bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
miR‐22 regulates expression of oncogenic neuro‐epithelial transforming gene 1, NET1
Authors: Ahmad Hafiz M. , Muiwo Pamchui , Ramachandran Suganthi S. , Pandey Priyatama , Gupta Yogendra K. , Kumar Lalit , Kulshreshtha Ritu , Bhattacharya Alok
Published: July 2014

MicroRNAs control cellular processes by regulating expression of their target genes. Here we report that neuro‐epithelial transforming gene 1 (NET1) is a target of tumor suppressor microRNA 22 (miR‐22). miR‐22 is downregulated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients and in CML cell line K562. NET1 was identified as one of the targets of miR‐22 using both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Either mutations or naturally occurring single‐nucleotide polymorphisms in NET1 3′‐UTR that map at the miR‐22 binding site were found to affect binding of miR‐22 to NET1 mRNA. Over expression of NET1 in K562 cells resulted in increased proliferation. However decreased proliferation and alteration in cell cycle were observed on either overexpression of miR‐22 or knockdown of NET1 expression respectively. We also found that overexpression of miR‐22 or NET1 knockdown inhibits actin fiber formation, probably by downregulation of NET1 as NET1 knockdown also resulted in depletion of actin fiber formation. We suggest that the oncogenic properties of CML cells are probably due to deregulated expression of NET1 as a result of altered expression of miR‐22.
Obesity and prognosis in muscle‐invasive bladder cancer: The continuing controversy
Authors: Kwon Taekmin , Jeong In Gab , You Dalsan , Han Kyung‐Sik , Hong Sungwoo , Hong Bumsik , Hong Jun Hyuk , Ahn Hanjong , Kim Choung‐Soo
Published: July 2014

Objectives

To investigate the association between body mass index and clinicopathological features of bladder cancer, and to assess the prognostic value of body mass index in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer.

Methods

The medical records of 714 patients who underwent radical cystectomy for bladder cancer were reviewed. The association of body mass index at surgery with clinicopathological features was examined, and the prognostic value of body mass index for recurrence‐free survival and cancer‐specific survival was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression models. Additional survival analyses were carried out in a subgroup of 534 patients with N0M0 disease.

Results

Of 714 patients, 304 (42.6%), 184 (25.8%) and 226 (31.7%) had a body mass index of <23 (normal), 23–25 (overweight), and ≥25 (obese) kg/m2, respectively. Patients with high body mass index had a lower pathological T stage, fewer lymph node metastases and a lower frequency of lymphovascular invasion than those with low body mass index (P < 0.05). Multivariable analysis showed that obese status was an independent predictor of recurrence‐free survival (obese vs normal: P < 0.001; overweight vs normal: P = 0.008) and cancer‐specific survival (obese vs normal: P < 0.001; overweight vs normal: P = 0.019), along with pathological T stage, lymph node metastasis, and lymphovascular invasion. In addition, obesity was significantly associated with recurrence‐free survival (P = 0.018) and cancer‐specific survival (P = 0.019) in patients with N0M0 status.

Conclusions

The present findings suggest that overweight and obesity are associated with favorable pathological features and prognosis in patients with bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy.
Use of fractional factorial design to study the compatibility of viral ribonucleoprotein gene segments of human H7N9 virus and circulating human influenza subtypes
Authors: Chin Alex W. H. , Mok Chris K. P. , Zhu Huachen , Guan Yi , Peiris Joseph S. M. , Poon Leo L. M.
Published: July 2014

Avian H7N9 influenza viruses may pose a further threat to humans by reassortment with human viruses, which could lead to generation of novel reassortants with enhanced polymerase activity. We previously established a novel statistical approach to study the polymerase activity of reassorted vRNPs (Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2013;7:969‐78). Here, we report the use of this method to study recombinant vRNPs with subunits derived from human H1N1, H3N2, and H7N9 viruses. Our results demonstrate that some reassortant vRNPs with subunits derived from the H7N9 and other human viruses can have much higher polymerase activities than the wild‐type levels.
A Preliminary Study of Silver Sodium Zirconium Phosphate Polyurethane Foam Wound Dressing on Wounds of the Distal Aspect of the Forelimb in Horses
Authors: Kelleher Maureen E. , Kilcoyne Isabelle , Dechant Julie E. , Hummer Emma , Kass Philip H. , Snyder Jack R.
Published: July 2014

Objective

To determine if application of silver sodium zirconium phosphate polyurethane semi‐occlusive foam (SPF) dressing would improve measures of wound healing and decrease bacterial contamination compared with a non‐adherent, absorbent dressing applied to wounds created on the distal aspect of the equine limb.

Study Design

Controlled randomized experimental study.

Animals

Adult Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred horses (n = 5).

Methods

One 6.25 cm2wound was created on the dorsomedial aspect of the proximal metacarpus on each forelimb. A SPF dressing was applied to 1 randomly assigned limb as a treatment and a non‐adherent, absorbent dressing was applied to the opposite limb as control. Bandages were changed every 3 days for 60 days. Granulation tissue was scored every 3 days, wound area measured every 6 days, and wound bed was cultured every 12 days.

Results

SPF‐treatment wounds had significantly decreased wound area and decreased granulation tissue scores when evaluated <30 days and over the 60 day study, although complete wound healing times were not significantly different. Bacteria were cultured from all wounds at varying times throughout the study.

