bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How and When Exclusion Motivates Social Reconnection
Authors: Molden Daniel C. , Maner Jon K.
Published: April 2013

Because fulfilling needs for social connection is so fundamental to health and well-being, people should be highly motivated to restore social connections when they are threatened. This chapter begins by discussing three ways in which people seek to reconnect with others after experiencing social exclusion: (1) ingratiating social behavior, (2) attention toward and sensitivity for social cues, and (3) the activation, exaggeration, and even invention of perceived relationships to important individuals or groups. The chapter then considers how social anxiety and broader concerns with security can heighten people’s focus on self-protection and suppress their willingness to pursue reconnection. The chapter concludes by discussing important directions for future research on how people balance motivations for reconnection and self-protection, as well as on how people regulate their level of social connection more generally.
Perceived Social Isolation within Personal and Evolutionary Timescales
Authors: Hawkley Louise C. , Cacioppo John T. , Correll Joshua
Published: April 2013

Evolutionary time and evolutionary forces operate at such a different scale of organization than we experience in everyday life that personal experience is not sufficient to understand the role of loneliness in human existence. Research over the past decade suggests a very different view of loneliness than suggested by personal experience, one in which loneliness serves a variety of adaptive functions in specific habitats. We outline an evolutionary theory of loneliness, with an emphasis on its potential adaptive value in an evolutionary timescale.
Deletion of the Phytophthora sojae Avirulence Gene Avr1d Causes Gain of Virulence on Rps1d
Authors: Na Ren , Yu Dan , Qutob Dinah , Zhao Jun , Gijzen Mark
Published: April 2013

Phytophthora sojae is an oomycete and a pathogen of soybean that causes root rot. During infection P. sojae delivers effector proteins into host cells to foster disease. However, effector-triggered immunity (ETI) results when pathogen factors are recognized by host resistance (R) proteins. We have now identified the P. sojae Avr1d gene, which encodes a predicted effector protein with the amino acid motif Arg-X-Leu-Arg (RXLR). Genetic mapping of 16 different P. sojae isolates and of a segregating F2 population of 40 individuals shows that the predicted RXLR effector gene Avh6 precisely cosegregates with the Avr1d phenotype. Transient expression assays confirm that Avr1d triggers cell death specifically in Rps1d soybean plants. The Avr1d gene is present in P. sojae strains that are avirulent on Rps1d, whereas the gene is deleted from the genome of virulent strains. Two sequence variants of the Avr1d gene encoding different protein products occur in P. sojae strains, but both are recognized by Rps1d and cause ETI. Liposome binding assays show that Avr1d has affinity for phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate and that binding can be disrupted by mutation of lysine residues in the carboxy-terminal effector domain of the protein. The identification of Avr1d aids pathogen diagnostics and soybean cultivar development.
Functional Characterization of Two Clusters of Brachypodium distachyon UDP-Glycosyltransferases Encoding Putative Deoxynivalenol Detoxification Genes
Authors: Schweiger Wolfgang , Pasquet Jean-Claude , Nussbaumer Thomas , Paris Maria Paula Kovalsky , Wiesenberger Gerlinde , Macadré Catherine , Ametz Christian , Berthiller Franz , Lemmens Marc , Saindrenan Patrick , Mewes Hans-Werner , Mayer Klaus F. X. , Dufresne Marie , Adam Gerhard
Published: April 2013

Plant small-molecule UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGT) glycosylate a vast number of endogenous substances but also act in detoxification of metabolites produced by plant-pathogenic microorganisms. The ability to inactivate the Fusarium graminearum mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) into DON-3-O-glucoside is crucial for resistance of cereals. We analyzed the UGT gene family of the monocot model species Brachypodium distachyon and functionally characterized two gene clusters containing putative orthologs of previously identified DON-detoxification genes from Arabidopsis thaliana and barley. Analysis of transcription showed that UGT encoded in both clusters are highly inducible by DON and expressed at much higher levels upon infection with a wild-type DON-producing F. graminearum strain compared with infection with a mutant deficient in DON production. Expression of these genes in a toxin-sensitive strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae revealed that only two B. distachyon UGT encoded by members of a cluster of six genes homologous to the DON-inactivating barley HvUGT13248 were able to convert DON into DON-3-O-glucoside. Also, a single copy gene from Sorghum bicolor orthologous to this cluster and one of three putative orthologs of rice exhibit this ability. Seemingly, the UGT genes undergo rapid evolution and changes in copy number, making it difficult to identify orthologs with conserved substrate specificity.
A New Diagnostic System for Detection of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ Infection in Citrus
Authors: Lu Lianming , Cheng Baoping , Yao Jinai , Peng Aitian , Du Danchao , Fan Guocheng , Hu Xiurong , Zhang Liping , Chen Guoqing
Published: April 2013

