bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Abundant carbon substrates drive extremely high sulfate reduction rates and methane fluxes in Prairie Pothole Wetlands
Authors: Dalcin Martins Paula , Hoyt David W. , Bansal Sheel , Mills Christopher T. , Tfaily Malak , Tangen Brian A. , Finocchiaro Raymond G. , Johnston Michael D. , McAdams Brandon C. , Solensky Matthew J. , Smith Garrett J. , Chin Yu‐Ping , Wilkins Michael J.
Published: January 2017

Inland waters are increasingly recognized as critical sites of methane emissions to the atmosphere, but the biogeochemical reactions driving such fluxes are less well understood. The Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) of North America is one of the largest wetland complexes in the world, containing millions of small, shallow wetlands. The sediment pore waters of PPR wetlands contain some of the highest concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and sulfur species ever recorded in terrestrial aquatic environments. Using a suite of geochemical and microbiological analyses, we measured the impact of sedimentary carbon and sulfur transformations in these wetlands on methane fluxes to the atmosphere. This research represents the first study of coupled geochemistry and microbiology within the PPR and demonstrates how the conversion of abundant labile DOC pools into methane results in some of the highest fluxes of this greenhouse gas to the atmosphere ever reported. Abundant DOC and sulfate additionally supported some of the highest sulfate reduction rates ever measured in terrestrial aquatic environments, which we infer to account for a large fraction of carbon mineralization in this system. Methane accumulations in zones of active sulfate reduction may be due to either the transport of free methane gas from deeper locations or the co‐occurrence of methanogenesis and sulfate reduction. If both respiratory processes are concurrent, any competitive inhibition of methanogenesis by sulfate‐reducing bacteria may be lessened by the presence of large labile DOC pools that yield noncompetitive substrates such as methanol. Our results reveal some of the underlying mechanisms that make PPR wetlands biogeochemical hotspots, which ultimately leads to their critical, but poorly recognized role in regional greenhouse gas emissions.
An Improved Procedure for the Determination of Ferrous Iron Mass Fraction in Silicate Rocks Using a Schlenk Line‐Based Digestion Apparatus to Exclude Oxygen
Authors: Xue Dingshuai , Wang Hongyue , Liu Yanhong , Xie Liewen , Shen Ping
Published: January 2017

Precise and accurate determination of ferrous iron mass fraction in silicate rocks and geological reference materials is still a significant challenge due to the labile nature of the analyte. Here, we report a modified and improved procedure for the determination of ferrous iron mass fraction, capable of yielding moderately accurate and highly precise results in a relatively shorter time than before. This modified technique requires a more convenient operational procedure than the classical method. A sample digestion apparatus was designed that included a Schlenk line to expel air in order to prevent oxidation. The advantages of this procedure over the classical procedure are shorter process flow, higher efficiency and absence of an additional redox indicator. The composition of the acid matrix used to dissolve the samples as well as the incubation temperature and time was investigated. Comparative data for twenty‐one reference materials are reported, with five of them reported for the first time by the Schlenk line procedure. A series of experiments were carried out to identify and minimise the main source of error. In addition, the possibility of eliminating the reducing substances before digestion, by pretreatment of the sample by cold 10% methanolic bromine, was also studied.
The Performativity of Choice: Postfeminist Perspectives on Work–Life Balance
Authors: Sørensen Siri Øyslebø
Published: January 2017

A strong emphasis on individual choice is considered to represent a particular neoliberal culture, and choice is claimed to substitute feminism. This article argues that the vocabulary of choice should not be seen only as a representation of a double entanglement of neoliberalism and postfeminism, but rather as asitefor entanglement, and further explored as a performative concept. The argument is developed though empirical analysis of media texts on women combining career and motherhood. The metaphor of work–life balance is argued to function as a gendering frame as the particular combination of motherhood and career commitment is construed as conflicting dimensions of a feminine subjectivity. Within the gendered work–life balance framing the vocabulary of choice is performative, producing dichotomies and differences by the looks of individual agency. Thus, choice is not merely ‘covering up power structures’: the vocabulary of choice performs structuring power.
Ethical Praxis and the Business Case for LGBT Diversity: Political Insights from Judith Butler and Emmanuel Levinas
Authors: Rhodes Carl
Published: January 2017

