bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mammalian Frugivores With Different Foraging Behavior Can Show Similar Seed Dispersal Effectiveness
Authors: McConkey Kim R. , Brockelman Warren Y. , Saralamba Chanpen
Published: October 2014

Frugivores with disparate foraging behavior are considered to vary in their seed dispersal effectiveness (SDE). Measured SDEs for gibbons and macaques for a ‘primate‐fruit’ were comparable despite the different foraging and movement behavior of the primates. This could help facilitate fruit trait convergence in diverse fruit–frugivore networks.
Differences in Anti‐Herbivore Defenses in Non‐Myrmecophyte and MyrmecophyteCecropiaTrees
Authors: Latteman Tara A. , Mead Jennifer E. , DuVall Molly A. , Bunting Craig C. , Bevington John M.
Published: October 2014

Little is known about antiherbivore defenses in non‐myrmecophyteCecropiatrees. We compare two non‐myrmecophyteCecropia—Cecropia sciadophyllaandCecropia tacuna—withCecropia membranacea, a myrmecophyte. High levels of chemical defenses in young leaves and physical toughness of mature leaves compensate for the absence of mutualistic ants inC. sciadophylla. SomeC. tacunatrees produce trichilia and Müllerian bodies suggesting it has lost a mutualism with ants.
Primary effusion lymphoma presenting as a cutaneous intravascular lymphoma
Authors: Crane Genevieve M. , Xian Rena R. , Burns Kathleen H. , Borowitz Michael J. , Duffield Amy S. , Taube Janis M.
Published: October 2014

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and aggressive lymphoma that arises in the context of immunosuppression and is characterized by co‐infection with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus‐8/Kaposi sarcoma‐associated herpesvirus (HHV‐8/KSHV). It was originally described as arising in body cavity effusions, but presentation as a mass lesion (extracavitary PEL) is now recognized. Here, we describe a case of PEL with an initial presentation as an intravascular lymphoma with associated skin lesions. The patient was a 53‐year‐old man with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) who presented with fevers, weight loss and skin lesions concerning for Kaposi sarcoma (KS). A skin biopsy revealed no evidence of KS; however, dermal vessels contained large atypical cells that expressed CD31 and plasma cell markers but lacked most B‐ and T‐cell antigens. The atypical cells expressed EBV and HHV‐8. The patient subsequently developed a malignant pleural effusion containing the same neoplastic cell population. The findings in this case highlight the potential for unusual intravascular presentations of PEL in the skin as well as the importance of pursuing microscopic diagnosis of skin lesions in immunosuppressed patients.
The prevalence and correlates of secondary traumatic stress among alcohol and other drug workers in Australia
Authors: Ewer Philippa L. , Teesson Maree , Sannibale Claudia , Roche Ann , Mills Katherine L.
Published: October 2014

Introduction and Aims

The high prevalence of trauma exposure and post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among clients of alcohol and other drug (AOD) services is well documented. Less is known, however, about the impact this has on workers who assess and treat such clients. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and correlates of secondary traumatic stress (STS) among AOD workers in Australia.

Design and Methods

An anonymous web‐based survey was undertaken and completed by 412 Australian AOD workers. The questionnaire assessed current levels of trauma training, extent of exposure to clients with a history of trauma history, AOD workers' own history of trauma exposure and PTSD, and current STS. Analyses compared individuals who currently met criteria for experiencing STS with those who did not.

Results

Despite the high volume of traumatised clients accessing AOD services, less than two‐thirds of AOD workers reported having ever received trauma training. The prevalence rate of STS was 19.9% and was independently predicted by a higher traumatised client workload, fewer hours of clinical supervision, and stress and anxiety levels of the worker.

Discussion and Conclusions

The findings highlight the importance of providing adequate trauma training and clinical supervision to AOD workers in order to maintain their health and welfare and ensure optimal treatment to clients with PTSD. [Ewer PL, Teesson M, Sannibale C, Roche A, Mills KL. The prevalence and correlates of secondary traumatic stress among alcohol and other drug workers in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev 2014]
Political Economy of Trade Openness and Government Size
Authors: Arawatari Ryo
Published: October 2014

This paper proposes a theoretical model that may provide useful insights into the relationship between trade openness and the size of government, as well as a possible explanation for the results of empirical tests of such a relationship. We develop a Hecksher–Ohlin model with publicly provided goods, where the level of publicly provided goods is determined in a probabilistic voting framework. In this context, we show that the start of trade may increase or decrease government size depending on the capital‐labor ratio in each country.
Heat‐induced expression of the immediate‐early gene IER5 and its involvement in the proliferation of heat‐shocked cells
Authors: Ishikawa Yukio , Sakurai Hiroshi
Published: October 2014