In this study, two polyclonal antibodies were produced against the Omp protein of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’. First, omp genes were sequenced to exhibit 99.9% identity among 137 isolates collected from different geographical origins. Then, two peptides containing the hydrophobic polypeptide-transport-associated (POTRA) domain and β-barrel domain, respectively, were identified on Omp protein. After that, these two peptides were overexpressed in Escherichia coli and purified by affinity chromatography to immunize the white rabbits. Finally, the antiserum was purified by affinity chromatography. The two Omp antibodies gave positive results (0.454 to 0.633, 1:1,600 dilution) in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay against ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’-infected samples collected from different geographical origins but revealed negative results against other pathogen-infected, nutrient-deficient and healthy samples. The antibody against the POTRA domain of Omp protein could detect ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ in 45.7% of the symptomatic samples compared with a 56.2% detection rate with a polymerase chain reaction assay. These new antibodies will provide a very useful supplement to the current approaches to ‘Ca. L. asiaticus’ detection and also provide powerful research tools for tracking distribution of this pathogen in vivo.
Bacillus pumilus, a Novel Ginger Rhizome Rot Pathogen in China
Authors: Peng Qin , Yuan Yihui , Gao Meiying
Published: April 2013

Ginger rhizome rot is a major factor limiting the yield and marketability of ginger in Shandong Province, China. In order to identify the pathogen causing ginger rhizome rot, evaluate its pathogenicity, and explore its pathogenesis, diseased ginger rhizomes and surrounding soils were collected. A gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, designated GR8, was frequently isolated from the ginger rhizome samples. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus pumilus based on physio-biochemical and molecular biology characteristics. Pathogenicity studies with GR8 showed that it could cause disease of the tested rhizomes slices and the entire rhizome when wounded but no disease occurred when the rhizome was not wounded. Preliminary pathogenicity studies demonstrated that cell-free cultures of GR8 could not cause any disease symptoms, whereas the bacterial suspensions caused severe symptoms. The pathology studies revealed that infection of GR8 could cause starch grains to shrink from normal size, and destroy the parenchyma cells by invading and propagating in them. This is the first report of B. pumilus causing ginger rhizome rot.
In Vivo Fluorescence-mediated Tomography Imaging Demonstrates Atorvastatin-mediated Reduction of Lesion Macrophages in ApoE-/- Mice
Authors: Larmann Jan , Frenzel Tim , Schmitz Martina , Hahnenkamp Anke , Demmer Philipp , Immenschuh Stephan , Tietge Uwe J.F. , Bremer Christoph , Theilmeier Gregor
Published: April 2013

Background:

Macrophage recruitment into atherosclerotic plaques drives lesion progression, destabilization, and rupture. Chronic statin treatment reduces macrophage plaque content. Information on dynamics of macrophage recruitment would help assessing plaque vulnerability and guiding therapy. Techniques to image macrophage homing to vulnerable plaques in vivo are scarcely available. The authors tested if noninvasive fluorescence-mediated tomography (FMT) can assess plaque-stabilizing effects of short-term high-dosage atorvastatin.

Methods:

Macrophages from green-fluorescent-protein-transgenic mice were labeled with a near-infrared fluorescent dye and were injected IV in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice (n = 9) on Western diet 7 days after guidewire-injury of the carotid artery. FMT-scans, 2 and 7 days thereafter, quantified macrophage recruitment into carotid artery plaques. Atorvastatin was tested for macrophage adhesion, proliferation, and viability (n = 5 to 6) in vitro. Fourteen mice received atorvastatin or vehicle for 4 days after 16 weeks on Western diet. FMT assessed macrophage recruitment into aortic and innominate artery lesions. Means (±SD)% are reported.

Results:

Double-labeled macrophages were recruited into carotid artery lesions. FMT resolved fluorescence projecting on the injured carotid artery and detected a signal increase to 300% (±191) after guidewire injury. Atorvastatin reduced macrophage adhesion to activated endothelial cells by 36% (±19). In a clinically relevant proof-of-concept intervention, FMT-imaging detected that 4 days atorvastatin treatment reduced macrophage recruitment by 57% (±8) indicating plaque stabilization. Immunohistochemistry confirmed reduced macrophage infiltration.

Conclusions:

FMT optical imaging proved its high potential for clinical applicability for tracking recruitment of near-infrared fluorescent-labeled macrophages to vulnerable plaques in vivo. FMT-based quantification of macrophage recruitment demonstrated rapid plaque stabilization by 4-day atorvastatin treatment in apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.
Sir Hugh Ford. 16 July 1913 — 28 May 2010
Authors: Williams Gordon
Published: April 2013

Hugh Ford was one of the most influential mechanical engineers of his generation. indeed, it could be said that he was influential for several generations, because he remained active professionally well into his nineties.
A simple probabilistic model of submicroscopic diatom morphogenesis
Authors: Willis L. , Cox E. J. , Duke T.
Published: April 2013

Unicellular algae called diatoms morph biomineral compounds into tough exoskeletons via complex intracellular processes about which there is much to be learned. These exoskeletons feature a rich variety of structures from submicroscale to milliscale, many that have not been reproduced
in vitro
. In order to help understand this complex miniature morphogenesis, here we introduce and analyse a simple model of biomineral kinetics, focusing on the exoskeleton's submicroscopic patterned planar structures called pore occlusions. The model reproduces most features of these pore occlusions by retuning just one parameter, thereby indicating what physio-biochemical mechanisms could sufficiently explain morphogenesis at the submicroscopic scale: it is sufficient to identify a mechanism of lateral negative feedback on the biomineral reaction kinetics. The model is nonlinear and stochastic; it is an extended version of the threshold voter model. Its mean-field equation provides a simple and, as far as the authors are aware, new way of mapping out the spatial patterns produced by lateral inhibition and variants thereof.
On the performance of electrohydrodynamic propulsion
Authors: Masuyama Kento , Barrett Steven R. H.
Published: April 2013

