bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Habitat Use by Juvenile Red Snapper in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Ontogeny, Seasonality, and the Effects of Hypoxia
Authors: Switzer Theodore S. , Chesney Edward J. , Baltz Donald M.
Published: February 2015

Red Snapper Lutjanus campechanus in the northern Gulf of Mexico are threatened by the combined influence of fishing pressures, the bycatch of juveniles in the shrimp trawl fishery, and the seasonal formation of hypoxic (≤2 mg/L O2) bottom water along the Louisiana–Texas continental shelf. Juveniles are especially at risk from hypoxia because they leave the plankton and transition from pelagic to demersal habitats en masse during summer, when hypoxic conditions peak. We explored the influence of hypoxia on juvenile Red Snapper by examining habitat suitability during years with low (areal extent, <10,000 km2), moderate (10,000–19,999 km2), and severe (≥20,000 km2) hypoxia through retrospective analyses of groundfish data from the Southeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program. Significant interannual variability in the strength of juvenile recruitment was evident, and in general the weakest recruitment was observed during years of severe hypoxia. The relative abundance of juveniles in shallow (9–46 m) waters off central Louisiana was significantly reduced during years of severe hypoxia; this reduction was generally accompanied by an increase in relative abundance of Red Snapper longitudinally and in deeper waters. Patterns of habitat use during summer months varied in relation to hypoxia severity, with individuals occupying sites that were deeper, colder, and of higher salinity during years of severe hypoxia. Red Snapper also exhibited ontogenetic habitat shifts into deeper, cooler, and higher‐salinity waters as fish size increased. In general, Red Snapper populations appear resilient to the broad‐scale effects of severe hypoxia, although more localized effects may be in force but not evident because of the many factors affecting survival.

Received June 19, 2014; accepted October 6, 2014
Externalities and Simultaneity in Surface Water‐Groundwater Systems: Challenges for Water Rights Institutions
Authors: Cobourn Kelly M.
Published: February 2015

When surface water and groundwater resources are hydraulically connected, groundwater pumping may reduce surface water flows. In recognition of hydraulic connectivity between surface and groundwater resources, many states in the western United States have begun to develop systems of conjunctive administration in which property rights for surface water and groundwater are jointly managed. Implementing conjunctive administration requires an understanding of when and where surface and groundwater resources are connected. This article analyzes how decisions about water use and changes in irrigation technology influence connectivity across space and time, generating a challenge for policy instrument design. I develop and estimate an econometric model that reflects the simultaneity in surface and groundwater levels that arises due to the two‐way flow of water in a hydraulically connected system. The model also traces the effect of changes in irrigation technology on consumptive water use and return flows, and the consequences for changes in water availability. Estimation results using a panel dataset for the Eastern Snake River Plain of Idaho from 1960 to 2011 indicate that connectivity between surface and groundwater resources has decreased over time due to declining groundwater levels. Declining groundwater levels are attributable not only to groundwater pumping, but also to a widespread shift from flood to sprinkler irrigation. This transition in irrigation technology has conserved surface water but depleted groundwater by reducing aquifer recharge. As connectivity declines, reducing groundwater pumping to augment surface water flows, a common approach to conjunctive administration, yields diminishing marginal benefits.
MRSA carrying mecC in captive mara
Authors: Espinosa-Gongora C. , Harrison E. M. , Moodley A. , Guardabassi L. , Holmes M. A.
Published: February 2015

Objectives

To characterize the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), virulence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus ST130 isolated from mara (Dolichotis patagonum), a large rodent species native to South America and kept in captivity at Copenhagen Zoo.

Methods

The presence of mecC was confirmed by PCR in 15 S. aureus ST130 isolated from mara during a previous study. WGS was performed on two randomly selected isolates to characterize their genomes with respect to SCCmec, virulence and resistance gene content. Antimicrobial susceptibility was tested using commercial broth microdilution tests.

Results

All the isolates belonged to spa type t528 ST130 and carried mecC. Based on WGS, mecC was 100% identical to the prototype sequence of S. aureus strain LGA251. The sequence of SCCmec type XI in the mara isolates had 23 SNPs compared with the one described in LGA251. The two sequenced strains harboured a set of virulence factors and other genomic features previously observed in ST130. Both strains carried norA as the only putative antimicrobial resistance gene in addition to mecC.

Conclusions

Our findings support the notion that a genetically conserved mecC-carrying MRSA ST130 clone is widespread in a variety of unrelated hosts in Denmark. Since the mara at Copenhagen Zoo have limited contact with humans and other animal species, it remains unclear whether mara are natural hosts of ST130 or acquired this lineage from unknown sources. The broad host range of MRSA ST130 supports its designation as a generalist lineage.
Fungal malignant otitis externa caused by Alternaria chlamydospora: first case report
Authors: Korres George , Meletiadis Joseph , Delides Alexander , Antoniadou Anastasia , Petrikkos George , Zerva Loukia , Yiotakis Ioannis , Siopi Maria , Kalogeropoulou Eleni , Georgantis Ilias , Nikolopoulos Thomas P.
Published: February 2015

Introduction:

Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is a rare clinical entity, usually observed in diabetic or immunosuppressed patients, with serious morbidity due to associated osteomyelitis, cranial nerve palsies and intracranial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the main pathogen in over 95 % of cases; Aspergillus species and Candida albicans have also been implicated in fungal MOE.

