bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Being Barefoot as the Absolutely Beautiful: Moral Creativity Regained and Empowered through Perceiving (Milk)maids Painted and Retouched by Peter Paul Rubens
Authors: Chien Jui-Pi
Published: November 2015

This paper problematizes the feature of being barefoot that appears to be an idiosyncratic feature found in Rubens’s depictions of (milk)maids, mythical and biblical female figures. To appreciate oddities Rubens created, the paper starts with a discussion that enlarges on the merits that we may gain from contemplating allegories set against pleasant-looking landscapes. It then scrutinizes the heated debates over the validity of iconic signs, which enables us to recognize our application of certain laws and principles as the essential condition in carrying out semiotic cum hermeneutic inquiries. We, therefore, become empowered on the one hand to perceive oddities as manifestations of freedom and play and, on the other, to unify different approaches the painter adopted on the same horizons of judging. All in all, this paper argues for the urgency of our developing morally creative conditions in justifying and interpreting strange and deviant forms.
A complex of Rab13 with MICAL-L2 and α-actinin-4 is essential for insulin-dependent GLUT4 exocytosis
Authors: Sun Yi , Jaldin-Fincati Javier , Liu Zhi , Bilan Philip J. , Klip Amira
Published: November 2015

Insulin promotes glucose uptake into skeletal muscle through recruitment of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane. Rab GTPases are molecular switches mobilizing intracellular vesicles, and Rab13 is necessary for insulin-regulated GLUT4–vesicle exocytic translocation in muscle cells. We show that Rab13 engages the scaffold protein MICAL-L2 in this process. RNA interference–mediated knockdown of MICAL-L2 or truncated MICAL-L2 (MICAL-L2-CT) impaired insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation. Insulin increased Rab13 binding to MICAL-L2, assessed by pull down and colocalization under confocal fluorescence and structured illumination microscopies. Association was also visualized at the cell periphery using TIRF microscopy. Insulin further increased binding of MICAL-L2 to α-actinin-4 (ACTN4), a protein involved in GLUT4 translocation. Rab13, MICAL-L2, and ACTN4 formed an insulin-dependent complex assessed by pull down and confocal fluorescence imaging. Of note, GLUT4 associated with the complex in response to insulin, requiring the ACTN4-binding domain in MICAL-L2. This was demonstrated by pull down with distinct fragments of MICAL-L2 and confocal and structured illumination microscopies. Finally, expression of MICAL-L2-CT abrogated the insulin-dependent colocalization of Rab13 with ACTN4 or Rab13 with GLUT4. Our findings suggest that MICAL-L2 is an effector of insulin-activated Rab13, which links to GLUT4 through ACTN4, localizing GLUT4 vesicles at the muscle cell periphery to enable their fusion with the membrane.
Forces, fluctuations, and self-organization in the nucleus
Authors: Pederson Thoru , King Megan C. , Marko John F.
Published: November 2015

We address several processes and domains in the nucleus wherein holding the perspective of physics either reveals a conundrum or is likely to enable progress.
Auxilin facilitates membrane traffic in the early secretory pathway
Authors: Ding Jingzhen , Segarra Verónica A. , Chen Shuliang , Cai Huaqing , Lemmon Sandra K. , Ferro-Novick Susan
Published: November 2015

Coat protein complexes contain an inner shell that sorts cargo and an outer shell that helps deform the membrane to give the vesicle its shape. There are three major types of coated vesicles in the cell: COPII, COPI, and clathrin. The COPII coat complex facilitates vesicle budding from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), while the COPI coat complex performs an analogous function in the Golgi. Clathrin-coated vesicles mediate traffic from the cell surface and between the trans-Golgi and endosome. While the assembly and structure of these coat complexes has been extensively studied, the disassembly of COPII and COPI coats from membranes is less well understood. We describe a proteomic and genetic approach that connects the J-domain chaperone auxilin, which uncoats clathrin-coated vesicles, to COPII and COPI coat complexes. Consistent with a functional role for auxilin in the early secretory pathway, auxilin binds to COPII and COPI coat subunits. Furthermore, ER–Golgi and intra-Golgi traffic is delayed at 15°C in swa2Δ mutant cells, which lack auxilin. In the case of COPII vesicles, we link this delay to a defect in vesicle fusion. We propose that auxilin acts as a chaperone and/or uncoating factor for transport vesicles that act in the early secretory pathway.
Hibernation strategies and patterns in sympatric arctic species, the Alaska marmot and the arctic ground squirrel
Authors: Lee Trixie N. , Kohl Franziska , Buck C. Loren , Barnes Brian M.
Published: November 2015

