bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Online and offline effects of cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation on motor learning in healthy older adults: a randomized double‐blind sham‐controlled study
Authors: Samaei Afshin , Ehsani Fatemeh , Zoghi Maryam , Hafez Yosephi Mohaddese , Jaberzadeh Shapour
Published: March 2017

The aim of this randomized double blinded sham‐controlled study was to determine the effect of cerebellar anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a‐tDCS) on online and offline motor learning in healthy older individuals. Thirty participants were randomly assigned in experimental (n = 15) or sham tDCS (n = 15) groups. Participants in experimental group received 2 mA cerebellar a‐tDCS for 20 min. However, the tDCS was turned off after 30 seconds in sham group. Response time (RT) and error rate (ER) in serial RT test were assessed before, during 35 minutes and 48 h after the intervention. Reduction of RT and ER following the intervention session was considered as short‐term (35 min post intervention) and long‐term offline learning (48 h post intervention), respectively. Online RT and ER reduction were similar in both groups (P > 0.05). RT was significantly reduced 48 hours post intervention in cerebellar a‐tDCS group (P = 0.03). Moreover, RT was significantly increased after 35 minutes and 48 hours in sham tDCS group (P = 0.03, P = 0.007), which indicates a lack of short‐term and long‐term offline learning in older adults. A‐tDCS on cerebellar region produced more short‐term and long‐term offline improvement in RT (P = 0.014, P = 0.01) compared to sham tDCS. In addition, online, short‐term and long‐term (48 h) offline error reduced in cerebellar a‐tDCS as compared to sham‐control group, although this reduction was not significant (P > 0.05). A deficit suggests that a direct comparison to a younger group was made. The findings suggested that cerebellar a‐tDCS might be useful for improvement of offline motor learning in older individuals.
Changes in health behaviors and the trajectory of body mass index among older Japanese: A 19‐year longitudinal study
Authors: Murayama Hiroshi , Liang Jersey , Shaw Benjamin A , Botoseneanu Anda , Kobayashi Erika , Fukaya Taro , Shinkai Shoji
Published: March 2017

Aim

Although the modification of lifestyle factors might facilitate weight control, the effects of health behaviors on the trajectory of bodyweight among older adults have been understudied. We examined the effect of changes in smoking, alcohol use and physical activity on the long‐term trajectory of body mass index (BMI) among older Japanese adults.

Methods

Data came from a national sample of 4869 Japanese adults aged 60 years and older at baseline, with up to seven repeated observations over a period of 19 years (1987–2006). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the intrapersonal and interpersonal differences in BMI trajectory.

Results

The average BMI among older Japanese adults was 22.3 at baseline, and decreased with an accelerating rate over time. Smoking was significantly associated with lower BMI over time, whereas smoking cessation was associated with higher BMI. Drinking and physical activity were not associated with BMI. We found significant interactions between age and smoking status, and between sex and physical activity, on BMI trajectory: the association between smoking and lower BMI was stronger in younger participants compared with older participants. The association between physical activity and higher BMI was more pronounced among men compared with women.

Conclusion

The present findings yield important new information regarding the complex dynamics underlying the linkage between lifestyles factors and BMI trajectory among older Japanese, and suggest that there might be cross‐cultural differences in these linkages. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 2008–2016.
2. OF SOVEREIGNS, SACRED KINGS, AND POLEMICS
Authors: FANCY HUSSEIN
Published: March 2017

In its emphasis on ritual and sacred kingship, Azfar Moin's The Millennial Sovereign bears the imprint of anthropological theory, but Moin addresses this inheritance only obliquely. This essay seeks to draw out that tradition and to place theories of sovereignty and sacred kingship in their intellectual and historical context. Ultimately, it questions the value of these theories to the study of political authority.
FORGERY AND THE SPECTER OF PHILOLOGY
Authors: Županov Ines G.
Published: March 2017

Forging the Past: Invented Histories in Counter‐Reformation Spain chronicles and unravels historiographical strands made of the complicated lives and afterlives of a set of manuscripts and printed books in defense of the Spanish church and its saints and martyrs against the Roman post‐Tridentine reform of Christian sacred history. Olds studies one particular Jesuit historian, Jerónimo Román de la Higuera (1538–1611) and his notorious “falsos cronicones,” in which he rewrote and invented historical archives in order to prove the antiquity of Spanish Christianity. Olds's enticing narrative and thorough research prove the point that forgery is also a “mode of historical writing,” and the only reproach one might level at this fine book is the narrow focus on Spain when it comes to discussing the reception of the Chronicles. Reading this book, however, inspires and raises larger questions, including the use of forgeries for patriotic (national) histories and the ethics of historical scholarship. By looking into recent statements by Sheldon Pollock, a philologist and intellectual historian of South Asia, and by Hayden White in his recent The Practical Past, this article argues that in spite of their different methodologies, they both converge in defining the task of a historian as doing something other than supporting national, patriotic, technocratic, and “market‐oriented” agendas.
Effect of photodynamic therapy in combination with various irrigation protocols on an endodontic multispecies biofilm ex vivo
Authors: Hoedke D. , Enseleit C. , Gruner D. , Dommisch H. , Schlafer S. , Dige I. , Bitter K.
Published: March 2017

Aim

To analyse the antibacterial effect of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in combination with various irrigation protocols on a multispecies biofilm in root canals ex vivo.

