bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Post‐weaning environmental enrichment improves BDNF response of adult male rats
Authors: Mosaferi Belal , Babri Shirin , Mohaddes Gisou , Khamnei Saeed , Mesgari Mehran
Published: August 2015

The environment could have long lasting effects on the individual phenotype through developmental plasticity. Early environmental enrichment exerts profound biological effects, most of which are quite beneficial ones. To explore the enduring effects of rearing condition quality on BDNF responses, we reared male Wistar rats from weaning to young‐adulthood in three different environmental conditions: 1. Enriched 2. Standard, and 3. Isolated. Then, at the age of 16 weeks, 10 rats from each group were randomly chosen and allocated to six common mix cages. They were kept together for 14 weeks. At the end of the experiment, each rat received ten inescapable foot‐shocks. Twelve hours later, the BDNF contents of the amygdala and CA1 sub‐region of the dorsal hippocampus were measured. The serum BDNF levels, hematocrit values as well as brain and testis weights were also measured. Results showed that the environmental enrichment led to stronger dorsal hippocampal BDNF response and higher serum BDNF levels, while rats from standard laboratory condition showed higher amygdala BDNF response. Also, enriched animals showed higher brain weight compared to isolation reared rats as well as higher testis weight and hematocrit value compared to animals reared in standard laboratory condition. Rats showed less body weights in isolated condition. In conclusion, the BDNF profile of enriched animals might represent the neurobiological correlate of resilience phenotype under a stressful situation.
Gestational diabetes mellitus among women attending prenatal care at Korle‐Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
Authors: Oppong Samuel A. , Ntumy Michael Y. , Amoakoh‐Coleman Mary , Ogum‐Alangea Deda , Modey‐Amoah Emefa
Published: August 2015

Objective

To determine the burden of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) among pregnant women in Accra, Ghana.

Methods

The present cross‐sectional study enrolled women at 20–24 weeks of pregnancy attending their first prenatal clinic at Korle‐Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, between March and November 2013. Participants underwent a 2‐hour, 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test between 24 and 28 weeks. The odds of GDM among different body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) groupings were calculated in a multiple logistic regression model.

Results

Among 399 women screened, 37 (9.3%) had GDM. Compared with women with a BMI in the normal range (18.50–24.99), obese women (BMI > 30.0) had an increased risk of GDM (odds ratio [OR] 2.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08–8.20; P = 0.034]; overweight women (BMI 25.00–29.99) had a slightly elevated risk (OR 1.20, 95% CI 0.41–3.55; P = 0.742). Maternal age, parity, education, employment status, place of residence, and previous pregnancy complications did not affect the risk of GDM.

Conclusion

GDM was found in 10% of pregnant women in Accra. Women who were obese by 20–24 weeks of pregnancy had a significantly increased risk of GDM.
Identity Paper/Work/s and the Unmaking of Legal Status in Mae Sot, Thailand
Authors: REDDY Malavika
Published: August 2015

Arguing for renewed attention to legal status as a problem of material forms and the practices around them, this paper builds, from an examination of documents in use, a theory of how competing notions of personhood shape legal status for Burmese people in Mae Sot, Thailand. It finds that there exist in Mae Sot two modes of documentary practice through which the legal status of Burmese people is apprehended. “Modes of documentary practice” refer not only to records, papers, certificates, cards, and forms, but to the patterns of filling in, wielding, explaining, and referencing a variety of print matter. The two modes identified in this paper exist in a feedback loop, with the result that Burmese people in Mae Sot are increasingly individuated as being part of a group for whom legal status is irrelevant and legal indistinctiveness is the norm.
Being in Touch: Healing Developmental and Attachment Trauma at the Clay Field
Authors: Elbrecht Cornelia , Antcliff Liz
Published: August 2015

Developmental trauma is a term that describes the impact of adverse childhood experiences that results in the loss of capacity to integrate sensory, emotional, cognitive and relational information into cohesive, trusting and safe lived experiences. Infants’ and children's brain, nervous systems and neural development are vulnerable to these traumas. Trauma is stored in the implicit memory and is manifest through body gestures, breath, body behaviours, sensory perceptions, emotions and thoughts. Play therapy, sand tray therapy and creative arts therapy are all offered as interventions for childhood trauma. Work at the Clay Field®, is a sensorimotor art therapy and differs from play, sand and visual arts therapy as it focuses on haptic perception, the use of the hands and touch as a tool of perception. Touch is one of the most fundamental human experiences and is the basis of secure attachment, linked to our earliest body memories. Work at the Clay Field® is grounded in theories of developmental psychology, object relations, sensorimotor therapy and haptic perception. Haptic object relations as skin sense, vestibular sense of balance and depth sense are presented as the underpinning principles of Work at the Clay Field®. Children from the age of 2 years old onwards are enabled through work at the Clay Field to satiate developmental needs, in particular those from the preverbal age of early infancy. They also can complete trauma-related fragmented or incomplete action cycles through safe touch and restore their developmental path.
A mechanism for streamwise localisation of nonlinear waves in shear flows
Authors: Mellibovsky Fernando , Meseguer Alvaro
Published: August 2015