We compared patterns of core body temperature ( Tb ) change, including inter-individual synchrony, in 2 free-living arctic hibernators that differ in size and sociality, the Alaska marmot ( Marmota broweri ) and the arctic ground squirrel ( Urocitellus parryii ). We report overwinter Tb changes from 3 to 4 marmots from the same hibernaculum in each of 3 years and from 7 ground squirrels that hibernated at 2 nearby burrow sites in 1 year. Very close synchrony in the timing of torpor and arousal cycles in Alaska marmots indicates social hibernation and thermoregulation, while lack of synchrony in arctic ground squirrels further confirms solitary hibernation. The mean duration between the first and last marmot measured within the group to initiate an arousal was 3.7±2.5h and to recool to 30°C during torpor entrance was 5.7±3.7h. The minimum Tb recorded in marmots was 0.6°C and in ground squirrels was −2.0°C. Marmots entering torpor displayed an interrupted pattern of Tb change defined by 2 distinct rates of cooling, early and late during entry, that differed by 21-fold. Ground squirrels cooled in a continuous pattern, initially 3-fold slower than marmots during rapid cooling but 4-fold faster during slow cooling. Both species must minimize energy expenditure to survive long arctic winters; our results suggest that Alaska marmots do this through social thermoregulation, while arctic ground squirrels decrease Tb below freezing to minimize the difference between body and ambient temperatures.
Association between Intraoperative Hypotension and Myocardial Injury after Vascular Surgery
Authors: van Waes Judith A. R. , van Klei Wilton A. , Wijeysundera Duminda N. , van Wolfswinkel Leo , Lindsay Thomas F. , Beattie W. Scott
Published: November 2015

AbstractAbstract

In a cohort study of elderly vascular surgery patients, intraoperative hypotension defined as a 40% decrease from preinduction mean arterial pressure for greater than 30 min is associated with an increased postoperative myocardial injury. The work highlights the degree and duration of perioperative hypotension as important variables associated with myocardial injury in a high-risk surgical population.

Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text.

Background

Postoperative myocardial injury occurs frequently after noncardiac surgery and is strongly associated with mortality. Intraoperative hypotension (IOH) is hypothesized to be a possible cause. The aim of this study was to determine the association between IOH and postoperative myocardial injury.

Methods

This cohort study included 890 consecutive patients aged 60 yr or older undergoing vascular surgery from two university centers. The occurrence of myocardial injury was assessed by troponin measurements as part of a postoperative care protocol. IOH was defined by four different thresholds using either relative or absolute values of the mean arterial blood pressure based on previous studies. Either invasive or noninvasive blood pressure measurements were used. Poisson regression analysis was used to determine the association between IOH and postoperative myocardial injury, adjusted for potential clinical confounders and multiple comparisons.

Results

Depending on the definition used, IOH occurred in 12 to 81% of the patients. Postoperative myocardial injury occurred in 131 (29%) patients with IOH as defined by a mean arterial pressure less than 60 mmHg, compared with 87 (20%) patients without IOH (P = 0.001). After adjustment for potential confounding factors including mean heart rates, a 40% decrease from the preinduction mean arterial blood pressure with a cumulative duration of more than 30 min was associated with postoperative myocardial injury (relative risk, 1.8; 99% CI, 1.2 to 2.6, P < 0.001). Shorter cumulative durations (less than 30 min) were not associated with myocardial injury. Postoperative myocardial infarction and death within 30 days occurred in 26 (6%) and 17 (4%) patients with IOH as defined by a mean arterial pressure less than 60 mmHg, compared with 12 (3%; P = 0.08) and 15 (3%; P = 0.77) patients without IOH, respectively.

Conclusions

In elderly vascular surgery patients, IOH defined as a 40% decrease from the preinduction mean arterial blood pressure with a cumulative duration of more than 30 min was associated with postoperative myocardial injury.
Zolpidem Overdose: A Medical and Ethical Dilemma
Authors: Shuaib Waqas , Beatrice Cristina , Abazid Ahmad G.
Published: November 2015

Acute altered mental status can be caused by a broad range of etiologies, including cerebrovascular, neurologic, traumatic, metabolic, infectious, psychiatric, medications, etc. We present a case of a 53-year-old healthcare professional with an acute altered mental status after a trip to Africa. The patient was extensively worked up for infectious, cardiovascular, and neurologic etiologies, and all results were within normal limits. Further history revealed an overdose of a self-medicated hypnotic (zolpidem) for insomnia. The patient was conservatively managed and discharged on trazadone for insomnia.
Low-temperature-specific effects ofPHYTOCHROME Con the circadian clock in Arabidopsis suggest thatPHYCunderlies natural variation in biological timing
Authors: Edwards Kieron D , Guerineau Francois , Devlin Paul F , Millar Andrew J
Published: November 2015

The circadian clock is a fundamental feature of gene regulation and cell physiology in eukaryotes and some prokaryotes, and an exemplar gene regulatory network in Systems Biology. The circadian system in Arabidopsis thaliana is complex in part due to its photo-transduction pathways. Analysis of natural genetic variation between Arabidopsis accessions Cape Verde Islands (Cvi-0) and Landsberg erecta (Ler) identified a major, temperature-specific Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) on chromosome V that altered the circadian period of leaf movement (Edwards et al., Genetics, 2005). We tested Near-Isogenic Lines (NILs) to confirm that Ler alleles at thisPerCv5cQTL lengthened the circadian period at 12°C, with little effect at higher temperatures. ThePHYTOCHROME Cgene lies within the QTL interval, and contains multiple sequence variants. Plants carrying either a T-DNA-insertion intoPHYCor a deletion ofPHYCalso lengthened circadian period under white light, except at 27°C.phyBandphyABEmutants lengthened period only at 12°C. These results extend recent data showing PhyC effects in red light, confirming the number of photoreceptor proteins implicated in the plant circadian system at eleven. The connection between light input mechanisms and temperature effects on the clock is reinforced. Natural genetic variation withinPHYCis likely to underlie thePerCv5cQTL. Our results suggest that functional variation within the PHYC-Ler haplotype group might contribute to the evolution of the circadian system and possibly to clock-related phenotypes such as flowering time. These results have previously passed peer-review, so we provide them in this citable preprint.
Loss of HP1 causes depletion of H3K27me3 from facultative heterochromatin and gain of H3K27me2 at constitutive heterochromatin
Authors: Jamieson Kirsty , Wiles Elizabeth T. , McNaught Kevin J. , Sidoli Simone , Leggett Neena , Shao Yanchun , Garcia Benjamin A. , Selker Eric U.
Published: November 2015

