bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
N‐acetylaspartate normalization in bipolar depression after lamotrigine treatment
Authors: Croarkin Paul E , Thomas M Albert , Port John D , Baruth Joshua M , Choi Doo‐Sup , Abulseoud Osama A , Frye Mark A
Published: December 2014

Objectives

The aim of the present study was to examine N‐acetylaspartate (NAA), a general marker of neuronal viability, and total NAA (tNAA), the combined signal of NAA and N‐acetylaspartylglutamate, in bipolar depression before and after lamotrigine treatment. Given that NAA is synthesized through direct acetylation of aspartate by acetyl‐coenzyme A‐l‐aspartate‐N‐acetyltransferase, we hypothesized that treatment with lamotrigine would be associated with an increase in NAA level.

Methods

Patients with bipolar depression underwent two‐dimensional proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the anterior cingulate at baseline (n = 15) and after 12 weeks of lamotrigine treatment (n = 10). A group of age‐matched healthy controls (n = 9) underwent scanning at baseline for comparison.

Results

At baseline, patients with bipolar depression had significantly lower NAA [mean standard deviation (SD) = 1.13 (0.21); p = 0.02] than controls [mean (SD) = 1.37 (0.27)]. Significant increases in NAA [mean (SD) = 1.39 (0.21); p = 0.01] and tNAA [mean (SD) = 1.61 (0.25); p = 0.02] levels were found after 12 weeks of lamotrigine treatment.

Conclusions

These data suggest an NAA deficit in bipolar depression that is normalized after lamotrigine treatment. Future research is warranted to evaluate whether baseline NAA level is a potential biomarker for identifying lamotrigine response patterns and whether this functional brain change has an associated clinical response.
Neither public nor private: The efficacy of mixed model public service delivery in two Canadian municipalities
Authors: Ohemeng Frank L. K. , Grant John K.
Published: December 2014

The New Public Management emerged in the 1980s, and with it, alternative service delivery (ASD) mechanisms, which removed service delivery from the public bureaucracy and separated policy making from policy implementation. Most western governments implemented measures including privatization or contracting out of service delivery to the private sector. By the mid‐1990s, many governments started reversing ASD policies and sought new ways to deliver services, leading to a mixed model approach to service delivery, which combines the benefits of the public and private sectors. We examine the adoption of the model in the Canadian municipalities of Hamilton and Ottawa to determine if and how it enhances competition, cost‐savings, efficiency, effectiveness, and good governance in the delivery of public services, during an era of fiscal constraint. Our findings indicate the model is better in enhancing the five variables when compared to solely public or private services delivery.
799. METASTELMA ANEGADENSE
Authors: Goyder David , Linsky Jean , Bárrios Sara , Hamilton Martin , Woodfield‐Pascoe Nancy , Clubbe Colin
Published: December 2014

Metastelma anegadense is a twining perennial vine endemic to the British Virgin Islands, with its largest populations on the low‐lying coralline island of Anegada. It is vulnerable in all sites to changes in land use for tourism and development, grazing pressures, and to elevated sea levels and more intensive hurricanes which are likely with global climate change. It has been assessed as Critically Endangered, the IUCN's highest level threat of extinction.
Three‐Dimensional Echocardiography Enhances Diagnostic Accuracy of Supramitral Ring
Authors: Jone Pei‐Ni , Bremen Carlie , DiMaria Michael , Campbell David N. , Jaggers James , Younoszai Adel , Ivy D. Dunbar
Published: December 2014

Real time three‐dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) allows for accurate morphological characterization of congenital heart disease and complements two‐dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Accurate evaluation of the mitral valve and supramitral ring prior to surgery aids the surgeon in successful resection of the ring and repair of associated mitral valve abnormalities. We report a case of congenital mitral valve stenosis from a supramitral ring in a young child using real time three‐dimensional transesophageal echocardiography.
TLR4 and NALP3 inflammasome in the development of endothelial dysfunction in uraemia
Authors: Martin‐Rodriguez Susana , Caballo Carolina , Gutierrez Gabriela , Vera Manel , Cruzado Josep M. , Cases Aleix , Escolar Gines , Diaz‐Ricart Maribel
Published: December 2014

Background

The increased cardiovascular risk present in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is related to the development of endothelial dysfunction, whose mechanisms are still unclear. Accumulation of toxins and proinflammatory cytokines may constitute danger‐associated molecular patterns (DAMP) to which endothelial cells are continuously exposed. Potential involvement of mechanisms recognizing DAMP, such as TLR and inflammasomes, has been explored.

Materials and methods

Endothelial cells in culture were exposed to sera samples collected from patients with CKD: (i) stages 4–5 not on dialysis (PreD), (ii) on maintenance haemodialysis (HD) and (iii) peritoneal dialysis (PD). Changes in TLR4 and ICAM‐1 expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and TLR4 signalling were explored. Assembly of NALP3 inflammasome components was also investigated.

Results

TLR4 was expressed at the cell surface and increased significantly in response to PreD, HD and PD sera, paralleling with the activation of the cell stress protein Akt and the inflammation‐related transcription factor NFκB, with elevated surface ICAM‐1 expression and ROS production. TLR4 blockade partially decreased these effects. Exposure of cells to uraemic sera induced assembly of NALP3 components, with caspase‐1 activation, especially in response to HD and PD sera.

