bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Selection for high and low oxygen consumption‐induced differences in maintenance energy requirements of mice
Authors: Darhan Hongyu , Kikusato Motoi , Toyomizu Masaaki , Roh Sang‐gun , Katoh Kazuo , Sato Masahiro , Suzuki Keiichi
Published: November 2016

Maintenance energy requirements (MER) of mice selected for high (H) or low (L) oxygen consumption (OC) were compared. Forty‐four mice from H and L OC lines were weaned at 3 weeks and divided into four experimental groups: group A were sacrificed at 4 weeks; group B were fed ad libitum, and groups C and D were fed 2.8 and 2.4 g/day, respectively, from 4 to 8 weeks of age. Groups B–D were sacrificed at 8 weeks. Chemical components were estimated for all groups. MER was estimated using a model that partitioned metabolizable energy intake into that used for maintenance, and protein and fat deposition. The feed conversion ratio for the B group was significantly higher in the H than in the L line. Feed intake for metabolic energy content per metabolic body size was significantly also higher in the H line, whereas accumulated energy content per metabolic body size was significantly higher in the L line. MER of the H line was greater than that of the L line (P < 0.10). These results suggest that selection for H or L OC produced differences in chemical components, feed efficiency, and MER between the H and L lines.
The efficacy and safety of continued hydroxycarbamide therapy versus switching to ruxolitinib in patients with polycythaemia vera: a randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy, symptom study (RELIEF)
Authors: Mesa Ruben , Vannucchi Alessandro M. , Yacoub Abdulraheem , Zachee Pierre , Garg Mamta , Lyons Roger , Koschmieder Steffen , Rinaldi Ciro , Byrne Jennifer , Hasan Yasmin , Passamonti Francesco , Verstovsek Srdan , Hunter Deborah , Jones Mark M. , Zhen Huiling , Habr Dany , Martino Bruno
Published: November 2016

The randomized, double‐blind, double‐dummy, phase 3b RELIEF trial evaluated polycythaemia vera (PV)‐related symptoms in patients who were well controlled with a stable dose of hydroxycarbamide (also termed hydroxyurea) but reported PV‐related symptoms. Patients were randomized 1:1 to ruxolitinib 10 mg BID (n = 54) or hydroxycarbamide (prerandomization dose/schedule; n = 56); crossover to ruxolitinib was permitted after Week 16. The primary endpoint, ≥50% improvement from baseline in myeloproliferative neoplasm ‐symptom assessment form total symptom score cytokine symptom cluster (TSS‐C; sum of tiredness, itching, muscle aches, night sweats, and sweats while awake) at Week 16, was achieved by 43·4% vs. 29·6% of ruxolitinib‐ and hydroxycarbamide‐treated patients, respectively (odds ratio, 1·82; 95% confidence interval, 0·82–4·04; P = 0·139). The primary endpoint was achieved by 34% of a subgroup who maintained their hydroxycarbamide dose from baseline to Weeks 13–16. In a post hoc analysis, the primary endpoint was achieved by more patients with stable screening‐to‐baseline TSS‐C scores (ratio ≤ 2) receiving ruxolitinib than hydroxycarbamide (47·4% vs. 25·0%; P = 0·0346). Ruxolitinib treatment after unblinding was associated with continued symptom score improvements. Adverse events were primarily grades 1/2 with no unexpected safety signals. Ruxolitinib was associated with a nonsignificant trend towards improved PV‐related symptoms versus hydroxycarbamide, although an unexpectedly large proportion of patients who maintained their hydroxycarbamide dose reported symptom improvement.
36‐month data for the AdVance XP® male sling: results of a prospective multicentre study
Authors: Bauer Ricarda M. , Grabbert Markus T. , Klehr Benedikt , Gebhartl Peter , Gozzi Christian , Homberg Roland , May Florian , Rehder Peter , Stief Christian G. , Kretschmer Alexander
Published: November 2016

Objectives

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the AdVance XP® sling (Boston Scientific, formerly American Medical Systems) in male stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after radical prostatectomy in a prospective multicentre study, as in recent years several studies have shown the effectiveness and safety of the AdVance sling for treating male SUI and in 2010 the second‐generation AdVance XP was introduced with several changes in the sling design and a new needle shape.

Patients and Methods

In all, 115 patients were included. Patients with nocturnal UI, previous UI surgery, previous radiotherapy and a coaptive zone of <1 cm in the preoperative repositioning test were excluded. Postoperatively, a standardised 24‐h pad test, quality‐of‐life scores [International Quality of Life score (IQOL) and International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire short form (ICIQ‐UI SF)], visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐5), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI‐I) score, were performed. All patients with a 0–5 g pad test were defined as cured and improved with a reduction of urine loss of >50%. All others were classified as failures. Significance analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon test.