Case presentation:

Α 79‐year‐old male with type 2 diabetes with otalgia, otorrhoea and granulation tissue occupying the right external ear canal was diagnosed with MOE. Direct microscopy of a tissue biopsy specimen taken from the granulation tissue revealed septate branching hyphae and chlamydospores. An olivaceous‐black colony cultured within 3 days at 30 °C was identified microscopically as Alternaria sp. and molecularly as Alternaria chlamydospora using the restriction fragment length polymorphism pattern of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region on the basis of the 570 bp ITS amplicon, a BstUI largest band of 578 bp and absence of the TaqI 114 bp band. The patient was unresponsive to ciprofloxacin, whereas the pain was relieved after 2 weeks of voriconazole treatment followed by surgical debridement.

Conclusion:

We present, we believe, the first reported case of MOE for which Alternaria sp. seems to be the causative pathogen. A high index of suspicion was needed in order to reach the diagnosis. We recommend taking tissue cultures when a high‐risk patient is not responsive to the initial antibiotic treatment, as fungal MOE could be a repercussion of unsuccessfully treated bacterial otitis externa or it could represent a de novo presentation of fungal disease.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of Rv1674c fromMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Li Jincheng , Wang Xudong , Gong Weimin , Niu Chunyan , Zhang Min
Published: February 2015

Adaptations to hypoxia play an important role inMycobacterium tuberculosispathogenesis. Rv0324, which contains an HTH DNA-binding domain and a rhodanese domain, is one of the key transcription regulators in response to hypoxia.M. tuberculosisRv1674c is a homologue of Rv0324. To understand the interdomain interaction and regulation of the HTH domain and the rhodanese domain, recombinant Rv1674c protein was purified and crystallized by the vapour-diffusion method. The crystals diffracted to 2.25 Å resolution. Preliminary diffraction analysis suggests that the crystals belonged to space groupP3121 orP3221, with unit-cell parametersa=b= 67.8,c= 174.5 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°. The Matthews coefficient was calculated to be 2.44 Å3 Da−1, assuming that the crystallographic asymmetric unit contains two protein molecules.
Crystal structure of 2-benzamido-N-(2,2-diethoxyethyl)benzamide
Authors: Ouahrouch Abdelaaziz , Taourirte Moha , Lazrek Hassan B. , Engels Joachim W. , Bolte Michael
Published: February 2015

In the title compound, C20H24N2O4, both peptide bonds adopt atransconfiguration with respect to the —N—H and —C=O groups. The dihedral angle between the aromatic rings is 53.58 (4)°. The molecular conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond. The crystal packing is characterized by zigzag chains of N—H...O hydrogen-bonded molecules running along theb-axis direction.
Crystal structure of 1-bromo-2-(phenylselenyl)benzene
Authors: Charette Bronte J. , Ritch Jamie S.
Published: February 2015

In the title compound, C12H9BrSe, the Se atom exhibits a bent geometry, with a C—Se—C bond angle of 99.19 (6)°. TheorthoSe and Br atoms are slightly displaced from opposite faces of the mean plane of the benzene ring [by 0.129 (2) and 0.052 (2) Å, respectively]. The planes of the benzene and phenyl rings form a dihedral angle of 72.69 (5)°. In the crystal, π-stacking interactions between inversion-related phenyl rings are observed, with a centroid–centroid distance of 3.630 (1) Å.
Crystal structure of diaqua[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)porphyrinato-κ4N]magnesium
Authors: Amiri Nesrine , Nasri Soumaya , Roisnel Thierry , Simonneaux Gérard , Nasri Habib
Published: February 2015

The title compound, [Mg(C44H24Br4N4)(H2O)2] or [Mg(TBrPP)(H2O)2], where TBrPP is the 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-bromophenyl)porphyrinato ligand, was obtained unintentionally as a by-product of the reaction of the [Mg(TBrPP)] complex with an excess of dimethylglyoxime in dichloromethane. The entire molecule exhibits point group symmetry 4/m. In the asymmetric unit, except for two C atoms of the phenyl ring, all other atoms lie on special positions. The MgIIatom is situated at a site with symmetry 4/m, while the N and the C atoms of the porphyrin macrocycle, as well as two C atoms of the phenyl ring and the Br atom lie in the mirror plane containing the porphyrin core. The H atoms of the axially bonded water molecule are incompatible with the fourfold rotation axis and are disordered over two sites. In the crystal, molecules are packed in rows along [001]. Weak intermolecular C—H...π and C—H...Br interactions, as well as O—H...Br hydrogen bonds, stabilize the crystal packing.
Crystal structure of (E)-2-[1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl)ethylidene]-N-ethylhydrazine-1-carbothioamide
Authors: Oliveira Adriano Bof de , Lira de Farias Renan , Näther Christian , Jess Inke
Published: February 2015

