bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cutting Edge: Foxp1 Controls Naive CD8+ T Cell Quiescence by Simultaneously Repressing Key Pathways in Cellular Metabolism and Cell Cycle Progression
Authors: Wei Hairong , Geng Jianlin , Shi Bi , Liu Zhenghui , Wang Yin-Hu , Stevens Anna C. , Sprout Stephanie L. , Yao Min , Wang Haikun , Hu Hui
Published: March 2016

Previously we have shown that transcription factor Foxp1 plays an essential role in maintaining naive T cell quiescence; in the absence of Foxp1, mature naive CD8+ T cells proliferate in direct response to homeostatic cytokine IL-7. In this study, we report that the deletion of Foxp1 in naive CD8+ T cells leads to enhanced activation of the PI3K/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling pathway and its downstream cell growth and metabolism targets in response to IL-7. We found that Foxp1 directly regulates PI3K interacting protein 1, a negative regulator of PI3K. Additionally, we found that deletion of Foxp1 in naive CD8+ T cells results in increased expression levels of E2fs, the critical components for cell cycle progression and proliferation, in a manner that is not associated with increased phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein. Taken together, our studies suggest that Foxp1 enforces naive CD8+ T cell quiescence by simultaneously repressing key pathways in both cellular metabolism and cell cycle progression.
High-Resolution Longitudinal Study of HIV-1 Env Vaccine–Elicited B Cell Responses to the Virus Primary Receptor Binding Site Reveals Affinity Maturation and Clonal Persistence
Authors: Wang Yimeng , Sundling Christopher , Wilson Richard , O’Dell Sijy , Chen Yajing , Dai Kaifan , Phad Ganesh E. , Zhu Jiang , Xiao Yongli , Mascola John R. , Karlsson Hedestam Gunilla B. , Wyatt Richard T. , Li Yuxing
Published: March 2016

Because of the genetic variability of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins (Env), the elicitation of neutralizing Abs to conserved neutralization determinants including the primary receptor binding site, CD4 binding site (CD4bs), is a major focus of vaccine development. To gain insight into the evolution of Env-elicited Ab responses, we used single B cell analysis to interrogate the memory B cell Ig repertoires from two rhesus macaques after five serial immunizations with Env/adjuvant. We observed that the CD4bs-specific repertoire displayed unique features in the third CDR of Ig H chains with minor alterations along the immunization course. Progressive affinity maturation occurred as evidenced by elevated levels of somatic hypermutation (SHM) in Ab sequences isolated at the late immunization time point compared with the early time point. Abs with higher SHM were associated with increased binding affinity and virus neutralization capacity. Moreover, a notable portion of the CD4bs-specific repertoire was maintained between early and late immunization time points, suggesting that persistent clonal lineages were induced by Env vaccination. Furthermore, we found that the predominant persistent CD4bs-specific clonal lineages had larger population sizes and higher affinities than that from the rest of the repertoires, underscoring the critical role of Ag affinity selection in Ab maturation and clonal expansion. Genetic and functional analyses revealed that the accumulation of SHM in both framework regions and CDRs contributed to the clonal affinity and antigenicity evolution. Our longitudinal study provides high-resolution understanding of the dynamically evolving CD4bs-specific B cell response after Env immunization in primates.
Clinical case and short review of extreme short bowel syndrome: an update 21 years after
Authors: Mansueto Pasquale , Seidita Aurelio , Iacono Salvatore , Carroccio Antonio
Published: March 2016

Short bowel syndrome refers to the malabsorptive state caused by loss of significant portions of the small intestine, whose clinical framework is characterized by malnutrition, diarrhea, dehydration, weight loss, and low-weight-related symptoms/signs. These clinical conditions seem to be related to the length of resection. Twenty-one years ago we reported the clinical case of an infant, who underwent a massive resection of the loops of the small intestine, of the cecum and of part of the ascending colon, due to intestinal malrotation with volvulus. The residual small intestine measured just 11 cm and consisted of the duodenum and a small part of jejunum, in the absence of the ileocecal valve, configuring the case of a ultra-short bowel syndrome. In this report, we update the case, reporting the patient succeeded to obtain a good weight gain and to conduct a quite normal lifestyle, despite the long-term consequences of such resection.
Pathophysiological aspects and management workflow of coronary microvascular obstruction in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Scalone Giancarla , Niccoli Giampaolo , Crea Filippo
Published: March 2016

Restoring blood flow to ischemic but viable myocardium and reducing infarct size constitute the goals of reperfusion therapy with fibrinolytic drugs or primary percutaneous intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). However, in a sizable proportion of patients, this intervention gains to reopen the obstructed epicardial coronary artery but does not achieve myocardial reperfusion because of coronary microvascular obstruction phenomenon (CMVO). In the last years, consistent evidence has pointed out how CMVO has a negative impact on outcome in patients with acute STEMI. Of note, most of the trials in this setting, mainly targeting reperfusion damage, have failed to show beneficial effects. In this article we provide a revision of mechanisms, diagnosis and prognosis of CMVO in acute STEMI, also pointing out the need of an integrated approach in order to prevent and treat CMVO in the different time windows of the acute event.
Coronary microvascular dysfunction: a great challenge for Cardiology
Authors: Pascale Claudio
Published: March 2016