Methodology

A total of 160 extracted human single‐rooted teeth were divided into four groups (n = 40). In group G1, root canals were instrumented up to size 60 (control group), whereas in G2 to G4 canals were enlarged up to size 40. All root canals were inoculated with a multispecies biofilm (Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus oralis, Prevotella intermedia) for 5 days. In G2 to G4, instrumentation up to size 60 was performed using 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) (G2), 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) (G3), 1% NaOCl and a final irrigation with 2% chlorhexidine (CHX) (G4), respectively. In all groups half of the specimens received adjunctive PDT using phenothiazine chloride as photosensitizer and a diode laser (wavelength 660 nm). Counts of colony‐forming units (CFUs) in each group were analysed separately for planktonic and dentine‐adherent bacteria immediately after therapy (T1) and after 5 days of further incubation (T2). Descriptive statistics and two‐way analysis of variance were carried out to analyse reduction of planktonic bacteria and nonparametric tests were used to analyse dentine‐adherent bacteria.

Results

CFU reduction in planktonic bacteria was significantly affected by the irrigation protocol at T1 and T2 (P < 0.0001), but PDT significantly reduced CFUs only at T2 (P = 0.01; anova). Irrigation using NaOCl, CHX and adjunctive PDT significantly reduced CFUs at T2 (P < 0.0001; Tukey HSD) compared to the control group. In 85.6% of all samples the same categories of CFU counts in both planktonic and dentine‐adherent bacteria were detected at T1 and T2.

Conclusions

Adjunctive photodynamic therapy in combination with an irrigation protocol including NaOCl and CHX was an effective method for reduction of bacterial biofilm inside the root canals of extracted teeth.
A Collaborative Approach to Infant Research: Promoting Reproducibility, Best Practices, and Theory‐Building
Authors: Frank Michael C. , Bergelson Elika , Bergmann Christina , Cristia Alejandrina , Floccia Caroline , Gervain Judit , Hamlin J. Kiley , Hannon Erin E. , Kline Melissa , Levelt Claartje , Lew‐Williams Casey , Nazzi Thierry , Panneton Robin , Rabagliati Hugh , Soderstrom Melanie , Sullivan Jessica , Waxman Sandra , Yurovsky Daniel
Published: March 2017

The ideal of scientific progress is that we accumulate measurements and integrate these into theory, but recent discussion of replicability issues has cast doubt on whether psychological research conforms to this model. Developmental research—especially with infant participants—also has discipline‐specific replicability challenges, including small samples and limited measurement methods. Inspired by collaborative replication efforts in cognitive and social psychology, we describe a proposal for assessing and promoting replicability in infancy research: large‐scale, multi‐laboratory replication efforts aiming for a more precise understanding of key developmental phenomena. The ManyBabies project, our instantiation of this proposal, will not only help us estimate how robust and replicable these phenomena are, but also gain new theoretical insights into how they vary across ages, linguistic communities, and measurement methods. This project has the potential for a variety of positive outcomes, including less‐biased estimates of theoretically important effects, estimates of variability that can be used for later study planning, and a series of best‐practices blueprints for future infancy research.
The ultrastructure of the integument and proventriculus in the raptorial rotifer Cupelopagis vorax (Monogononta: Collothecaceae: Atrochidae)
Authors: Hochberg Rick , Walsh Elizabeth J. , Wallace Robert L.
Published: March 2017

Members of the sessile rotifer species Cupelopagis vorax are unusual ambush predators that live permanently attached to submerged freshwater plants. Previous light microscopical research has revealed several uncommon features in this species including a stellate‐patterned integument and an expansive foregut region called the proventriculus. In this study, we apply transmission electron microscopy to explore the ultrastructure of both the integument and foregut to determine how they differ from other rotifers. Our results reveal that the integument is covered by a thick glycocalyx and is patterned with tubercles that originate from the intracytoplasmic lamina (ICL) within the syncytial epidermis. The ICL forms an apical layer within the syncytium, is electron dense and mostly amorphous, and forms tubercles up to 2.3 μm; these tubercles probably account for the patterned appearance of the integument and are similar to what has been found in other gnesiotrochan rotifers. The basal cytoplasm is highly granular and contains two types of membrane‐bound vesicles: large ovoid vesicles (320–411 nm) with amorphous, opaque contents, and secretory bulbs (110–264 nm) with electron‐lucent cores and occasionally electron‐dense contents. Only the secretory bulbs were observed to form connections to the apical plasmalemma, and so are probably exocytotic. Internally, the proventriculus is a large distensible sack that connects the anterior pharyngeal tube to the posterior mastax. The proventricular epithelium is a thin syncytium mostly covered with a dense glycocalyx and a strong brush border of microvilli underlain by a thin terminal web. The cytoplasm contains few organelles and there is no evidence that it is either secretory or has features (e.g., ICL) that might aid in maceration. We hypothesize that the thick glycocalyx might serve a protective function against the movements of live prey and/or against enzymes released from the rotifer's gastric glands that become regurgitated during feeding.
‘Seeking authorization’: a grounded theory exploration of mentors’ experiences of assessing nursing students on the borderline of achievement of competence in clinical practice
Authors: Cassidy Simon , Coffey Michael , Murphy Fiona
Published: March 2017

Aim

To develop a substantive theoretical explanation of how mentors make sense of their experiences where nursing students are on the borderline of achievement of competence in clinical practice.

