bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification and Pathogenicity of Fungal Pathogens Associated with Stem-End Rot of Avocado in California
Authors: Twizeyimana M. , Förster H. , McDonald V. , Wang D. H. , Adaskaveg J. E. , Eskalen A.
Published: June 2013

Stem-end rot of harvested avocado fruit commonly occurs wherever the crop is cultivated. Multiple fungal species have been described as causal agents. To determine the causal pathogens of stem-end rot in California, fungal isolations were conducted from symptomatic fruit, and fungi were identified by morphological and molecular techniques. In 2010 and 2011, a total of 177 isolates were recovered from 290 avocado fruit collected from seven orchards in one of the major avocado growing areas in Southern California. The majority of isolates was identified as Neofusicoccum luteum (65%), with the remainder either as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (33%) or Phomopsis sp. (2%). In a pathogenicity test, N. luteum caused significantly (P < 0.05) more severe stem-end rot than either C. gloeosporioides or Phomopsis sp. No significant (P > 0.05) differences in stem-end rot severity were observed between inoculations with N. luteum isolated from fruit stem-end rot and N. luteum or N. parvum isolated from branch cankers. This confirms that stem-end rot of avocado can be initiated by fungi causing branch cankers. Although low humidity and rainfall during much of the growing and harvest seasons in California are considered unfavorable conditions for the development of avocado stem-end rot, the identification of the causal pathogens is of value when decays have to be managed during outbreaks, and it stresses the importance of managing branch cankers.
Ruthenium polypyridyl phototriggers: from beginnings to perspectives
Authors: Zayat Leonardo , Filevich Oscar , Baraldo Luis M. , Etchenique Roberto
Published: June 2013

Octahedral Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes constitute a superb platform to devise photoactive triggers capable of delivering entire molecules in a reliable, fast, efficient and clean way. Ruthenium coordination chemistry opens the way to caging a wide range of molecules, such as amino acids, nucleotides, neurotransmitters, fluorescent probes and genetic inducers. Contrary to other phototriggers, these Ru-based caged compounds are active with visible light, and can be photolysed even at 532 nm (green), enabling the use of simple and inexpensive equipment. These compounds are also active in the two-photon regime, a property that extends their scope to systems where IR light must be used to achieve high precision and penetrability. The state of the art and the future of ruthenium polypyridyl phototriggers are discussed, and several new applications are presented.
Preferred orientation in an angled intercalation site of a chloro-substituted
Λ
-[Ru(TAP)
2
(dppz)]
2+
complex bound to d(TCGGCGCCGA)
2
Authors: Hall James P. , Beer Hanna , Buchner Katrin , Cardin David J. , Cardin Christine J.
Published: June 2013

The crystal structure of the ruthenium DNA ‘light-switch’ complex
Λ
-[Ru(TAP)
2
(11-Cl-dppz)]
2+
(TAP=tetraazaphenanthrene, dppz=dipyrido[3,2-
a
′:2′,3′-
c
]phenazine) bound to the oligonucleotide duplex d(TCGGCGCCGA)
2
is reported. The synthesis of the racemic ruthenium complex is described for the first time, and the racemate was used in this study. The crystal structure, at atomic resolution (1.0 Å), shows one ligand as a wedge in the minor groove, resulting in the 51
°
kinking of the double helix, as with the parent
Λ
-[Ru(TAP)
2
(dppz)]
2+
. Each complex binds to one duplex by intercalation of the dppz ligand and also by semi-intercalation of one of the orthogonal TAP ligands into a second symmetrically equivalent duplex. The 11-chloro substituent binds with the major component (66%) oriented with the 11-chloro substituent on the purine side of the terminal step of the duplex.
Infection in autoimmune bullous diseases: A retrospective comparative study
Authors: Lehman Julia S. , Khunger Monica , Lohse Christine M.
Published: June 2013

Certain autoimmune bullous diseases (AIBD), including pemphigoid and pemphigus, confer increased infection risk. Infections have not been systematically studied in these conditions, however. Little is known about infection risk in these conditions, particularly dermatitis herpetiformis (DH). We aimed to characterize and compare infection patterns and risk factors in patients with pemphigoid, pemphigus, and DH. We retrospectively studied the medical records of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents who had a diagnosis of AIBD between 1 January 1998 and 1 January 2011. Of 81 patients studied, 54 (67%) had pemphigoid, 11 (14%) had pemphigus and 16 (20%) had DH. Most patients studied developed at least one localized infection (72%) or one systemic infection (83%). Almost one‐third of patients (31%) developed infections requiring hospitalization or contributing to death. All patients taking systemic corticosteroids experienced a localized or systemic infection during the follow‐up period. Systemic infections were significantly less frequent in patients with DH than those with pemphigoid or pemphigus (P = 0.03), as were systemic infections requiring hospitalization or contributing to death (P = 0.002). Patients with DH were significantly less likely to require systemic corticosteroids (P < 0.001) and significantly more likely to receive dapsone (P = 0.002). The study design was retrospective and a limited number of patients met the inclusion criteria. Patients with AIBD frequently developed localized and systemic infections, a substantial portion of which contributed to hospitalization or death. Patients with DH experienced infections of lesser severity than patients with pemphigoid or pemphigus.
A bio‐nanocapsule containing envelope protein domain III of Japanese encephalitis virus protects mice against lethal Japanese encephalitis virus infection
Authors: Miyata Takeshi , Tafuku Senji , Harakuni Tetsuya , Tadano Masayuki , Yoshimoto Nobuo , Iijima Masumi , Matsuo Hidenori , Matsuzaki Goro , Kuroda Shun'ichi , Arakawa Takeshi
Published: June 2013