Conclusions

TLR4 and NALP3 inflammasomes, crucial elements of innate immunity, contribute to the development and perpetuation of endothelial dysfunction in response to the uraemic toxicity. These mechanisms constitute potential therapeutic targets to improve endothelial dysfunction and to reduce the increased cardiovascular risk in CKD.
Effects of experimental warming on survival, phenology, and morphology of an aquatic insect (Odonata)
Authors: MCCAULEY SHANNON J. , HAMMOND JOHN I. , FRANCES DACHIN N. , MABRY KAREN E.
Published: December 2014

1. Organisms can respond to changing climatic conditions in multiple ways including changes in phenology, body size or morphology, and range shifts. Understanding how developmental temperatures affect insect life‐history timing and morphology is crucial because body size and morphology affect multiple aspects of life history, including dispersal ability, whereas phenology can shape population performance and community interactions.

2. It was experimentally assessed how developmental temperatures experienced by aquatic larvae affected survival, phenology, and adult morphology of dragonflies [Pachydiplax longipennis(Burmeister)]. Larvae were reared under three environmental temperatures: ambient, +2.5, and +5 °C, corresponding to temperature projections for our study area 50 and 100 years in the future, respectively. Experimental temperature treatments tracked naturally‐occurring variation.

3. Clear effects of temperature were found in the rearing environment on survival and phenology: dragonflies reared at the highest temperatures had the lowest survival rates and emerged from the larval stage approximately 3 weeks earlier than animals reared at ambient temperatures. There was no effect of rearing temperature on overall body size. Although neither the relative wing nor thorax size was affected by warming, a non‐significant trend towards an interaction between sex and warming in relative thorax size suggests that males may be more sensitive to warming than females, a pattern that should be investigated further.

4. Warming strongly affected survival in the larval stage and the phenology of adult emergence. Understanding how warming in the developmental environment affects later life‐history stages is critical to interpreting the consequences of warming for organismal performance.
Feasibility and acceptability of cognitive adaptation training for first‐episode psychosis
Authors: Allott Kelly A. , Killackey Eoin , Sun Pamela , Brewer Warrick J. , Velligan Dawn I.
Published: December 2014

Aim

Cognitive and functioning impairments are present early in the course of psychotic disorder and remain one of the greatest treatment challenges. Cognitive adaptation training (CAT) is a compensatory approach to psychosocial intervention that is underpinned by a model that incorporates the role of cognition in daily functioning. CAT has established effectiveness in chronic schizophrenia but has received limited investigation in first‐episode psychosis (FEP). The aim of this study was to examine the feasibility and acceptability of CAT in young people with FEP.

Methods

This was a single‐arm feasibility study of CAT conducted at the Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Melbourne, Australia. Five FEP participants received manually guided CAT from a fully trained CAT therapist. A range of feasibility and acceptability measures were recorded throughout the study, including participant and case manager satisfaction ratings.

Results

All participants completed the CAT intervention and session attendance rates were very high (95.3%). Participants and their case managers indicated strong satisfaction with CAT as indicated by positive mean ratings on all satisfaction items, although there was a greater range in the participant ratings. Importantly, CAT did not have a negative effect on existing case management, with case managers reporting that CAT enhanced their treatment.

Conclusions

This study provides evidence that CAT is a highly feasible and acceptable intervention in FEP, which may be easily integrated within existing services. The effectiveness of CAT in improving functional outcomes in FEP is worthy of investigation in a larger trial.
The genetic basis of the fitness costs of antimicrobial resistance: a meta‐analysis approach
Authors: Vogwill Tom , MacLean R. Craig
Published: December 2014

The evolution of antibiotic resistance carries a fitness cost, expressed in terms of reduced competitive ability in the absence of antibiotics. This cost plays a key role in the dynamics of resistance by generating selection against resistance when bacteria encounter an antibiotic‐free environment. Previous work has shown that the cost of resistance is highly variable, but the underlying causes remain poorly understood. Here, we use a meta‐analysis of the published resistance literature to determine how the genetic basis of resistance influences its cost. We find that on average chromosomal resistance mutations carry a larger cost than acquiring resistance via a plasmid. This may explain why resistance often evolves by plasmid acquisition. Second, we find that the cost of plasmid acquisition increases with the breadth of its resistance range. This suggests a potentially important limit on the evolution of extensive multidrug resistance via plasmids. We also find that epistasis can significantly alter the cost of mutational resistance. Overall, our study shows that the cost of antimicrobial resistance can be partially explained by its genetic basis. It also highlights both the danger associated with plasmidborne resistance and the need to understand why resistance plasmids carry a relatively low cost.
Heparin induces an accumulation of atherogenic lipoproteins during hemodialysis in normolipidemic end‐stage renal disease patients
Authors: Barbagallo Carlo M. , Noto Davide , Cefalù Angelo B. , Ganci Antonia , Giammarresi Carlo , Panno Donata , Cusumano Gaspare , Greco Massimiliano , Di Gaudio Francesca , Averna Maurizio R.
Published: December 2014