Not available
Demographic responses of Heterocypris incongruens (Ostracoda) related to stress factors of competition, predation and food
Authors: Fernandez Rocio , Nandini Sarma , Nandini S.S.S. , Castellanos-Páez Maria E.
Published: March 2016

Heterocypris incongruens is a widely distributed ostracod which can maintain its populations under stressful conditions such as those in temporary ponds and under low-quality diets, for example, detritus. It often co-occurs with cladocerans and fish living in shallow water bodies. Nevertheless, little is known about its response to the presence of predators, its consumption capacity of cyanobacteria typically present in eutrophic systems, and its interaction with other species in similar habits. We studied here the demographic responses of H. incongruens fed the green alga Scenedesmus acutus, two strains of Microcystis cf. aeruginosa and Limnothrix sp. Experiments were conducted separately and together in the presence of the cladoceran Simocephalus vetulus and the cichlid ﬁsh, Oreochromis kairomones. The ostracod maintained growth in all treatments, the reproductive output decreased on dietary Limnothrix sp., and its life expectancy was significantly lower with the toxic strain of Microcystis. The coexistence of both crustacean species increased the rate of population growth (~ 0.33 day-1) of S. vetulus and life expectancy (36-44 days) of H. incongruens on the test diets compared with controls (23-33 days). Our study suggests facilitation affects the interaction between the two microcrustaceans, especially on poor quality cyanobacterial diets.
A non-deterministic approach to forecasting the trophic evolution of lakes
Authors: Bertoni Roberto , Bertoni Martino , Morabito Giuseppe , Rogora Michela , Callieri Cristiana
Published: March 2016

Limnologists have long recognized that one of the goals of their discipline is to increase its predictive capability. In recent years, the role of prediction in applied ecology escalated, mainly due to man’s increased ability to change the biosphere. Such alterations often came with unplanned and noticeably negative side effects mushrooming from lack of proper attention to long-term consequences. Regression analysis of common limnological parameters has been successfully applied to develop predictive models relating the variability of limnological parameters to specific key causes. These approaches, though, are biased by the requirement of a priori cause-relation assumption, oftentimes difficult to find in the complex, nonlinear relationships entangling ecological data. A set of quantitative tools that can help addressing current environmental challenges avoiding such restrictions is currently being researched and developed within the framework of ecological informatics. One of these approaches attempting to model the relationship between a set of inputs and known outputs, is based on genetic algorithms and programming (GP). This stochastic optimization tool is based on the process of evolution in natural systems and was inspired by a direct analogy to sexual reproduction and Charles Darwin’s principle of natural selection. GP works through genetic algorithms that use selection and recombination operators to generate a population of equations. Thanks to a 25-years long time-series of regular limnological data, the deep, large, oligotrophic Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy) is the ideal case study to test the predictive ability of GP. Testing of GP on the multi-year data series of this lake has allowed us to verify the forecasting efficacy of the models emerging from GP application. In addition, this non-deterministic approach leads to the discovery of non-obvious relationships between variables and enabled the formulation of new stochastic models.
The trophic role and impact of plankton ciliates in the microbial web structure of a tropical polymictic lake dominated by filamentous cyanobacteria
Authors: Esquivel Alfonso , Barani Aude , Macek Miroslav , Ruth Soto-Castor Ruth , Bulit Celia
Published: March 2016

The recent interest in the plankton structures and dynamics in tropical and subtropical lakes has revealed important trends that set these lakes apart from temperate lakes, and one of the main differences is the enhanced importance of the microbial food web with respect to net plankton. Ciliates are a key component of subtropical and tropical microbial webs because of their role as dominant picoplankton grazers and their ability to channel picoplankton production to the uppermost trophic levels. Plankton ciliates have been found to play a crucial role in the survival of fish larvae in lakes that share several features with Lake Catemaco, a eutrophic tropical Mexican lake. Therefore, the plankton ciliate composition, abundance, and biomass of Lake Catemaco were studied to assess their role in the microbial food web. The data were obtained from surface and bottom water samples collected at eleven points during three surveys in 2011 and an additional survey in 2013, with the surveys covering the local climatic seasons. The most abundant components of the plankton ciliate assemblages were small prostomatids (Urotricha spp.), choreotrichs (Rimostrombidium spp.), cyclotrichs (Mesodinium and Askenasia), and scuticociliates (Cyclidium, Cinetochilum, Pleuronema, and Uronema). Other important ciliates in terms of abundance and/or biomass were haptorids (Actinobolina, Belonophrya, Monodinium, Paradileptus, and Laginophrya), Halteria, oligotrichs (Limnostrombidium and Pelagostrombidium), Linostomella, Bursaridium, Cyrtolophosis, and Litonotus. The ciliate abundance averaged 57 cells mL-1 and ranged from 14 to 113 cells mL-1. The mean ciliate biomass was 71 µg C L-1 and ranged from 10 to 202 µg C L-1. Differences were not detected in ciliate abundance or biomass between the sampling points or sampling depths (surface to bottom); however, significant differences were observed between seasons for both variables. Nano-sized filamentous cyanobacteria were the most abundant component of the plankton, and their abundance was assessed through epifluorescence microscopy counts. The autotrophic and heterotrophic picoplankton abundance was measured through epifluorescence, and their abundance and biomass were higher at the study site relative to other shallow freshwater ecosystems. The total ciliate biomass distribution patterns were similar to those of filamentous cyanobacteria and autotrophic or heterotrophic picoplankton, although the nanociliate biomasses peaked when the picoplankton and filamentous cyanobacteria were least abundant. The consequences of this increased importance of ciliates on the structure of the plankton at Lake Catemaco will be discussed along with the probable causes.
Effects of the hydrological cycle on the phycoperiphyton assemblage in an Andean foothill stream in Colombia
Authors: Ríos-Pulgarín María I. , Gil-Guarín Isabel C. , Barletta Mario , Mancera-Rodríguez Néstor J.
Published: March 2016