This paper critically reconsiders debates about the business case for workplace diversity as exemplified in lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activism. These debates have long suggested that there is an oppositional distinction between justifying diversity on self‐interested business grounds and justifying it on the grounds of ethics, equality and social justice. This has led to an impasse between ethically driven diversity theory and activism, and the dominant business case approach commonly deferred to in managerial practice. As a way of mediating this impasse the contribution of this paper is to demonstrate how ‘ethical praxis’ can be deployed both despite and because of non‐ethically motivated approaches to ethics in business. Drawing on Judith Butler's and Emmanuel Levinas's considerations of the relationship between ethics and the practice of justice, it is argued that critiques of the business case for diversity rely on a pure ethics that does not adequately recognize its connection to lived politics. Conversely, support for the business case evinces a politics that has failed to remember its origin in ethics. The paper positions ethical praxis as a political intervention undertaken in the name of ethics and uses this to suggest that the business case, despite its ethical poverty, holds potential to create real opportunities for justice in organizations.
HIV continuum of care in Europe and Central Asia
Authors: Drew RS , Rice B , Rüütel K , Delpech V , Attawell KA , Hales DK , Velasco C , Amato‐Gauci AJ , Pharris A , Tavoschi L , Noori T
Published: January 2017

Objectives

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) supports countries to monitor progress in their response to the HIV epidemic. In line with these monitoring responsibilities, we assess how, and to what extent, the continuum of care is being measured across countries.

Methods

The ECDC sent out questionnaires to 55 countries in Europe and Central Asia in 2014. Nominated country representatives were questioned on how they defined and measured six elements of the continuum. We present our results using three previously described frameworks [breakpoints; Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90‐90‐90 targets; diagnosis and treatment quadrant].

Results

Forty countries provided data for at least one element of the continuum. Countries reported most frequently on the number of people diagnosed with HIV infection (37; 93%), and on the number in receipt of antiretroviral therapy (ART) (35; 88%). There was little consensus across countries in their approach to defining linkage to, and retention in, care. The most common breakpoint (>19% reduction between two adjacent elements) related to the estimated number of people living with HIV who were diagnosed (18 of 23; 78%).

Conclusions

We present continuum data from multiple countries that provide both a snapshot of care provision and a baseline against which changes over time in care provision across Europe and Central Asia may be measured. To better inform HIV testing and treatment programmes, standard data collection approaches and definitions across the HIV continuum of care are needed. If countries wish to ensure an unbroken HIV continuum of care, people living with HIV need to be diagnosed promptly, and ART needs to be offered to all those diagnosed.
Critical analysis of aqueous tape casting, sintering, and characterization of planar Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia electrolytes for SOFC
Authors: Goulart Celso , de Souza Dulcina
Published: January 2017

Tape casting is an established forming technique for several industries, however, researches focus more on slurry composition. In this work, the combined use of design of experiment and materials characterization techniques showed tape casting process parameters have great influence on the microstructure and mechanical properties of green tapes. Formulation and processing optimization allowed obtaining YSZ green tapes with good mechanical characteristics and homogeneous microstructure without laminating step. The optimized sintering schedule and sintering load allowed obtaining planar electrolytes with high density, tensile strength, and electrical conductivity. This work provides an environmental friendly procedure for large‐scale production of SOFCs planar electrolytes.
Are first‐year nursing students' lifestyles coherent with their future career?
Authors: Rodriguez‐Gazquez Maria , Chaparro‐Hernandez Sara , González‐López José Rafael
Published: January 2017

Nursing students are going to be professionals in the near future, and as carers, it will be essential for them to behave in a way that will allow them to have a positive influence on the health of others as well as their own health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the lifestyles of first‐year nursing students of 2 universities (one in Spain and the other in Colombia). A cross‐sectional descriptive study design using validated surveys was adopted. A sample of 140 nursing students enrolled in 2014 in their first year of 2 universities (Seville in Spain, n = 37, and Antioquia in Colombia, n = 93) self‐reported the FANTASTICO Lifestyle checklist. Findings reveal that (1) the lifestyles are not appropriate in 1 of 3 of nursing students in both universities and (2) there are statistically significant differences for family items, positive thinkers, the use of safety belts, and alcohol consumption before driving. A high proportion of the study's participants have inappropriate lifestyles that involve risks for the deferred development of chronic diseases. It is necessary for universities to develop educational interventions in the design of nursing degrees to strengthen healthy behaviours during training.
On weakest link theory and Weibull statistics
Authors: Zok Frank W.
Published: January 2017

This communication addresses some common misconceptions about weakest link theory and Weibull statistics as they pertain to strength distributions of brittle fibers. After describing the nature of the problem, the flaws in ensuing proposed models of strength distributions are highlighted and discussed. A way forward that obviates the problems is suggested.
Experimental tests of host–virus coevolution in natural killer yeast strains
Authors: Pieczynska M. D. , Korona R. , De Visser J. A. G. M.
Published: January 2017