Dyslipidemias may account for the excess of cardiovascular mortality in end‐stage renal disease (ESRD). Lipoprotein studies in ESRD patients are usually relative to prehemodialysis samples even if significative changes may occur after dialysis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of ESRD on triglyceride‐rich lipoproteins (TRL) subpopulations distribution and acute change following hemodialytic procedures, including the relative contribution of heparin administration. We selected a group of normolipidemic male middle‐aged ESRD patients free of any concomitant disease affecting lipoprotein remnant metabolism compared with controls. We separated TRL subfractions according to density and apoE content and evaluated the changes of these particles after hemodialytic procedures with or without heparin. ESRD subjects had higher TRL subfractions, with the exception of apoE‐rich particles, lower high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) largest subclasses, and a smaller low‐density lipoprotein peak particle size than controls. After a hemodialytic standard procedure with heparin, we demonstrated a significant reduction of triglyceride, an increase of HDL‐cholesterol levels, and a raise of small very‐low‐density lipoprotein, intermediate‐density lipoproteins (IDL), apoE‐rich particles, and non‐HDL‐cholesterol levels. When hemodialysis was performed without heparin, no significant changes were observed. In the absence of concomitant hyperlipidemic triggers, ESRD patients show significant lipoprotein abnormalities before dialysis, but without any increased remnant particles concentrations. We speculate that hemodialysis, in particular heparin administration during this procedure, leads to a massive atherogenic TRLs production because of the acute stimulation of the dysfunctional lipolytic system not followed by an efficient removal, determining a recurrent lipoprotein remnant accumulation.
Dominant language transfer in the comprehension of L2 learners and heritage speakers
Authors: Lee Teresa
Published: December 2014

This study examines the role of the dominant language (English) in the comprehension of second language (L2) learners and heritage speakers of Korean. Dominant language influence is observed in L2 and heritage language acquisition (Montrul 2008; Odlin 1989). Based on the previous findings that transfer effects tend to be more prominent at low proficiency levels (Schwartz and Sprouse 1996), the present study examines beginning‐level L2 (n = 26) and heritage learners (n = 38) of Korean whose dominant language was English. The results of a listening task involving Korean relative clauses showed that both groups exhibited transfer effects, but stronger in the L2 group. In addition, the results on error patterns showed that those with low accuracy were more prone to dominant language transfer than those with higher accuracy.
Accommodating to English‐medium instruction in teacher education in Finland
Authors: Hahl Kaisa , Järvinen Heini‐Marja , Juuti Kalle
Published: December 2014

This study analyses teacher educators' and student teachers' perceptions of teaching and learning situations in an international English as a lingua franca (ELF) context in an English‐medium instruction (EMI) teacher education programme in Finland. The analysis of semi‐structured interviews revealed that the participants perceived a partial reversal of traditional teacher and student roles; students assisted voluntarily and teaching became reciprocal. Some teachers reflected on having used typical strategies in ELF context, such as code‐switching, to further communication and engage students. However, teachers' lack of fluency was sometimes considered causing frustration among students and affected negatively their feeling of being professional teacher educators. Nevertheless, by increasing more learner‐led activities, ELF can positively affect teacher education pedagogy.
Clinical presentations of Behçet's disease among Nigerians: a 4‐year prospective study
Authors: Ajose Frances O. A. , Adelowo Olufemi , Oderinlo Olufemi
Published: December 2014

Background

Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, multisystem, inflammatory pan‐vasculitis of unknown etiology, with heterogeneous presentations in different parts of the world. It commonly involves the mucosae, skin, joints, eyes, and central nervous system. Behçet's disease is considered to represent an autoimmune reaction triggered by a yet to be identified infectious agent in a genetically predisposed person. It most commonly affects persons of Mediterranean or Far Eastern origin and is considered rare among Black Africans.

Objectives

This study was conducted to document clinical presentations of BD in Nigerians.

Methods

A prospective study of the clinical and laboratory parameters of patients who attended dermatology and rheumatology clinics between 2007 and 2011 was carried out.

Results

Fifteen patients (nine males, six females) were diagnosed with BD at a mean age of 33 years. The mean age of onset of disease was 27 years. Oral ulceration was present in 100% of subjects and was the most frequent onset lesion, followed by genital ulceration in 93%. Skin, joint, vascular, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system (CNS) lesions occurred in 87, 80, 33, 20, and 13% of patients, respectively. Pathergy tests were positive in 38% of patients. Psychomorbidity was present in 60%. Remission was achieved with corticosteroids, nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs, and disease‐modifying anti‐rheumatic drugs. Mortality was zero, but 27% of patients were disabled by blindness and 7% by CNS involvement.