The Guarinó River is a torrential system that is located in the foothills of the Colombian central Andean mountains that naturally experiences severe hydrological disturbances, which were higher during the Niño-Niña/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) between 2007 and 2010. The seasonal and interannual variabilities in the taxonomic composition, richness and density of phycoperiphyton assemblages (ecological descriptors) from the Guarinó River were examined in relation to the physical and chemical environmental changes associated with the hydrological cycle between 2007 and 2010. The values of the ecological descriptors and environmental variables were analysed via ANOVA, ANCOVA and Canonical Discriminant Analysis to establish temporal patterns and relationships between the variables. Eighty-seven taxa belonging to Cyanobacteria, Chlorophyta, Charophyta, Ochrophyta, Cryptophyta, Euglenozoa and Dinophyta were identified. Flow, water temperature and dissolved oxygen corresponded with the hydroclimatic variation and allowed for the differentiation of the El Niño and La Niña periods. Phycoperiphyton density differences matched the environmental variation pattern with a significant annual increase in the number of individuals during El Niño, whereas annual differences related to richness were not evident. The replacement of genera according to their drag or desiccation tolerance and the persistence of genera tolerant to high hydrological disturbances, such as Fragilaria, Nitzschia, Gomphonema, Navicula and especially Lyngbya, was observed.
Front Matter
Authors: Alcocer Javier , Merino-Ibarra Martín , Escobar-Briones Elva
Published: March 2016

VI CONGRESO NACIONAL DE LIMNOLOGÍA

Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Ciudad Universitaria, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México

Proceedings Guest Editors

Javier Alcocer (Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico)

Martín Merino-Ibarra (Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico)

Elva Escobar-Briones (Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico)
Fluorine-19 Mri Contrast Agents for Cell Tracking and Lung Imaging
Authors: Fox Matthew S. , Gaudet Jeffrey M. , Foster Paula J.
Published: March 2016

Fluorine-19 (19F)-based contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging stand to revolutionize imaging-based research and clinical trials in several fields of medical intervention. First, their use in characterizing in vivo cell behavior may help bring cellular therapy closer to clinical acceptance. Second, their use in lung imaging provides novel noninvasive interrogation of the ventilated airspaces without the need for complicated, hard-to-distribute hardware. This article reviews the current state of 19F-based cell tracking and lung imaging using magnetic resonance imaging and describes the link between the methods across these fields and how they may mutually benefit from solutions to mutual problems encountered when imaging 19F-containing compounds, as well as hardware and software advancements.
Perturbation semigroup of matrix algebras
Authors: Neumann Niels , van Suijlekom Walter D.
Published: March 2016

In this article we analyze the structure of the semigroup of inner perturbations in noncommutative geometry. This perturbation semigroup is associated to a unital associative *-algebra and extends the group of unitary elements of this *-algebra. We compute the perturbation semigroup for all matrix algebras.
Accelerating to Zero: Strategies to Eliminate Malaria in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Quispe Antonio M. , Llanos-Cuentas Alejandro , Rodriguez Hugo , Clendenes Martin , Cabezas Cesar , Leon Luis M. , Chuquiyauri Raul , Moreno Marta , Kaslow David C. , Grogl Max , Herrera Sócrates , Magill Alan J. , Kosek Margaret , Vinetz Joseph M. , Lescano Andres G. , Gotuzzo Eduardo
Published: March 2016

In February 2014, the Malaria Elimination Working Group, in partnership with the Peruvian Ministry of Health (MoH), hosted its first international conference on malaria elimination in Iquitos, Peru. The 2-day meeting gathered 85 malaria experts, including 18 international panelists, 23 stakeholders from different malaria-endemic regions of Peru, and 11 MoH authorities. The main outcome was consensus that implementing a malaria elimination project in the Amazon region is achievable, but would require: 1) a comprehensive strategic plan, 2) the altering of current programmatic guidelines from control toward elimination by including symptomatic as well as asymptomatic individuals for antimalarial therapy and transmission-blocking interventions, and 3) the prioritization of community-based active case detection with proper rapid diagnostic tests to interrupt transmission. Elimination efforts must involve key stakeholders and experts at every level of government and include integrated research activities to evaluate, implement, and tailor sustainable interventions appropriate to the region.
Absence of Association Between Sickle Trait Hemoglobin and Placental Malaria Outcomes
Authors: Patel Jaymin C. , Mwapasa Victor , Kalilani Linda , ter Kuile Feiko O. , Khairallah Carole , Thwai Kyaw L. , Meshnick Steven R. , Taylor Steve M.
Published: March 2016

