bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Feeding of Two Potentially Probiotic Preparations from Lactic Acid Bacteria on the Performance and Faecal Microflora of Broiler Chickens
Authors: Fajardo Paula , Pastrana Lorenzo , Méndez Jesús , Rodríguez Isabel , Fuciños Clara , Guerra Nelson P.
Published: May 2012

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of two probiotic preparations, containing live lactic acid bacteria (Lactococcus lactisCECT 539 andLactobacillus caseiCECT 4043) and their products of fermentation (organic acids and bacteriocins), as a replacement for antibiotics in stimulating health and growth of broiler chickens. The effects of the supplementation of both preparations (with proven probiotic effect in weaned piglets) and an antibiotic (avilamycin) on body weight gain (BWG), feed intake (FI), feed consumption efficiency (FCE), relative intestinal weight, and intestinal microbiota counts were studied in 1-day posthatch chickens. The experiments were conducted with medium-growth Sasso X44 chickens housed in cages and with nutritional stressed Ross 308 broiler distributed in pens. Consumption of the different diets did not affect significantly the final coliform counts in Sasso X44 chickens. However, counts of lactic acid bacteria and mesophilic microorganisms were higher in the animals receiving the two probiotic preparations (P<0.05). In the second experiment, although no differences in BWG were observed between treatments, Ross 308 broilers receiving the probioticLactobacilluspreparation exhibited the lowest FCE values and were considered the most efficient at converting feed into live weight.
Dissection of complex adult traits in a mouse synthetic population
Authors: Burke David T. , Kozloff Kenneth M. , Chen Shu , West Joshua L. , Wilkowski Jodi M. , Goldstein Steven A. , Miller Richard A. , Galecki Andrzej T.
Published: May 2012

Finding the causative genetic variations that underlie complex adult traits is a significant experimental challenge. The unbiased search strategy of genome-wide association (GWAS) has been used extensively in recent human population studies. These efforts, however, typically find only a minor fraction of the genetic loci that are predicted to affect variation. As an experimental model for the analysis of adult polygenic traits, we measured a mouse population for multiple phenotypes and conducted a genome-wide search for effector loci. Complex adult phenotypes, related to body size and bone structure, were measured as component phenotypes, and each subphenotype was associated with a genomic spectrum of candidate effector loci. The strategy successfully detected several loci for the phenotypes, at genome-wide significance, using a single, modest-sized population (N= 505). The effector loci each explain 2%–10% of the measured trait variation and, taken together, the loci can account for over 25% of a trait's total population variation. A replicate population (N= 378) was used to confirm initially observed loci for one trait (femur length), and, when the two groups were merged, the combined population demonstrated increased power to detect loci. In contrast to human population studies, our mouse genome-wide searches find loci that individually explain a larger fraction of the observed variation. Also, the additive effects of our detected mouse loci more closely match the predicted genetic component of variation. The genetic loci discovered are logical candidates for components of the genetic networks having evolutionary conservation with human biology.
Reduced spiking in entorhinal cortex during the delay period of a cued spatial response task
Authors: Gupta Kishan , Keller Lauren A. , Hasselmo Michael E.
Published: May 2012

Intrinsic persistent spiking mechanisms in medial entorhinal cortex (mEC) neurons may play a role in active maintenance of working memory. However, electrophysiological studies of rat mEC units have primarily focused on spatial modulation. We sought evidence of differential spike rates in the mEC in rats trained on a T-maze, cued spatial delayed response task. Animals begin at the base of the T-maze where a 1-sec white noise and visual light cue are presented on the left or right side of the maze. Rats are rewarded for responding toward the cued direction. In correct trials, we observed decreased spike rates during the delay period, the time interval between cue presentation and reward delivery. Firing-rate histograms show significant decreases during the delay period compared to 5-sec windows from both pre-cue and post-reward periods. We analyzed how running speed and trajectory specificity correlated to spike rate. Twice as many cells were responsive to cue alone compared to running speed. Trajectory specificity did not relate significantly to firing rate. Decreased spike rate may reflect active maintenance in other structures inhibiting mEC. Alternately, the reduction may reflect decreases in background activity during enhanced attention and cholinergic modulation. Lastly, animals often ran through the T-maze choice-point with varying speed. We calculated the spatial posterior probability density from spike rates during these choice-point passes. Slow passes through the choice point were characterized by greater probability of decoding to the reward locations on correct trials compared to quick passes on the maze consistent with similar “look-ahead” properties previously reported in the hippocampus and ventral striatum.
Constrained evolutionary algorithm for structure prediction of molecular crystals: methodology and applications
Authors: Zhu Qiang , Oganov Artem R. , Glass Colin W. , Stokes Harold T.
Published: May 2012