Conclusions

This is the first report on BD in a sample of Nigerians. The clinical phenotype of BD follows the Middle Eastern pattern. The small number of patients may reflect the rarity of BD in Nigerians or the poor ascertainment of BD by relevant clinicians.
A distinct chemokine axis does not account for enrichment of Foxp3+ CD4+ T cells in carcinogen‐induced fibrosarcomas
Authors: Ondondo Beatrice , Colbeck Emily , Jones Emma , Smart Kathryn , Lauder Sarah N. , Hindley James , Godkin Andrew , Moser Bernhard , Ager Ann , Gallimore Awen
Published: December 2014

The frequency of CD4+ Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells is often significantly increased in the blood of tumour‐bearing mice and people with cancer. Moreover, Treg cell frequencies are often higher in tumours compared with blood and lymphoid organs. We wished to determine whether certain chemokines expressed within the tumour mass selectively recruit Treg cells, thereby contributing to their enrichment within the tumour‐infiltrating lymphocyte pool. To achieve this goal, the chemokine profile of carcinogen‐induced fibrosarcomas was determined, and the chemokine receptor expression profiles of both CD4+ Foxp3− and CD4+ Foxp3+ T cells were compared. These analyses revealed that the tumours are characterized by expression of inflammatory chemokines (CCL2, CCL5, CCL7, CCL8, CCL12, CXCL9, CXCL10 and CX3CL1), reflected by an enrichment of activated Foxp3− and Foxp3+ T cells expressing T helper type 1‐associated chemokine receptors. Notably, we found that CXCR3+ T cells were significantly enriched in the tumours although curiously we found no evidence that CXCR3 was required for their recruitment. Instead, CXCR3 marks a population of activated Foxp3− and Foxp3+ T cells, which use multiple and overlapping ligand receptor pairs to guide their migration to tumours. Collectively, these data indicate that enrichment of Foxp3+ cells in tumours characterized by expression of inflammatory chemokines, does not occur via a distinct chemokine axis, thus selective chemokine blockade is unlikely to represent a meaningful therapeutic strategy for preventing Treg cell accumulation in tumours.
The effects of spatial and temporal ecological variation on fatty acid compositions of wild great tits Parus major
Authors: Isaksson Caroline , Hanson Mark A. , Burdge Graham C.
Published: December 2014

In birds, fatty acids (FA) have three main functions; they are structural components of cell membranes, metabolic fuel, and inflammatory molecules. Environmental factors, such as diet and ambient temperature, affect FA composition, thereby function and ultimately fitness. Thus, variation in FA compositions can be the underlying mechanism for varying performance of birds in different habitats. Here we examine variation in plasma FA composition in nestling and adult great tits Parus major, between 1) deciduous and coniferous, and 2) sun‐exposed and shaded habitats.

The main results revealed that nestlings had a higher proportion of α‐linolenic acid (α‐LNA) in deciduous habitats and arachidonic acid in coniferous habitats. This reflects a difference in caterpillar availability between habitats with the deciduous habitat being caterpillar‐rich, whereas the coniferous habitats are rich in spiders. In addition, α‐LNA increased with nestling body condition in the coniferous habitat, supporting the importance of caterpillars for fledging success in this species. In line with dietary intake, the proportion of the essential α‐LNA and linoleic acid (LA) increased over the course of the day for all birds. In the deciduous habitat, adult females showed a positive association between LA and body condition. Furthermore, habitat sun‐exposure showed significant interactions with body condition for polyunsaturated FAs in nestlings, and with saturated FA in adult males, which is in accordance with the homeoviscous hypothesis stating that the proportion of saturated FA should decrease with decreasing ambient temperature.

Taken together, small‐scale heterogeneity in habitat structure significantly influences FA compositions of great tits. Many of the results can be linked to dietary, and possibly, ambient temperature differences between habitats. These habitat effects on FA compositions can lead to different capacities of individual birds to deal with infections and low temperatures, two stressors that cause major mortality among wild birds.
Incorporating site and year‐specific deuterium ratios (δ2H) from precipitation into geographic assignments of a migratory bird
Authors: Tonra Christopher M. , Both Christiaan , Marra Peter P.
Published: December 2014

The study of migratory connectivity is rapidly growing in ornithology, as is the technology used to measure it. While use of extrinsic markers, such as archival tags, is becoming more prevalent, for many small species the best tool available for tracking birds remains intrinsic markers, such as stable‐hydrogen isotope ratios (δ2H). Many researchers have raised concerns that spatial and temporal environmental variation introduces a large amount of error into isotope‐based assignments, limiting their utility. Here, using feathers, we sought to address these issues in developing δ2H base maps for assigning pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca of known origin to 15 sites across the breeding range (approx. 4 020 800 km2). We evaluated the effects of including random site variation and year‐specific precipitation δ2H (δ2HP) maps on assignments, compared to using mean annual growing season δ2Hp and no site effects. We found a positive correlation between feather δ2H (δ2HF) and mean annual δ2HP, resulting from large scale geographic variation. Repeatability of feather δ2H for individuals sampled in multiple years was strong overall, but variable among populations. Annual variation in δ2HP explained 21% of within individual variation in δ2HF. Neither year‐ nor site‐specific methods improved assignment precision or accuracy. All three methods assigned flycatchers of unknown origin captured at an African overwintering site to similar breeding areas. However, methods using long‐term means of δ2Hp assigned birds more precisely than year‐specific methods. Our results suggest that annual variation in this system is primarily a result of food web or individual level processes and that random site effects are not strong enough to drastically impact accuracy. We conclude that improvements in isotope based geographic assignments will rely on the addition of prior information, such as relative abundance in a Bayesian framework, or additional intrinsic markers.
Corporate Lobbying and Firm Performance
Authors: Chen Hui , Parsley David , Yang Ya‐Wen
Published: December 2014

