bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Face recognition in infants: A review of behavioral and near‐infrared spectroscopic studies
Authors: Otsuka Yumiko
Published: June 2013

Recent developmental studies investigating face recognition ability in infants’ have provided evidence not only that infants show selective attention to faces, but also that they can discriminate between faces from birth, and that biases in face processing such as the face inversion and other race effects exist even in infancy. Studies measuring the hemodynamic responses to facial images in the infants’ brain using near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have also reported differential cortical activity in response to face and nonface images in infants. This paper will review recent findings on infants face recognition provided by both behavioral studies and neuroimaging studies using NIRS. These converging lines of evidence point to the early onset of face recognition ability in infancy.
Infants’ recognition of subtle anger facial expression
Authors: Ichikawa Hiroko , Yamaguchi Masami K.
Published: June 2013

Infants’ recognition of facial expressions develops during postnatal life. Previous studies have showed that infants learned to discriminate the facial expression of basic emotions such as happy or angry expressions by approximately 7 months of age. Although infants’ recognition of intense expressions has been demonstrated, their recognition of subtle expressions is unclear. The present study examined whether 6‐ to 7‐month‐old infants recognize the subtle anger expression. We presented the subtle expressions either as static or as dynamic displays. In static presentations, infants recognized the subtle anger expression. This result suggests that the infants have high sensitivity to angry expressions which signal a dangerous situation. In dynamic presentations, infants did not recognize the subtle anger expression. Infants around this age rarely see the dynamic anger expression in their daily lives. Their limited experience with dynamic expressions of anger might make it hard to recognize a dynamic subtle expression. Infants could learn to utilize facial motions in the development of recognition of facial expressions.
Can we predict sleep‐disordered breathing in pregnancy? The clinical utility of symptoms
Authors: Wilson Danielle L. , Walker Susan P. , Fung Alison M. , O'Donoghue Fergal , Barnes Maree , Howard Mark
Published: June 2013

Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) is reported commonly during pregnancy and is associated with an increased risk of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, but the majority of these data are based upon self‐report measures not validated for pregnancy. This study examined the predictive value of screening questionnaires for SDB administered at two time‐points in pregnancy, and attempted to develop an ‘optimized predictive model’ for detecting SDB in pregnancy. A total of 380 women were recruited from an antenatal clinic in the second trimester of pregnancy. All participants completed the Berlin Questionnaire and the Multivariable Apnea Risk Index (MAP Index) at recruitment, with a subset of 43 women repeating the questionnaires at the time of polysomnography at 37 weeks' gestation. Fifteen of 43 (35%) women were confirmed to have a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) > 5 h−1. Prediction of an RDI > 5 h−1 was most accurate during the second trimester for both the Berlin Questionnaire (sensitivity 0.93, specificity 0.50, positive predictive value 0.50 and negative predictive value 0.93), and the MAP Index [area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.768]. A stepwise selection model identified snoring volume, a body mass index (BMI)≥32 kg m−2 and tiredness upon awakening as the strongest independent predictors of SDB during pregnancy; this model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.952. We conclude that existing clinical prediction models for SDB perform inadequately as a screening tool in pregnancy. The development of a highly predictive model from our data shows promise for a quick and easy screening tool to be validated for future use in pregnancy.
All‐oral, interferon‐free treatment for chronic hepatitis C: cost‐effectiveness analyses
Authors: Hagan L. M. , Yang Z. , Ehteshami M. , Schinazi R. F.
Published: June 2013

Interferon‐based standard of care treatments (SOC) for chronic hepatitis C are unable to provide high cure rates in certain subgroups of the infected population and can cause debilitating side effects. Clinical trials evaluating all‐oral, interferon‐free treatments have demonstrated high rates of sustained virologic response with no resistance or major adverse events in most populations. As these drug regimens move towards FDA approval, it will be important to assess their cost‐effectiveness in addition to their clinical efficacy. A decision‐analytic Markov model with a lifetime, societal perspective was used to evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of a generalized all‐oral drug regimen compared to SOC by modelling the progression of a 50‐year‐old, HCV‐positive cohort through disease natural history and treatment. In base case analysis, all‐oral treatment dominated SOC across a range of willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) thresholds with an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) of US$44 514/quality‐adjusted life year (QALY). In sensitivity analyses, the model was sensitive to all‐oral drug costs as well as rates of SVR and treatment uptake among noncirrhotic subjects, but robust to variations in all other parameters. All‐oral treatment was most cost‐effective among genotype 1 subjects but remained cost‐effective for genotypes 2 and 3 at WTP thresholds ≥$80 000/QALY. Quality‐adjusted life years gained per dollar spent were maximized in younger treatment cohorts. Using this model, the degree of cost‐effectiveness depended on the WTP threshold and the final cost set for approved drug combinations.
Effect of Dietary n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids on Growth, Body Composition and Fatty Acid Profiles of Juvenile Black Seabream, Acanthopagrus schlegeli (Bleeker)
Authors: Ma Jingjing , Shao Qingjun , Xu Zirong , Zhou Fan
Published: June 2013