An engineered bio‐nanocapsule (BNC) comprising modified hepatitis B surface antigen L protein was used as a physical scaffold for envelope protein domain III (D3) of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). At the N terminus, the BNC contained a two‐tandem repeat of the Z domain (ZZ) derived from Staphylococcus aureus protein A (ZZ‐BNC). The Lys‐rich ZZ moiety exposed on the surface of ZZ‐BNC was used for chemical conjugation with the JEV D3 antigen, which had been expressed and purified from Escherichia coli. Immunization of mice with D3 loaded on the surface of ZZ‐BNC (ZZ‐BNC:D3) augmented serum IgG response against JEV and increased protection against lethal JEV infection. The present study suggests that innocuous recombinant antigens, when loaded on the surface of ZZ‐BNC, can be transformed to immunogenic antigens.
Nutrient regulation strategies differ between cricket morphs that trade‐off dispersal and reproduction
Authors: Clark Rebecca M. , McConnell Ashley , Zera Anthony J. , Behmer Spencer T.
Published: June 2013

Nutrient regulation should covary with life history, but actual demonstrations of this connection are rare.

Here, we use a wing‐polymorphic cricket, Gryllus firmus, that trades off dispersal and reproduction; the long‐winged morph with functional flight muscles [LW(f)] is adapted for dispersal at the expense of egg production, while the short‐winged (SW) morph is adapted for egg production at the expense of flight. We explore the extent to which these two morphs differentially regulate macronutrient intake to best match their life‐history strategy.

In a ‘choice’ experiment, we offered female crickets of each morph [LW(f) and SW] two nutritionally complementary foods varying in protein and digestible carbohydrate content. In a second ‘no‐choice’ experiment, we confined crickets to one of five foods, each with a different protein/carbohydrate ratio. In both experiments, and for both morphs, we measured food intake, mass gain and lipid concentration.

In the ‘choice’ experiments, LW(f) females selected a more carbohydrate‐biased diet than SW females. The two morphs gained similar total mass, but the LW morph had higher lipid concentration.

In the no‐choice experiment, the two morphs practised different nutrient ‘consumption rules’. SW females ate similar total nutrient amounts (protein plus carbohydrate) across diets, while LW(f) females decreased intake as the protein/carbohydrate ratio of the available food became increasingly imbalanced. Overall mass gain was marginally higher in the SW morph and lowest for both morphs on the diets that were extremely carbohydrate biased. LW(f) and SW females had similar lipid concentrations across the diets, even though LW(f) crickets ate less carbohydrate on the two carbohydrate‐biased diets. Our data suggest that for LW(f) females, there are costs of overeating nutrients in excess of requirements, but they are efficient at utilizing ingested nutrients.

Our results shed new light on how the nutritional environment interacts with the direct trade‐off between dispersal and reproduction occurring in adult G. firmus crickets. Dispersal is linked to heightened diet selectivity and an emphasis on nutrients promoting flight fuel (lipid) storage over protein acquisition for egg laying, such that nutritional regulation complements the metabolic mechanisms that generate this trade‐off.
Heat stress and the fitness consequences of climate change for terrestrial ectotherms
Authors: Kingsolver Joel G. , Diamond Sarah E. , Buckley Lauren B.
Published: June 2013

Climate change will increase both average temperatures and extreme summer temperatures. Analyses of the fitness consequences of climate change have generally omitted negative fitness and population declines associated with heat stress.

Here, we examine how seasonal and interannual temperature variability will impact fitness shifts of ectotherms from the past (1961–1990) to future (2071–2100), by modelling thermal performance curves (TPCs) for insect species across latitudes.

In temperate regions, climate change increased the length of the growing season (increasing fitness) and increased the frequency of heat stress (decreasing fitness). Consequently, species at mid‐latitudes (20–40°) showed pronounced but heterogeneous responses to climate change. Fitness decreases for these species were accompanied by greater interannual variation in fitness. An alternative TPC model and a larger data set gave qualitatively similar results.

How close maximum summer temperatures are to the critical thermal maximum of a species – the thermal buffer – is a good predictor of the change in mean fitness expected under climate change. Thermal buffers will decrease to near or below zero by 2100 for many tropical and mid‐latitude species.

Our forecasts suggest that mid‐latitude species will be particularly susceptible to heat stress associated with climate change due to temperature variation.
Streams are efficient corridors for plant species in forest metacommunities
Authors: Araujo Calçada Emmanuelle , Closset‐Kopp Déborah , Gallet‐Moron Emilie , Lenoir Jonathan , Rêve Mathilde , Hermy Martin , Decocq Guillaume
Published: June 2013

The maintenance, restoration or construction of corridors are among the most important conservation strategies world‐wide in the face of global changes such as habitat fragmentation and climate change, although their effectiveness still remains an open question. Metacommunity ecology provides a useful framework to answer this question but so far relatively few studies have concerned plant species.