Evolutionary crystal structure prediction proved to be a powerful approach for studying a wide range of materials. Here we present a specifically designed algorithm for the prediction of the structure of complex crystals consisting of well defined molecular units. The main feature of this new approach is that each unit is treated as a whole body, which drastically reduces the search space and improves the efficiency, but necessitates the introduction of new variation operators described here. To increase the diversity of the population of structures, the initial population and part (∼ 20%) of the new generations are produced using space-group symmetry combined with random cell parameters, and random positions and orientations of molecular units. We illustrate the efficiency and reliability of this approach by a number of tests (ice, ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane, benzene, glycine and butane-1,4-diammonium dibromide). This approach easily predicts the crystal structure of methane A containing 21 methane molecules (105 atoms) per unit cell. We demonstrate that this new approach also has a high potential for the study of complex inorganic crystals as shown on examples of a complex hydrogen storage material Mg(BH4)2 and elemental boron.
Randomised clinical trial: esomeprazole for the prevention of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug‐related peptic ulcers in Japanese patients
Authors: Sugano K. , Kinoshita Y. , Miwa H. , Takeuchi T. ,   on behalf of the Esomeprazole NSAID Preventive Study Group
Published: May 2012

Background

The use of proton pump inhibitors for prevention of nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID)‐induced gastrointestinal adverse events is well documented. However, data regarding the efficacy and safety of this approach in Japan are scarce.

Aim

To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of esomeprazole in preventing NSAID‐induced peptic ulcers in Japanese at‐risk patients.

Methods

Male and female Japanese adult patients (aged ≥20 years) with endoscopically confirmed history of peptic ulcers who required long‐term oral NSAID therapy for a chronic inflammatory condition were randomised to 24 weeks' treatment with esomeprazole 20 mg once daily or matching placebo. The primary end point was the Kaplan–Meier estimated proportion of ulcer‐free patients.

Results

Overall, 343 patients were randomised to treatment (esomeprazole, n = 175; placebo, n = 168). The Kaplan–Meier estimated ulcer‐free rate over the 24‐week treatment period was significantly higher (log‐rank P < 0.001) in esomeprazole‐treated patients (96.0%; 95% CI 92.8, 99.1) than in placebo recipients (64.4%; 95% CI 56.8, 71.9). Esomeprazole was effective at preventing peptic ulcers in both Helicobacter pylori‐positive and ‐negative patients (96.3% vs. 95.5% of patients ulcer‐free, respectively); however, in the placebo group, the proportion of ulcer‐free patients at 24 weeks was markedly lower among H. pylori‐positive than ‐negative patients (59.7% vs. 69.9%). The NSAID type did not seem to affect the estimated ulcer‐free rate with esomeprazole. Treatment with esomeprazole was well tolerated.

Conclusion

Esomeprazole 20 mg once daily is effective and safe in preventing ulcer recurrence in Japanese patients with a definite history of peptic ulcers who were taking an NSAID (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00542789).
Soluble CD163, a marker of Kupffer cell activation, is related to portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Grønbæk H. , Sandahl T. D. , Mortensen C. , Vilstrup H. , Møller H. J. , Møller S.
Published: May 2012

Background

Activation of Kupffer cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of portal hypertension by release of vasoconstrictive substances and fibrosis due to co‐activation of hepatic stellate cells.

Aim

To study soluble plasma (s) CD163, a specific marker of activated macrophages, as a biomarker for portal hypertension in patients with liver cirrhosis.

Methods

We measured sCD163 concentration and the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) by liver vein catheterisation in 81 cirrhosis patients (Child–Pugh CP‐A: n = 26, CP‐B: n = 29, CP‐C: n = 26) and 22 healthy subjects. We also measured their cardiac output (CO), cardiac index and systemic vascular resistance (SVR). Liver status was examined by Child–Pugh and MELD‐score.

Results

In cirrhosis, sCD163 concentration was nearly three times higher than in controls (4.7 ± 2.5 vs. 1.6 ± 0.5 mg/L, P < 0.001). sCD163 was also higher, as measured in steps by CP‐score (P < 0.001). The HVPG rose steeply to an asymptote of 22 mmHg with sCD163 up to about 5 mg/L and not to higher values with higher sCD163. In a multivariate analysis, sCD163 was the only independent predictor of the HVPG but did not predict any of the systemic circulatory findings. sCD163 > 3.95 mg/L (upper normal limit) predicted HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg with a positive predictive value of 0.99.

Conclusions

Circulating sCD163 originating from activated Kupffer cells is increased in cirrhosis with increasing Child–Pugh score and with increasing HVPG, and it is an independent predictor for HVPG. These findings support a primary role of macrophage activation in portal hypertension, and may indicate a target for biological intervention.
High‐dose, ten‐day esomeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole triple therapy achieves high Helicobacter pylori eradication rates
Authors: Sánchez‐Delgado J. , García‐Iglesias P. , Castro‐Fernández M. , Bory F. , Barenys M. , Bujanda L. , Lisozain J. , Calvo M. M. , Torra S. , Gisbert J. P. , Calvet X.
Published: May 2012

Background

Strong acid inhibition using esomeprazole increases cure rates with triple therapy and 10‐day treatments are more effective than 7‐day ones. The combination of amoxicillin plus metronidazole at full doses, and using a physiologically‐correct schedule three times a day, and has been shown to overcome metronidazole resistance and to achieve good eradication rates.

