bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linguistic and social factors in Turkish-Dutch contact across generations
Authors: Sevinc Yesim
Published: June 2014

There are certain differences between Turkish as spoken in the Netherlands (NL-Turkish) and Turkish as spoken in Turkey (TR-Turkish). These differences concern issues of linguistic variation and change in immigrant communities and seem to be closely related to social, emotional and linguistic aspects of contact situations. Considering the fact that in a contact situation the social and linguistic relationships are crucial for the outcome of language change, this paper first examines the social values that three different generations give to the language and culture of their host and home communities; then, it discusses the linguistic consequences on the lexical and structural levels of NL-Turkish. The principal conclusion is that possible language shift in the third generation leads to intensive contact with Dutch language and culture, provokes the linguistic factors and, therefore, causes the lexical and structural changes in NL-Turkish.
A phonology and lexicon of the Yonghe variety of Qiang
Authors: Sims Nathaniel
Published: June 2014

Yonghe, a variety of Qiang (Tibeto-Burman, China) has never been described in the literature. This paper is the first publication specifically about the Yonghe variety. This variety is interesting in that it has a rather simplified segmental phonology, but has not undergone tonogenesis. This paper also appends a lexicon which will be useful for future reconstructive and comparative work on Qiang varieties.
Volition and control in Wǎdū Pǔmǐ
Authors: Daudey Henriëtte
Published: June 2014

In this paper I will argue that verb inflection in the Wǎdū variety of Pǔmǐ is not based on actor-agreement or person-number agreement as has been attested for several other Pǔmǐ varieties, but is based rather on pragmatic notions of volition and control that tie in with evidentiality and egophoricity, similar to that reported for Tibetan dialects.
Effects of drying conditions on moisture distribution in rehydrated spaghetti
Authors: Ogawa Takenobu , Adachi Shuji
Published: June 2014

Moisture distributions in spaghettis prepared at a maximum temperature of 50, 70, or 85 °C, designated as LT-, HT-, or VHT-spaghetti, respectively, and cooked to the average moisture content of 1.71 ± 0.01 kg-H2O/kg-d.m., were measured. The moisture contents near the surface and at the center of the LT-spaghetti were lower and higher, respectively, than those of HT- and VHT-spaghetti.
Cleavage by signal peptide peptidase is required for the degradation of selected tail-anchored proteins
Authors: Boname Jessica M. , Bloor Stuart , Wandel Michal P. , Nathan James A. , Antrobus Robin , Dingwell Kevin S. , Thurston Teresa L. , Smith Duncan L. , Smith James C. , Randow Felix , Lehner Paul J.
Published: June 2014

The regulated turnover of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)–resident membrane proteins requires their extraction from the membrane lipid bilayer and subsequent proteasome-mediated degradation. Cleavage within the transmembrane domain provides an attractive mechanism to facilitate protein dislocation but has never been shown for endogenous substrates. To determine whether intramembrane proteolysis, specifically cleavage by the intramembrane-cleaving aspartyl protease signal peptide peptidase (SPP), is involved in this pathway, we generated an SPP-specific somatic cell knockout. In a stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture–based proteomics screen, we identified HO-1 (heme oxygenase-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the degradation of heme to biliverdin, as a novel SPP substrate. Intramembrane cleavage by catalytically active SPP provided the primary proteolytic step required for the extraction and subsequent proteasome-dependent degradation of HO-1, an ER-resident tail-anchored protein. SPP-mediated proteolysis was not limited to HO-1 but was required for the dislocation and degradation of additional tail-anchored ER-resident proteins. Our study identifies tail-anchored proteins as novel SPP substrates and a specific requirement for SPP-mediated intramembrane cleavage in protein turnover.
Fernando Martín-Belmonte: Epithelia embrace the space
Authors: Sedwick Caitlin
Published: June 2014

Martín-Belmonte studies epithelial morphogenesis in 3D culture and in zebrafish.
Using Polysome Isolation with Mechanism Alteration to Uncover Transcriptional and Translational Dynamics in Key Genes
Authors: Alicea Bradly , Suhr Steven T. , Cibelli Jose B.
Published: June 2014

What does it mean when we say a cell’s biochemistry is regulated during changes to the phenotype? While there are a plethora of potential mechanisms and contributions to the final outcome, a more tractable approach is to examine the dynamics of mRNA. This way, we can assess the contributions of both known and unknown decay and aggregation processes for maintaining levels of gene product on a gene-by-gene basis. In this extended protocol, drug treatments that target specific cellular functions (termed mechanism disruption) can be used in tandem with mRNA extraction from the polysome to look at the dynamics of mRNA levels associated with transcription and translation at multiple stages during a physiological perturbation. This is accomplished through validating the polysome isolation method in human cells and comparing fractions of mRNA for each experimental treatment at multiple points in time. First, three different drug treatments corresponding to the arrest of various cellular processes are administered to populations of human cells. For each treatment, the transcriptome and translatome are compared directly at different time points by assaying both cell-type specific and non-specific genes. There are two findings of note. First, extraction of mRNA from the polysome and comparison with the transcriptome can yield interesting information about the regulation of cellular mRNA during a functional challenge to the cell. In addition, the conventional application of such drugs to assess mRNA decay is an incomplete picture of how severely challenged or senescent cells regulate mRNA in response. This extended protocol demonstrates how the gene- and process-variable degradation of mRNA might ultimately require investigations into the course-grained dynamics of cellular mRNA, from transcription to ribosome.
The conservedPFT1tandem repeat is crucial for proper flowering inArabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Rival Pauline , Press Maximilian O. , Bale Jacob , Grancharova Tanya , Undurraga Soledad F. , Queitsch Christine
Published: June 2014