Background

The reluctance of Registered Nurse mentors to fail nursing students in clinical practice despite concerns about competence remains a contemporary issue in international healthcare education. Mentors’ assessment decisions have considerable impact for a variety of key stakeholders, not least for students in these circumstances.

Design

Grounded theory qualitative study.

Methods

Phase one involved 20 individual semi‐structured interviews with nurse mentors in one United Kingdom National Health Service Health Board (July–October 2009). Phase two included eight individual semi‐structured interviews and seven focus groups with mentors and practice educators (n = 38) in four further Health Boards (June 2011–February 2012). Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding consistent with grounded theory method.

Findings

Three categories ‘the conundrum of practice competence,’ ‘the intensity of nurturing hopefulness,’ and ‘managing assessment impasse,’ led to the study's substantive theoretical explanation – ‘Seeking authorization: Establishing collective accountability for mentorship.’ This demonstrates how mentors are dependent on key sources of support and feedback to validate their assessment decision‐making, notwithstanding substantial personal, professional and organizational pressures.

Conclusion

We conclude that management of borderline assessment situations is considerably developed by recognition of the authorizing effects of a wider community of assessors. Consequently, we identify the personal, professional and organizational implications involved in the preparation, support and regulation of mentors specifically during borderline assessment circumstances.
Ancient biogeography of generalist predators on remote oceanic islands
Authors: Gillespie R. G. , Brewer M. S. , Roderick G. K.
Published: March 2017

Aim

Remote islands are known for providing spectacular examples of adaptive radiation, with ecological divergence across a lineage giving rise to multiple species, each specialized for a particular niche. These isolated environments also provide some of the best examples of recent colonization, often human‐mediated, with a single generalist taxon distributed over vast regions. Highlighted by this dichotomy is a tendency of taxa to become more specialized over time. The current study focuses on two spider taxa (family Uloboridae) each occupying a broad range of habitats:Tangaroa tahitiensisin the Austral and Society islands of French Polynesia andDaramulunia gibbosain Fiji. We ask whether the generalist tendency of each is associated with recent colonization of widespread species or, rather, maintained over extended evolutionary time.

Location

South Pacific: Fiji (18° S, 175° E), Society (18° S, 150° W), and Austral (23° S, 150° W) archipelagoes.

Methods

MitochondrialCOIand nuclear 18SrDNAwere sequenced and analysed using maximum likelihood (RAxML) and Bayesian approaches with concurrent divergence dating calibrated with a general arthropod molecular clock. Ancestral ranges were reconstructed independently for French Polynesia and Fiji (RASP).

Results

While bothT. tahitiensisandD. gibbosaoccur broadly from sea‐level to cloud forest, each has a separate and ancient origin within their respective archipelagoes, the pattern of colonization matching the geographical arrangement of the islands.

Main conclusions

Populations of two spider species,T. tahitiensisin the Australs and Societies andD. gibbosain Fiji, are extreme generalists with broad physiological tolerances throughout their respective ranges. Yet, every population displays single island endemism and deep genetic divergences between islands indicating a long history on individual landmasses, a finding that contradicts the tendency for organisms to show increasing specialization associated with endemism.
Comparisons of periodontal regenerative therapies: A meta‐analysis on the long‐term efficacy
Authors: Wu Yun‐Chun , Lin Liang‐Ko , Song Cheng‐Jie , Su Yu‐Xuan , Tu Yu‐Kang
Published: March 2017

Aim

We conducted a meta‐analysis for the long‐term differences in treatment outcomes between periodontal regeneration therapies and flap operation.

Methods

A systematic literature search was conducted using the EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane databases up to June 2016. Treatment outcomes were changes in probing pocket depth and clinical attachment level. We extracted data reported at different time points after periodontal surgery and incorporated all data into the same model. The restricted cubic spline regression was used to estimate the non‐linear trend in treatment outcomes. As some studies reported outcomes at multiple time points, we considered several correlation structures for data reported by the same study.

Results

A total of 52 randomized controlled trials were included in our longitudinal meta‐analysis. The follow‐up length ranged from 0.5 year to 10 years. The trends in the treatment outcomes were similar under different correlation structures. Enamel matrix derivatives (EMD) and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) achieved greater probing pocket depth (PPD) reduction and clinical attachment level (CAL) gain than flap operation (FO) in the long‐term follow up, but no differences were found between EMD and GTR.

Conclusion

Compared with FO, periodontal regeneration surgeries achieved greater PPD reduction and gain in CAL after 1 year, and its effects may last for 5–10 years.
Development and validation of a condition‐specific measure for chronic periodontitis: Oral health impact profile for chronic periodontitis
Authors: He Songlin , Wang Jinhua , Wei Shicheng , Ji Ping
Published: March 2017

Aim

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the first condition‐specific tool to assess oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) impairment in association with chronic periodontitis and to use it as an outcome measure in clinical trials.

