bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of Acupuncture in the Treatment or Prevention of Migraine, Tension‐Type Headache, or Chronic Headache Disorders
Authors: Coeytaux Remy R. , Befus Deanna
Published: July 2016

Objective

To summarize the current evidence that evaluates the effectiveness of acupuncture for the treatment or prevention of migraine, tension‐type headache, and chronic headache disorders.

Methods

Findings from selected systematic reviews and meta‐analyses are summarized.

Results

Recently published systematic reviews and meta‐analyses demonstrate that acupuncture is associated with improved clinical outcomes compared to routine care only, medical management, and sham acupuncture 2 months after randomization. The evidence in support of acupuncture's comparative effectiveness at longer follow‐up periods is mixed. Cost effectiveness analyses conducted in the United Kingdom and Germany suggest that acupuncture is a cost‐effective treatment option in those countries. There are few or no cost‐effectiveness studies of acupuncture in the United States.

Discussion

This brief review of the current, published evidence does not include a discussion of potential risks or adverse events associated with acupuncture. There is also the question of the extent to which placebo effects might contribute to acupuncture's clinical effectiveness. From a purely comparative effectiveness perspective, however, the evidence from clinical trials and meta‐analyses makes a compelling case in support of a potentially important role for acupuncture as part of a treatment plan for patients with migraine, tension‐type headache, and several different types of chronic headache disorders.
Somatostatin receptors in resected hepatocellular carcinoma: status and correlation with markers of poor prognosis
Authors: Lequoy Marie , Desbois‐Mouthon Christèle , Wendum Dominique , Gupta Vandana , Blachon Jean‐Luc , Scatton Olivier , Dumont Sylvie , Bonnemaire Mireille , Schmidlin Fabien , Rosmorduc Olivier , Fartoux Laetitia
Published: July 2016

Aims

To investigate the status of somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) in resected hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods and results

Transcript and protein levels of SSTR2, SSTR3 and SSTR5 were investigated, with real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and manual and automated immunohistochemistry (IHC), in 53 resected HCCs and paired non‐tumour tissues. SSTR1, SSTR4, SSTR5TMD4 and SSTR5TMD5 were analysed with real‐time PCR. SSTR3 and SSTR5 transcripts were expressed in ~25% of HCCs, but not in adjacent non‐tumour tissues. SSTR1 and SSTR2 transcripts were overexpressed in 42% and 32% of HCCs, respectively. SSTR4, SSTR5TMD4 and SSTR5TMD5 were not detected. Membrane staining for SSTR2 was detected in 38% of HCCs, whereas SSTR5 protein was detectable in only 11% of HCCs. SSTR3 protein was detected in the majority of HCCs and adjacent non‐tumour liver tissues, but membrane staining was <20% of that in HCCs. The results obtained with the two IHC methods were highly correlated (P < 0.0001). Statistical analyses also showed a positive correlation between SSTR2 membrane staining and cytokeratin 19 expression (P = 0.04), serum α‐fetoprotein level (P = 0.002), and poor differentiation (P = 0.05).

Conclusions

Membrane SSTR2 is detected reliably in HCCs by IHC, and is a potential therapeutic target, as it is coexpressed with markers of poor prognosis.
Assortative mating in two populations of Short‐tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus on Torishima
Authors: Eda Masaki , Izumi Hiroe , Konno Satoshi , Konno Miwa , Sato Fumio
Published: July 2016

Assortative mating is an important pre‐mating isolation mechanism that has been observed in some wild populations of seabirds. The Short‐tailed Albatross Phoebastria albatrus is a globally Vulnerable seabird that breeds mainly on Torishima and the Senkaku Islands in the north‐western Pacific Ocean. Our previous studies suggested that two genetically distinct populations exist, one on Torishima and the other on the Senkaku Islands. Recently, however, several un‐ringed birds in subadult plumage have been observed breeding on Torishima in the Hatsunezaki colony. As almost all birds hatched on Torishima since 1979 have been ringed, the natal site of the un‐ringed birds was suspected to be the Senkaku Islands. Genetic differences between the two populations would reveal the natal sites of un‐ringed birds. By observing the ring status (ringed or un‐ringed) of mating pairs and analysing the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region 2 of un‐ringed birds, we assessed whether birds that originated from Torishima and the Senkaku Islands achieved pre‐mating isolation. There was a small number of pairs on Torishima that consisted of one ringed and one un‐ringed bird, but the observed number was significantly lower than that expected if ringed and un‐ringed birds mated randomly. Furthermore, mtDNA analyses of nine un‐ringed birds demonstrated that all belonged to a particular haplotype clade from the Senkaku Islands. These results show that birds from Torishima and the Senkaku Islands mate assortatively but that there is incomplete pre‐mating isolation between birds from the two island groups. The pre‐mating isolation of these two populations of Short‐tailed Albatross could arise from differences in the timing of breeding and incompatibility in mating displays. As the divergence between the two populations is unlikely to be sufficient to achieve complete post‐mating isolation, the two groups are likely to be hybridizing. Further studies using molecular and/or behavioural analyses would be required to reveal the evolutionary significance of hybridization between these two populations.
Synthesis and Microwave Dielectric Properties of Cu‐Doped ZnAl2O4
Authors: Li Yueming , Hong Wenhai , Xie Zhixiang , Shen Zongyang , Wang Zhumei
Published: July 2016