It is widely appreciated that short tandem repeat (STR) variation underlies substantial phenotypic variation in organisms. Some propose that the high mutation rates of STRs in functional genomic regions facilitate evolutionary adaptation. Despite their high mutation rate, some STRs show little to no variation in populations. One such STR occurs in theArabidopsis thalianagenePFT1(MED25), where it encodes an interrupted polyglutamine tract. Though thePFT1STR is large (∼270 bp), and thus expected to be extremely variable, it shows only minuscule variation acrossA. thalianastrains. We hypothesized that thePFT1STR is under selective constraint, due to previously undescribed roles in PFT1 function. We investigated this hypothesis using plants expressing transgenicPFT1constructs with either an endogenous STR or with synthetic STRs of varying length. Transgenic plants carrying the endogenousPFT1STR generally performed best across adult PFT1-dependent traits, in terms of complementing apft1null mutant. In stark contrast, transgenic plants carrying aPFT1transgene lacking the STR entirely phenocopied apft1loss-of-function mutant for flowering time phenotypes, and were generally hypomorphic for other traits, establishing the functional importance of this domain. Transgenic plants carrying various synthetic constructs occupied the phenotypic space between wild-type andpft1-loss-of-function mutants. By varyingPFT1STR length, we discovered thatPFT1can act as either an activator or repressor of flowering in a photoperiod-dependent manner. We conclude that thePFT1STR is constrained to its approximate wild-type length by its various functional requirements. Our study implies that there is strong selection on STRs not only to generate allelic diversity, but also to maintain certain lengths pursuant to optimal molecular function.
False facts and false views: coalescent analysis of truncated data
Authors: Árnason Einar
Published: June 2014

Darwin’s dictum on false facts and false views points the way to opening the road to truth via cogent criticism of the published record. Here I discuss a case in which a truncated dataset (false facts) is used for coalescent analysis of historical demography that reaches a foregone conclusion of a bottleneck of numbers (false views).
Phosphates in the Z-DNA dodecamer are flexible, but their P-SAD signal is sufficient for structure solution
Authors: Luo Zhipu , Dauter Miroslawa , Dauter Zbigniew
Published: June 2014

A large number of Z-DNA hexamer duplex structures and a few oligomers of different lengths are available, but here the first crystal structure of the d(CGCGCGCGCGCG)2dodecameric duplex is presented. Two synchrotron data sets were collected; one was used to solve the structure by the single-wavelength anomalous dispersion (SAD) approach based on the anomalous signal of P atoms, the other set, extending to an ultrahigh resolution of 0.75 Å, served to refine the atomic model to anRfactor of 12.2% and anRfreeof 13.4%. The structure consists of parallel duplexes arranged into practically infinitely long helices packed in a hexagonal fashion, analogous to all other known structures of Z-DNA oligomers. However, the dodecamer molecule shows a high level of flexibility, especially of the backbone phosphate groups, with six out of 11 phosphates modeled in double orientations corresponding to the two previously observed Z-DNA conformations: ZI, with the phosphate groups inclined towards the inside of the helix, and ZII, with the phosphate groups rotated towards the outside of the helix.
Assessing the integrated effects of landscape fragmentation on plants and plant communities: the challenge of multiprocess–multiresponse dynamics
Authors: Ibáñez Inés , Katz Daniel S. W. , Peltier Drew , Wolf Samantha M. , Connor Barrie Benjamin T.
Published: June 2014

When human activities change the landscape, several processes affecting remnant vegetation take place simultaneously: there is less suitable habitat, populations become isolated and the environmental conditions of the fragments frequently shift. Such changes affect vegetation in different ways – populations become smaller, the genetic exchanges between populations decline and species interactions are altered. The combination of processes taking place during fragmentation and their subsequent consequences generate a large variety of responses, positive and negative, among plants and plant communities.

To assess the integrated effects of the processes taking place as a result of fragmentation (isolation, edge effects, fragment size and time since fragmentation) on organisms, we conducted a hierarchical meta‐analysis of the studies reporting the effects of landscape fragmentation on plant species and plant communities. Our review included 259 peer‐reviewed journal articles and 990 data entries.