The serum‐inducible and growth factor‐inducible gene IER5 encodes a protein that acts as a regulator of cell proliferation. Expression of IER5 is also induced by treatment of cells with ionizing radiation and anticancer agents. In this study, we demonstrate the expression and function of IER5 in heat‐shocked cells. Heat treatment causes robust expression of IER5 in a heat shock factor (HSF)1‐dependent manner. HSF1 is the master transcriptional regulator of chaperone genes, and the IER5 promoter contains the binding sequence for HSF1 and is bound by heat‐activated HSF1. Proteotoxic stressors, such as celastrol and MG132, are known to activate HSF1, and are potent inducers of HSF1 binding and IER5 expression. Overexpression of IER5 leads to upregulation of chaperone gene expression and to an increase in refolding of heat‐denatured proteins. Cells expressing IER5 efficiently recover viability after heat challenge. These observations suggest that HSF1‐mediated IER5 expression is involved in the expression of chaperone genes and in recovery from thermal stress.
Genetic structure of brown trout,Salmo trutta, populations from differently sized tributaries of Lake Mjøsa in south‐east Norway
Authors: Linløkken A. N. , Johansen W. , Wilson R.
Published: October 2014

This study was based on genotyping eight microsatellite loci of 463 brown trout,Salmo truttaL., sampled in nine differently sized tributaries in three areas on the eastern shore of Lake Mjøsa, south‐eastern Norway. The populations were genetically structured, and Mantel's test showed that genetic distance correlated positively with geographical distance. Temporal differentiationFSTover a 2‐year period was estimated in five streams and was non‐significant after Bonferroni correction. Effective population sizeNewas positively correlated with the habitat length available from the lake (0.3–22 km) and negatively with the number of full sib pairs in the sample. There was no correlation betweenNeand genetic diversity, and private alleles were recorded in three medium‐sized streams, but not in the largest two. The importance of small spawning and nursery streams for the maintenance of genetic diversity of brown trout was demonstrated.
Does patient education increase antimuscarinic treatment persistence in overactive bladder syndrome?
Authors: Yildiz Tulin , Yazici Cenk M , Dogan Cagri , Cetintas Muzeyyen , Malak Arzu
Published: October 2014

Overactive bladder syndrome (OAB) is a chronic condition that requires long‐term management. Patient education may have role in decreasing the unfavourable effects of long‐term treatment of OAB. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of detailed patient education on the patients' persistence with antimuscarinic treatment for OAB. A total of 140 patients with the diagnosis of OAB were included in this study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in Group 1 were given information by the same urology doctor about the disease and treatment. Patients in Group 2 were given information by a urology nurse. Patients were recalled in the first, third and sixth months of treatment. The treatment persistency was evaluated in the whole study population and between the groups. The persistency rates of the whole group were 88·6% in the first month, 65·7% in the third month and 45·7% in the sixth month. At the end of the sixth month, 42·8% of males and 47·1% of females were taking antimuscarinics (p = 0·580). The persistence rate of Groups 1 and 2 were 82·8 and 94·3% at the first month. (p = 0·034). It decreased to 31·4% in the first and 60% in the second group at the sixth month (p = 0·001). The persistence rate of antimuscarinic treatment is low. Patient education is simple and effective way of increasing persistence. Clinicians must pay attention to inform their patients about the disease and possible side effects of treatment. An educated health provider may be very helpful in educating patients for OAB.
ICTs and labour productivity growth in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: WAMBOYE Evelyn , ADEKOLA Abel , SERGI Bruno
Published: October 2014

This article investigates the effect of various information and communication technologies (ICTs) on labour productivity growth, using a sample of 43 sub‐Saharan African countries. The authors’ findings show significant increasing returns for labour productivity growth from fixed‐telephone and mobile‐cellular penetration, confirming the presence of network effects. Specifically, doubling the current proliferation rate of fixed and mobile‐cellular telephones increases labour productivity growth by approximately 0. 12–0.15 per cent, and 0.05 per cent, respectively. Furthermore, the results point to financial inclusion as one of the possible channels through which mobile‐cellular subscriptions affect labour productivity growth in sub‐Saharan Africa.
Progress and New Directions in Calorimetry: A 2014 Perspective
Authors: Navrotsky Alexandra
Published: October 2014

To assess progress in high‐temperature calorimetry over the past eighteen years, this feature article discusses both technical developments and new areas of application, with primary emphasis on high‐temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry. The Calvet calorimeter for such measurements is now commercially available, and an extensive table of enthalpies of drop solution (sample at room temperature dropped into molten oxide solvent in calorimeter and dissolved) is provided for the user community. New developments in methodology are described and applications to nanomaterials, to nitrides and other monoxide materials, and to lanthanides and actinides are given.
Agri‐Food Export Competitiveness in European Union Countries
Authors: Bojnec Štefan , Fertő Imre
Published: October 2014

This article investigates the competitiveness of agri‐food exports of the European Union (EU‐27) countries on global markets, using the revealed comparative advantage (B) index over the years 2000–11. Panel unit root tests, mobility index and the Kaplan‐Meier survival rates of the B index are used. The majority of agri‐food products in the EU‐27 countries show a comparative disadvantage on global markets. The B indices of the EU‐27 countries tend to convergence. Most of the old EU‐15 Member States experienced a greater number of agri‐food products having a longer duration of revealed comparative advantages than have most of the new EU‐12 Member States. Among the most successful Member States in agri‐food export competitiveness on global markets are the Netherlands, France and Spain.
Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program: An Intervention for At‐Risk, Incapacitated, Unbefriended Adults
Authors: Bandy Robin , Sachs Greg A. , Montz Kianna , Inger Lev , Bandy Robert W. , Torke Alexia M.
Published: October 2014