Methylated lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me) marks repressed “facultative heterochromatin,” including developmentally regulated genes in plants and animals. The mechanisms responsible for localization of H3K27me are largely unknown, perhaps in part because of the complexity of epigenetic regulatory networks. We used a relatively simple model organism bearing both facultative and constitutive heterochromatin, Neurospora crassa, to explore possible interactions between elements of heterochromatin. In higher eukaryotes, reductions of H3K9me3 and DNA methylation in constitutive heterochromatin have been variously reported to cause redistribution of H3K27me3. In Neurospora, we found that elimination of any member of the DCDC H3K9 methylation complex caused massive changes in the distribution of H3K27me; regions of facultative heterochromatin lost H3K27me3, while regions that are normally marked by H3K9me3 became methylated at H3K27. Elimination of DNA methylation had no obvious effect on the distribution of H3K27me. Elimination of HP1, which “reads” H3K9me3, also caused major changes in the distribution of H3K27me, indicating that HP1 is important for normal localization of facultative heterochromatin. Because loss of HP1 caused redistribution of H3K27me2/3, but not H3K9me3, these normally nonoverlapping marks became superimposed. Indeed, mass spectrometry revealed substantial cohabitation of H3K9me3 and H3K27me2 on H3 molecules from an hpo strain. Loss of H3K27me machinery (e.g., the methyltransferase SET-7) did not impact constitutive heterochromatin but partially rescued the slow growth of the DCDC mutants, suggesting that the poor growth of these mutants is partly attributable to ectopic H3K27me. Altogether, our findings with Neurospora clarify interactions of facultative and constitutive heterochromatin in eukaryotes.
Efficient watcher based web crawler design
Authors: ALQARALEH Saed , RAMADAN Omar , SALAMAH Muhammed
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to design a watcher-based crawler (WBC) that has the ability of crawling static and dynamic web sites, and can download only the updated and newly added web pages.

Design/methodology/approach

– In the proposed WBC crawler, a watcher file, which can be uploaded to the web sites servers, prepares a report that contains the addresses of the updated and the newly added web pages. In addition, the WBC is split into five units, where each unit is responsible for performing a specific crawling process.

Findings

– Several experiments have been conducted and it has been observed that the proposed WBC increases the number of uniquely visited static and dynamic web sites as compared with the existing crawling techniques. In addition, the proposed watcher file not only allows the crawlers to visit the updated and newly web pages, but also solves the crawlers overlapping and communication problems.

Originality/value

– The proposed WBC performs all crawling processes in the sense that it detects all updated and newly added pages automatically without any human explicit intervention or downloading the entire web sites.
Ranking retrieval systems using pseudo relevance judgments
Authors: Ravana Sri Devi , Rajagopal Prabha , Balakrishnan Vimala
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– In a system-based approach, replicating the web would require large test collections, and judging the relevancy of all documents per topic in creating relevance judgment through human assessors is infeasible. Due to the large amount of documents that requires judgment, there are possible errors introduced by human assessors because of disagreements. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study explores exponential variation and document ranking methods that generate a reliable set of relevance judgments (pseudo relevance judgments) to reduce human efforts. These methods overcome problems with large amounts of documents for judgment while avoiding human disagreement errors during the judgment process. This study utilizes two key factors: number of occurrences of each document per topic from all the system runs; and document rankings to generate the alternate methods.

Findings

– The effectiveness of the proposed method is evaluated using the correlation coefficient of ranked systems using mean average precision scores between the original Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) relevance judgments and pseudo relevance judgments. The results suggest that the proposed document ranking method with a pool depth of 100 could be a reliable alternative to reduce human effort and disagreement errors involved in generating TREC-like relevance judgments.

Originality/value

– Simple methods proposed in this study show improvement in the correlation coefficient in generating alternate relevance judgment without human assessors while contributing to information retrieval evaluation.
Forensic procedures for facial-composite construction
Authors: Fodarella Cristina , Kuivaniemi-Smith Heidi , Gawrylowicz Julie , Frowd Charlie D.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The paper provides a detailed description of standard procedures for constructing facial composites. These procedures are relevant to forensic practice and are contained in the technical papers of this special issue; the purpose of this paper is also to provide an expanding reference of procedures for future research on facial composites and facial-composite systems.