In the title compound, C12H15N3O2S, the 1,3-benzdioxole fragment is nearly planar [the maximum deviation being 0.0515 (14) Å], the N—N—C(=S)—N fragment is also nearly planar [the maximum deviation being 0.0480 (10) Å], and the dihedral angle between their mean planes is 23.49 (10)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of N—H...S hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are stacked along theaaxis with neighbouring columns having the same direction; however, the molecules show different orientations leading to a centrosymmetric arrangement. In the crystal, the methylene group of the ethyl substituent and the terminal methyl H atoms are disordered over two sets of sites and were refined using a split model with an occupancy ratio of 0.5:0.5.
Poor adherence to medication as assessed by the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale‐8 and low satisfaction with treatment in 237 psoriasis patients
Authors: Saeki Hidehisa , Imafuku Shinichi , Abe Masatoshi , Shintani Yoichi , Onozuka Daisuke , Hagihara Akihito , Katoh Norito , Murota Hiroyuki , Takeuchi Satoshi , Sugaya Makoto , Tanioka Miki , Kaneko Sakae , Masuda Koji , Hiragun Takaaki , Inomata Naoko , Kitami Yuki , Tsunemi Yuichiro , Abe Shinya , Kobayashi Miwa , Morisky Donald E. , Furue Masutaka
Published: February 2015

Previously we assessed the medication adherence for oral and topical remedies by a translated Japanese version of the Morisky Medication Adherence Scale‐8 (MMAS‐8) together with socioeconomic backgrounds in 3096 Japanese dermatological patients, and found the medication adherence, especially to topical drugs, was poor in these patients. In order to elucidate the disease‐specific sociomedical factors, we further sub‐analyzed the medication adherence in 237 psoriasis patients and compared it with that in other dermatological diseases such as atopic dermatitis, urticaria or tinea. This study was conducted among patients registered in monitoring system and 3096 eligible patients were enrolled. Our web‐based questionnaire included the following items such as age, sex, annual income, main health‐care institution, experience of effectiveness by oral or topical medication, overall satisfaction with treatment, and MMAS‐8 for oral or topical medication. Mean adherence score by MMAS‐8 was 5.2 for oral and 4.3 for topical medication. More patients with psoriasis used a university hospital and fewer used a private clinic compared with those with the other skin disease patients. Experience of drug effectiveness by oral medication and overall satisfaction with treatment was lower in psoriasis patients than in other patients. In oral medication, significantly better adherence was observed in those of higher age and with higher annual income. The adherence to medication, especially to topical drugs, was poor in 237 psoriasis patients. We speculated that some severe psoriasis patients were not sufficiently treated systemically and were resistant to topical therapy, leading to poor adherence.
Regulation of relationships between heterogeneous farmers and an aquifer accounting for lag effects
Authors: Bourgeois Cyril , Jayet Pierre‐Alain
Published: February 2015

Many environmental problems are due to damage caused by pollutants that accumulate with a time lag following their emission. In this study, we focus on nitrates used in agriculture, which can pollute groundwater many years after their initial application. A dynamic optimal control problem with heterogeneous farmers is proposed. The usual structural parameters such as the discount rate, the natural clearing rate and the lagged time interval between the occurrence of soil‐level pollution and the impact on groundwater are taken into account. We also examine pollution as caused by a continuous set of farms characterised by their individual performance index and by their individual marginal contribution to the pollution. The issue is further investigated by taking account of change in the information context, successively related to perfect information and to asymmetric information. As a result, when the delay between the spreading of N‐fertilizer and the impact on the aquifer increases, that is, the longer the lag, the steady‐state pollution stock and the steady‐state shadow price of the stock both increase. Moreover, we show that the optimal regulation may require a decreasing amount of fertilizer over time, even in the case of initial underpollution.
Low acuity and general practice‐type presentations to emergency departments: A rural perspective
Authors: Allen Penny , Cheek Colleen , Foster Simon , Ruigrok Marielle , Wilson Deborah , Shires Lizzi
Published: February 2015

Objective

To estimate the number of general practice (GP)‐type patients attending a rural ED and provide a comparative rural estimate to a metropolitan study.

Methods

Analysis of presentations to the two EDs in Northwest Tasmania from 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2013 using the Diagnosis, Sprivulis, Australian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) methods to estimate the number of GP‐type presentations.

Results

There were 255 365 ED presentations in Northwest Tasmania during the study period. There were 86 973 GP‐type presentations using the ACEM method, 142 006 using the AIHW method, 174 748 using the Diagnosis method and 28 922 low acuity patients identified using the Sprivulis method.