Unbefriended, incapacitated individuals who lack surrogates to make medical decisions present a complex problem to the healthcare providers who treat them. Adults without surrogates are among the most vulnerable in the community and are often alone and estranged from family, neglected and abused, and at risk of receiving inappropriate medical treatment. This article describes the program model and outcomes for the first 2 years of the Wishard Volunteer Advocates Program (WVAP), a guardianship program using trained, supervised volunteers as surrogates for unbefriended, incapacitated individuals. Of the 50 individuals enrolled during the study period, 20 were female, and 39 were Caucasian and 11 African American. Their average age was 67. Nineteen were insured with Medicare as primary and Medicaid as supplementary insurance. Ninety‐eight percent had four or more comorbid conditions at the time of the index hospitalization. Before program referral, many lived alone in unsafe conditions. Adult Protective Services was involved in almost half of the cases at the time of the index hospitalization. Approximately half of the participants required some type of property management. Healthcare usage data demonstrated that most were not receiving medical care before WVAP enrollment; the data indicated a decrease in emergency department visits and hospitalization after WVAP enrollment. The WVAP completed Medicaid applications for 12 participants, resulting in $297,481.62 in reimbursement for the index hospitalization and a payer source for subsequent hospitalization and long‐term care. The volunteer advocate model provides an efficient and quality mechanism for providing unbefriended individuals with surrogates.
Medical Family Therapists in Action: Embracing Multiple Roles
Authors: Falke Stephanie I. , D'Arrigo‐Patrick Elizabeth
Published: October 2014

Medical family therapy (MedFT) is a growing area of interest within the field of marriage and family therapy. Its practice necessitates a shift from conventional family therapy practices to include diverse ways of providing care. Literature highlights approaches for patients with specific illnesses and for particular healthcare contexts. Less is understood about frameworks for treating patients with different illnesses across settings. Contributing to the growing discourse surrounding MedFT, we present a role‐based practice framework that identifies six consistent roles, Therapist, Brief Interventionist, Health Coach, Patient Advocate, Consultant to Health Professionals, and Trainer specific tasks associated with each. We describe the skills needed to perform each role and describe how we move fluidly between roles to provide comprehensive care.
From Gratitude to Lamentation: On the Moral and Psychological Economy of Gift, Gain and Loss
Authors: Carr David
Published: October 2014

The passing of Nelson Mandela and other figures of (diverse) contemporary importance may prompt the interesting question of how we might or should understand the psychological, social and moral function of lamentation in human life. This paper aims to show that such responses are not just of emotional and interpersonal significance, but also of serious moral import. To this end, the paper proceeds via exploration of conceptually and morally suggestive correspondences or resonances between the logical grammar of lamentation—which, to be sure, has received almost no latter day analytical attention—and that of gratitude or thankfulness in which there has been an enormous explosion of academic interest in recent years. The paper argues that there is no less case for a moral virtue of lamentation, than for a virtue of gratitude.
Parasite load and MHC diversity in undisturbed and agriculturally modified habitats of the ornate dragon lizard
Authors: Radwan Jacek , Kuduk Katarzyna , Levy Esther , LeBas Natasha , Babik Wiesław
Published: October 2014

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene polymorphism is thought to be driven by host–parasite co‐evolution, but the evidence for an association between the selective pressure from parasites and the number of MHC alleles segregating in a population is scarce and inconsistent. Here, we characterized MHC class I polymorphism in a lizard whose habitat preferences (rock outcrops) lead to the formation of well‐defined and stable populations. We investigated the association between the load of ticks, which were used as a proxy for the load of pathogens they transmit, and MHC class I polymorphism across populations in two types of habitat: undisturbed reserves and agricultural land. We hypothesized that the association would be positive across undisturbed reserve populations, but across fragmented agricultural land populations, the relationship would be distorted by the loss of MHC variation due to drift. After controlling for habitat, MHC diversity was not associated with tick number, and the habitats did not differ in this respect. Neither did we detect a difference between habitats in the relationship between MHC and neutral diversity, which was positive across all populations. However, there was extensive variation in the number of MHC alleles per individual, and we found that tick number was positively associated with the average number of alleles carried by lizards across reserve populations, but not across populations from disturbed agricultural land. Our results thus indicate that local differences in selection from parasites may contribute to MHC copy number variation within species, but habitat degradation can distort this relationship.
The oldest higher true crabs (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura): insights from the Early Cretaceous of the Americas
Authors: Luque Javier
Published: October 2014