Design/methodology/approach

– A detailed account is given of the interaction between practitioner and witness for producing a facial composite. This account involves an overview of the Cognitive Interview (CI) and the Holistic CI (H-CI) techniques used to obtain a description of the face of an offender (target); the authors then describe how this information is used to produce a composite from five popular face-production systems: Sketch, PRO-fit, Electronic Facial Identification Technique (E-FIT), EvoFIT and EFIT-V. An online annex is also made available to provide procedural information for additional composite systems.

Practical implications

– The work is valuable to forensic practitioners and researchers as a reference for interviewing techniques (involving a CI or an H-CI) and using facial-composite systems.

Originality/value

– The authors provide an accessible, current guide for how to administer interviewing techniques and how to construct composites from a range of face-production systems.
Effect of phase-lags on Rayleigh wave propagation in thermoelastic medium with mass diffusion
Authors: Kumar Rajneesh , Gupta Vandana
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to study the propagation of Rayleigh waves in thermoelastic medium with mass diffusion.

Design/methodology/approach

– The field equations for the linear theory of homogeneous isotropic thermoelastic diffusion medium are taken into consideration by using dual-phase-lag heat transfer (DPLT) and dual-phase-lag diffusion (DPLD) models. Using the potential functions and harmonic wave solution, three coupled dilatational waves and a shear wave is obtained. After developing mathematical formulation, the dispersion equation is obtained, which results to be complex and irrational. This equation is converted into a polynomial form of higher degree.

Findings

– From the polynomial equation, Rayleigh wave root is found. The secular equation is resolved into a polynomial form to find the roots and therefore to find the existence and propagation of Rayleigh wave. The existence of Rayleigh wave in the assumed model depends on the values of various parameters involved in the secular equation. These roots are resolved for phase velocity and attenuation of the inhomogeneous propagation of Rayleigh wave. Behavior of particle motion of these waves inside and at the surface of the thermoelastic medium with mass diffusion is studied. Particular cases of the interest are also deduced from the present investigation.

Originality/value

– Governing equations corresponding to DPLT and DPLD models of thermoelastic diffusion are formulated to study the wave propagation and their dependence on various material parameters. In this paper effects of thermal and diffusion phase lags on the phase velocity, attenuation and on particle paths are observed and depicted graphically.
Some impressions on taking on the leadership of a therapeutic community
Authors: Bhurruth Martin K.
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how psychoanalytic thinking can help therapeutic communities think about how the defence of psychic retreat can develop and take hold in the face of organisational transition and overwhelming loss.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper draws upon the paradigm of psychoanalysis and is a case study orientated by a participant/observer stance.

Findings

– This paper posits that unless loss is worked through then perverse clinical cultures can develop including bullying and denial of reality.

Originality/value

– This paper illustrates the unique selling point of therapeutic communities incorporating justice into the treatment frame. It also identifies that unless loss is emotionally worked through then it can become the ground soil in which perverse cultures can develop.
Survival advantage associated with multimodal therapy in women with node‐positive (stage‐IIIC) uterine papillary serous carcinoma: a National Cancer Database study
Authors: Lin JF , Muñiz K , Sukumvanich P , Gehrig P , Beriwal S , Kelley JL , Edwards RP , Olawaiye AB
Published: November 2015

Objective

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) is an aggressive subtype of endometrial cancer. Adjuvant chemotherapy (CT) has become standard care in treatment of women with advanced‐stage UPSC, but the role of consolidative radiotherapy (RT) is unclear. This study aims to evaluate survival outcomes of multimodal therapy.

Design

Retrospective cohort study using a National Cancer Database (NCDB).

Setting

United States of America.

Sample

A total of 1816 women diagnosed with UPSC.

Methods

All women diagnosed with surgically staged FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) stage‐IIIC UPSC were identified in the NCDB from January 1998 to December 2010. Overall survival (OS) was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify and control for prognostic factors.

Main outcome measure

Overall survival.

Results

A total of 398 057 cases of uterine cancer were identified, 22 106 of which were UPSC. Of these women, 14 093 underwent lymph‐node examination, 2902 (20.6%) were found to have stage‐IIIC disease, and 1816 received chemotherapy. Younger age and higher number of total lymph nodes examined were independently predictive of receiving multimodality (CT + RT) therapy, compared with CT only. Median OS was 33.6 and 42.6 months, for the CT and CT + RT groups, respectively (P < 0.0005). Exploratory univariate analyses found age, comorbidity index, tumour size, and number of dissected and positive lymph nodes to be also associated with survival. Multivariable analysis controlling for the above found the use of consolidative radiotherapy to be independently predictive of improved OS, with a hazard ratio of 0.69 (95% confidence interval, 95% CI 0.56–0.84).

Conclusions

Patients with stage‐IIIC UPSC may benefit from multimodal treatment that includes adjuvant radiotherapy in addition to chemotherapy.

