in “Shatangju” pollen. The F-box gene, S1, UBE2, UBE3, RNaseHII, and PCP were obviously up-regulated in pistils at 3 d after self-pollination of “Wuzishatangju”, approximately 3-, 2-, 10-, 5-, 5-, and 2-fold higher, respectively than that at the same stage after cross-pollination of “Wuzishatangju” × “Shatangju” pistils. The potential involvement of these genes in the pollen SI reaction of “Wuzishatangju” is discussed.