Results

The mean (median) preoperative urine loss in the 24‐h pad test was 272.0 (272.0) g. After a follow‐up of 3 months (114 patients), 64.9% of the patients were cured and 31.6% had an improved continence status. The mean urine loss decreased significantly to 34.9 g (P < 0.001), with a mean VAS score of 0.5, and mean PGI‐I of 1.5. After a follow‐up of 24 months (80 patients), 68.8% of the patients were cured and 22.5% had improved. The mean urine loss decreased significantly to 19.1 g (P < 0.001), with a mean VAS score of 0.3, and mean PGI‐I of 1.5. After a follow‐up of 36 months (47 patients), 66.0% of the patients were cured and 23.4% had improved. The mean urine loss decreased significantly to 21.8 g (P < 0.001), with a mean VAS score of 0.0, and mean PGI‐I of 1.6. The mean IQOL and ICIQ‐UI SF improved significantly (both P < 0.001) after 36 months. There were no significant postoperative changes in IIEF‐5 and IPSS. No intraoperative and no long‐term complications occurred. No erosion or explanations occurred.

Conclusion

The AdVance XP shows good and stable effectiveness and low complication rates even at a mid‐term follow‐up of up to 36 months.
Management and outcomes of patients with renal medullary carcinoma: a multicentre collaborative study
Authors: Shah Amishi Y. , Karam Jose A. , Malouf Gabriel G. , Rao Priya , Lim Zita D. , Jonasch Eric , Xiao Lianchun , Gao Jianjun , Vaishampayan Ulka N. , Heng Daniel Y. , Plimack Elizabeth R. , Guancial Elizabeth A. , Fung Chunkit , Lowas Stefanie R. , Tamboli Pheroze , Sircar Kanishka , Matin Surena F. , Kimryn Rathmell W. , Wood Christopher G. , Tannir Nizar M.
Published: November 2016

Objective

To describe the management strategies and outcomes of patients with renal medullary carcinoma (RMC) and characterise predictors of overall survival (OS).

Patients and Methods

RMC is a rare and aggressive malignancy that afflicts young patients with sickle cell trait; there are limited data on management to date. This is a study of patients with RMC who were treated in 2000–2015 at eight academic institutions in North America and France. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to estimate OS, measured from initial RMC diagnosis to date of death. Cox regression analysis was used to determine predictors of OS.

Results

In all, 52 patients (37 males) were identified. The median (range) age at diagnosis was 28 (9–48) years and 49 patients (94%) had stage III/IV. The median OS for all patients was 13.0 months and 38 patients (75%) had nephrectomy. Patients who underwent nephrectomy had superior OS compared to patients who were treated with systemic therapy only (median OS 16.4 vs 7.0 months, P < 0.001). In all, 45 patients received chemotherapy and 13 (29%) had an objective response; 28 patients received targeted therapies, with 8‐week median therapy duration and no objective responses. Only seven patients (13%) survived for >24 months.

Conclusions

RMC carries a poor prognosis. Chemotherapy provides palliation and remains the mainstay of therapy, but <20% of patients survive for >24 months, underscoring the need to develop more effective therapy for this rare tumour. In this study, nephrectomy was associated with improved OS.
Extending Previous cG×I Findings on 5‐HTTLPR's Moderation of Intervention Effects on Adolescent Substance Misuse Initiation
Authors: Schlomer Gabriel L. , Cleveland H. Harrington , Feinberg Mark E. , Wolf Pedro S. A. , Greenberg Mark T. , Spoth Richard L. , Redmond Cleve , Tricou Eric P. , Vandenbergh David J.
Published: November 2016

This study addresses replication in candidate gene × environment interaction (cG×E) research by investigating if the key findings from Brody, Beach, Philibert, Chen, and Murry (2009) can be detected using data (N = 1,809) from the PROSPER substance use preventive intervention delivery system. Parallel to Brody et al., this study tested the hypotheses that substance misuse initiation would increase faster from age 11 to age 14 and be higher at age 14 among: (a) 5‐HTTLPR short carrier adolescents versus long homozygotes, (b) control versus intervention adolescents, and (c) 5‐HTTLPR short carriers in the control condition versus all other participants. The hypotheses were generally supported and results were consistent with Brody et al.'s cG×I finding. Results are discussed in light of replication issues in cG×E research and implications for intervention.
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Chinese children diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex
Authors: Yang G. , Shi Z.N. , Meng Y. , Shi X.Y. , Pang L.Y. , Ma S.F. , Zhang M.N. , Wang Y.Y. , Zou L.P.
Published: November 2016

We investigated the clinical phenotypes and genetic mutations in Chinese children diagnosed with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Sequencing of TSC1 and TSC2 genes was performed in 117 children with TSC and their parents. Association of TSC gene mutations with clinical manifestations was investigated. All gene mutations were heterozygous including in 16 patients (13.7%) with mutations in TSC1 gene and 101 patients (86.3%) with mutations in TSC2 gene. Among the 16 patients with TSC1 gene mutations, 15 different types of mutations were found, which included 5 novel mutations; all patients had skin manifestations and epilepsy. Among the 101 patients with TSC2 mutations, 85 different types of mutations were found, which included 25 novel mutations; 97 patients (96.0%) had skin manifestations; 97 (96.0%) had epilepsy; 74 (73.3%) had intellectual disability and 25 patients (24.8%) were autistic. The clinical phenotype of the 14 children with familial TSC was more severe than that of their parents.
Primary cutaneous adenoid cystic carcinoma with MYB aberrations: report of three cases and comprehensive review of the literature
Authors: Prieto‐Granada Carlos N. , Zhang Lei , Antonescu Cristina R. , Henneberry Jean M. , Messina Jane L.
Published: November 2016