An 8‐wk feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary n‐3 highly unsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 HUFA) on growth, body composition, and fatty acid profiles of juvenile Acanthopagrus schlegeli. Three replicate groups of fish (initial mean weight: 8.08 ± 0.09 g, mean ± SD) were fed diets with different levels of n‐3 HUFA (0.76%, HUFA0.76; 0.83%, HUFA0.83; 0.90%, HUFA0.90; 0.97%, HUFA0.97; 1.04%, HUFA1.04; 1.12%, HUFA1.12) at 12.9% of total lipid, with a constant eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n‐3) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n‐3) ratio of about 2.1. Hepatosomatic index (HSI) and intraperitoneal fat (IPF) ratio were all linearly depressed by dietary n‐3 HUFA levels (P < 0.05), and condition factor (CF) was not affected. Adipocyte diameter in IPF decreased with the elevation of dietary n‐3 HUFA and significance occurred between group HUFA0.90 and HUFA1.12. Lipid content in dorsal muscle was significantly lowered by dietary n‐3 HUFA compared to fish fed diet HUFA0.76. No significance was found in whole fish proximate composition. In liver, dorsal muscle and IPF, ∑SFA, 16:0 or ∑n‐3 HUFA were all positively correlated with dietary n‐3 HUFA, while DHA to EPA ratios remained constant in 2.68, 2.86, and 3.60, respectively. Fatty acid synthase (FAS, EC 2.3.1.85) activities of all treatments remained constant at first and then were significantly elevated by dietary n‐3 HUFA higher than 0.97% (P < 0.05). In contrast, hormone sensitive lipase (HSL, EC 3.1.1.3) changed following an opposite tendency. Quadratic analysis based on weight gain rate (WGR) indicated that dietary n‐3 HUFA requirement for juvenile black seabream was 0.94% of the diet in 12.9% lipid diets.
Reciprocal Hybrids among Diploid, Tetraploid Dojo Loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, and Large‐scale Loach, Paramisgurnus dabryanus: Fertilization, Survival and Growth Performance
Authors: Cui Lei , Fang Li‐Bao , Yu Yong‐Yao , Wang Wei‐Min , Zhou Xiao‐Yun , Abbas Khalid
Published: June 2013

To determine the genotype with better traits for aquaculture practices of the loach, factorial crosses were made among diploid (D), tetraploid (T) dojo loach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, and large‐scale loach, Paramisgurnus dabryanus (P), producing DD, DT, DP, TD, TT, TP, PD, PT, and PP genotypes (female listed first). The growth performance and survival of different genotypes in culture were evaluated through a 48‐wk rearing trail. The average fertilization rate in genotypes with P. dabryanus as female parental was significantly higher than those of M. anguillicaudatus as female parental. The average fertilization level of sperm from P. dabryanus was about the same as diploid M. anguillicaudatus but significantly higher than tetraploid M. anguillicaudatus. The highest survival rate was found in DD group (52.77%) and PP group (50.31%) (P > 0.05). The intergenetic crosses between P. dabryanus and M. anguillicaudatus, especially for PD (19.05%), DP (17.89%), and PT (15.44%) groups, exhibited poor survival rates. Under the similar rearing conditions, PP group showed significant growth advantage. Growth rates of the interspecific hybrid progenies were found to be intermediate in comparison with the parental species. According to these results, the PP genotype is more suitable for aquaculture practice.
The Effects of Different Feed Enrichments on Survivorship and Growth of Early Juvenile Longsnout Seahorse, Hippocampus reidi
Authors: Pham Nancy Kim , Lin Junda
Published: June 2013

Culturing the longsnout seahorse, Hippocampus reidi, remains challenging because unlike most cultured seahorse species, Artemia is not an optimal first feed. Ideally, more nutritious live feeds such as wild plankton or copepods should be used, but are not always readily available. Therefore, facilities commonly utilize enriched rotifers. Numerous feed enrichment products exist, including Dan's Feed Artemia Enrichment®, (Dan's Feed) which is a blend of commercially available enrichment products. The aim of this study was to assess the survivorship, growth, and condition factor (CF) of 0–28  DPR (days post release) H. reidi fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed. This enrichment was evaluated against (1) rotifers and Artemia enriched with live alga (Isochrysis galbana), and (2) wild plankton and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed. At 28 DPR, in terms of survivorship and growth, seahorses fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed had a lower CF and outperformed those fed rotifers and Artemia enriched with I. galbana. Seahorses fed with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed performed on par with those fed with wild plankton and Artemia with no significant difference in CF. These findings demonstrated that the culture of H. reidi may be feasible with rotifers and Artemia enriched with Dan's Feed.
The Biochemistry of Sabella spallanzanii (Annelida: Polychaeta): A Potential Resource for the Fish Feed Industry
Authors: Stabili L. , Sicuro B. , Daprà F. , Gai F. , Abete C. , Dibenedetto A. , Pastore C. , Schirosi R. , Giangrande A.
Published: June 2013