Conclusions

The SPF wound dressing improved some measures of wound healing compared with the control dressing, most significantly during the first 30 days. This suggests that the SPF wound dressing may be useful in the early management of wounds on the equine lower limb. Further studies using the SPF dressing are needed to characterize the temporal and cellular effects on wound healing and evaluate this dressing in a clinical environment.
Specialized and stranded: habitat and biogeographical history determine the rarity of plant species in a semi‐arid mountain range
Authors: Silcock Jennifer L. , Fensham Roderick J.
Published: July 2014

Aim

We examined patterns of rarity in the flora of a semi‐arid mountain range with a high concentration of rare species and 150 years of elevated grazing pressure, to establish the influences of habitat specialization, species biology, biogeography and grazing pressure in determining the distributions and abundances of species.

Location

Grey Range and associated Tertiary sandstone ranges, eastern semi‐arid Australia.

Methods

We characterized the major habitats by soil and vegetation parameters, and surveyed 647 sites across seven habitat units to determine the probability of occurrence of 19 rare species. We then analysed the occurrence of rare plants in relation to species biology (dispersal characteristics, flowering, fruiting and recruitment frequency), grazing pressure and, for the barren plateaux, their size and isolation.

Results

Rare species were found to be concentrated in three restricted habitat types – barren plateaux, gidgee toeslopes and sheltered habitats – which are clearly separated from other habitats in land‐form, soil properties and floristics. Larger barren plateaux were more likely to harbour rare species, but there was no correlation between plateau isolation and the incidence of rare plants. No species seemed to be limited by low seed production, but barren‐plateau shrubs recruited only infrequently. Only two species were adapted to long‐distance dispersal, meaning that most are effectively stranded in their insular habitats. Although five perennial shrub species were heavily grazed, there were no significant relationships between the distance to water and the occurrence of rare plants.

Main conclusions

Habitat specialization, reproductive biology and biogeographical history interact to create the observed patterns of rarity in this semi‐arid mountain range. There is no evidence that any species have become rare or restricted as a result of grazing pressure. Species confined to plateaux, sheltered habitats and gidgee toeslopes represent relictual populations, and the association of rare plants with larger plateaux suggests that local extinctions were more likely on smaller plateaux during Pleistocene climatic fluctuations.
Plasticity in sex allocation in the plant Mercurialis annua is greater for hermaphrodites sampled from dimorphic than from monomorphic populations
Authors: Sánchez Vilas J. , Pannell J. R.
Published: July 2014

Plants are notoriously variable in gender, ranging in sex allocation from purely male through hermaphrodite to purely female. This variation can have both a genetic and an adaptive plastic component. In gynodioecious species, where females co‐occur with hermaphrodites, hermaphrodites tend to shift their allocation towards greater maleness when growing under low‐resource conditions, either as a result of hermaphrodites shifting away from an expensive female function, or because of enhanced siring advantages in the presence of females. Similarly, in the androdioecious plant Mercurialis annua, where hermaphrodites co‐exist with males, hermaphrodites also tend to enhance their relative male allocation under low‐resource conditions. Here, we ask whether this response differs between hermaphrodites that have been evolving in the presence of males, in a situation analogous to that supposed for gynodioecious populations, vs. those that have been evolving in their absence. We grew hermaphrodites of M. annua from populations in which males were either present or absent under different levels of nutrient availability and compared their reaction norms. We found that, overall, hermaphrodites from populations with males tended to be more female than those from populations lacking males. Importantly, hermaphrodites' investment in pollen and seed production was more plastic when they came from populations with males than without them, reducing their pollen production at low resource availability and increasing their seed production at high resource availability. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that plasticity in sex allocation is enhanced in hermaphrodites that have likely been exposed to variation in mating opportunities due to fluctuations in the frequency of co‐occurring males.
Increased and correlated expression of connective tissue growth factor and transforming growth factor beta 1 in surgically removed periodontal tissues with chronic periodontitis
Authors: Mize T. W. , Sundararaj K. P. , Leite R. S. , Huang Y.
Published: July 2014

Background and Objective

Both gingival tissue destruction and regeneration are associated with chronic periodontitis, although the former overwhelms the latter. Studies have shown that transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF‐β1), a growth factor largely involved in tissue regeneration and remodeling, is upregulated in chronic periodontitis. However, the gingival expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF or CCN2), a TGF‐β1‐upregulated gene, in patients with periodontitis remains undetermined. Although both CTGF/CCN2 and TGF‐b1 increase the production of extracellular matrix, they have many different biological functions. Therefore, it is important to delineate the impact of periodontitis on gingival CTGF/CCN2 expression.

Material and Methods

Periodontal tissue specimens were collected from seven individuals without periodontitis (group 1) and from 14 with periodontitis (group 2). The expression of CTGF and TGFβ1 mRNAs were quantified using real‐time PCR.

Results

Analysis using the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U‐test showed that the levels of expression of both CTGF/CCN2 and TGFβ1 mRNAs were significantly increased in individuals with periodontitis compared with individuals without periodontitis. Furthermore, analysis using a nonparametric correlation (Spearman r) test showed a positive correlation between TGFβ1 and CTGF/CCN2 mRNAs.

