bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Amphiregulin promotes the immunosuppressive activity of intrahepatic CD4+ regulatory T cells to impair CD8+ T‐cell immunity against hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Dai Kai , Huang Ling , Chen Jing , Yang Lihua , Gong Zuojiong
Published: October 2014

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection causes liver diseases and hepatocellular carcinoma. Immunotolerance in HBV‐infected patients is one of the factors that incur failure of HBV clearance and persistent HBV amplification. However, the mechanisms underlying immunotolerance after HBV infection are yet to be thoroughly understood. Using a novel HBV mouse model, we found for the first time that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is up‐regulated on intrahepatic regulatory T (Treg) cells in HBV‐infected mouse livers. The EGFR‐positive Treg cells are more immunosuppressive than EGFR‐negative Treg cells, demonstrated by higher expression of immunosuppressive cytokines and robust inhibition of CD8+ T‐cell proliferation in vitro. Furthermore, EGFR‐positive Treg cells potently restrain CD8+ T‐cell‐mediated anti‐viral activity, leading to higher HBV burden in hepatocytes. Amphiregulin, a cytokine of the EGF family, is significantly up‐regulated in HBV‐infected livers, but the cellular sources of amphiregulin are still elusive. Amphiregulin promotes the immunosuppressive activity of EGFR‐positive Treg cells in vitro, so as to profoundly inhibit production of anti‐viral components in CD8+ T cells. Taken together, our discovery elucidated a novel mechanism contributing to immunotolerance and viral amplification after HBV infection. Our study may provide new clues for developing therapeutic strategies against HBV infection.
De‐Schooling Art and Design: Illich Redux
Authors: Hardy Tom
Published: October 2014

Using Ivan Illich's seminal works, Deschooling Society and Tools for Conviviality as touchstones, this paper returns to further pursue the thrust of my article in iJADE 25.3 (2006), ‘Domain poisoning: the redundancy of current models of assessment through art’, and might be considered as a more radical addendum. The central strand of Illich's work on ‘deschooling’ is an indictment of the trend to dehumanisation and the counterproductivity which results from institutionalisation. This paper argues that it is time to revisit Illich's call for deschooling with particular reference to the teaching of art and design, and, in turn, to look at the construct of the art teacher for the twenty‐first century as connoisseur/critic/animateur, aloof from the world of domain‐based assessment. As has been suggested many times before within these pages and beyond, accountability makes teachers risk averse. In short, this article suggests that it is time that we took a structural risk and removed this glass ceiling to aspiration while calling for complete deregulation of art and design education and the reinstatement of the art teacher as an autonomous ‘agent of change’.
The Art of the Impossible? A Case Study and Reflections on the Experience of Art in a Rural Kenyan Primary School
Authors: Gregory Peter
Published: October 2014

The arguments for, and justification of, the value of teaching art in school have been made previously, but contextually these are often situated in Western affluence. This article explores the issues with a strikingly contrasted setting. The rural school in the study is approximately 30 minutes' drive from the nearest town, and the pupils are drawn from the surrounding rural bush area which is itself developmentally and materially poor in comparison to the UK. In school, the poverty seemed initially to relate to a lack of educational resources, but the reality experienced in the classroom may have also been linked to other issues. These included the desperate preoccupation with survival in difficult climatic conditions, a postcolonial legacy and the delicate balance of utilising resources without waste. What conclusions might then be drawn about the teaching of art? Utilising the work of others who have considered the issues in Kenya, this small‐scale ethnographic case study is presented with personal reflection and observations. The author would be pleased to hear from others with similar experiences or who have recognised additional issues in seemingly challenging circumstances.
Body‐Building: A Female Student's Use of the Transitional Spaces of a Painting Degree Course to Explore her Sexual Desirability and Aesthetics as a ‘Grotesque’ Female Body
Authors: Chittenden Tara
Published: October 2014

Whilst a part of the fine art degree course is about teaching technical skills and learning from tutor/peer group crits, a larger part is about the facilitation of a ‘safe’ and structured space in which students gain the confidence to experiment with personal ideas, to hone a self‐critical reflection and understand who they are as individuals, before being cast out into the world as ‘artist’. In this article I examine the thought processes and decision‐making of one undergraduate female painting student. For this student, who struggled to find her own ‘grotesque’ female body image in the canon of art historical works or contemporary popular media, the spaces of the painting degree course created a frame for possible enactments of identity and desire, as well as for playing with roles and practices. Through a mix of interviews with the student, viewing her visual work and written narratives, I analyse how she was able to carve out a space for her visual representation within the institutional frame. My analysis reveals how this student uses the transitional spaces of the degree course to develop creative strategies through which to explore her sexual desirability and aesthetic self. As an individual who felt marginalised from the visual realm of the ‘body beautiful’, the degree course offered an important refuge where she could examine how she felt about her own body and develop a confidence and character to present her body to the world.
Making Meaningful: Intention in Children's Art Making
Authors: Malin Heather
Published: October 2014