Aims

To assess the eradication rate of a new first‐line treatment regimen associating strong acid inhibition, amoxicillin and metronidazole and to evaluate tolerance.

Methods

Patients from eight hospitals were included. Helicobacter pylori status was assessed by at least one of the following: histology, culture, rapid urease test or urea breath test (UBT). Ten‐day treatment was prescribed comprising esomeprazole 40 mg twice a day plus amoxicillin 1 g and metronidazol 500 mg both three times a day. Helicobacter pylori cure was assessed by UBT.

Results

A hundred and thirty‐six patients were enrolled. Mean age was 52.6 ± 16 years and 59.6% of patients were men. Main indications for treatment were: uninvestigated dyspepsia (13.6%); functional dyspepsia (18.2%); gastric ulcer (21.8%); and duodenal ulcer (39.8%). Helicobacter pylori eradication was achieved in 112 of the 127 patients who returned for follow‐up. Eradication rates were 82.4% (95% CI: 74.7–88.1) by intention‐to‐treat analysis and 88.2% (95% CI: 81.2–92.8) by per protocol. Treatment was well tolerated and no major side effects were reported. Nine patients complained of mild side effects.

Conclusions

Cure rates of the combination of esomeprazole, amoxicillin and metronidazole are high and the treatment was well tolerated. This pilot study warrants the comparison of this schedule with current standards.
Non‐synonymous SNPs in MC1R gene are associated with the extended black variant in domestic ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)
Authors: Yu Wenhua , Wang Cui , Xin Qingwu , Li Shijun , Feng Yanping , Peng Xiuli , Gong Yanzhang
Published: May 2012

In this study, we performed a sequence characterization of the duck melanocortin 1 receptor (alpha‐melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor) (MC1R) gene to analyze the relationship between MC1R polymorphism and the extended black variant in domestic ducks based on the extended black (E) and non‐extended black (e+) allele hypothesis of the duck MC1R gene. Both c.52G>A and c.376G>A substitutions are highly associated with the duck extended black variant (P < 0.01), but the novel c.52G>A substitution is more of a fit for the allele hypothesis of the duck MC1R gene.
Lisinopril pharmacokinetics and erythropoietin requirement in haemodialysis patients
Authors: Winnicki Wolfgang , Prehslauer Anna , Kletzmayr Josef , Herkner Harald , Sunder‐Plassmann Gere , Brunner Martin , Hörl Walter H. , Sengoelge Guerkan
Published: May 2012

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (10): 1087–1093

Background  There is ongoing controversy whether angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE‐I) contribute to anaemia by causing hyporesponsiveness to erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents (ESA). However, it is unknown whether or not plasma levels or area under the curve (AUC) of ACE‐I are associated with responsiveness to ESA therapy.

Materials and methods  We examined the association between lisinopril AUC, lisinopril plasma levels and ESA requirements that was assessed using an ESA index [(ESA IU/week/body weight kg)/(haemoglobin g/dL)]. After screening 184 haemodialysis patients, 14 fulfilled the inclusion criteria, mainly long‐term use of oral lisinopril in the upper end of dosage range for this population with stable haemoglobin levels and intravenous ESA therapy. Lisinopril plasma levels were measured at eight different time points (predialysis, immediate post‐dialysis and hourly for 6 h thereafter; AUC1), and the seven post‐dialysis lisinopril plasma levels were used for calculation of AUC2.

Results  The mean ESA index of all patients was 27·90 ± 25·84 (IU/week/kg)/(g/dL). Average lisinopril AUC1 was 1212·48 ± 1209·75 [mg*h/L], whereas AUC2 averaged 947·67 ± 977·07 [mg*h/L]. Two patients (14%) had no detectable lisinopril plasma levels, indicating their noncompliance. There was no association between ESA index and AUC or plasma levels of lisinopril at any time point for all 14 or for the 12 compliant patients.

Conclusions  Our study shows that long‐term, high‐dose lisinopril therapy has no effect on ESA responsiveness. Thus, avoidance or a dose reduction of ACE‐I in dialysis patients will not necessarily lead to reduced ESA requirements and costs.
Epithelial–mesenchymal transition and clinicopathological correlation in craniopharyngioma
Authors: Qi Song‐Tao , Zhou Jie , Pan Jun , Zhang Chao , Silky Chotai , Yan Xiao‐Rong
Published: May 2012

Qi S‐T, Zhou J, Pan J, Zhang C, Silky C & Yan X‐R (2012) Histopathology61, 711–725  Epithelial–mesenchymal transition and clinicopathological correlation in craniopharyngioma

Aims:  To assess the immunophenotypic changes associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) in craniopharyngioma, especially at the tumour invasive front, and to correlate the findings with clinicopathological features and patient outcomes.

Methods and results:  Forty‐two craniopharyngiomas were investigated for the presence of EMT markers (vimentin, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin) by immunohistochemistry and western blot. The relationships between expression of these markers and various clinicopathological indicators and clinical outcomes of the tumours were analysed. There were statistically significant differences in the expression of vimentin and E‐cadherin–β‐catenin between adamantinomatous and papillary variants. The expression of vimentin and E‐cadherin (but not that of β‐catenin) in whole tumour sections was associated with tumour recurrence, and with postoperative weight and hypothalamic disturbances; the expression of vimentin and E‐cadherin–β‐catenin at the tumour invasive front was also associated with tumour recurrence, postoperative weight, and hypothalamic disturbances. The results from western blotting closely matched those of immunohistochemistry.