Conclusions

The proportion of GP‐type presentations identified using the four methods ranged from 15% to 69%. The results suggest that triage status and self‐referral are not reliable indicators of low acuity in this rural area. In rural areas with a shortage of GPs, it is likely that many people appropriately self‐refer to ED because they cannot access a GP. The results indicate that the ACEM method might be most useful for identifying GP‐type patients in rural ED. However, this requires validation in other regions of Australia.
Effect of Slurry Ice on the Functional Properties of Proteins Related to Quality Loss during Skipjack Tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) Chilled Storage
Authors: Zhang Bin , Deng Shang‐gui , Gao Meng , Chen Jing
Published: February 2015

The effect of slurry ice on the quality of Skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) during chilling storage was investigated and compared to flake ice. Slurry ice‐treated samples showed significantly higher springiness and chewiness variables than the blank and flake ice‐treated samples (P < 0.05). The growth of microorganisms in tuna muscle treated with slurry ice was also down significantly (P < 0.05), and the total aerobic counts didn't reach higher scores than 5.0 log CFU/g during the whole chilling storage. Additionally, the myofibrillar protein, Ca2+‐ATPase activity, and total sulfydryl (SH) content in muscle treated with slurry ice were all significantly higher than the blank and flake‐iced samples (P < 0.05). This was probably due to the faster cooling, subzero final‐temperature, and larger heat exchange derived from slurry ice. Standard error of mean and sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis results also confirmed that slurry ice treatment could effectively retard the degradation of myofibrillar proteins and showed a positive effect on the stability of tissue structures.
Comparative genomics of three Methanocellales strains reveal novel taxonomic and metabolic features
Authors: Lyu Zhe , Lu Yahai
Published: February 2015

Methanocellales represents a new order of methanogens, which is widespread in environments and plays specifically the important role in methane emissions from paddy fields. To gain more insights into Methanocellales, comparative genomic studies were performed among three Methanocellales strains through the same annotation pipeline. Genetic relationships among strains revealed by genome alignment, pan‐genome reconstruction and comparison of amino average identity suggest that they should be classified in different genera. In addition, multiple copies of cell cycle regulator proteins were identified for the first time in Archaea. Core metabolisms were reconstructed, predicting certain unique and novel features for Methanocellales, including a set of methanogenesis genes potentially organized toward specialization in utilizing low concentrations of H2, a new route of disulfide reduction catalysed by a disulfide‐reducing hydrogenase (Drh) complex phylogenetically related to sulfate‐reducing prokaryotes, an oxidative tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, a sophisticated nitrogen uptake and regulation system as well as a versatile sulfur utilization system. These core metabolisms are largely conserved among the three strains, but differences in gene copy number and metabolic diversity are evident. The present study thus adds new dimensions to the unique ecophysiology of Methanocellales and offers a road map for further experimental characterization of this methanogen lineage.
Heterogeneous prognosis and adjuvant chemotherapy in pathological stage I non‐small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Liu Chia‐Hsin , Peng Yi‐Jen , Wang Hong‐Hau , Chen Ying‐Chieh , Tsai Chen‐Liang , Chian Chih‐Feng , Huang Tsai‐Wang
Published: February 2015

Background

Even after curative resection, the prognosis of pathological stage I non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) can be heterogeneous, and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy in these patients is controversial. We aimed to identify the prognostic factors and role of adjuvant chemotherapy in pathological stage I NSCLC.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed the correlations between clinicopathological factors and survival in 179 patients with resected pathological stage I NSCLC.

Results

After a median follow‐up of 93 months, overall and disease‐free survival were not significantly different between pathological stage IA (n = 138) and IB (n = 41) patients. The prognosis of pathological stage I patients with poorly differentiated tumors was significantly worse than that of those with non‐poorly differentiated tumors (P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis revealed that poor tumor differentiation was an independent factor for poor survival (hazard ratio = 6.889). A marginally significant survival benefit was observed in poorly differentiated pathological stage I patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.053).

Pathological stage IA patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy had a worse prognosis than those who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001), whereas pathological stage IA patients with poorly differentiated tumors who received adjuvant chemotherapy had better survival than who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Poor differentiation is an independent prognostic factor in pathological stage I NSCLC after surgical resection. Adjuvant chemotherapy may be beneficial in poorly differentiated pathological stage IA NSCLC patients.
Macular thickness assessed with spectral domain OCT in a population‐based study of children: normative data, repeatability and reproducibility and comparison with time domain OCT
Authors: Molnar Anna , Holmström Gerd , Larsson Eva
Published: February 2015

Purpose

To collect data on macular thickness assessed with Cirrus OCT in healthy children in a population‐based study, to examine the repeatability and reproducibility, and to compare the values with Stratus OCT.

Methods

Fifty‐eight 6‐ to 15‐year‐old children, born at term, were examined. Best‐corrected visual acuity and refraction were assessed. One examiner performed three OCT assessments, and the repeatability was calculated. Thereafter, a second examiner repeated the examinations to calculate the reproducibility. One eye was randomized to be included in the normal material. Finally, the second examiner assessed the macular thickness with the Stratus OCT.

Results

The mean value (±SD) of central macular thickness was 255 ± 17 μm, and the total macular volume was 10.3 ± 0.5 mm3. No correlations were found between macular thickness and age, gender or refraction. The coefficients of variance (CoVs) for both repeatability and reproducibility were <1.21%, and the intraclass correlations (ICCs) were over 0.86. The Cirrus OCT showed a 29% thicker central macular thickness than the Stratus OCT.