Heterozygous hemoglobin S (HbAS), or sickle trait, protects children from life-threatening falciparum malaria, potentially by attenuating binding of Plasmodium-infected red blood cells (iRBCs) to extracellular ligands. Such binding is central to the pathogenesis of placental malaria (PM). We hypothesized that HbAS would be associated with reduced risks of PM and low birth weight (LBW). We tested this hypothesis in 850 delivering women in southern Malawi. Parasites were detected by polymerase chain reaction in placental and peripheral blood, and placentae were scored histologically for PM. The prevalence of HbAS was 3.7%, and 11.2% of infants were LBW (< 2,500 g). The prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum was 12.7% in placental and 8.5% in peripheral blood; 24.4% of placentae demonstrated histological evidence of P. falciparum. HbAS was not associated with reduced prevalence of P. falciparum in placental (odds ratio [OR]: 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.50–3.23, P = 0.61) or peripheral blood (OR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.08–2.54, P = 0.03), prevalence of histological PM (OR: 0.97, 95% CI: 0.40–2.34, P = 0.95), or prevalence of LBW (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.24–2.73, P = 0.74). Mean (standard deviation) birth weights of infants born to HbAS (2,947 g [563]) and, homozygous hemoglobin A (2,991 g [465]) mothers were similar. Across a range of parasitologic, clinical, and histologic outcomes, HbAS did not confer protection from PM or its adverse effects.
The Impact of Prior Flavivirus Infections on the Development of Type 2 Diabetes Among the Indigenous Australians
Authors: Sorenson Alanna , Owens Leigh , Caltabiano Marie , Cadet-James Yvonne , Hall Roy , Govan Brenda , Clancy Paula
Published: March 2016

It is estimated that 5% of Australians over the age of 18 have diabetes, with the number of new cases increasing every year. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) also represents a significant disease burden in the Australian indigenous population, where prevalence is three times greater than that of non-indigenous Australians. Prevalence of T2D has been found to be higher in rural and remote indigenous Australian populations compared with urban indigenous Australian populations. Several studies have also found that body mass index and waist circumference are not appropriate for the prediction of T2D risk in indigenous Australians. Regional and remote areas of Australia are endemic for a variety of mosquito-borne flaviviruses. Studies that have investigated seroprevalence of flaviviruses in remote aboriginal communities have found high proportions of seroconversion. The family Flaviviridae comprises several genera of viruses with non-segmented single-stranded positive sense RNA genomes, and includes the flaviviruses and hepaciviruses. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to be associated with insulin resistance and subsequent development of T2D. Flaviviruses and HCV possess conserved proteins and subgenomic RNA structures that may play similar roles in the development of insulin resistance. Although dietary and lifestyle factors are associated with increased risk of developing T2D, the impact of infectious diseases such as arboviruses has not been assessed. Flaviviruses circulating in indigenous Australian communities may play a significant role in inducing glucose intolerance and exacerbating T2D.
Analyzing Deoxyribose Nucleic Acid from Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests to Study Plasmodium falciparum Genetic Diversity in Mali
Authors: Nabet Cécile , Doumbo Safiatou , Jeddi Fakhri , Sagara Issaka , Manciulli Tommaso , Tapily Amadou , L'Ollivier Coralie , Djimde Abdoulaye , Doumbo Ogobara K. , Piarroux Renaud
Published: March 2016

We evaluated the use of positive malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) to determine genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Mali. Genetic diversity was assessed via multiple loci variable number of tandem repeats analysis (MLVA). We performed DNA extraction from 104 positive and 30 negative used mRDTs that had been stored at ambient temperature for up to 14 months. Extracted DNA was analyzed via quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and MLVA genotyping was then assessed on positive qPCR samples. Eighty-three of the positive mRDTs (83/104, 79.8%) and none of the negative mRDTs were confirmed P. falciparum positive via qPCR. We achieved complete genotyping of 90.4% (75/83) of the qPCR-positive samples. Genotyping revealed high genetic diversity among P. falciparum populations in Mali and an absence of population clustering. We show that mRDTs are useful to monitor P. falciparum genetic diversity and thereby can provide essential data to guide malaria control programs.
Gender violence news in British and American press
Authors: Bustinduy Sara
Published: March 2016

This study aims to prove which qualities, from the British and United States actual press, are more adequate for gender violence issues, comparing news on the same stories. It is evident the influence of mass media on public opinion and, therefore, the responsibility that written press has on gender violence messages, avoiding sensationalism. Psycholinguistic studies have established the relation language-thought, so language used in journalism is crucial.

Following the belief that newspapers considered more liberal and independent will lead to a better treatment than traditional ones considered to be more reluctant to change, journals have been selected. Furthermore, different cultures can be as objective and respectful but maybe less committed with the issue, as it may arise from the samples. There have been emerging ethic codes giving guidelines to journalists, including discrimination, and more specific on gender sensitive reporting.