Corporate lobbying activities are designed to influence legislators, regulators and courts, presumably to encourage favorable policies and/or outcomes. In dollar terms, corporate lobbying expenditures are typically one or even two orders of magnitude larger than spending by Political Action Committees (PAC), and, unlike PAC donations, lobbying amounts are direct corporate expenditures. We use data made available by the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995 to examine this more pervasive form of corporate political activity. We find that, on average, lobbying is positively related to accounting and market measures of financial performance. These results are robust across a number of empirical specifications. We also report market performance evidence using a portfolio approach. We find that portfolios of firms with the highest lobbying intensities significantly outperform their benchmarks in the three years following portfolio formation.
Peri‐implant health and disease. A systematic review of current epidemiology
Authors: Derks Jan , Tomasi Cristiano
Published: December 2014

Background

To develop preventive strategies addressing peri‐implant diseases, a thorough understanding of the epidemiology is required.

Aim

The aim was to systematically assess the scientific literature in order to evaluate the prevalence, extent and severity of peri‐implant diseases.

Material & Methods

Data were extracted from identified studies. Meta‐analyses for prevalence of peri‐implant mucositis and peri‐implantitis were performed. The effect of function time and disease definition on the prevalence of peri‐implantitis was evaluated by meta‐regression analyses. Data on extent and severity of peri‐implant diseases were estimated if not directly reported.

Results

Fifteen articles describing 11 studies were included. Case definitions for mucositis and peri‐implantitis varied. The prevalence of peri‐implant mucositis and peri‐implantitis ranged from 19 to 65% and from 1 to 47%, respectively. Meta‐analyses estimated weighted mean prevalences of peri‐implant mucositis and peri‐implantitis of 43% (CI: 32–54%) and 22% (CI: 14–30%), respectively. The meta‐regression showed a positive relationship between prevalence of peri‐implantitis and function time and a negative relationship between prevalence of peri‐implantitis and threshold for bone loss. Extent and severity of peri‐implant diseases were rarely reported.

Conclusion

Future studies on the epidemiology of peri‐implant diseases should consider (i) applying consistent case definitions and (ii) assessing random patient samples of adequate size and function time.
American Geriatrics Society Abstracted Clinical Practice Guideline for Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults
Authors:   The American Geriatrics Society Expert Panel on Postoperative Delirium in Older Adults
Published: December 2014

The abstracted set of recommendations presented here provides essential guidance both on the prevention of postoperative delirium in older patients at risk of delirium and on the treatment of older surgical patients with delirium, and is based on the 2014 American Geriatrics Society (AGS) Guideline. The full version of the guideline,American Geriatrics Society Clinical Practice Guideline for Postoperative Delirium in Older Adultsis available at the website of theAGS. The overall aims of the study were twofold: first, to present nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions that should be implemented perioperatively for the prevention of postoperative delirium in older adults; and second, to present nonpharmacologic and pharmacologic interventions that should be implemented perioperatively for the treatment of postoperative delirium in older adults. Prevention recommendations focused on primary prevention (i.e., preventing delirium before it occurs) in patients who are at risk for postoperative delirium (e.g., those identified as moderate‐to‐high risk based on previous risk stratification models such as the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines,Delirium: Diagnosis, Prevention and Management. Clinical Guideline 103; London (UK): 2010 July 29). For management of delirium, the goals of this guideline are to decrease delirium severity and duration, ensure patient safety and improve outcomes.
Experiences With Parents and Youth Physical Health Symptoms and Cortisol: A Daily Diary Investigation
Authors: Lippold Melissa A. , McHale Susan M. , Davis Kelly D. , Almeida David M. , King Rosalind B.
Published: December 2014

Using daily diary data, this study examined the associations between positive and negative parent–youth experiences and youth cortisol and physical health symptoms among a sample of adolescents (N = 132, mean age = 13.39). On days when girls reported more negative experiences than usual, they exhibited more physical health symptoms and flatter evening cortisol slopes than usual. Negative experiences with mothers were associated with higher dinner and bedtime youth cortisol levels (between‐person). Daily positive experiences with fathers were linked with lower dinner cortisol levels. Youth with high levels of negative experiences, on average, were less sensitive to daily variation in negative experiences than youth who experienced lower parental negativity. We discuss the benefits of a daily diary approach.
Effects provoked by chronic undernourishment on the fibre type composition and contractility of fast muscles in male and female developing rats
Authors: Pereyra‐Venegas J. , Segura‐Alegría B. , Guadarrama‐Olmos J. C. , Mariscal‐Tovar S. , Quiróz‐González S. , Jiménez‐Estrada I.
Published: December 2014