Conclusion

Normal values for macular thickness assessed with Cirrus OCT in healthy full‐term children in a population‐based study were reported. The assessments showed high repeatability and reproducibility. The values of Cirrus and Stratus OCT differed and the techniques were not interchangeable.
Breastfeeding and maternal sensitivity predict early infant temperament
Authors: Jonas Wibke , Atkinson Leslie , Steiner Meir , Meaney Michael J. , Wazana Ashley , Fleming Alison S. ,   the MAVAN research team
Published: February 2015

Aim

Research findings are inconclusive when it comes to whether breastfeeding is associated with the mother–infant relationship or infant temperament. We examined the association between breastfeeding at three months postpartum and infant temperament at 18 months postpartum and whether this link was affected by the mothers’ anxiety and mediated by her sensitivity.

Methods

We assessed 170 mothers for breastfeeding and anxiety using the Spielberger State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) at three months postpartum, maternal sensitivity using the Ainsworth Sensitivity Scale at six months postpartum and infant temperament using the Early Childhood Behaviour Questionnaire at 18 months postpartum.

Results

Mothers who breastfed at three months postpartum were more sensitive in their interactions with their infants at six months postpartum, and elevated sensitivity, in turn, predicted reduced levels of negative affectivity in infant temperament at 18 months postpartum. This indirect mediation persisted after controlling for confounders (effect ab = −0.0312 [0.0208], 95% CI = −0.0884 to −0.0031). A subsequent analysis showed that the mediation through sensitivity only occurred in women experiencing higher anxiety, with a STAI score ≥33.56 at three months (ab = −0.0250 [0.0179], 95% CI = −0.0759 to −0.0013).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that breastfeeding and maternal sensitivity may have a positive impact on the early development of infant temperament.
A Comparison of Zirconia and Titanium Abutments for Microleakage
Authors: Abdelhamed Mohamed I. , Galley Jeffrey D. , Bailey Michael T. , Johnston William M. , Holloway Julie , McGlumphy Edwin , Leblebicioglu Binnaz
Published: February 2015

Background

Microleakage through the interface has been documented in implant systems with titanium (Ti) abutments. There is a current increase in the use of zirconia (Zi) abutments especially in esthetic zone in where higher risk of visible metal color through the peri‐implant tissues exists.

Purpose

The aim of the present in vitro study is to evaluate the leakage at the implant fixture–abutment interface with two different screw‐retained abutment systems at different torque values in a nonloading condition.

Materials and Methods

In vitro study design included four groups (Ti and Zi torqued at 25 and 15 Ncm [N = 8/group]). Microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT) was chosen to detect microgap. Microleakage from the implant chamber to the external milieu was evaluated using limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) test, while microleakage from external milieu to the implant chamber was evaluated using toluidine blue dye (TBD) and colorimeter.

Results

Micro‐CT images did not reveal any microgap. LAL test showed that there is a time‐, abutment‐, and torque‐dependent increase in microleakage (p = .001) with Zi torqued at 15 Ncm having higher leakage with time compared with Ti torqued at 15 Ncm (p = .002), as well as Zi torqued at 15 Ncm having higher leakage with time compared with Zi torqued at 25 Ncm (p = .01). TBD test showed a nonsignificant increase in microleakage with higher leakage related to titanium abutment groups (p > .05). Repeated torque/antitorque handling differentially affected microleakage (p = .01).

Conclusions

Within the limits of this study, there is a statistically significant difference in bidirectional microleakage with time, abutment type, and torque values being major players for leakage from internal implant chamber to external milieu, while the abutment type and time but not the torque value being important factors for leakage from external milieu into implant chamber in nonloading condition. Future studies are needed to determine peri‐implant health around Zi abutments.
Histologic features of granulomatous skin diseases. Part 1: Non‐infectious granulomatous disorders
Authors: Tronnier Michael , Mitteldorf Christina
Published: February 2015

Granulomatous disorders affecting the skin belong to a heterogeneous group of diseases. With the exception of granulomas induced by infectious agents or foreign bodies, the etiopathogenesis of granulomatous disorders is still poorly understood. The knowledge of histopathologic changes is of great importance for understanding clinical presentation and disease course.
Combining multi‐receiver electromagnetic induction and stepped frequency ground penetrating radar for industrial site investigation
Authors: Van De Vijver E. , Van Meirvenne M. , Saey T. , Delefortrie S. , De Smedt P. , De Pue J. , Seuntjens P.
Published: February 2015