Conclusions:  Our study demonstrates, for the first time, the potential prognostic implications of vimentin, E‐cadherin and β‐catenin expression in craniopharyngiomas. EMT may represent a crucial mechanism in the progression of craniopharyngiomas.
Psychometric properties of the Dutch version of the American nursing activity scale in an intensive care unit
Authors: Luiking Marie‐Louise , van Linge Roland , Bras Leo , Grypdonck Maria , Aarts Leon
Published: May 2012

Aim.  To report the development and psychometric testing of the Dutch version of the Nursing Activity Scale in a Dutch intensive care unit nursing population.

Background.  The Nursing Activity Scale developed by Schutzenhofer measures professional clinical autonomy, by inquiring about the nurses’ intention to exercise their own clinical decisions. This autonomy is increasingly relevant due to the ongoing professionalization, nurses increasingly have to make their own clinical decisions.

Design.  Instrument development.

Method.  The study was conducted from November 2007–February 2008 and consisted of the following steps: translation, expert panel content validation, reliability testing and further content validation, test–retest stability examination, additional internal consistency, and validity assessment.

Results.  After the first reliability testing two items seen to describe a situation not applicable to intensive care unit nursing in the Netherlands were deleted from the questionnaire. In the test–retest stability assessment the intra class correlation coefficient was 0·76. The Cronbach’s alpha of the final questionnaire was 0·82. The alphas of the subsamples with higher scores were significantly different from those with lower scores, supporting the validity of the weighing of the items.

Conclusion.  The Dutch version of the nursing activity scale consists of 28 items and provides the opportunity to measure professional clinical autonomy for Dutch intensive care nurses using a well‐established method.
Designing social media for informal learning and knowledge maturing in the digital workplace
Authors: Ravenscroft A. , Schmidt A. , Cook J. , Bradley C.
Published: May 2012

This paper presents an original approach to designing social media that support informal learning in the digital workplace. It adapts design‐based research to take into account the embeddedness of interactions within digitally mediated work‐based contexts. The approach is demonstrated through the design, implementation, and evaluation of software tools supporting a particular type of informal learning called knowledge maturing. The paper: introduces and presents the rationale for, and concept of, knowledge maturing; presents a new design methodology for developing social media that support informal learning and knowledge maturing; focuses on one prototype, for ‘people tagging for organisational development’, that was produced by the methodology (and concisely describes two others); presents the formative evaluation of the highlighted prototype; and finally, discusses the implications and insights arising from this work.
Landscape context and management regime structure plant diversity in grassland communities
Authors: Schmucki Reto , Reimark Josefin , Lindborg Regina , Cousins Sara A. O.
Published: May 2012

1. Theoretical models show that environmental heterogeneity and dispersal are major determinants of species diversity at multiple scales, yet there are few studies from real landscapes that adequately integrate variation in the surrounding matrix. Understanding how landscape context and management influence species composition and diversity patterns across habitats and scales is an important goal in ecology with relevance for both management and conservation.

2. We used a system of 25 landscapes distributed across islands in the Baltic Sea to investigate the effect of current and historical landscape context and management on plant diversity and composition in grassland communities. Plant diversity was measured at three hierarchical scales (1 m2, habitat, landscape) in grazed fields and adjacent wood pastures to calculate α‐, β‐ and γ‐diversity values across habitats and scales.

3. Structural equation modelling was used to model and quantify the effects of landscape context on species diversity and spatial turnover, and constraint analysis of principal coordinates to relate variation in species composition to landscape variables.

4. Proportion of open land, spacing and grazing intensity positively affected species diversity in both habitats, whereas the effect of historical landscape context was only significant in open fields. Plant diversity in field pastures was mainly determined by the number of species found at a small scale, while both local species density and spatial turnover were key determinants of diversity in wood pastures.

5. Habitat proximity influenced species composition as compositional similarity was higher between adjacent field and wood pastures compared to randomly paired habitats. Although increasing flow of propagules from adjacent patches can promote local coexistence, dispersal can result in spatial homogenization.

6.
Synthesis. Plant diversity in grassland communities is substantially influenced by species occurring in adjacent habitats. While the effect of landscape context and management on small‐scale diversity was consistent across habitats, the effect on spatial turnover was habitat specific. Our study shows that plant diversity is structured through the interplay between local and landscape processes and highlights that plant communities in specific habitat types cannot be considered in isolation from the surrounding landscape matrix.
The book, the stories, the people: an ongoing dialogic narrative inquiry study combining a practice development project. Part 2: the practice development context
Authors: GRANT A. , BILEY F. C. , LEIGH‐PHIPPARD H. , WALKER H.
Published: May 2012

Accessible summary

This paper reports on a Writing for Recovery practice development project which is part of broader, ongoing narrative research.