In this study, we compare the effects of pre‐ and post‐natal food deprivation on the relative proportion of fibre types and contractile responses in the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of female and male rats at different post‐natal ages. EDL muscles from undernourished male (UM) rats showed a higher proportion of Type IIB than IIA fibres and larger normalized twitch responses (with respect to muscle weight) than those of controls (CM). In contrast, EDL muscles from control (CF) and undernourished female rats (UF) showed no significant differences in their fibre type composition and normalized twitch forces at most of the ages analysed. Our data are indicative that the EDL muscles from undernourished males are more susceptible to the effects exerted by low food income than the EDL muscles from female rats. It is proposed that changes in the reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration and hormonal factors, due to undernutrition, are involved in the alterations observed in the fibre type composition and force production of EDL muscles in undernourished male rats and that estrogens may have an antioxidant protective role on the undernourished EDL muscles in female rats.
Invited review: Neuropathology of tauopathies: principles and practice
Authors: Kovacs G. G.
Published: December 2014

Tauopathies are clinically, morphologically and biochemically heterogeneous neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the deposition of abnormal tau protein in the brain. The neuropathological phenotypes are distinguished based on the involvement of different anatomical areas, cell types and presence of distinct isoforms of tau in the pathological deposits. The nomenclature of primary tauopathies overlaps with the modern classification of frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Neuropathological phenotypes comprise Pick's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration, argyrophilic grain disease, primary age‐related tauopathy, formerly called also as neurofibrillary tangle‐only dementia, and a recently characterized entity called globular glial tauopathy. Mutations in the gene encoding the microtubule‐associated protein tau are associated with frontotemporal dementia and parkinsonism linked to chromosome 17. In addition, further neurodegenerative conditions with diverse aetiologies may be associated with tau pathologies. Thus, the spectrum of tau pathologies and tauopathy entities expands beyond the traditionally discussed disease forms. Detailed multidisciplinary studies are still required to understand their significance.
The construction of human–animal relations: National Jumps Day 2013 at Te Rapa, Hamilton, New Zealand
Authors: McManus Phil , Graham Raewyn , Ruse Karen
Published: December 2014

New Zealand is an important place for thoroughbred breeding and racing. Most races are on the flat, but jumps racing is conducted in the cooler months. The 2013 National Jumps Day at Te Rapa, Hamilton, was a significant space for the construction of human–animal relations. Drawing on three bodies of accounts, we ask whether social media contributes to the realignment of perspectives or reinforces existing human–animal relations. We explore competing narratives and demonstrate how animals, people, activities and places are constructed, including making animal deaths unrecognisable to perpetuate activities that are questioned by contemporary animal geographies.
Ectopic differentiation of melanocyte stem cells is influenced by genetic background
Authors: Harris Melissa L. , Levy Denise J. , Watkins‐Chow Dawn E. , Pavan William J.
Published: December 2014

Hair graying in mouse is attributed to the loss of melanocyte stem cell function and the progressive depletion of the follicular melanocyte population. Single‐gene, hair graying mouse models have pointed to a number of critical pathways involved in melanocyte stem cell biology; however, the broad range of phenotypic variation observed in human hair graying suggests that additional genetic variants involved in this process may yet be discovered. Using a sensitized approach, we ask here whether natural genetic variation influences a predominant cellular mechanism of hair graying in mouse, melanocyte stem cell differentiation. We developed an innovative method to quantify melanocyte stem cell differentiation by measuring ectopically pigmented melanocyte stem cells in response to the melanocyte‐specific transgene Tg(Dct‐Sox10). We make the novel observation that the production of ectopically pigmented melanocyte stem cells varies considerably across strains. The success of sensitizing for melanocyte stem cell differentiation by Tg(Dct‐Sox10) sets the stage for future investigations into the genetic basis of strain‐specific contributions to melanocyte stem cell biology.
Incidence of lung cancer in patients with systemic sclerosis treated with extracorporeal photopheresis
Authors: Topuzoglu Sabriye , Knobler Robert , Movadat Oliver , Petkov Ventzislav , Foedinger Dagmar , Just Ulrike , Pehamberger Hubert , Jantschitsch Christian
Published: December 2014

Background

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) improves skin sclerosis in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. SSc is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. As ECP is supposed to exert immunomodulatory effects, a possible impact of ECP on the incidence of lung cancer in SSc patients was evaluated.

Methods

Seventy‐one SSc patients treated with ECP at the Photopheresis Unit of the Department of Dermatology at the Medical University of Vienna between 1991 and 2013 were analyzed retrospectively.

Results

We calculated a standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for lung cancer in ECP‐treated SSc patients of 2.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63–2.49]. This is in accordance with recent meta‐analyses demonstrating a significantly enhanced risk of lung carcinoma in SSc patients. Comparison of the lung cancer risks of these patients with our ECP‐treated patients revealed that ECP has no influence. Each patient with lung carcinoma had previously been diagnosed with lung involvement of the non‐specific interstitial pneumonitis (NSIP) type.