Therefore, the objective to improve public opinion information, stepping away from stereotypes and oversimplifications, is substantial, and will undoubtedly result in a better understanding of equality.

 
Use of high concentrations of carbon dioxide for stunning rabbits reared for meat production
Authors: Dalmau A. , Pallisera J. , Pedernera C. , Muñoz I. , Carreras R. , Casal N. , Mainau E. , Rodriguez P. , Velarde A.
Published: March 2016

Abstract: An investigation was performed to determine whether high concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) at 70-98% in atmospheric air are a suitable alternative for stunning rabbits compared to conventional approaches such as electronarcosis. Aversion to the gas and efficacy in causing prolonged unconsciousness and death were studied in a total of 480 rabbits by means of behavioural parameters, physiological indicators (presence of rhythmic breathing and corneal reflex) and electroencephalography (EEG, brain function). The use of any of the 4 studied concentrations of the gas caused more nasal discomfort and vocalisations than the use of atmospheric air (P<0.001). EEG activity confirmed that loss of posture is a good indicator of the onset of unconsciousness in rabbits exposed to CO2, occurring earlier (P<0.05) at 90 and 98% than at 70 and 80%. Rabbits showed signs of aversion for 15 s before the onset of unconsciousness, which occurred around 30 s after the beginning of the exposure to the gas, similar to species such as swine in which high concentrations of CO2 are also used for stunning. CO2 at 80 to 98% is suggested as a reasonable concentration range to induce a long state of unconsciousness and death in rabbits, while 70% CO2 is not recommended because it requires too long duration of exposure (more than 360 s) to ensure effectiveness. Despite the advantages in terms of pre-stun handling and irreversibility, CO2 is not free of animal welfare concerns. In consequence, a debate is necessary to ascertain if CO2 can be considered a suitable alternative to stun rabbits, considering the advantages and drawbacks cited, quantified in the present study as 15 s of aversion (nasal discomfort and vocalisations) before losing posture.
Study of failures in a rabbit line selected for growth rate
Authors: Naturil-Alfonso C. , Lavara R. , Millán P. , Rebollar P.G. , Vicente J.S. , Marco-Jiménez F.
Published: March 2016

Selection for growth rate is negatively related with reproductive fitness. The aim of this work was to analyse the causes of fertility failure in rabbit does selected for growth rate and characterised for reproductive deficiencies (line R). In the experiment, 82 does were divided into 2 groups: naturally mated (NM) and artificially inseminated (AI), to relate luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration with ovulation induction and pregnancy rate by laparoscopic determination. Additionally, in 38 of these females ovulation rate and metabolites determination (leptin, NEFA, BOHB and glucose) were analysed and perirenal fat thickness measurement and live body weight (LBW) determined. The results showed that all ovulated does (both NM and AI) presented higher concentrations of LH than non-ovulated females. In addition, non-ovulated females showed high levels of leptin and BOHB, as well as LBW. Females from line R have an inherit reduced fertility due to ovulation failure as a consequence of a reduction in LH release, which could be explained by a heavier body weight and higher leptin concentrations.
Technical note: concentration and composition of airborne aerobic bacteria inside an enclosed rabbit shed
Authors: Li S. , Li M.Y. , Mu T. , Miao Z.M.
Published: March 2016

Numerous studies have been conducted to analyse bacterial aerosols in animal houses, which is beneficial for the control of animal diseases. However, little information on aerosols in enclosed rabbit sheds was available. An FA-1 sampler was employed to collect air samples in an enclosed rabbit house in the Qingdao region of China. Concentration, composition, and aerodynamics of bacterial aerosols inside the enclosed rabbit shed were systematically analysed. The concentration of airborne bacteria inside the rabbit shed was 2.11-6.36×104 colony forming unit/m3 (CFU/m3). Seventeen species of bacteria belonging to eight genera were identified. Among these, there were 11 species belonging to 4 genera of gram-positive bacteria, and 6 species belonging to 4 genera of gram-negative bacteria. The dominant species of bacteria were, in descending order, Micrococcus luteus (49.4%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (25.5%), and Alcaligenes odorans (10.2%). A total of about 76.3% of airborne bacteria was distributed in stages C-F of the FA-1 sampler (that ranges from A to F), with aerodynamic radii <3.3 μm in diameter. These particulates could enter lower respiratory tracks and even alveoli, posing a potential threat to the health of both animals and breeders.
Exporting Firm Dynamics and Productivity Growth: Evidence from China
Authors: Huang Xiaobing , Liu Xiaolian
Published: March 2016

This paper assesses the productivity growth contributed by the dynamics of exporting firms using firm-level production data of Chinese firms from 2005 to 2009. The authors apply the dynamic Olley–Pakes decomposition with entry and exit proposed by Melitz and Polanec (Dynamic Olley–Pakes Productivity Decomposition with Entry and Exit, 2015), which allows them to decompose the change in aggregate productivity into contributions of surviving firms, entering firms and exiting firms. The study shows that in China, the combined contribution of the three components capturing reallocation amounts to almost half of the change in aggregate productivity. The between-firm market reallocation is found to contribute the most among the three components, followed by the exit of inefficient producers. It also shows that the aggregate productivity growth generated by the dynamics of exporting firms in foreign markets varies according to ownership, location and industry. More specifically, the data suggest that private firms, firms situated in the eastern region of China and firms from highconcentration industries provide a higher contribution to the growth of aggregate productivity.
Personality of Polish gay men and women
Authors: Kwiatkowski Marcin , Janicka Iwona Lidia
Published: March 2016

Background
 Sexuality is a part of one’s identity and personality that is shaped under the influence of biological and environmental factors and interactions with society. The results of research conducted so far and concerning the personality traits of gay men and women are not consistent, and only a small number of them concern the Polish population. Hence the objective of the present research was to provide personality profiles of men and women with different sexual orientations.