Children's art work has often been the subject of study by researchers seeking to gain insight into the role of art making in children's learning and development. However, rarely are children's own explanations of their art making used to inform these studies. Children's perceptions of their own art making are important for research and practice in art education, because their artistic experiences and motivations determine how they will engage in and respond to art making activities. This study used ethnographic methods to learn about the art making that took place over the course of one year in an elementary school art room, and to gain insight into the students' experiences and perceptions of art‐making activity. Data were analysed using a socio‐cultural framework. By asking children why they made art and exploring children's own explanations of their art making, this study reveals some of the important intentions that children bring to their artistic activity, and some of the ways that children make meaning through art making.
A Chaotic Intervention: Creativity and Peer Learning in Design Education
Authors: Budge Kylie , Beale Claire , Lynas Emma
Published: October 2014

Peer feedback and critique is integral to the creative practice of studio‐based textile designers. In a creative learning context, how do students perceive the role of peer feedback and critique? What conditions do students identify as being important to stimulating creativity in a collaborative peer feedback and critique‐driven learning environment?

This article highlights research conducted in one undergraduate textile design programme of an urban Australian university based on a small‐scale designed learning intervention. Our study set out to explore: (1) what students thought about creativity; (2) the conditions which supported its development; and (3) the role of peer learning and critique in the learning experience of design students in a studio‐based environment. Qualitative data were collected from students about their views on creativity, peer learning and the intersection of these two areas both prior to and after the intervention. Staff observations and reflections were also explored. Findings include an increased awareness of the role of peer learning in the creative process for the majority of students. For staff, important revelations unfolded about the role of the group in peer learning and critiques, the elusive nature of creativity itself, the inherent nature of creative disciplines, and the importance of particular physical and mental environment(s) in creative studio‐based learning and teaching.

This study highlighted that studio‐based learning environments (involving peer feedback and critique as a critical component of the creative process) need to consider the group dynamic at play and carefully design learning interventions accordingly.
The Prefabricated Interior Design Studio: An Exploration into the History and Sustainability of Interior Prefabrication
Authors: Schneiderman Deborah , Freihoefer Kara
Published: October 2014

This article examines the integration of prefabrication into an interior design studio. A review of the literature revealed that while there is a paucity of categorical research focused on this subject, the subject is historically significant with an abundance of evidence regarding the prefabrication of the interior environment dating back thousands of years. The studio began with a research report, which uncovered a lack of specific topical historical evidence correlating prefabrication with interior design. Next, a series of lectures defined the topic ‘Prefabricated Interior Design’ and introduced sustainable strategies in prefabrication. Finally, students were instructed to create and assemble three separate prefabricated design studies. At the end of the instructional semester students were questioned about their education, attitudes, and professional objectives toward Prefabricated Interior Design. The survey uncovered that students feel Prefabricated Interior Design is ‘unrepresented’ in historical content and professional practice. The survey also revealed that students' initial awareness of prefabrication in interior design is weak, however, with the implementation of the topic into a studio‐based course their attitudes and perceptions toward prefabrication heightened.
Between invisible defects and visible impact: the life experiences of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease
Authors: Chiang Yueh‐Tao , Chen Chi‐Wen , Su Wen‐Jen , Wang Jou‐Kou , Lu Chun‐Wei , Li Yuh‐Fen , Moons Philip
Published: October 2014

Aim

To describe the life experiences of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease.

Background

Owing to medical advances, most children with congenital heart disease are expected to survive into adulthood. The transitional development from adolescence to adult is the critical period for fostering self‐care.

Design

Descriptive phenomenological study.

Methods

Thirty‐five patients of 15–24 years old with congenital heart disease were recruited from paediatric cardiology clinics by purposive sampling. They were individually interviewed between October 2012–February 2013 using a semi‐structured interview guideline and joined adult congenital heart disease clinics at two medical centres in northern Taiwan. The data were analysed using descriptive phenomenological method developed by Giorgi.

Findings

The essence of the life experience of adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease involves a dynamic process of moving between invisible defects and coexistence with the disease. Six themes emerged: (1) invisible defects: the existence of imperfect understanding; (2) conflict: interpersonal frustrations; (3) imbalance: the loss of self‐balance; (4) suffering: increasing anxiety; (5) encounters: meeting needs; and (6) coexistence: positive coping strategies.

Conclusion

As patients with congenital heart disease transition from adolescence into adulthood, they must learn about their disease, overcome frustration and anxiety and develop self‐care strategies for coexisting with congenital heart disease. Results of this study may serve as clinical care guidelines for adolescents and young adults with congenital heart disease and give a reference for developing transitional intervention strategies.
Individual genetic and genomic variation: a new opportunity for personalized nursing interventions
Authors: Munro Cindy L.
Published: October 2014

Aims

A discussion of the potential for improving nursing interventions through tailoring in consideration of patients’ individual genetic/genomic variation.