Despite the extensive fossil record of higher crabs (Eubrachyura) from Late Cretaceous and Cenozoic rocks worldwide, their Early Cretaceous occurrences are scarce and fragmentary, obscuring our understanding of their early evolution. Until now, representatives of only two families of eubrachyuran‐like crabs were known from the Early Cretaceous: Componocancridae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov., both monospecific lineages from the Albian (~110–100 Ma) of North and Central America, respectively. The discovery of Telamonocarcinus antiquus sp. nov. (Telamonocarcinidae) from the early Albian of Colombia, South America (~110 Ma), increases to three the number of known Early Cretaceous eubrachyuran‐like families. The ages and geographical distributions of the oldest eubrachyuran‐like taxa (i.e. Componocancridae, Telamonocarcinidae and Tepexicarcinidae fam. nov.) suggest that the oldest higher true crabs might have originated in the Americas; that they were already morphologically diverse by the late Early Cretaceous; and that their most recent common ancestor must be rooted in the Early Cretaceous, or even the Late Jurassic.
Intraspecific variation in susceptibility to dothistroma needle blight within native Scottish Pinus sylvestris
Authors: Fraser S. , Brown A. V. , Woodward S.
Published: October 2014

Dothistroma needle blight (DNB), caused by Dothistroma septosporum, is the most important disease currently affecting pine plantations in Britain. Intraspecific variation in susceptibility to DNB has been observed in several pine species, but it is not clear if similar variation occurs in Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine), Britain's only native pine. In three separate experiments 2‐ and 3‐year‐old Scots pine saplings from six native Scottish populations were artificially inoculated with D. septosporum conidial suspensions and incubated under conditions optimal for disease development. Conidial suspensions were produced using a single isolate from northeast Scotland. In one experiment, plants were also treated with various spore suspension concentrations to assess the impact of inoculum load on disease severity. There were no significant interactions between host population, plant height, and experiment/inoculum load (anova, P > 0·05), but population, height and inoculum load all significantly affected disease severity (anova, P < 0·05). Among the 2‐year‐old trees, those from Amat were less susceptible than those from Glen Loyne and Glen Cannich (anova, P < 0·05). Among the 3‐year‐old trees, those from Beinn Eighe were less susceptible than those from Abernethy. Plant height and DNB susceptibility had a slightly negative relationship. The use of a spore suspension with a concentration of 1·6 × 106 spores mL−1 was optimum for disease development. In an in vitro experiment, production of conidia was greater when cultures were incubated in darkness. This paper is the first to report intraspecific variation in DNB susceptibility within Scots pine.
Pitfalls of National Routine Death Statistics for Maternal Mortality Study
Authors: Saucedo Monica , Bouvier‐Colle Marie‐Hélène , Chantry Anne A. , Lamarche‐Vadel Agathe , Rey Grégoire , Deneux‐Tharaux Catherine
Published: October 2014

Background

The lessons learned from the study of maternal deaths depend on the accuracy of data. Our objective was to assess time trends in the underestimation of maternal mortality (MM) in the national routine death statistics in France and to evaluate their current accuracy for the selection and causes of maternal deaths.

Methods

National data obtained by enhanced methods in 1989, 1999, and 2007–09 were used as the gold standard to assess time trends in the underestimation of MM ratios (MMRs) in death statistics. Enhanced data and death statistics for 2007–09 were further compared by characterising false negatives (FNs) and false positives (FPs). The distribution of cause‐specific MMRs, as assessed by each system, was described.

Results

Underestimation of MM in death statistics decreased from 55.6% in 1989 to 11.4% in 2007–09 (P < 0.001). In 2007–09, of 787 pregnancy‐associated deaths, 254 were classified as maternal by the enhanced system and 211 by the death statistics; 34% of maternal deaths in the enhanced system were FNs in the death statistics, and 20% of maternal deaths in the death statistics were FPs. The hierarchy of causes of MM differed between the two systems. The discordances were mainly explained by the lack of precision in the drafting of death certificates by clinicians.

Conclusion

Although the underestimation of MM in routine death statistics has decreased substantially over time, one third of maternal deaths remain unidentified, and the main causes of death are incorrectly identified in these data. Defining relevant priorities in maternal health requires the use of enhanced methods for MM study.
Intangible Investment and Market Valuation
Authors: Piekkola Hannu
Published: October 2014

This study derives performance‐ and expenditure‐based estimates of intangible capital and measures the extent to which intangible capital is captured by the equity market measures of firm value. Intangible capital is evaluated using occupational information available in the Finnish linked employer–employee data for the 1997–2011 period. The performance‐based organizational investment in value added is approximately 3 percent; R&D and ICT investment shares are lower, at 1.5 percent, and all are clustered in intangible‐intensive sectors that represent 40 percent of the private sector. Expenditure‐based organizational capital also exists in clusters other than that intensively investing in managerial and marketing effort, and performance‐based R&D capital is concentrated in the cluster with intensive R&D activity; both increase the market value of firms beyond the level that can be explained by standard economic analysis.
Knowing into oblivion: Clearing wastelands and imagining emptiness in Vietnamese New Urban Zones
Authors: Harms Erik
Published: October 2014

Lands cleared for Vietnamese New Urban Zones are commonly described as ‘wastelands’ (đất hoang) in need of development. But clearing these lands in Vietnam's densely populated urban areas requires evicting large numbers of urban residents. How is it possible to render populated spaces as empty wastelands? This paper juxtaposes new ethnographic research in Ho Chi Minh City against historical scholarship on Vietnamese concepts of ‘clearing the wasteland’ and colonial civilizing projects of mise en valeur. In doing so, the article describes these concepts as parallel legitimizing strategies that effectively enable developers and planners to render previously occupied and utilized lands as empty, uninhabited wastelands. The article shows that the same narrative structure used in these earlier contexts is used to justify current urban development projects.
The scramble for the Waste Lands: Tracking colonial legacies, counterinsurgency and international investment through the lens of land laws in Burma/Myanmar
Authors: Ferguson Jane M.
Published: October 2014