Conclusion

The gingival expression levels of CTGF/CCN2 and TGFβ1 mRNAs in individuals with periodontitis are upregulated and correlated.
Prayer and Liturgy as Constitutive‐Ends Practices in Black Immigrant Communities
Authors: Mooney Margarita A. , Manglos‐Weber Nicolette D.
Published: July 2014

Much social theory tends to emphasize the external goods of social practices, often neglecting the internal goods of those practices. For example, many analyses of religious rituals over‐emphasize the instrumental and individualistic ends of prayer and liturgy by describing such religious practices as effective means for achieving external ends like positive emotions, psychological benefits, social status, or social capital. By contrast, we use a neo‐Aristotelian virtue ethics perspective to analyze the relational goods, such as trust and intimacy, which are expressed and sustained through ritualized social practices. Using ethnographies ofHaitian andGhanaianChristians in theU.S., we demonstrate that prayer and liturgy can also be understood as constitutive‐ends practices, practices in which human persons engage to sustain relations with others because there are goods inherent to those relationships. We further argue that in many religious practices, the end goals and the means—i.e. specific aspects of the practice—are inseparable. Our approach to developing theory combines critical engagement with numerous other theorists and also exploring how well various theories can explain the motivations and experiences of participants in the religious rituals where we conducted our ethnographies.
Ultrasound Pulsed Wave Doppler Imaging of the Esophagus Illustrates the Effects of Water Volume on Bolus Kinematics
Authors: Gao Zhihong , Kohyama Kaoru
Published: July 2014

This study aimed to elucidate the effects of water volume on flow properties of bolus (passage time and velocities) at the esophagus orifice using ultrasonic pulsed wave Doppler method. Five healthy males and five females were asked to consume 3, 6, 9 and 12 mL water in a single swallow. An ultrasound probe was placed against each subject's neck to observe the flow properties of bolus. The velocity spectra of the bolus at the esophagus orifice were analyzed. Our results revealed that velocity of bolus was easily affected by volume of water, and the passage time and velocities increased as the increase in volume.

Practical Applications

Ultrasonography, using a medical ultrasound instrument, is an effective method for observing bolus kinematics during swallowing. The velocity spectra of bolus can be visualized for different volume of water using the pulsed wave Doppler method. When a bolus of food is swallowed, aspiration that the bolus partly enters the trachea instead of the esophagus may occur. Water is known to show a high possibility of aspiration. This study revealed that reducing volume of water decreases the passage time and velocities of bolus at the esophageal entrance. Therefore, this technique can be used for designing the texture of food materials for people who experience aspiration or suffocation by food.
Polyhairesis: On Postmodern and Chinese Folds
Authors: Crockett Clayton
Published: July 2014

This response to Polydoxy explores some of the resonances of “heretical choice,” or polyhairesis. I engage explicitly with two of the essays from the 2011 volume, Colleen Hartung's “Faith and Polydoxy in the Whirlwind” and Hyo‐dong Lee's on the Neo‐Confucian Great Ultimate. I read Hartung's suggestion of a theology that would not be predicated on God into Chinese thought, where instead of Lee's Neo‐Confucianism, I offer a more Daoist interpretation of Hartung's faith. Hartung's mantra, “no news is good news,” taken from her mother, resonates with the idea that the dao that can be named is not the true dao.
The Logic of Origin and the Paradoxes of Language: A Theological Experiment
Authors: Tonstad Linn Marie
Published: July 2014

Polydoxy allows for the development of experiments that make use of absurdity and mimesis as forms of theological reflection. This article performs such an experiment on some examples of the invocation of divine fatherhood in contemporary trinitarian theology. It is common to claim that God is Father in a way that either transcends any other form of fatherhood, or is only properly Father in the trinity and so in relation to the Son, not in relation to any human patriarchy. By reading first divine fatherhood, then trinitarian forms of kinship, in registers that move from the straightforward into the absurd, I show that such claims do not tend to loosen the bonds between divine and human fatherhood; rather, they tighten those bonds in unexpected ways. In conclusion, the implications of the experiment for the relation between queer and feminist reading practices and systematic theology are explored.
Writing‐Terrors: A Dialectical Lyric
Authors: Jordan Mark D.
Published: July 2014

Writers of theology do not need handbooks of method so much as examples of how to praise God without praising the human powers that claim divine authority for inflicting their terrors. The essay by Mayra Rivera in Polydoxy provides such an example when it joins the precepts of “decolonial” thinking to the lure of embodied narrative. Her example can be doubled by turning to Foucault's practice of the writing of bodies, powers, and divinities.
“There is Hope for a Tree”: Lament and Hope in Conversation with Polydoxy
Authors: Farley Wendy
Published: July 2014

Polydoxy contributes to a much needed reform of theology by exposing the “logic of the One” as a corruption of Christian thought, by its recovery of the importance of apophatic theology, and by its deployment of multiplicity both to celebrate human diversity and as a “name” of divinity. This article extends these themes by considering them as spiritual and not only intellectual practices that can assist us in our responses to the contemporary situation. The article is framed by attention to the environmental crisis that requires and relativizes theological resources as we find ways to act in the world.
Intraoperative apnea in children after buffered 5% povidone‐iodine site sterilization for strabismus surgery
Authors: Emhardt John D. , Haider Kathryn M. , Plager David A. , Grundhoefer Dava L.
Published: July 2014

Background

Presurgical preparation for ocular surgery typically utilizes a buffered 5% povidone‐iodine preparation solution. It was our observation that a significant number of spontaneously ventilating patients under sevoflurane anesthesia would become apneic upon ophthalmic instillation of this solution. This study was performed to confirm or refute this observation and to determine whether there were any patient variables that might predict this phenomenon.