Spinel materials of composition Zn1−xCuxAl2O4 (ZCA, x = 0–0.015) were prepared via the conventional solid‐state route. The lattice structure, microstructure, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated as a function of Cu content. Cu doping was found to improve the sinterability and, meanwhile, significantly increase the quality factor (Q × f0), which is due to the Cu‐O bond is stronger than Zn‐O bond, and inhibit the oxygen vacancy considered to be responsible for the enhanced Q × f0 value of ZCA materials. The best microwave dielectric properties were obtained in Zn0.99Cu0.01Al2O4 with εr = 8.69, Q × f0 = 69,300 GHz and τf = −58.3 ppm/°C, which was sintered at 1520°C for 3 h in air.
Assessing people with dementia: the role of the aged care assessment team and memory clinics
Authors: Rozsa M. , Ford A. , Flicker L.
Published: July 2016

Background

A cross‐sectional survey of all patients reviewed by the aged care assessment team (ACAT) service and memory clinics between 1 January and 31 December 2012. The ACAT catchment included an estimated 14 325 people over the age of 70.

Aims

To determine the numbers and outcomes of assessments for cognitive problems by the ACAT and hospital memory clinics for patients within a single ACAT catchment area.

Methods

Data collected included patient demographics, diagnoses, referral and pharmacological treatment. Flow of referrals to the services that diagnose and manage dementia, and the number of incident dementia cases diagnosed in 2012 were determined.

Results

The ACAT service assessed 1005 patients from the catchment, of which 241 patients already had a diagnosis of dementia. When compared with the estimated dementia prevalence in Australia, 19% of prevalent dementia cases (n = 1260) within the catchment were reviewed by the ACAT. The two memory clinics saw a combined 186 new referrals (91 and 95 respectively) from within the catchment, with a total of 82 patients (22 and 60 respectively) receiving a new diagnosis of dementia. Using Australian estimates of dementia incidence, this would suggest 29% of 286 incident cases were managed through these memory clinics.

Conclusions

Geriatric services are responsible for the assessment and management of a large proportion of the estimated number of patients with dementia in this catchment area. Further resourcing and standardisation of the pathways to dementia assessment is required in Australia in order to diagnose and manage effectively people with dementia.
Achalasia: Outcome in children
Authors: Meyer Anell , Catto‐Smith Anthony , Crameri Joe , Simpson Di , Alex George , Hardikar Winita , Cameron Donald , Oliver Mark
Published: July 2016

Background

Oesophageal achalasia is well‐recognized but relatively rare in children, occasionally appearing as the “triple A” syndrome (with adrenal insufficiency and alacrima). Treatment modalities, as in adult practice, are not curative, often needing further interventions and spurring the search for better management. The outcome for syndromic variants is unknown. We sought to define the efficacy of treatments for children with achalasia with and without triple A syndrome.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of presentation and outcomes for 42 children with achalasia presenting over three decades to a major pediatric referral center. Long term impact of the diagnosis was assessed by questionnaire.

Results

We identified 42 children including six with triple A syndrome. The median overall age at diagnosis was 10.8 years and median follow‐up 1593 days. Initial Heller myotomy in 17 required further interventions in 11 (65%), while initial treatment with botulinum toxin (n = 20) was ultimately followed by myotomy in 17 (85%). Ten out of 35 patients who underwent myotomy required a repeat myotomy (29%). Patients with triple A syndrome developed symptoms earlier, but had delayed diagnosis, were more underweight at diagnosis and at last follow up. Questionnaire results suggested a significant long term deleterious impact on the quality of life of children and their families.

Conclusion

Many children with achalasia relapse after initial treatment, undergoing multiple, different procedures, despite which symptoms persist and impact on quality of life. Symptoms develop earlier in patients with triple A syndrome, but the diagnosis is delayed and this has substantial nutritional impact.
Growth status of children with autism spectrum disorder: a case–control study
Authors: Barnhill K. , Gutierrez A. , Ghossainy M. , Marediya Z. , Marti C. N. , Hewitson L.
Published: July 2016

Background

Children with autism spectrum disorder are at risk of a compromised dietary intake and nutritional status that could impact growth over both the short and long term. The limited body of published research addressing this concern has been contradictory and inconclusive to date.

Methods

This case–control study investigated the height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and other anthropometric measurements of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Eighty‐six children with ASD and 57 healthy controls participated in the study. Caregivers of participants who met the inclusion criteria completed a health history questionnaire, provided information on dietary intake and feeding behaviour, and completed a nutrition physical with a healthcare professional, which provided all of the anthropometric measurements required for the study.

Results

Body mass index and BMI Z‐scores for females with ASD and corresponding healthy controls were significantly different. Female participants with ASD had significantly lower BMI and BMI Z‐scores than control participants. The prevalence of risk for failure‐to‐thrive status was consistent across ASD subjects and controls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was consistent across ASD subjects and controls. Children with ASD comprised 60% of the total number of children across BMI categories and mid‐arm muscle circumference percentile ranges, which is consistent with the proportion of children in the overall sample.