To prevent over‐exploitation of global fish stocks by the aquaculture industry, interest is growing in the identification of nontraditional species with potential value as fish feed. In this study, we investigated the biochemical composition of the polychaete Sabella spallanzanii. Its elemental composition, gross protein and proximate composition, amino acid composition, total lipid and fatty acid content, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) content and the extent of polychlorinated biphenyl contamination were determined over an annual cycle. Sabella spallanzanii showed particularly high gross protein (54.8 ± 5.8%) and gross energy (4.89 ± 0.5 kcal/g) content. All samples had high concentrations of Na, K, Ca, and Cl. Saturated fatty acids were higher than monounsaturated and polyunsaturated ones. A low ω‐6/ω‐3 ratio (1.7) was recorded. Our results suggest that S. spallanzanii can be used as a dietary supplement for farmed fish. The high concentrations of certain amino acids that improve potential palatability for many farmed fish species suggest that S. spallanzanii extracts can be used in artificial fish diets as an attractant. A further original aspect highlighted by this study is the high concentration of GAGs, which are useful in pet nutrition and also in the nourishment of farmed fish with a partially cartilaginous skeleton.
Application of Computer‐assisted Sperm Analysis in Selecting the Suitable Solution for Common Carp, Cyprinus carpio L., Sperm Motility
Authors: Cejko Beata Irena , Sarosiek Beata , Kowalski Radosław Kajetan , Krejszeff Sławomir , Kucharczyk Dariusz
Published: June 2013

The common carp, Cyprinus carpio L., sperm motility parameters were analyzed by using computer‐assisted sperm analysis system. The percentage of motile sperm (MOT, %), progressively motile sperm (PRG, %), curvilinear velocity (VCL, µm/sec), average path velocity (VAP, µm/sec), the wobbling index (WOB, %), movement linearity (LIN, %), beat cross frequency (BCF, Hz), and amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH, µm) were determined. Five activation solutions (As) were used to activate sperm movement. As 1 solution: 68 mM NaCl, 50 mM urea, 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA), pH: 7.7, 181 mOsm/kg; As 2 buffer: 100 mM NaCl, 10 mM Tris, 0.5% BSA, pH: 9.0, 199 mOsm/kg; As 3 solution: 86 mM NaCl, 0.5% BSA, pH: 7.4, 167 mOsm/kg; As 4 buffer: 5 mM KCl, 45 mM NaCl, 30 mM Tris, 0.5%, pH: 8.0, 160 mOsm/kg; and As 5 solution: distilled water with the addition of 0.5% BSA, pH: 7.3, <3 mOsm/kg. Among five tested solutions, a buffer with a pH of 9.0 and osmolality of approximately 200 mOsm/kg (As 2) was the most suitable. After its activation, a significant increase in MOT and ALH values was observed, which can be of importance to the effectiveness of egg fertilization.
Dietary Arginine Requirement of Fingerling Indian Major Carp, Catla catla (Hamilton)
Authors: Zehra Seemab , Khan Mukhtar A.
Published: June 2013

Dietary arginine requirement of fingerling Catla catla (3.55 ± 0.05 cm; 0.61 ± 0.02 g) was determined by feeding casein–gelatin‐based isonitrogenous (33% crude protein) and isocaloric (3.40 kcal/g digestible energy) amino acid test diets containing six graded levels of l‐arginine (1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, and 2.25% dry diet) for 12 wk. Maximum absolute weight gain (6.93 g/fish), protein efficiency ratio (2.13), protein deposition (0.36), arginine retention efficiency (78%), and best feed conversion ratio (1.42) were recorded in fish fed 1.75% arginine of the dry diet. Maximum carcass protein (15.57%) and RNA/DNA ratio (4.79) were also recorded for the group fed 1.75% arginine of the dry diet. Quadratic regression analysis at 95% maximum or minimum response of above growth parameters yielded optimum arginine requirement of fingerling C. catla at 1.67% of the dry diet. On the basis of the above analysis of the growth parameters, it is recommended that the inclusion of dietary arginine at 1.67% of the dry diet is optimum for formulating arginine‐balanced, cost‐effective quality feeds for the mass culture of fingerling C. catla.
The association of distress and denial of responsibility with maladaptive personality traits and self‐esteem in offenders
Authors: Xuereb Sharon , Ireland Jane L. , Archer John , Davies Michelle
Published: June 2013

This study aimed to examine the relationship of offenders' distress and responsibility with maladaptive personality traits, self‐esteem, and offence‐type. It also further validated the Distress and Responsibility Scale (DRS; Xuereb et al., 2009a, Pers. Individ. Diff., 46, 465). A new sub‐scale measuring social desirability was included and assessed in the DRS. Maladaptive personality traits and self‐esteem were measured in relation to the following predictions: (1) that maladaptive personality traits would positively correlate with distress (2) that self‐esteem would negatively correlate with distress and acknowledging responsibility. The sample was 405 male sexual, violent, and general offenders from a UK prison. Participants anonymously completed a questionnaire measuring the variables under investigation. The factor‐structure of the DRS was confirmed via Confirmatory Factor Analysis after minor changes. No significant differences in distress and denial of responsibility were found between sexual, violent, and general offenders. Maladaptive personality traits positively correlated with chronic and offence‐related distress, chronic self‐blame, and minimization of offence harm. Chronic and offence‐related distress and responsibility negatively related to self‐esteem. The study concludes that the DRS has reached stability, and that the social desirability scale increases the measure's validity. Assessment and treatment for offence‐related distress and denial of responsibility should be offered to all offence groups. Offenders would benefit from structured interventions to manage difficulties associated with maladaptive personality traits, including chronic distress and self‐blame. Finally, it was concluded that self‐esteem might serve a self‐defensive function for offenders.
Clasts in theCM2 carbonaceous chondrite Lonewolf Nunataks 94101: Evidence for aqueous alteration prior to complex mixing
Authors: Lindgren Paula , Lee Martin R. , Sofe Mahmood R. , Zolensky Michael E.
Published: June 2013