Conclusion

We confirm that SSc patients are at significantly increased risk for lung cancer. However, ECP does not influence this risk. NSIP may be a risk factor for lung cancer in SSc patients.
Number of conspecifics and reproduction in the invasive plant Eschscholzia californica (Papaveraceae): is there a pollinator‐mediated Allee effect?
Authors: Anic V. , Henríquez C. A. , Abades S. R. , Bustamante R. O.
Published: December 2014

The component Allee effect has been defined as ‘a positive relationship between any measure of individual fitness and the number or density of conspecifics’. Larger plant populations or large patches have shown a higher pollinator visitation rate, which may give rise to an Allee effect in reproduction of the plants. We experimentally tested the effect of number of conspecifics on reproduction and pollinator visitation in Eschscholzia californica Cham., an invasive plant in Chile. We then built patches with two, eight and 16 flowering individuals of E. californica (11 replicates per treatment) in an area characterised by dominance of the study species. We found that E. californica exhibits a component Allee effect, as the number of individuals of this species has a positive effect on individual seed set. However, individual fruit production was not affected by the number of plants examined. Pollinator visitation rate was also independent of the number of plants, so this factor would not explain the Allee effect. This rate was positively correlated with the total number of flowers in the patches. We also found that the number of plants did not affect the seed mass or proportion of germinated seeds in the patches. Higher pollen availability in patches with 16 plants and pollination by wind could explain the Allee effect. The component Allee effect identified could lead to a weak demographic Allee effect that might reduce the rate of spread of E. californica. Knowledge of this would be useful for management of this invasive plant in Chile.
Exposure of two Eutrema salsugineum (Thellungiella salsuginea) accessions to water deficits reveals different coping strategies in response to drought
Authors: MacLeod Mitchell J.R. , Dedrick Jeff , Ashton Claire , Sung Wilson W.L. , Champigny Marc J. , Weretilnyk Elizabeth A.
Published: December 2014

Eutrema salsugineum is an extremophile related to Arabidopsis. Accessions from Yukon, Canada and Shandong, China, were evaluated for their tolerance to water deficits. Plants were exposed to two periods of water deficit separated by an interval of re‐watering and recovery. All plants took the same time to wilt during the first drought exposure but Yukon plants took 1 day longer than Shandong plants following the second drought treatment. Following re‐watering and turgor recovery, solute potentials of Shandong leaves returned to predrought values while those of Yukon leaves were lower than predrought levels consistent with having undergone osmotic adjustment. Polar metabolites profiled in re‐watered plants showed that different metabolites are accumulated by Yukon and Shandong plants recovering from a water deficit with glucose more abundant in Yukon and fructose in Shandong leaves. The drought‐responsive expression of dehydrin genes RAB18, ERD1, RD29A and RD22 showed greater changes in transcript abundance in Yukon relative to Shandong leaves during both water deficits and recovery with the greatest difference in expression appearing during the second drought. We propose that the initial exposure of Yukon plants to drought renders them more resilient to water loss during a subsequent water deficit leading to delayed wilting. Yukon plants also established a high leaf water content and increased specific leaf area during the second deficit. Shandong plants undergoing the same treatment regime do not show the same beneficial drought tolerance responses and likely use drought avoidance to cope with water deficits.
Epidemiology of periodontal diseases in adults from Latin America
Authors: Oppermann Rui V. , Haas Alex N. , Rösing Cassiano Kuchenbecker , Susin Cristiano
Published: December 2014

A decade has passed since we first reviewed the epidemiology of periodontal diseases in Latin America. At that time, lack of population‐based studies was the norm and our conclusions were based on very limited evidence. The aim of the present comprehensive review was to update and expand our previous work by providing a broad overview of Latin America and its current social, economic and demographic status and by focusing on the epidemiology of periodontal diseases in Latin American adults published in the last 15 years. The amount of periodontal epidemiological data available has increased but is still restricted to a few countries only. The scope of the literature available has also broadened to include oral health‐related quality of life and systemic interactions; however, most studies had methodological limitations that might have biased their results. In general, periodontitis was very prevalent, but severe periodontal destruction was localized. Besides being associated with well‐established risk factors, periodontitis was associated with demographics and socio‐economic factors in Latin American populations. To advance epidemiological knowledge, population‐based cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies, using appropriate methodologies, should be the future focus of the research agenda of researchers and public health planners in Latin American countries.
The hamster cheek pouch model for field cancerization studies
Authors: Monti‐Hughes Andrea , Aromando Romina F. , Pérez Miguel A. , Schwint Amanda E. , Itoiz Maria E.
Published: December 2014