Conclusions

More research is needed to fully assess physical status and potential growth concerns of children with ASD. A full physical assessment should be a component of primary care for all children with ASD.
The nutrition and food‐related roles, experiences and support needs of female family carers of malnourished older rehabilitation patients
Authors: Marshall S. , Reidlinger D. P. , Young A. , Isenring E.
Published: July 2016

Background

To improve perceived value of nutrition support and patient outcomes, the present study aimed to determine the nutrition and food‐related roles, experiences and support needs of female family carers of community‐dwelling malnourished older adults admitted to rehabilitation units in rural New South Wales, Australia, both during admission and following discharge.

Methods

Four female family carers of malnourished rehabilitation patients aged ≥65 years were interviewed during their care‐recipients’ rehabilitation admission and again at 2 weeks post‐discharge. The semi‐structured interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed reflecting an interpretative phenomenological approach by three researchers. A series of ‘drivers’ relevant to the research question were agreed upon and discussed.

Results

Three drivers were identified. ‘Responsibility’ was related to the agency who assumed responsibility for providing nutrition support and understanding family carer obligation to provide nutrition support. ‘Family carer nutrition ethos’ was related to how carer nutrition beliefs, knowledge and values impacted the nutrition support they provided, the high self‐efficacy of family carers and an incongruence with an evidence‐based approach for treating malnutrition. ‘Quality of life’ was related to the carers’ focus upon quality of life as a nutrition strategy and outcome for their care‐recipients, as well as how nutrition support impacted upon carer burden.

Conclusions

Rehabilitation units and rehabilitation dietitians should recognise and support family carers of malnourished patients, which may ultimately lead to an improved perceived benefit of care and patient outcomes. Intervention research is required to make strong recommendations for practice.
Hepatic myelolipoma in two Goeldi's monkeys from South America held captive
Authors: Martins Mariana Castilho , Rahal Sheila Canevese , Mamprim Maria Jaqueline , Teixeira Rodrigo Hidalgo Friciello , Teixeira Carlos Roberto , Sequeira Júlio Lopes , Nóbrega Juliano
Published: July 2016

Two cases of hepatic myelolipoma in Goeldi's monkeys from South America are described. One was a female evaluated due progressive abdominal distension. Ultrasound and computed tomography detected hepatic mass. Partial hepatectomy was performed, but the monkey died after surgery. Case 2 was a male that died suddenly, showing non‐specific clinical signs.
THE DYNAMICS OF SUBCENTER FORMATION: MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, 1861–1906
Authors: Barr Jason , Tassier Troy
Published: July 2016

Midtown Manhattan is the largest business district in the country. Yet only a few miles to the south is another district centered at Wall Street. This paper aims to investigate when and why midtown emerged as a separate business district. We have created a new data set from historical New York City directories that provide the employment location, residence, and job type for several thousand residents in the late‐19th and early‐20th centuries. We supplement this data with additional records from historical business directories. The evidence suggests that early midtown firms appeared there in order to be closer to local residential customers who had been moving north on the island throughout the 19th century. Once several industries appeared in midtown, it triggered a spatial equilibrium readjustment in the 1880s, which then promoted the rise of skyscrapers in midtown around the turn of the 20th century. This process occurred several years before the opening of Grand Central Station in 1913.
Preemptive Mergers in a Vertically Differentiated Unionized Oligopoly
Authors: Mesa‐Sánchez Borja
Published: July 2016

In the context of an international unionized oligopoly with vertical differentiation, the pattern of mergers is investigated. We show that mergers between firms producing the same‐quality good lead wages to the reservation level, as well as maximize industry profits. However, it turns out that most of the market structure equilibria are shaped by mergers between producers of differentiated and homogeneous goods. This is so because mergers increase the market share of participating firms at the expense of that of the outsiders, leading to a scenario of preemptive mergers, where the main driving force can be to preempt rival mergers. Finally, it is shown that if three‐firm mergers are not allowed, the strategic behavior of firms is eliminated, mergers between same‐quality producers occur and social welfare is maximized.
Did Purchasing Power Parity Hold in Medieval Europe?
Authors: Bell Adrian R. , Brooks Chris , Moore Tony K.
Published: July 2016

This paper employs a unique, hand‐collected dataset of exchange rates for five major currencies (the lira of Barcelona, the pound sterling of England, the pond groot of Flanders, the florin of Florence and the livre tournois of France) to consider whether the law of one price and purchasing power parity held in Europe during the late fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries. Using single series and panel unit root and stationarity tests and cointegration analysis on 10 real exchange rates between 1383 and 1411, we show that the parity relationship held for the pound sterling and some of the Florentine florin series individually and for almost all of the groups that we investigate. Our findings add to the weight of evidence that trading and arbitrage activities stopped real exchange rates deviating permanently from fair values. This research extends the results reported in other studies back more than 600 years.
Resource predictability and specialization in avian malaria parasites
Authors: Svensson‐Coelho Maria , Loiselle Bette A. , Blake John G. , Ricklefs Robert E.
Published: July 2016