Clasts in theCM2 carbonaceous chondrite Lonewolf Nunataks (LON) 94101 have been characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and electron microprobe analysis to determine their degrees of aqueous alteration, and the timing of alteration relative to incorporation of clasts into the host. The provenance of the clasts, and the mechanism by which they were incorporated and mixed with their host material are also considered. Results show that at least five distinct types of clasts occur inLON94101, of which four have been aqueously altered to various degrees and one is largely anhydrous. The fact that they have had different alteration histories implies that the main part of aqueous activity occurred prior to the mixing and assimilation of the clasts with their host. Further, the presence of such a variety of clasts suggests complex mixing in a dynamic environment involving material from various sources. Two of the clasts, one containing approximately 46 vol% carbonate and the other featuring crystals of pyrrhotite up to approximately 1 mm in size, are examples of unusual lithologies and indicate concentration of chemical elements in discrete areas of the parent body(ies), possibly by flow of aqueous solutions.
Comparative effects of test‐enhanced learning and self‐explanation on long‐term retention
Authors: Larsen Douglas P , Butler Andrew C , Roediger III Henry L
Published: June 2013

Context

Educators often encourage students to engage in active learning by generating explanations for the material being learned, a method called self‐explanation. Studies have also demonstrated that repeated testing improves retention. However, no studies have directly compared the two learning methods.

Methods

Forty‐seven Year 1 medical students completed the study. All students participated in a teaching session that covered four clinical topics and was followed by four weekly learning sessions. In the learning sessions, students were randomised to perform one of four learning activities for each topic: testing with self‐generated explanations (TE); testing without explanations (T); studying a review sheet with self‐generated explanations (SE), and studying a review sheet without explanations (S). Students repeated the same activity for each topic in all four sessions. Six months later, they took a free‐recall clinical application test on all four topics.

Results

Repeated testing led to better long‐term retention and application than repeatedly studying the material (p < 0.0001, η2 = 0.33). Repeated generation of self‐explanations also improved long‐term retention and application, but the effect was smaller (p < 0.0001, η2 = 0.08). When data were collapsed across topics, both testing conditions produced better final test performance than studying with self‐explanation (TE = 40% > SE = 29% [p = 0.001,d = 0.70]; T = 36% > SE = 29% [p = 0.02,d = 0.48]). Studying with self‐explanation led to better retention and application than studying without self‐explanation (SE = 29% > S = 20%; p = 0.001,d = 0.68). Our analyses showed significant interaction by topic (p = 0.001, η2 = 0.06), indicating some variation in the effectiveness of the interventions among topics.

Conclusions

Testing and generating self‐explanations are both learning activities that can be used to produce superior long‐term retention and application of knowledge, but testing is generally more effective than self‐explanation alone.
Predictive validity of the Dundee multiple mini‐interview
Authors: Husbands Adrian , Dowell Jonathan
Published: June 2013

Context

The multiple mini‐interview (MMI) is the primary admissions tool used to assess non‐cognitive skills at Dundee Medical School. Although the MMI shows promise, more research is required to demonstrate its transferability and predictive validity, for instance, relative to other UK pre‐admissions measures.

Methods

Applicants were selected for interview based on a combination of measures derived from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) form (academic achievement, medical experience, non‐academic achievement and references) and the UK Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) in 2009 and 2010. Candidates were selected into medical school according to a weighted combination of the UKCAT, the UCAS form and MMI scores. Examination scores were matched for 140 and 128 first‐ and second‐year students, respectively, who took the 2009 MMIs, and 150 first‐year students who took the 2010 MMIs. Pearson's correlations were used to test the relationships between pre‐admission variables, examination scores and demographic variables, namely gender and age. Statistically significant correlations were adjusted for range restrictions and were used to select variables for multiple linear regression analysis to predict examination scores.

Results

Statistically significant correlations ranged from 0.18 to 0.34 and 0.23 to 0.50 unrestricted. Multiple regression confirmed that MMIs remained the most consistent predictor of medical school assessments. No scores derived from the UCAS form correlated significantly with examination scores.

Conclusions

This study reports positive findings from the largest undergraduate sample to date. The MMI was the most consistent predictor of success in early years at medical school across two separate cohorts. UKCAT and UCAS forms showed minimal or no predictive ability. Further research in this area appears worthwhile, with longitudinal studies, replication of results from other medical schools and more detailed analysis of knowledge, skills and attitudinal outcome markers.
How students deal with inconsistencies in health knowledge
Authors: Bientzle Martina , Cress Ulrike , Kimmerle Joachim
Published: June 2013

Objectives

In their work, health care professionals have to deal daily with inconsistent health information and are confronted with differing therapeutic health concepts. Medical education should prepare students to handle these challenges adequately. The aim of this study was to contribute to a better understanding of how students deal with inconsistencies in health knowledge when they are presented with either a therapeutic concept they accept or one they reject.