Tweetable abstract

In this study of 1816 women with uterine papillary serous cancer, adjuvant radiotherapy increased survival.
Characterization of the voltage‐gated sodium channel of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri
Authors: Liu Bin , Coy Monique R. , Wang Jin‐Jun , Stelinski Lukasz L.
Published: November 2015

The Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), is an important insect pest of citrus. It is the vector of ‘Candidatus’ Liberibacter asiaticus, a phloem‐limited bacterium that infects citrus, resulting in the disease Huanglongbing (HLB). Disease management relies heavily on suppression of D. citri populations with insecticides, including pyrethroids. In recent annual surveys to monitor insecticide resistance, reduced susceptibility to fenpropathrin was identified in several field populations of D. citri. The primary target of pyrethroids is the voltage‐gated sodium channel (VGSC). The VGSC is prone to target‐site insensitivity because of mutations that either reduce pyrethroid binding and/or alter gating kinetics. These mutations, known as knockdown resistance or kdr, have been reported in a wide diversity of arthropod species. Alternative splicing, in combination with kdr mutations, has been also associated with reduced pyrethroid efficacy. Here we report the molecular characterization of the VGSC in D. citri along with a survey of alternative splicing across developmental stages of this species. Previous studies demonstrated that D. citri has an exquisite enzymatic arsenal to detoxify insecticides resulting in reduced efficacy. The results from the current investigation demonstrate that target‐site insensitivity is also a potential basis for insecticide resistance to pyrethroids in D. citri. The VGSC sequence and its molecular characterization should facilitate early elucidation of the underlying cause of an established case of resistance to pyrethroids. This is the first characterization of a VGSC from a hemipteran to this level of detail, with the majority of the previous studies on dipterans and lepidopterans.
Australia's Recent FTAs: Insights from Theory and Modelling on Rationale, Welfare Gains and Political Heat
Authors: Dixon Peter B.
Published: November 2015

This paper uses the theory of efficiency gains and terms‐of‐trade losses to explain the proliferation of free‐trade agreements (FTAs). It then focuses on Australia's FTAs with Japan, Korea and China in a discussion of gains from FTAs. Continuing that focus, the paper explains why FTAs (and trade policies more generally) are politically divisive. With regard to the China‐Australia FTA the conclusions reached in the paper are: (1) There will be a modest but worthwhile welfare gain for Australia; (2) The gain will be mainly from terms‐of‐trade improvement, not employment; (3) The Government is exaggerating the likely gain; (4) There will be losers as well as winners; (5) The Opposition is well within its rights to question labour‐market aspects of the agreement; and (6) The formation of FTAs is likely to be a continuing process and the Government would best serve the Australian public by encouraging evidence‐based discussion and providing answers to legitimate queries.
Adolescent Intermittent Alcohol Exposure: Dysregulation of Thrombospondins and Synapse Formation are Associated with Decreased Neuronal Density in the Adult Hippocampus
Authors: Risher Mary‐Louise , Sexton Hannah G. , Risher W. Christopher , Wilson Wilkie A. , Fleming Rebekah L. , Madison Roger D. , Moore Scott D. , Eroglu Cagla , Swartzwelder H. Scott
Published: November 2015

Background

Adolescent intermittent alcohol exposure (AIE) has profound effects on neuronal function. We have previously shown that AIE causes aberrant hippocampal structure and function that persists into adulthood. However, the possible contributions of astrocytes and their signaling factors remain largely unexplored. We investigated the acute and enduring effects of AIE on astrocytic reactivity and signaling on synaptic expression in the hippocampus, including the impact of the thrombospondin (TSP) family of astrocyte‐secreted synaptogenic factors and their neuronal receptor, alpha2delta‐1 (α2δ‐1). Our hypothesis is that some of the influences of AIE on neuronal function may be secondary to direct effects on astrocytes.

Methods

We conducted Western blot analysis on TSPs 1 to 4 and α2δ‐1 from whole hippocampal lysates 24 hours after the 4th and 10th doses of AIE, then 24 days after the last dose (in adulthood). We used immunohistochemistry to assess astrocyte reactivity (i.e., morphology) and synaptogenesis (i.e., colocalization of pre‐ and postsynaptic puncta).

Results

Adolescent AIE reduced α2δ‐1 expression, and colocalized pre‐ and postsynaptic puncta after the fourth ethanol (EtOH) dose. By the 10th dose, increased TSP2 levels were accompanied by an increase in colocalized pre‐ and postsynaptic puncta, while α2δ‐1 returned to control levels. Twenty‐four days after the last EtOH dose (i.e., adulthood), TSP2, TSP4, and α2δ‐1 expression were all elevated. Astrocyte reactivity, indicated by increased astrocytic volume and area, was also observed at that time.

Conclusions

Repeated EtOH exposure during adolescence results in long‐term changes in specific astrocyte signaling proteins and their neuronal synaptogenic receptor. Continued signaling by these traditionally developmental factors in adulthood may represent a compensatory mechanism whereby astrocytes reopen the synaptogenic window and repair lost connectivity, and consequently contribute to the enduring maladaptive structural and functional abnormalities previously observed in the hippocampus after AIE.
High‐density interspecific genetic linkage mapping provides insights into genomic incompatibility between channel catfish and blue catfish
Authors: Liu S. , Li Y. , Qin Z. , Geng X. , Bao L. , Kaltenboeck L. , Kucuktas H. , Dunham R. , Liu Z.
Published: November 2015