We found the frequency of reports of positive and negative responses to fragmentation were comparable but largely variable. Negative effects of fragmentation due to isolation, edge effects and fragment size were significant; but only edge effects and fragment size had significant positive effects. When looking at specific types of responses to isolation, we found negative effects on density, fecundity, colonization, succession rates and species richness, while positive effects were found on fecundity, herbivory/predation and colonization. Positive responses to edge effects were significant for density, fecundity, survival, growth and richness, and significantly negative for density, survival, colonization and richness. Effects of patch size were mostly significant for both positive and negative responses.

We also assessed the effects of landscape fragmentation for different attributes of the studied system and found no differences among biomes, vegetation types, functional groups or life stages.

Synthesis. Results of this integrated assessment indicate that broad generalizations about the effects of fragmentation on remnant vegetation may not be possible due the large variety of processes and responses associated with fragmentation. Results also identified key knowledge gaps, and areas of research needed to improve assessment and future management of plant species and plant communities in fragmented landscapes (e.g. lag effects, the role of the matrix and the patch quality and integrated effects along life cycles).
Uses and misuses of meta‐analysis in plant ecology
Authors: Koricheva Julia , Gurevitch Jessica
Published: June 2014

The number of published meta‐analyses in plant ecology has increased greatly over the last two decades. Meta‐analysis has made a significant contribution to the field, allowing review of evidence for various ecological hypotheses and theories, estimation of effects of major environmental drivers (climate change, habitat fragmentation, invasive species, air pollution), assessment of management and conservation strategies, and comparison of effects across different temporal and spatial scales, taxa and ecosystems, as well as research gap identification.

We identified 322 meta‐analyses published in the field of plant ecology between 1996 and 2013 in 95 different journals and assessed their methodological and reporting quality according to standard criteria. Despite significant recent developments in the methodology of meta‐analysis, the quality of published meta‐analyses was uneven and showed little improvement over time.

We found many cases of imprecise and inaccurate usage of the term ‘meta‐analysis’ in plant ecology, particularly confusion between meta‐analysis and vote counting and incorrect application of statistical techniques designed for primary studies to meta‐analytical data, without recognition of the violation of statistical assumptions of the analyses.

Methodological issues for meta‐analyses in plant ecology include incomplete reporting of search strategy used to retrieve primary studies, failure to test for possible publication bias and to conduct sensitivity analysis to test the robustness of the results, as well as lack of availability of the data set used for the analyses.

The use of meta‐analysis is particularly common in community ecology, ecophysiology and ecosystem ecology, but meta‐analyses in ecophysiology are more likely not to meet standard quality criteria than papers in other subdisciplines. Fewer meta‐analyses have been conducted in plant population ecology.

Synthesis. Over the past two decades, plant ecologists have embraced meta‐analysis as a statistical tool to combine results across studies, and much has been learned as a result. However, as the popularity and usage of meta‐analysis in the field of plant ecology has grown, establishment of quality standards, as has been done in other disciplines, becomes increasingly important. In order to improve the quality of future meta‐analyses in plant ecology, we suggest adoption of a checklist of quality criteria for meta‐analysis for use by research synthesists, peer reviewers and journal editors.
Keeping It In‐House: Households Versus Population as Alternative Proxies for Local Government Output
Authors: Drew Joseph , Dollery Brian
Published: June 2014

Forced amalgamation has been used as a policy instrument in local government by numerous regulatory authorities across the world. A common presumption underlying municipal mergers holds that larger local councils will experience greater economies of scale. However, the empirical evidence on this question is mixed. Part of the reason for this could lie in the frequent use of population as a proxy for local government output in the empirical literature. This paper examines the use of alternative proxies, particularly the number of households but also the addition of business unit data. We demonstrate that household data represents a more accurate proxy of Australian local government output compared to population size. In addition, the paper employs experimental data, conceptual considerations on population, and household dynamics to establish that the number of households represents the most appropriate measure of local government size for both empirical and public policy purposes.
Will the National Disability Insurance Scheme Improve the Lives of those Most in Need? Effective Service Delivery for People with Acquired Brain Injury and other Disabilities in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities
Authors: Stephens Anne , Cullen Jennifer , Massey Libby , Bohanna India
Published: June 2014

The aims of National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) are to provide long‐term, person‐centred care and support to all Australians with a significant and ongoing disability, including individuals with an acquired brain injury (ABI). The scheme has significant potential to provide equitable opportunity of access to health and disability services. Historically, however, service provision in remote and outer regional areas of Australia lags behind more densely populated centres. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders living with disability are already significantly marginalised. Further to this, people with an ABI are very often misunderstood and overlooked by disability services, health professionals and governments, and frequently fall victim to the criminal justice system. This paper provides an overview of the state of ABI disability for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in remote and outer regional settings, and the present sets of barriers they face to obtaining quality care and effective interventions. A significant opportunity has emerged with the advent of the NDIS but equitable benefit can only be achieved if additional and specialised measures are devised and implemented to appropriately screen for, and assess, incidence of ABI; disability services are appropriately resourced to overcome the pre‐existing disadvantage, and education, training and recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with the NDIS is undertaken to lead attitudinal changes in community to disability and health services. This paper concludes with recommendations for the NDIS to meet its laudable objectives.
Mitigation Targets, Burden Sharing and the Role of Economic Modeling in Climate Policy
Authors: Macintosh Andrew
Published: June 2014