We present the complete unfolding of streamwise localisation in a paradigm of extended shear flows, namely two-dimensional plane Poiseuille flow. Exact solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations are computed numerically and tracked in the streamwise wavenumber–Reynolds number parameter space to identify and describe the fundamental mechanism behind streamwise localisation, a ubiquitous feature of shear flow turbulence. Unlike shear flow spanwise localisation, streamwise localisation does not follow the snaking mechanism demonstrated for plane Couette flow.
Issue Engagement in Election Campaigns The Impact of Electoral Incentives and Organizational Constraints
Authors: Meyer Thomas M. , Wagner Markus
Published: August 2015

It is easier for voters to make informed electoral choices when parties talk about the same issues. Yet, parties may decide against such “issue engagement.” We hypothesize that issue engagement between parties is more likely (a) when the similarity of their policy positions means that both parties have clearelectoral incentivesto talk about the same topics and (b) when parties face feworganizational constraintsin terms of campaign resources. Our empirical analysis of 2453 press releases by Austrian parties shows that ideological proximity and party resources affect the level of issue engagement. These findings suggest that issue engagement is less likely precisely where it is needed most, which has important implications for understanding the democratic quality of election campaigns.
THOMAS BERTIE, THE MASTER-MASON AT WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL c 1515–50
Authors: Riall Nicholas
Published: August 2015

This paper takes as its start-point the entry for Thomas Bertie in John Harvey’s English Medieval Architects and uses it to explore the life and work of a master-mason who was trained in the Gothic tradition, but came to be one of the first to utilise Renaissance detail in his works in Winchester Cathedral and across Hampshire. Bertie’s work encompassed an astonishing range of projects, extending from the remodelling of the presbytery of Winchester Cathedral to the construction of chapels and tomb monuments, and from the conversion of monastic buildings into country houses to helping create a chain of artillery forts to defend the south coast. The distinctive Renaissance style that appears on so many of these works allows a connection to be made between them and Thomas Bertie.
MORE CONSTRUCTIONS OF APPROXIMATELY MUTUALLY UNBIASED BASES
Authors: CAO XIWANG , CHOU WUN-SENG
Published: August 2015

Let $m$ be a positive integer and $p$ a prime number. We prove the orthogonality of some character sums over the finite field $\mathbb{F}_{p^{m}}$ or over a subset of a finite field and use this to construct some new approximately mutually unbiased bases of dimension $p^{m}$ over the complex number field $\mathbb{C}$, especially with $p=2$.
Asparagine attenuates intestinal injury, improves energy status and inhibits AMP-activated protein kinase signalling pathways in weaned piglets challenged withEscherichia colilipopolysaccharide
Authors: Wang Xiuying , Liu Yulan , Li Shuang , Pi Dingan , Zhu Huiling , Hou Yongqing , Shi Haifeng , Leng Weibo
Published: August 2015

The intestine requires a high amount of energy to maintain its health and function; thus, energy deficits in intestinal mucosa may lead to intestinal damage. Asparagine (Asn) is a precursor for many other amino acids such as aspartate, glutamine and glutamate, which can be used to supply energy to enterocytes. In the present study, we hypothesise that dietary supplementation of Asn could alleviate bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury via improvement of intestinal energy status. A total of twenty-four weaned piglets were assigned to one of four treatments: (1) non-challenged control; (2) LPS+0 % Asn; (3) LPS+0·5 % Asn; (4) LPS+1·0 % Asn. On day 19, piglets were injected with LPS or saline. At 24 h post-injection, piglets were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected. Asn supplementation improved intestinal morphology, indicated by higher villus height and villus height:crypt depth ratio, and lower crypt depth. Asn supplementation also increased the ratios of RNA:DNA and protein:DNA as well as disaccharidase activities in intestinal mucosa. In addition, Asn supplementation attenuated bacterial LPS-induced intestinal energy deficits, indicated by increased ATP and adenylate energy charge levels, and decreased AMP:ATP ratio. Moreover, Asn administration increased the activities of key enzymes involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, including citrate synthase, isocitrate dehydrogenase and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex. Finally, Asn administration decreased the mRNA abundance of intestinal AMP-activated protein kinase-α1 (AMPKα1),AMPKα2, silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC1α), and reduced intestinal AMPKα phosphorylation. Collectively, these results indicate that Asn supplementation alleviates bacterial LPS-induced intestinal injury by modulating the AMPK signalling pathway and improving energy status.
Acute consumption of a caffeinated energy drink enhances aspects of performance in sprint swimmers
Authors: Lara Beatriz , Ruiz-Vicente Diana , Areces Francisco , Abián-Vicén Javier , Salinero Juan José , Gonzalez-Millán Cristina , Gallo-Salazar César , Del Coso Juan
Published: August 2015