The soil at industrial sites is frequently characterized by very heterogeneous properties, which are often related to physical disturbance and contamination. A conventional approach to characterize the soil, with only a limited number of invasive observations, fails to capture the full extent of soil heterogeneity. Proximal soil sensing provides efficient tools to record spatially dense soil information. Nevertheless, because the output of most sensors is affected by more than one soil property, the simultaneous characterization of different soil properties requires the use of multiple sensors. Here, we apply multi‐receiver electromagnetic induction (EMI) and stepped frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR) to survey a former gasworks site in a seaport area ofBelgium. We used theEMIandGPRsensors in a motorized system to obtain densely sampled measurements of apparent electrical conductivity, apparent magnetic susceptibility and contrasts in relative dielectric permittivity. Our study shows that the sensors give detailed information on the variation in these electromagnetic soil properties. Interpretation of the variation in terms of the stratification of the soil was hampered by localized anthropogenic disturbances. However, the sensors provided complementary information that enabled the identification, discrimination and accurate location of several of these localized disturbances, including underground utility services such as electric cables, buried structures such as the remains of foundations and contamination by salts. Because these represent typical targets in industrial site investigation, we conclude that multi‐receiverEMIand stepped frequencyGPRprovide a useful set of tools to expedite the investigation of industrial sites.
Preferential gene expression and epigenetic memory of induced pluripotent stem cells derived from mouse pancreas
Authors: Nukaya Daiki , Minami Kohtaro , Hoshikawa Ritsuko , Yokoi Norihide , Seino Susumu
Published: February 2015

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have been established from various somatic cell types. Accumulating evidence suggests that iPSCs from different cell sources have distinct molecular and functional properties. Here, we establish iPSC derived from mouse pancreas (Panc‐iPSC) and compared their properties with those of iPSC derived from tail‐tip fibroblast (TTF‐iPSC). The metabolic profile differs between Panc‐iPSC and TTF‐iPSC, indicating distinct cell properties in these iPSCs. Expression of Pdx1, a marker of pancreas differentiation, is increased through formation of embryoid body (EB) in Panc‐iPSC, but the level is similar to that in TTF‐iPSC. In contrast, EBs derived from Panc‐iPSC express liver‐specific albumin (Alb) and alpha‐fetoprotein (Afp) genes much more strongly than those from TTF‐iPSC. Epigenetic analysis shows a different histone modification pattern between Panc‐iPSC and TTF‐iPSC. Promoter regions of Alb and Afp genes in Panc‐iPSC are suggested to have a more open chromatin structure than those in TTF‐iPSC, which also is seen in primary cultured pancreatic cells. Our data suggest that Panc‐iPSC possesses distinct differentiation capacity from that of TTF‐PSC, which may be influenced by epigenetic memory.
Gender‐dimorphic regulation of DJ1 and its interactions with metabolic proteins in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats
Authors: Chaudhari Harmesh N. , Kim Sang Woo , Yun Jong Won
Published: February 2015

Regulation of DJ1 is associated with a number of human diseases. To determine the involvement of DJ1 in progression of diabetes in a gender‐dependent manner, we investigated its tissue‐specific expression in streptozotocin (STZ)‐induced diabetic male and female rats in this study. In animal experiments, females showed greater susceptibility towards developing diabetes because of lower insulin secretion and higher blood glucose levels as compared to male diabetic rats upon exposure to STZ. Immunoblotting confirmed sexually dimorphic regulation of DJ1 in various metabolic tissues such as the liver, pancreas and skeletal muscle. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed the location as well as reinforced the gender‐dependent expression of DJ1 in hepatic tissue. Co‐immunoprecipitation assay identified several interacting proteins with DJ1 whose functions were shown to be involved in various metabolic pathways viz. antioxidative and stress defence system, protein and methionine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, urea metabolism, etc. Using GeneMANIA, a predictive web interface for gene functions, we showed for the first time that DJ1 may regulate T1DM via the JNK1 pathway, suggesting DJ1 interacts with other proteins from various metabolic pathways. We anticipate that the current data will provide insights into the aetiology of T1DM.
The impact of structured plaque control for patients with gingival manifestations of oral lichen planus: a randomized controlled study
Authors: Stone Simon J. , Heasman Peter A. , Staines Konrad S. , McCracken Giles I.
Published: February 2015

Aim

To evaluate the impact of a structured plaque control intervention on clinical and patient‐centred outcomes for patients with gingival manifestations of oral lichen planus.

Materials and Methods

Eighty‐two patients were recruited into a 20‐week randomized controlled trial. The intervention was structured plaque control comprising powered tooth brushing and inter‐dental cleaning advice. Control subjects continued with their normal dental plaque control regimen. The primary outcome measure was the oral health impact profile (OHIP) with secondary outcomes of pain, plaque index, mucosal disease score and cost‐effectiveness.