We tested the hypothesis that avian haemosporidian (malaria) parasites specialize on hosts that can be characterized as predictable resources at a site in Amazonian Ecuador. We incorporated host phylogenetic relationship and relative abundance in assessing parasite specialization, and we examined associations between parasite specialization and three host characteristics – abundance, mass and longevity – using quantile regression, phylogenetic logistic regression andt‐tests. Hosts of specialist malaria parasite lineages were on average more abundant than hosts of generalist parasite lineages, but the relationship between host abundance and parasite specialization was not consistent across analyses. We also found support for a positive association between parasite specialization and host longevity, but this also was not consistent across analyses. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that the predictability of a host resource may play a role in the evolution of specialization. However, we also discuss two alternative explanations to the resource predictability hypothesis for specialization: (i) that interspecific interactions among the parasites themselves might constrain some parasites to a specialist strategy, and (ii) that frequent encounters with multiple host species, mediated by blood‐sucking insects, might promote generalization within this system.
Can an Ontological Pluralist Really be a Realist?
Authors: Miller J. T. M.
Published: July 2016

This article examines whether it is possible to uphold one form of deflationism towards metaphysics, ontological pluralism (as defined by Eklund 2008), whilst maintaining metaphysical realism. The focus therefore is on one prominent deflationist who fits the definition of an ontological pluralist, Eli Hirsch, and his self‐ascription as a realist. The article argues that ontological pluralism is not amenable to the ascription of realism under some basic intuitions as to what a “realist” position is committed to. These basic intuitions include a commitment to more than a stuff‐ontology, and a view that realism carries with it more than a rejection of idealism. This issue is more than merely terminological. The ascription of realism is an important classification in order to understand what sorts of entities can be the truthmakers within a given theory. “Realism” is thus an important term to understand the nature of the entities that a given theory accepts into its ontology.
Meaning and Conversational Impropriety in Sceptical Contexts
Authors: Schönbaumsfeld Genia
Published: July 2016

According to “disjunctivist neo‐Mooreanism”—a position Duncan Pritchard develops in a recent book—it is possible to know the denials of radical sceptical hypotheses, even though it is conversationally inappropriate to claim such knowledge. In a recent paper, on the other hand, Pritchard expounds an “überhinge” strategy, according to which one cannot know the denials of sceptical hypotheses, as “hinge propositions” are necessarily groundless. The present article argues that neither strategy is entirely successful. For if a proposition can be known, it can also be claimed to be known. If the latter is not possible, this is not because certain propositions are either “intrinsically” conversationally inappropriate (as Pritchard claims in his book) or else “rationally groundless” (as Pritchard claims in his paper), but rather that we are dealing with something that merely presents us with the appearance of being an epistemic claim.
Mind, State, and Metaphor
Authors: Floyd Richard
Published: July 2016

This article examines the post‐Ryle developments in philosophy of mind and psychology, in particular tracing the emergence of the concept of a mental state. The climate immediately following the large‐scale rejection of Descartes seems rather hostile to the idea of mental properties as internal states that cause behaviour. In this context, the emergence of the reificatory view of mental states is quite surprising, and it appears to stem from Putnam's adoption of the Turing machine (including the Turing state) as a model for human psychology. I conclude that the success of the “mental state” is down to the fact that it neatly conforms to the picture painted by the metaphorical expressions we use when talking about minds and mental things, and that its success is more accidental than inevitable.
Carving Intuition at its Joints
Authors: Schukraft Jason
Published: July 2016

A central metaphilosophical project seeks to evaluate the reliability of the types of evidence that figure in philosophical arguments and, relatedly, the justificatory status of relying on those types of evidence. Traditionally, metaphilosophers have approached this project via an analysis of intuition. This article argues that the category picked out by “intuition” is both too broad and too heterogeneous to serve as the appropriate target for metaphilosophical inquiry. Intuition is a gerrymandered and disjunctive kind, undeserving of the widespread attention it receives in the literature. Instead, metaphilosophers should examine more finely grained mental states. Three promising strategies for parsing intuitions more finely are proposed: by their causal origins, by their context of employment, and by the exoticism of their content. This more narrow focus may significantly alter the dialectic in three prominent metaphilosophical arguments: the argument from calibration, the argument from self‐defeat, and the argument from intuitional sensitivity.
Truth Analysis of the Gettier Argument
Authors: Yakubu Yussif
Published: July 2016

Gettier (1963) presented the now famous Gettier problem as a challenge to epistemology. The methods Gettier used to construct his challenge, however, utilized certain principles of formal logic that are actually inappropriate for the natural language discourse of the Gettier cases. In that challenge to epistemology, Gettier also makes truth claims that would be considered controversial in analytic philosophy of language. The Gettier challenge has escaped scrutiny in these other relevant academic disciplines, however, because of its façade as an epistemological analysis. This article examines Gettier's methods with the analytical tools of logic and analytic philosophy of language.
Phytohormone sensing in the biotrophic fungus Ustilago maydis – the dual role of the transcription factor Rss1
Authors: Rabe Franziska , Seitner Denise , Bauer Lisa , Navarrete Fernando , Czedik‐Eysenberg Angelika , Rabanal Fernando A. , Djamei Armin
Published: July 2016