Partially ionized fluids can gain net momentum under an electric field, as charged particles undergo momentum-transfer collisions with neutral molecules in a phenomenon termed an ionic wind. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) thrusters generate thrust by using two or more electrodes to ionize the ambient fluid and create an electric field. We characterize the performance of EHD thrusters of single- (SS) and dual-stage (DS) configurations. SS thrusters refer to a geometry using one emitter electrode, an air gap and a collector electrode with large radius of curvature relative to the emitter. DS thrusters add a collinear intermediate electrode. SS thruster performance was shown to be consistent with a one-dimensional theory. Increasing the gap length requires a higher voltage for thrust onset, generates less thrust per input voltage, generates more thrust per input current and most importantly generates more thrust per input power. A thrust-to-power ratio as high as approximately 100 N kW
−1
was obtained. DS thrusters were shown to be more effective than their SS counterparts at producing current, leading to a smaller total voltage necessary for producing equal thrust. However, losses involving ion collection at the intermediate electrode led to reduced thrust-per-power compared with the SS thruster of equal length.
The spatio-temporal colonization and diversification across the Indo-Pacific by a ‘great speciator’ (Aves,Erythropitta erythrogaster)
Authors: Irestedt Martin , Fabre Pierre-Henri , Batalha-Filho Henrique , Jønsson Knud A. , Roselaar Cees S. , Sangster George , Ericson Per G. P.
Published: April 2013

The Indo-Pacific region has arguably been the most important area for the formulation of theories about biogeography and speciation, but modern studies of the tempo, mode and magnitude of diversification across this region are scarce. We study the biogeographic history and characterize levels of diversification in the wide-ranging passerine birdErythropitta erythrogasterusing molecular, phylogeographic and population genetics methods, as well as morphometric and plumage analyses. Our results suggest thatE. erythrogastercolonized the Indo-Pacific during the Pleistocene in an eastward direction following a stepping stone pathway, and that sea-level fluctuations during the Pleistocene may have promoted gene flow only locally. A molecular species delimitation test suggests that several allopatric island populations ofE. erythrogastermay be regarded as species. Most of these putative new species are further characterized by diagnostic differences in plumage. Our study reconfirms theE. erythrogastercomplex as a ‘great speciator’: it represents a complex of up to 17 allopatrically distributed, reciprocally monophyletic and/or morphologically diagnosable species that originated during the Pleistocene. Our results support the view that observed latitudinal gradients of genetic divergence among avian sister species may have been affected by incomplete knowledge of taxonomic limits in tropical bird species.
The landscape of RNA polymerase II transcription initiation in C. elegans reveals promoter and enhancer architectures
Authors: Chen Ron A.-J. , Down Thomas A. , Stempor Przemyslaw , Chen Q. Brent , Egelhofer Thea A. , Hillier LaDeana W. , Jeffers Tess E. , Ahringer Julie
Published: April 2013

RNA polymerase transcription initiation sites are largely unknown in Caenorhabditis elegans. The initial 5′ end of most protein-coding transcripts is removed by trans-splicing, and noncoding initiation sites have not been investigated. We characterized the landscape of RNA Pol II transcription initiation, identifying 73,500 distinct clusters of initiation. Bidirectional transcription is frequent, with a peak of transcriptional pairing at 120 bp. We assign transcription initiation sites to 7691 protein-coding genes and find that they display features typical of eukaryotic promoters. Strikingly, the majority of initiation events occur in regions with enhancer-like chromatin signatures. Based on the overlap of transcription initiation clusters with mapped transcription factor binding sites, we define 2361 transcribed intergenic enhancers. Remarkably, productive transcription elongation across these enhancers is predominantly in the same orientation as that of the nearest downstream gene. Directed elongation from an upstream enhancer toward a downstream gene could potentially deliver RNA polymerase II to a proximal promoter, or alternatively might function directly as a distal promoter. Our results provide a new resource to investigate transcription regulation in metazoans.
Increased EHD1 in non‐small cell lung cancer predicts poor survival
Authors: Lu Hailing , Meng Qingwei , Wen Yuan , Hu Jing , Zhao Yanbin , Cai Li
Published: April 2013

Background

One of the main challenges of lung cancer research is identifying patients at high risk for recurrence after surgical resection. We evaluated the prognostic power of four proteins in the endocytic pathway in 114 non‐small cell lung cancer patients (NSCLC).

Methods

We tested the four proteins (epidermal growth factor receptor [EGFR], RAB11FIP3, EHD1, and caveolin‐1), critical nodes in the endocytosis/recycling pathway, by immunohistochemistry in paraffin sections from 114 non‐small cell lung cancer patients. We analyzed the correlation between our target proteins and clinical variables. Within these variables, an overall survival (OS) prediction model was constructed using Cox proportional hazard regression.