Methods

Twenty‐three potential items were developed using a combined method consisting of a literature review, semi‐structured patient interviews (n = 20) and expert panel 1. Subsequently, item selection was carried out by means of qualitative content analysis and quantitative classical test theory (CTT) with 110 patients and expert panel 2. Consequently, 18 items were selected and included in the final oral health impact profile for chronic periodontitis (OHIP‐CP) instrument. The validity and reliability of the OHIP‐CP were then examined.

Results

A total of 238 patients participated in the validation phase of OHIP‐CP. The final 18‐item questionnaire was shown to have a three‐domain structure. The three components “pain and functional limitation”, “psychological discomfort” and “psychological disability and social handicap” explained 49.9%, 9.9%, and 6.2% of the variance, respectively, together accounting for 66.1% of the variance. In addition, the OHIP‐CP was shown to be valid in distinguishing patients with varying severity of chronic periodontitis. For the convergent validity, the reported impact of chronic periodontitis based on the OHIP‐CP significantly correlated with the global oral health rating. All of its three domains were found to have good levels of internal consistency with Cronbach's alpha >.7, and excellent test‐retest reliability.

Conclusion

The OHIP‐CP is the first condition‐specific OHRQoL instrument for patients with chronic periodontitis. This short, reliable and valid questionnaire may serve as a valuable tool in future clinical trials.
Implementing a Pain Self‐Management Protocol in Home Care: A Cluster‐Randomized Pragmatic Trial
Authors: Reid M. Carrington , Henderson Charles R. , Trachtenberg Melissa A. , Beissner Katherine L. , Bach Eileen , Barrón Yolanda , Sridharan Sridevi , Murtaugh Christopher M.
Published: March 2017

Objectives

To determine the effectiveness of a cognitive–behavioral pain self‐management (CBPSM) protocol delivered by physical therapists (PTs) for use by older adults with activity‐limiting pain receiving home care.

Design

A randomized pragmatic trial comparing delivery of the intervention plus usual care with usual care alone.

Setting

Community.

Participants

Individuals aged 55 and older admitted with orders for physical therapy who endorsed activity‐limiting pain and reported pain scores of 3 or greater on a scale from 0 to 10 (N = 588).

Intervention

A CBPSM protocol delivered by PTs.

Measurements

Primary outcomes were assessed at 60 days using validated measures of pain‐related disability, pain intensity, gait speed, and number of activity of daily living (ADL) deficits.

Results

Of 588 participants, 285 received care from a PT randomized to the intervention and 303 from a PT randomized to the usual care group. Both groups had significant reductions in pain‐related disability, pain intensity, and ADL limitations and improved gait speed. No significant treatment differences were identified. There were no consistent treatment differences when interactions and subgroups were examined.

Conclusion

This real‐world pragmatic trial found no effect of implementation of a pain self‐management intervention in a home care setting. Despite the lack of positive findings, future studies are indicated to determine how similar protocols that have been found to be effective in efficacy studies can be successfully implemented in routine clinical care.
Functional and structural plasticity in the primary somatosensory cortex associated with chronic pain
Authors: Kim Woojin , Kim Sun Kwang , Nabekura Junichi
Published: March 2017

Tissue or nerve injury induces widespread plastic changes from the periphery and spinal cord up to the cortex, resulting in chronic pain. Although many clinicians and researchers have extensively studied altered nociceptive signaling and neural circuit plasticity at the spinal cord level, effective treatments to ameliorate chronic pain are still insufficient. For about the last two decades, the rapid development in macroscopic brain imaging studies on humans and animal models have revealed maladaptive plastic changes in the ‘pain matrix’ brain regions, which may subsequently contribute to chronic pain. Among these brain regions, our group has concentrated for many years on the primary somatosensory (S1) cortex with a help of advanced imaging techniques and has found the functional and structural changes in neurons/glia as well as individual synapses in the S1 cortex during chronic pain. Taken together, it is now believed that such S1 plasticity is one of the causes for chronic pain, not a simple and passive epiphenomenon following tissue/nerve injury as previously thought. In this small review, we discuss the relation of plasticity in the S1 cortex with chronic pain, based on clinical trials and experimental studies conducted on this field.

This article is part of the special article series “Pain”.

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Methyl CpG level at distal part of heat‐shock protein promoter HSP70 exhibits epigenetic memory for heat stress by modulating recruitment of POU2F1‐associated nucleosome‐remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) complex
Authors: Kisliouk Tatiana , Cramer Tomer , Meiri Noam
Published: March 2017

Depending on its stringency, exposure to heat in early life leads to either resilience or vulnerability to heat stress later in life. We hypothesized that epigenetic alterations in genes belonging to the cell proteostasis pathways are attributed to long‐term responses to heat stress. Epigenetic regulation of the mRNA expression of the molecular chaperone heat‐shock protein (HSP) 70 (HSPA2) was evaluated in the chick hypothalamus during the critical period of thermal‐control establishment on day 3 post‐hatch and during heat challenge on day 10. Both the level and duration of HSP70 expression during heat challenge a week after heat conditioning were more pronounced in chicks conditioned under harsh versus mild temperature. Analyzing different segments of the promoter in vitro indicated that methylation of a distal part altered its transcriptional activity. In parallel, DNA‐methylation level of this segment in vivo was higher in harsh‐ compared to mild‐heat‐conditioned chicks. Hypermethylation of the HSP70 promoter in high‐temperature‐conditioned chicks was accompanied by a reduction in both POU Class 2 Homeobox 1 (POU2F1) binding and recruitment of the nucleosome remodeling deacetylase (NuRD) chromatin‐remodeling complex. As a result, histone H3 acetylation levels at the HSP70 promoter were higher in harsh‐temperature‐conditioned chicks than in their mild‐heat‐conditioned counterparts. These results suggest that methylation level of a distal part of the HSP70 promoter and POU2F1 recruitment may reflect heat‐stress‐related epigenetic memory and may be useful in differentiating between individuals that are resilient or vulnerable to stress.