Its aim is to help mental health users, carers and survivors develop skills in creative writing to engage in the process of narrative re‐storying in line with preferred identity.

A selective overview of broad and focal background literature relevant to the project positions it within a values‐based mental health nursing practice.

The specific plan for running the project is briefly summarized, covering actual and anticipated ethical issues.

The paper ends with a discussion of dissemination aims.

This paper is the second part of a two‐article practice development report. It builds on the first part by introducing and discussing a Writing for Recovery practice development project, conducted at two UK sites. The paper begins by briefly describing the project within the context of helping mental health users, carers and survivors develop skills in creative writing in order to engage in the process of narrative re‐storying in line with preferred identity. A selective overview of broad and focal background literature relevant to the project is then provided in order to position it within a values‐based mental health nursing practice. Following this, the specific plan for running the project is briefly summarized, covering actual and anticipated ethical issues. The paper ends with a discussion of dissemination aims.
Structural and energetic basis of infection by the filamentous bacteriophage IKe
Authors: Jakob Roman P. , Geitner Anne‐Juliane , Weininger Ulrich , Balbach Jochen , Dobbek Holger , Schmid Franz X.
Published: May 2012

Filamentous phage use the two N‐terminal domains of their gene‐3‐proteins to initiate infection ofEscherichia coli. One domain interacts with a pilus, and then the other domain binds to TolA at the cell surface. In phage fd, these two domains are tightly associated with each other, which renders the phage robust but non‐infectious, because the TolA binding site is inaccessible. Activation for infection requires partial unfolding, domain disassembly and prolyl isomerization. Phage IKe infectsE. coliless efficiently than phage fd. Unlike in phage fd, the pilus‐ and TolA‐binding domains of phage IKe are independent of each other in stability and folding. The site for TolA binding is thus always accessible, but the affinity is very low. The structures of the two domains, analysed by X‐ray crystallography and by NMR spectroscopy, revealed a unique fold for the N‐pilus‐binding domain and a conserved fold for the TolA‐binding domain. The absence of an activation mechanism as in phage fd and the low affinity for TolA probably explain the low infectivity of phage IKe. They also explain why, in a previous co‐evolution experiment with a mixture of phage fd and phage IKe, all hybrid phage adopted the superior infection mechanism of phage fd.
Untangling asthma phenotypes and endotypes
Authors: Agache I. , Akdis C. , Jutel M. , Virchow J. C.
Published: May 2012

Asthma phenotypes have been developed to address the complexities of the disease. However, owing to a lack of longitudinal studies, little is known about the onset as well as the stability of phenotypes. Distinguishing phenotypes with regard to the severity or duration of the disease is essential. A phenotype covers the clinically relevant properties of the disease, but does not show the direct relationship to disease etiology and pathophysiology. Different pathogenetic mechanisms might cause similar asthma symptoms and might be operant in a certain phenotype. These putative mechanisms are addressed by the term ‘endotype’. Classification of asthma based on endotypes provides advantages for epidemiological, genetic, and drug‐related studies. A successful definition of endotypes should link key pathogenic mechanisms with the asthma phenotype. Thus, the identification of corresponding molecular biomarkers for individual pathogenic mechanism underlying phenotypes or subgroups within a phenotype is important. Whether newly defined asthma endotypes predict the individual course of asthma has to be validated in longitudinal studies. The accurate endotyping reflects natural history of asthma and should help to predict treatment response. Thus, understanding asthma endotypes might be useful in clinical practice.
Water as an Essential Resource: Orb Web Spiders Cannot Balance Their Water Budget by Prey Alone
Authors: Walter André , Cadenhead Natasha , Sze Weii Lee Valerie , Dove Charlie , Milley Emma , Elgar Mark A.
Published: May 2012

Water is essential for all living organisms because it acts as a major solvent and reaction medium. Terrestrial animals may lose water through evaporation and excretion and consequently have evolved strategies to balance their water budget by either minimising losses or by gaining water. The major pathway to gain water is via food intake, although many animals additionally drink free water. Spiders acquire substantial amounts of water by ingesting enzymatically liquefied prey. However, this may not account for the water needs of some species. We tested whether drinking is essential for orb web spiders of the genus Argiope by experimentally manipulating the diet (flies or crickets) and water supply (no water or a daily shower) to females and then measuring their subsequent drinking behaviour. Individuals of Argiope trifasciata, which are typically found in dry habitats, increased their body mass when fed crickets but not when fed flies. However, spiders deprived of water subsequently ingested significantly more water than spiders that received water every day, regardless of their feeding regime. This pattern was replicated in Argiope aetherea, which is found in the tropics and perhaps less likely to be water deprived in natural populations. Our results reveal that drinking allows these spiders to realise their water balance independent from the nutritional status. We suggest that the spiders may need to drink fresh water to process ingested nutrients.
Podocyte culture: Tricks of the trade
Authors: NI LAN , SALEEM MOIN , MATHIESON PETER W
Published: May 2012