Fungi may carry cytoplasmic viruses that encode anticompetitor toxins. These so‐called killer viruses may provide competitive benefits to their host, but also incur metabolic costs associated with viral replication, toxin production and immunity. Mechanisms responsible for the stable maintenance of these endosymbionts are insufficiently understood. Here, we test whether co‐adaptation of host and killer virus underlies their stable maintenance in seven natural and one laboratory strain of the genus Saccharomyces. We employ cross‐transfection of killer viruses, all encoding the K1‐type toxin, to test predictions from host–virus co‐adaptation. These tests support local adaptation of hosts and/or their killer viruses. First, new host–virus combinations have strongly reduced killing ability against a standard sensitive strain when compared with re‐constructed native combinations. Second, viruses are more likely to be lost from new than from original hosts upon repeated bottlenecking or the application of stressful conditions. Third, host fitness is increased after the re‐introduction of native viruses, but decreased after the introduction of new viruses. Finally, rather than a trade‐off, original combinations show a positive correlation between killing ability and fitness. Together, these results suggest that natural yeast killer strains and their viruses have co‐adapted, allowing the transition from a parasitic to a mutualistic symbiosis.
Columnar islands in Barrett's esophagus: Do they impact Prague C&M criteria and dysplasia grade?
Authors: Epstein Jeremy A , Cosby Hilary , Falk Gary W , Khashab Mouen A , Kiesslich Ralf , Montgomery Elizabeth A , Wang Jean S , Canto Marcia Irene
Published: January 2017

Background and Aim

The standard for classifying Barrett's metaplasia on endoscopy, the Prague C&M criteria, ignores all islands of metaplastic‐appearing tissue. The aims of the present study were to measure the prevalence of columnar islands, quantify their impact on metaplasia extent, and determine if they harbor advanced dysplasia.

Methods

Data from two prospective patient cohorts were retrospectively analyzed. They included adults who underwent upper endoscopy to evaluate for gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett's esophagus (BE), dysplasia, or adenocarcinoma between 2003 and 2012 at tertiary care centers in the USA and Germany. The BE pattern, location, and pathology were examined. The extent of BE as defined by the Prague criteria (disregarding the location of islands) was compared with the complete maximal extent of BE (incorporating the location of islands).

Results

A total of 555 patients underwent endoscopy (mean age 60.1 years, 67.2% male, 91.9% white). Among those patients, 191 (34.4%) showed metaplastic‐appearing mucosa in islands. Endoscopically, in 101 (52.9%) cases, islands were proximal to the farthest segment of BE as defined by the Prague M location. Histologically, intestinal metaplasia was confirmed in 60 (58.8%) of the 102 esophagogastroduodenoscopies (EGDs) where islands were biopsied. In 41 (40.2%) cases, the histologically confirmed BE islands extended farther than the maximal segment based on the Prague criteria. Pathology from biopsies of islands either changed the diagnosis or worsened the BE dysplasia grade in 16 (15.7%) of the 102 patients.

Conclusions

Columnar islands are commonly seen on EGD. The Prague C&M criteria may underestimate the maximal extent of BE and overlook the area of highest dysplasia grade.
Structure similarity‐guided image binarization for automatic segmentation of epidermis surface microstructure images
Authors: ZOU Y. , LEI B. , DONG F. , XU G. , SUN S. , XIA P.
Published: January 2017

Partitioning epidermis surface microstructure (ESM) images into skin ridge and skin furrow regions is an important preprocessing step before quantitative analyses on ESM images. Binarization segmentation is a potential technique for partitioning ESM images because of its computational simplicity and ease of implementation. However, even for some state‐of‐the‐art binarization methods, it remains a challenge to automatically segment ESM images, because the grey‐level histograms of ESM images have no obvious external features to guide automatic assessment of appropriate thresholds. Inspired by human visual perceptual functions of structural feature extraction and comparison, we propose a structure similarity‐guided image binarization method. The proposed method seeks for the binary image that best approximates the input ESM image in terms of structural features. The proposed method is validated by comparing it with two recently developed automatic binarization techniques as well as a manual binarization method on 20 synthetic noisy images and 30 ESM images. The experimental results show: (1) the proposed method possesses self‐adaption ability to cope with different images with same grey‐level histogram; (2) compared to two automatic binarization techniques, the proposed method significantly improves average accuracy in segmenting ESM images with an acceptable decrease in computational efficiency; (3) and the proposed method is applicable for segmenting practical EMS images. (Matlab code of the proposed method can be obtained by contacting with the corresponding author.)
Finance and Growth at the Firm Level: Evidence from SBA Loans
Authors: BROWN J. DAVID , EARLE JOHN S.
Published: January 2017