Methods

After Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval, thirty pediatric patients scheduled for strabismus surgery were enrolled. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane via laryngeal mask airway, and all patients were breathing spontaneously. All patients received preoperative sedation with oral midazolam (0.5 kg·kg−1, maximum 12 mg). Presurgical preparation was performed with saline wash followed by instillation of buffered 5% povidone‐iodine solution. Respiratory rate was recorded at the time of surgical preparation. Apnea was defined as lack of respiratory effort for 20 s or greater.

Results

Data from twenty‐eight children (ages 1.4–11 years) were ultimately recorded. Fifteen of the twenty‐eight patients developed apnea (median duration 40, IQR 37, range 20–262 s) at the time of surgical site preparation.

Conclusions

Apnea at the time of ocular preparation with buffered 5% povidone‐iodine solution is common. The precise mechanism of this response is unknown.
Personality in remitted major depressive disorder with single and recurrent episodes assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory
Authors: Teraishi Toshiya , Hori Hiroaki , Sasayama Daimei , Matsuo Junko , Ogawa Shintaro , Ishida Ikki , Nagashima Anna , Kinoshita Yukiko , Ota Miho , Hattori Kotaro , Higuchi Teruhiko , Kunugi Hiroshi
Published: July 2014

Aim

Previous studies consistently reported increased harm avoidance (HA) assessed with the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, such findings may have been related with depression severity and number of depressive episodes. The aims of the present study were twofold: to examine TCI personality profile in remitted MDD (DSM‐IV) patients and to compare TCI personality between MDD patients with single episode (SGL‐MDD) and those with recurrent episodes (REC‐MDD) in order to elucidate personality profile associated with recurrence.

Methods

TCI was administered to 86 outpatients with remitted SGL‐MDD (12 male and 17 female patients; mean age 43.2 ± 12.1 years) and REC‐MDD (26 male and 31 female patients; 40.3 ± 11.6 years), and 529 healthy controls (225 men and 304 women; 43.4 ± 15.5 years), matched for age, sex and education years. Logistic regression analyses were performed in which single/recurrent episodes of depression were the dependent variable and age, sex, age of onset, family history of psychiatric disease and TCI scores were entered as possible predictors.

Results

The remitted MDD patients had significantly higher scores on HA (P < 0.001) and lower scores on self‐directedness (P < 0.001), compared with the controls. HA (P = 0.03), its subscore, fatigability (P = 0.03), and family history of psychiatric disease were found to be positive predictors for recurrence.

Conclusion

There are differences in personality profile between remitted MDD patients and controls, and between remitted REC‐MDD and SGL‐MDD patients, suggesting that they are trait markers. HA and fatigability might be useful to assess risk for recurrence of depression.
Experiences of Municipal Public Health Nurses Following Japan's Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster
Authors: Kayama Mami , Akiyama Tsuyoshi , Ohashi Akiko , Horikoshi Naoko , Kido Yoshifumi , Murakata Tazuko , Kawakami Norito
Published: July 2014

Objective

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of municipal public health nurses in the wake of the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami and resulting nuclear accident in Fukushima, Japan, from the time of the disaster until December 2013.

Design and Sample

Thirty‐two public health nurses working in three cities in Fukushima prefecture were divided into four focus groups and took part in interviews, which were analyzed using a qualitative descriptive method.

Results

Two major themes were extracted: (1) experiences of difficulties and dilemmas, and (2) professional challenges and the meaning of excellence as a public health nurse. Subjects recounted their experiences based on the timeline of events. The process of overcoming various dilemmas—between prescribed roles and actual needs on the ground, being both civil servants and private citizens with families, and having to be publicly accountable while lacking adequate information—caused participants to reexamine the meaning of excellence in the practice of public health.

Conclusion

The strenuous and complex demands of extended disaster management caused subjects to grow professionally. Helping them process their emotions should also help these nurses give focus to their posttraumatic growth, and strengthen their sense of professionalism.
Sun protection Provided by Regulation School Uniforms in Australian Schools: An Opportunity to Improve Personal Sun protection During Childhood
Authors: Turner Denise , Harrison Simone L.
Published: July 2014