Catfish is the leading aquaculture species in the United States. The interspecific hybrid catfish produced by mating female channel catfish with male blue catfish outperform both of their parent species in a number of traits. However, mass production of the hybrids has been difficult because of reproductive isolation. Investigations of genome structure and organization of the hybrids provide insights into the genetic basis for maintenance of species divergence in the face of gene flow, thereby helping develop strategies for introgression and efficient production of the hybrids for aquaculture. In this study, we constructed a high‐density genetic linkage map using the hybrid catfish system with the catfish 250K SNP array. A total of 26 238 SNPs were mapped to 29 linkage groups, with 12 776 unique marker positions. The linkage map spans approximately 3240 cM with an average intermarker distance of 0.25 cM. A fraction of markers (986 of 12 776) exhibited significant deviation from the expected Mendelian ratio of segregation, and they were clustered in major genomic blocks across 15 LGs, most notably LG9 and LG15. The distorted markers exhibited significant bias for maternal alleles among the backcross progenies, suggesting strong selection against the blue catfish alleles. The clustering of distorted markers within genomic blocks should lend insights into speciation as marked by incompatibilities between the two species. Such findings should also have profound implications for understanding the genomic evolution of closely related species as well as the introgression of hybrid production programs in aquaculture.
Flow dynamics, sedimentation and erosion of glacial lake outburst floods along the Middle Pleistocene Scandinavian Ice Sheet (northern central Europe)
Authors: Winsemann Jutta , Alho Petteri , Laamanen Leena , Goseberg Nils , Lang Jörg , Klostermann Josef
Published: November 2015

During the Middle Pleistocene late Saalian glaciation of northern central Europe numerous pro‐glacial lakes formed along the southwestern margin of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet. Little is known about the drainage history of these lakes, the pathways of glacial lake outburst floods and their impacts on erosion, sedimentation and landscape evolution. This study investigated the impact of the late Saalian Weser and Münsterland Lake (Germany) outburst floods. In particular, we reconstructed the routing and flow dynamics of the lake outburst flood and analysed the flood related sediments. We employed one‐dimensional hydraulic modelling to calculate glacial lake outburst flood hydrographs. We modelled the flow pathway and local flow conditions along the pathway based on the boundary conditions of two different hydrographs and two different ice‐margin positions. The modelling results were compared with geomorphological and sedimentological field data in order to estimate the magnitude and impact of the flood on erosion and sedimentation. Two major lake drainage events are reconstructed for the study area, during which approximately 90–50 km3 of water was released. Modelling results indicate that the lake outburst floods created a high‐energy flood wave with a height of 35–50 m in confined valley areas that rapidly spread out into the Lower Rhine Embayment eventually flowing into the North Sea basin. The sedimentary record of the outburst floods comprises poorly sorted coarse‐grained gravel bars, long‐wavelength bedforms and sandy bedforms deposited by supercritical and subcritical flows. Some parts of the sandy flood deposits are rich in reworked mammoth bones or mammoth and horse teeth, pointing to reworking of older fluvial sediments, hydraulic concentration and subsequent re‐sedimentation of vertebrate remains. These deposits are preserved in sheltered areas or at high elevations, well above the influence of postglacial fluvial erosion. The flood‐related erosional features include up to 80‐m‐deep scour pools, alluvial channels and streamlined hills.
The role of life histories and trophic interactions in population recovery
Authors: Audzijonyte Asta , Kuparinen Anna
Published: November 2015

Factors affecting population recovery from depletion are at the focus of wildlife management. Particularly, it has been debated how life‐history characteristics might affect population recovery ability and productivity. Many exploited fish stocks have shown temporal changes towards earlier maturation and reduced adult body size, potentially owing to evolutionary responses to fishing. Whereas such life‐history changes have been widely documented, their potential role on stock's ability to recover from exploitation often remains ignored by traditional fisheries management. We used a marine ecosystem model parameterized for Southeastern Australian ecosystem to explore how changes towards “faster” life histories might affect population per capita growth rate r. We show that for most species changes towards earlier maturation during fishing have a negative effect (3–40% decrease) on r during the recovery phase. Faster juvenile growth and earlier maturation were beneficial early in life, but smaller adult body sizes reduced the lifetime reproductive output and increased adult natural mortality. However, both at intra‐ and inter‐specific level natural mortality and trophic position of the species were as important in determining r as species longevity and age of maturation, suggesting that r cannot be predicted from life‐history traits alone. Our study highlights that factors affecting population recovery ability and productivity should be explored in a multi‐species context, where both age‐specific fecundity and survival schedules are addressed simultaneously. It also suggests that contemporary life‐history changes in harvested species are unlikely to increase their resilience and recovery ability.
Action observation network in childhood: a comparative fMRI study with adults
Authors: Biagi Laura , Cioni Giovanni , Fogassi Leonardo , Guzzetta Andrea , Sgandurra Giuseppina , Tosetti Michela
Published: November 2015