Background

Nurses have not yet maximized use of genetic/genomic information in planning and delivering nursing care outside of the context of monogenetic disease. Approaches from personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics have not yet been applied to development or delivery of nursing interventions. There are potentially many nursing interventions that would be more effective if they were individually tailored to the patient's genetic/genomic profile.

Design

Discussion paper.

Data sources

Published literature from 2008–2014 (one legacy paper from 1994 is also cited); Wellcome Trust and Genome.gov websites.

Implications for nursing

There is a need for development of genetic/genomic research that directly addresses questions vital to nursing science, including biological plausibility studies. Research is also needed to inform the design and delivery of nursing interventions for common complex diseases tailored to consider genetic/genomic variability. Predicting responses to nursing interventions based on genetic/genomic variability may increase the probability that the first intervention employed will lead to optimal outcomes for each patient.

Conclusion

Integrating genetic/genomic variability, from biological plausibility research through intervention research into evidence‐based practice, has the potential to move nursing forward.
Academic career intention beyond the PhD: can the theory of planned behavior explain gender differences?
Authors: Evers Andrea , Sieverding Monika
Published: October 2014

Are women less interested in becoming professors than men? We applied the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to investigate the intention to pursue an academic career. Postdocs who recently finished their PhD at a German university participated in an online survey (N = 380, mean age: 33; 45% women). Women reported lower academic career intentions (d = 0.40); TPB variables (attitude, subjective norm, self‐efficacy) explained 87% of this gender difference. At an 8 month follow‐up, we found no gender difference in the intention to continue in an academic career among the postdocs who were still working in academia (n = 129). Addressing TPB constructs early in women's academic careers could encourage them to remain in academia and strive for a professorship.
Large‐scale international study enhances understanding of an emerging acne population: adult females
Authors: Dréno B. , Thiboutot D. , Layton A.M. , Berson D. , Perez M. , Kang S. ,   the Global Alliance to Improve Outcomes in Acne
Published: October 2014

Background

Acne vulgaris is increasingly recognized in adult women; however, few studies have formally evaluated the clinical presentation and factors associated with acne in this population.

Methods

This prospective, observational international study evaluated the clinical characteristics and lifestyle correlates of acne in adults (≥25 years) at a dermatology visit for acne. Investigators conducted a detailed clinical examination and administered a validated questionnaire that covered medical history, disease evolution, lifestyle habits, previous treatments, skin care and quality of life.

Results

In this study (n = 374), acne was mild or clear/almost clear in 47.3% of subjects; however, the study visit was not required to be an initial consultation for acne and as such, many patients were already on treatment. Most women (89.8%) had acne involving multiple facial zones (cheeks, forehead, mandibular area, temples) with a spectrum of facial acne severity similar to adolescents. Mixed facial acne (both inflammatory and non‐inflammatory lesions present) was the most common presentation; 6.4% of women had inflammatory acne only (no non‐inflammatory lesions reported) and 17.1% had comedonal acne with no inflammatory lesions. Truncal acne was present in 48.4% of patients. A small subset (11.2%) had acne localized only to the mandibular area. Compared to the women without localized acne, those with mandibular acne were more likely to be employed (90.5% vs. 78.6%), reported greater daily stress levels (5.8 vs. 5.1), and were more likely to say their jobs were psychologically stressful (71.4% vs. 57.5%). Women with mandibular acne alone were significantly less likely to have a global acne severity rating of moderate or higher (7.1% vs. 50.1%), truncal acne (19.0% vs. 51.9%), post‐inflammatory hyperpigmentation (23.8% vs. 51.9%) and erythema (19.0% vs. 48.4%). At the completion of the study visit, this group was also more likely to receive a prescription for an anti‐androgen (16.7% vs. 7.7%).

Conclusions

This study represents the first objective assessment of the facial distribution of acne lesions in adult women presenting to the dermatology office. The data surprisingly indicate that the acne distribution in almost 90% of cases is similar to that seen in adolescent acne. The stereotype of adult female acne being due to hormonal disturbances presenting as inflammatory acne localized only to the mandibular area was not found in the majority of this large group. The large majority (93.7%) of women had facial comedones. We recommend that the general treatment approach for adult acne should include agents that target each of the acne lesion subtypes. Subgroup analyses of recent large‐scale controlled clinical trials have shown that many adult women respond well to standard first‐line acne therapy.
Adaptive landscape and functional diversity of Neotropical cichlids: implications for the ecology and evolution of Cichlinae (Cichlidae; Cichliformes)
Authors: Arbour J. H. , López‐Fernández H.
Published: October 2014