This article traces the revenue category and legal concept of the Waste Land in Burma/Myanmar from its original application by the British colonial apparatus in the nineteenth century, to its later use in tandem with Burma Army counterinsurgent tactics starting in the 1960s, and finally to the 2012 land laws and current issues in international investment. This adaptation of colonial ideas about territorialization in the context of an ongoing civil war offers a new angle for understanding the relationship between military tactics and the political economy of conflict and counterinsurgent strategies which crucially depended on giving local militias—both government and nongovernment—high degrees of autonomy. The recent government changes, including the more civilian representation in parliament and its shift to engage with Western economies, raise questions regarding the future of the military, as well as local autonomy and the rural peasantry's access to land. As increasing numbers of international investors are poised to enter the Myanmar market, this article will revisit notions of land use and appropriation, and finally the role of the army and its changing relationship with Waste Lands.
Intravenous immunoglobulin–associated thrombosis: is it such a rare event? Report of a pediatric case and of the Quebec Hemovigilance System
Authors: Benadiba Joy , Robitaille Nancy , Lambert Gilles , Itaj Nawej Karl , Pastore Yves
Published: October 2014

Background

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is frequently given in autoimmune disorders. Side effects are usually mild but severe complications such as thrombosis may occur. After one patient with IVIG‐associated thrombotic complication at Sainte‐Justine Hospital, the incidence of serious adverse events (SAEs) reported to the Quebec Hemovigilance System (QHS) was reviewed.

Study Design and Methods

This study was a retrospective review of QHS database of IVIG‐related thrombotic complications since 2003, including a case report of a pediatric patient.

Results

QHS is one of the rare national hemovigilance systems that have included IVIG reports for almost a decade. Over an extended period of 11 years (2003‐2013), there have been eight cases of IVIG‐related thrombosis, seven in adults and one in the pediatric population (respective rate of 0.06 case and 0.17 case per 100,000 g of IVIG given). The single pediatric case occurred in a 16‐year‐old female receiving IVIG for severe immune thrombocytopenia.

Conclusion

Thrombosis after IVIG is a rare though SAE occurring mostly in adults. This underlines the importance of properly reporting IVIG SAEs to improve hemovigilance data and study such rare events.
In silico identification and three‐dimensional modelling of the missense mutation in ADAMTS2 in a sheep flock with dermatosparaxis
Authors: Monteagudo Luis V. , Ferrer Luis M. , Catalan‐Insa Elena , Savva Demetris , McGuffin Liam J. , Tejedor Maria T.
Published: October 2014

Background

Dermatosparaxis (Ehlers–Danlos syndrome in humans) is characterized by extreme fragility of the skin. It is due to the lack of mature collagen caused by a failure in the enzymatic processing of procollagen I. We investigated the condition in a commercial sheep flock.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Mutations in the ADAM metallopeptidase with thrombospondin type 1 motif, 2 (ADAMTS2) locus, are involved in the development of dermatosparaxis in humans, cattle and the dorper sheep breed; consequently, this locus was investigated in the flock.

Animals

A single affected lamb, its dam, the dam of a second affected lamb and the rams in the flock were studied.

Methods

DNA was purified from blood, PCR primers were used to detect parts of the ADAMS2 gene and nucleotide sequencing was performed using Sanger's procedure. Skin samples were examined using standard histology procedures.

Results

A missense mutation was identified in the catalytic domain of ADAMTS2. The mutation is predicted to cause the substitution in the mature ADAMTS2 of a valine molecule by a methionine molecule (V15M) affecting the catalytic domain of the enzyme. Both the ‘sorting intolerant from tolerant’ (SIFT) and the PolyPhen‐2 methodologies predicted a damaging effect for the mutation. Three‐dimensional modelling suggested that this mutation may alter the stability of the protein folding or distort the structure, causing the protein to malfunction.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Detection of the mutation responsible for the pathology allowed us to remove the heterozygote ram, thus preventing additional cases in the flock.
Dorsal black skin necrosis in a Vietnamese pot‐bellied pig
Authors: Frank Linda A. , McCormick Karen A. , Donnell Robert L. , Kania Stephen A.
Published: October 2014

Background

Thermal burns are an uncommon cause of injury in large animals.