Very little is known about the action observation network and the mirror neuron system (AON/MNS) in children and its age‐related properties compared with those observed in adults. In the present fMRI study we explored the activation of areas belonging to the AON/MNS in children and adults during observation of complex hand‐grasping actions, as compared to observation of simple grasping acts executed with the left and the right hand, seen from a first person perspective. The results indicate that during the action observation tasks in children there was activation of a cortical network similar to that found in adults, including the premotor cortex, the posterior part of the inferior frontal gyrus and the posterior parietal lobe. However, the activation in children was more widespread and showed a higher inter‐subject variability compared with adults. Furthermore, the activated network seems more lateralized to the left hemisphere in adults and more bilateral in children, with a linear growth of lateralization index as a function of age. Finally, in children the activation in the anterior intraparietal cortex (AIP) of each hemisphere was higher during observation of the contralateral hand (hand identity effect) and during the observation of complex actions relative to simple grasping acts, confirming the role of AIP for action‐related hand identity previously described in adults. These results support the assumption that structure and size of action representations are sensitive to mechanisms of development and show physiological plasticity. These properties of the AON/MNS could constitute a powerful tool for spontaneous reorganization and recovery of motor deficits after brain injury in children and in adults, as well as for specific rehabilitation programmes.
Effect of the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner on obesity and type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Rohde U. , Hedbäck N. , Gluud L. L. , Vilsbøll T. , Knop F. K.
Published: November 2015

Compared with bariatric surgery, less invasive and reversible techniques to counteract obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) have been developed, including the EndoBarrier Gastrointestinal Liner [duodenal‐jejunal bypass sleeve (DJBS)]. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analyses of eligible trials to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the DJBS. Five randomized controlled trials (RCTs; 235 subjects) and 10 observational studies (211 subjects) were included. The risk of bias was evaluated as high in all studies. The mean body mass index ranged from 30 to 49.2 kg/m2 and 10–100% of the subjects had T2D. Meta‐analysis showed that the DJBS was associated with significant mean differences in body weight and excess weight loss of −5.1 kg [95% confidence interval (CI) −7.3, −3.0; four trials; n = 151; I2 = 37%] and 12.6% (95% CI 9.0, 16.2; four trials; n = 166; I2 = 24%), respectively, compared with diet modification. The mean differences in glycated haemoglobin (−0.9%; 95% CI −1.8, 0.0) and fasting plasma glucose (−3.7 mM; 95% CI −8.2, 0.8) among subjects with T2D did not reach statistical significance. Adverse events consisted mainly of abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. No deaths occurred. Future high‐quality long‐term RCTs are needed to further assess efficacy and safety.
Patient‐reported outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus treated with dapagliflozin in a triple‐therapy regimen for 52 weeks
Authors: Grandy S. , Sternhufvud C. , Ryden A. , Sugg J. , Rohwedder K.
Published: November 2015

Patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and inadequate glycaemic control on combination metformin (MET) and sulphonylurea (SU) were enrolled in a 24‐week, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study with a 28‐week extension. The five‐dimension EuroQol questionnaire (EQ‐5D), SHIELD Weight Questionnaire‐9 (WQ‐9), Impact of Weight on Quality of Life‐Lite (IWQOL‐Lite) questionnaire and the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) were used to evaluate health status and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) at baseline and week 52. Patients with dapagliflozin 10 mg + MET + SU (n = 108) were compared with patients treated with placebo + MET + SU (n = 108), using a repeated‐measures mixed model. EQ‐5D visual analogue scale scores, IWQOL‐Lite and DTSQ scores improved in the dapagliflozin and placebo groups from baseline to week 52; however, there was no significant difference between groups (p > 0.20). EQ‐5D index scores remained the same from baseline to week 52 for dapagliflozin and placebo (p = 0.54). A numerically greater proportion of the dapagliflozin group reported improvement in all nine SHIELD WQ‐9 items compared with placebo, and the difference was statistically significant for physical health (p = 0.017). Over 52 weeks of therapy, patients maintained their health status and HRQoL when dapagliflozin was added to the treatment.
Outcome of conservative management vs. assist device implantation in patients with advanced refractory heart failure
Authors: Adlbrecht Christopher , Hülsmann Martin , Wurm Raphael , Eskandary Farsad , Neuhold Stephanie , Zuckermann Andreas , Bojic Andja , Strunk Guido , Pacher Richard
Published: November 2015

Background

In patients with advanced refractory heart failure (HF) cardiac transplantation (HTX), conservative medical management and the implantation of a ventricular assist device (VAD) represent valuable options. The determination of the best therapeutic destination strategy for the individual patient remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcome in advanced refractory HF patients either managed conservatively receiving optimal contemporary medical therapy (‘conservative’), or who who underwent pulsatile flow VAD (‘pVAD’) or continuous‐flow VAD (‘contVAD’) implantation.

Materials and methods

A total of 118 patients with INTERMACS profile >1 at baseline, who died, or fully completed a 24‐month follow‐up free from HTX were included into this retrospective analysis. All‐cause mortality at 24 months was assessed and compared between the three groups.