Childhood sun exposure is linked to excessive pigmented mole development and melanoma risk. Clothing provides a physical barrier, protecting skin from ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Extending sleeves to elbow length and shorts to knee length has been shown to significantly reduce mole acquisition in preschoolers from tropical Queensland. We used publicly available uniform images and guidelines from primary schools in Townsville (latitude 19.25°S, n = 43 schools), Cairns (16.87°S, n = 46) and the Atherton Tablelands (17.26°S, n = 23) in tropical Australia to objectively determine the body surface proportion covered by regulation school uniforms. Uniforms of nongovernment, large (≥800 students), urban, educationally advantaged schools with comprehensive sun protection policies covered more skin than those of government schools (63.2% vs 62.0%; P < 0.001), smaller schools (63.4% vs 62.3%; P = 0.009), rural (62.7% vs 61.9%; P = 0.002) and educationally disadvantaged schools (62.8% vs 62.3%; P < 0.001) with underdeveloped sun protection policies (62.8% vs 62.2%; P = 0.002). Overall, SunSmart and non‐SunSmart school uniforms covered identical body surface proportions (62.4%, P = 0.084). Although wearing regulation school uniforms is mandatory at most Australian primary schools, this opportunity to improve children's sun protection is largely overlooked. Recent evidence suggests that even encouraging minor alterations to school uniforms (e.g. slightly longer sleeves/dresses/skirts/shorts) to increase skin coverage may reduce mole acquisition and melanoma risk, especially in high‐risk populations.
Carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: An Analysis of Screening Values, Guidelines, and Standards in the Northeast
Authors: Enander Richard T.
Published: July 2014

Risk‐based, background, and laboratory quantitation limit‐derived standards for carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (cPAHs) in residential and nonresidential soils vary across the northeast region of the United States. The magnitude and extent of this variation, however, have not been systematically studied. This article examines the technical basis and methodology used by eight northeastern states in the development of risk‐based screening values, guidelines, and standards for cPAHs in soils. Exposure pathways, human receptors, algorithms, and input variables used by each state in the calculation of acceptable human health risks are identified and reviewed within the context of environmental policy and regulatory impacts. Emphasis is placed on a comparative analysis of multipathway exposures (incidental ingestion, dermal contact, and particulate inhalation) and key science‐policy decisions that have led to the promulgation and adoption of different exposure criteria for cPAHs in the Northeast. More than 425 data points and 20 distinct exposure factors across eight state programs, 18 age subgroups, six activity scenarios, and three exposure pathways were systematically evaluated. Risk‐based values for one state varied either above or below risk‐based, background or laboratory quantitation limit‐derived standards of another state for the same cPAH and receptor. Standards for cPAHs in soils were found to differ significantly across the northeast region—in some cases, by one or two orders of magnitude. While interstate differences can be expected to persist, future changes in federal guidance could mean a shift in risk drivers, compliance status, or calculated cumulative risks for individual properties impacted by PAH releases.
The Political Economy of Institutional Landownership: Neorentier Society and the Financialization of Land
Authors: Gunnoe Andrew
Published: July 2014

In recent decades a substantial shift in landownership has taken place in ruralAmerica as millions of acres of land have come under the ownership and control of various financial institutions. This article outlines a political economic framework for explaining and interpreting the significance of this proliferation of institutional investments into rural lands. Focusing on two of the nation's most important rural land resources—timberland and farmland—I suggest that we are witnessing an unprecedented integration between finance capital and landownership that harkens back to previous eras of rentier control. I further suggest that this increasing tendency to treat land as a financial asset—what I refer to as the “financialization of landownership”—gives rise to a number of contradictions that may have profound effects on rural communities across theUnitedStates. I conclude with a discussion of a land bubble and the role of institutional landowners in pushing up land prices in both timberland and farmland markets.
Diagenetic evolution of Aptian evaporites in the Namibe Basin (south‐west Angola)
Authors: Gindre‐Chanu Laurent , Warren John K. , Puigdefabregas Cai , Sharp Ian R. , Peacock David C. P. , Swart Roger , Poulsen Ragnar , Ferreira Hercinda , Henrique Lourenco
Published: July 2014

The widespread and dissected nature of the Angolan gypsiferous salt residuals offers a uniquely detailed view of the lateral and vertical relations inherent to secondary evaporite textures, which typify exhumed salt masses worldwide. Such secondary textures are sometimes misinterpreted as primary evaporite textures. Thin, metre‐scale and patchy, dome‐like gypsum accumulations are well‐exposed within strongly incised present‐day river valleys along the eastern margin of the Namibe and Benguela basins (south‐west Angola). These sections are time equivalent to the main basinward subsurface evaporites (Aptian Loeme Formation) which mostly consist of halite. The gypsum (here called the Bambata Formation) is interpreted to represent the final residual product of fractional dissolution and recrystallization of the halite mass that occurred during Late Cretaceous margin uplift and continues today. This halite underwent multiple episodes of diagenetic alteration between its deposition and its final exhumation, leading to the formation of various secondary gypsum fabrics and solution‐related karst and breccia textures that typify the current evaporite outcrop. Four different diagenetic gypsum fabrics are defined: thinly bedded alabastrine, nodular alabastrine, displacive selenite rosettes and fibrous satin‐spar gypsum. Current arid conditions are responsible for a thin weathered crust developed at the top of the outcropping gypsum, but the fabrics in the main core of the current at‐surface evaporite unit mostly formed during the telogenetic stage of uplift prior to complete subaerial exposure. Alteration occurred as various dissolving and rehydrating saline minerals encountered shallow aquifers in the active phreatic and vadose zones. Geomorphological and petrographic analyses, mostly based on the cross‐cutting relations and crystallographic patterns in the outcrop, are used to propose a sequence of formation of these different fabrics.
Incorporation of catch crop residues does not increase phosphorus leaching: a soil column experiment in unsaturated conditions
Authors: Vanden Nest T. , Vandecasteele B. , Ruysschaert G. , Merckx R.
Published: July 2014