Podocytes (glomerular epithelial cells) lie on the urinary aspect of the glomerular capillary and play a key role in the selective filter that underlies kidney function. They are injured in various forms of renal disease: the extents of this injury and its reversibility have major implications for treatment and prognosis. Until recently, podocytes were difficult to study in vitro because of a previous lack of techniques for obtaining differentiated cells in quantities adequate for research. In recent years, this problem has been solved for rodent and human podocytes and there has been an explosion of research using cultured cells. These authors have led the development and characterization of human podocyte cell lines and in this article describe the methods that have allowed them to do this.
Generation and clonal isolation of retinal stem cells from human embryonic stem cells
Authors: Clarke Laura , Ballios Brian G. , van der Kooy Derek
Published: May 2012

Retinal stem cells (RSCs) are present within the pigmented ciliary epithelium (CE) of the adult human eye and produce progeny that differentiate in vitro into all neural retinal subtypes and retinal pigmented epithelium (RPE). We hypothesized that a RSC population, similar to the adult CE‐derived RSC, is contained within pigmented colonies that arise in long‐term cultures of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) suggested to recapitulate retinal development in vitro. Single pigmented hESC‐derived cells were isolated and plated in serum‐free media containing growth factors and, after 2 weeks, clonal sphere colonies containing both pigmented and non‐pigmented cells were observed. These colonies expressed the early retinal transcription factors Rx, Chx10 and Pax6, and could be dissociated and replated as single cells to form secondary clonal colonies. When allowed to differentiate, expression of markers for both RPE and neurons was observed. Rhodopsin expression was detected after explant co‐culture and transplantation into the developing mouse eye as well as following treatment with soluble factors in vitro. We show that RSCs emerge in an in vitro model of retinal development and are a potential source of human photoreceptors for use in transplantation.
Involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 signaling in activity‐related proliferation of adult hippocampal neural stem cells
Authors: Nochi Rokuya , Kato Tomomasa , Kaneko Jun , Itou Yoshie , Kuribayashi Hiroshi , Fukuda Satoshi , Terazono Yasushi , Matani Ayumu , Kanatani Shigeaki , Nakajima Kazunori , Hisatsune Tatsuhiro
Published: May 2012

Adult hippocampal neural stem cells can be activated by hippocampal neural activities. When focal cerebral ischemia, known as middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), occurs, neural stem cells are activated to promote their proliferation. However, the mechanism by which these cells are activated is still unclear. Here, we indicate the involvement of metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) signaling in neural stem cells in their activity‐related proliferation after MCAO. We found mGluR5 molecules on neural stem cells by using calcium imaging. We detected the activation of neural stem cells by adding the mGluR5 agonist (RS)‐2‐chloro‐5‐hydroxyphenylglycine. On a hippocampal slice, the activation of neural stem cells to promote their proliferation was initiated by theta‐burst electrical stimulation at the perforant pathway, and this activation was significantly blocked by an mGluR5 antagonist, 2‐methyl‐6‐(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP). In addition to this, the injection of the blood–brain barrier‐permeable mGluR5 agonist 3‐cyano‐N‐(1,3‐diphenyl‐1H‐pyrazol‐5‐yl)benzamide into live mice promoted the proliferation of neural stem cells. Moreover, in vivo theta‐burst electrical stimulation induced proliferation of neural stem cells. A chronic field recording study showed that the activity of the hippocampal formation was elevated after MCAO. Finally, we observed that the mGluR5 antagonist MPEP significantly blocked the stimulated proliferation of neural stem cells induced by MCAO, by blocking mGluR5 signaling. Our results suggest that glutamates released by the elevated neural activities after MCAO may trigger mGluR5 signaling in neural stem cells to promote their proliferation.
Pathways involved in human conscious vision contribute to obstacle‐avoidance behaviour
Authors: Hesse Constanze , Lane Alison R. , Aimola Lina , Schenk Thomas
Published: May 2012

Human patients with visual field defects following damage to their primary visual cortex (V1) will often misperceive the midpoint of a horizontal line. They tend to shift the midpoint away from the real position towards their blind field. In patients with unilateral neglect, where midpoint shifts can also be observed, these perceptual errors do not lead to errors in an obstacle‐avoidance task, which also requires the ability to find the midpoint between two obstacles. This dissociation in neglect patients was taken as evidence that obstacle‐avoidance performance is guided by visual information from the dorsal visual stream. Recently it was shown that a patient with hemianopia could avoid an obstacle presented in his blind field. This suggests that obstacle‐avoidance behaviour can be guided by subconscious vision alone involving a direct route from extrageniculate structures in the brain to dorsal stream areas. To investigate whether obstacle avoidance relies only on this subconscious route or also uses information from pathways involved in conscious vision, we examined the effect of the hemianopic shift on obstacle‐avoidance behaviour. This shift is found in tasks where a conscious visual judgement is required and presumably arises in pathways underlying conscious vision (V1 and ventral stream areas). We compared the performance of six patients with left hemianopia with the performance of six patients with right hemianopia. We found a clear bias in both groups, which also affected obstacle‐avoidance performance. It is thus concluded that obstacle avoidance does not bypass the system for conscious vision completely.
The normal and the challenging pediatric airway
Authors: Sims Craig , von Ungern‐Sternberg Britta S.
Published: May 2012