Case report

A 10‐month‐old pet female black and white Vietnamese pot‐bellied pig presented to the emergency service with fever and erythematous to purpuric skin lesions affecting the intermandibular space and hocks. One week prior to the emergency visit, she had appeared restless and in pain. Two weeks following the emergency visit, she again presented to the large animal clinic with sloughing of the pigmented skin on her head, face, dorsal and lateral trunk sparing the nonpigmented skin and pigmented ears. The affected skin constituted ~40% of her total skin. Histopathological findings for affected skin included full‐thickness epidermal and partial to full‐thickness dermal coagulative necrosis with follicular epithelial mineralization, while that from normal‐appearing pigmented skin was within normal limits. A culture from a skin biopsy yielded meticillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (ST‐72). Treatments included oral antibiotics, pain management, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and general anaesthesia to facilitate debridement. Healthy skin was often present when the necrotic skin was debrided, although in some areas the necrosis extended into the underlying fat. Complications that occurred during rehabilitation included intense pruritus that resulted in self‐trauma and the formation of a nasal fistula, which was later surgically corrected.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Cases of dorsal thermal necrosis in pot‐bellied pigs are uncommon in the literature. Based on the clinical presentation and lack of another identifying cause, the lesions were attributed to a sun‐induced thermal burn.
Nanostructure transfer using cyclic olefin copolymer templates fabricated by thermal nanoimprint lithography
Authors: Khan Arshad , Li Shijie , Tang Xin , Li Wen-Di
Published: October 2014

The authors demonstrate the application of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) films as secondary nanoimprint templates for transferring sub-100 nm nanostructures. Featureless COC films were first patterned by a thermal nanoimprint process using silicon molds with gratings of various periods from 140 to 420 nm. Morphology of COC gratings imprinted at different processing parameters was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy and the grating transfer fidelity was systematically investigated. The nanoimprinted COC substrates were then used as secondary templates in an ultraviolet (UV)-cured nanoimprint lithography process to transfer the grating patterns onto UV-curable epoxy. The authors also demonstrate the application of using these nanoimprinted COC templates to transfer metallic nanostructures onto fiber facets. With good mechanical strength, high transparency to UV light, easy fabrication, and excellent chemical compatibility, COC is a promising material that can be used in low-cost secondary templates for large-volume nanoimprint-based manufacturing of nanostructured devices.
Association of Muscle Strength, Power, and Optimal Shortening Velocity With Functional Abilities of Women With Chronic Osteoarthritis Participating in a Multi-modal Exercise Program
Authors: Kostka Joanna S. , Czernicki Jan W. , Kostka Tomasz J.
Published: October 2014

We assessed the relative association of quadriceps muscle strength and power as well as optimal shortening velocity (υopt) to physical functioning in 28 women aged 50–87 years with chronic osteoarthritis participating in a three-week multimodal exercise program. Quadriceps muscle strength, power, υopt, and functional performance using the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) scale, Timed Up & Go (TUG) test, Tinetti test, and 6-Minute Walking Test (6-MWT) were assessed pre- and postrehabilitation. With rehabilitation, patients improved the values of strength, power, and the results of all functional tests. Both at baseline and postrehabilitation, functional status was more strongly related to power and υopt than to strength. Functional gains obtained with rehabilitation were not related to changes in power or υopt, and only very modestly related to changes in strength. Future studies should assess the benefits and feasibility of power- and velocity-oriented training in patients with osteoarthritis.
Health and Physical Function Predicting Strength and Balance Training Adoption: A Community-Based Study Among Individuals Aged 75 and Older
Authors: Aartolahti Eeva , Hartikainen Sirpa , Lönnroos Eija , Häkkinen Arja
Published: October 2014

This study was conducted to determine the characteristics of health and physical function that are associated with not starting strength and balance training (SBT). The study population consisted of 339 community-dwelling individuals (75–98 years, 72% female). As part of a population-based intervention study they received comprehensive geriatric assessment, physical activity counseling, and had the opportunity to take part in SBT at the gym once a week. Compared with the SBT-adopters, the nonadopters (n = 157, 46%) were older and less physically active, had more comorbidities and lower cognitive abilities, more often had sedative load of drugs or were at the risk of malnutrition, had lower grip strength and more instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) difficulties, and displayed weaker performance in Berg Balance Scale and Timed Up and Go assessments. In multivariate models, higher age, impaired cognition, and lower grip strength were independently associated with nonadoption. In the future, more individually-tailored interventions are needed to overcome the factors that prevent exercise initiation.
Comparing the Effects of Peroneal Muscle Fatigue and Cyclic Loading on Ankle Neuromuscular Control During Lateral-Hop Landing
Authors: Malmir Kazem , Olyaei Gholam Reza , Talebian Saeed , Jamshidi Ali Ashraf
Published: October 2014

Context:

Cyclic movements and muscle fatigue may result in musculoskeletal injuries by inducing changes in neuromuscular control. Ankle frontal-plane neuromuscular control has rarely been studied in spite of its importance.

Objective:

To compare the effects of peroneal muscle fatigue and a cyclic passive-inversion (CPI) protocol on ankle neuromuscular control during a lateral hop.

Design:

Quasi-experimental, repeated measures.

Setting:

University laboratory.

Participants:

22 recreationally active, healthy men with no history of ankle sprain or giving way.

Interventions:

Participants performed a lateral hop before and after 2 interventions on a Biodex dynamometer. They were randomly assigned to intervention order and interventions were 1 wk apart. A passive intervention included 40 CPIs at 5°/s through 80% of maximum range of motion, and a fatigue intervention involved an isometric eversion at 40% of the maximal voluntary isometric contraction until the torque decreased to 50% of its initial value.

Main Outcome Measures:

Median frequency of the peroneus longus during the fatigue protocol, energy absorption by the viscoelastic tissues during the CPI protocol, and feedforward onset and reaction time of the peroneus longus during landing.