Methods

Seventy‐six students of physiotherapy participated in this 2 × 2 experiment with health information (consistent versus inconsistent information) and therapeutic concept (congruent versus contradictory therapeutic concept) as between‐group factors. The participants' task was to improve the quality of a text about the effectiveness of stretching; participants were randomly assigned to one of four texts. Knowledge acquisition and text modification were measured as dependent variables.

Results

Students acquired more knowledge when they worked with a text containing inconsistent information. Medical information that was presented in agreement with a student's therapeutic concept was also more readily acquired than the same information presented posing a contradictory therapeutic concept. Participants modified the contradictory text in order to adapt it to their own point of view. Disagreement resulted in a disregard or devaluation of the information itself, which in turn was detrimental to learning.

Conclusions

It is a problem when prospective health care professionals turn a blind eye to discrepancies that do not fit their view of the world. It may be useful for educational purposes to include a knowledge conflict caused by a combination of conviction and inconsistent information to facilitate learning processes.
Evaluating the quality of medical multiple‐choice items created with automated processes
Authors: Gierl Mark J , Lai Hollis
Published: June 2013

Objectives

Computerised assessment raises formidable challenges because it requires large numbers of test items. Automatic item generation (AIG) can help address this test development problem because it yields large numbers of new items both quickly and efficiently. To date, however, the quality of the items produced using a generative approach has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to determine whether automatic processes yield items that meet standards of quality that are appropriate for medical testing. Quality was evaluated firstly by subjecting items created using both AIG and traditional processes to rating by a four‐member expert medical panel using indicators of multiple‐choice item quality, and secondly by asking the panellists to identify which items were developed using AIG in a blind review.

Methods

Fifteen items from the domain of therapeutics were created in three different experimental test development conditions. The first 15 items were created by content specialists using traditional test development methods (Group 1 Traditional). The second 15 items were created by the same content specialists using AIG methods (Group 1 AIG). The third 15 items were created by a new group of content specialists using traditional methods (Group 2 Traditional). These 45 items were then evaluated for quality by a four‐member panel of medical experts and were subsequently categorised as either Traditional or AIG items.

Results

Three outcomes were reported: (i) the items produced using traditional and AIG processes were comparable on seven of eight indicators of multiple‐choice item quality; (ii) AIG items can be differentiated from Traditional items by the quality of their distractors, and (iii) the overall predictive accuracy of the four expert medical panellists was 42%.

Conclusions

Items generated by AIG methods are, for the most part, equivalent to traditionally developed items from the perspective of expert medical reviewers. While the AIG method produced comparatively fewer plausible distractors than the traditional method, medical experts cannot consistently distinguish AIG items from traditionally developed items in a blind review.
Genetic and structural validation of Aspergillus fumigatus UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase as an antifungal target
Authors: Fang Wenxia , Du Ting , Raimi Olawale G. , Hurtado‐Guerrero Ramon , Urbaniak Michael D. , Ibrahim Adel F. M. , Ferguson Michael A. J. , Jin Cheng , van Aalten Daan M. F.
Published: June 2013

The sugar nucleotide UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine (UDP‐GlcNAc) is an essential metabolite in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. In fungi, it is the precursor for the synthesis of chitin, an essential component of the fungal cell wall. UDP‐N‐acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase (UAP) is the final enzyme in eukaryotic UDP‐GlcNAc biosynthesis, converting UTP and N‐acetylglucosamine‐1‐phosphate (GlcNAc‐1P) to UDP‐GlcNAc. As such, this enzyme may provide an attractive target against pathogenic fungi. Here, we demonstrate that the fungal pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus possesses an active UAP (AfUAP1) that shows selectivity for GlcNAc‐1P as the phosphosugar substrate. A conditional mutant, constructed by replacing the native promoter of the A. fumigatus uap1 gene with the Aspergillus nidulans alcA promoter, revealed that uap1 is essential for cell survival and important for cell wall synthesis and morphogenesis. The crystal structure of AfUAP1 was determined and revealed exploitable differences in the active site compared with the human enzyme. Thus AfUAP1 could represent a novel antifungal target and this work will assist the future discovery of small molecule inhibitors against this enzyme.
Role of the transcription factor ChAP1 in cytoplasmic redox homeostasis: imaging with a genetically encoded sensor in the maize pathogen Cochliobolus heterostrophus
Authors: Ronen Mordechai , Shalaby Samer , Horwitz Benjamin A.
Published: June 2013