Results

EHD1 expression correlated with gender (P = 0.001), histology type (P < 0.001), and EGFR expression (P = 0.008), but not with any of the other clinical parameters. Statistical correlation analysis showed that the expression of EHD1 positively correlated with high level of EGFR (P < 0.001) and RAB11FIP3 (P < 0.001), and the expression of caveolin‐1 positively correlated with high level of EGFR (P < 0.001) in the NSCLC samples. EHD1 expression was an OS prognostic factor for all of the patients (P = 0.009), for the group of adjuvant chemotherapy‐treated patients (P = 0.006), and for the EGFR positive patients (P = 0.034).

Conclusions

We identified EHD1 as a strong prognostic predictive factor in NSCLC. The expression level of EHD1 would potentially be useful in developing customized strategies for managing lung cancer, such as the selection of patients eligible for chemotherapy.
Reinstatement in a cocaine versus food choice situation: reversal of preference between drug and non‐drug rewards
Authors: Tunstall Brendan J. , Kearns David N.
Published: April 2013

Recent studies show that when given a mutually exclusive choice between cocaine and food, rats almost exclusively choose food. The present experiment investigated potential shifts in preference between levers associated with either food or cocaine that might occur during extinction (food and cocaine no longer available) and during footshock‐induced, cocaine‐primed and food‐primed reinstatement. During self‐administration sessions where food and cocaine were simultaneously available, rats demonstrated a stable food preference, choosing food over cocaine on 83% of trials. During extinction when neither reinforcer was available, no preference between levers was evident and responding decreased until rats responded on the previously food‐ and cocaine‐associated levers at equally low rates. Footshock resulted in a non‐specific reinstatement of responding upon both levers, while cocaine priming resulted in a significant preference for cocaine seeking over food seeking. This suggests that the mechanism underlying footshock‐induced reinstatement is distinct from that of cocaine‐primed reinstatement. Food priming engendered a mild, non‐specific increase in responding on both levers. Although rats generally prefer food over cocaine when presented with a choice between these primary reinforcers, the present results suggest that in certain situations, cocaine‐seeking behavior prevails over food‐seeking behavior.
Congenital Malformations of the Vertebral Column in Ancient Amphibians
Authors: Witzmann F. , Rothschild B. M. , Hampe O. , Sobral G. , Gubin Y. M. , Asbach P.
Published: April 2013

Temnospondyls, the largest group of Palaeozoic and Mesozoic amphibians, primitively possess rhachitomous vertebrae with multipartite centra (consisting of one horse‐shoe‐shaped inter‐ and paired pleurocentra). In a group of temnospondyls, the stereospondyls, the intercentra became pronounced and disc‐like, whereas the pleurocentra were reduced. We report the presence of congenital vertebral malformations (hemi, wedge and block vertebrae) in Permian and Triassic temnospondyls, showing that defects of formation and segmentation in the tetrapod vertebral column represent a fundamental failure of somitogenesis that can be followed throughout tetrapod evolution. This is irrespective of the type of affected vertebra, that is, rhachitomous or stereospondylous, and all components of the vertebra can be involved (intercentrum, pleurocentrum and neural arch), either together or independently on their own. This is the oldest known occurrence of wedge vertebra and congenital block vertebra described in fossil tetrapods. The frequency of vertebral congenital malformations in amphibians appears unchanged from the Holocene.
Genome‐Wide Association Study of Pre‐Eclampsia Detects Novel Maternal Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Copy‐Number Variants in Subsets of the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study Cohort
Authors: Zhao Linlu , Bracken Michael B. , DeWan Andrew T.
Published: April 2013

A genome‐wide association study was undertaken to identify maternal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and copy‐number variants (CNVs) associated with pre‐eclampsia. Case‐control analysis was performed on 1070 Afro‐Caribbean (n = 21 cases and 1049 controls) and 723 Hispanic (n = 62 cases and 661 controls) mothers and 1257 mothers of European ancestry (n = 50 cases and 1207 controls) from the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) study. European ancestry subjects were genotyped on Illumina Human610‐Quad and Afro‐Caribbean and Hispanic subjects were genotyped on Illumina Human1M‐Duo BeadChip microarrays. Genome‐wide SNP data were analyzed using PLINK. CNVs were called using three detection algorithms (GNOSIS, PennCNV, and QuantiSNP), merged using CNVision, and then screened using stringent criteria. SNP and CNV findings were compared to those of the Study of Pregnancy Hypertension in Iowa (SOPHIA), an independent pre‐eclampsia case‐control dataset of Caucasian mothers (n = 177 cases and 116 controls). A list of top SNPs were identified for each of the HAPO ethnic groups, but none reached Bonferroni‐corrected significance. Novel candidate CNVs showing enrichment among pre‐eclampsia cases were also identified in each of the three ethnic groups. Several variants were suggestively replicated in SOPHIA. The discovered SNPs and copy‐number variable regions present interesting candidate genetic variants for pre‐eclampsia that warrant further replication and investigation.
L‐Amino Acid Oxidase Isolated from Bothrops pirajai Induces Apoptosis in BCR‐ABL‐Positive Cells and Potentiates Imatinib Mesylate Effect
Authors: Burin Sandra M. , Ayres Lorena R. , Neves Renata P. , Ambrósio Luciana , de Morais Fabiana R. , Dias‐Baruffi Marcelo , Sampaio Suely V. , Pereira‐Crott Luciana S. , de Castro Fabíola A.
Published: April 2013

Chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder characterized by the presence of Philadelphia chromosome and by BCR‐ABL1, which encodes the BCR‐ABL oncoprotein. Although imatinib mesylate (IM) is effective for CML treatment, patients in accelerated and blastic phases of the disease are often refractory to this therapy, and there are also cases of IM resistance in patients in the chronic phase. Therefore, potential new drugs are being investigated to improve the efficiency of the therapy of CML such as snake venoms and their compounds. In this investigation, Bothrops pirajai L‐amino acid oxidase (BpirLAAO‐I) effect on normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and on BCR‐ABL+ cell line was assessed to explore its potential against leukaemic cells. MTT viability assay, lymphocyte subsets quantification and cell activation markers expression were performed to evaluate BpirLAAO‐I effect on normal PBMC. The effect of BpirLAAO‐I on HL‐60 and HL‐60.BCR‐ABL cell lines was assessed by apoptosis detection. BpirLAAO‐I was able to induce apoptosis in HL‐60 and HL‐60.BCR‐ABL cell lines in a dose‐dependent manner, promoted caspases 3, 8 and 9 activation and enhanced IM effect while not affecting the viability of normal cells. In addition, BpirLAAO‐I promoted immune cells activation and lymphocytes subsets changes on normal PBMC. The results indicate that BpirLAAO‐I induces apoptosis and potentiates IM effect on BCR‐ABL+ cells.
Infant temperament and childhood psychiatric disorder: longitudinal study
Authors: Sayal K. , Heron J. , Maughan B. , Rowe R. , Ramchandani P.
Published: April 2013

Background

Temperamental characteristics emerge early in life and can shape children's development, adjustment and behaviour. We aimed to investigate the association between early infant temperament and later childhood psychiatric disorder in a community sample.

Methods

This prospective, population‐based study used data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). In a sample of 7318 children, we investigated whether temperamental characteristics assessed at the ages of 6 months and 24 months are associated with an independent diagnosis of psychiatric disorder ascertained at age 7 years.

Results

After adjusting for confounders, temperamental characteristics assessed at 6 and 24 months of age were associated with psychiatric disorder at age 7 years. In particular, intensity of emotional reaction at age 6 months was associated with later disorder (adjusted odds ratio = 1.56; 95% confidence interval 1.19, 2.04; P = 0.002). These associations were stronger in girls and in those children with high levels of intensity at both 6 and 24 months of age.

Conclusions

Temperamental characteristics involving high levels of emotional intensity within the first year of life are longitudinally associated with psychiatric disorder in mid‐childhood, suggesting that the roots of psychiatric disorder may, in some cases, lie very early in life.
Longitudinal changes in high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and cardiovascular events in older adults
Authors: Araujo Andre B. , Chiu Gretchen R. , Christian Jennifer B. , Kim Hae Young , Evans William J. , Clark Richard V.
Published: April 2013

Objective

While low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events, there are limited data evaluating the association of longitudinal change in HDL‐C with CV event risk in older populations. The aim of this study was to examine the association between within‐subject changes in HDL‐C levels and CV events in an older population.

Design

Observational cohort study.

Patients

1293 men and 1422 women age ≥50 years, with ≥2 consecutive HDL measurements, and no prior CVD as part of Framingham Offspring Study.

Measurements

A clinical CV event was defined as the first occurrence of any of the following: coronary heart disease (coronary death, myocardial infarction, coronary insufficiency and angina), cerebrovascular event, peripheral artery disease or heart failure.

Results

Median total follow‐up time across subjects was 9·6 years. Change in HDL‐C was evaluated as between‐exam (approximately 3·5 years) percentage change in HDL‐C, categorized as ≥10% decrease, <10% change (stable) and ≥10% increase. Crude and adjusted sex‐specific Cox hazards regression models with change in HDL‐C as a time‐dependent covariate quantified the association with CV events. Mean baseline age of the analysis sample was 53 years. There were 233 and 111 CV events among men and women, respectively. Change in HDL‐C was not significantly associated with CVD incidence in men or women, without or with adjustment for confounders including baseline HDL‐C or use of relevant medications.

Conclusion

In conclusion, relatively short‐term (3·5 years) changes in HDL‐C levels do not affect CV events in men and women.
The associations between peak O2 consumption and leptin in 10‐ to 12‐year‐old boys
Authors: Cicchella Antonio , Stefanelli Claudio , Purge Priit , Lätt Evelin , Saar Meeli , Jürimäe Toivo
Published: April 2013