We analyze linked databases on all SBA loans and lenders and on all U.S. employers to estimate the effects of financial access on employment growth. Estimation exploits the long panels and variation in local availability of SBA‐intensive lenders. The results imply an increase of 3–3.5 jobs for each million dollars of loans, suggesting real effects of credit constraints. Estimated impacts are stronger for younger and larger firms and when local credit conditions are weak, but we find no clear evidence of cyclical variation. We estimate taxpayer costs per job created in the range of $21,000–$25,000.
Correlated Default and Financial Intermediation
Authors: PHELAN GREGORY
Published: January 2017

Financial intermediation naturally arises when knowing how loan payoffs are correlated is valuable for managing investments but lenders cannot easily observe that relationship. I show this result using a costly enforcement model in which lenders need ex post incentives to enforce payments from defaulted loans and borrowers' payoffs are correlated. When projects have correlated outcomes, learning the state of one project (via enforcement) provides information about the states of other projects. A large correlated portfolio provides ex post incentives for enforcement. Thus, intermediation dominates direct lending, and intermediaries are financed with risk‐free deposits, earn positive profits, and hold systemic default risk.
Outcomes in Elderly Patients With Severely Calcified Coronary Lesions Undergoing Orbital Atherectomy
Authors: Lee Michael S. , Shlofmitz Evan , Lluri Gentian , Shlofmitz Richard A.
Published: January 2017

Objectives

We evaluated the clinical outcomes of elderly patients who underwent orbital atherectomy for the treatment of severe coronary artery calcification (CAC) prior to stenting.

Background

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of severe CAC is associated with worse clinical outcomes including death, myocardial infarction (MI), and target vessel revascularization (TVR). The elderly represents a high‐risk group of patients, often have more comorbid conditions, and have worse outcomes after PCI compared to younger patients. Clinical trials and a large multicenter registry have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of orbital atherectomy for the treatment of severe CAC. Clinical outcomes of elderly patients who undergo orbital atherectomy are unknown.

Methods

Of the 458 patients, 229 were ≥75 years old (elderly) and 229 were <75 years old (younger). The primary endpoint was rate of 30‐day major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), comprised of cardiac death, MI, TVR, and stroke.

Results

The primary endpoint was similar in the elderly and younger groups (2.2% vs. 2.2%, P = 1), as were the individual endpoints of death (2.2% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.1), MI (0.9% vs. 1.3%, P = 0.65), TVR (0% vs. 0%, P = 1), and stroke (0% vs. 0.4%, P = 0.32). The rates of angiographic complications and stent thrombosis were similarly low in both groups.

Conclusions

The elderly represented a sizeable number of patients who underwent orbital atherectomy. It is a safe and effective treatment strategy for elderly patients with severe CAC as the clinical outcomes were similar to their younger counterparts. A randomized trial should further clarify the role of orbital atherectomy in these patients.
Giving Unto Others: Private Financial Transfers and Hardship Among Families With Children
Authors: Pilkauskas Natasha V. , Campbell Colin , Wimer Christopher
Published: January 2017

Prior research shows that financial assistance from family and friends is an important source of support for families with children. Research on financial transfers has largely focused on the recipients of transfers, however. In this study, using longitudinal data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (n ∼ 16,000 person‐waves), the authors examine the association between the provision of financial assistance to family and friends and material hardship. The results from pooled regression and fixed effects models indicate that providing financial transfers is associated with an increased risk of hardship. The most economically disadvantaged groups, single mothers, those in the bottom income tertile, and Black mothers are the most likely to experience hardship after giving a transfer. These findings have important implications for understanding why families may have difficulty meeting basic and essential needs and how social networks may exacerbate the challenges of escaping poverty and establishing economic self‐sufficiency.
Oral Rehabilitation with Implant‐Retained Overdenture in a Patient with Down Syndrome
Authors: Altintas Nuray Yilmaz , Kilic Serdar , Altintas Subutay Han
Published: January 2017