Some studies suggest that incorporation of catch crop residues leads to increased availability of P to plants. However, little information is available on how this affects P leaching in soils with a high P load. We tested the effect of catch‐crop residue incorporation at the end of winter on the P leaching potential in a soil column experiment under unsaturated conditions using a typical sandy loam soil of NW Europe characterized by a high P load. We sampled the catch crops white mustard (Sinapis alba L.), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), black oats (Avena strigosa L.) and a perennial ryegrass‐white clover mix (Lolium perenne L.‐Trifolium repens L.) from a field trial on catch crops and soil from the plots where they were grown. Plant biomass was incorporated taking account of the differences in conditions of the plant material at the end of winter and the biomass yield of each catch crop. Incorporation of catch‐crop residues decreased P leaching compared to the fallow treatment probably through immobilization of soil P during catch crop residue decomposition. The exception was black oats, where the leaching of P was the same as for fallow soil. We observed clear differences in C/N, C/P, water soluble and total P concentration, and biodegradability between the tested catch crops, which seemed to affect the P leaching. We conclude that the incorporation of catch crop residues under typical soil and weather conditions and agricultural practices of NW Europe does not increase the potential P leaching losses.
Characterization of acid and non‐acid glycosphingolipids of porcine heart valve cusps as potential immune targets in biological heart valve grafts
Authors: Barone Angela , Benktander John , Teneberg Susann , Breimer Michael E.
Published: July 2014

Background

Although xenotransplantation of vascularized organs/cells has not yet reached the clinic, glutaraldehyde‐treated bioprosthetic heart valves (BHV), derived from porcine or bovine tissues, are today used for clinical replacement of diseased heart valves. However, the durability of these valve cusps is limited partly due to the onset of immune responses to the grafts. The xenoantigen‐determinant Galα3Gal‐ and corresponding anti‐Gal antibodies have been postulated to in part contribute to BHV damage. However, the presence of other non‐Gal carbohydrate antigen determinants as well as the immune response to these non‐Gal antigens and the inflammatory response generated by their interaction with the immune system has not been studied. In this study, we have isolated and structurally characterized both non‐acid and acid glycosphingolipids from naïve porcine aortic and pulmonary valve cusps.

Methods

Total non‐acid and acid glycosphingolipids were isolated from porcine aortic and pulmonalis valve cusps of 20 animals. Glycosphingolipid components were structurally characterized by thin‐layer chromatography, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and binding of monoclonal antibodies and lectins.

Results

The non‐acid glycosphingolipids were characterized as globotetraosylceramide, H‐type 2 pentaosylceramide, fucosyl‐gangliotetraosylceramide, and Galα3neolactotetraosylceramide. The acid glycosphingolipid fractions had both sulfatide and gangliosides (GM3, GM2, GM1, fucosyl‐GM1, GD3 and GD1a), and all gangliosides contained N‐acetyl‐neuraminic acid. Significantly, the N‐glycolyl‐neuraminic acid (NeuGc) variant, a major component in many pig organs and to which humans can develop antibodies, was not detected among the gangliosides.

Conclusions

Pig valve cusps contain several complex lipid‐bound carbohydrate structures that may be targets for the human immune system. Notable, the NeuGc determinant was absent in the cusp gangliosides. This work forms a platform for further characterizing the antibody reactivity of patients with porcine‐derived BHV.
Editorial
Authors: Buettner Angi , Craig Geoffrey
Published: July 2014

Editorial
Journalism, Environment and Community Structure: News and Opinions in the Coverage of the Genetic Engineering Issue in New Zealand
Authors: Rupar Verica
Published: July 2014

Journalism, Environment and Community Structure: News and Opinions in the Coverage of the Genetic Engineering Issue in New Zealand
Power to the People? Web 2.0, Facebook, and DIY Cultural Citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand
Authors: Goodwin Ian
Published: July 2014

Power to the People? Web 2.0, Facebook, and DIY Cultural Citizenship in Aotearoa New Zealand
Cortical GABAergic excitation contributes to epileptic activities around human glioma
Authors: Pallud Johan , Le Van Quyen Michel , Bielle Franck , Pellegrino Christophe , Varlet Pascale , Labussiere Marianne , Cresto Noémie , Dieme Marie-Joseph , Baulac Michel , Duyckaerts Charles , Kourdougli Nazim , Chazal Geneviève , Devaux Bertrand , Rivera Claudio , Miles Richard , Capelle Laurent , Huberfeld Gilles
Published: July 2014

Epileptic discharges in the neocortex surrounding human gliomas are initiated by GABAergic interneurons through alterations of chloride homeostasis in pyramidal cells.
EGFR as a potential therapeutic target for a subset of muscle-invasive bladder cancers presenting a basal-like phenotype
Authors: Rebouissou Sandra , Bernard-Pierrot Isabelle , de Reyniès Aurélien , Lepage May-Linda , Krucker Clémentine , Chapeaublanc Elodie , Hérault Aurélie , Kamoun Aurélie , Caillault Aurélie , Letouzé Eric , Elarouci Nabila , Neuzillet Yann , Denoux Yves , Molinié Vincent , Vordos Dimitri , Laplanche Agnès , Maillé Pascale , Soyeux Pascale , Ofualuka Karina , Reyal Fabien , Biton Anne , Sibony Mathilde , Paoletti Xavier , Southgate Jennifer , Benhamou Simone , Lebret Thierry , Allory Yves , Radvanyi François
Published: July 2014