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Rapid Diagnosis of Soya Bean Root Rot Caused by Fusarium culmorum Using a Loop‐Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay
Authors: Zeng Dandan , Ye Wenwu , Xu Miao , Lu Chenchen , Tian Qing , Zheng Xiaobo
Published: March 2017

We report a rapid diagnosis of soya bean (Glycine max L.) root rot caused by Fusarium culmorum, using a loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay. We used the CYP51C gene sequence to design LAMP assay primers specific for F. culmorum. The LAMP assay amplified the target gene efficiently in 60 min at 63°C. The sensitivity of the assay was 100 pg/μl of genomic DNA. Among the tested soya bean pathogens, a positive colour (sky blue) was only observed in the presence of F. culmorum with the addition of hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) dye prior to amplification, whereas other species isolates showed no colour change. Suspected diseased soya bean samples collected in the field from Jiangsu, Shandong and Anhui provinces and Beijing were diagnosed successfully using the LAMP assay reported here. This study provides a new and readily available method for rapid diagnosis of soya bean root rot caused by F. culmorum.
Association of Copper and Zinc Levels in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis) to the Spatial Distribution of Ganoderma Species in the Plantations on Peat
Authors: Rakib Mohd Rashid Mohd , Bong Choon‐Fah Joseph , Khairulmazmi Ahmad , Idris Abu Seman , Jalloh Mohamadu Boyie , Ahmed Osumanu Haruna
Published: March 2017

Nutrients are essential for normal physiological processes in plants, and they play important roles in defence mechanisms against pathogens. Oil palms cultivated on peat are more prone to nutrient deficiency, especially micronutrients, and this may affect their susceptibility to Ganoderma species, the major threat to the sustainability of oil palm throughout South‐East Asia. This study was conducted to investigate the association of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in mature oil palm to the spatial distribution of Ganoderma species in the plantations on peat. Foliar samples (frond 17) of oil palm from two plantations (Betong and Miri) on peat in Sarawak, Malaysia, were collected based on the spatial distribution pattern of Ganoderma, and total Cu and Zn were quantified spectrometrically. The experiment was conducted twice at a 1‐year interval. The concentrations of Cu and Zn were significantly lower in oil palms from infected areas in contrast to those from uninfected areas. In addition, oil palms in infected areas in Miri suffered Cu and Zn deficiencies. Furthermore, Cu and Zn were significantly lower in the oil palms in Miri that had higher Ganoderma occurrence, as compared to those in Betong, which had significantly higher Cu and Zn but lower Ganoderma occurrence.
Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves improved the egg and meat qualities and protected against ethanol‐induced oxidative damage in laying hens
Authors: Chen Y. , Chen H. , Li W. , Miao J. , Chen N. , Shao X. , Cao Y.
Published: March 2017

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves (PE) were value resources due to various pharmacological activities, but data on the effect on laying hens are very scare. This study was conducted to determine the effect of PE on the laying performance, egg traits, meat quality, antioxidant status and liver tissues of laying hens. One hundred and twenty 256‐day‐old Yueqinhuang laying hens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (different levels of PE at 0, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.2 g/kg diet) for 63 days with 15 replicates per group. Addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg trait by increasing the eggshell thickness and decreasing MDA production and cholesterol content in the egg yolk, but also significantly enhanced meat quality of hens, as suggested by the increase pH45 min (p < .01) and a* value, and decrease drip loss rate (p < .01). Meanwhile, under acute ethanol‐induced oxidative damage condition, supplementation of 0.8 g/kg PE enhanced the serum antioxidant status by increasing enzymatic activities (GSH‐PX, T‐SOD, T‐AOC), inhibited oxidative damage and provided protective effect to liver tissue. In conclusion, addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg traits and meat quality without obvious adverse effects, but also increased the serum antioxidant status of the hens and protected their liver tissue from ethanol‐induced oxidative damage. This study indicated that PE could be utilized as an effective feed additive for laying hens to improve health performance and egg traits.
Re‐opening the window on fenestration as a treatment for acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation in dogs
Authors: Freeman P. , Jeffery N. D.
Published: March 2017

Acute thoracolumbar intervertebral disc herniation in dogs is a common cause of “back” pain, pelvic limb paresis or paralysis and incontinence. Treatment of this condition has long been a source of controversy, especially since the introduction of surgical interventions in the 1950s. Unfortunately, formal clinical trials to compare efficacy of conservative and surgical interventions have never been carried out and the current lack of clinical equipoise on this subject now precludes such a trial on ethical grounds. In this article we re‐examine and discuss earlier published data on recovery associated with the various therapies, focusing on evidence suggesting that decompressive surgery and fenestration may be equally efficacious.
Population transcriptomes reveal synergistic responses of DNA polymorphism and RNA expression to extreme environments on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in a predatory bird
Authors: Pan Shengkai , Zhang Tongzuo , Rong Zhengqin , Hu Li , Gu Zhongru , Wu Qi , Dong Shanshan , Liu Qiong , Lin Zhenzhen , Deutschova Lucia , Li Xinhai , Dixon Andrew , Bruford Michael W. , Zhan Xiangjiang
Published: March 2017