Within Australian climate policy, the dominant framework for determining national emission reduction targets has been ‘burden sharing’. The prevailing view, both within and outside government, has been that there should be a rough equivalence in the costs that countries bear in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, at least where countries share similar wealth and capacity traits. This article looks at the practical problems with this approach that stem from its reliance on economic modeling. It is contended that any principled approach to target setting should strive for objectivity but that burden sharing based on projected welfare losses cannot provide this. To illustrate the fallibility of the economic projections that are done for these purposes, the article reviews how one of the greenhouse reporting sectors, known as land use, land‐use change and forestry, has been dealt with in the modelling exercises that have been done in Australia for climate policy purposes.
Leadership in Local Government: ‘No Girls Allowed’
Authors: Hutchinson Jacquie , Walker Elizabeth , McKenzie Fiona Haslam
Published: June 2014

This article explores the under‐representation of women at the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) levels of Western Australian (WA) local government. It draws on data collected from 21 second tier senior women managers about their perceptions and experiences of leadership within the sector, as well as their aspirations for CEO appointment. By applying critical gender analysis to the data, gender and specifically masculinity emerges as a significant and valued leadership attribute. While this analysis is not unique to local government, what sets the sector apart is its apparent disinterest in examining the reasons for, or the impacts of this continued leadership stereotype when at the same time Australian public and private institutions are challenging these traditional leadership models. This article points to fundamental weaknesses in the formal power structures and processes of local government that support deeply embedded biases about leadership. Perhaps the most significant contributor to these outcomes that emerged from the study is the apparent unencumbered power of Mayors and elected members over all aspects of CEO employment, especially recruitment.
The Contingent Public Value of ‘Good Design’: Regulating the Aesthetics of the Australian Urban Built Environment
Authors: Beer Chris
Published: June 2014

The proposition that the urban built environment can, and indeed should, be made more visually attractive is a long‐standing feature of the governance of Australian cities. In this vein, this paper examines how ‘good design’ in terms of visual aesthetics is currently pursued including through the development assessment process and the work of government architects. The paper begins by tracing the background of contemporary regulatory practice from long‐standing ideas around beauty and its value through to the urban design movement of today. Next, it considers in more detail various rationales for aesthetic governance and what might be better forms of regulatory practice. In short, it will be argued that while there can be scope for regulation to deliver superior outcomes, this practice must be sensitive to a high degree of contingency in what the public values and that deliberate empirical inquiry into the latter is desirable.
The Advantage of Proximity: The Distinctive Role of Local Government in Cultural Policy
Authors: Johanson Katya , Kershaw Anne , Glow Hilary
Published: June 2014

The arts and cultural sector has historically relied on funding from state and federal levels of government. Increasingly, however, local government has become a source of distinctive cultural policy making and a provider of significant funding for arts and cultural activities. The paper notes the relative absence of analyses of the role of local government in policy literature. It argues that with the recent proliferation of dedicated local cultural policies and plans, the attention of scholars is warranted. Through an analysis of the cultural plans of five local councils around Australia, the paper argues that the distinctive feature of cultural policy at the local level is a function of local government's proximity to its constituents, flexibility in decision‐making and the discretionary nature of its expenditure.
The Impact of Socialisation on Graduates’ Public Service Motivation – a Mixed Method Study
Authors: Waterhouse Jennifer , French Erica , Puchala Naomi
Published: June 2014

The need to attract and retain a high calibre cadre of public servants today has resulted in a renaissance of interest in public service motivation (PSM) within public management literature. This article outlines a study of PSM with graduate employees within an Australian public sector. The study extends our understanding of PSM by adopting a longitudinal, mixed method design, including surveys and individual interviews, to consider the effects of socialisation on levels of PSM. Results show an organisation's mission and values do not affect individual PSM while work type and communication style is vital and organisational socialisation can provide a negative influence.
Awareness of Corruption in the Community and Public Service: a Victorian Study
Authors: Graycar Adam
Published: June 2014

Corruption hurts the public and undermines government. This study of perceptions of corruption in Victoria shows that the community believes corruption is on the increase, yet this view is not shared by public servants. In general corruption is not on the radar of senior Victorian public servants. There are more perceptions of corruption in line agencies than in central agencies. Behaviours most commonly suspected and observed were hiring family and friends, conflict of interest, abuse of discretion and abuse of information. One‐ third of public servants surveyed thought there were opportunities for bribery, yet only 4% had suspected bribery and less than one per cent had personally observed it. Almost half do not believe they would be protected from victimisation should they report corruption. The data reported here poses challenges in thinking about corruption when devising integrity standards in the public service.
Measuring parents' experiences and satisfaction with care during very preterm birth: a questionnaire development study
Authors: Sawyer A , Rabe H , Abbott J , Gyte G , Duley L , Ayers S ,   ‘The Very Preterm Birth Collaborative Group’
Published: June 2014

Objective

To develop a questionnaire to assess parents' experiences and satisfaction with care during very preterm birth.