Here, we evaluate the connectivity effect of small streams originating in a large forest for plant communities of forest patches within an agricultural landscape. We compared α‐ and β‐diversity of patches connected to a large forest with isolated patches whilst controlling for habitat effects and patch area. Species composition of each patch type was examined with a nonparametric MANOVA and an indicator species analysis.

We found that forest patches connected to the main forest through streams were not more species rich after accounting for habitat effects but were more similar than isolated patches, be the latter crossed or not by a stream. Connected patches exhibited a different species composition with more forest habitat specialists and more hydrochores than nonconnected patches.

Many forest herb species well known for being dispersal‐limited appeared to be efficiently transported by water as incidental hydrochores over long distances and relatively short‐time scales. Using streams as ‘high‐speed corridors’, these species increased their colonization speed by at least 15 times compared with conventional dispersal.

Synthesis and applications. This study demonstrates that streams can act as efficient corridors for plant species across agricultural landscapes and contribute to the dynamics of forest metacommunities. From a management perspective, preserving the longitudinal integrity of streams is likely to increase the connectivity within and between forest metacommunities and can assist dispersal‐limited species to be resilient to projected climate warming by increasing their migration speed. Restoring not only wooded elements but watercourse networks is thus a suitable strategy to manage landscapes efficiently for the forest flora conservation.
Visuoperceptual deficits and participation in older adults after stroke
Authors: Beaudoin Audrée Jeanne , Fournier Bénédicte , Julien‐Caron Léonie , Moleski Lucie , Simard Joanie , Mercier Louisette , Desrosiers Johanne
Published: June 2013

Background/aim

Visuoperceptual deficits frequently occur after a stroke, but little is known about how they evolve over time. These deficits may have an impact on participation in daily activities and social roles. The aims were to (i) track changes over six months in the visual perception of older adults with persistent visuoperceptual deficits after a stroke; (ii) examine if these changes differed between participants who had and had not received rehabilitation services; and (iii) verify if participation differed between participants with and without visuoperceptual deficits.

Methods

Visual perception as well as participation of 189 older adults who had had a stroke were evaluated in the first month (T1) after being discharged home from an acute care hospital (NO REHAB group) or rehabilitation unit (REHAB group). For visual perception, only participants presenting deficits at T1 were re‐evaluated at three months (T2; n = 93), and those with deficits at T2 were re‐evaluated at six months (T3; n = 61).

Results

A total of 57 people (30.2%) had visuoperceptual deficits six months after discharge home. Despite persistent deficits, approximately 45% of the participants in the two groups improved whereas 50% of the NO REHAB group and 24.3% of the REHAB group deteriorated. Changes in the mean scores on the MVPT‐V were similar in the two groups. Participation, and especially participation in social roles, was more restricted in participants with visuoperceptual deficits (P < 0.001), independent of the severity of the stroke.

Conclusion

Visuoperceptual deficits are common post‐stroke. However, they evolve differently in different people and are associated with a reduction in participation.
Distribution of acI‐Actinorhodopsin genes in Baltic Sea salinity gradients indicates adaptation of facultative freshwater photoheterotrophs to brackish waters
Authors: Salka Ivette , Wurzbacher Christian , Garcia Sarahi L. , Labrenz Matthias , Jürgens Klaus , Grossart Hans‐Peter
Published: June 2013

Knowledge on Actinobacteria rhodopsin gene (actR) diversity and spatial distribution is scarce. The Baltic Sea is characterized by strong salinity gradients leading to the coexistence of marine and freshwater bacteria and hence is an ideal study area to elucidate the dispersion and phylogenetic affiliation of actR in dependence on salinity. ActR DGGE fingerprints in summer 2008 revealed between 3 and 19 distinct bands within a salinity range of 2.4–27 PSU. Environmental actR clone sequences were obtained from stations distributed along the whole salinity gradient. Overall, 20 different actR sequence groups (operational taxonomic units) were found, with up to 11 different ones per station. Phylogenetically, the actR sequences were predominantly (80%) affiliated with freshwater acI‐Actinobacteria whose 16S rRNA gene accounted for 2–33% of total 16S rRNA genes in both the Bothnian Sea and central Baltic Sea. However, at salinities above 14 PSU, acI‐16S rRNA gene accounted for less than 1%. In contrast, the diversity of actR remained high. Changes in actR gene diversity were significantly correlated with salinity, oxygen, silica or abundance of Synechococcus sp. Our results demonstrate a wide distribution of freshwater actR along the Baltic Sea salinity gradient indicating that some freshwater Actinobacteria might have adapted to higher salinities.
Marine biofilms on artificial surfaces: structure and dynamics
Authors: Salta Maria , Wharton Julian A. , Blache Yves , Stokes Keith R. , Briand Jean‐Francois
Published: June 2013