Low oxygen and temperature pose key physiological challenges for endotherms living on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Molecular adaptations to high‐altitude living have been detected in the genomes of Tibetans, their domesticated animals and a few wild species, but the contribution of transcriptional variation to altitudinal adaptation remains to be determined. Here we studied a top QTP predator, the saker falcon, and analysed how the transcriptome has become modified to cope with the stresses of hypoxia and hypothermia. Using a hierarchical design to study saker populations inhabiting grassland, steppe/desert and highland across Eurasia, we found that the QTP population is already distinct despite having colonized the Plateau <2000 years ago. Selection signals are limited at the cDNA level, but of only seventeen genes identified, three function in hypoxia and four in immune response. Our results show a significant role for RNA transcription: 50% of upregulated transcription factors were related to hypoxia responses, differentiated modules were significantly enriched for oxygen transport, and importantly, divergent EPAS1 functional variants with a refined co‐expression network were identified. Conservative gene expression and relaxed immune gene variation may further reflect adaptation to hypothermia. Our results exemplify synergistic responses between DNA polymorphism and RNA expression diversity in coping with common stresses, underpinning the successful rapid colonization of a top predator onto the QTP. Importantly, molecular mechanisms underpinning highland adaptation involve relatively few genes, but are nonetheless more complex than previously thought and involve fine‐tuned transcriptional responses and genomic adaptation.
Mucormycosis at a tertiary care centre in Gujarat, India
Authors: Patel Atul K. , Patel Ketan K. , Patel Kamlesh , Gohel Swati , Chakrabarti Arunaloke
Published: March 2017

The prevalence of mucormycosis is reportedly high in India, although the studies are mainly from north and south India only. We analysed the mucormycosis cases at tertiary care centres of West India. We retrieved the clinical details of all the patients with probable and proven mucormycosis diagnosed at Sterling Hospital and ID clinic at Ahmedabad, Gujarat over the period from 1 January 2013 through 30 April 2015. The data were analysed to determine demography, risk factors, underlying diseases, site of infection and outcome of these patients. A total of 27 patients with the median age of 50 (16‐65) years were diagnosed with mucormycosis during the period. Rhino‐orbital‐cerebral mucormycosis was the most common (51.9%) presentation. Majority (55.6%) of the patients had uncontrolled diabetes with or without ketoacidosis; 25.9% patients had no underlying disease and most of them (85.7%) had cutaneous mucormycosis. In this group, the mortality was 25.9% and an equal percentage of patients were lost to follow up; 14 (51.9%) patients could complete 6 weeks of amphotericin B therapy. All patients who completed antifungal therapy survived except one. Like other parts of India, uncontrolled diabetes was the predominant risk factor for mucormycosis in our group. Patients completing 6 weeks of amphotericin B treatment were likely to survive.
A case of symptomatic granular cell tumor of the sellar region with large calcification
Authors: Yamamuro Shun , Homma Taku , Hanashima Yuya , Yoshimura Sodai , Oshima Hideki , Ohni Sumie , Kusumi Yoshiaki , Yoshino Atsuo
Published: March 2017

We report here a rare case of symptomatic granular cell tumor (GCT) of the sellar region with a large calcification. A 70‐year‐old woman presented with a sellar mass, accompanied by bitemporal hemianopia. The patient was diagnosed preoperatively as having a craniopharyngioma or a pituitary adenoma, because of the large calcification. The patient underwent surgical tumor resection via endoscopic trans‐sphenoidal surgery and was diagnosed pathologically as having GCT. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and her visual field disturbance improved soon after the operation. We briefly discuss the pathological discrimination of GCT and other sellar tumors, since there are many unclear points concerning this rare tumor.
Starch as a determinant of plant fitness under abiotic stress
Authors: Thalmann Matthias , Santelia Diana
Published: March 2017

Contents

Summary
943

I.
Introduction
943

II.
Multiple functions of starch metabolism
944

III.
Starch metabolism during abiotic stress
945

IV.
Enzymes involved in stress‐induced reorganization of starch metabolism
945

V.
Regulation of starch metabolism during abiotic stress
948

VI.
Conclusions and outlook
949

Acknowledgements
950

References
950

Abiotic stresses, such as drought, high salinity and extreme temperatures, pose one of the most important constraints to plant growth and productivity in many regions of the world. A number of investigations have shown that plants, including several important crops, remobilize their starch reserve to release energy, sugars and derived metabolites to help mitigate the stress. This is an essential process for plant fitness with important implications for plant productivity under challenging environmental conditions. In this Tansley insight, we evaluate the current literature on starch metabolism in response to abiotic stresses, and discuss the key enzymes involved and how they are regulated.
E+ subgroup PPR protein defective kernel 36 is required for multiple mitochondrial transcripts editing and seed development in maize and Arabidopsis
Authors: Wang Gang , Zhong Mingyu , Shuai Bilian , Song Jiandong , Zhang Jie , Han Liang , Ling Huiling , Tang Yuanping , Wang Guifeng , Song Rentao
Published: March 2017

Mitochondria are semi‐autonomous organelles that are the powerhouse of the cells. Plant mitochondrial RNA editing guided by pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins is essential for energy production.