The phenolic compound salicylic acid (SA) is a key signalling molecule regulating local and systemic plant defense responses, mainly against biotrophs. Many microbial organisms, including pathogens, share the ability to degrade SA. However, the mechanism by which they perceive SA is unknown. Here we show that Ustilago maydis, the causal agent of corn smut disease, employs a so far uncharacterized SA sensing mechanism. We identified and characterized the novel SA sensing regulator, Rss1, a binuclear zinc cluster protein with dual functions as putative SA receptor and transcriptional activator regulating genes important for SA and tryptophan degradation. Rss1 represents a major component in the identified SA sensing pathway during the fungus’ saprophytic stage. However, Rss1 does not have a detectable impact on virulence. The data presented in this work indicate that alternative or redundant sensing cascades exist that regulate the expression of SA‐responsive genes in U. maydis during its pathogenic development.
Opposing PKA and Hog1 signals control the post‐transcriptional response to glucose availability in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Banerjee Dithi , Bloom Amanda L. M. , Panepinto John C.
Published: July 2016

The pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans must adapt to glucose‐limited conditions in the lung and glucose replete conditions upon dissemination to the brain. We report that glucose controls ribosome biogenesis and translation by modulating mRNA decay through a balance of PKA and Hog1 signalling. Glucose signalling through PKA stabilized ribosomal protein (RP) mRNAs whereas glucose starvation destabilized RP transcripts through Hog1. Glucose starvation‐induced oxidative stress response genes, and treatment of glucose‐fed cells with reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating compounds repressed RP transcripts, both of which were dependent on Hog1. Stabilization of RP transcripts led to retention of polysomes in a hog1Δ mutant, whereas stabilization of RP transcripts by cyclic AMP did not affect translation repression, suggesting that Hog1 alone signals translation repression. In sum, this work describes a novel antagonism between PKA and Hog1 controlling ribosome biogenesis via mRNA stability in response to glucose availability in this important human pathogen.
Study of angiogenic signaling pathways in hemangioblastoma
Authors: Pierscianek Daniela , Wolf Stefanie , Keyvani Kathy , El Hindy Nicolai , Stein Klaus‐Peter , Sandalcioglu I. Erol , Sure Ulrich , Mueller Oliver , Zhu Yuan
Published: July 2016

Hemangioblastoma (HB) is mainly located in the brain and the spinal cord. The tumor is composed of two major components, namely neoplastic stromal cells and abundant microvessels. Thus, hyper‐vascularization is the hallmark of this tumor. Despite the identification of germline and/or epigenetic mutations of Von Hippel Lindau (VHL) gene as an important pathogenic mechanism of HB, little is known about the molecular signaling involved in this highly vascularized tumor. The present study investigated the key players of multiple angiogenic signaling pathways including VEGF/VEGFR2, EphB4/EphrinB2, SDF1α/CXCR4 and Notch/Dll4 pathways in surgical specimens of 22 HB. The expression of key angiogenic factors was detected by RT2‐PCR and Western blot. Immunofluorescent staining revealed the cellular localization of these proteins. We demonstrated a massive upregulation of mRNA levels of VEGF and VEGFR2, CXCR4 and SDF1α, EphB4 and EphrinB2, as well as the main components of Dll4‐Notch signaling in HB. An increase in the protein expression of VEGF, CXCR4 and the core‐components of Dll4‐Notch signaling was associated with an activation of Akt and Erk1/2 and accompanied by an elevated expression of PCNA. Immuofluorescent staining revealed the expression of VEGF and CXCR4 in endothelial cells as well as in tumor cells. Dll4 protein was predominantly found in tumor cells, whereas EphB4 immunoreactivity was exclusively detected in endothelial cells. We conclude that multiple key angiogenic pathways were activated in HB, which may synergistically contribute to the abundant vascularization in this tumor. Identification of these aberrant pathways provides potential targets for a possible future application of anti‐angiogenic therapy for this tumor, particularly when a total surgical resection becomes difficult due to the localization or multiplicity of the tumor.
Hybridization between the locally endangeredRosa spinosissimaandRosa mollisresults in the pentaploidRosa×sabiniiin western Norway
Authors: Andersen Heidi L. , Næss Samson J. , Salvesen Per H.
Published: July 2016

Rosa spinosissimais an endangered species in Norway, found only within a limited area on the southwestern coast. Presumed hybrid forms betweenR. spinosissimaand rose species withinR. sect.Caninaehave been recorded from this area since the late 19th century. Here, analyses of such hybrid plants and selected populations of the tentative parent species were performed using AFLP markers, nuclear DNA content, pollen viability and seed germination rates, in addition to classic morphometric analysis. It is established that the hybrid rose represents a single hybrid taxon, vizRosa × sabinii, formed by recurrent asymmetrical hybridization events betweenR. spinosissimaandR. mollis, with the latter being the obligate ovule donor. The evidence presented does not indicate hybridization with other co‐occurring rose species, or of introgression fromR. mollisintoR. spinosissimathrough backcrossing withR. ×sabinii.
Tear gas: an epidemiological and mechanistic reassessment
Authors: Rothenberg Craig , Achanta Satyanarayana , Svendsen Erik R. , Jordt Sven‐Eric
Published: July 2016