 Participants and procedure
 The participants (N = 346) included 84 gay women, 82 gay men, 95 heterosexual women and 85 heterosexual men. The following measures were used: a survey developed by the author, the Kinsey Scale, the EPQ-R (Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised) adapted by Brzozowski and Drwal (1995), and the Sixteen-factor Personality Questionnaire of Cattell adapted by Nowakowska (1970).

 Results
 The results support the hypothesis that gay women and heterosexual men share similar personality traits, while gay men have more diverse traits, similar to the traits typical for heterosexual women and men. In particular, personalities of gay men are described by such traits as progressive attitude, independence, or willingness to take risks, which means traits linked to factor Q1. The highest values of that factor are observable in the case of gay men, as compared to gay women, and also in comparison with heterosexual men and women.

 Conclusions
 Sexual orientation is responsible for differences in personality traits of the studied group to a greater extent than their biological sex.
Private vs. public self-consciousness and self-discrepancies
Authors: Falewicz Adam , Bak Waclaw
Published: March 2016

Background

We studied the relationships of self-discrepancies with private and public self-consciousness. It was postulated that private self-consciousness is more strongly related to actual–ideal discrepancy than to actual–ought discrepancy, and that the latter is more strongly related to public self-consciousness.

Participants and procedure

The sample consisted of 71 students aged 19-25, who completed the Self-Consciousness Scale and the DRP procedure for measuring self-discrepancies.

Results

The results did not confirm the hypotheses, but revealed a correlation between actual–ideal discrepancy and social anxiety. It also turned out that private self-consciousness negatively correlates with the time of rating ideal-self attributes and positively with the time of rating ought-self attributes.

Conclusions

Self-consciousness may be related not so much to the size of self-discrepancies as to the accessibility of the content of each self-standard. The results are also consistent with the sequence of studies that challenge the central thesis of Higgins’s theory concerning the specific relationship between actual-ought discrepancy and anxiety.
Towards a comprehensive model of scientific research and professional practice in psychology
Authors: Brzeziński Jerzy Marian
Published: March 2016

In this article I present a model of associations between two social domains: the scientific research domain (here psychology) and the professional practice domain. In the former case, its quality is determined by social and individual methodological awareness (MA). I introduce my own definition of MA. What determines the validity and usefulness of practical actions undertaken by professionals (e.g., assessment, therapy) in the practice domain is the accurately constructed empirical theory high in descriptive power, explanatory power and predictive power. I propose a model (my own conceptualization) in which I analyze information flow between the domains of scientific research (psychology as a science) and professional practice (psychology as a profession). In the subsequent and final part I discuss my own model which links theory and practice: Scientific Research and Professional Practice in Psychology (SRPPP). The article ends with a presentation of three contexts in which the interrelationship between theory and practice is immersed: the ethical, psychological and cultural contexts.
Influences of mood on information processing styles in high and low symptom reporters
Authors: Constantinou Elena , Bogaerts Katleen , Diest Ilse Van , Bergh Omer Van den
Published: March 2016

Background

Negative mood, which has been strongly linked to the presence of medically unexplained symptoms (MUS), is also suggested to modulate the way information is processed (analytic vs. schematic processing style). The present study investigated whether negative mood influences the information processing style differentially in people reporting frequent MUS in daily life.

Participants and procedure

Forty female participants (22 low, 18 high habitual symptom reporters) completed a semantic priming task, as an index of schematic processing, after positive and after negative mood induction in a counterbalanced order. The priming task consisted of neutral or unpleasant body-related and body-unrelated words to assess the specificity of processing style shifts.

Results

The analyses indicated a non-significant tendency for negative mood to increase priming effects compared to positive mood for the high habitual symptom reporters, while the opposite pattern was found for the low symptom reporters. This differential effect of mood was only seen for neutral body-related words.

Conclusions

The current findings suggest that negative mood can trigger schematic processes assumed to be crucial for the emergence of MUS, which may explain the profound link between unpleasantness and elevated symptom reporting in high symptom reporters.
Correlation between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level in patients with rheumatic diseases
Authors: Kotulska Anna , Kopeć-Mędrek Magdalena , Grosicka Anida , Kubicka Monika , J. Kucharz Eugeniusz
Published: March 2016

Objectives: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) are the acute phase reactants most commonly determined in patients with rheumatic diseases. The indices are affected by different factors, but both of them are applied for evaluation of the disease activity in patients with inflammatory disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Material and methods: The authors compared the results of ESR and CRP, which were carried out during routine diagnosis in 200 patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology.