Down syndrome, known as trisomy 21, is the most common chromosomal disorder. The disorder affects mental and systemic development as well as oral structure, including dental anomalies, high susceptibility of periodontal disease, and poor quality of alveolar bone. This report presents a case of dental rehabilitation by means of dental implants of a patient with Down syndrome. Two titanium dental implants were placed in the maxilla, and three titanium dental implants were installed in the mandible. One implant was lost during the osseointegration period. The prosthetic rehabilitation was performed with implant‐retained maxillary and mandibular overdentures with the Locator attachment system. After a 2‐year follow‐up period, the patient was doing well, and all implants were clinically stable with no signs of bone loss or inflammation. The present study emphasizes that implant‐retained overdentures with Locator attachment system could be a therapeutic option even for patients with Down syndrome. This therapy prevents crestal bone loss around the implants, improves functional and esthetic outcomes, and provides optimum oral hygiene for patients with mild mental impairment. Careful patient selection and education of patients and caregivers are essential considerations for a successful and safe treatment with dental implants in Down syndrome patients.
Pension Risk Management in the Enterprise Risk Management Framework
Authors: Lin Yijia , MacMinn Richard D. , Tian Ruilin , Yu Jifeng
Published: January 2017

This article presents an enterprise risk management (ERM) model for a firm that is composed of a portfolio of capital investment projects and a defined benefit (DB) plan for its workforce. The firm faces the project, operational, and hazard risks from its investment projects as well as the financial and longevity risks from its DB plan. The firm maximizes its capital market value net of pension contributions subject to constraints that control project, operational, hazard, financial, and longevity risks as well as an overall risk. The analysis illustrates the importance of integrating pension risk into the firm's ERM program by comparing firm value with and without managing pension risk with other risks in an ERM program. An ERM program considering pension effect integrates the risks of the operation and pension divisions and, thus, achieves diversification benefits between and within these two divisions. We also show how pension hedging strategies can impact the firm's net value under the ERM framework. While the existing literature suggests that a longevity swap is less expensive than a pension buy‐out because the latter is more capital intensive, this analysis shows that the buy‐out is more effective in increasing firm value.
Production of Host‐selective SV‐toxins by Stemphylium sp. Causing Brown Spot of European Pear in Japan
Authors: Tanahashi Megumu , Okuda Sakae , Miyazaki Eri , Parada Roxana Y. , Ishihara Atsushi , Otani Hiroshi , Osaki‐Oka Kumiko
Published: January 2017

Recently, a new disease known as ‘brown spot of European pear’ caused by Stemphylium sp. appeared on the leaves, twigs and fruits of the cultivar Le Lectier in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Because Stemphylium vesicarium (teleomorph: Pleospora allii), which causes a similar disease in Europe, has been shown to produce host‐selective SV‐toxins in culture filtrates (CFs), SV‐toxin production by Stemphylium sp. in Japan was investigated. In pathogenicity tests, the pathogen induced severe necrotic spots on the leaves of the European pear cultivar Le Lectier, slight spots on cultivar La France and slight or no spots on cultivar Bartlett. The Japanese pear cultivar Nijisseiki was not affected by the pathogen. Culture filtrates of the pathogen were tested for phytotoxicity on cultivars by a leaf necrosis assay. The sensitivity of cultivars to the CFs was consistent with the susceptibility of cultivars to the pathogen infection, indicating the presence of host‐selective toxins. The toxins were purified from the CFs according to the procedure reported for SV‐toxin purification in S. vesicarium. The results indicated that Stemphylium sp. in Japan produces the same SV‐toxins as S. vesicarium in Europe.
Overexpression of rice serotonin N‐acetyltransferase 1 in transgenic rice plants confers resistance to cadmium and senescence and increases grain yield
Authors: Lee Kyungjin , Back Kyoungwhan
Published: January 2017

While ectopic overexpression of serotonin N‐acetyltransferase (SNAT) in plants has been accomplished using animal SNAT genes, ectopic overexpression of plant SNAT genes in plants has not been investigated. Because the plant SNAT protein differs from that of animals in its subcellular localization and enzyme kinetics, its ectopic overexpression in plants would be expected to give outcomes distinct from those observed from overexpression of animal SNAT genes in transgenic plants. Consistent with our expectations, we found that transgenic rice plants overexpressing rice (Oryza sativa) SNAT1 (OsSNAT1) did not show enhanced seedling growth like that observed in ovine SNAT‐overexpressing transgenic rice plants, although both types of plants exhibited increased melatonin levels. OsSNAT1‐overexpressing rice plants did show significant resistance to cadmium and senescence stresses relative to wild‐type controls. In contrast to tomato, melatonin synthesis in rice seedlings was not induced by selenium and OsSNAT1 transgenic rice plants did not show tolerance to selenium. T2 homozygous OsSNAT1 transgenic rice plants exhibited increased grain yield due to increased panicle number per plant under paddy field conditions. These benefits conferred by ectopic overexpression of OsSNAT1 had not been observed in transgenic rice plants overexpressing ovine SNAT, suggesting that plant SNAT functions differently from animal SNAT in plants.
Gabapentin acutely increases the apnea–hypopnea index in older men: data from a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Piovezan Ronaldo D. , Kase Camila , Moizinho Renato , Tufik Sergio , Poyares Dalva
Published: January 2017