The search for new antifouling (AF) coatings that are environmentally benign has led to renewed interest in the ways that micro‐organisms colonize substrates in the marine environment. This review covers recently published research on the global species composition and dynamics of marine biofilms, consisting mainly of bacteria and diatoms found on man‐made surfaces including AF coatings. Marine biofilms directly interact with larger organisms (macrofoulers) during colonization processes; hence, recent literature on understanding the basis of the biofilm/macrofouling interactions is essential and will also be reviewed here. Overall, differences have been identified in species composition between biofilm and planktonic forms for both diatoms and bacteria at various exposure sites. In most studies, the underlying biofilm was found to induce larval and spore settlement of macrofoulers; however, issues such as reproducibility, differences in exposure sites and biofilm composition (natural multispecies vs. monospecific species) may influence the outcomes.
Changing Agendas in Australian Indigenous Policy: Federalism, Competing Principles and Generational Dynamics
Authors: Sanders Will
Published: June 2013

This paper identifies two periods of punctuated change in the content and style of Australian Indigenous policy in the last fifty years. It also identifies a third period in which attention to Indigenous policy was heightened through the nationalisation of land issues already well‐established on the agendas of sub‐national jurisdictions. The paper relates all three periods to the changing federal institutions of Australian Indigenous policy, with the Commonwealth slowly exploring its post‐1967 role as a national government in Indigenous affairs. In later sections, the paper identifies some more conceptual bases of changing policy agendas, through ideas of the competing principles of equality, choice and guardianship and the generational moral dynamics of Indigenous affairs.
The Economic Policy Agenda in Australia, 1962–2012
Authors: Fenna Alan
Published: June 2013

This paper surveys Australian economic policy over the last half century, identifying patterns and punctuations in the management of both macroeconomic and more structural challenges. It highlights the extent to which the economic policy agenda has been dictated by economic forces, while acknowledging the ideological preferences governments bring to their task. In retrospect, this half century in Australia has been dominated by macroeconomic turmoil and structural adjustment in the middle decades. Australian governments had to deal simultaneously with the macroeconomic problems of inflation and recession from the mid‐1970s to the early 1990s while also facing the need to dismantle the development framework that had been in place since Federation or even earlier.
What Voters Want: Reactions to Candidate Characteristics in a Survey Experiment
Authors: Campbell Rosie , Cowley Philip
Published: June 2013

There has been extensive research into the extent to which voters utilise short cuts based on gender and race stereotypes when evaluating candidates, but relatively little is known about how they respond to other background characteristics. We compare the impact of candidates' sex, religion, age, education, occupation and location/residence through a survey experiment in which respondents rate two candidates based on short biographies. We find small differences in the ratings of candidates in response to sex, religion, age and education cues but more sizeable effects are apparent for the candidate's occupation and place of residence. Even once we introduce a control for political party into our experimental scenarios the effect of candidate's place of residence continues to have a sizeable impact on candidate evaluations. Our research suggests that students of electoral behaviour should pay attention to a wider range of candidate cues.
The Declining Representativeness of the British Party System, and Why it Matters
Authors: Brandenburg Heinz , Johns Robert
Published: June 2013

In a recent article, Michael Laver has explained ‘Why Vote-Seeking Parties May Make Voters Miserable’. His model shows that, while ideological convergence may boost congruence between governments and the median voter, it can reduce congruence between the party system and the electorate as a whole. Specifically, convergence can increase the mean distance between voters and their nearest party. In this article we show that this captures the reality of today's British party system. Policy scale placements in British Election Studies from 1987 to 2010 confirm that the pronounced convergence during the past decade has left the Conservatives and Labour closer together than would be optimal in terms of minimising the policy distance between the average voter and the nearest major party. We go on to demonstrate that this comes at a cost. Respondents who perceive themselves as further away from one of the major parties in the system tend to score lower on satisfaction with democracy. In short, vote-seeking parties have left the British party system less representative of the ideological diversity in the electorate, and thus made at least some British voters miserable.
Technical Change, Efficiency Change and Institutions: Empirical Evidence for a Sample of OECD Countries
Authors: Barcenilla‐Visús Sara , Gómez‐Sancho José‐María , López‐Pueyo Carmen , Mancebón María‐Jesús , Sanaú Jaime
Published: June 2013

This study measures the total factor productivity (TFP) of 15OECDcountries in the period 1989–2004 and disaggregates it into its two components: technical change and efficiency change. Subsequently, two theoretical models are estimated to evaluate the effects that technology and institutions have on technical change and on efficiency change. The results show that technology, proxied by domestic R&D stocks or by patents, stimulated the variation in technical change and in efficiency change. In contrast, the reduction of entry barriers and of the relative weight of publicly owned companies, or deregulation in the telecommunications sector, drove technical change but, at the same time, slowed efficiency change.
Gasoline Price Cycles Under Discrete Time Pricing
Authors: de Roos Nicolas , Katayama Hajime
Published: June 2013

We characterise petrol pricing dynamics in an unusual policy environment. A timing restriction in the Western Australian market imposes discrete time pricing on petrol retailers, enabling us to observe the exact timing of price changes. We employ a Markov‐switching regression model, finding the existence of Edgeworth price cycles of a similar nature to those recently observed in some other retail petrol markets. Cycles are frequent, asymmetric and of substantial amplitude. Importantly, firms change prices almost every period, limiting the relevance of the leading theory of Edgeworth cycles due to Maskin and Tirole (). We also discuss episodes of disruption and evolution of the price cycle.
Clinical utility of retrograde terminal ileum intubation in the evaluation of chronic non‐bloody diarrhea
Authors: Makkar Rohit , Lopez Rocio , Shen Bo
Published: June 2013

Objective

The aims of this study were to investigate the frequency and factors involved in the terminal ileum intubation of patients with chronic, non‐bloody diarrhea and to compare diagnostic yields of colonoscopy and ileocolonoscopy.