Results

Fifty (42%) patients were managed conservatively, 25 (21%) received a pVAD and 43 (36%) a contVAD. NT‐proBNP values were comparable between the three groups (median 4402 (IQR 2730–13390) pg/mL, 3580 (1602–6312) pg/mL and 3693 (2679–8065) pg/mL, P = 0·256). Mean survival was 18·6 (95% CI 16·2–21·0) months for patients managed conservatively, 7·0 (3·9–10·0) for pVAD and 20·5 (18·2–22·8) for contVAD (overall log‐rank test P < 0·001). Conservatively managed patients spent a mean of 22·4 (95% CI 22·1–22·8), pVAD 17·7 (15·4–20·1) and contVAD 21·6 (21·2–22·1) months out of hospital (conservative vs. pVAD P < 0·001; conservative vs. contVAD P = 0·015; pVAD vs. contVAD P < 0·001).

Conclusions

In accordance with the literature, contVAD resulted in a significantly better clinical outcome than pVAD implantation. However, conservative management with current optimal medical therapy appears to remain a valuable option for patients with advanced HF.
Simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty in patients with haemophilia: a safe and cost‐effective procedure?
Authors: Mortazavi S. M. J. , Haghpanah B. , Ebrahiminasab M. M. , Baghdadi T. , Hantooshzadeh R. , Toogeh G.
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Haemophilic arthropathy of the knee is usually a bilateral affliction. The patients usually refer for treatment in young ages and do not have major comorbidities, being fit for bilateral simultaneous total knee arthroplasty.

Aim

In this study, we assessed the safety and cost‐effectiveness of simultaneous bilateral surgery in patients with haemophilia.

Methods

Between April 2010 and April 2012, eight patients (16 knees) underwent bilateral simultaneous and 19 patients (19 knees) underwent unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at our institution. We compared the range of motion and flexion contracture, KSS, WOMAC knee score and SF36 quality of life score between two groups. The duration of hospital stay, coagulation factor consumption and all inpatient costs were recorded. The average follow‐up was 26 and 29 months in unilateral and bilateral groups respectively.

Results

At the conclusion of the study, the KSS and WOMAC and SF36 scores were not significantly different between the two groups. Mean ROM and flexion contracture did not differ significantly. The mean length of hospital stay was 15 days for bilateral patients and 12 days for unilateral patients, the difference being non‐significant. None of our patients needed transfusion in any group. The cost of simultaneous bilateral TKA was about half of the expenses of staged bilateral TKA.

Conclusion

Simultaneous bilateral TKA seems to be a safe and cost‐effective approach without increasing the rate of complications in patients' bilateral haemophilic knee arthropathy. The procedure is, at least, as effective as staged unilateral knee arthroplasty in improving the patients' quality of life.
Feminist Radical Empiricism, Values, and Evidence
Authors: Yap Audrey
Published: November 2015

Feminist epistemologies consider ways in which gender (among other social factors) influences knowledge. In this article, I want to consider a particular kind of feminist empiricism that has been called feminist radical empiricism (where the empiricism, not the feminism, is radical). I am particularly interested in this view's treatment of values as empirical, and consequently up for revision on the basis of empirical evidence. Proponents of this view cite the fact that it allows us to talk about certain things such as racial and gender equality as objective facts: not just whether we have achieved said equality in our society, but whether we are, in fact, all equal. I will raise the concern that the way in which they model the role of values in epistemology may be a problematic idealization of the open‐mindedness of human agents. In some cases, resistance to value‐change cannot be diagnosed as a failure to respond adequately to evidence. If so, the strategy of empirically testing our values that some feminist radical empiricists suggest may not be as useful a tool for social change as they think.
Numerical identification of tsunami boulders and estimation of local tsunami size at Ibaruma reef of Ishigaki Island, Japan
Authors: Watanabe Masashi , Goto Kazuhisa , Imamura Fumihiko , Hongo Chuki
Published: November 2015

Tsunami boulders deposited along the coast constitute important geological evidence for paleotsunami activity. However, boulders can also be deposited by large storm waves. Although several sedimentological and theoretical methods have been proposed to differentiate tsunami and storm wave affected boulders, no appropriate numerical method exists for their differentiation. Therefore, we developed a new numerical scheme to differentiate tsunami and storm wave boulders for coastal boulders on Ishigaki Island, Japan. In this area, tsunami and storm waves have emplaced numerous boulders on the reef and the coast. By conducting numerical calculations of storm waves in this region, we estimated the size of a storm wave that can explain the maximum clast size distribution of boulders on the reef. Consequently, we showed that a wave with a combination of 8 m in initial wave height and 10 s period can satisfy the above conditions when we assume mean sea level. In contrast to the boulders on the reef, all boulders deposited along the shore are heavier than the calculated possible maximum clast size distribution by the storm wave. Therefore, we confirmed these boulders as being of tsunami origin. Results of previous studies showed that they were most likely deposited or reworked by the 1771 Meiwa tsunami. Then, using the tsunami boulders, we numerically estimated the wave period and amplitude of the 1771 Meiwa tsunami, which should have had a 4–5 min period and 5.6–5.9, 6.3–7.0 m amplitude, respectively. Using the proposed scheme, it is possible to differentiate tsunami and storm wave boulders and estimate the size of past storm waves and tsunami waves, although it is noteworthy that there are exceptions for which the scheme cannot be applied.
Comment: Analysis of the influence of dabigatran on coagulation factors and inhibitors
Authors: Gosselin R. C , Adcock D. M.
Published: November 2015

This article is accompanied by a response from Tsutsumi Y: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ijlh.12440/full