This study investigated the effect of a caffeinated energy drink on various aspects of performance in sprint swimmers. In a randomised and counterbalanced order, fourteen male sprint swimmers performed two acute experimental trials after the ingestion of a caffeinated energy drink (3 mg/kg) or after the ingestion of the same energy drink without caffeine (0 mg/kg; placebo). After 60 min of ingestion of the beverages, the swimmers performed a countermovement jump, a maximal handgrip test, a 50 m simulated competition and a 45 s swim at maximal intensity in a swim ergometer. A blood sample was withdrawn 1 min after the completion of the ergometer test. In comparison with the placebo drink, the intake of the caffeinated energy drink increased the height in the countermovement jump (49·4 (sd 5·3) v. 50·9 (sd 5·2) cm, respectively; P<0·05) and maximal force during the handgrip test with the right hand (481 (sd 49) v. 498 (sd 43) N; P<0·05). Furthermore, the caffeinated energy drink reduced the time needed to complete the 50 m simulated swimming competition (27·8 (sd 3·4) v. 27·5 (sd 3·2) s; P<0·05), and it increased peak power (273 (sd 55) v. 303 (sd 49) W; P<0·05) and blood lactate concentration (11·0 (sd 2·0) v. 11·7 (sd 2·1) mm; P<0·05) during the ergometer test. The caffeinated energy drink did not modify the prevalence of insomnia (7 v. 7 %), muscle pain (36 v. 36 %) or headache (0 v. 7 %) during the hours following its ingestion (P>0·05). A caffeinated energy drink increased some aspects of swimming performance in competitive sprinters, whereas the side effects derived from the intake of this beverage were marginal at this dosage.
Ageing, retirement and changes in vegetable consumption in France: findings from the prospective GAZEL cohort
Authors: Plessz Marie , Guéguen Alice , Goldberg Marcel , Czernichow Sébastien , Zins Marie
Published: August 2015

The aim of this study was to describe the change in vegetable consumption with ageing and the transition to retirement. Study subjects were the participants of the GAZEL prospective cohort (Gaz and Électricité de France) aged 40–49 years at inclusion in 1989 who retired between 1991 and 2008 (12 942 men and 2739 women). Four FFQ were completed from 1990 to 2009. We used multiple imputation by chained equations in order to avoid dropping incomplete cases. The OR for eating vegetables everyday was estimated as a function of ageing, retirement status and the place of lunch before retirement through generalised estimating equations. Analyses were stratified by sex, and models were adjusted for confounders, including current spousal status. In 1990, 17·7 % of men and 31 % of women reported eating vegetables daily. The odds of consuming vegetables everyday increased with ageing for both men and women. The usual place of lunch was home for less than half the sample before retirement and for almost every respondent after retirement. For those who changed their place of lunch, the association between being retired and the odds of eating vegetables daily was positive and significant. We found that, in this cohort, vegetable consumption increased with ageing. Retirement had an indirect effect on vegetable consumption mediated by changes in the place of lunch.
Morphology of the oxyurid nematodesTrypanoxyuris (T.) cacajaon. sp. andT. (T.) ucayaliin. sp. from the red uakari monkeyCacajao calvus ucayaliiin the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Conga D.F. , Giese E.G. , Serra-Freire N.M. , Bowler M. , Mayor P.
Published: August 2015

Cacajao calvus ucayalii(Thomas, 1928) (Primates: Pitheciidae), a subspecies endemic to the Peruvian Amazon, occurs in patchy and sometimes isolated populations in north-eastern Peru and is in a vulnerable situation, mainly due to habitat loss and hunting. This rareness and remote distribution means that, until now, parasitical studies have been limited. Based on optical and scanning electron microscopy of specimens of both sexes, we report two new species ofTrypanoxyurispinworms occurring in the large intestine of the Peruvian red uakari, namelyTrypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) cacajaoandTrypanoxyuris (Trypanoxyuris) ucayalii. Both species showed a distinct morphology of the lips and cephalic structure. Sexual dimorphism in the lateral alae was observed in both male and the female worms, with ventral ornamentation being shown in the oesophageal teeth. The finding of these new pinworm species highlights the possibility of discovering other species.
Intracellular expression profile and clinical significance of the CCR9–CCL25 chemokine receptor complex in nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Ye L-F , Huang J , Zhang L-P , Chen Z
Published: August 2015

Objectives:

This study aimed to investigate the association of C-C chemokine receptor type 9 (CCR9) and C-C motif chemokine 25 (CCL25) expression levels with clinical and tumour–node–metastasis stage in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Methods:

A total of 42 nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients (nasopharyngeal carcinoma group) and 18 patients with a normal nasopharynx (control group) were included in this study. Tissues were collected during surgery and medical examinations. The CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results:

CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly increased in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma group compared with the control group (p< 0.05). Both CCR9 and CCL25 messenger RNA and protein levels were significantly higher in advanced-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stages III and IV) patients compared with early-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (stages I and II) patients (p< 0.05).

Conclusion:

The extent of CCR9 and CCL25 upregulation in nasopharyngeal carcinoma correlates with the tumour–node–metastasis stage.
Carapace width-weight relationship, age, growth and longevity of the mud crabScylla olivacea(Herbst, 1796) in the Pichavaram mangroves, south-east India
Authors: Viswanathan C. , Pravinkumar M. , Suresh T.V. , Elumalai V. , Raffi S.M.
Published: August 2015