Methods

The medical records of 945 patients undergoing colonoscopy for chronic, non‐bloody diarrhea were reviewed. Findings of microscopic colitis, Clostridium difficile colitis, celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease or tropical sprue were considered as definitive causes of diarrhea.

Results

A total of 689 patients met the diagnosis of chronic, non‐bloody diarrhea, in which 370 (53.7%) underwent ileocolonoscopy. Specific histological diagnosis could explain the patient's symptoms in 107 (15.5%) patients. The diagnostic yield were 15.0% in the colonoscopy‐only group, 16.9% in the ileocolonoscopy without biopsy group, and 15.5% in the ileocolonoscopy with biopsy group. Of the 19 patients with an abnormal terminal ileal biopsy, six (31.6%) had an otherwise normal colonic appearance which would have been diagnosed as normal if the ileum had not been reached and biopsied. In those with Crohn's disease (n = 7), five had ileocolitis and two had colitis only. A multivariate analysis showed that age of the patients and otherwise normal gross endoscopic results to be the only factors associated with a lower likelihood of ileal intubation by endoscopists.

Conclusions

The ileal intubation rate was 53.7% in our patients with chronic, non‐bloody diarrhea. Diagnostic yield of ileocolonoscopy with biopsy in US patients with chronic, non‐bloody diarrhea appeared to be low, if the colon side was normal on endoscopy. But this may provide supportive evidence in patients diagnosed with ileocolonic Crohn's disease.
‘Heroines of their own romance’: Creative Exchanges between Life‐Writing and Fiction, the ‘Scandalous Memoirists’ and Charlotte Lennox
Authors: JOULE VICTORIA
Published: June 2013

This article examines the creative relationship between lives and stories and the intrinsic relationship between autobiography and fiction, with particular attention to the ‘scandalous memoirists’ of the mid‐eighteenth century. By using the more flexible concept of life‐writing, the article highlights the porous nature of genres at this time and the way in which strict categorisation has limited understandings of literary exchanges. Concluding with Charlotte Lennox, the article demonstrates the potential in recognising fluidity of genre and challenges the superficial division between the ‘respectable’ Lennox and the ‘scandalous’ memoirists.
“Upping the ante”: how to design efficient auctions with entry?
Authors: Lamy Laurent
Published: June 2013

Of primary importance in auction design is the set of strategies available to the seller at the auction stage. We first formalize hold‐up regarding entry costs that preys on second‐price auctions when the seller may engage in a costly shill‐bidding activity. We derive the optimal reserve and show how shill bidding can make posted prices outperforming auctions. Second, we advocate for a new regulation where shills would be banned but with the possibility of canceling sales ex post, which offers some valuable flexibility: the English auction with jump bids implements, then, the first best in general environments.
The impact of advertising regulation on industry: the cigarette advertising ban of 1971
Authors: Qi Shi
Published: June 2013

This article studies the impact of the 1971 TV/radio advertising ban on the cigarette industry. Data indicate that industry advertising spending decreased sharply immediately following the ban but recovered and actually exceeded the preban level within five years. A dynamic oligopoly model of advertising is developed to incorporate two potential explanations. The estimated model fully accounts for the puzzling trend, with 74% of the postban advertising spending increase explained by industry dynamics, and 26% explained by learning. Furthermore, this article uses the new concept of nonstationary oblivious equilibrium to handle intractable state space and accelerate equilibrium computation.
Patterns and drivers of bacterial α‐ and β‐diversity across vertical profiles from surface to subsurface sediments
Authors: Luna Gian Marco , Corinaldesi Cinzia , Rastelli Eugenio , Danovaro Roberto
Published: June 2013

We investigated the patterns and drivers of bacterial α‐ and β‐diversity, along with viral and prokaryotic abundance and the carbon production rates, in marine surface and subsurface sediments (down to 1 m depth) in two habitats: vegetated sediments (seagrass meadow) and non‐vegetated sediments. Prokaryotic abundance and production decreased with depth in the sediment, but cell‐specific production rates and the virus‐to‐prokaryote ratio increased, highlighting unexpectedly high activity in the subsurface. The highest diversity was observed in vegetated sediments. Bacterial β‐diversity between sediment horizons was high, and only a minor number of taxa was shared between surface and subsurface layers. Viruses significantly contributed to explain α‐ and β‐diversity patterns. Despite potential limitations due to the only use of fingerprinting techniques, this study indicates that the coastal subsurface host highly active and diversified bacterial assemblages, that subsurface cells are more active than expected and that viruses promote β‐diversity and stimulate bacterial metabolism in subsurface layers. The limited number of taxa shared between habitats, and between surface and subsurface sediment horizons, suggests that future investigations of the shallow subsurface will provide insights into the census of bacterial diversity, and the comprehension of the patterns and drivers of prokaryotic diversity in marine ecosystems.
Candidate Entry and Political Polarization: An Antimedian Voter Theorem
Authors: Großer Jens , Palfrey Thomas R.
Published: June 2013