Although drugs with sedative properties may increase the risk of airway collapse during sleep, their acute effects on the apnea–hypopnea index in older adults are under‐reported. We investigated the acute effects of gabapentin (GABA) on sleep breathing in older men without sleep apnea. A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled cross‐over pilot study using a bedtime dose of gabapentin 300 mg was conducted in eight non‐obese older men. Polysomnography measured the effects of the intervention. The apnea–hypopnea index was higher in the gabapentin arm than in the placebo arm (22.4 ± 6.1 versus 12.2 ± 4.3, P ≤ 0.05, d: 0.67), as was the oxygen desaturation index (20.6 ± 5.8 versus 10.8 ± 3.9, P ≤ 0.05, d: 0.68). The number needed to harm was four. A subset analysis demonstrated that differences in sleep respiratory parameters were present only during non‐rapid eye movement sleep, as well as only in the supine position. No adverse events were reported. Hence, gabapentin worsened sleep breathing acutely compared with placebo. Long‐term clinical trials are warranted to elucidate the clinical relevance of these findings for the safety profile of GABAergic agents.
Using food comfortability to compare food's sensory characteristics expectations of elderly people with or without oral health problems
Authors: Vandenberghe‐Descamps Mathilde , Sulmont‐Rossé Claire , Septier Chantal , Feron Gilles , Labouré Hélène
Published: January 2017

Food consumption is by far the most important point where food's organoleptic properties can be perceived and can elicit sensory pleasure. Ageing is often accompanied by oral impairments. Those impairments may impact food perception by changing texture perception and the release of flavor components, which have a significant impact on food acceptability. The present study aimed at evaluating the impact of oral health on the perception of food comfortability in an elderly population. This was achieved by asking elderly people with a good oral health and elderly people with poor oral health to rate six cereal products and six meat products using a food comfortability questionnaire. Thirty‐seven and 35 elderly people (65–87 years old) underwent either a cereal or meat session, respectively. The present study showed very few effects of dental and saliva status on food perception. For the cereal products, a significant effect of dental status was observed for one texture descriptor and one flavor descriptor, and a significant effect of salivary status was observed for two texture descriptors and one flavor descriptor. For the meat products, a significant effect of dental status and a significant effect of salivary status were observed on one flavor descriptor. For both products, no significant impact of dental or salivary status was observed on the general perception of food oral comfort nor on food bolus formation. Future studies exploring the impact of a broader set of oral parameters and potential adapting factors are needed to further explore the results of the present study.

Practical applications

During oral food consumption, mastication, salivation, and swallowing play a key role in the acceptance of food and beverages by modulating the perception of texture, taste, and aroma, as well as providing eating comfort by assisting the food breakdown process into a bolus that can be safely swallowed. The age‐related oral impairments such as loss of teeth, decrease in salivary flow or dysphagia are known to have an impact on food consumption. However, very few products are developed to skirt those impairments. Therefore, in the context of an ageing population, there is a need to develop functional foods that meet the specific nutritional needs of the elderly population, as well as a well‐balanced flavor and texture framework. Considering the large interindividual variability observed on the elderly people, developing adapted functional foods is a major challenge for the food industry and society.
Persistent neuropsychiatric impairment in HCV patients despite clearance of the virus?!
Authors: Dirks M. , Pflugrad H. , Haag K. , Tillmann H. L. , Wedemeyer H. , Arvanitis D. , Hecker H. , Tountopoulou A. , Goldbecker A. , Worthmann H. , Weissenborn K.
Published: January 2017