A subtype of aggressive human muscle-invasive bladder cancer expresses basal epithelial markers and is sensitive to EGFR inhibition in preclinical models.
The Female Urinary Microbiome: a Comparison of Women with and without Urgency Urinary Incontinence
Authors: Pearce Meghan M. , Hilt Evann E. , Rosenfeld Amy B. , Zilliox Michael J. , Thomas-White Krystal , Fok Cynthia , Kliethermes Stephanie , Schreckenberger Paul C. , Brubaker Linda , Gai Xiaowu , Wolfe Alan J.
Published: July 2014

Bacterial DNA and live bacteria have been detected in human urine in the absence of clinical infection, challenging the prevailing dogma that urine is normally sterile. Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is a poorly understood urinary condition characterized by symptoms that overlap urinary infection, including urinary urgency and increased frequency with urinary incontinence. The recent discovery of the urinary microbiome warrants investigation into whether bacteria contribute to UUI. In this study, we used 16S rRNA gene sequencing to classify bacterial DNA and expanded quantitative urine culture (EQUC) techniques to isolate live bacteria in urine collected by using a transurethral catheter from women with UUI and, in comparison, a cohort without UUI. For these cohorts, we demonstrated that the UUI and non-UUI urinary microbiomes differ by group based on both sequence and culture evidences. Compared to the non-UUI microbiome, sequencing experiments revealed that the UUI microbiome was composed of increased
Gardnerella
and decreased
Lactobacillus
. Nine genera (
Actinobaculum
,
Actinomyces
,
Aerococcus
,
Arthrobacter
,
Corynebacterium
,
Gardnerella
,
Oligella
,
Staphylococcus
, and
Streptococcus
) were more frequently cultured from the UUI cohort. Although
Lactobacillus
was isolated from both cohorts, distinctions existed at the species level, with
Lactobacillus gasseri
detected more frequently in the UUI cohort and
Lactobacillus crispatus
most frequently detected in controls. Combined, these data suggest that potentially important differences exist in the urinary microbiomes of women with and without UUI, which have strong implications in prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of UUI.

IMPORTANCE
New evidence indicates that the human urinary tract contains microbial communities; however, the role of these communities in urinary health remains to be elucidated. Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) is a highly prevalent yet poorly understood urinary condition characterized by urgency, frequency, and urinary incontinence. Given the significant overlap of UUI symptoms with those of urinary tract infections, it is possible that UUI may have a microbial component. We compared the urinary microbiomes of women affected by UUI to those of a comparison group without UUI, using both high-throughput sequencing and extended culture techniques. We identified statistically significant differences in the frequency and abundance of bacteria present. These differences suggest a potential role for the urinary microbiome in female urinary health.
Promiscuous and Adaptable Enzymes Fill “Holes” in the Tetrahydrofolate Pathway in
Chlamydia
Species
Authors: Adams Nancy E. , Thiaville Jennifer J. , Proestos James , Juárez-Vázquez Ana L. , McCoy Andrea J. , Barona-Gómez Francisco , Iwata-Reuyl Dirk , de Crécy-Lagard Valérie , Maurelli Anthony T.
Published: July 2014

Folates are tripartite molecules comprising pterin,
para
-aminobenzoate (PABA), and glutamate moieties, which are essential cofactors involved in DNA and amino acid synthesis. The obligately intracellular
Chlamydia
species have lost several biosynthetic pathways for essential nutrients which they can obtain from their host but have retained the capacity to synthesize folate. In most bacteria, synthesis of the pterin moiety of folate requires the FolEQBK enzymes, while synthesis of the PABA moiety is carried out by the PabABC enzymes. Bioinformatic analyses reveal that while members of
Chlamydia
are missing the genes for FolE (GTP cyclohydrolase) and FolQ, which catalyze the initial steps in
de novo
synthesis of the pterin moiety, they have genes for the rest of the pterin pathway. We screened a chlamydial genomic library in deletion mutants of
Escherichia coli
to identify the “missing genes” and identified a novel enzyme, TrpF
CtL2
, which has broad substrate specificity. TrpF
CtL2
, in combination with GTP cyclohydrolase II (RibA), the first enzyme of riboflavin synthesis, provides a bypass of the first two canonical steps in folate synthesis catalyzed by FolE and FolQ. Notably, TrpF
CtL2
retains the phosphoribosyl anthranilate isomerase activity of the original annotation. Additionally, we independently confirmed the recent discovery of a novel enzyme, CT610, which uses an unknown precursor to synthesize PABA and complements
E. coli
mutants with deletions of
pabA
,
pabB
, or
pabC
. Thus,
Chlamydia
species have evolved a variant folate synthesis pathway that employs a patchwork of promiscuous and adaptable enzymes recruited from other biosynthetic pathways.