The present study provides novel information on carapace width-weight (CWR) relationship and growth parameters of the mud crabScylla olivacea(Herbst, 1796) inhabiting the Pichavaram mangroves, east coast of India based on length frequency data sets during June 2010 to May 2012. CWR revealed linear regression between carapace width and weight in both sexes, and overall CWR exponent (b) values acquired for males and females are 3.035 (r2= 0.962) and 2.925 (r2= 0.933) respectively. The growth parameters, CW∞,Kandtoderived for males and females were 148.05, 0.762 year−1and −0.637 and 138.80 mm, 0.856 year−1and −0.681 respectively. The growth ofS. olivaceawas assessed through various methods in such a way that the outcome of one method functions as a rider, check and control over the other.
Sleeping on the floor decreases insecticide treated bed net use and increases risk of malaria in children under 5 years of age in Mbita District, Kenya
Authors: MINAKAWA NOBORU , KONGERE JAMES O. , DIDA GABRIEL O. , IKEDA ERIKO , HU JINPING , MINAGAWA KOGOMI , FUTAMI KYOKO , KAWADA HITOSHI , NJENGA SAMMY M. , LARSON PETER S.
Published: August 2015

Children who sleep on the floor are less likely to use long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs); however, the relationship between sleeping location and Plasmodium falciparum infection has not been investigated sufficiently. This study revealed whether sleeping location (bed vs floor) is associated with P. falciparum infection among children 7–59 months old. More than 60% of children slept on the floor. Younger children were significantly more likely to sleep in beds [odds ratio, OR 2·31 (95% confidence interval (CI) 2·02–2·67)]. Nearly 70% of children slept under LLINs the previous night. LLIN use among children who slept on the floor was significantly less than ones sleeping in beds [OR 0·49 (95% CI 0·35–0·68)]. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based P. falciparum infection rate and slide based infection rate were 65·2 and 29·7%, respectively. Both infections were significantly higher among children slept on the floor [OR1·51 (95% CI 1·08–2·10) for PCR base, OR 1·62 (95% CI 1·14–2·30) for slide base] while net availability was not significant. Sleeping location was also significant for slide based infection with fever (⩾37·5 °C) [2·03 (95% CI 1·14–3·84)] and high parasitemia cases (parasite ⩾2500 µL−1) [2·07 (95% CI 1·03–4·50)]. The results suggest that sleeping location has a direct bearing on the effectiveness of LLINs.
Models for managing wildlife disease
Authors: McCALLUM HAMISH
Published: August 2015

Modelling wildlife disease poses some unique challenges. Wildlife disease systems are data poor in comparison with human or livestock disease systems, and the impact of disease on population size is often the key question of interest. This review concentrates specifically on the application of dynamic models to evaluate and guide management strategies. Models have proved useful particularly in two areas. They have been widely used to evaluate vaccination strategies, both for protecting endangered species and for preventing spillover from wildlife to humans or livestock. They have also been extensively used to evaluate culling strategies, again both for diseases in species of conservation interest and to prevent spillover. In addition, models are important to evaluate the potential of parasites and pathogens as biological control agents. The review concludes by identifying some key research gaps, which are further development of models of macroparasites, deciding on appropriate levels of complexity, modelling genetic management and connecting models to data.
Integrating immune mechanisms to model nematode worm burden: an example in sheep
Authors: GARNIER ROMAIN , GRENFELL BRYAN T. , NISBET ALASDAIR J. , MATTHEWS JACQUELINE B. , GRAHAM ANDREA L.
Published: August 2015

Gastrointestinal nematodes represent important sources of economic losses in farmed ruminants, and the increasing frequency of anthelmintic resistance requires an increased ability to explore alternative strategies. Theoretical approaches at the crossroads of immunology and epidemiology are valuable tools in that context. In the case of Teladorsagia circumcincta in sheep, the immunological mechanisms important for resistance are increasingly well-characterized. However, despite the existence of a wide range of theoretical models, there is no framework integrating the characteristic features of this immune response into a tractable phenomenological model. Here, we propose to bridge that gap by developing a flexible modelling framework that allows for variability in nematode larval intake which can be used to track the variations in worm burdens. We parameterize this model using data from trickle infection of sheep and show that using simple immunological assumptions, our model can capture the dynamics of both adult worm burdens and nematode fecal egg counts. In addition, our analysis reveals interesting dose-dependent effects on the immune response. Finally, we discuss potential developments of this model and highlight how an improved cross-talk between empiricists and theoreticians would facilitate important advances in the study of infectious diseases.
A life history intervention for individuals with dementia: a randomised controlled trial examining nursing staff empathy, perceived patient personhood and aggressive behaviours
Authors: ERITZ HEATHER , HADJISTAVROPOULOS THOMAS , WILLIAMS JAIME , KROEKER KRISTINE , R. MARTIN RONALD , M. LIX LISA , V. HUNTER PAULETTE
Published: August 2015

Behaviours of concern (e.g.aggression) are often present in residents of long-term care (LTC) facilities diagnosed with dementia and may impact quality of life. Prior uncontrolled research has shown that an intervention involving sharing resident life histories may be effective in reducing aggressive behaviours and improving quality of life, perhaps by increasing staff empathy. We used a randomised controlled design, involving a considerably larger sample than previous investigations. We also examined staff perceptions of LTC resident personhood in relation to aggressive behaviour. Seventy-three residents were randomised to either a life history intervention (N = 38) or a control condition (N = 35). Ninety-nine nurses and care aides answered questionnaires about their own attitudes and the residents' behaviours and quality of life at baseline, post-intervention and at follow-up. Results of mixed-effects modelling indicated significant differences between groups in personhood perception and resident quality of life. Personhood perception mediated the relationship between the intervention and improved quality of life. We identified significant negative correlations between resident cognitive impairment and staff perceptions of resident personhood. Qualitative findings suggested that staff primarily changed their verbal interactions with residents following the intervention, which may be particularly helpful for residents with the most severe dementia. Our results indicate that LTC residents benefit when life histories are constructed with their families and shared with nursing staff.
Design, analysis, and testing of a motor-driven capsule robot based on a sliding clamper
Authors: Gao Jinyang , Yan Guozheng , He Su , Xu Fei , Wang Zhiwu
Published: August 2015