One of the most disabling symptoms of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is chronic fatigue. While this is accepted for HCV polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐positive patients, a relationship between HCV infection and chronic fatigue is questioned after successful virus eradication. As fatigue is a subjective criterion, we aimed to evaluate in addition mood alterations and cognitive function in HCV‐exposed patients with only mild liver disease and to assess a) possible interrelationships between these factors and health‐related quality of life and b) the impact of viremia and former interferon treatment. One hundred and fifty‐nine anti‐HCV‐positive individuals without advanced liver disease answered health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), fatigue and depression questionnaires and underwent a battery of attention and memory tests. Accompanying diseases which could distort the results of the study such as HIV co‐infection or drug addiction were exclusion criteria. The patients were subdivided into four groups according to their viremia status and interferon treatment history. Patients' data were evaluated with respect to norms given in the respective test manuals and in addition compared to those of 33 age‐matched healthy controls. Eighty‐five per cent of the patients had chronic fatigue, 50‐60% mild depression or anxiety, 45% memory deficits and 30% attention deficits, irrespective of their HCV viremia status or treatment history. HRQoL correlated negatively with chronic fatigue (P<.001), while cognitive deficits—especially memory function—were independent from fatigue and depression. HCV infection may cause long‐standing cerebral dysfunction that significantly impairs HRQoL and may even persist after clearance of the virus.
The limits of named language varieties and the role of social salience in dialectal contact: The case of Spanish in the United States
Authors: Erker Daniel
Published: January 2017

Studying dialectal contact offers linguists an opportunity to critically examine some of our most basic assumptions about language. In particular, careful consideration of geographically constrained patterns of linguistic variation highlights the limitations of named language varieties as tools for linguistic inquiry. Ultimately, the locus of contact is not to be found in the interaction of such abstractions, but rather in the individual minds of those who live in contact communities. The present paper highlights these issues through a discussion of Spanish dialectal contact in the U.S., with a special emphasis on the variable social salience of regionally differentiated features. Work reviewed here is consistent with previous research that finds the relative salience of features to be a key determinant of their trajectory in situations of contact. Change in the use of high salience features is likely to be the result of direct accommodation between speakers, while change in low salience features is likely to arise by other, indirect mechanisms. The role of salience in shaping the outcomes of contact reinforces its inherently social nature, reminding us that what we hope to understand are not the results of dialects in contact, but rather, those of people in contact.
Job Search Strategies in Times of Crisis: Natives and Immigrants in Spain
Authors: Vázquez‐Grenno Javier
Published: January 2017

This paper uses Spanish Labor Force Survey data for the period 2005–2010 to analyze the job search methods adopted by unemployed natives and immigrants. We focus on the determinants of these job search methods and examine the interaction between the methods selected and native and immigrant exit rates from unemployment in a period that covers the transition from economic growth to crisis. Our findings suggest that, irrespective of the job search methods adopted, the hazards of leaving unemployment are greater for natives than they are for immigrants. The gap emerges in the second half of 2006, 1 year before the onset of the international crisis. Prior to this date, no differences were observed in their respective exit rates from unemployment. Finally, we find a mixed correlation between the job search methods and the probability of finding a job.
Non‐Comparative and Comparative Advertising in Oligopolistic Markets
Authors: Alipranti Maria , Mitrokostas Evangelos , Petrakis Emmanuel
Published: January 2017

We study firms’ advertising strategies in an oligopolistic market in which both non‐comparative and comparative advertising are present. We show that in equilibrium firms mix over the two types of advertising, with the intensity of comparative advertising exceeding that of non‐comparative advertising; moreover, that the intensity of comparative increases relatively to non‐comparative advertising as market competition intensifies. Interestingly, the use of comparative advertising may lead to higher consumers’ surplus and welfare in a mixed advertising market than in the absence of advertising or when either comparative or non‐comparative advertising is not present.
Systems analysis in Cellvibrio japonicus resolves predicted redundancy of β‐glucosidases and determines essential physiological functions
Authors: Nelson Cassandra E. , Rogowski Artur , Morland Carl , Wilhide Joshua A. , Gilbert Harry J. , Gardner Jeffrey G.
Published: January 2017

Degradation of polysaccharides forms an essential arc in the carbon cycle, provides a percentage of our daily caloric intake, and is a major driver in the renewable chemical industry. Microorganisms proficient at degrading insoluble polysaccharides possess large numbers of carbohydrate active enzymes (CAZymes), many of which have been categorized as functionally redundant. Here we present data that suggests that CAZymes that have overlapping enzymatic activities can have unique, non‐overlapping biological functions in the cell. Our comprehensive study to understand cellodextrin utilization in the soil saprophyte Cellvibrio japonicus found that only one of four predicted β‐glucosidases is required in a physiological context. Gene deletion analysis indicated that only the cel3B gene product is essential for efficient cellodextrin utilization in C. japonicus and is constitutively expressed at high levels. Interestingly, expression of individual β‐glucosidases in Escherichia coli K‐12 enabled this non‐cellulolytic bacterium to be fully capable of using cellobiose as a sole carbon source. Furthermore, enzyme kinetic studies indicated that the Cel3A enzyme is significantly more active than the Cel3B enzyme on the oligosaccharides but not disaccharides. Our approach for parsing related CAZymes to determine actual physiological roles in the cell can be applied to other polysaccharide‐degradation systems.
Pentapeptide‐rich peptidoglycan at the Bacillus subtilis cell‐division site
Authors: Morales Angeles Danae , Liu Yun , Hartman Alwin M. , Borisova Marina , de Sousa Borges Anabela , de Kok Niels , Beilharz Katrin , Veening Jan‐Willem , Mayer Christoph , Hirsch Anna K.H. , Scheffers Dirk‐Jan
Published: January 2017