Design

Questionnaire development.

Setting

Parents whose babies had been cared for at five tertiary neonatal units in England.

Population

A total of 145 women who gave birth before 32 weeks of gestation, and 85 of their partners.

Methods

A 30‐item questionnaire was developed on the basis of qualitative interviews with parents of very preterm babies, a literature review and discussion with relevant experts. The questionnaire was posted to a second group of parents, and its reliability and validity were explored.

Main outcome measures

The Preterm Birth Experience and Satisfaction Scale (P‐BESS) was correlated with two global questions measuring satisfaction with care during the birth. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's α.

Results

Parents of 458 babies were invited to take part and 147 (32%) responded. Two women and 22 partners were excluded or ineligible, leaving 145 women and 85 partners. Factor analysis produced three clear dimensions: Staff professionalism and empathy, Information and explanations, and Confidence in staff. The total scale and three subscales showed high reliability. Strong positive correlations were found between the questionnaire scales and the two global questions, indicating convergent validity. For women whose partners were present at the birth, a fourth factor was identified ‘Partner Involvement’.

Conclusions

The P‐BESS appears to be a valid measure of satisfaction with care during very preterm birth.
Clinical Effects of Long‐Term (36‐Month) Lanthanum Carbonate Administration in Hemodialysis Patients in Japan
Authors: Kishi Yuichiro , Obara Yoshihiro , Hara Keiko , Yamashiro Hiromitsu , Kurosawa Norio , Takada Daisuke
Published: June 2014

In this study, we investigated the clinical effects of long‐term administration of the phosphorus (P) binder lanthanum carbonate (LC), which was launched in Japan in 2009. The subjects were 58 dialysis patients who began receiving LC, and we evaluated the clinical effects for up to 36 months after treatment initiation. The average serum P concentration remained low during the 36‐month study period, with a significant reduction from 6.25 mg/dL at the start of the study to 4.94 mg/dL after 36 months (P < 0.001). A significant reduction was also observed in the average serum calcium concentration after 36 months (P < 0.05), but not in the serum intact parathyroid hormone concentration. Significant reductions were also observed in the average serum total protein, albumin and potassium concentrations (P < 0.05). The dosages of LC increased by approximately 1.9‐fold after 36 months, in contrast, the dosages of concomitantly used sevelamer hydrochloride and Ca carbonate preparations decreased. These results indicate that LC could be used to treat hyperphosphatemia without causing hypercalcemia, and would be useful for long‐term treatment with hemodialysis patients.
Is Granular Formulation of Lanthanum Carbonate More Effective than Chewable Tablets?
Authors: Okamoto Hidekazu , Haruhara Koutarou , Kamejima Sahoko , Mafune Hana , Manabe Mayumi , Kanzaki Goh , Mashiko Hiroshi , Yokoo Takashi
Published: June 2014

Maintenance dialysis patients at our hospital who had been receiving lanthanum carbonate (LC) chewable tablets were switched to the same dosage of the granules, and the differences in serum phosphorus (P) levels were compared, together with stratifying patients at the baseline characteristics. Compared to average serum P level of 5.48 mg/dL for 2 months prior to switching, the average level for 2 months after switching was 4.99 mg/dL (P = 0.049). For patients who were under 60, serum P levels were significantly improved after switching (P = 0.016), and for patients who were concomitantly taking many kinds of medications, a correlation to high reductions of serum P level after switching was shown (R = −0.635, P = 0.015). In order to maximize pharmaceutical potential of LC, we think that it is not only necessary to provide patients with how to take the medication, but it is also important to take into consideration the patients' baseline characteristics.
Bacterial responses to antibiotics and their combinations
Authors: Mitosch Karin , Bollenbach Tobias
Published: June 2014

Antibiotics affect bacterial cell physiology at many levels. Rather than just compensating for the direct cellular defects caused by the drug, bacteria respond to antibiotics by changing their morphology, macromolecular composition, metabolism, gene expression and possibly even their mutation rate. Inevitably, these processes affect each other, resulting in a complex response with changes in the expression of numerous genes. Genome‐wide approaches can thus help in gaining a comprehensive understanding of bacterial responses to antibiotics. In addition, a combination of experimental and theoretical approaches is needed for identifying general principles that underlie these responses. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of bacterial responses to antibiotics and their combinations, focusing on effects at the levels of growth rate and gene expression. We concentrate on studies performed in controlled laboratory conditions, which combine promising experimental techniques with quantitative data analysis and mathematical modeling. While these basic research approaches are not immediately applicable in the clinic, uncovering the principles and mechanisms underlying bacterial responses to antibiotics may, in the long term, contribute to the development of new treatment strategies to cope with and prevent the rise of resistant pathogenic bacteria.
Detection of mecC‐Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolates in river water: a potential role for water in the environmental dissemination
Authors: Porrero M. Concepción , Harrison Ewan , Fernández‐Garayzábal José Francisco , Paterson Gavin K. , Díez‐Guerrier Alberto , Holmes Mark A. , Domínguez Lucas
Published: June 2014

Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a public health concern due to limited treatment options. The recent description of a mecA homologue, mecC in human and cattle, led to studies to detect this new variant in human and other animal species. Detection of mecC in wild boar and fallow deer in a Spanish game estate led us to further investigate the presence of mecC‐MRSA at this location. Samples from cattle, wild animals, workers and river water were tested. A further three mecC‐MRSA isolates were obtained from river water. Molecular characterization (multilocus sequence typing and spa typing) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (broth microdilution) showed that isolates were similar to those detected in wild animals. Whole genome sequencing confirmed that the isolates from the river water and wild animals in the same geographic area were all closely related isolates of ST425 mecC‐MRSA. The presence of mecC‐MRSA in the river water highlights the potential role of water in the dissemination of mecC‐MRSA.
Substance use in adulthood following adolescent self‐harm: a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Moran P. , Coffey C. , Romaniuk H. , Degenhardt L. , Borschmann R. , Patton G. C.
Published: June 2014

Objective

To determine whether adolescents who self‐harm are at increased risk of heavy and dependent substance use in adulthood.

Method

Fifteen‐year prospective cohort study of a random sample of 1943 adolescents recruited from secondary schools across the state of Victoria, Australia. Data pertaining to self‐harm and substance use was obtained at seven waves of follow‐up, from mean age 15.9 years to mean age 29.1 years.

Results

Substance use and self‐harm were strongly associated during the adolescent years (odds ratio (OR): 3.3, 95% CI 2.1–5.0). Moreover, adolescent self‐harmers were at increased risk of substance use and dependence syndromes in young adulthood. Self‐harm predicted a four‐fold increase in the odds of multiple dependence syndromes (sex‐ and wave‐adjusted OR: 4.2, 95% CI: 2.7–6.6). Adjustment for adolescent anxiety/depression attenuated but did not eliminate most associations. Adolescent substance use confounded all associations, with the exception of multiple dependence syndromes, which remained robustly associated with adolescent self‐harm (fully adjusted odds ratio: 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2–3.2).

Conclusion

Adolescent self‐harm is an independent risk factor for multiple dependence syndromes in adulthood. This level of substance misuse is likely to contribute substantially to the premature mortality and disease burden experienced by individuals who self‐harm.
Socio‐economic characteristics of patients with generalized retinal dystrophy in Denmark
Authors: Bertelsen Mette , Linneberg Allan , Rosenberg Thomas
Published: June 2014

Purpose

To examine socio‐economic characteristics of patients with generalized retinal dystrophy in Denmark.

Methods

Cross‐sectional population‐based study with analysis of socio‐economic characteristics including income, education, employment status and civil status in 2285 patients from the Danish Retinitis Pigmentosa Registry and 228 500 control subjects matched by age and gender. Demographic and socio‐economic data were retrieved from Statistics Denmark. Differences between cases and controls were estimated using conditional logistic regression.

Results

On 1 January 2012, 2285 patients with a Danish civil registration number were registered as having a generalized retinal dystrophy. At the age of 40 years, less patients than controls had a high education (odds ratio (OR), 0.51; 95% confidence interval (CI95), 0.41–0.62), a high income (OR, 0.21; CI95, 0.17–0.26) and were married (OR, 0.39; CI95, 0.33–0.45). More patients than controls were pensioners (OR, 6.04; CI95, 5.23–6.97).

Conclusions

We found that patients with generalized retinal dystrophy differed significantly from a matched control group on several socio‐economic characteristics. The differences were more pronounced in patients with systemic involvement and patients with an early age at disease presentation. The socio‐economic inequalities of this group of blinding diseases emphasize the importance of rehabilitation and need for a substantial and multidisciplinary support from the healthcare, educational and social systems.
Detection of brucellosis and leptospirosis in feral pigs in New South Wales
Authors: Ridoutt C , Lee A , Moloney B , Massey PD , Charman N , Jordan D
Published: June 2014

Objective

To determine the presence and estimate the prevalence of Brucella suis, Leptospira interrogans serovar Pomona (hereafter L. pomona) and Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo (hereafter L. hardjo) in feral pigs culled in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.

Methods

During 2012 and 2013, 239 serum samples were collected from feral pigs killed as pests or game in NSW. All sera were subjected to the rose‐bengal test for B. suis, with positives subjected to the complement fixation test (CFT). Attempts were made to detect B. suis by culture and PCR on CFT‐positive samples. All sera were tested separately for the presence of L. pomona and L. hardjo antibodies using the microscopic agglutination test.