The aim of this study was to assess the associations of circulating levels of leptin with the peak O2 consumption (VO2peak) in 10‐ to 12‐year‐old boys of different BMI selected by Cole et al. (BMJ, 320,2000,1–6): total group (n = 248), normal (n = 190), overweight (n = 34) and obese (n = 24). We hypothesized that there is a close relationship in overweight and obese subgroups of boys with relative VO2peak kg−1(ml min−1 kg−1) and leptin. Most of the subjects were Tanner stage 2. Peak O2 consumption was measured directly using an increasing incremental protocol until volitional exhaustion on an electronically braked cycle ergometer. The expired gas was sampled continuously breadth‐by‐breadth mode for the measurement of oxygen consumption (MetaMax, Germany). Blood samples were obtained after an overnight fast from an antecubital vein for leptin measurements. Peak O2 consumption (l min−1) was higher or lower (ml min−1 kg−1) in overweight and obese groups, compared with normal BMI group. Leptin was higher in overweight and obese groups, compared with normal BMI group. Peak O2 consumption (l min−1) correlated significantly with leptin only in total group (n = 248, r = 0·196). Contrary, relative VO2peak kg−1 correlated significantly and negatively with leptin. The relationship was highest on the total group (r  =  −0·674). We can conclude that leptin first of all correlated negatively with relative peak O2 consumption. Absolute VO2peak correlated with leptin only in total group.
Hypogammaglobulinemia in the early period after liver transplantation in children
Authors: Mozer‐Glassberg Yael , Shamir Raanan , Steinberg Ran , Kadmon Gili , Har‐Lev Efrat , Mor Eytan , Shapiro Rivka , Schonfeld Tommy , Nahum Elhanan
Published: April 2013

Data, on the kinetic and serum levels of immunoglobulins in the immediate post‐liver transplantation (LTx) period, are sparse with existing studies limited to adults or case reports of children. The aim of this study is to describe the phenomenon of hypogammaglobulinemia (HGG) in the immediate post‐transplantation period among children undergoing LTx. A retrospective 10‐yr chart review was conducted of all children who underwent LTx at a fourth‐level pediatric medical center. Fifty‐seven, of the 76 children who underwent LTx, were included in the study. Seventeen (29.8%) (mean age, 6.8 ± 5.2 yr) had HGG (11‐IgG, 1‐IgG+IgA, 1‐IgG+IgM, 4‐IgG+IgA+IgM), detected at 2 to 25 d after transplantation. Abdominal fluid was drained for 5 to 42 d; the amount drained until detection of HGG measured 27–668 mL/kg. HGG was associated with increased infection rate 0.9 episodes/patient vs. 0.17 episodes/patient (p < 0.01) in children without detected HGG. In conclusion, HGG is not rare in the immediate post‐LTx period in children, and it may place patients at increased risk of infection. Further studies are needed to delineate the rate of occurrence, risk factors, and clinical implications of hypogammaglobulinemia in this patient population.
Real Time Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography for Quantification of Ventricular Volumes, Mass, and Function in Children with Congenital and Acquired Heart Diseases
Authors: Balluz Rula , Liu Liwen , Zhou Xiaodong , Ge Shuping
Published: April 2013

Quantitative measurement of left ventricular (LV) volumes, mass, and function is one of the most common and important indications for echocardiography. These measurements are among the most powerful tools for diagnosis and prognosis of congenital and acquired heart diseases and for assessment of medical, percutaneous, and surgical interventions. Awareness is also growing of the importance of right ventricular (RV) volume, mass, and function in many cardiopulmonary diseases. Furthermore, there are challenges and opportunities to measure the volume, mass, and function of complex chambers such as the left atrium, right atrium, and the univentricular heart. As echocardiography continues to be the imaging modality of choice for these measurements, the strengths and limitations of M‐mode, two‐dimensional (2D), and recently three‐dimensional (3D) echocardiographic (3DE) methodologies for accurate and reproducible measurement of these indices have been extensively investigated for congenital and acquired heart diseases. Evidence suggests that 3DE provides improved accuracy and reproducibility over 2D methods for measurement of LV volume and function calculation in adults and in children. Data have accumulated on the utility of 3DE for measuring chamber volumes and function for the RV and for the single ventricle, which may become more widely used in clinical and research arenas in the future. Finally, new advanced modes of analysis such as 3D strain and synchrony analysis by 3DE are promising methodologies that warrant further investigation.
Circadian rhythms in acute intermittent porphyria – a pilot study
Authors: Larion Sebastian , Caballes Frederick R. , Hwang Sun‐Il , Lee Jin‐Gyun , Rossman Whitney E. , Parsons Judy , Steuerwald Nury , Li Ting , Maddukuri Vinaya , Groseclose Gale , Finkielstein Carla V. , Bonkovsky Herbert L.
Published: April 2013

Background

Acute intermittent porphyria (AIP) is an inherited disorder of haem synthesis wherein a partial deficiency of porphobilinogen (PBG) deaminase (PBGD) with other factors may give rise to biochemical and clinical manifestations of disease. The biochemical hallmarks of active AIP are relative hepatic haem deficiency and uncontrolled up‐regulation of hepatic 5‐aminolevulinic acid (ALA) synthase‐1 (ALAS1) with over‐production of ALA and PBG. The treatment of choice is intravenous haem, which restores the deficient regulatory haem pool of the liver and represses ALAS1. Recently, haem has been shown to influence circadian rhythms by controlling their negative feedback loops. We evaluated whether subjects with AIP exhibited an altered circadian profile.