Management of a child’s airway is one of the main sources of stress for anesthetists who do not routinely anesthetize children. Unfortunately, trainees are gaining less experience in pediatric airway management than in the past, which is particularly difficult at a time when some beliefs about airway management are being challenged and airway management is less standardized. Fortunately, most children have an easily managed, normal airway. Nevertheless, it is of vital importance to teach our trainees the basic airway skills that are probably the most important skill in an anesthetists’ repertoire when it comes to a difficult airway situation. This review focuses on the airway management in children with a normal and a challenging airway. Different choices of airway management in children, and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. Furthermore, the three broad causes of a challenging airway in children and infants are highlighted – the difficulty obtaining a mask seal, difficulty visualizing the vocal cords, and the third cause in which the larynx can be visualized but the difficulty lies at or beyond that level. Guidelines are given how to deal with these patients as well as with the feared but rare scenario of ‘cannot ventilate, cannot intubate’ in children.
Onset time for pharmacologic premedication with clonidine as a nasal aerosol: a double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, randomized trial
Authors: Larsson Peter , Eksborg Staffan , Lönnqvist Per‐Arne
Published: May 2012

Objectives/Aim:  To investigate whether nasal aerosol clonidine can reduce the onset time of preoperative sedation.

Background:  Premedication is common in the pediatric population, but the optimal agent and administration route is still a matter of debate. Clonidine has many beneficial effects in the perioperative period. Clonidine nasal drops produce a similar sedative effect as after oral administration but do not reduce the onset time. Nasal aerosol administration of drugs is generally more effective than drops and an option to decrease the onset time of clonidine.

Methods:  Pediatric ASA status 1 and 2 patients were randomized to receive placebo (P), clonidine 3–4 μg kg−1 (C4), or clonidine 7–8 μg kg−1 (C7) as a nasal aerosol. Acceptance of administration, pre‐ and postoperative sedation, and adverse events were assessed.

Results:  A total of 60 patients were enrolled with a median age of 3.5 years (range 0.7–6.9) and median weight of 14.8 kg (range 10–25). In the C7 group, 55% of the children were found adequately sedated at 30 min as compared to 32% in the C4 group (P = 0.1202). At 45 min, adequate sedation was seen in 65% of the patients in both C4 and C7 groups, which were both found to be significantly higher compared with the placebo control group (14%) (P‐values = 0.0027 and 0.0013, respectively). The postoperative sedation profile did not differ between the three study groups.

Conclusions:  Clonidine administered as nasal aerosol (3–8 μg kg−1) was not found to achieve adequate preoperative sedation within 30 min of administration. Despite its sedative properties, no prolongation of postoperative sedation was noted compared with placebo.
The new challenging pediatric patient
Authors: Veyckemans Francis
Published: May 2012

The ‘new’ challenging pediatric patients are those who could be called ‘the survivors’ and neonates undergoing birth under materno‐fetal circulation. Their anesthetic management is complex because their initial pathology was previously lethal: the physiologic, pharmacologic, and or technical aspect of their management is presently unknown or hypothetical. Some examples are described. Communication with the pediatrician in charge of the child is the key to safe and effective anesthetic care of these cases.
Deviation and failure of enhanced recovery after surgery following laparoscopic colorectal surgery: early prediction model
Authors: Smart N. J. , White P. , Allison A. S. , Ockrim J. B. , Kennedy R. H. , Francis N. K.
Published: May 2012

Aim  Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes are well established, but deviation from the postoperative elements may result in delayed discharge. Early identification of such patients may allow remedial action to be taken. The aims of this study were to investigate factors associated with delayed discharge and to produce a predictive scoring system for ERAS failure.

Method  A retrospective review was carried out of case notes of patients who underwent elective laparoscopic colorectal resection and ERAS at Yeovil District Hospital between 2002 and 2009. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed and binary logistic regression was used to model a predictive scoring system.

Results  In all, 385 patient records were reviewed with a median length of stay of 6 days; 122 (31%) patients stayed longer than 1 week (delayed discharge) and 159 (41%) deviated in up to two postoperative ERAS factors. Patient demographic factors were not predictive of delayed discharge. Deviation from ERAS factors at the end of the first postoperative day, including continued intravenous fluid infusion, lack of functioning epidural, inability to mobilize, vomiting requiring nasogastric tube insertion and re‐insertion of urinary catheter, were strongly associated with delayed discharge. A five‐element predictive scoring system for ERAS failure and delayed discharge was formulated.

Conclusion  Enhanced recovery failure and delayed discharge after laparoscopic colorectal surgery can be predicted by the early deviation from postoperative factors of an ERAS programme.
Current measures for distance decay in similarity of species composition are influenced by study extent and grain size
Authors: Steinbauer Manuel Jonas , Dolos Klara , Reineking Björn , Beierkuhnlein Carl
Published: May 2012

Aim  The relationship between geographic distance and similarity in species composition is regularly used as a measure of species turnover and beta diversity. Distance–decay analyses are applied, cited and compared despite the variable extent, and different grain sizes of records (e.g. plots, islands, states) are regularly used within such analyses. Currently, differences among distance–decay relationships that cover different grain sizes and extents are attributed to ecological processes that are suspected to operate differently over varying extents and grain sizes. We assess whether the implicit assumption that the distance–decay relation is independent of grain size and study extent is valid, or whether sampling design could be the underlying cause for observed differences.