We identify a maize defective kernel mutant dek36, which produces small and collapsed kernels, leading to embryos and/or seedlings lethality. Seed filling in dek36 is drastically impaired, in line with the defects observed in the organization of endosperm transfer tissue. Positional cloning reveals that DEK36, encoding a mitochondria‐targeted E+ subgroup PPR protein, is required for mitochondrial RNA editing at atp4‐59, nad7‐383 and ccmFN‐302, thus resulting in decreased activities of mitochondrial complex I, complex III and complex IV in dek36.

Loss‐of‐function of its Arabidopsis ortholog At DEK36 causes arrested embryo and endosperm development, leading to embryo lethality. At_dek36 also has RNA editing defects in atp4, nad7, ccmFN1 and ccmFN2, but at the nonconserved sites. Importantly, efficiency of all editing sites in ccmFN1, ccmFN2 and rps12 is severely decreased in At_dek36, probably caused by the impairment of their RNA stabilization.

These results suggest that the DEK36 orthologue pair are essential for embryo and endosperm development in both maize and Arabidopsis, but through divergent function in regulating RNA metabolism of their mitochondrial targets.
What gets measured gets what? The work of cycling indicators in a local government initiative
Authors: Henry Matthew , Scott Mike
Published: March 2017

Sustainable transport is an increasing focus for planning authorities, and New Zealand's local authorities have been developing initiatives to encourage more sustainable forms of mobility. This study focuses on a cycling initiative in a provincial local authority that extensively relied on a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) programme. We argue that M&E programmes are often black boxed and there is little understanding of how they work within organisations. Drawing on work from the sociology of quantification, this study examines the multiple translations that the M&E underwent and the actors involved in it, in order for it to become useful and accessible.
Weight gain adequacy and pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Viecceli C. , Remonti L.R. , Hirakata V.N. , Mastella L.S. , Gnielka V. , Oppermann M.L.R. , Silveiro S.P. , Reichelt A.J.
Published: March 2017

The Institute of Medicine updated guidelines for gestational weight gain in 2009, with no special recommendations for gestational diabetes. Our objectives were to describe the prevalence of weight gain adequacy and their association with adverse pregnancy outcomes in gestational diabetes. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, COCHRANE and SCOPUS. We calculated the pooled prevalence of gain adequacy and relative risks for pregnancy outcomes within Institute of Medicine categories. Thirty‐three studies/abstracts (88,599 women) were included. Thirty‐one studies provided data on the prevalence of weight gain adequacy; it was adequate in 34% (95% CI: 29–39%) of women, insufficient in 30% (95% CI: 27–34%) and excessive in 37% (95% CI: 33–41%). Excessive gain was associated with increased risks of pharmacological treatment, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, caesarean section, large for gestational age and macrosomic babies, compared to adequate or non‐excessive gain. Weight gain below the guidance had a protective effect on large babies (RR: 0.71; 95% CI: 0.56–0.90) and macrosomia (RR 0.57; 95% CI 0.40–0.83), and did not increase the risk of small babies (RR 1.40; 95% CI 0.86–2.27). Less than recommended weight gain would be beneficial, while effective prevention of excessive gain is of utmost importance, in gestational diabetes pregnancies. Nevertheless, no ideal range for weight gain could be established.
Dynamic metabolic responses of brown planthoppers towards susceptible and resistant rice plants
Authors: Liu Caixiang , Du Ba , Hao Fuhua , Lei Hehua , Wan Qianfen , He Guangcun , Wang Yulan , Tang Huiru
Published: March 2017

Brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål, BPH) causes huge economic losses in rice‐growing regions, and new strategies for combating BPH are required. To understand how BPHs respond towards BPH‐resistant plants, we systematically analysed the metabolic differences between BPHs feeding on the resistant and susceptible plants using NMR and GC‐FID/MS. We also measured the expression of some related genes involving glycolysis and biosyntheses of trehalose, amino acids, chitin and fatty acids using real‐time PCR. BPH metabonome was dominated by more than 60 metabolites including fatty acids, amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleosides/nucleotides and TCA cycle intermediates. After initial 12 h, BPHs feeding on the resistant plants had lower levels of amino acids, glucose, fatty acids and TCA cycle intermediates than on the susceptible ones. The levels of these metabolites recovered after 24 h feeding. This accompanied with increased level in trehalose, choline metabolites and nucleosides/nucleotides compared with BPH feeding on the susceptible plants. Decreased levels of BPH metabolites at the early feeding probably resulted from less BPH uptakes of sap from resistant plants and recovery of BPH metabolites at the later stage probably resulted from their adaptation to the adverse environment with their increased hopping frequency to ingest more sap together with contributions from yeast‐like symbionts in BPHs. Throughout 96 h, BPH feeding on the resistant plants showed significant up‐regulation of chitin synthase catalysing biosynthesis of chitin for insect exoskeleton, peritrophic membrane lining gut and tracheae. These findings provided useful metabolic information for understanding the BPH–rice interactions and perhaps for developing new BPH‐combating strategies.
Use of lumpfish for sea‐lice control in salmon farming: challenges and opportunities
Authors: Powell Adam , Treasurer Jim W. , Pooley Craig L. , Keay Alex J. , Lloyd Richard , Imsland Albert K. , Garcia de Leaniz Carlos
Published: March 2017