Results

Of 238 samples tested, 7 were positive (4 with CFT titres ≥ 32) for B. suis antibodies (3% seroprevalence). However, B. suis was not cultured or detected by PCR. Of 239 sera tested for L. pomona antibodies, 126 samples were positive (53%) and 9 (4%) were positive for L. hardjo.

Conclusions

The findings are the first tangible evidence that feral pigs in northern NSW harbour B. suis, providing a plausible explanation for recent human and canine cases of brucellosis related to pig hunting. The increased seroprevalence of L. pomona occurred in years preceded by flooding and rodent plagues, suggesting a potential for zoonotic infection much greater than previously realised. Advice to the community should focus on encouraging the adoption of improved hygiene practices during pig hunting and consideration of vaccinating livestock against leptospirosis.
Leucocyte adhesion deficiency III in a mixed‐breed dog
Authors: Hugo TB , Heading KL
Published: June 2014

Background

Leucocyte adhesion deficiencies are inherited disorders characterised by immunodeficiency leading to recurrent infections and a marked leucocytosis. We describe the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and management of an Australian mixed‐ breed dog with leucocyte adhesion deficiency III.

Case report

A 16‐month‐old male, neutered, German Shepherd × Rottweiler dog was investigated for pyrexia, persistent leucocytosis, marked periodontal disease, lameness, increased mucosal haemorrhages and poor wound healing. Numerous diagnostics were performed including a leucocyte adhesion deficiency III PCR test, which was positive. The patient was managed with topical pressure at bleeding sites, antibiotics, analgesics and dental prophylaxis when required.

Discussion

Leucocyte adhesion deficiency III is a rare disorder that manifests because of impaired activation of beta integrins. This results in an absence of neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion, and platelet dysfunction. Mutations within the KINDLIN3 gene resulting in the absence of the kindlin‐3 protein have been identified as the cause of this disease. Leucocyte adhesion deficiency III has previously been reported in humans and a German Shepherd dog. This report describes the first reported case of leucocyte adhesion deficiency III in Australia and the first reported case in a mixed‐breed dog worldwide.
Vegetation diversity of mesic grasslands (Arrhenatheretalia) in the Iberian Peninsula
Authors: Rodríguez‐Rojo Maria Pilar , Fernández‐González Federico , Tichý Lubomír , Chytrý Milan
Published: June 2014

Questions

What is the diversity and main vegetation types in mesic grasslands on the Iberian Peninsula? What are the main diagnostic species of each type? What are the main environmental gradients that drive patterns of species composition? To what extent does biogeography influence community diversity?

Location

Iberian Peninsula (Portugal and Spain, including the French Pyrenees).

Methods

Formal definitions based on the Cocktail method were used to establish a typology of mesic grasslands of the Arrhenatheretalia order. This method was applied to a stratified data set of 3485 relevés, also including other types of perennial grassland. Semi‐supervised classification based on the K‐means algorithm was used to assign almost 757 relevés into the vegetation types defined by Cocktail and to identify new ones. The types were compared by means of detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) using climate data, altitude and Ellenberg indicator values as explanatory variables.

Results

Fourteen ecologically well‐defined associations were distinguished in the Arrhenatheretalia order: five in the Arrhenatherion alliance, two in Triseto‐Polygonion and seven in Cynosurion. Soil reaction, summer aridity and altitude were identified as the most important determinants of species composition. These lithological and bioclimatic gradients are related to the biogeographic diversity of the study area, which is the main driver of community diversity in Arrhenatheretalia grasslands; it is more important than the management practices expressed in the concept of alliances. The classification and ordination analyses also showed a clear differentiation in community diversity according to biogeographic sectors (eastern Cantabrian‐Atlantic, Galician‐Portuguese, Carpetan‐Leonese, Pyrenean, Orocantabrian/western Pyrenean and Oroiberian/Catalan‐Valencian). In addition, moisture and nutrient content were more important than altitude in differentiating Arrhenatherion and Triseto‐Polygonion communities in the Pyrenees.

Conclusions

We suggest a simplification of the traditional classification of the Iberian Arrhenatheretalia grasslands. For this revised classification, we propose an electronic expert system with consistent rules for assigning vegetation observations to the associations defined, and a list of the diagnostic species of each vegetation type. These results can be applied to identify and monitor the hay meadows included in Annex I of the European Habitats Directive, taking into account the biogeographic context of the indicator species.
You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make him learn: Smartphone use in higher education
Authors: Tossell Chad C. , Kortum Philip , Shepard Clayton , Rahmati Ahmad , Zhong Lin
Published: June 2014