The redox‐sensitive transcription factor ChAP1 [Cochliobolus heterostrophus YAP1 (Yeast Activator Protein 1) orthologue] of C. heterostrophus is required for oxidative stress tolerance. It is not known, however, to what extent the intracellular redox state changes on exposure of the fungus to oxidants, and whether ChAP1 is involved in the return of the cell to redox homeostasis. In order to answer these questions, we expressed a ratiometric redox‐sensitive fluorescent protein sensor, pHyper, in C. heterostrophus. The fluorescence ratio was sensitive to extracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentrations that had been shown previously to inhibit the germination of conidia and growth of the pathogen in culture. chap1 mutants showed a slower return to redox homeostasis than the wild‐type on exposure to H2O2. Plant extracts that mimic oxidants in their ability to promote nuclear retention of ChAP1 reduced, rather than oxidized, the fungal cells. This result is consistent with other data suggesting that ChAP1 responds to plant‐derived signals other than oxidants. pHyper should be a useful reporter of the intracellular redox state in filamentous fungi.
Intracuticular wax fixes and restricts strain in leaf and fruit cuticles
Authors: Khanal Bishnu Prasad , Grimm Eckhard , Finger Sebastian , Blume Alfred , Knoche Moritz
Published: June 2013

This paper investigates the effects of cuticular wax on the release of strain and on the tensile properties of enzymatically isolated cuticular membranes (CMs) taken from leaves of agave (Agave americana), bush lily (Clivia miniata), holly (Ilex aquifolium), and ivy (Hedera helix) and from fruit of apple (Malus × domestica), pear (Pyrus communis), and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum).

Biaxial strain release was quantified as the decrease in CM disc area following wax extraction. Stiffness, maximum strain and maximum force were determined in uniaxial tensile tests using strips of CM and dewaxed CMs (DCMs).

Biaxial strain release, stiffness, and maximum strain, but not maximum force, were linearly related to the amount of wax extracted. Apple CM has the most wax and here the effect of wax extraction was substantially accounted for by the embedded cuticular wax. Heating apple CM to 80°C melted some wax constituents and produced an effect similar to, but smaller than, that resulting from wax extraction.

Our results indicate that wax ‘fixes’ strain, effectively converting reversible elastic into irreversible plastic strain. A consequence of ‘fixation’ is increased cuticular stiffness.
Nursing as ‘disobedient’ practice: care of the nurse's self, parrhesia, and the dismantling of a baseless paradox
Authors: Perron Amélie
Published: June 2013

In this paper, I discuss nurses' ongoing difficulty in engaging with politics and address the persistent belief that political positioning is antithetical to quality nursing care. I suggest that nurses are not faced with choosing either caring for their patients or engaging with politics. I base my discussion on the assumption that such dichotomy is meaningless and that engaging with issues of relationships firmly grounds nursing in the realm of politics. I argue that the ethical merit of nursing care relies instead on positioning nurses squarely at the centre of care activities, experiences, and functions. Such positioning makes possible what Foucault called ‘practices of self‐formation’, that is, micro‐level processes that balance out the ubiquitous economic, cultural, legal, and scientific technologies that steadily constitute subjects in this era of modernity. Nurses, then, become not a group that needs to be controlled and governed, but individuals who must care for their self before they may care for anyone else.
Mapping the functional neuroanatomy of spatial neglect and human parietal lobe functions: progress and challenges
Authors: Vuilleumier Patrik
Published: June 2013

Spatial neglect is generally defined by various deficits in processing information from one (e.g., left) side of space contralateral to focal (e.g., right) hemisphere damage. Although classically associated with parietal lobe functions, there is now compelling evidence that neglect can follow lesions in many different cortical and subcortical sites, suggesting a dysfunction in distributed brain networks. In addition, neglect is likely to result from a combination of distinct deficits that co‐occur due to concomitant damage affecting juxtaposed brain areas and their connections, but the exact nature of core deficits and their neural substrates still remains unclear. The present review describes recent progress in identifying functional components of the neglect syndrome and relating them to distinct subregions of parietal cortex. A comprehensive understanding of spatial neglect will require a more precise definition of cognitive processes implicated in different behavioral manifestations, as well as meticulous mapping of these processes onto specific brain circuits, while taking into account functional changes in activity that may arise in structurally intact areas subsequent to damage in distant portions of the relevant networks.
Does the Macroeconomy Predict UK Asset Returns in a Nonlinear Fashion? Comprehensive Out‐of‐Sample Evidence
Authors: Guidolin Massimo , Hyde Stuart , McMillan David , Ono Sadayuki
Published: June 2013

We perform a comprehensive examination of the recursive, comparative predictive performance of linear and nonlinear models for UK stock and bond returns. We estimate Markov switching, threshold autoregressive (TAR) and smooth transition autoregressive (STR) regime switching models and a range of linear specifications including models with GARCH type specifications. Results demonstrate UK asset returns require nonlinear dynamics to be modelled with strong evidence in favour of Markov switching frameworks. Our results appear robust to the choice of sample period, changes in loss functions and to the methodology employed to test for equal predictive accuracy. The key findings extend to a similar sample of US data.
Neuropathic Pain and Pharmacological Treatment
Authors: Jongen Joost L. M. , Hans Guy , Benzon Honorio T. , Huygen Frank , Hartrick Craig T.
Published: June 2013