External carcinogens, such as tobacco and alcohol, induce molecular changes in large areas of oral mucosa, which increase the risk of malignant transformation. This condition, known as ‘field cancerization’, can be detected in biopsy specimens using histochemical techniques, even before histological alterations are identified. The efficacy of these histochemical techniques as biomarkers of early cancerization must be demonstrated in appropriate models. The hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model, universally employed in biological studies and in studies for the prevention and treatment of oral cancer, is also an excellent model of field cancerization. The carcinogen is applied in solution to the surface of the mucosa and induces alterations that recapitulate the stages of cancerization in human oral mucosa. We have demonstrated that the following can be used for the early detection of cancerized tissue: silver staining of nucleolar organizer regions; the Feulgen reaction to stain DNA followed by ploidy analysis; immunohistochemical analysis of fibroblast growth factor‐2, immunohistochemical labeling of proliferating cells to demonstrate an increase of epithelial cell proliferation in the absence of inflammation; and changes in markers of angiogenesis (i.e. those indicating vascular endothelial growth factor activity, endothelial cell proliferation and vascular density). The hamster cheek pouch model of oral cancer was also proposed and validated by our group for boron neutron capture therapy studies for the treatment of oral cancer. Clinical trials of this novel treatment modality have been performed and are underway for certain tumor types and localizations. Having demonstrated the efficacy of boron neutron capture therapy to control tumors in the hamster cheek pouch oral cancer model, we adapted the model for the long‐term study of field cancerized tissue. We demonstrated the inhibitory effect of boron neutron capture therapy on tumor development in field cancerized tissue with acceptable levels of mucositis, a dose‐limiting side‐effect.
Research on growth factors in periodontology
Authors: Smith Patricio C. , Martínez Constanza , Cáceres Mónica , Martínez Jorge
Published: December 2014

Growth factors play critical roles in periodontal repair through the regulation of cell behavior. Many of the cell responses regulated by these proteins include cell adhesion, migration, proliferation and differentiation. Periodontal regeneration involves an organized response of different cells, tissues and growth factors implicated in the coordination of these events. However, periodontal tissue reconstruction is an extremely difficult task. Multiple studies have been performed to understand the specific role of growth factors in periodontal wound healing. In the present review we analyze the evidence that supports the roles of growth factors in periodontal wound healing and regeneration.
Systemic antibiotics in the treatment of periodontitis
Authors: Feres Magda , Figueiredo Luciene C. , Soares Geisla M. Silva , Faveri Marcelo
Published: December 2014

Despite the fact that several clinical studies have shown additional benefits when certain systemic antibiotics are used as adjuncts to periodontal treatment, clear guidelines for the use of these agents in the clinical practice are not yet available. Basic questions concerning the use of systemic antibiotics to treat periodontitis remain unanswered, such as: which drug(s) should be used; which patients would most benefit from treatment; which are the most effective protocols (i.e. doses and durations); and in which phase of the mechanical therapy should the drug(s) be administered? Although not all of those questions have been directly addressed by controlled randomized clinical trials, recent concepts related to the ecology of periodontal diseases, as well as the major advances in laboratory and clinical research methods that have occurred in the past decade, have significantly broadened our knowledge in this field. This article endeavored to provide a ‘state of the art’ overview on the use of systemic antibiotics in the treatment of periodontitis, based on the most recent literature on the topic as well as on a compilation of data from studies conducted at the Center of Clinical Trials at Guarulhos University (São Paulo, Brazil) from 2002 to 2012.
Quality of life in nursing home residents with advanced dementia: a 2‐year follow‐up
Authors: Oudman Erik , Veurink Bertus
Published: December 2014

Background

Quality of life (QOL) in dementia has become increasingly recognized as an important clinical and policy concern, but little is known about the progression of QOL in patients with advanced dementia on psychogeriatric units of nursing homes. Therefore, the primary goal of the current study was to assess the evolution of QOL in advanced dementia patients on a psychogeriatric unit.

Methods

The QUALIDEM scale, a reliable and validated QOL instrument developed for patients with advanced dementia in residential settings who are unable to self‐report, was assessed at baseline and 2 years later. Of the 75 patients with advanced dementia included at baseline, 32 patients participated at follow‐up.

Results

Average QUALIDEM QOL scores did show a trend towards a significant improvement over a 2‐year period. For 61.8% of the subjects at follow‐up, the average scores improved. On the subscales that assessed ‘feeling at home’, ‘social isolation’ and ‘negative affect’, improvement was significant.

Conclusions

Although it could be expected that QOL would decline over time in advanced dementia patients, results of the current study suggest that QOL is stable or improves despite the global cognitive deterioration, particularly in the more advanced stages of dementia. QOL is a distinctive domain of disease severity that should receive more attention in the advanced stages of dementia.
Implication of FKBP6 for Male Fertility in Horses
Authors: Schrimpf R , Metzger J , Martinsson G , Sieme H , Distl O
Published: December 2014

Contents

In stallions, impaired acrosome reaction (IAR) may often cause subfertility. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within FK506‐binding protein (FKBP6) seem to be associated with IAR in stallions. However, their effect on stallion fertility has not yet been quantified. Using whole‐genome sequence data of seven stallions, we searched FKBP6 for mutations to perform an association study in Hanoverian stallions with estimated breeding values for the paternal component of the pregnancy rate per oestrus cycle (EBV‐PAT) as target trait. Genotyping five exonic mutations within FKBP6 revealed a significant association of the SNP g.11040379C>A (p.167H>N) with EBV‐PAT in 216 Hanoverian stallions. The difference among the two homozygous genotypes was 7.62% in EBV‐PAT, corresponding to one standard deviation of EBV‐PAT. In conclusion, in Hanoverian stallions, the FKBP6‐associated SNP g.11040379C>A confers higher conception rates in A/A homozygous and lower conception rates in C/C homozygous Hanoverian stallions. Thus, an FKBP6‐associated missense mutation is significantly associated with stallion fertility.