Results:  A significant correlation between ESR and CRP was found (ESR after 1 h/CRP: correlation coefficient 0.6944, ESR after 2 h/CRP: correlation coefficient 0.6126). There was no difference in ESR or CRP between male and female patients, and patients older than 40 years had higher ESR and CRP.

Conclusions: The obtained results support the usefulness of both indices in the clinical practice of rheumatologists.
Multiple pulmonary rheumatoid nodules
Authors: Sargin Gokhan , Senturk Taskin
Published: March 2016

We present a case of 45-year-old female patient with the diagnosis of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, who was admitted to our rheumatology department with exacerbation of the disease. The patient’s disease activity score (DAS 28) was 6.9. Physical examination revealed changes in the lung auscultation as a rough breathing sound at the middle and lower lobe of the right lung. Chest X-ray revealed multiple nodular densities in both lungs. Lung biopsy was performed for the diagnosis and revealed necrotizing granulomas with central fibrinoid necrosis surrounded by epithelioid cells. Such a histopathological picture is typical for rheumatoid nodules. Finally the patient was treated with rituximab, with significant improvement.
Diagnostic implications and effective treatment of Susac syndrome with thrombophilia
Authors: Grygiel-Górniak Bogna , Puszczewicz Mariusz , Czaplicka Ewa
Published: March 2016

Susac syndrome is an uncommon autoimmune microangiopathy characterized by a combination of encephalopathy, branch retinal artery occlusions (BRAO), and hearing loss. In this report, we present a detailed history of a 31-year-old man with Susac syndrome with thrombophilia. The diagnosis was based on clinical signs and neurological, otolaryngological and ocular examination. Fluorescence retinal angiography showed right BRAO. A slight (30 dB) sensorineural lowering of the hearing level was observed in the audiogram. Numerous ovoid lesions in the corpus callosum were detected in magnetic resonance (MR). The applied treatment included glucocorticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, anticoagulant treatment and immunoglobulin infusions. After treatment, ophthalmologic symptoms receded, the recanalization of BRAO was detected in angiography, and the lesions in the corpus callosum were reduced in control MR. To date, this is the first report showing the effective treatment of Susac syndrome, which was confirmed simultaneously in MR and fluorescein angiography in a case of Susac syndrome with thrombophilia.
Size dependent chemical ageing of oleic acid aerosol under dry and humidified conditions
Authors: Al-Kindi Suad , Pope Francis D. , Beddows David C. , Bloss William J. , Harrison Roy M.
Published: March 2016

Abstract. A chemical reaction chamber system has been developed for the processing of oleic acid aerosol particles with ozone under two relative humidity conditions: dry and humidified to 65 % R.H. The apparatus consists of an aerosol flow tube, in which the ozonolysis occurs, coupled to a scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) and an aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS) which measure the evolving particle size and composition. Under both relative humidity conditions, ozonolysis results in a significant decrease in particle size and mass which is consistent with the formation of volatile products that partition from the particle to the gas phase. Mass spectra derived from the ATOFMS reveal the presence of the typically observed reaction products: azaleic acid, nonanal, oxononanoic acid and nonanoic acid, as well as a range of higher molecular weight products deriving from the reactions of reaction intermediates with oleic acid and its oxidation products. These include octanoic acid, and 9- and 10-oxooctadecanoic acid, as well as products of considerably higher molecular weight. Quantitative evaluation of product yields with the ATOFMS shows a marked dependence upon both particle size association (from 0.3 to 2.1 µm diameter) and relative humidity. Under dry conditions, the percentage residual oleic acid increases with increasing particle size, as does the percentage of higher molecular weight products, due to the poorer internal mixing of the larger particles. The main lower molecular weight products are nonanal and oxonononic acid. Under humidified conditions, the percentage unreacted oleic acid is greater, except in the smallest particle fraction, and oxononanoic acid dominates the product distribution, with little formation of high molecular weight products relative to the dry particles. It is postulated that water reacts with reactive intermediates, competing with the processes which produce high molecular weight products. Whilst the oleic acid model aerosol system is of limited relevance to complex internally mixed atmospheric aerosol, the generic findings presented in this paper give useful insights into the nature of heterogeneous chemical processes.
An observational constraint on stomatal function in forests: evaluating coupled carbon and water vapor exchange with carbon isotopes in the Community Land Model (CLM 4.5)
Authors: Raczka Brett , Duarte Henrique F. , Koven Charles D. , Ricciuto Daniel , Thornton Peter E. , Lin John C. , Bowling David R.
Published: March 2016