Morphological, lineage and ecological diversity can vary substantially even among closely related lineages. Factors that influence morphological diversification, especially in functionally relevant traits, can help to explain the modern distribution of disparity across phylogenies and communities. Multivariate axes of feeding functional morphology from 75 species of Neotropical cichlid and a stepwise‐AIC algorithm were used to estimate the adaptive landscape of functional morphospace in Cichlinae. Adaptive landscape complexity and convergence, as well as the functional diversity of Cichlinae, were compared with expectations under null evolutionary models. Neotropical cichlid feeding function varied primarily between traits associated with ram feeding vs. suction feeding/biting and secondarily with oral jaw muscle size and pharyngeal crushing capacity. The number of changes in selective regimes and the amount of convergence between lineages was higher than expected under a null model of evolution, but convergence was not higher than expected under a similarly complex adaptive landscape. Functional disparity was compatible with an adaptive landscape model, whereas the distribution of evolutionary change through morphospace corresponded with a process of evolution towards a single adaptive peak. The continentally distributed Neotropical cichlids have evolved relatively rapidly towards a number of adaptive peaks in functional trait space. Selection in Cichlinae functional morphospace is more complex than expected under null evolutionary models. The complexity of selective constraints in feeding morphology has likely been a significant contributor to the diversity of feeding ecology in this clade.
An experimental means of transmitting pancreas disease in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar L. fry in freshwater
Authors: Cano I , Joiner C , Bayley A , Rimmer G , Bateman K , Feist S W , Stone D , Paley R
Published: October 2014

A challenge model for pancreas disease in Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L. fry, was developed comparing two salmonid alphavirus (SAV) subtypes: SAV1 and SAV5. Viral doses of 3 × 105 TCID50 mL−1 for SAV1 and 3 × 104 for SAV5 were tested in triplicate tanks, each containing 450 salmon fry. Cumulative mortalities of 1.2% were recorded. Titres of virus recovered from the mortalities ranged from 102 to 107 TCID50 mL−1. Fry were sampled at 3, 5 and 7.5 weeks post‐challenge. Sampling after 3 weeks revealed a high prevalence of infection in the absence of clinical signs, and infectious virus was recovered from 80% and 43% of sampled fry infected with SAV1 and SAV5, respectively. After 5 weeks pancreas, heart and red skeletal muscle lesions were generally observed, whilst degeneration in white skeletal muscle was observed only in fish infected with SAV1. In situ hybridisation confirmed the presence of viral genome in infected pancreas, heart and muscle. After 7.5 weeks, infectious virus (both isolates) was recovered from 13.3% of the fish sampled, with a viral titre of 102 TCID50 mL−1. Clearly, salmon fry are susceptible to SAV infection and pancreas disease.
The Effect of Information on Willingness to Pay for Canned Tuna Fish with Different Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Certification: A Pilot Study
Authors: DE MAGISTRIS TIZIANA , DEL GIUDICE TERESA , VERNEAU FABIO
Published: October 2014

The objective of this study was to assess the role of information in consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for food products with corporate social responsibility (CSR) certification. The item used for the experimental design was canned tuna fish, a product on the market that is already exhibiting various kinds of certification related to social and environmental attributes. Two different kinds of certifications were examined, namely Friend of the Sea, which involves environmental aspects, and SA8000, related to workers' rights and more general social attributes. We implemented experimental auctions, taking into account three information treatments. The initial findings show that the WTP for both CSR labels is higher than the WTP for tuna fish without any CSR certification. Nevertheless, the information provided on CSR certification did not change consumers' WTP among the certification schemes. Our findings could also serve to fine‐tune marketing strategies to consumer preferences and determine which CSR activities are worth undertaking.
Negotiating Age: Direct Speech and the Sociolinguistic Production of Childhood in theMarshallIslands
Authors: Berman Elise
Published: October 2014

Children in the Republic of theMarshallIslands regularly do a number of things that are inappropriate or even taboo among adults: they walk with food that they do not offer to share; they refuse to give; they directly demand things; and they directly criticize and insult each other. One explanation for their behavior is that they are too developmentally immature to speak in the indirect and polite manner of adults. But I show that, while Marshallese children's apparently direct forms of speech are indeed linked to immaturity, they are linked to immaturity not as a developmental stage but as a social status. Hence, this article reveals, discusses, and challenges two different ideologies of childhood and language: (1) a Western ideology that associates directness with developmental immaturity; and (2) a Marshallese ideology that associates “not hiding”—either words or goods—with being a child. Through their apparently direct forms of speech, children negotiate their relative age and power relationships with each other while simultaneously constructing each other as peers and indexing participants as immature relative to adults. This analysis reveals how age and childhood are produced through speech and considers the implications of this production for understandings of language variation and socialization.
Lord, hear our prayer: Prayer, Social Support, and Well‐Being in aCatholic Convent
Authors: Corwin Anna I.
Published: October 2014