Materials and methods

Over a 21‐h period, we measured levels of serum cortisol, melatonin, ALA, PBG and mRNA levels (in peripheral blood mononuclear cells) of selected clock‐controlled genes and genes involved in haem synthesis in 10 Caucasian (European‐American) women who were either postmenopausal or had been receiving female hormone therapy, six of whom have AIP and four do not and are considered controls.

Results

Four AIP subjects with biochemical activity exhibited higher levels of PBG and lower levels and dampened oscillation of serum cortisol, and a trend for lower levels of serum melatonin, than controls or AIP subjects without biochemical activity. Levels of clock‐controlled gene mRNAs showed significant increases over baseline in all subjects at 5 a.m. and 11 p.m., whereas mRNA levels of ALAS1, ALAS2 and PBGD were increased only at 11 p.m. in subjects with active AIP.

Conclusions

This pilot study provides evidence for disturbances of circadian markers in women with active AIP that may trigger or sustain some common clinical features of AIP.
Vigilance as a Response to White Complicity
Authors: Applebaum Barbara
Published: April 2013

Calls for vigilance have been a recurrent theme in social justice education. Scholars making this call note that vigilance involves a continuous attentiveness, that it presumes some type of criticality, and that it is transformative. In this essay Barbara Applebaum expands upon some of these attributes and calls attention to three particular features of vigilance that, while they may be alluded to in the aforementioned discussions, are rarely made explicit. These three features are critique, staying in the anxiety of critique, and vulnerability. Using the lens of Judith Butler's recent work and the discussions that her work has provoked, Applebaum examines these three features of vigilance and demonstrates how they are crucial for white people interrogating their complicity in systemic racism. Finally, she discusses how the expanded three features of vigilance can offer guidance to one of the enormously thorny questions that arises in the social justice classroom.
Genetic and environmental influences on the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of Goniozus wasps
Authors: Khidr Sahand K. , Linforth Robert S.T. , Hardy Ian C.W.
Published: April 2013

The cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles of insects are well known to be variable. This variation may be due to genetic influences, environmental influences, or both. Most prior studies have focused on social insects, mainly those in the Hymenoptera, and have shown that hydrocarbons play an important role mediating social behaviour, particularly via kin recognition. Here, we assess the CHC profiles of three species of parasitoid wasps in the genus Goniozus (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae), some of which are known to attune their behaviour according to both environmentally based and genetically based recognition of kin. We find that CHC profiles vary according to both the genetic background (wasp species) and the developmental environment (host species) of individual parasitoids. This indicates that kin recognition could be based on CHC profiles in these parasitoids, as it is in social Hymenoptera. Because the CHC profiles of species within the genus Goniozus are dissimilar, we also conclude that chemical analysis could be used as a taxonomic tool alongside morphological and molecular genetic identification for Goniozus and other species.
Cone survival and preservation of visual acuity in an animal model of retinal degeneration
Authors: Piano Ilaria , Novelli Elena , Gasco Paolo , Ghidoni Riccardo , Strettoi Enrica , Gargini Claudia
Published: April 2013

The prevention of cone loss during retinal degeneration is a major goal of most therapeutic strategies in retinal degenerative diseases. An intriguing issue in the current research in this field is to understand why a genetic mutation that affects rods eventually leads to cone death. The main objective of the present study was to investigate to what extent rescuing rods from degeneration affects the survival of cones and prevents functional impairment of the visual performance. To this purpose, we compared rod and cone viabilities by both ex vivo and in vivo determinations in the rd10 mutant mouse, a validated model of human retinitis pigmentosa. The ex vivo experiments included morphological and biochemical tests, whereas in vivo studies compared the rod‐mediated scotopic with the cone‐mediated photopic electroretinogram. We also determined the overall visual performance by behaviorally testing the visual acuity (VA). The electroretinogram measurements showed that the kinetics of the photopic response in rd10 mice was slowed down with respect to the age‐paired wild‐type at a very early stage of the disease, when rods were still present and responsive. We then tested cone viability and function under a pharmacological scheme previously shown to prolong rod survival. The treatment consisted of eye drop administration of myriocin, an inhibitor of the biosynthesis of ceramide, a powerful proapoptotic messenger. The results of biochemical, morphological and functional assays converged to show that, in treated rd10 mice cone photoreceptors, the inner retina and overall visual performance were preserved well after rod death.
Stroke care organization overcomes the deleterious ‘weekend effect’ on 1‐month stroke mortality: a population‐based study
Authors: Béjot Y. , Aboa‐Eboulé C. , Jacquin A. , Troisgros O. , Hervieu M. , Durier J. , Osseby G.‐V. , Giroud M.
Published: April 2013

Background and purpose

Suffering a stroke during the weekend is associated with a poorer prognosis. The impact of implementing a dedicated stroke care network in Dijon, France, in 2003 on 30‐day mortality in strokes/transient ischaemic attacks (TIA) occurring during weekends/bank holidays was evaluated.

Methods

All cases of stroke and TIA from 1985 to 2010 were identified from a population‐based registry, using multiple overlapping sources of information. Demographics and clinical data were recorded. Cox regression models were used to evaluate associations between day of onset (weekdays versus weekends/bank holidays) and 30‐day all‐cause mortality. Data were stratified according to time periods [before (1985–2003) and after (2004–2010) implementation of the stroke network] and stroke subtypes (ischaemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage).