We propose a motor-driven capsule robot based on a sliding clamper (MCRSC), a device to explore the partially collapsed and winding intestinal tract. The MCRSC is powered by wireless power transmission based on near-field inductive coupling. It comprises a novel locomotion unit, a camera, and a three-dimensional receiving coil, all installed at both ends of the locomotion unit. The novel locomotion unit comprises a linear motion mechanism and a sliding clamper. The former adopts a pair of lead-screw and nut to obtain linear motion, whereas the latter anchors the MCRSC to a specific point of the intestinal tract by expanding its arc-shaped legs. The MCRSC is capable of two-way locomotion, which is activated by alternately executing linear motion and anchoring action. Ex vivo experiments have shown that the MCRSC is able to inspect the colon within a time frame of standard colonoscopy.
A low-cost hardware-in-the-loop-simulation testbed of quadrotor UAV and implementation of nonlinear control schemes
Authors: Xian Bin , Zhao Bo , Zhang Yao , Zhang Xu
Published: August 2015

Designing and testing flight control algorithms for quadrotor UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) is not an easy task due to the risk of possible danger and damage during the practical flight. In order to improve the safety and efficiency of the flight control implementation, a low-cost real-time HILS (hardware-in-the-loop simulation) testbed for quadrotor UAVs is developed in this paper. To realize the HILS testbed, a miniature quadrotor is used as the main body, equipped with a micro AHRS (attitude heading reference system) unit and a self-build DSP (digital signal processor) board. The HILS is implemented by using xPC target. A compact PC/104 computer is utilized as the target computer, and a laptop PC is employed as the host computer. A desktop PC is used as flight visualization computer which runs FlightGear and Google Earth to show visual data, such as orientation and flight path of the quadrotor UAV. This testbed can be utilized for simulating various flight control algorithms, without losing safeness and reliableness. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed testbed, a new nonlinear adaptive sliding mode based stabilization control algorithm is developed and verified on the HILS testbed.
THE DATIVE ALTERNATION IN GERMAN-ENGLISH INTERLANGUAGE
Authors: Jäschke Katja , Plag Ingo
Published: August 2015

This study investigates the role of probabilistic grammatical constraints on the dative alternation in English as a second language (ESL). It presents the results of an experiment in which the different factors that are influential in first language (L1) English are tested with advanced learners of English whose L1 is German. Second language (L2) learners are influenced by the same determinants as L1 speakers but to a lesser degree. Together with the results of previous studies, the present results suggest that, initially, the learners do not make use of probabilistic constraints in spite of the constraints being influential in the L1 and only gradually acquire a sensitivity toward the constraints that govern the choice between the two dative constructions.
Orthostatic hypotension and right heart failure as the initial manifestation of intravenous leiomyomatosis
Authors: Li Ya-Qin , Yin Xiao-Ping , Xu Zhan-Wen
Published: August 2015

A 36-year-old woman, who had a history of myomectomy, presented with lightheadedness after changing position from sitting to standing and effort-related shortness of breath. Echocardiography demonstrated a hyperechoic elongated mobile mass extending from the inferior caval vein to the right atrium. The mass was surgically removed, and histological examination established the diagnosis of intravenous leiomyomatosis. This case caught the attention of our cardiology group to consider the diagnosis when an inferior caval vein or right atrium mass is found in a patient with a history of uterine leiomyomatosis.
The Green Eating Project: web-based intervention to promote environmentally conscious eating behaviours in US university students
Authors: Monroe Jessica T , Lofgren Ingrid E , Sartini Becky L , Greene Geoffrey W
Published: August 2015

Objective

To investigate the effectiveness of an online, interactive intervention, referred to as the Green Eating (GE) Project, to motivate university students to adopt GE behaviours.

Design

The study was quasi-experimental and integrated into courses for credit/extra credit. Courses were randomly stratified into experimental or non-treatment control. The 5-week intervention consisted of four modules based on different GE topics. Participants completed the GE survey at baseline (experimental,n241; control,n367) and post (experimental,n187; control,n304). The GE survey has been previously validated and consists of Transtheoretical Model constructs including stage of change (SOC), decisional balance (DB: Pros and Cons) and self-efficacy (SE: School and Home) as well as behaviours for GE. Modules contained basic information regarding each topic and knowledge items to assess content learning.

Setting

The GE Project took place at a public university in the north-eastern USA.

Subjects

Participants were full-time students between the ages of 18 and 24 years.

Results

The GE Project was effective in significantly increasing GE behaviours, DB Pros, SE School and knowledge in experimental compared with control, but did not reduce DB Cons or increase SE Home. Experimental participants were also more likely to be in later SOC for GE at post testing.