Neuropathic pain is a serious chronic condition strongly affecting quality of life, which can be relieved but cannot be cured. Apart from symptomatic management, treatment should focus on the underlying disorder. The estimated prevalence is at least 1% to 5% of the general population. Neuropathic pain is characterized both by spontaneous and evoked pain. A diagnosis of neuropathic pain can usually be established based solely on history and neurological examination. Ancillary investigations may include EMG and computerized tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scans, depending on the localization of the suspected lesion. A limited number of agents, primarily directed at symptom control, are currently approved for use in neuropathic pain. A mechanism‐based approach to pharmacological intervention supports the use of polypharmacy in neuropathic pain.
Iliopsoas Impingement: A Report of 2 Cases
Authors: Dalmau‐Carolà Joan
Published: June 2013

Iliopsoas impingement is an under recognized cause of failed total hip arthroplasty. We report 2 cases of iliopsoas impingement resolution diagnosed with the aid of imaging techniques and fluoroscopically guided injection.
Transgenic banana plants overexpressing a native plasma membrane aquaporin MusaPIP1;2 display high tolerance levels to different abiotic stresses
Authors: Sreedharan Shareena , Shekhawat Upendra K. S. , Ganapathi Thumballi R.
Published: June 2013

Water transport across cellular membranes is regulated by a family of water channel proteins known as aquaporins (AQPs). As most abiotic stresses like suboptimal temperatures, drought or salinity result in cellular dehydration, it is imperative to study the cause–effect relationship between AQPs and the cellular consequences of abiotic stress stimuli. Although plant cells have a high isoform diversity of AQPs, the individual and integrated roles of individual AQPs in optimal and suboptimal physiological conditions remain unclear. Herein, we have identified a plasma membrane intrinsic protein gene (MusaPIP1;2) from banana and characterized it by overexpression in transgenic banana plants. Cellular localization assay performed using MusaPIP1;2::GFP fusion protein indicated that MusaPIP1;2 translocated to plasma membrane in transformed banana cells. Transgenic banana plants overexpressing MusaPIP1;2 constitutively displayed better abiotic stress survival characteristics. The transgenic lines had lower malondialdehyde levels, elevated proline and relative water content and higher photosynthetic efficiency as compared to equivalent controls under different abiotic stress conditions. Greenhouse‐maintained hardened transgenic plants showed faster recovery towards normal growth and development after cessation of abiotic stress stimuli, thereby underlining the importance of these plants in actual environmental conditions wherein the stress stimuli is often transient but severe. Further, transgenic plants where the overexpression of MusaPIP1;2 was made conditional by tagging it with a stress‐inducible native dehydrin promoter also showed similar stress tolerance characteristics in in vitro and in vivo assays. Plants developed in this study could potentially enable banana cultivation in areas where adverse environmental conditions hitherto preclude commercial banana cultivation.
Perinatal risk factors for adverse long‐term pulmonary outcome in premature infants: Comparison of different definitions of bronchopulmonary dysplasia/chronic lung disease
Authors: Shima Yoshio , Kumasaka Sakae , Migita Makoto
Published: June 2013

Background

The aim of the study was to determine factors that affect adverse long‐term pulmonary outcome in premature infants.

Methods

This retrospective analysis was done using 306 clinical records of preterm singleton neonates at <32 weeks of gestation. Two definitions of adverse pulmonary outcome were used: chronic lung disease (CLD), defined as a need for supplemental oxygen for at least 28 days after birth; and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), defined as oxygen dependency for at least 28 days after birth plus at 36 weeks postmenstrual age and/or a need for positive‐pressure ventilatory support. Selected perinatal variables were compared between these definitions, and factors related to disease development were identified on multivariate analysis.

Results

The incidence of CLD and of BPD were 42% and 17%, respectively. Regardless of the definitions, the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus and of neonatal infection were significantly higher in the patients who met the disease criteria, but that of chorioamnionitis and of small for gestational age (SGA) were significantly higher in the patients only when the BPD definition was applied. Multivariate analysis identified SGA as an independent risk factor for the development of BPD after controlling for gestational age.

Conclusions

Among selected perinatal variables, prenatal risk factors, particularly SGA, contributed to prolonged dependency on oxygen and/or positive‐pressure ventilatory support, in combination with neonatal risk factors.
Habitat Restoration and Climate Change: Dealing with Climate Variability, Incomplete Data, and Management Decisions with Tree Translocations
Authors: Benito‐Garzón Marta , Ha‐Duong Minh , Frascaria‐Lacoste Nathalie , Fernández‐Manjarrés Juan
Published: June 2013

Restoration programs need to increasingly address both the restitution of biodiversity and ecosystem services and the preparation of habitats for future climate change. One option to adapt habitats to climate change in the temperate zone is the translocation of southern populations to compensate for climate change effects—an option known as assisted migration (AM). Although AM is widely criticized for endangered species, forest managers are more confident that tree populations can be translocated with success because of previous experiences within native ranges. Here, we contend that translocations of tree populations are also subject to uncertainties, and we extract lessons for future programs of AM within species ranges from a well‐documented failed case of population translocation of Pinus pinaster Ait. in Europe. The failure of these translocations originated from the unawareness of several unpredictable ecological and social events: cryptic maladaptation of the introduced populations, underestimation of climate variability differences between the source and target sites, and complexity in the management schemes, postponing decisions that could have been undertaken earlier. Under the no‐analog conditions that are expected with climate change, management decisions need to be made with incomplete data, implying that a certain degree of maladaptation should always be expected when restoring plant populations from local or external seed sources.
PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC FIRMS AND URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT IN AN INTEGRATED ECONOMY
Authors: Naito Tohru
Published: June 2013