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is a relatively rare slow‐growing and often‐aggressive epithelial‐myoepithelial neoplasm that arises in multiple organs including the skin. The t(6;9) (q22‐23;p23‐24) translocation, resulting in a MYB‐NFIB gene fusion has been found in ACCs from the salivary glands and other organs. Recently, MYB aberrations occurring in a subset (40%) of primary cutaneous ACC (PCACC) examples was described. Herein, we report three additional cases of PCACC harboring MYB aberrations. The tumors presented in three males aged 43, 81 and 55 years old and affected the extremities in the first two patients and the scalp in the third one. None of the patients had history of prior or concurrent ACC elsewhere. Lesions exhibited the classic ACC morphology of nests of basaloid cells arranged in cribriform and adenoid patterns. Sentinel lymph node biopsy was performed in two cases with one case showing lymph node positivity. Fluorescence in situ hybridization with break‐apart probes for MYB and NFIB loci revealed that two cases showed MYB rearrangements while one case showed loss of one MYB signal. None of the cases showed NFIB rearrangements. We contribute with three additional cases of PCACC exhibiting MYB aberrations, the apparent driving genetic abnormality in these tumors.
Legal Rule and Tribal Politics: The US Army and the Taliban in Afghanistan (2001–13)
Authors: Baczko Adam
Published: November 2016

This article investigates the implications of two competing modes of governance, those of the US Army and the Taliban, through the lens of the relations between property, citizenship and political authority in Kunar, Afghanistan, between 2001 and 2013. To account for the political struggle in the province, the author outlines two models of governance: a political one based on mediation and conciliation, which the US Army applied; and a legal one promoting direct relations between the rulers and the ruled, upheld by the Taliban. After looking at the political dynamics in Kunar since the nineteenth century and since 2001, I argue that it is paradoxically the Taliban that placed itself in continuity with the state, while the US Army played tribal politics and undermined the legitimacy of the regime it had helped to install in Kabul. Kunar is a case of an armed confrontation in which different militarized groups compete to impose their rule by controlling space and access to landed property.
The Securitization of the Kurdish Minority in Turkey: Ontological Insecurity and Elite's Power Struggle as Reasons of the Recent Re‐Securitization
Authors: Geri Maurizio
Published: November 2016

This article analyzes the treatment of the Kurdish minority by the government of Turkey. The uninterrupted power of the AKP (Justice and Development Party/Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi) that since 2002 has created a de facto dominant party democracy (today going toward totalitarianism) and is implementing a strategy of securitization (Buzan, Waever, & de Wilde, 1998) of the issue of the Kurdish minority since the interruption of the ceasefire with the PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) in July 2015. The article argues that this strategy has been implemented for three main reasons: the reduced ontological security (Giddens, 1991) of Turkey because of the recent violent conflicts in Syria and Iraq, the risk of loss of power of the ruling party and the elites (Snyder, 2000) because of the recent entrance in the Parliament by the HDP (People's Democratic Party, a pro‐Kurdish party), and the ideological threat posed by HDP to the AKP regime (a left‐wing progressive ideology opposed to the moderate Islamist ideology of AKP). The purpose of this study is to fill a research gap in the area of why the post‐July 2015 era constitutes a new context shaping the AKP's perception and management of the Kurdish issue. The methodology followed in this research is a qualitative case study analysis based on process tracing of the recent Turkish treatment of the Kurdish minority and, in particular, the recent events of the second part of 2015 and the beginning of 2016. The article starts with a brief historical overview of Turkish democracy and a theoretical overview on the securitization theory. Then, it analyzes the past and current securitization of the Kurdish issue, arguing that the causes of the recent intensification of this securitization since the summer of 2015 have to be found in these three factors: the low level of ontological security of the state; the fear of losing the power by the AKP ruling elite; and the threat to the political ideology of the AKP posed by the HDP.
Cancer: A disease at the crossroads of trade‐offs
Authors: Jacqueline Camille , Biro Peter A. , Beckmann Christa , Moller Anders Pape , Renaud François , Sorci Gabriele , Tasiemski Aurélie , Ujvari Beata , Thomas Frédéric
Published: November 2016

Central to evolutionary theory is the idea that living organisms face phenotypic and/or genetic trade‐offs when allocating resources to competing life‐history demands, such as growth, survival, and reproduction. These trade‐offs are increasingly considered to be crucial to further our understanding of cancer. First, evidences suggest that neoplastic cells, as any living entities subject to natural selection, are governed by trade‐offs such as between survival and proliferation. Second, selection might also have shaped trade‐offs at the organismal level, especially regarding protective mechanisms against cancer. Cancer can also emerge as a consequence of additional trade‐offs in organisms (e.g., eco‐immunological trade‐offs). Here, we review the wide range of trade‐offs that occur at different scales and their relevance for understanding cancer dynamics. We also discuss how acknowledging these phenomena, in light of human evolutionary history, may suggest new guidelines for preventive and therapeutic strategies.
Evaluating spatio‐temporal variability in the habitat quality of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) in the Gulf of Maine
Authors: Guan Lisha , Chen Yong , Wilson James A.
Published: November 2016