This article examines intercessory prayer, specifically, petitions to the divine as they are performed inMass and in prayer groups at aCatholic convent in the midwesternUnitedStates. It demonstrates that these petitions function on multiple levels. Petitions are designed primarily as a form of communication with the divine, intended to elicit divine aid. In addition to functioning as requests to the divine, the petitions function on a number of socio‐communicative levels: first, as an index of the presence of the divine; second, as a means for individuals to communicate social support to copresent participants; and third, as a mode of peer socialization. Finally, these multiple functions of prayer provide spiritual and social support that may contribute, in the context of the convent, to the inhabitant nuns’ documented success in achieving physical and mental well‐being throughout their lives.
Doing Leadership through Signswitching in theIndonesian Bureaucracy
Authors: Goebel Zane
Published: October 2014

In recent years the study of the relationship between talk and the doing of leadership has gained increasing attention from linguistic anthropologists and sociolinguists. Even so, as with much research on organizational talk, typically these studies focus on the micro analysis of situated talk in monolingualEnglish‐speaking settings. In this article I start to fill this gap by looking at how a boss moves between Indonesian and Javanese to do leadership. The empirical focus is on recordings of meetings made during five months of fieldwork in a government bureau in Semarang in 2003–2004. I show that whileIndonesian is used to do much transactional work,Javanese does both relational and transactional work, often in ways that differ from earlier accounts of Javanese usage. In interpreting this usage I draw upon work on reciprocity to suggest that the use of Javanese fragments—along with other leadership practices—help build a locally emergent system of reciprocity.
Gesture and the Communication of Mathematical Ontologies in Classrooms
Authors: Wolfgram Matthew
Published: October 2014

This article is an analysis of a high school geometry teacher's gesture and embodied social action in the context of classroom instruction, and its role in the communication of an implicit theory of the ontological status of mathematical knowledge. In particular, I argue that the teacher's bodily performance in the classroom setting communicates the Platonic position of abstract‐realism—that mathematical entities are ontologically real abstractions—which is associated with the high epistemological authority and social efficacy of mathematics. Thus, in addition to the teacher's use of language to reference mathematical knowledge, I document her patterns of embodied social action, which communicate an additional and ideologically specific theory about the ontological status of the items thus referenced. I propose the concept of ametaphor of participation—an iconic projection based on the pattern of bodily participation in the speech event—as a tool to theorize the bodily communication of ideologies.
Serotonin transporter polymorphism modifies the association between depressive symptoms and sleep onset latency complaint in elderly people: results from the ‘InveCe.Ab’ study
Authors: Polito Letizia , Davin Annalisa , Vaccaro Roberta , Abbondanza Simona , Govoni Stefano , Racchi Marco , Guaita Antonio
Published: October 2014

Previous studies have documented the involvement of the central nervous system serotonin in promoting wakefulness. There are few and conflicting results over whether there is an actual association between bearing the short allele of serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism (5‐HTTLPR) and worse sleep quality. This study examined whether sleep onset latency complaint is associated with the 5‐HTTLPR triallelic polymorphism in the SLC6A4 gene promoter and whether this polymorphism influences the relationship between sleep onset latency complaint and depressive symptoms in elderly people. A total of 1321 community‐dwelling individuals aged 70–74 years were interviewed for sleep onset latency complaint and for sleep medication consumption. Participants’ genomic DNA was typed for 5‐HTTLPR and rs25531 polymorphisms. Depressive symptoms were evaluated with the Geriatric Depression Scale Short form and general medical comorbidity was assessed by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale. The presence of a past history of depression was recorded. The S′ allele of the 5‐HTTLPR triallelic polymorphism was associated with sleep onset latency complaint. This association was maintained after adjusting for depressive symptoms, sex, age, history of depression and medical comorbidity. After stratification for 5‐HTTLPR/rs25531, only in S′S′ individuals high depressive symptoms were actually associated with sleep onset latency complaint. These data indicate that the low‐expressing 5‐HTTLPR triallelic polymorphism is an independent risk factor for sleep onset latency disturbance. Furthermore, the 5‐HTTLPR genotype influences the association between depressive symptoms and sleep onset latency complaint.
Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and prebiotic prevent neonatal inflammation‐induced visceral hypersensitivity in adult rats
Authors: Kannampalli P. , Pochiraju S. , Chichlowski M. , Berg B. M. , Rudolph C. , Bruckert M. , Miranda A. , Sengupta J. N.
Published: October 2014

Background

Increasing evidence indicates a positive effect of probiotics on the nervous system. The objective of this study was to determine if probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and/or prebiotics polydextrose/galactooligosaccharide (PDX/GOS) can alter the colonic sensitivity in a neonatal rat model of chronic visceral hyperalgesia and to determine whether altered sensitivity is associated with changes in neurotransmitter levels in the brain.

Methods

Chronic visceral hyperalgesia was induced in rats by intracolonic administration of zymosan for 3 days during postnatal day 14–16 (P14‐P16). After weaning (P21), these pups were divided into groups that received either (1) control diet (CD), (2) PDX/GOS, (3) LGG, or (4) PDX/GOS + LGG. These diets were continued until visceral sensitivity was tested at P60. The viscero‐motor response (VMR) to graded colorectal distension (CRD) was determined by measuring the electromyographic (EMG) activity from the abdominal external oblique muscles. The levels of neurotransmitters and biogenic amines were quantified in the frontal cortex, subcortex, brain stem, and cerebellum.