We study a citizen‐candidate‐entry model with private information about ideal points. We fully characterize the unique symmetric equilibrium of the entry game and show that only relatively “extreme” citizen types enter the electoral competition as candidates, whereas more “moderate” types never enter. It generally leads to substantial political polarization, even when the electorate is not polarized and citizens understand that they vote for more extreme candidates. We show that polarization increases in the costs of entry and decreases in the benefits from holding office. Moreover, when the number of citizens goes to infinity, only the very most extreme citizens, with ideal points at the boundary of the policy space, become candidates. Finally, our polarization result is robust to changes in the implementation of a default policy if no citizen runs for office and to introducing directional information about candidates’ types that is revealed via parties.
Poor postnatal head growth in very preterm infants is associated with impaired neurodevelopment outcome
Authors: Neubauer Vera , Griesmaier Elke , Pehböck‐Walser Nicola , Pupp‐Peglow Ulrike , Kiechl‐Kohlendorfer Ursula
Published: June 2013

Aim

To examine the association between neurodevelopmental outcome and head circumference (HC) in a cohort of very preterm infants and in this context to investigate the relevance of suboptimal head size.

Methods

Somatometric data were obtained at birth, discharge and 3, 12 and 24 months for all infants born in Tyrol <32 weeks gestational age. Growth data are presented as z scores. HC was defined as microcephaly (>2 SD below mean), suboptimal (>1 SD below mean) or normal head size (<1 SD below mean). Neurodevelopmental outcome was quantified at 12 and 24 months using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development II.

Results

The percentage of infants with suboptimal head size increased until the age of 24 months and was related to adverse outcome. The association was strongest between HC at 3 months and psychomotor and mental outcome as quantified using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development.

Conclusion

Poor postnatal head growth was common in our study cohort. Both microcephaly and suboptimal head size were associated with impaired neurodevelopmental outcome. Suboptimal head size at 3 months was found to be particularly associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcome.
The allometric exponent for scaling clearance varies with age: a study on seven propofol datasets ranging from preterm neonates to adults
Authors: Wang Chenguang , Allegaert Karel , Peeters Mariska Y. M. , Tibboel Dick , Danhof Meindert , Knibbe Catherijne A. J.
Published: June 2013

Aim

For scaling clearance between adults and children, allometric scaling with a fixed exponent of 0.75 is often applied. In this analysis, we performed a systematic study on the allometric exponent for scaling propofol clearance between two subpopulations selected from neonates, infants, toddlers, children, adolescents and adults.

Methods

Seven propofol studies were included in the analysis (neonates, infants, toddlers, children, adolescents, adults1 and adults2). In a systematic manner, two out of the six study populations were selected resulting in 15 combined datasets. In addition, the data of the seven studies were regrouped into five age groups (FDA Guidance 1998), from which four combined datasets were prepared consisting of one paediatric age group and the adult group. In each of these 19 combined datasets, the allometric scaling exponent for clearance was estimated using population pharmacokinetic modelling (nonmem 7.2).

Results

The allometric exponent for propofol clearance varied between 1.11 and 2.01 in cases where the neonate dataset was included. When two paediatric datasets were analyzed, the exponent varied between 0.2 and 2.01, while it varied between 0.56 and 0.81 when the adult population and a paediatric dataset except for neonates were selected. Scaling from adults to adolescents, children, infants and neonates resulted in exponents of 0.74, 0.70, 0.60 and 1.11 respectively.

Conclusions

For scaling clearance, ¾ allometric scaling may be of value for scaling between adults and adolescents or children, while it can neither be used for neonates nor for two paediatric populations. For scaling to neonates an exponent between 1 and 2 was identified.
Bioactivities of Jc‐SCRIP, a Type 1 Ribosome‐Inactivating Protein from Jatropha curcas Seed Coat
Authors: Nuchsuk Chanthakan , Wetprasit Nuanchawee , Roytrakul Sittiruk , Choowongkomon Kiattawee , T‐Thienprasert Nattanan , Yokthongwattana Chotika , Arpornsuwan Theerakul , Ratanapo Sunanta
Published: June 2013

In this study, a type 1 RIP, designated as Jc‐SCRIP, was first isolated from the seed coat of Jatropha curcas Linn. It was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE‐Sephacel™ and CM‐cellulose columns. Purification fold of Jc‐SCRIP increased 113.8 times, and the yield was 1.13% of the total protein in the final step. It was shown to be a monomeric glycoprotein with a molecular mass of 38 938 Da, as determined by MALDI‐TOF/MS. It exhibited hemagglutination activity and possessed strong N‐glycosidase activity. The antimicrobial activity of Jc‐SCRIP was tested against nine human pathogenic bacteria and one fungus; the most potent inhibitory activity was against Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC 12228, with minimum inhibitory concentration value of 0.20 μm. Jc‐SCRIP demonstrated in vitro cytotoxicity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF‐7), a colon adenocarcinoma (SW620), and a liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2), with IC50 values of 0.15, 0.25, and 0.40 mm, respectively. The results suggested that Jc‐SCRIP may be a potential natural antimicrobial and anticancer agent in medical applications.
Detection of macular ganglion cell loss in preperimetric glaucoma patients with localized retinal nerve fibre defects by spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography
Authors: Na Jung Hwa , Lee Kyoungsub , Lee Jong Rak , Baek Seunghee , Yoo Sung Jun , Kook Michael S
Published: June 2013