Reduced abundance and contracted spatial distribution of Atlantic cod,Gadus morhua, in the Gulf of Maine (GOM) may indicate large spatio‐temporal variation in their habitat quality. Season‐specific Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) models were developed to quantify such variation in the offshoreGOMmanagement area. Data used were non‐zero cod catch rates with calibrations from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) spring and fall bottom trawl surveys over the period 1982–2013 and key physical environmental variables including depth, bottom temperature, bottom salinity and sediment types. Significant declines were found in the averageHSIacross the study area in the springs of early 2000s and 2010s. These low averageHSIvalues coincide with reduced age‐1 recruitment ofGOMcod stock after the mid‐1990s. Moreover, the western coastal areas of theGOMgenerally exhibited higher averageHSIvalues than the eastern coastal areas, whereas the offshore areas always had the lowest averageHSI. Relatively higher cod survey catch rates in the westernGOMmay imply positive influences of environmental controls on the distribution ofGOMcod.
SMEs and Marketing: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Bocconcelli Roberta , Cioppi Marco , Fortezza Fulvio , Francioni Barbara , Pagano Alessandro , Savelli Elisabetta , Splendiani Simone
Published: November 2016

This paper presents a systematic review of recent academic literature analysing the role, organization and management of marketing activities in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). To this end, 310 articles published between 2006 and 2015 in 69 main journals devoted to small firms/entrepreneurship and management/marketing fields were analysed. This review shows that SMEs’ marketing has received great attention in both management and marketing literature in recent years. Findings reveal, on the one hand, the emerging role of networks and information and communication technologies in marketing behaviour by SMEs, and on the other hand a research gap in terms of specific marketing practices. Entrepreneurial marketing has been used as the main conceptual framework in reviewed studies, even if findings overall still point out a distance between the theoretical bases of reviewed contributions and the study of SMEs’ marketing behaviour and practices. Therefore, future research on the role of resources, relationships and networks could benefit from the combination of theories developed within the field of entrepreneurship with other approaches such as the resource‐based view, the dynamic capabilities theory and the Industrial Marketing and Purchasing (IMP) framework.
Associations Between Toddlers' Naturalistic Media Experience and Observed Learning from Screens
Authors: Kirkorian Heather L. , Choi Koeun
Published: November 2016

Using secondary analysis, researchers examined associations between two‐year‐olds' (N = 135) naturalistic use of interactive and noninteractive media with performance on a screen‐based learning task. Parents reported the number of minutes that children spent the previous day doing nine media‐related activities (e.g., watching television, playing handheld videogames). The object‐retrieval task required children to watch a hiding event on video and then search for the object on another screen or a real felt board. Results indicated that toddlers' naturalistic experience with interactive (but not noninteractive) media predicted their screen‐based learning in the laboratory. This was true regardless of whether children were tested using interactive or noninteractive video, suggesting that using interactive media (but not watching noninteractive video) is associated with children's learning from screen media generally.
Infant social attention: an endophenotype of ASD‐related traits?
Authors: Jones Emily J.H. , Venema Kaitlin , Earl Rachel K. , Lowy Rachel , Webb Sara J.
Published: November 2016

Background

As a neurodevelopmental disorder, symptoms of ASD likely emerge from a complex interaction between preexisting genetic vulnerabilities and the child's environment. One way to understand causal paths to ASD is to identify dimensional ASD‐related traits that vary in the general population and that predispose individuals with other risk factors toward ASD. Moving beyond behavioral traits to explore underlying neurocognitive processes may further constrain the underlying genetics. Endophenotypes are quantitative, heritable, trait‐related differences that are generally assessed with laboratory‐based methods, can be identified in the general population, and may be more closely tied to particular causal chains that have a more restricted set of genetic roots. The most fruitful endophenotypes may be those observed in infancy, prior to the emergence of behavioral symptoms that they are hypothesized to cause. Social motivation is an ASD‐related trait that is highly heritable. In this study, we investigate whether infant endophenotypes of social attention relate to familial risk for lower social motivation in the general population.

Methods

We examined whether infant social attention (measured using habituation, EEG power, and event‐related potential tasks previously used in infants/toddlers with ASD) varies quantitatively with parental social motivation in 117 six‐month‐old and 106 twelve‐month‐old typically developing infants assessed cross‐sectionally. To assess heritable aspects of social motivation, primary caregiver biological parents completed two self‐report measures of social avoidance and discomfort that have shown high heritability in previous work.

Results

Parents with higher social discomfort and avoidance had infants who showed shorter looks to faces but not objects; reduced theta power during naturalistic social attention; and smaller P400 responses to faces versus objects.