Smartphone technology is penetrating world markets and becoming ubiquitous in most college settings. This study takes a naturalistic approach to explore the use of these devices to support student learning. Students that had never used a smartphone were recruited to participate and reported on their expectations of the value of smartphones to achieve their educational goals. Instrumented iPhones that logged device usage were then distributed to these students to use freely over the course of 1 year. After the study, students again reported on the actual value of their smartphones to support their educational goals. We found that students' reports changed substantially before and after the study; specifically, the utility of the smartphone to help with education was perceived as favorable prior to use, and then, by the end of the study, they viewed their phones as detrimental to their educational goals. Although students used their mobile device for informal learning and access to school resources according to the logged data, they perceived their iPhones as a distraction and a competitor to requisite learning for classroom performance.
Collective Bargaining in theCanadian Public Sector, 1978–2008: The Consequences of Restraint and Structural Change
Authors: Campolieti Michele , Hebdon Robert , Dachis Benjamin
Published: June 2014

We study public‐sector bargaining and contract outcomes usingCanadian data from 1978 to 2008. We have a number of interesting results, but our principal findings are from our analysis of wage settlements. We find that the essential services designation, which only allows non‐essential members of a bargain unit to strike, is associated with decreases in wages. Our estimates also suggest that there is an arbitration wage premium and that making adjustments to the ability to pay criterion used by arbitrators to determine awards does not affect this premium. We also discuss the implications of our estimates.
The Evaluation of Statins as Potential Inhibitors of the LEDGF/p75–HIV‐1 Integrase interaction
Authors: Harrison Angela T. , Kriel Frederik H. , Papathanasopoulos Maria A. , Mosebi Salerwe , Abrahams Shaakira , Hewer Raymond
Published: June 2014

Lovastatin was identified through virtual screening as a potential inhibitor of the LEDGF/p75–HIV‐1 integrase interaction. In an AlphaScreen assay, lovastatin inhibited the purified recombinant protein–protein interaction (IC50 = 1.97 ± 0.45 μm) more effectively than seven other tested statins. None of the eight statins, however, yielded antiviral activity in vitro, while only pravastatin lactone yielded detectable inhibition of HIV‐1 integrase strand transfer activity (31.65% at 100 μm). A correlation between lipophilicity and increased cellular toxicity of the statins was observed.
Homeostatic equilibria between free thyroid hormones and pituitary thyrotropin are modulated by various influences including age, body mass index and treatment
Authors: Hoermann Rudolf , Midgley John E.M. , Giacobino Adrienne , Eckl Walter A. , Wahl Hans Günther , Dietrich Johannes W. , Larisch Rolf
Published: June 2014

Objective

We examined the interrelationships of pituitary thyrotropin (TSH) with circulating thyroid hormones to determine whether they were expressed either invariably or conditionally and distinctively related to influences such as levothyroxine (L‐T4) treatment.

Design and methods

This prospective study employing 1912 consecutive patients analyses the interacting equilibria of TSH and free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) in the circulation.

Results

The complex interrelations between FT3, FT4 and TSH were modulated by age, body mass, thyroid volume, antibody status and L‐T4 treatment. By group comparison and confirmation by more individual TSH‐related regression, FT3 levels were significantly lower in L‐T4‐treated vs untreated nonhypothyroid autoimmune thyroiditis (median 4·6 vs 4·9 pm, P < 0·001), despite lower TSH (1·49 vs 2·93 mU/l, P < 0·001) and higher FT4 levels (16·8 vs 13·8 pm, P < 0·001) in the treated group. Compared with disease‐free controls, the FT3‐TSH relationship was significantly displaced in treated patients with carcinoma, with median TSH of 0·21 vs 1·63 (P < 0·001) at a comparable FT3 of 5·0 pm in the groups. Disparities were reflected by calculated deiodinase activity and remained significant even after accounting for confounding influences in a multivariable model.

Conclusions

TSH, FT4 and FT3 each have their individual, but also interlocking roles to play in defining the overall patterns of thyroidal expression, regulation and metabolic activity. Equilibria typical of the healthy state are not invariant, but profoundly altered, for example, by L‐T4 treatment. Consequently, this suggests the revisitation of strategies for treatment optimization.
A review of national health policies and professional guidelines on maternal obesity and weight gain in pregnancy
Authors: Schumann N. L. , Brinsden H. , Lobstein T.
Published: June 2014

Maternal obesity creates an additional demand for health‐care services, as the routine obstetric care pathway requires alterations to ensure the most optimal care for obese women of childbearing age. This review examines the extent to which relevant national health documents reflect and respond to the health implications of maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain. A targeted search of peer‐reviewed publications and grey literature was conducted for each country to identify national health documents, which were subsequently content analyzed according to an adapted framework. A total of 37 documents were identified, including one policy, 10 strategies and 26 guidelines, published within the last 10 years. Out of the 31 countries investigated, only 13 countries address maternal obesity while none address excessive gestational weight gain. We found inconsistencies and gaps in the recommendations to health‐care service providers for the management of maternal obesity and weight gain in pregnancy. The findings show that only limited guidance on maternal obesity and gestational weight gain exists. The authors recommend that international, evidence‐based guidelines on the management of maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain should be developed to reduce the associated health‐care and economic costs.