Conclusions

The GE Project was effective in increasing GE behaviours in university students. Motivating consumers towards adopting GE could assist in potentially mitigating negative consequences of the food system on the environment. Future research could tailor the intervention to participant SOC to further increase the effects or design the modules for other participants.
Sex differences in the early life correlates of natural antibody concentrations
Authors: Palmer A. C. , Schulze K. J. , Khatry S. K. , De Luca L. M. , West K. P.
Published: August 2015

Innate-like B1a lymphocytes arise from long-lived progenitors produced exclusively by fetal stem cells. Any insults coinciding with this early lymphopoietic wave could have a permanent impact on the B1a population and its unique protein products, the natural antibodies (NAb). We investigated early life nutritional influences on NAb concentrations of pre-adolescent children (n=290) in rural Nepal for whom we had extensive information on exposures from pregnancy and early infancy. Infant size and growth were strongly associated with NAb concentrations at 9–13 years of age among males (e.g., for neonatal weight: βBOYS=0.43;P<0.001), but not females (e.g., for neonatal weight: βGIRLS=−0.16;P=0.26). In females, season of birth was associated with NAb concentrations, with marked reductions among girls born during the pre-monsoon (March–May; βGIRLS=−0.39;P=0.01) and pre-harvest (September–November; βGIRLS=−0.35;P=0.03) seasons. Our findings suggest that nutritional or other environmental influences on immune development may vary by sex, with potential consequences for immune function during infancy and long-term risk of immune-mediated disease.
Targeting the γ-/β-secretase interaction reduces β-amyloid generation and ameliorates Alzheimer’s disease-related pathogenesis
Authors: Cui Jin , Wang Xiaoyin , Li Xiaohang , Wang Xin , Zhang Chenlu , Li Wei , Zhang Yangming , Gu Haifeng , Xie Xin , Nan Fajun , Zhao Jian , Pei Gang
Published: August 2015

Despite decades of intense global effort, no disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer’s disease have emerged. Molecules targeting catalytic activities of γ-secretase or β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) have been beset by undesired side effects. We hypothesized that blocking the interaction between BACE1 and γ-secretase subunit presenilin-1 (PS1) might offer an alternative strategy to selectively suppress Aβ generation. Through high-throughput screening, we discovered that 3-α-akebonoic acid (3AA) interferes with PS1/BACE1 interaction and reduces Aβ production. Structural analogs of 3AA were systematically synthesized and the functional analog XYT472B was identified. Photo-activated crosslinking and biochemical competition assays showed that 3AA and XYT472B bind to PS1, interfere with PS1/BACE1 interaction, and reduce Aβ production, whereas sparing secretase activities. Furthermore, treatment of APP/PS1 mice with XYT472B alleviated cognitive dysfunction and Aβ-related pathology. Together, our results indicate that chemical interference of PS1/BACE1 interaction is a promising strategy for Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics.
Insights in the ecology and evolutionary history of the Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group lineage
Authors: Fillol Mireia , Auguet Jean-Christophe , Casamayor Emilio O , Borrego Carles M
Published: August 2015

Members of the archaeal Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotic Group (MCG) are among the most successful microorganisms on the planet. During its evolutionary diversification, this very diverse group has managed to cross the saline–freshwater boundary, one of the most important evolutionary barriers structuring microbial communities. However, the current understanding on the ecological significance of MCG in freshwater habitats is scarce and the evolutionary relationships between freshwater and saline MCG remains poorly known. Here, we carried out molecular phylogenies using publicly available 16S rRNA gene sequences from various geographic locations to investigate the distribution of MCG in freshwater and saline sediments and to evaluate the implications of saline–freshwater transitions during the diversification events. Our approach provided a robust ecological framework in which MCG archaea appeared as a core generalist group in the sediment realm. However, the analysis of the complex intragroup phylogeny of the 21 subgroups currently forming the MCG lineage revealed that distinct evolutionary MCG subgroups have arisen in marine and freshwater sediments suggesting the occurrence of adaptive evolution specific to each habitat. The ancestral state reconstruction analysis indicated that this segregation was mainly due to the occurrence of a few saline–freshwater transition events during the MCG diversification. In addition, a network analysis showed that both saline and freshwater MCG recurrently co-occur with archaea of the class Thermoplasmata in sediment ecosystems, suggesting a potentially relevant trophic connection between the two clades.
Erratum: The diversity and host interactions of Propionibacterium acnes bacteriophages on human skin
Authors: Liu Jared , Yan Riceley , Zhong Qiao , Ngo Sam , Bangayan Nathanael J , Nguyen Lin , Lui Timothy , Liu Minghsun , Erfe Marie C , Craft Noah , Tomida Shuta , Li Huiying
Published: August 2015

Correction to: The ISME Journal (2015) 9, 2092–2107; doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.47; published online 7 April 2015 Since the publication of this article, the authors have noticed errors in Figures 4a and 6, where one Propionibacterium acnes strain, HL103PA1, was mislabeled in Figure 4a, and the CRISPR spacers were shown incorrectly in Figure 6.
A spatially comprehensive, hydrometeorological data set for Mexico, the U.S., and Southern Canada 1950–2013
Authors: Livneh Ben , Bohn Theodore J. , Pierce David W. , Munoz-Arriola Francisco , Nijssen Bart , Vose Russell , Cayan Daniel R. , Brekke Levi
Published: August 2015