Conclusions

Early reductions in social attention are continuously related to lower parental social motivation. Alterations in social attention may be infant endophenotypes of social motivation traits related to ASD.
The evolution of intrinsic reproductive isolation in the genus Cakile (Brassicaceae)
Authors: Willis C. G. , Donohue K.
Published: November 2016

In theory, adaptive divergence can increase intrinsic post‐zygotic reproductive isolation (RI), either directly via selection on loci associated with RI, or indirectly via linkage of incompatibility loci with loci under selection. To test this hypothesis, we measured RI at five intrinsic post‐zygotic reproductive barriers between 18 taxa from the genera Cakile and Erucaria (Brassicaceae). Using a comparative framework, we tested whether the magnitude of RI was associated with genetic distance, geographic distance, ecological divergence and parental mating system. Early stages of post‐zygotic RI related to F1 viability (i.e. initial seed set) tended to be stronger than later stages related to F1 fecundity (i.e. flower number, fruit number). Mating system significantly influenced early stages of RI, such that RI was lowest when the mother was selfing and father was outcrossing, consistent with an imbalance between sink strength and resistance to provisioning. We found little evidence that adaptive divergence accelerates the evolution of intrinsic post‐zygotic RI, consistent with a nonecological model of evolution that predicts the nonlinear accumulation of RI and RI asymmetry with time (i.e. genetic distance), irrespective of adaptive divergence. Thus, although certain aspects of ecological divergence do not appear to have contributed strongly to the evolution of RI in this system, divergence in mating system actually reduced RI, suggesting that mating system evolution may play a significant role in speciation dynamics.
Developing surface water flood forecasting capabilities in Scotland: an operational pilot for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow
Authors: Speight L. , Cole S.J. , Moore R.J. , Pierce C. , Wright B. , Golding B. , Cranston M. , Tavendale A. , Dhondia J. , Ghimire S.
Published: November 2016

Existing surface water flood forecasting methods in Scotland are based on indicative depth‐duration rainfall thresholds with limited understanding of the likelihood of inundation or associated impacts. Innovative risk‐based solutions are urgently needed to advance surface water forecasting capabilities for improved flood resilience in urban centres. A new model‐based solution was developed for Glasgow, linking 24‐h ensemble rainfall predictions from the Met Office Global and Regional Ensemble Prediction System for the UK (MOGREPS‐UK) with static flood risk maps through the Grid‐to‐Grid hydrological model. This new forecasting capability was used operationally by the Scottish Flood Forecasting Service during the 2014 Commonwealth Games to provide bespoke surface water flooding guidance to responders. The operational trial demonstrated the benefits of being able to provide targeted information on real‐time surface water flood risk. It also identified the high staff resource requirement to support the service due to the greater uncertainty in surface water flood forecasting compared to established fluvial and coastal methods.
Fabp1 gene ablation inhibits high‐fat diet‐induced increase in brain endocannabinoids
Authors: Martin Gregory G. , Landrock Danilo , Chung Sarah , Dangott Lawrence J. , Seeger Drew R. , Murphy Eric J. , Golovko Mikhail Y. , Kier Ann B. , Schroeder Friedhelm
Published: November 2016

The endocannabinoid system shifts energy balance toward storage and fat accumulation, especially in the context of diet‐induced obesity. Relatively little is known about factors outside the central nervous system that may mediate the effect of high‐fat diet (HFD) on brain endocannabinoid levels. One candidate is the liver fatty acid binding protein (FABP1), a cytosolic protein highly prevalent in liver, but not detected in brain, which facilitates hepatic clearance of fatty acids. The impact of Fabp1 gene ablation (LKO) on the effect of high‐fat diet (HFD) on brain and plasma endocannabinoid levels was examined and data expressed for each parameter as the ratio of high‐fat diet/control diet. In male wild‐type mice, HFD markedly increased brain N‐acylethanolamides, but not 2‐monoacylglycerols. LKO blocked these effects of HFD in male mice. In female wild‐type mice, HFD slightly decreased or did not alter these endocannabinoids as compared with male wild type. LKO did not block the HFD effects in female mice. The HFD‐induced increase in brain arachidonic acid‐derived arachidonoylethanolamide in males correlated with increased brain‐free and total arachidonic acid. The ability of LKO to block the HFD‐induced increase in brain arachidonoylethanolamide correlated with reduced ability of HFD to increase brain‐free and total arachidonic acid in males. In females, brain‐free and total arachidonic acid levels were much less affected by either HFD or LKO in the context of HFD. These data showed that LKO markedly diminished the impact of HFD on brain endocannabinoid levels, especially in male mice.

image
Seventeen years of Kasai portoenterostomy for biliary atresia in a single Southeast Asian paediatric centre
Authors: Chiang Li Wei , Lee Chuan Yaw , Krishnaswamy Gita , Nah Shireen Anne , Kader Ajmal , Ong Christina , Low Yee , Phua Kong Boo
Published: November 2016

Aim

Biliary atresia (BA) has preponderance in Asian populations with Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) regarded as the first‐line standard of care. Yet reports from Southeast Asia remain scant. This study reviews the demographics, short‐ and medium‐term outcomes for our cohort, and evaluates prognostic factors for outcome.

Methods

All patients diagnosed with BA between January 1997 and December 2013 were included. Clinical data were obtained from medical records. Jaundice clearance was defined as total bilirubin < 20 µmol/L within 6 months after KP. Two‐year and 5‐year native liver survival (NLS) were determined. Prognostic factors examined included gender, ethnicity, associated anomalies, age at KP, post‐KP cholangitis and clearance of jaundice within 6 months.

Results

Of 58 patients studied, 31(53.4%) were male. Median age at time of KP was 53 days (range: 28–127). Ethnic distribution showed 32 (55.2%) Chinese, 16 (27.6%) Malays and 10 (17.2%) others. Twenty‐one (36.2%) patients achieved jaundice clearance by 6 months. Two‐year NLS rate was 36 out of 50 (72%), while 5‐year NLS rate was 16 out of 35 (45.7%). Only clearance of jaundice within 6 months had a significant association with NLS (P = 0.006). All other factors showed no significant impact on outcome.