Background

To evaluate and compare the utility of ganglion cell complex with peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer and optic nerve head measurements for detection of localized defects in patients with preperimetric glaucoma using spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography.

Design

Prospective study.

Participants

Preperimetric glaucoma patients.

Methods

A total of 105 eyes with preperimetric glaucoma and 68 age‐ and refractive error‐matched control eyes were enrolled. The ability to detect localized retinal nerve fibre layer defects by RTVue‐100 spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (Optovue, Inc., Fremont, CA, USA) was assessed calculating the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves.

Main Outcome Measures

The ability to detect localized retinal nerve fibre layer defects by spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography.

Results

Global volume loss and superior ganglion cell complex thickness showed the largest area under receiver operating characteristic curve values (both areas under receiver operating characteristic curves 0.84, P < 0.001) among ganglion cell complex parameters. Average peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness afforded the best diagnostic capability (area under receiver operating characteristic curve 0.89, P < 0.001), whereas among optic nerve head parameters, the horizontal cup:disc ratio yielded the highest area under receiver operating characteristic curve (0.85, P < 0.001). No statistical difference was evident between the areas under receiver operating characteristic curves of the most informative parameters when the data were gathered from the three different sites (ganglion cell complex, peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer, and optic nerve head) (P > 0.02).

Conclusions

Ganglion cell complex thickness was significantly reduced in eyes with preperimetric glaucoma. Ganglion cell complex imaging using spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography may be a useful ancillary modality for detection of early macular changes in glaucomatous eyes with localized retinal nerve fibre layer defects.
Factors related to peri‐implantitis – a retrospective study
Authors: Renvert Stefan , Aghazadeh Ahmad , Hallström Hadar , Persson Gösta Rutger
Published: June 2013

Objectives

Retrospectively, we assessed the likelihood that peri‐implantitis was associated with a history of systemic disease, periodontitis, and smoking habits.

Methods

Data on probing pocket depth (PPD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and radiographic bone levels were obtained from individuals with dental implants. Peri‐implantitis was defined as described by Sanz & Chapple 2012. Control individuals had healthy conditions or peri‐implant mucositis. Information on past history of periodontitis, systemic diseases, and on smoking habits was obtained.

Results

One hundred and seventy‐two individuals had peri‐implantitis (mean age: 68.2 years, SD ± 8.7), and 98 individuals (mean age: 44.7 years, SD ± 15.9) had implant health/peri‐implant mucositis. The mean difference in bone level at implants between groups was 3.5 mm (SE mean ± 0.4, 95% CI: 2.8, 4.3, P < 0.001). A history of cardiovascular disease was found in 27.3% of individuals with peri‐implantitis and in 3.0% of individuals in the implant health/peri‐implant mucositis group. When adjusting for age, smoking, and gender, odds ratio (OR) of having peri‐implantitis and a history of cardiovascular disease was 8.7 (95% CI: 1.9, 40.3 P < 0.006), and odds ratio of having a history of periodontitis was 4.5 (95% CI 2.1, 9.7, P < 0.001). Smoking or gender did not significantly contribute to the outcome.

Conclusions

In relation to a diagnosis of peri‐implantitis, a high likelihood of comorbidity was expressed by a history of periodontitis and a history of cardiovascular disease.
Esthetic evaluation of single‐tooth implants in the anterior mandible
Authors: Hof Markus , Tepper Gabor , Koller Barbara , Krainhöfner Martin , Watzek Georg , Pommer Bernhard
Published: June 2013

Objectives

Single‐tooth replacement of anterior mandibular teeth is frequently complicated by insufficient bucco‐lingual bone width and limited mesio‐distal space available for implant placement. The aim of the present study was to assess implant esthetics in the partially edentulous anterior mandible.

Material and methods

Esthetic evaluation of 43 anterior mandibular single‐tooth implants in 15 women and 28 men was performed using esthetic indices (PES = Pink Esthetic Score, PI = Papilla Index, SES = Subjective Esthetic Score) as well as subjective patients' Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) ratings. Clinical and radiological parameters (implant and crown dimensions, pocket depth, bleeding on probing, plaque, keratinized mucosa, marginal bone level, and distance to adjacent teeth) were tested for influence.

Results

Implant esthetics were judged satisfactory (PES ≤10) in 42% of implants compared with a patient satisfaction rate of 87%. Correlation between objective indices (PES/PI: rs = 0.62, PES/SES: rs = −0.73, PI/SES: rs = −0.48) was highly significant (P ≤ 0.001); however, no association to subjective patients' ratings could be observed. Type of prosthetic restoration (single crown vs. tulip‐shaped double crowns), mesio‐distal crown width as well as anatomic crown length significantly affected esthetic scores. Patients' judgment, by contrast, could not be associated to any prognostic factor.