Efficient sea‐lice control remains one of the most important challenges for the salmon farming industry. The use of wrasse (Labridae) as cleaner fish offers an alternative to medicines for sea‐lice control, but wrasse tend to become inactive in winter. Lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) continue to feed on sea‐lice at low temperatures, and commercial production has escalated from thousands of fish in 2010 to well over 30 million juveniles deployed in 2016. However, production still relies on the capture of wild broodstock, which may not be sustainable. To meet global industry needs, lumpfish production needs to increase to reach c. 50 million fish annually and this can only come from aquaculture. We review current production methods and the use of lumpfish in sea cages and identify some of the main challenges and bottlenecks facing lumpfish intensification. Our gap analysis indicates that the areas in most need of research include better control of maturation for year‐round production; formulation of appropriate diets; artificial selection of elite lines with desirable traits; and development of vaccines for certified, disease‐free juvenile production. The welfare of farmed lumpfish also needs to be better quantified, and more information is needed on optimal densities and tank design. Finally, the risk of farmed lumpfish escaping from net pens needs to be critically assessed, and we argue that it might be beneficial to recover cleaner fish from salmon cages after the production cycle, perhaps using them as broodstock, for export to the Asian food markets or for the production of animal feeds.
Progranulin protects lung epithelial cells from cigarette smoking‐induced apoptosis
Authors: Lee Kyoung Young , Park So‐Young , Park Sunjoo , Hong Gyong Hwa , Moon Keun‐Ai , Kim You‐Sun , Oh Yeon‐Mok , Kwon Hyouk‐Soo , Kim Tae‐Bum , Moon Hee‐Bom , Cho You Sook
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT

Background and objective

Emphysema is characterized by irreversible destruction of alveolar walls with distal air space enlargement. Cigarette smoke (CS) is considered a major risk factor for emphysematous changes in COPD. Progranulin (PGRN), a glycoprotein induced by CS, has been reported to participate in apoptosis. However, the precise role of PGRN in emphysema is currently unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the role of PGRN in human alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) in response to CS.

Methods

First, PGRN expression was assessed in a mouse model of CS‐induced emphysema and in AECs after exposure to CS extract (CSE). Then, the effect of PGRN on CSE‐mediated apoptosis was determined under PGRN silencing or overexpressing conditions. To investigate the functional mechanism of PGRN, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers and the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway were also evaluated in the CSE‐exposed cells. Finally, PGRN expression levels in sera and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were measured and compared between patients with COPD and healthy subjects.

Results

Our results revealed that PGRN expression was elevated in CS‐exposed mouse lungs and CSE‐treated AECs. CSE‐induced cellular apoptosis was significantly increased in PGRN‐knockdown AECs and decreased in PGRN‐overexpression cells. The activation of ER stress‐associated molecules correlated with PGRN expression levels. Compared with healthy controls, COPD patients exhibited significantly lower PGRN serum levels and higher PBMC intracellular PGRN levels.

Conclusion

PGRN in airway epithelial cells may regulate CS‐induced AEC apoptosis and may be involved in the development of COPD.
Defeat and Entrapment in Bipolar Disorder: Exploring the Relationship with Suicidal Ideation from a Psychological Theoretical Perspective
Authors: Owen Rebecca , Dempsey Robert , Jones Steven , Gooding Patricia
Published: March 2017

Contemporary psychological theoretical models of suicide hypothesize that defeat and entrapment underlie the development of suicidal ideation. This hypothesis has never been tested in people who experience bipolar disorder. Regression analysis revealed that defeat and entrapment significantly predicted suicidal ideation at 4‐month follow‐up. The relationship between defeat and suicidal ideation was mediated by total entrapment and internal entrapment, but not external entrapment. Results suggest that perceived defeat and entrapment underlie the development of prospective suicidal ideation in bipolar disorder. Findings could potentially improve the assessment of suicide risk in people who experience bipolar disorder.
Partial polygon pruning of hydrographic features in automated generalization
Authors: Stum Alexander K. , Buttenfield Barbara P. , Stanislawski Lawrence V.
Published: March 2017

This article demonstrates a working method to automatically detect and prune portions of waterbody polygons to support creation of a multi‐scale hydrographic database. Water features are sensitive to scale change, therefore multiple representations are required to maintain visual and geographic logic at smaller scales. Partial pruning of polygonal features – such as long, sinuous reservoir arms, stream channels too narrow at the target scale, and islands that begin to coalesce – entails concurrent management of the length and width of polygonal features as well as integrating pruned polygons with other generalized point and linear hydrographic features to maintain stream network connectivity. The implementation follows data representation standards developed by the US Geological Survey (USGS) for the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD). Portions of polygonal rivers, streams, and canals are automatically characterized for width, length, and connectivity. This article describes an algorithm for automatic detection and subsequent processing, and shows results for a sample of NHD subbasins in different landscape conditions in the US.