Conclusions

Our short‐ and medium‐term outcomes after KP for BA are comparable with those reported by most international centres. However, prognostic factors such as age at KP, cholangitis episodes and associated anomalies did not show significant correlation; only clearance of jaundice within 6 months was significantly predictive of NLS.
Left post‐auricular swelling in a child
Authors: Park Edward , Papsin Blake , Freedman Stephen
Published: November 2016

See Answer
Toddler with a tarnished tongue
Authors: Kloeden Bethany , Craven John
Published: November 2016

See Answer
Contrasting activity budgets of alternative reproductive tactics in male striped mice
Authors: Rimbach R. , Wastavino M. , Yuen C. H. , Pillay N. , Schradin C.
Published: November 2016

To maximize their fitness, individuals of one sex can display discrete reproductive phenotypes, called alternative reproductive tactics (ARTs). Individuals following ARTs show behavioural variation, which might result in differences in energy intake and expenditure. However, few studies have compared activity budgets and non‐sexual behaviour of individuals following ARTs in nature. We studied male African striped mice Rhabdomys pumilio, which can follow three ARTs: (1) breeding male of a group of females; (2) philopatrics remaining in their natal group; or (3) solitary living roamers. We predicted that each tactic is characterized by its specific activity budget, representing alternative energy trade‐offs. We conducted focal animal observations on 70 males following ARTs. Roamers had higher travelling rates than philopatrics, and breeders had larger daily range sizes compared to philopatrics but not roamers. Philopatrics had higher foraging rates than breeders and showed more socio‐positive behaviour than roamers. Breeders and philopatrics were in their nest more often than roamers, potentially engaging in social interactions with other group members. Roamers were chased off more often than breeders, but the three tactics did not differ concerning rates of socio‐negative behaviour. Overall, philopatrics allocated their time towards behaviours that would increase body mass and survival probability, which could improve the probability to switch to a tactic of higher reproductive success. In contrast, breeders and roamers allocated their time towards behaviours that would increase their chances to mate. In conclusion, following ARTs results in contrasting activity budgets that reflect the differences in reproductive behaviours observed between tactics.
Breaking the Principle of Secrecy: An Examination of Judicial Dissent in the European Constitutional Courts
Authors: Bricker Benjamin
Published: November 2016

As “oracles of the law,” judges are trained to provide certainty and guidance within an often‐uncertain legal landscape. Nowhere is this statement truer than in the civil law tradition, where the idea of legal certainty has been prized as a “supreme value.” Despite this tradition, dissenting opinions are now quite common within most European constitutional courts. Using new data from five countries and interviews with constitutional court judges and clerks, I investigate factors that contribute to dissent on constitutional courts. Results indicate that legal and policy characteristics matter, but so do judicial backgrounds and the issues reviewed.
Co‐evolutionary dynamics between a defensive microbe and a pathogen driven by fluctuating selection
Authors: Ford Suzanne A. , Williams David , Paterson Steve , King Kayla C.
Published: November 2016

Microbes that protect their hosts from pathogenic infection are widespread components of the microbiota of both plants and animals. It has been found that interactions between ‘defensive’ microbes and pathogens can be genotype‐specific and even underlie the variation in host resistance to pathogenic infection. These observations suggest a dynamic co‐evolutionary association between pathogens and defensive microbes, but direct evidence of co‐evolution is lacking. We tested the hypothesis that defensive microbes and pathogens could co‐evolve within host populations by co‐passaging a microbe with host‐defensive properties (Enterococcus faecalis) and a pathogen (Staphylococcus aureus)withinCaenorhabditis elegansnematodes. Using both phenotypic and genomic analyses across evolutionary time, we found patterns of pathogen local adaptation and defensive microbe–pathogen co‐evolution via fluctuating selection dynamics. Moreover, co‐evolution with defensive microbes resulted in more rapid and divergent pathogen evolution compared to pathogens evolved independently in host populations. Taken together, our results indicate the potential for defensive microbes and pathogens to co‐evolve, driving interaction specificity and pathogen evolutionary divergence in the absence of host evolution.
Plant volatile‐mediated signalling and its application in agriculture: successes and challenges
Authors: Pickett John A. , Khan Zeyaur R.
Published: November 2016

The mediation of volatile secondary metabolites in signalling between plants and other organisms has long been seen as presenting opportunities for sustainable crop protection. Initially, exploitation of interactions between plants and other organisms, particularly insect pests, foundered because of difficulties in delivering, sustainably, the signal systems for crop protection. We now have mounting and, in some cases, clear practical evidence for successful delivery by companion cropping or next‐generation genetic modification (GM). At the same time, the type of plant signalling being exploited has expanded to signalling from plants to organisms antagonistic to pests, and to plant stress‐induced, or primed, plant‐to‐plant signalling for defence and growth stimulation.