This paper presents analysis of the effect on urban employment of public firm privatization in separate countries. We consider an economy consisting of two goods and two countries, and take account of a mixed duopoly in the manufacturing goods sector in the urban area of each country. We extend the Harris and Todaro model by introducing a mixed oligopoly model. Results of this analysis show that the privatization of public firms in the home country engenders improvement of urban unemployment in the home country. However, the progressive privatization of public firms in the foreign country can worsen urban unemployment in the home country.
Tendinopathies Around the Elbow Part 2: Medial Elbow, Distal Biceps and Triceps Tendinopathies
Authors: Donaldson Oliver , Vannet Nicola , Gosens Taco , Kulkarni Rohit
Published: June 2013

In the second part of this review article the management of medial elbow tendinopathy, distal biceps and distal triceps tendinopathy will be discussed. There is a scarcity of publications concerning any of these tendinopathies. This review will summarise the current best available evidence in their management. Medial elbow tendinopathy, also known as Golfer's elbow, is up to 6 times less common than lateral elbow tendinopathy. The tendinopathy occurs in the insertion of pronator teres and flexor carpi radialis. Diagnosis is usually apparent through a detailed history and examination but care must be made to exclude other conditions affecting the ulnar nerve or less commonly the ulnar collateral ligament complex. If doubt exists then MRI/US and electrophysiology can be used. Treatment follows a similar pattern to that of lateral elbow tendinopathy. Acute management is with activity modification and topical NSAIDs. Injection therapy and surgical excision are utilised for recalcitrant cases.

Distal biceps and triceps tendinopathies are very rare and there is limited evidence published. Sequelae of tendinopathy include tendon rupture and so it is vital to manage these tendinopathies appropriately in order to minimise this significant complication. Their management and that of partial tears will be considered.
Rethinking Migrant Families from a Transnational Perspective: Experiences of Parents and Their Children
Authors: Sun Ken C.
Published: June 2013

This article provides an overview of existing studies which take a transnational approach to examining the experiences of migrant parents and their children. In this article, I examine (1) how migrant parents who settle in host societies seek to raise the next generation transnationally, (2) how the children of migrants respond to being raised in a transnational social field, (3) how migrant parents manage relationships with their children who remain in their homeland, and (4) how children left behind think and feel about growing up without the company of one or both of their parent(s). By analyzing how various cross‐border connections are sustained and negotiated in these different types of migrant families, this article highlights the various transnational forces that operate in different types of migrant households.
“Police, Public Safety, and Race‐Neutral Discourse”
Authors: Nuño Luis F.
Published: June 2013

In the final decades of the 20th century policing in America was refashioned in the public image of community policing. Race‐neutral discourses dominate public and professional support for community‐oriented policing philosophies. In the contemporary era of hyper‐incarceration a focus on ethnoracial divisions grounded in the sociology ofpeculiar institutionsis essential for documenting transformations in how the municipal police services are legitimized. Here I analyze how the public discourses of law‐and‐order center on distortions of social fact and public safety. Today the criminalization of immigrants is the latest turn in public discourses shaping patterns of ethnoracial visions and divisions. The carceral breadth of the neoliberal penal state extends beyond social structure, repackaged as race‐neutral ideology across the public sphere.
SWIRL, a clinically validated, objective, and quantitative method for facial wrinkle assessment
Authors: Jiang Lily I. , Stephens Thomas J. , Goodman Robert
Published: June 2013

Background

Facial wrinkles are an undesirable feature caused by extrinsic photodamage and intrinsic aging process. Many cosmetic products and esthetic procedures strive to ameliorate the appearance of wrinkles. Currently the effects of those products and procedures on wrinkles are mainly evaluated by clinical grading, subjective self‐assessment questionnaires, and optical profilometry of replica impressions. An objective and quantitative method is in demand.

Methods

Raking light optical profilometry was applied directly to facial photography to cast wrinkles as dark shadows. The resulting high‐resolution digital images were analyzed using Image Pro software. A high‐throughput method, Stephens Wrinkle Imaging using Raking Light (SWIRL), was developed to analyze the severity of wrinkles using photographs taken under the raking light condition. This method was applied to photographs taken from many panelists with a wide range of wrinkle severity scores. The result was compared with clinical grading scores to determine its validity. In addition, this method was applied to photographs taken from panelists before and after product usage to determine its sensitivity.

Results

Using the SWIRL method, multiple wrinkle parameters were quantitatively assessed, including wrinkle count, length, width, area, and relative depth. Those parameters correlated well with clinical grading scores, showing correlation coefficient (r value) of about 0.8 for all parameters. This result indicates that the SWIRL method is a valid method for analyzing wrinkle severity. When applied to a clinical study, the SWIRL method was sensitive enough to detect improvement after 8 weeks of product application.

Conclusions

The SWIRL method has been fully validated through clinical studies. It is accurate, objective, and quantitative. As multiple wrinkle parameters are analyzed simultaneously, it can provide more detailed information on how wrinkles change over time and therefore has the potential to shed light on the action and mechanism of antiwrinkle products.