Location  An artificial one‐dimensional ‘landscape’.

Methods  The distance–decay relationship was quantified in simulated communities. Grain and study extent were varied systematically. In each sampled data set the linear relation of Simpson and Sørensen similarity to geographic distance (on both log‐transformed and original scales) between 100 even‐sized equidistant plots was assessed using linear regression and generalized linear regression with a log‐link function. Regressions were applied either including or removing zero similarities from the data.

Results  Both the slope (measuring turnover) and the goodness of fit measure r2 (quantifying the influence of space on species composition) of the distance–decay relationship were strongly influenced by grain and study extent. Approaches that are able to cope with zero similarity values of large distance comparisons were less dependent on grain and extent.

Main conclusions  Reported differences between landscapes detected by current distance–decay measures cannot be explicitly traced back to ecological scale‐specific processes. Instead, they can largely be attributed to sampling design and are highly sensitive to grain size and study extent. More appropriate approaches for the study of distance–decay and the understanding of scale‐specific processes are required.
Participation and Passive Revolution: The Reproduction of Neoliberal Water Governance Mechanisms in Durban, South Africa
Authors: Nash Fiona
Published: May 2012

Abstract:  This article demonstrates that Gramsci's concept of passive revolution can be utilised to help unearth some of the contradictions of participatory development within neoliberal governance systems in the global South. I argue that some approaches to “participation” within neoliberal governance systems can, in part, be understood as moments within a protracted process of passive revolution. The argument is traced through eThekwini municipality's Community Participation Programme and the related extension of Free Basic Water (FBW). This article contributes to existing scholarship by demonstrating how a Gramscian analysis is indispensable to understanding the way in which state–civil society relations are conceived in participatory development strategies and the implications this might have for radical social change. I argue that a Gramscian approach compels us to reconsider current understandings of state–civil society relations so that we might overcome the impasse of passive revolution and move towards a more progressive form of politics.
Revisiting the vowels of Brunei English
Authors: SHARBAWI SALBRINA
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT: This paper presents findings of a phonetic investigation of the 11 monophthongal vowels produced by 18 speakers of Brunei English (BrunE). Data for the current study was also collected from 12 Singapore English (SgE) speakers. In order to avoid a prescriptive approach, the description of the vowels was carried out using a modified inventory of vowel contrasts for the monophthongs following Wells’ model of standard lexical sets. The findings revealed that BrunE speakers are inconsistent in their vowel productions in which there is indeterminate usage of American English (AmE) and BrE vowels. The Singaporeans, however, show more uniformity across the subjects. It is proposed that the lack of consistency in BrunE vowel pronunciations may be explained in terms of the maturity of the English varieties. Whereas Schneider places SgE in an advanced phase 4 of his dynamic model of the evolution of postcolonial Englishes, the findings of the current study seems to indicate that BrunE belongs in the third phase. Statistical tests, however, do not seem to support the claim that BrunE and SgE are in different stages of development. It is also concluded that use of the lexical keywords may not be feasible in the description of an emerging English variety since the lexical sets are fixed and are based on the pronunciation of an Inner Circle variety. As such, an improvised lexical keyword set has been proposed for the description of BrunE vowels.
Got‐interrogatives and answers in Colloquial Singapore English
Authors: HIRAMOTO MIE , SATO YOSUKE
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACT: This paper investigates the use ofgotin interrogative sentences and their corresponding answers in Colloquial Singapore English (CSE). Lee, Ling, and Nomoto analyze CSEgotas a realis marker from which several different meanings are derived, including temporal location, aspect, and emphasis. While following in their essential claims, we propose that the acceptability of thegot‐interrogatives and their answers depends on the inherent lexical aspect of the verb (aktionsart) that accompaniesgotin interrogative sentences. Concerninggot‐interrogatives and their answers, we discuss situation‐based sentences that denote the experiential, habitual, and completive aspects, as well as those sentences that have stative meanings. We suggest that stative sentences are critical to our aspectual analysis, as the notion of stativity, rather than realis vs. irrealis distinction, is the primary determinant of the acceptability judgments concerning the situational interpretations of the got‐interrogatives and their answers.
MEASURING PRICE ELASTICITY OF SECTORIAL IMPORTS
Authors: KIM SOYOUNG , LEE BYUNG HEE , PARK SOO KYUNG
Published: May 2012

Previous published studies have estimated the long‐run cointegrating relationship to infer the price elasticity of imports, but a stable long‐run cointegrating relationship might not be detected in the data, especially in the case of sectoral data. This paper develops a method to estimate the price elasticity of imports based on a vector autoregression model, which can be applied when a stable long‐run cointegration relationship does not exist. The methods developed in past studies and our method are applied to Korean sectoral imports data to illustrate the usefulness of our method.