Contents

Summary
856

I.
Introduction
856

II.
Plant volatile‐mediated host signalling
857

III.
Plant volatile‐mediated nonhost signalling
858

IV.
Plant volatile‐mediated signalling between plants via air
859

V.
Plant volatile‐mediated signalling between plants through soil
860

VI.
Plant volatile‐mediated signal transduction
862

VII.
Success and lessons from exploiting plant volatile‐mediated signalling by companion cropping: push–pull
863

VIII.
Exploitation of plant volatile‐mediated signalling in agriculture by GM
864

IX.
Conclusions
866

Acknowledgements
866

References
866
Too many partners in root–shoot signals. Does hydraulics qualify as the only signal that feeds back over time for reliable stomatal control?
Authors: Tardieu François
Published: November 2016

This article is a Commentary on Visentin et al., 212: 954–963.
Clash between the borders: spotlight on apoplastic processes in plant–microbe interactions
Authors: Ökmen Bilal , Doehlemann Gunther
Published: November 2016

This article is a Commentary on De Wit, 212: 805–813; Derevnina et al., 212: 888–895; Rovenich et al., 212: 896–901 and Misas‐Villamil et al., 212: 902–907.
Adaptive and non‐adaptive evolution of trait means and genetic trait correlations for herbivory resistance and performance in an invasive plant
Authors: Schrieber Karin , Wolf Sabrina , Wypior Catherina , Höhlig Diana , Hensen Isabell , Lachmuth Susanne
Published: November 2016

The EICA‐hypothesis predicts that invading plants adapt to their novel environment by evolving increased performance and reduced resistance in response to the release from natural enemies, and assumes a resource allocation tradeoff among both trait groups as mechanistic basis of this evolutionary change. Using the plant Silene latifolia as a study system, we tested these predictions by investigating whether 1) invasive populations evolved lower resistance and higher performance, 2) this evolutionary change is indeed adaptive, and 3) there is a negative genetic correlation between performance and resistance (i.e. a tradeoff) in native and introduced individuals. Moreover, we sampled eight native and eight invasive populations and determined their population co‐ancestry based on neutral SSR‐markers. We performed controlled crossings to produce five sib‐groups per population and exposed them to increased and reduced levels of enemy attack in a full‐factorial experiment to estimate performance and resistance. With these data, we performed trait‐by‐trait comparisons between ranges with ‘animal models’ that account for population co‐ancestry to quantify the amount of variance in traits explained by non‐adaptive versus adaptive evolution. Moreover, we tested for genetic correlations among performance and resistance traits within sib‐groups. We found significant reductions in resistance and increases in performance in invasive versus native populations, which could largely be attributed to adaptive evolution. While we detected a non‐significant trend towards negative genetic performance × resistance correlations in native populations, invasive populations exhibited both significant and non‐significant positive correlations. In summary, these results do not support a shift of performance and resistance trait values along a tradeoff line in response to enemy release, as predicted by EICA. They rather suggest that the independent evolution of both traits is not constrained by a tradeoff, and that various selective agents (including resource availability) interact in shaping both traits and in weakening negative genetic correlations in the invaded habitat.
Efficacy of Dexmedetomidine as a Sole Sedative Agent in Small Diagnostic and Therapeutic Procedures: A Systematic Review
Authors: ter Bruggen Feline F.J.A. , Eralp Ismail , Jansen Chris K. , Stronks Dirk L. , Huygen Frank J.P.M.
Published: November 2016

Dexmedetomidine is an upcoming agent with sedative, anxiolytic, and analgesic properties. This review summarizes empirical evidence for the efficacy of dexmedetomidine as a sole sedative agent, and its effectiveness for small diagnostic and therapeutic procedure, in comparison with other frequently used sedatives. All randomized controlled trials on the effect of dexmedetomidine were reviewed. Pain level, patient satisfaction, operator satisfaction, procedure duration, recovery time, and hemodynamic and respiratory characteristics were examined. A total of 1993 patients (1,621 adults; 372 children) from 35 studies were included. In the adult studies, dexmedetomidine yielded significantly lower pain levels compared to the other sedatives (in 31.25% of the included studies) and significantly more patient satisfaction (68.2%). In studies on children, more favorable results concerning respiratory safety and the level of adequate sedation were found compared to the control sedatives. Implications for future studies are discussed.
Vulnerability to xylem embolism as a major correlate of the environmental distribution of rain forest species on a tropical island
Authors: Trueba Santiago , Pouteau Robin , Lens Frederic , Feild Taylor S. , Isnard Sandrine , Olson Mark E. , Delzon Sylvain
Published: November 2016

Increases in drought‐induced tree mortality are being observed in tropical rain forests worldwide and are also likely to affect the geographical distribution of tropical vegetation. However, the mechanisms underlying the drought vulnerability and environmental distribution of tropical species have been little studied. We measured vulnerability to xylem embolism (P50) of 13 woody species endemic to New Caledonia and with different xylem conduit morphologies. We examined the relation between P50, along with other leaf and xylem functional traits, and a range of habitat variables. Selected species had P50 values ranging between −4.03 and −2.00 MPa with most species falling in a narrow range of resistance to embolism above −2.7 MPa. Embolism vulnerability was significantly correlated with elevation, mean annual temperature and percentage of species occurrences located in rain forest habitats. Xylem conduit type did not explain variation in P50. Commonly used functional traits such as wood density and leaf traits were not related to embolism vulnerability. Xylem embolism vulnerability stands out among other commonly used functional traits as a major driver of species environmental distribution. Drought‐induced xylem embolism vulnerability behaves as a physiological trait closely associated with the habitat occupation of rain forest woody species.
Health professionals perceive teamwork with relatives as an obstacle in their daily work ‐ a focus group interview
Authors: Laursen Jannie , Broholm Malene , Rosenberg Jacob
Published: November 2016

Background

Health professionals must often balance between different rationalities within the hospital organisation. Having adequate time with patients, shorter waiting time and the ability to greater professional autonomy have been shown to help provide a higher quality of care. Empathy and sympathy appear to be crucial components for the health professionals and their relationship to patients.