Deployments of tear gas and pepper spray have rapidly increased worldwide. Large amounts of tear gas have been used in densely populated cities, including Cairo, Istanbul, Rio de Janeiro, Manama (Bahrain), and Hong Kong. In the United States, tear gas was used extensively during recent riots in Ferguson, Missouri. Whereas tear gas deployment systems have rapidly improved—with aerial drone systems tested and requested by law enforcement—epidemiological and mechanistic research have lagged behind and have received little attention. Case studies and recent epidemiological studies revealed that tear gas agents can cause lung, cutaneous, and ocular injuries, with individuals affected by chronic morbidities at high risk for complications. Mechanistic studies identified the ion channels TRPV1 and TRPA1 as targets of capsaicin in pepper spray, and of the tear gas agents chloroacetophenone, CS, and CR. TRPV1 and TRPA1 localize to pain‐sensing peripheral sensory neurons and have been linked to acute and chronic pain, cough, asthma, lung injury, dermatitis, itch, and neurodegeneration. In animal models, transient receptor potential inhibitors show promising effects as potential countermeasures against tear gas injuries. On the basis of the available data, a reassessment of the health risks of tear gas exposures in the civilian population is advised, and development of new countermeasures is proposed.
Esophagectomy for end‐stage achalasia
Authors: Felix Valter Nilton
Published: July 2016

End‐stage achalasia is rarely effectively addressed with conservative treatments, as food must traverse a serpiginous route to reach the stomach. Botox injections in the setting of end‐stage achalasia will likely provide minimal temporary palliation at best, pneumatic dilation has higher risks of perforation, and laparoscopic myotomy, while minimally invasive, has presented poor results. Under these circumstances, there are many proposed procedures to restore a viable alimentary condition to patients, from partial to subtotal resection of the esophagus; each of procedures confers both advantages and specific risks. Subtotal esophagectomy must be indicated for end‐stage disease (tortuous or sigmoid esophagus) and persistent dysphagia after failed interventions. When performed by experienced hands, the procedure can be undertaken successfully, with acceptable postoperative morbidity and mortality, improvement of symptoms, and a good long‐term quality of life in the majority of patients.
Effects of leaf water evaporative 2H‐enrichment and biosynthetic fractionation on leaf wax n‐alkane δ2H values in C3 and C4 grasses
Authors: Gamarra B. , Sachse D. , Kahmen A.
Published: July 2016

Leaf wax n‐alkane δ2H values carry important information about environmental and ecophysiological processes in plants. However, the physiological and biochemical drivers that shape leaf wax n‐alkane δ2H values are not completely understood. It is particularly unclear why n‐alkanes in grasses are typically 2H‐depleted compared with plants from other taxonomic groups such as dicotyledonous plants and why C3 grasses are 2H‐depleted compared with C4 grasses. To resolve these uncertainties, we quantified the effects of leaf water evaporative 2H‐enrichment and biosynthetic hydrogen isotope fractionation on n‐alkane δ2H values for a range of C3 and C4 grasses grown in climate‐controlled chambers. We found that only a fraction of leaf water evaporative 2H‐enrichment is imprinted on the leaf wax n‐alkane δ2H values in grasses. This is interesting, as previous studies have shown in dicotyledonous plants a nearly complete transfer of this 2H‐enrichment to the n‐alkane δ2H values. We thus infer that the typically observed 2H‐depletion of n‐alkanes in grasses (as opposed to dicots) is because only a fraction of the leaf water evaporative 2H‐enrichment is imprinted on the δ2H values. Our experiments also show that differences in n‐alkane δ2H values between C3 and C4 grasses are largely the result of systematic differences in biosynthetic fractionation between these two plant groups, which was on average −198‰ and−159‰ for C3 and C4 grasses, respectively.
Biochemical basis of sulphenomics: how protein sulphenic acids may be stabilized by the protein microenvironment
Authors: Trost P. , Fermani S. , Calvaresi M. , Zaffagnini M.
Published: July 2016

Among protein residues, cysteines are one of the prominent candidates to ROS‐mediated and RNS‐mediated post‐translational modifications, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is the main ROS candidate for inducing cysteine oxidation. The reaction with H2O2 is not common to all cysteine residues, being their reactivity an utmost prerequisite for the sensitivity towards H2O2. Indeed, only deprotonated Cys (i.e. thiolate form, S−) can react with H2O2 leading to sulphenic acid formation (SOH), which is considered as a major/central player of ROS sensing pathways. However, cysteine sulphenic acids are generally unstable because they can be further oxidized to irreversible forms (sulphinic and sulphonic acids, SO2H and SO3H, respectively), or alternatively, they can proceed towards further modifications including disulphide bond formation (SS), S‐glutathionylation (SSG) and sulphenamide formation (SN). To understand why and how cysteine residues undergo primary oxidation to sulphenic acid, and to explore the stability of cysteine sulphenic acids, a combination of biochemical, structural and computational studies are required. Here, we will discuss the current knowledge of the structural determinants for cysteine reactivity and sulphenic acid stability within protein microenvironments.
Shifting expectations of partners' responsiveness changes outcomes of conflict discussions
Authors: MARIGOLD DENISE C. , ANDERSON JOANNA E.
Published: July 2016