Results:

A significant fall in median frequency (P < .05) and a significant decrease in energy absorption (P < .05) confirmed fatigue and a change in viscoelastic behavior, respectively. There was a significant main effect of condition on feedforward onset and reaction time (P < .05). No significant main effect of intervention or intervention × condition interaction was noted (P > .05). There was a significant difference between pre- and postintervention measures (P < .0125), but no significant difference was found between postintervention measures (P > .0125).

Conclusions:

Both fatigue and the CPI may similarly impair ankle neuromuscular control. Thus, in prolonged sports competitions and exercises, the ankle may be injured due to either fatigue or changes in the biomechanical properties of the viscoelastic tissues.
Structural basis for microRNA targeting
Authors: Schirle Nicole T. , Sheu-Gruttadauria Jessica , MacRae Ian J.
Published: October 2014

Repressing the right (and not the wrong) mRNA

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression by targeting a repressor complex to specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Schirle
et al.
determined structures of a miRNA bound to both the central component of the repressor complex, the protein Argonaute-2 (Ago2), and a target mRNA (see the Perspective by Patel). The miRNA in the complex first recognizes a short region of complementary sequence in the mRNA. This initial interaction promotes structural changes that allow the complex to bind additional target sequences. The authors suggest that in the absence of extensive miRNA-mRNA pairing, the repressor complex active site is rendered inactive, preventing repression of nontarget mRNAs.

Science
, this issue p.
608
; see also p.
542
Influence of the support on surface rearrangements of bimetallic nanoparticles in real catalysts
Authors: Divins Núria J. , Angurell Inma , Escudero Carlos , Pérez-Dieste Virginia , Llorca Jordi
Published: October 2014

Supported nanoparticles make the reaction faster

Several techniques now allow surface structures used as catalysts to be probed during exposure to reactive gases, as opposed to under vacuum conditions. Divins
et al.
used near-ambient-pressure x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to compare the effect of reaction gases on unsupported palladium-rhodium nanoparticles versus ones on a reducible cerium oxide support. For the reaction of ethanol with steam to produce hydrogen, the supported nanoparticles were more reactive and less prone to reduction and surface rearrangement.

Science
, this issue p.
620
A large magmatic sill complex beneath the Toba caldera
Authors: Jaxybulatov K. , Shapiro N. M. , Koulakov I. , Mordret A. , Landès M. , Sens-Schönfelder C.
Published: October 2014

Imaging before an unimaginable eruption

Volcanic super-eruptions eject thousands of times the volume of the largest documented eruptions over human history. Several “supervolcanoes” capable of this type of unimaginable devastation dot the surface of Earth today. Jaxybulatov
et al.
use seismic background noise to estimate the size and maturity of one of the world's largest volcanic reservoirs, the Toba caldera in northern Sumatra. Magma storage under the caldera occurs slowly over time, in the form of horizontal layers of magma injected into the crust. These magmatic sills are documented to 20 kilometers below the surface, but more sills could exist even deeper. The characterization of magma storage in large volcanic systems may help us to prepare for future volcanic super-eruptions.

Science
, this issue p.
617
Planet at the crossroads
Authors: Marton-Lefèvre Julia
Published: October 2014

When we think of nature in 2014, chances are that protected areas come to mind: Amazonian rainforests teeming with wildlife, the sweeping plains of the Serengeti, or an Alpine lake surrounded by glaciers. But the world's protected areas are at a crossroads, and next month, when the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) convenes its once-in-a-decade World Parks Congress in Sydney, Australia, nations will discuss how to address the challenges in protecting ecosystems across the world for the benefit of humanity.
The coming salamander plague
Authors: Stokstad Erik
Published: October 2014

Already harming a European species, an Asian fungus could wreak havoc in North America.
Friends, not foes, boost warriors' success
Authors: Wade Lizzie
Published: October 2014

New analysis of Yanomamö data suggests that alliances among in-laws raise fighters' fitness.
Low oxygen stifled animals' emergence, study says
Authors: Gramling Carolyn
Published: October 2014

Rocks shed light on a billion years of stalled evolution.
Connectomics at the cutting edge: Challenges and opportunities in high-resolution brain mapping
Authors: Lichtman Jeffrey , Helmstaedter Moritz
Published: October 2014

Researchers in the field of connectomics endeavor to analyze the complex synaptic network formed by the billions of interconnected neurons. By thinly slicing neural tissue and imaging each section with a scanning electron microscope at high resolution, fine structural details can be visualized. Careful delineation of each neuron in the 3-D volume allows for the high-resolution mapping of all connections made by each cell, providing a detailed wiring diagram of the brain: the connectome. The sheer size and complexity of this scientific challenge is daunting. Tens of thousands of sections or more need to collected and hundreds of thousands of images recorded, resulting in many terabytes of data that require rapid processing, making connectomics a real “speed game.” Automated sample preparation robots and high throughput electron microscopes have now become available, bringing the promise of a larger (1 mm
³
), high-resolution connectome within reach. However, extracting neuronal circuit information from such large datasets is still a daunting task. This webinar will outline the challenges of connectomics, explain the latest methodological developments that are bringing imaging and data analysis closer to the desired throughput, and provide insights into how this research can provide a deeper understanding of brain function and dysfunction.
Fast and Sensitive Detection of Enteropathogenic Yersinia by Immunoassays
Authors: Laporte Jérôme , Savin Cyril , Lamourette Patricia , Devilliers Karine , Volland Hervé , Carniel Elisabeth , Créminon Christophe , Simon Stéphanie
Published: October 2014