A data set of observed daily precipitation, maximum and minimum temperature, gridded to a 1/16° (~6 km) resolution, is described that spans the entire country of Mexico, the conterminous U.S. (CONUS), and regions of Canada south of 53° N for the period 1950–2013. The dataset improves previous products in spatial extent, orographic precipitation adjustment over Mexico and parts of Canada, and reduction of transboundary discontinuities. The impacts of adjusting gridded precipitation for orographic effects are quantified by scaling precipitation to an elevation-aware 1981–2010 precipitation climatology in Mexico and Canada. Differences are evaluated in terms of total precipitation as well as by hydrologic quantities simulated with a land surface model. Overall, orographic correction impacts total precipitation by up to 50% in mountainous regions outside CONUS. Hydrologic fluxes show sensitivities of similar magnitude, with discharge more sensitive than evapotranspiration and soil moisture. Because of the consistent gridding methodology, the current product reduces transboundary discontinuities as compared with a commonly used reanalysis product, making it suitable for estimating large-scale hydrometeorologic phenomena.
A scenario for magnonic spin-wave traps
Authors: Busse Frederik , Mansurova Maria , Lenk Benjamin , von der Ehe Marvin , Münzenberg Markus
Published: August 2015

Spatially resolved measurements of the magnetization dynamics on a thin CoFeB film induced by an intense laser pump-pulse reveal that the frequencies of resulting spin-wave modes depend strongly on the distance to the pump center. This can be attributed to a laser generated temperature profile. We determine a shift of 0.5 GHz in the spin-wave frequency due to the spatial thermal profile induced by the femtosecond pump pulse that persists for up to one nanosecond. Similar experiments are presented for a magnonic crystal composed of a CoFeB-film based antidot lattice with a Damon Eshbach mode at the Brillouin zone boundary and its consequences are discussed.
Junction formation and current transport mechanisms in hybrid n-Si/PEDOT:PSS solar cells
Authors: Jäckle Sara , Mattiza Matthias , Liebhaber Martin , Brönstrup Gerald , Rommel Mathias , Lips Klaus , Christiansen Silke
Published: August 2015

We investigated hybrid inorganic-organic solar cells combining monocrystalline n-type silicon (n-Si) and a highly conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The build-in potential, photo- and dark saturation current at this hybrid interface are monitored for varying n-Si doping concentrations. We corroborate that a high build-in potential forms at the hybrid junction leading to strong inversion of the n-Si surface. By extracting work function and valence band edge of the polymer from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, a band diagram of the hybrid n-Si/PEDOT:PSS heterojunction is presented. The current-voltage characteristics were analyzed using Schottky and abrupt pn-junction models. The magnitude as well as the dependence of dark saturation current on n-Si doping concentration proves that the transport is governed by diffusion of minority charge carriers in the n-Si and not by thermionic emission of majorities over a Schottky barrier. This leads to a comprehensive explanation of the high observed open-circuit voltages of up to 634 mV connected to high conversion efficiency of almost 14%, even for simple planar device structures without antireflection coating or optimized contacts. The presented work clearly shows that PEDOT:PSS forms a hybrid heterojunction with n-Si behaving similar to a conventional pn-junction and not, like commonly assumed, a Schottky junction.
Experimental realization of spatially separated entanglement with continuous variables using laser pulse trains
Authors: Zhang Yun , Okubo Ryuhi , Hirano Mayumi , Eto Yujiro , Hirano Takuya
Published: August 2015

Spatially separated entanglement is demonstrated by interfering two high-repetition squeezed pulse trains. The entanglement correlation of the quadrature amplitudes between individual pulses is interrogated. It is characterized in terms of the sufficient inseparability criterion with an optimum result of "Equation missing" in the frequency domain and "Equation missing" in the time domain. The quantum correlation is also observed when the two measurement stations are separated by a physical distance of 4.5 m, which is sufficiently large to demonstrate the space-like separation, after accounting for the measurement time.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Regulation of Rhizome Formation in Temperate and Tropical Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)
Authors: Yang Mei , Zhu Lingping , Pan Cheng , Xu Liming , Liu Yanling , Ke Weidong , Yang Pingfang
Published: August 2015

Rhizome is the storage organ of lotus derived from modified stems. The development of rhizome is a complex process and depends on the balanced expression of the genes that is controlled by environmental and endogenous factors. However, little is known about the mechanism that regulates rhizome girth enlargement. In this study, using RNA-seq, transcriptomic analyses were performed at three rhizome developmental stages—the stolon, middle swelling and later swelling stage —in the cultivars ‘ZO’ (temperate lotus with enlarged rhizome) and ‘RL’ (tropical lotus with stolon). About 348 million high-quality reads were generated and 88.5% of the data were mapped to the reference genome. Of 26783 genes identified, 24069 genes were previously predicted in the reference and 2714 genes were novel transcripts. Moreover, 8821 genes were differentially expressed between the cultivars at the three stages. Functional analysis identified that these genes were significantly enriched in pathways carbohydrate metabolism and plant hormone signal transduction. Twenty-two genes involved in photoperiod pathway, starch metabolism and hormone signal transduction were candidate genes inducing rhizome girth enlargement. Comparative transcriptomic analysis detected several differentially expressed genes and potential candidate genes required for rhizome girth enlargement, which lay a foundation for future studies on molecular mechanisms underlying rhizome formation.
Thermal-induced force release in oxyhemoglobin
Authors: Gevorkian S. G. , Allahverdyan A. E. , Gevorgyan D. S. , Hu Chin-Kun
Published: August 2015