Results

Overall, the intervention patients showed statistically significant improvements in OHIP sum ordinal and OHIP dichotomous scores compared with control. There were improvements in the functional limitation, psychological discomfort and physical disability domains at 4‐ and 20‐weeks and in the psychological disability domain at 20‐weeks. The intervention was successful in reducing plaque compared to control (p < 0.001) and improvements were observed using the mucosal disease indices at the 4‐ and 20‐week follow‐ups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

A structured plaque control intervention was effective in improving the oral health‐related quality of life and clinically observed gingival lesions. This study provides evidence to include intensive plaque control within patients’ initial and on‐going management.
Did the Commons Make Medieval and Early Modern Rural Societies More Equitable? A Survey of Evidence from acrossWesternEurope, 1300–1800
Authors: Curtis Daniel R.
Published: February 2015

The view of the commons as archaic, ‘backward’ and ‘irrational’ institutions for the management of resources has now been revised in favour of a more positive one, for both past and present societies. Indeed, it is clear that the commons had multifarious ecological and economic benefits for both medieval and early modern rural societies inWesternEurope. That being the case, many scholars have seen the increasing expropriation of the commons in the transition to the early modern period as a sign of increasing inequality characterizing pre‐industrialEurope, and many have lamented the loss of communal grazing privileges connected to processes such as land enclosure – pushing poor peasants into the ‘abyss’ with the removal of their final form of welfare. However, in this paper it is argued that the social distribution of the benefits to the commons were rarely, if ever, entirely equitable. In fact, in many historical contexts the benefits of the commons could also be highly restricted – crystallizing and entrenching stratifications themselves, and even serving as the ‘vehicle’ of further inequality. The expropriation of the commons did not necessarily makeWestern European rural societies any more unequal.
Cultivating Foreignness: How Organizations Maintain and Leverage Minority Identities
Authors: Edman Jesper
Published: February 2015

Scholars increasingly recognize that organizational fields contain minority identities, linked to alternative logics. Extant work has been largely silent on how such minority identities are maintained, and what their implications are for organizational agency. I contribute to filling this gap by examining how organizations cultivate minority identities, and how such identities both enable and constrain agency. Employing the foreignness of multinational enterprise subsidiaries as a particular case of minority identity, I find that managers actively cultivate minority identities by embedding into niche networks, reinforcing alternative expectations, and categorizing themselves into distinct collective identities. These elements of the minority identity enable particular forms of agency – internal experimentation and an external license to deviate – while constraining others – adaptation to the dominant logic and positioning in mature market segments. The findings extend theory by highlighting how minority identities are generated and sustained, as well as their implications for agency.
An Extreme Value Approach for Modeling Operational Risk Losses Depending on Covariates
Authors: Chavez‐Demoulin Valérie , Embrechts Paul , Hofert Marius
Published: February 2015

A general methodology for modeling loss data depending on covariates is developed. The parameters of the frequency and severity distributions of the losses may depend on covariates. The loss frequency over time is modeled with a nonhomogeneous Poisson process with rate function depending on the covariates. This corresponds to a generalized additive model, which can be estimated with spline smoothing via penalized maximum likelihood estimation. The loss severity over time is modeled with a nonstationary generalized Pareto distribution (alternatively, a generalized extreme value distribution) depending on the covariates. Since spline smoothing cannot directly be applied in this case, an efficient algorithm based on orthogonal parameters is suggested. The methodology is applied both to simulated loss data and a database of operational risk losses collected from public media. Estimates, including confidence intervals, for risk measures such as Value‐at‐Risk as required by the Basel II/III framework are computed. Furthermore, an implementation of the statistical methodology in R is provided.
The Performance of Green Supply Chain Management Governance Mechanisms: A Supply Network and Complexity Perspective
Authors: Tachizawa Elcio M. , Wong Chee Yew
Published: February 2015

Global supply networks are becoming increasingly fragmented and complex. At the same time, societal pressures surrounding the environmental accountability of firms are growing, with an increasing number of environmental scandals related to supply networks. Traditional governance frameworks of green supply chain management (GSCM) may be insufficient to deal with this new reality, because they do not consider supply network structure/complexity, and how these factors interact with different governance mechanisms. Our study takes into account the complex interplay between GSCM governance mechanisms, supply network structure/complexity, and environmental performance. We introduce a series of theoretical propositions grounded in an extensive review of the GSCM, supply networks, network complexity, and organizational design literatures. In particular, we argue that supply network structure and complexity directly affect GSCM effectiveness, but that these effects will be contingent upon the type of governance mechanism applied (formal or informal).
Theoretical Foundations for Digital Text Analysis
Authors: Ignatow Gabe
Published: February 2015

Much of social life now takes place online, and records of online social interactions are available for social science research in the form of massive digital text archives. But cultural social science has contributed little to the development of machine‐assisted text analysis methods. As a result few text analysis methods have been developed that link digital text data to theories about culture and discourse. This paper attempts to lay the groundwork for development of such methods by proposing metatheoretical and theoretical foundations suitable for machine‐assisted semantic text analysis. Metatheoretically I draw on the work ofElder‐Vass (2012),Kaidesoja (2013) and others to argue that digital text analysis methods ought to be (and in practice implicitly are) based on a realist constructionist ontology that treats discourses as ontologically real emergent social entities that have causal relationships with non‐discursive social and cognitive processes. Theoretically I followFeldman (2006) and many others in arguing that language is fundamentally shaped by processes of embodied cognition. Researchers developing digital text analysis techniques must theoretically account for such processes if they wish to produce algorithms that can interpret texts in ways that supplement, and not only amplify, human interpretation. I critically survey contemporary text analysis methods that implicitly share these metatheoretical and theoretical positions and discuss some ways these can be further developed with newly available software.
A Method to Evaluate Chewing Efficiency in Infants Through Food Bolus Characterization: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Tournier C. , Rodrigues J. , Canon F. , Salles C. , Feron G.
Published: February 2015