Abstract. Land surface models are useful tools to quantify contemporary and future climate impact on terrestrial carbon cycle processes, provided they can be appropriately constrained and tested with observations. Stable carbon isotopes of CO2 offer the potential to improve model representation of the coupled carbon and water cycles because they are strongly influenced by stomatal function. Recently, a representation of stable carbon isotope discrimination was incorporated into the Community Land Model component of the Community Earth System Model. Here, we tested the model's capability to simulate whole-forest isotope discrimination in a subalpine conifer forest at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, USA. We distinguished between isotopic behavior in response to a decrease of δ13C within atmospheric CO2 (Suess effect) vs. photosynthetic discrimination (Δcanopy), by creating a site-customized atmospheric CO2 and δ13C of CO2 time series. We implemented a seasonally-varying Vcmax model calibration that best matched site observations of net CO2 carbon exchange, latent heat exchange and biomass. The model accurately simulated observed δ13C of needle and stem tissue, but underestimated the δ13C of bulk soil carbon by 1–2 ‰. The model overestimated the multi-year (2006–2012) average Δcanopy relative to prior data-based estimates by 5–6 ‰. The amplitude of the average seasonal cycle of Δcanopy (i.e. higher in spring/fall as compared to summer) was correctly modeled but only with an alternative nitrogen limitation formulation for the model. The model attributed most of the seasonal variation in discrimination to the net assimilation rate (An), whereas inter-annual variation in simulated Δcanopy during the summer months was driven by stomatal response to vapor pressure deficit. Soil moisture did not influence modeled Δcanopy. The model simulated a 10 % increase in both photosynthetic discrimination and water use efficiency (WUE) since 1850 as a result of CO2 fertilization, forced by constant climate conditions. This increasing trend in discrimination is counter to well-established relationships between discrimination and WUE. The isotope observations used here to constrain CLM suggest 1) the model overestimated stomatal conductance and 2) the default CLM approach to representing nitrogen limitation (post-photosynthetic limitation) was not capable of reproducing observed trends in discrimination. These findings demonstrate that isotope observations can provide important information related to stomatal function driven by environmental stress from VPD and nitrogen limitation.
Challenging the Global Apartheid Model: A World-Systems Analysis
Authors: Dunaway Wilma A. , Clelland Donald A.
Published: March 2016

Using world-system concepst, this essay challenges the popular racial bifurcation of the world between whites and peoples of color.
Cruise Ships: Continuity and Change in the World System
Authors: Oyogoa Francisca
Published: March 2016

Cruise ships present a useful context to study contemporary developments in globalization.  U.S.-owned cruise companies have managed to create the “ideal” context for contemporary corporations: very little government oversight of labor relations, an available pool of very cheap labor dispersed across the globe, lax environmental regulations, high profit margins, and corporate tax rates around 1%. A typical cruise ship leaving the U.S. contains workers from 75 to 90 nationalities.  Crewmembers performing menial service work are recruited exclusively from “poor countries” in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Crewmembers typically sign 10-month contracts stipulating 10-14 hour workdays/7 days a week without vacation or sick days. There is a striking correlation between workers’ pay/status and their countries’ position within the world system.  Staff members are usually white Westerners, while crewmembers are exclusively from the global south. On cruises the legacies of imperialism and colonialism are often the basis of workers’ racialization as appropriate servants.
Race in the Capitalist World-System: Response to Symposium Essays
Authors: Fletcher, Jr. Bill
Published: March 2016

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Ireland, Europe and the Global Crisis
Authors: Coakley Maurice
Published: March 2016

For Ireland – along with Spain, Portugal and Greece – membership of ‘Europe’ was seen as an opportunity to escape their historical legacy of ‘underdevelopment’ and become fully integrated into core positions in the global system. Each of these states, and especially Ireland experienced significant growth in the European Union but once the global financial crisis struck, they suffered a deep economic and social crisis, and came to be categorised once again as ‘peripheral’ to Europe. This acute recurrence of a core-periphery divide in the European Union has been accompanied by a rapid diminution of democracy in the EU and its transformation into an increasingly coercive formation. The deprivation programmes imposed by the EU on the peripheral societies has not only damaged growth in the European economy, they have hugely diminished the legitimacy of the European integration project. The essay explores the roots of Europe’s changing power structures and assesses the implications of the Eurozone crisis for the future of the European integration project.
Ireland in the World-System: An Interview with Denis O'Hearn
Authors: Beatty Aidan , Deckard Sharae , Coakley Maurice , O'Hearn Denis
Published: March 2016

In this interview, Denis O’Hearn presents his views of Ireland’s historical and contemporary status in the capitalist world-system and which countries Ireland could be profitably compared with.  He discusses how Ireland has changed since the publication of his well-known work on "The Atlantic Economy" (2001) and addresses questions related to the European Union and the looming break-up of Britain as well as contemporary Irish politics on both sides of the border. O’Hearn also touches on the current state of Irish academia.
Introduction: Ireland in the World-System
Authors: Beatty Aidan , Coakley Maurice , Deckard Sharae
Published: March 2016

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Review of Nora McKeon’s Food Security Governance: Empowering Communities, Regulating Corporations.
Authors: Raynolds Laura T.
Published: March 2016

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Review of Natalia Lambek, Priscilla Claeys, Adrienna Wong and Lea Brilmayer eds. Rethinking Food Systems: Structural Challenges, New Strategies and the Law.
Authors: Ferrando Tomaso
Published: March 2016

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Review of Alana Mann’s Global Activism in Food Politics: Power Shift.
Authors: McMichael Philip
Published: March 2016

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Review of Jennifer Clapp’s Food.
Authors: Harrison Jill Lindsey
Published: March 2016

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