Results

Of the 5864 recorded patients, 1465 (25%) had their event during weekends/bank holidays. Patients with stroke/TIA during weekdays were comparable with those with stroke/TIA during weekends/bank holidays for baseline characteristics. Excess mortality was observed in patients with stroke/TIA during weekends/bank holidays during 1985–2003 (18.2% vs. 14.0%, P < 0.01) but not during 2004–2010 (8.4% vs. 8.3%, P = 0.74). Onset during weekends/bank holidays was associated with a higher risk of 30‐day mortality during 1985–2003 (adjusted hazard ratio 1.26; 95% CI 1.06–1.51, P = 0.01), but not during 2004–2010 (adjusted hazard ratio 0.99; 95% CI 0.69–1.43, P = 0.97).

Conclusion

The deleterious effect of weekends/bank holidays on early stroke mortality disappeared after the organization of a dedicated stroke care network in our community. Our findings provide strong support for the implementation of quality improvement initiatives in order to attenuate inequalities in the management of stroke patients.
Evolutionary dynamics of a rapidly receding southern range boundary in the threatened California Red‐Legged Frog (Rana draytonii)
Authors: Richmond Jonathan Q. , Barr Kelly R. , Backlin Adam R. , Vandergast Amy G. , Fisher Robert N.
Published: April 2013

Populations forming the edge of a species range are often imperiled by isolation and low genetic diversity, with proximity to human population centers being a major determinant of edge stability in modern landscapes. Since the 1960s, the California red‐legged frog (Rana draytonii) has undergone extensive declines in heavily urbanized southern California, where the range edge has rapidly contracted northward while shifting its cardinal orientation to an east‐west trending axis. We studied the genetic structure and diversity of these frontline populations, tested for signatures of contemporary disturbance, specifically fire, and attempted to disentangle these signals from demographic events extending deeper into the past. Consistent with the genetic expectations of the ‘abundant‐center’ model, we found that diversity, admixture, and opportunity for random mating increases in populations sampled successively further away from the range boundary. Demographic simulations indicate that bottlenecks in peripheral isolates are associated with processes extending tens to a few hundred generations in the past, despite the demographic collapse of some due to recent fire‐flood events. While the effects of recent disturbance have left little genetic imprint on these populations, they likely contribute to an extinction debt that will lead to continued range contraction unless management intervenes to stall or reverse the process.
Modulating the endocannabinoid system in human health and disease – successes and failures
Authors: Pacher Pál , Kunos George
Published: April 2013

The discovery of the endocannabinoid system, comprising the G‐protein coupled cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors (CB1/2), their endogenous lipid ligands or endocannabinoids, and synthetic and metabolizing enzymes, has triggered an avalanche of experimental studies implicating the endocannabinoid system in a growing number of physiological/pathological functions. These studies have also suggested that modulating the activity of the endocannabinoid system holds therapeutic promise for a broad range of diseases, including neurodegenerative, cardiovascular and inflammatory disorders; obesity/metabolic syndrome; cachexia; chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting; and tissue injury and pain, amongst others. However, clinical trials with globally acting CB1 antagonists in obesity/metabolic syndrome, and other studies with peripherally‐restricted CB1/2 agonists and inhibitors of the endocannabinoid metabolizing enzyme in pain, have introduced unexpected complexities, suggesting that a better understanding of the pathophysiological role of the endocannabinoid system is required to devise clinically successful treatment strategies.
Higher Education Policy and Legitimacy Building: the Making of a New Academic Credential in Ontario
Authors: Hurley Peter , Sá Creso M.
Published: April 2013

Canada's province of Ontario introduced a new policy in 2000 allowing community colleges to offer a new type of undergraduate degree. This decision was a significant policy change for the government considering the nature of Ontario's binary system, where a rigid separation has historically prevailed between the university and college sectors. Drawing on multiple sources of data, this study indicates that the decision to create a new type of applied bachelor's degree generated a series of uncertainties and challenges for higher education institutions, students and government agencies. The paper highlights the need for policy makers to consider the socio‐cultural aspects of higher education systems in policy design, particularly the role of legitimacy.
The role of readability in effective health communication: an experiment using a Japanese health information text on chronic suppurative otitis media
Authors: Sakai Yukiko
Published: April 2013

Objectives

This study identifies the most significant readability factors and examines ways of improving and evaluating Japanese health information text in terms of ease of reading and understanding.

Methods

Six different Japanese texts were prepared based on an original short text written by a medical doctor for a hospital web site intended for laypersons regarding chronic suppurative otitis media. Four were revised for single readability factor (syntax, vocabulary, or text structure) and two were modified in all three factors. Using a web‐based survey, 270 high school students read one of the seven texts, including the original, completed two kinds of comprehension tests, and answered questions on their impressions of the text's readability.

Results

Significantly higher comprehension test scores were shown in the true or false test for a mixed text that presented important information first for better text structure. They were also found in the cloze test for a text using common vocabulary and a cohesive mixed text.

Conclusions

Vocabulary could be a critical single readability factor when presumably combined with better text structure. Using multiple evaluation methods can help assess comprehensive readability. The findings on improvement and evaluation methods of readability can be applied to support effective health communication.