Chewing skills develop greatly during the two first years of life, but the evolution of masticatory efficiency has never been directly measured so far. A bottleneck for such study is the difficulty in using the chew‐and‐spit method with infants and very young children. Herein, we propose a new method based on a model gel enclosed in a food feeder, which has been assessed with adult subjects. Subjects chewed and compressed the gel either alone or enclosed in two different feeders. Analysis of the number of particles and particle area distribution revealed that one feeder, made from silicone teat, interfered with bolus breakdown. However, similar results were observed between experiments in a feeder made from tissue mesh and in natural condition (unbagged). This method allows easy collection of bolus and is infant friendly; it can be used in future experiments as an alternative to chew‐and‐spit method for studying masticatory efficiency in infancy.

Practical Applications

This paper proposes for the first time a method that could be used to quantify masticatory efficiency in infants. More generally, the approach based on feeder could be used for collecting boluses as an alternative when chew‐and‐spit is impracticable.
Modern Art as Public Care: Alzheimer's and the Aesthetics of Universal Personhood
Authors: Selberg Scott
Published: February 2015

This article is based on ethnographic research of the New York Museum of Modern Art's influential Alzheimer's access program, Meet Me at MoMA. The program belongs to an increasingly popular model of psychosocial treatment that promotes art as potentially therapeutic or beneficial to people experiencing symptoms of dementia as well as to their caregivers. Participant observation of the sessions and a series of interviews with museum staff and educators reveal broader assumptions about the relationship between modern art, dementia, and personhood. These assumptions indicate a museological investment in the capacity and perceived interiority of all participants. Ultimately, the program authorizes a narrative of universal personhood that harmonizes with the museum's longstanding focus on temporal and aesthetic modernism.
Effector discovery in the fungal wheat pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Mirzadi Gohari Amir , Ware Sarah B. , Wittenberg Alexander H. J. , Mehrabi Rahim , Ben M'Barek Sarrah , Verstappen Els C. P. , van der Lee Theo A. J. , Robert Olivier , Schouten Henk J. , de Wit Pierre P. J. G. M. , Kema Gert H. J.
Published: February 2015

Fungal plant pathogens, such as Zymoseptoria tritici (formerly known as Mycosphaerella graminicola), secrete repertoires of effectors to facilitate infection or trigger host defence mechanisms. The discovery and functional characterization of effectors provides valuable knowledge that can contribute to the design of new and effective disease management strategies. Here, we combined bioinformatics approaches with expression profiling during pathogenesis to identify candidate effectors of Z. tritici. In addition, a genetic approach was conducted to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) carrying putative effectors, enabling the validation of both complementary strategies for effector discovery. In planta expression profiling revealed that candidate effectors were up‐regulated in successive waves corresponding to consecutive stages of pathogenesis, contrary to candidates identified by QTL mapping that were, overall, expressed at low levels. Functional analyses of two top candidate effectors (SSP15 and SSP18) showed their dispensability for Z. tritici pathogenesis. These analyses reveal that generally adopted criteria, such as protein size, cysteine residues and expression during pathogenesis, may preclude an unbiased effector discovery. Indeed, genetic mapping of genomic regions involved in specificity render alternative effector candidates that do not match the aforementioned criteria, but should nevertheless be considered as promising new leads for effectors that are crucial for the Z. tritici–wheat pathosystem.
Molecular typing of Sporothrix schenckii isolates from cats in Malaysia
Authors: Kano Rui , Okubo Miki , Siew Han Hock , Kamata Hiroshi , Hasegawa Atsuhiko
Published: February 2015

Epidemiological data on the aetiologic agents of feline sporotrichosis in Malaysia have not been reported, though human sporotrichosis in Malaysia is reported to be transmitted primarily via cat scratch. To the best of our knowledge, the present report is the first study of the molecular epidemiology of Sporothrix schenckii isolates from cats with sporotrichosis in Malaysia. In the present work, we characterised 18 clinical isolates from cats in Malaysia based on molecular properties, including sequence analyses of the calmodulin gene and the rDNA ITS region and selective PCR of mating type (MAT) loci. In this study, isolates from feline sporotrichosis were identified as a S. schenckii sensu stricto by sequence analyses of the calmodulin gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Notably, phylogenetic analysis of the ITS confirmed assignment to clinical clade D (and not C) of S. schenckii sensu stricto. Therefore, clinical clade D of S. schenckii sensu stricto appeared to be the prevailing source of feline sporotrichosis in Malaysia. The ratio of MAT1‐1‐1:MAT1‐2‐1 in these Malaysian isolates was found to be 1 : 0. This result suggested that a clonal strain of S. schenckii is the prevailing causative agent of feline sporotrichosis in Malaysia.