Aim

The aim of this study was to explore health professionals’ experiences of relatives to critically ill patients in order to identify aspects that may facilitate a better understanding of this teamwork.

Methods

The study was descriptive and exploratory and had a qualitative design with a phenomenological/hermeneutic orientation for the interviews. Focus group was the chosen methodology.

The study comprised 19 health professionals in four focus groups.

Results

Two themes emerged from the interviews: the hospital culture does not integrate relatives, and health professionals felt that relatives took their resources and saw them as an obstacle in their daily work.

Conclusion and implications for practice

Health professionals felt divided between the system and the individual sphere, which makes it difficult for them to integrate relatives more and see them as participants in a natural teamwork for the benefit of the patient.
Araport11: a complete reannotation of the Arabidopsis thaliana reference genome
Authors: Cheng Chia‐Yi , Krishnakumar Vivek , Chan Agnes P. , Thibaud‐Nissen Françoise , Schobel Seth , Town Christopher D.
Published: November 2016

The flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana is a dicot model organism for research in many aspects of plant biology. A comprehensive annotation of its genome paves the way for understanding the functions and activities of all types of transcripts, including mRNA, the various classes of non‐coding RNA, and small RNA. The TAIR10 annotation update had a profound impact on Arabidopsis research but was released more than 5 years ago. Maintaining the accuracy of the annotation continues to be a prerequisite for future progress. Using an integrative annotation pipeline, we assembled tissue‐specific RNA‐Seq libraries from 113 datasets and constructed 48 359 transcript models of protein‐coding genes in eleven tissues. In addition, we annotated various classes of non‐coding RNA including microRNA, long intergenic RNA, small nucleolar RNA, natural antisense transcript, small nuclear RNA, and small RNA using published datasets and in‐house analytic results. Altogether, we identified 635 novel protein‐coding genes, 508 novel transcribed regions, 5178 non‐coding RNAs, and 35 846 small RNA loci that were formerly unannotated. Analysis of the splicing events and RNA‐Seq based expression profiles revealed the landscapes of gene structures, untranslated regions, and splicing activities to be more intricate than previously appreciated. Furthermore, we present 692 uniformly expressed housekeeping genes, 43% of whose human orthologs are also housekeeping genes. This updated Arabidopsis genome annotation with a substantially increased resolution of gene models will not only further our understanding of the biological processes of this plant model but also of other species.
SALAM CONTRACT WITH CREDIT RISK MODEL BY PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATION APPROACH
Authors: Badrol Hisham Azie Farhani , Mohd Jaffar Maheran
Published: November 2016

In the acute phase of global financial crisis, the risk management issue has become a major subject that attracts the interest of many financial institutions. Risk management in Islamic finance is proven to be more challenging than the conventional due to shariah principals and regulations. Therefore, there is a need for an alternative Islamic derivative product that can compete with the existing conventional derivatives. This study proposes a traditional Islamic contract, which is salam, that can be built as a new Islamic derivative product. Since there is lack of quantitative study regarding salam contract implementation, this study introduces a mathematical model of commodity salam contract by considering credit risk element. The structural approach is the best credit risk model to describe the structure and properties of salam contract. However, because of the unique structure and boundary condition of salam contract, some adjustments need to be considered. In deriving the partial differential equation that describes the dynamic behaviour of commodity salam contract with credit risk, the risk neutral valuation was employed.
FUZZY LOGIC CONTROL FOR ANKLE FOOT ORTHOSES EQUIPPED WITH MAGNETORHEOLOGICAL BRAKE
Authors: Adiputra Dimas , Ubaidillah Ubaidillah , Mazlan Saiful Amri , Zamzuri Hairi , Abdul Rahman Mohd Azizi
Published: November 2016

This study focused on the development of passive control ankle foot orthosis (PICAFO) for a specific purpose such as preventing foot drop in the post-stroke patient. The PICAFO utilized the magnetorheological (MR) brake as the actuator in which the braking torque was controlled by regulating direct current (DC) from current driver. The Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) was employed to control output voltage for current driver based on the inputs, i.e. Electromyography (EMG) bio signal and ankle position. Walking experiment to test the controller was carried out on a single subject where the input and output FLC was monitored and logged. The results showed that the output voltage of the FLC was 94.41% of the maximum output (high) on forward ankle position during swing phase and gradually increase from 9.667% to 77.34% of maximum output during stance phase. The FLC successfully controlled the output voltage according to the required needs. According to the experimental results, the FLC strategy was applicable for PICAFO realizing it contributes to prevention of foot drop.