Conclusion

Subjective patient satisfaction with implant esthetics in the partially edentulous anterior mandible is high, however, remains hard to predict or objectively quantify.
The natural history of anal transition zone inflammation and possible relationship to pouchitis: a long‐term longitudinal study
Authors: Wasserman M. , Hyman N. , Iyer A. , Wilcox R. , Osler T.
Published: June 2013

Aim

Reservoir ileitis (pouchitis) is the most common complication after pelvic pouch surgery for ulcerative colitis and the aetiology remains largely unknown. The anal transition zone (ATZ) contains the only remaining colonic epithelium after ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) and may provide important clues as to whether ulcerative colitis and pouchitis share a common pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to evaluate longitudinally the long‐term histological changes in the ATZ and their relationship to the incidence of pouchitis.

Method

Patients with a double‐stapled IPAA for ulcerative colitis at an academic medical centre with at least 10 years of clinical and histological follow‐up were identified from a prospective database. Annual ATZ and pouch biopsies were taken and interpreted by two expert gastrointestinal pathologists. ATZ histological variability score, the incidence of pouchitis, and function were correlated over time. ATZ biopsies were scored from one to three based on the extent of inflammation.

Results

Sixteen of the 114 patients having IPAA fulfilled the criteria for admission to the study. There were 179 biopsies of the ATZ. All exhibited variability in ATZ histology over time and 81% had a 2‐unit change in their inflammatory score. There was no correlation between pouchitis and histological severity score of the ATZ. Similarly, function over time did not vary with the intensity of ATZ inflammation.

Conclusion

ATZ inflammation varies substantially over time in most patients. But these changes from year to year did not correlate with function or the occurrence of pouchitis.
Impact of aging brain circuits on cognition
Authors: Samson Rachel D. , Barnes Carol A.
Published: June 2013

Brain networks that engage the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are central for enabling effective interactions with our environment. Some of the cognitive processes that these structures mediate, such as encoding and retrieving episodic experience, wayfinding, working memory and attention are known to be altered across the lifespan. As illustrated by examples given below, there is remarkable consistency across species in the pattern of age‐related neural and cognitive change observed in healthy humans and other animals. These include changes in cognitive operations that are known to be dependent on the hippocampus, as well as those requiring intact prefrontal cortical circuits. Certain cognitive constructs that reflect the function of these areas lend themselves to investigation across species, allowing brain mechanisms at different levels of analysis to be studied in greater depth.
BACE2 degradation mediated by the macroautophagy–lysosome pathway
Authors: Liu Xi , Wang Zhe , Wu Yili , Wang Jianping , Song Weihong
Published: June 2013

Neuritic plaque is the pathological hallmark in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Amyloid‐β protein (Aβ), the central component of neuritic plaques, is generated from amyloid‐β precursor protein (APP) by β‐site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) and γ‐secretase. β‐site APP cleaving enzyme 2 (BACE2), a homolog of BACE1, functions differently from BACE1 in APP processing. BACE1 is the β‐secretase essential for Aβ production, and BACE2, a θ‐secretase, cleaves APP within the Aβ domain, preventing Aβ production. Elucidation of the mechanism underlying BACE2 degradation is important for defining its biological features and its potential role in Alzheimer's disease drug development. In this report we first showed that the half‐life of BACE2 is approximately 20 h. Lysosomal inhibition increased BACE2 protein levels whereas proteasomal inhibition had no effect on BACE2 protein expression. Furthermore, we identified that macroautophagy mediated BACE2 degradation. Finally, we showed that lysosomal inhibition increased BACE2 cleavage of APP. Taken together, our in vitro study showed that BACE2 is degraded through the macrophagy–lysosome pathway and that lysosomal inhibition affects BACE2 processing of APP. Modulation of BACE2 degradation via the lysosomal pathway could be a new target for AD drug development.
Niche breadth predicts geographical range size: a general ecological pattern
Authors: Slatyer Rachel A. , Hirst Megan , Sexton Jason P.
Published: June 2013

The range of resources that a species uses (i.e. its niche breadth) might determine the geographical area it can occupy, but consensus on whether a niche breadth–range size relationship generally exists among species has been slow to emerge. The validity of this hypothesis is a key question in ecology in that it proposes a mechanism for commonness and rarity, and if true, may help predict species' vulnerability to extinction. We identified 64 studies that measured niche breadth and range size, and we used a meta‐analytic approach to test for the presence of a niche breadth–range size relationship. We found a significant positive relationship between range size and environmental tolerance breadth (z = 0.49), habitat breadth (z = 0.45), and diet breadth (z = 0.28). The overall positive effect persisted even when incorporating sampling effects. Despite significant variability in the strength of the relationship among studies, the general positive relationship suggests that specialist species might be disproportionately vulnerable to habitat loss and climate change due to synergistic effects of a narrow niche and small range size. An understanding of the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that drive and cause deviations from this niche breadth–range size pattern is an important future research goal.