Oxygen is released to living tissues via conformational changes of hemoglobin from R-state (oxyhemoglobin) to T-state (desoxyhemoglobin). The detailed mechanism of this process is not yet fully understood. We have carried out micromechanical experiments on oxyhemoglobin crystals to determine the behavior of the Young’s modulus and the internal friction for temperatures between 20 °C and 70 °C. We have found that around 49 °C oxyhemoglobin crystal samples undergo a sudden and strong increase of their Young’s modulus, accompanied by a sudden decrease of the internal friction. This sudden mechanical change (and the ensuing force release) takes place in a partially unfolded state and precedes the full denaturation transition at higher temperatures. After this transformation, the hemoglobin crystals have the same mechanical properties as their initial state at room temperatures. We conjecture that it can be relevant for explaining the oxygen-releasing function of native oxyhemoglobin when the temperature is increased, e.g. due to active sport. The effect is specific for the quaternary structure of hemoglobin and is absent for myoglobin with only one peptide sequence.
Label-free quantitative phosphoproteomics with novel pairwise abundance normalization reveals synergistic RAS and CIP2A signaling
Authors: Kauko Otto , Laajala Teemu Daniel , Jumppanen Mikael , Hintsanen Petteri , Suni Veronika , Haapaniemi Pekka , Corthals Garry , Aittokallio Tero , Westermarck Jukka , Imanishi Susumu Y.
Published: August 2015

Hyperactivated RAS drives progression of many human malignancies. However, oncogenic activity of RAS is dependent on simultaneous inactivation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) activity. Although PP2A is known to regulate some of the RAS effector pathways, it has not been systematically assessed how these proteins functionally interact. Here we have analyzed phosphoproteomes regulated by either RAS or PP2A, by phosphopeptide enrichment followed by mass-spectrometry-based label-free quantification. To allow data normalization in situations where depletion of RAS or PP2A inhibitor CIP2A causes a large uni-directional change in the phosphopeptide abundance, we developed a novel normalization strategy, named pairwise normalization. This normalization is based on adjusting phosphopeptide abundances measured before and after the enrichment. The superior performance of the pairwise normalization was verified by various independent methods. Additionally, we demonstrate how the selected normalization method influences the downstream analyses and interpretation of pathway activities. Consequently, bioinformatics analysis of RAS and CIP2A regulated phosphoproteomes revealed a significant overlap in their functional pathways. This is most likely biologically meaningful as we observed a synergistic survival effect between CIP2A and RAS expression as well as KRAS activating mutations in TCGA pan-cancer data set and synergistic relationship between CIP2A and KRAS depletion in colony growth assays.
Development of PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway in Tumor Immune Microenvironment and Treatment for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: He Jiabei , Hu Ying , Hu Mingming , Li Baolan
Published: August 2015

Lung cancer is currently the leading cause of cancer-related death in worldwide, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. Surgery, platinum-based chemotherapy, molecular targeted agents and radiotherapy are the main treatment of NSCLC. With the strategies of treatment constantly improving, the prognosis of NSCLC patients is not as good as before, new sort of treatments are needed to be exploited. Programmed death 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1 play a key role in tumor immune escape and the formation of tumor microenvironment, closely related with tumor generation and development. Blockading the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway could reverse the tumor microenvironment and enhance the endogenous antitumor immune responses. Utilizing the PD-1 and/or PD-L1 inhibitors has shown benefits in clinical trials of NSCLC. In this review, we discuss the basic principle of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway and its role in the tumorigenesis and development of NSCLC. The clinical development of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway inhibitors and the main problems in the present studies and the research direction in the future will also be discussed.
Photodynamic activation as a molecular switch to promote osteoblast cell differentiation via AP-1 activation
Authors: Kushibiki Toshihiro , Tu Yupeng , Abu-Yousif Adnan O. , Hasan Tayyaba
Published: August 2015

In photodynamic therapy (PDT), cells are impregnated with a photosensitizing agent that is activated by light irradiation, thereby photochemically generating reactive oxygen species (ROS). The amounts of ROS produced depends on the PDT dose and the nature of the photosensitizer. Although high levels of ROS are cytotoxic, at physiological levels they play a key role as second messengers in cellular signaling pathways, pluripotency and differentiation of stem cells. To investigate further the use of photochemically triggered manipulation of such pathways, we exposed mouse osteoblast precursor cells and rat primary mesenchymal stromal cells to low-dose PDT. Our results demonstrate that low-dose PDT can promote osteoblast differentiation via the activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1). Although PDT has been used primarily as an anti-cancer therapy, the use of light as a photochemical “molecular switch” to promote differentiation should expand the utility of this method in basic research and clinical applications.