Key Results

At P60, the VMR to CRD in the neonatal zymosan‐treated rats was significantly higher than neonatal saline‐treated rats. In contrast, neonatal zymosan‐treated rats that received PDX/GOS or LGG did not exhibit visceral hyperalgesia. The levels of serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine were significantly altered in LGG‐treated rats compared to other groups.

Conclusions & Inferences

Results document that in rats LGG can attenuate neonatally induced chronic visceral pain measured in adulthood. Prolonged intake of LGG alters some key brain neurotransmitters and biogenic amines that could be involved in pain modulation.
Biological control of invasive plant species: a reassessment for theAnthropocene
Authors: Seastedt Timothy R.
Published: October 2014

The science of finding, testing and releasing herbivores and pathogens to control invasive plant species has achieved a level of maturity and success that argues for continued and expanded use of this program. The practice, however, remains unpopular with some conservationists, invasion biologists, and stakeholders. The ecological and economic benefits of controlling densities of problematic plant species using biological control agents can be quantified, but the risks and net benefits of biological control programs are often derived from social or cultural rather than scientific criteria. Management of invasive plants is a ‘wicked problem’, and local outcomes to wicked problems have both positive and negative consequences differentially affecting various groups of stakeholders. The program has inherent uncertainties; inserting species into communities that are experiencing directional or even transformational changes can produce multiple outcomes due to context‐specific factors that are further confounded by environmental change drivers. Despite these uncertainties, biological control could play a larger role in mitigation and adaptation strategies used to maintain biological diversity as well as contribute to human well‐being by protecting food and fiber resources.

ContentsSummary490I.Introduction490II.The science of biological control491III.Trajectories of biological control efforts492IV.Current research494V.Social dimensions of biological control497VI.The future for the application of biological control of plant invasions498Acknowledgements499References499
Skin testing with raw egg does not predict tolerance to baked egg in egg‐allergic children
Authors: Turner P. J. , Kumar K. , Fox A. T.
Published: October 2014

Background

Most children with egg allergy tolerate egg in baked foods, such as cake, but tolerance cannot be predicted with conventional allergy testing. We hypothesized that the skin prick test (SPT) wheal to unprocessed raw egg might predict tolerance of baked egg at formal oral food challenge (OFC).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review to assess the utility of SPT wheal to egg extract (EE), raw egg (RE), and the ratio of EE:RE in predicting outcome of baked‐egg OFC in children presenting to our tertiary referral centers with a physician diagnosis of egg allergy and following complete egg avoidance in their diet, between 2009 and 2013. OFC were performed following a standardized protocol using baked egg in cake, to a total dose equivalent to 3g egg protein.

Results

Data were analyzed from 186 completed challenges: OFC was positive in 64 (34%) children and negative in 122 (66%). Six children experienced anaphylaxis at OFC. Children tolerant to baked egg were more likely to have a lower SPT to egg extract/raw egg and EE:RE (median 0.56) than their allergic counterparts (0.70, p < 0.05). However, ROC curve analysis demonstrated poor predictivity of challenge outcome, with AUC for SPT to egg extract, raw egg and EE:ER equal to 0.71, 0.63 and 0.60, respectively.

Conclusion

EE:RE was not helpful in predicting outcome of baked‐egg OFC. Indeed, SPT to egg extract was slightly better at predicting outcome than either SPT to raw egg or EE:RE. Unfortunately, tolerance to baked egg can only be predicted from previous history or through controlled exposure.
Psychopharmacology of atypical antipsychotic drugs: From the receptor binding profile to neuroprotection and neurogenesis
Authors: Kusumi Ichiro , Boku Shuken , Takahashi Yoshito
Published: October 2014

The original definition of atypical antipsychotic drugs (APD) was drugs that are effective against positive symptoms in schizophrenia with no or little extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS). However, atypical APD have been reported to be more effective for cognitive dysfunction and negative symptoms in schizophrenia than typical APD, which expands the definition of ‘atypicality’. This article provides a critical review of the pharmacology of atypical APD, especially from the viewpoint of receptor binding profiles and neurotransmitter regulations as well as neuroprotection and neurogenesis. A variety of serotonin (5‐HT) receptors, such as 5‐HT2A/2C, 5‐HT1A, 5‐HT6 and 5‐HT7 receptors, may contribute to the mechanisms of action of ‘atypicality’. The dopaminergic modulations, including a low affinity for dopamine D2 receptors and a partial D2 receptor agonistic action, and glutamatergic regulations may also be involved in the pharmacological backgrounds of ‘atypicality’. Atypical APD, but not typical APD, may facilitate cortical neuroprotection and hippocampal neurogenesis, which might be a part of the action mechanisms of atypical APD. The facilitation of cortical neuroprotection and hippocampal neurogenesis induced by atypical APD might be mediated by an increase in the Ser9 phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase‐3β (GSK‐3β). The stimulation of 5‐HT1A receptors and/or the blockade of 5‐HT2 receptors, which is characteristic of atypical APD, might increase Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK‐3β. Moreover, atypical APD increase brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. BDNF increases Ser9 phosphorylation of GSK‐3β and has neuroprotective and neurogenic effects, as in the case of atypical APD. These findings suggest that GSK‐3β might play a role in the action mechanisms of atypical APD, in both the 5‐HT‐dependent and BDNF‐dependent mechanisms.
Biofilm formation and motility of Xanthomonas strains with different citrus host range
Authors: Sena‐Vélez M. , Redondo C. , Gell I. , Ferragud E. , Johnson E. , Graham J. H. , Cubero J.
Published: October 2014

Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri (Xcc) strain A is the causal agent of citrus bacterial canker (CBC) on most Citrus spp. and close relatives. Two restricted host range strains of CBC, Aw and A*, from Florida and southwest Asia, respectively, infect Mexican lime. Several studies have linked biofilm formation by Xcc to bacterial colonization prior to and after plant ingress, but none have evaluated connections between biofilm formation and the behaviour of different strains of Xcc on citrus hosts and non‐hosts. In this study biofilm formation and swimming motility were evaluated for citrus pathogenic xanthomonads including wide and restricted host range strains of Xcc, X. alfalfae subsp. citrumelonis (Xac) (the causal agent of citrus bacterial spot) and X. campestris pv. campestris (Xc). Differential biofilm formation was observed in vitro and in planta among the Xanthomonas strains assayed. Minimal medium XVM2 increased biofilm formation, especially for those strains with a host range restricted to Mexican lime. In planta, strains produced more biofilm on leaves or fruits of their host than on non‐hosts. Scanning electron microscopy of biofilms on leaf and fruit surfaces revealed differences in structure of bacterial aggregates with respect to the strain's host range. In addition, swimming motility varied widely depending on the host range of the strain. It was concluded that biofilm formation in vitro and in planta for strains of Xcc and Xac was related to their host range, as these processes affect colonization at the early stages of the infection process.
The pepper late embryogenesis abundant protein CaLEA1 acts in regulating abscisic acid signaling, drought and salt stress response
Authors: Lim Chae Woo , Lim Sohee , Baek Woonhee , Lee Sung Chul
Published: October 2014

As sessile organisms, plants are constantly challenged by environmental stresses, including drought and high salinity. Among the various abiotic stresses, osmotic stress is one of the most important factors for growth and significantly reduces crop productivity in agriculture. Here, we report a function of the CaLEA1 protein in the defense responses of plants to osmotic stress. Our analyses showed that the CaLEA1 gene was strongly induced in pepper leaves exposed to drought and increased salinity. Furthermore, we determined that the CaLEA1 protein has a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA)_3 homolog domain highly conserved among other known group 5 LEA proteins and is localized in the processing body. We generated CaLEA1‐silenced peppers and CaLEA1‐overexpressing (OX) transgenic Arabidopsis plants to evaluate their responses to dehydration and high salinity. Virus‐induced gene silencing of CaLEA1 in pepper plants conferred enhanced sensitivity to drought and salt stresses, which was accompanied by high levels of lipid peroxidation in dehydrated and NaCl‐treated leaves. CaLEA1‐OX plants exhibited enhanced sensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA) during seed germination and in the seedling stage; furthermore, these plants were more tolerant to drought and salt stress than the wild‐type plants because of enhanced stomatal closure and increased expression of stress‐responsive genes. Collectively, our data suggest that CaLEA1 positively regulates drought and salinity tolerance through ABA‐mediated cell signaling.
Physiological and biochemical characterization of NERICA‐L‐44: a novel source of heat tolerance at the vegetative and reproductive stages in rice
Authors: Bahuguna Rajeev N , Jha Jyoti , Pal Madan , Shah Divya , Lawas Lovely MF , Khetarpal Sangeetha , Jagadish Krishna S.V.
Published: October 2014