Expecting responsiveness from a partner may increase the chance of successful conflict resolution through a self‐fulfilling prophecy. Such expectations derive in part from people's history of receiving responsiveness and from their belief that their partner values them (S. L. Murray, J. G. Holmes, & N. L. Collins, 2006). This belief can be fostered by having individuals reframe a partner's compliment in an abstract way (D. C. Marigold, J. G. Holmes, & M. Ross, 2007). In this study, 96 dating couples were randomly assigned to complete a compliment reframing intervention (or not) prior to discussing a conflict. Without intervention, couples who typically had a lot of conflict reported less positive expectations of their partner for the upcoming discussion and subsequently worse outcomes than low‐conflict couples; these differences were eliminated in the compliment reframing condition. This research demonstrates the importance of perceived value and expectations of responsiveness in shaping the outcomes of conflict discussions, suggesting additional points of intervention beyond communication skills for high‐conflict couples.
Immunoprotective effect of lentinan in combination with miltefosine on Leishmania‐infected J‐774A.1 macrophages
Authors: Shivahare R. , Ali W. , Singh U. S. , Natu S. M. , Khattri S. , Puri S. K. , Gupta S.
Published: July 2016

Rejuvenation of deteriorated host immune functions is imperative for successful annihilation of Leishmania parasites. The use of immunomodulatory agents may have several advantages as they conquer immunosuppression and, when given in combination, improve current therapeutic regimens. We herein investigated the immunostimulatory potency of a β‐glucan, lentinan either alone or in combination with short dose of standard drug, miltefosine on Leishmania‐infected J‐774A.1 macrophages. Our study shows that infected macrophages when stimulated with 2.5 μg/mL and above concentrations of lentinan secreted significant amount of host‐protective molecules. The in vitro interaction between lentinan and miltefosine showed some synergy (mean sum of fractional inhibitory concentration [mean ∑FIC] 0.87) at IC50 level. Lentinan (2.5 μg/mL) plus low‐dose miltefosine (2 μM) displayed heightened level of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, IL‐12 (13.6‐fold) and TNF‐α (6.8‐fold) along with nitric oxide (7.2‐fold higher) when compared with infected control. In combination group, we also observed remarkably (P<.001) suppressed levels of anti‐inflammatory cytokines, IL‐10 and TGF‐β, than that of untreated macrophages. Additionally, in comparison with infected group, we observed significant induction in phagocytic activity of macrophages in combination with treated group. Collectively, these findings emphasize the immunostimulatory effect of lentinan alone and in combination with low dose of miltefosine against Leishmania donovani.
Reduced amygdala responsivity during conditioning to trauma‐related stimuli in posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Diener Slawomira J. , Nees Frauke , Wessa Michèle , Wirtz Gustav , Frommberger Ulrich , Penga Tina , Ruttorf Michaela , Ruf Matthias , Schmahl Christian , Flor Herta
Published: July 2016

Exaggerated conditioned fear responses and impaired extinction along with amygdala overactivation have been observed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These fear responses might be triggered by cues related to the trauma through higher‐order conditioning, where reminders of the trauma may serve as unconditioned stimuli (US) and could maintain the fear response. We compared arousal, valence, and US expectancy ratings and BOLD brain responses using fMRI in 14 traumatized persons with PTSD and 14 without PTSD (NPTSD) and 13 matched healthy controls (HC) in a differential aversive conditioning paradigm. The US were trauma‐specific pictures for the PTSD and NPTSD group and equally aversive and arousing for the HC; the conditioned stimuli (CS) were graphic displays. During conditioning, the PTSD patients compared to the NPTSD and HC indicated higher arousal to the conditioned stimulus that was paired with the trauma picture (CS+) compared to the unpaired (CS−), increased dissociation during acquisition and extinction, and failure to extinguish the CS/US‐association compared to NPTSD. During early and late acquisition, the PTSD patients showed a significantly lower amygdala activation to CS+ versus CS− and a negative interaction between activation in the amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), while NPTSD and HC displayed a negative interaction between amygdala and medial PFC. These findings suggest maladaptive anticipatory coping with trauma‐related stimuli in patients with PTSD, indicated by enhanced conditioning, with related abnormal amygdala reactivity and connectivity, and delayed extinction.
Long‐term Effects of Pyrethrin and Cyfluthrin, a Type II Synthetic Pyrethroid, Insecticide Applications on Bull Reproductive Parameters
Authors: Stewart JL , Shipley CF , Ireland FA , Jarrell VL , Timlin CL , Shike DW , Felix TL
Published: July 2016

Contents

The objectives of this study were to determine effects of cyfluthrin and pyrethrin spray products, used in combination with cyfluthrin topical and ear tag applications, on bull reproductive parameters over 18 weeks. Angus or Angus x Simmental bulls were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: (i) no exposure to pyrethrins/cyfluthrin (CONT; n = 10), (ii) cyfluthrin ear tag and topical applications (ET; n = 10), or (iii) cyfluthrin ear tag, topical, premise spray and pyrethrin fog spray applications (ET+S; n = 8). Bull body weight was measured every 3 week, and body condition score and scrotal circumference were recorded on weeks 0, 9 and 18. Semen and serum were collected every 3 weeks for sperm evaluation and testosterone measurement, respectively. There was a treatment × week interaction (p < 0.01) for sperm with primary defects; bulls in CONT group had a greater (p = 0.01) percentage of sperm with primary defects than bulls treated with insecticides at week 18. Overall and progressive sperm motility, normal sperm morphology, secondary sperm defects and serum testosterone concentrations changed (p < 0.01) over time in all bulls; however, treatment did not affect (p ≥ 0.13) any of these parameters. There were also no treatment effects (p ≥ 0.08) on bull body weight, body condition score or scrotal circumference. The use of pyrethrin‐ and cyfluthrin‐based insecticides, regardless of application, did not negatively affect reproductive parameters in beef bulls when administered over 18 weeks.
Subnational Responses to Fracking in Canada: Explaining Saskatchewan's “Wild West” Regulatory Approach
Authors: Carter Angela V. , Eaton Emily M.
Published: July 2016