IMPORTANCE
Collectively, the involvement of TrpF
CtL2
and CT610 in the tetrahydrofolate pathway completes our understanding of folate biosynthesis in
Chlamydia
. Moreover, the novel roles for TrpF
CtL2
and CT610 in the tetrahydrofolate pathway are sophisticated examples of how enzyme evolution plays a vital role in the adaptation of obligately intracellular organisms to host-specific niches. Enzymes like TrpF
CtL2
which possess an enzyme fold common to many other enzymes are highly versatile and possess the capacity to evolve to catalyze related reactions in two different metabolic pathways. The continued identification of unique enzymes such as these in bacterial pathogens is important for development of antimicrobial compounds, as drugs that inhibit such enzymes would likely not have any targets in the host or the host’s normal microbial flora.
Spontaneous lingual and sublingual haematoma: a rare complication of warfarin use
Authors: Buyuklu Mutlu , Bakirci Eftal Murat , Topal Ergun , Ceyhun Gokhan
Published: July 2014

Warfarin is commonly used for prevention of embolic events. Bleeding is the main side effect of warfarin. Lingual and sublingual haematoma are rare. In the literature, nine cases have so far been reported. We report the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian woman who developed spontaneous lingual and sublingual haematomas while on warfarin therapy. Spontaneous lingual and sublingual haematoma are rare, but can be potentially life-threatening complications as they cause airway obstruction. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of earliest haematoma after warfarin use.
Are job strain and sleep disturbances prognostic factors for neck/shoulder/arm pain? A cohort study of a general population of working age in Sweden
Authors: Rasmussen-Barr E , Grooten W J A , Hallqvist J , Holm L W , Skillgate E
Published: July 2014

Objective

To study whether job strain, that is, psychological job demands and decision latitude, and sleep disturbances among persons withoccasionalneck/shoulder/arm pain (NSAP) are prognostic factors for having experienced at least one episode oftroublesomeNSAP, and to determine whether sleep disturbances modify the association between job strain and troublesome NSAP.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

Stockholm, Sweden.

Participants

A population-based cohort of individuals with occasional NSAP (n=6979) who answered surveys in 2006 and 2010.

Outcome measures

Report of at least one episode of troublesome NSAP in 2010.

Results

The ORs for troublesome NSAP at follow-up were in individuals exposed to passive jobs 1.2 (95% CI 0.9 to 1.4); to active jobs 1.3 (95% CI 1.1 to 1.5); to high strain 1.5 (95% CI 1.0 to 2.4); to mild sleep disturbances 1.4 (95% CI 1.3 to 1.6) and to severe sleep disturbances 2.2 (95% CI 1.6 to 3.0). High strain and active jobs were associated with having experienced at least one episode of troublesome NSAP during the previous 6 months in persons with sleep disturbances, but not in individuals without sleep disturbances.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that high strain, active jobs and sleep disturbances are prognostic factors that should be taken into account when implementing preventive measures to minimise the risk of troublesome NSAP among people of working age. We suggest that sleep disturbances may modify the association between high strain and troublesome NSAP.
A randomised trial deploying a simulation to investigate the impact of hospital discharge letters on patient care in general practice
Authors: Jiwa Moyez , Meng Xingqiong , O'Shea Carolyn , Magin Parker , Dadich Ann , Pillai Vinita
Published: July 2014

Objective

To determine how the timing and length of hospital discharge letters impact on the number of ongoing patient problems identified by general practitioners (GPs).

Trial design

GPs were randomised into four groups. Each viewed a video monologue of an actor-patient as he might present to his GP following a hospital admission with 10 problems. GPs were provided with a medical record as well as a long or short discharge letter, which was available when the video was viewed or 1 week later. GPs indicated if they would prescribe, refer or order tests for the patient's problems.

Methods

SettingPrimary care.ParticipantsPractising Australian GPs.InterventionA short or long hospital discharge letter enumerating patient problems.Outcome measureNumber of ongoing patient problems out of 10 identified for management by the GPs.Randomisation1:1 randomisation.Blinding (masking)Single-blind.

Results

Numbers randomised59 GPs.RecruitmentGPs were recruited from a network of 102 GPs across Australia.Numbers analysed59 GPs.OutcomeGPs who received the long letter immediately were more satisfied with this information (p<0.001). Those who received the letter immediately identified significantly more health problems (p=0.001). GPs who received a short, delayed discharge letter were less satisfied than those who received a longer delayed letter (p=0.03); however, both groups who received the delayed letter identified a similar number of health problems. GPs who were older, who practised in an inner regional area or who offered more patient sessions per week identified fewer health problems (p values <0.01, <0.05 and <0.05, respectively).HarmsNil.

Conclusions

Receiving information during patient consultation, as well as GP characteristics, influences the number of patient problems addressed.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12614000403639.
Managing acute severe ulcerative colitis in the hosptialised setting
Authors: McClements David , Probert Chris
Published: July 2014

Ulcerative colitis affects approximately 146 000 people in the UK and is the most common form of inflammatory bowel disease. The majority of patients will have uncomplicated disease, but around 1 in 10 patients will develop acute severe colitis. Despite modern medical management, colectomy rates of 27% and mortality rates of 1% are still reported. Good supportive care and intravenous corticosteroids remain the mainstay of treatment, but up to one-third of patents will not respond. The Travis criteria allow early recognition of those patients failing to improve by day 3, allowing timely planning of medical rescue therapy or surgery. Rescue therapy with either infliximab or ciclosporin appears equally efficacious. Patients naive to thiopurines seem to have better colectomy-free survival rates following rescue therapy than those previously exposed. We review the published evidence behind the conventional management of acute severe ulcerative colitis.