The predicted increase in the frequency and magnitude of extreme heat spikes under future climate can reduce rice yields significantly. Rice sensitivity to high temperatures during the reproductive stage is well documented while the same during the vegetative stage is more speculative. Hence, to identify and characterize novel heat‐tolerant donors for both the vegetative and reproductive stages, 71 rice accessions, including approximately 75% New Rice for Africa (NERICAs), were phenotyped across field experiments during summer seasons in Delhi, India, and in a controlled environment study at International Rice Research Institute, Philippines. NERICA‐L‐44 (NL‐44) recorded high seedling survival (52%) and superior growth and greater reproductive success exposed to 42.2°C (sd ± 2.3) under field conditions. NL‐44 and the heat‐tolerant check N22 consistently displayed lower membrane damage and higher antioxidant enzymes activity across leaves and spikelets. NL‐44 recorded 50–60% spikelet fertility, while N22 recorded 67–79% under controlled environment temperature of 38°C (sd±1.17), although both had about 87% fertility under extremely hot field conditions. N22 and NL‐44, exposed to heat stress (38°C), had similar pollen germination percent and number of pollen tubes reaching the ovary. NL‐44 maintained low hydrogen peroxide production and non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ) with high photosynthesis while N22 avoided photosystem II damage through high NPQ under high‐temperature stress. NL‐44 with its reproductive stage resilience to extreme heat stress, better antioxidant scavenging ability in both vegetative tissue and spikelets and superior yield and grain quality is identified as a novel donor for increasing heat tolerance at both the vegetative and reproductive stages in rice.
Inference for Quantiles of a Finite Population: Asymptotic versus Resampling Results
Authors: Conti Pier Luigi , Marella Daniela
Published: October 2014

The aim of the paper is to study the problem of estimating the quantile function of a finite population. Attention is first focused on point estimation, and asymptotic results are obtained. Confidence intervals are then constructed, based on both the following: (i) asymptotic results and (ii) a resampling technique based on rescaling the ‘usual’ bootstrap. A simulation study to compare asymptotic and resampling‐based results, as well as an application to a real population, is finally performed.
The Late Carboniferous Triplosoba pulchella is not a fly in the ointment but a stem‐mayfly
Authors: BÉTHOUX OLIVIER
Published: October 2014

The Late Carboniferous Triplosoba pulchella (Brongniart, 1893) was regarded by most authors as a stem‐mayfly. Contrary to this, it was related to the extinct ‘palaeopteran’ order Diaphanopterodea in the most recent revision of the species. The only available specimen of the species is re‐investigated using various manual and computer‐assisted optical techniques. New data are presented and compared with previous data. The reasoning underlying the ‘Diaphanopterodea hypothesis’ is found to be deficient due to incomplete observations. Moreover, this hypothesis requires multiple character conflicts within Diaphanopterodea. Instead, the ‘(stem‐)Ephemeroptera hypothesis’ is favoured. The occurrence of a forked RP2, observed in one hindwing of T. pulchella (RP2 is simple in the other hindwing, and incompletely preserved in forewings) is a strict apomorphy of the group. It is also shown that the species possessed what is interpreted as an early state of the costal brace. Other observations do not contradict this placement, which is overall more consistent than an assignment to the Diaphanopterodea. This contribution demonstrates the importance of long‐term conservation of natural history collections, allowing new investigation techniques to be applied in the future.
Post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorders are not associated with IgG4 sclerosing disease
Authors: Cathro H.P. , Bullock G.C. , Bonatti H. , Meriden Z. , Cook S. , Aguilera N.
Published: October 2014

Background

Although the majority of post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) cases are associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), 20–42% of cases are EBV negative (EBV‐N). The antigenic stimulus that drives EBV‐N PTLD is unknown, but is likely heterogeneous. A common feature of PTLD, regardless of EBV status, is an abnormal polytypic lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate. Immunglobulin‐G4 (IgG4) syndrome is also characterized by a polytypic lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate with a predominance of IgG4‐positive (IgG4‐P) plasma cells.

Methods

We investigated the possibility of an association between EBV‐N PTLD and IgG4 syndrome. Of 33 evaluated PTLD cases, 9 (27%) were EBV‐N. EBV‐N PTLD cases showed longer transplantation‐to‐diagnosis times than EBV‐positive cases.

Results

A single patient had a preceding benign duodenal biopsy with focally prominent IgG4‐P plasma cells; however, no clinical data supported IgG4 syndrome, precluding an association between IgG4 syndrome and subsequent EBV‐N PTLD in this patient.

Conclusion

As none of 29 evaluable cases of PTLD (including all 9 EBV‐N cases) were associated with an increase in IgG4‐P plasma cells, IgG4 syndrome does not appear to play a role in the etiology of EBV‐N PTLD. The significance of these findings and the current understanding of the etiology of EBV‐N PTLD are discussed.
Products of twists, geodesic lengths and Thurston shears
Authors: Wolpert Scott A.
Published: October 2014

Thurston introduced shear deformations (cataclysms) on geodesic laminations–deformations including left and right displacements along geodesics. For hyperbolic surfaces with cusps, we consider shear deformations on disjoint unions of ideal geodesics. The length of a balanced weighted sum of ideal geodesics is defined and the Weil–Petersson (WP) duality of shears and the defined length is established. The Poisson bracket of a pair of balanced weight systems on a set of disjoint ideal geodesics is given in terms of an elementary$2$-form. The symplectic geometry of balanced weight systems on ideal geodesics is developed. Equality of the Fock shear coordinate algebra and the WP Poisson algebra is established. The formula for the WP Riemannian pairing of shears is also presented.