This article assesses the regulatory response to fracking by Saskatchewan, Canada's second largest oil‐producing province. Public officials and industry representatives claim fracking regulations are “comprehensive” and “robust”; however, there has been no comparative assessment of this claim. To address this gap, we outline the dominant regulatory pathways of U.S. states and Canadian provinces, ranging from applying existing regulations with minimal revisions, to enacting broader revisions or bans. We account for this variation using a framework from Davis () emphasizing governments’ dependence on the oil sector, the level of support for fracking among elected officials and policy makers, and the influence of key “constituencies.” The article then traces the growth and impact of fracking in Saskatchewan and analyzes new trends in the province's regulation of fracking. Given the province's application of existing regulations with minimal revisions and active weakening of enforcement, we identify Saskatchewan as taking Rabe and Borick's () “conventional” regulatory approach, typical of Davis's “energy dominant” states.
Enhancing Precision and Clarity in the Study of Policy Narratives: An Analysis of Climate and Air Issues in Delhi, India
Authors: Weible Christopher M. , Olofsson Kristin L. , Costie Daniel P. , Katz Juniper M. , Heikkila Tanya
Published: July 2016

The study of policy narratives is challenged by inconsistencies and a need for more precise definitions and measurements. The goals of this article are to build precision and clarity in the study of policy narratives by developing a network‐based approach—the ego‐alter dyad—for coding characters and their interactions around a policy issue and then to illustrate this approach in the analysis of air and climate issues in Delhi, India. The empirical results show that (1) the same actors are often heroes and villains, (2) heroes and villains are associated with different actions but with similar victims or beneficiaries, (3) narrators differ in their propensity to tell hero‐heavy or villain‐heavy policy narratives, and (4) the proportion of hero‐heavy or villain‐heavy policy narratives changes over time and differs across subtopics. The article concludes with a research agenda for further theoretical and methodological advancement in studying policy narratives.
Identification of five novel MHC class II alleles in cynomolgus macaques of Vietnamese origin
Authors: Wang W. , Lu Y.‐E. , Zhuo M. , Ling F.
Published: July 2016

We report here the identification of one Mafa‐DPA1 and four Mafa‐DQB1 novel alleles of Vietnamese cynomolgus macaques.
Results of clubfoot treatment after manipulation and casting using the Ponseti method: experience in Harare, Zimbabwe
Authors: Smythe Tracey , Chandramohan Daniel , Bruce Jane , Kuper Hannah , Lavy Christopher , Foster Allen
Published: July 2016

Objectives

The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of the Ponseti manipulation and casting method for clubfoot in a tertiary hospital in Zimbabwe and explore predictors of these outcomes.

Methods

A cohort study included children with idiopathic clubfoot managed from 2011 to 2013 at Parirenyatwa Hospital. Demographic data, clinical features and treatment outcomes were extracted from clinic records. The primary outcome measure was the final Pirani score (clubfoot severity measure) after manipulation and casting. Secondary outcomes included change in Pirani score (pre‐treatment to end of casting), number of casts for correction, proportion receiving tenotomy and proportion lost to follow up.

Results

A total of 218 children (337 feet) were eligible for inclusion. The median age at treatment was 8 months; 173 children (268 feet) completed casting treatment within the study period. The mean length of time for corrective treatment was 10.2 weeks (9.5–10.9 weeks). Of the 45 children who did not complete treatment, 28 were under treatment and 17 were lost to follow up. A Pirani score of 1 or less was achieved in 85% of feet. Mean Pirani score at presentation was 3.80 (SD 1.15) and post‐treatment 0.80 (SD 0.56, P‐value <0.0001). Severity of deformity and being male were associated with a higher (worse) final Pirani score. Severity and age over two were associated with an increase in the number of casts required to correct deformity.

Conclusion

This case series demonstrates that the majority (80%+) of children with clubfoot can achieve a good outcome with the Ponseti manipulation and casting method.
Sensitive whole mount in situ localization of small RNAs in plants
Authors: Ghosh Dastidar Mouli , Mosiolek Magdalena , Bleckmann Andrea , Dresselhaus Thomas , Nodine Michael D. , Maizel Alexis
Published: July 2016

Small RNAs, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), regulate gene expression and play important roles in many plant processes. Although our knowledge of their biogenesis and mode of action has significantly progressed, we still have comparatively little information about their biological functions. In particular, knowledge about their spatio‐temporal expression patterns rely on either indirect detection by use of reporter constructs or labor‐intensive direct detection by in situ hybridization on sectioned material. None of the current approaches allows a systematic investigation of small RNA expression patterns. Here, we present a sensitive method for in situ detection of miRNAs and siRNAs in intact plant tissues that utilizes both double‐labeled probes and a specific cross‐linker. We determined the expression patterns of several small RNAs in diverse plant tissues.