Yersinia enterocolitica
and
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
, the two
Yersinia
species that are enteropathogenic for humans, are distributed worldwide and frequently cause diarrhea in inhabitants of temperate and cold countries.
Y. enterocolitica
is a major cause of foodborne disease resulting from consumption of contaminated pork meat and is further associated with substantial economic cost. However, investigation of enteropathogenic
Yersinia
species is infrequently performed routinely in clinical laboratories because of their specific growth characteristics, which make difficult their isolation from stool samples. Moreover, current isolation procedures are time-consuming and expensive, thus leading to underestimates of the incidence of enteric yersiniosis, inappropriate prescriptions of antibiotic treatments, and unnecessary appendectomies. The main objective of the study was to develop fast, sensitive, specific, and easy-to-use immunoassays, useful for both human and veterinary diagnosis. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed against
Y. enterocolitica
bioserotypes 2/O:9 and 4/O:3 and
Y. pseudotuberculosis
serotypes I and III were produced. Pairs of MAbs were selected by testing their specificity and affinity for enteropathogenic
Yersinia
and other commonly found enterobacteria. Pairs of MAbs were selected to develop highly sensitive enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) and lateral flow immunoassays (LFIs or dipsticks) convenient for the purpose of rapid diagnosis. The limit of detection of the EIAs ranged from 3.2 × 10
3
CFU/ml to 8.8 × 10
4
CFU/ml for pathogenic serotypes I and III of
Y. pseudotuberculosis
and pathogenic bioserotypes 2/O:9 and 4/O:3 of
Y. enterocolitica
and for the LFIs ranged from 10
5
CFU/ml to 10
6
CFU/ml. A similar limit of detection was observed for artificially contaminated human feces.
A Novel Factor I Activity in Nipah Virus Inhibits Human Complement Pathways through Cleavage of C3b
Authors: Johnson John B. , Borisevich Viktoriya , Rockx Barry , Parks Griffith D.
Published: October 2014

Complement is an innate immune system that most animal viruses must face during natural infections. Given that replication and dissemination of the highly pathogenic Nipah virus (NiV) include exposure to environments rich in complement factors, we tested thein vitrosensitivity of NiV to complement-mediated neutralization. Here we show that NiV was completely resistant toin vitroneutralization by normal human serum (NHS). Treatment of purified NiV with NHS activated complement pathways, but there was very little C3 deposition on virus particles. Inin vitroreconstitution experiments, NiV particles provided time- and dose-dependent factor I-like protease activity capable of cleaving C3b into inactive C3b (iC3b). NiV-dependent inactivation of C3b only occurred with the cofactors factor H and soluble CR1 but not with CD46. Purified NiV particles did not support C4b cleavage. Electron microscopy of purified NiV particles showed immunogold labeling with anti-factor I antibodies. Our results suggest a novel mechanism by which NiV evades the human complement system through a unique factor I-like activity.

IMPORTANCEViruses have evolved mechanisms to limit complement-mediated neutralization, some of which involve hijacking cellular proteins involved in control of inappropriate complement activation. Here we report a previously unknown mechanism whereby NiV provides a novel protease activity capable ofin vitrocleavage and inactivation of C3b, a key component of the complement cascade. These data help to explain how an enveloped virus such as NiV can infect and disseminate through body fluids that are rich in complement activity. Disruption of the ability of NiV to recruit complement inhibitors could form the basis for the development of effective therapies and safer vaccines to combat these highly pathogenic emerging viruses.
Moderately increased albuminuria unmasked hypertension
Authors: Pertusa Salvador , Ramos-Lopez Carlos , Martinez-Navas Martha , Palacios-Marqués Ana
Published: October 2014

The normal rate of albumin excretion is less than 30 mg/day (20 µg/min); persistent albumin excretion between 30 and 300 mg/day (20–200 µg/min) is called moderately increased albuminuria (formerly called microalbuminuria). In addition to being associated with diabetic nephropathy, moderately increased albuminuria has also been associated with cardiovascular disease in patients with as well as without diabetes. We present a case report of a man with moderately increased albuminuria who developed hypertension only detected by an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring procedure.
Primary appendicular adenocarcinoma presenting as haematuria
Authors: Amr Bassem , Santana-Vaz Natasha , Munir Komal
Published: October 2014

Adenocarcinoma of the vermiform appendix is a rare malignant neoplasm of the gastrointestinal tract encountered rarely within general surgical practice. We present the case of a 49-year-old man who, while undergoing investigations for haematuria, was diagnosed with an appendicular adenocarcinoma following bladder biopsy. Consequently he underwent right hemicolectomy and partial cystectomy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. By discussing this case we hope to raise awareness within the medical profession of this rare presentation so that it may be considered within clinicians’ differential diagnoses.