Peptidoglycan (PG), the major component of the bacterial cell wall, is one large macromolecule. To allow for the different curvatures of PG at cell poles and division sites, there must be local differences in PG architecture and eventually also chemistry. Here we report such local differences in the Gram‐positive rod‐shaped model organism Bacillus subtilis. Single‐cell analysis after antibiotic treatment and labeling of the cell wall with a fluorescent analogue of vancomycin or the fluorescent D‐amino acid analogue (FDAA) HCC‐amino‐D‐alanine revealed that PG at the septum contains muropeptides with unprocessed stem peptides (pentapeptides). Whereas these pentapeptides are normally shortened after incorporation into PG, this activity is reduced at division sites indicating either a lower local degree of PG crosslinking or a difference in PG composition, which could be a topological marker for other proteins. The pentapeptides remain partially unprocessed after division when they form the new pole of a cell. The accumulation of unprocessed PG at the division site is not caused by the activity of the cell division specific penicillin‐binding protein 2B. To our knowledge, this is the first indication of local differences in the chemical composition of PG in Gram‐positive bacteria.
Quality control of a medicinal larval (Lucilia sericata) debridement device based on released gelatinase activity
Authors: PICKLES S. F. , PRITCHARD D. I.
Published: January 2017

Lucilia sericata Meigen (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae are manufactured worldwide for the treatment of chronic wounds. Published research has confirmed that the primary clinical effect of the product, debridement (the degradation of non‐viable wound tissue), is accomplished by a range of enzymes released by larvae during feeding. The quality assessment of larval activity is currently achieved during production using meat‐based assays, which monitor insect growth and/or the reduction in substrate mass. To support this, the present authors developed a complementary radial diffusion enzymatic assay to produce a visual and measureable indication of the activity of larval alimentary products (LAP) collected under standardized conditions, against a gelatin substrate. Using basic laboratory equipment and reagents, the assay is rapid and suited to high throughput. Assay reproducibility is high (standard deviation: 0.06–0.27; coefficient of variation: 0.75–4.31%) and the LAP collection procedure does not adversely affect larval survival (mortality: < 2%). Because it is both cost‐ and time‐effective, this method is suited to both academic and industrial use and supports good manufacturing and laboratory practice as a quality control assay.
Locus coeruleus at asymptomatic early and middle Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangle pathology
Authors: Andrés‐Benito P. , Fernández‐Dueñas V. , Carmona M. , Escobar L. A. , Torrejón‐Escribano B. , Aso E. , Ciruela F. , Ferrer I.
Published: January 2017

Aims

The present study analyses molecular characteristics of the locus coeruleus (LC) and projections to the amygdala and hippocampus at asymptomatic early and middle Braak stages of neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) pathology.

Methods

Immunohistochemistry, whole‐transcriptome arrays and RT‐qPCR in LC and western blotting in hippocampus and amygdala in a cohort of asymptomatic individuals at stages I–IV of NFT pathology were used.

Results

NFTs in the LC increased in parallel with colocalized expression of tau kinases, increased neuroketal adducts and decreased superoxide dismutase 1 in neurons with hyperphosphorylated tau and decreased voltage‐dependent anion channel in neurons containing truncated tau were found. These were accompanied by increased microglia and AIF1, CD68, PTGS2, IL1β, IL6 and TNF‐α gene expression. Whole‐transcriptome arrays revealed upregulation of genes coding for proteins associated with heat shock protein binding and genes associated with ATP metabolism and downregulation of genes coding for DNA‐binding proteins and members of the small nucleolar RNAs family, at stage IV when compared with stage I. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity was preserved in neurons of the LC, but decreased TH and increased α2A adrenergic receptor protein levels were found in the hippocampus and the amygdala.

Conclusions

Complex alteration of several metabolic pathways occurs in the LC accompanying NFT formation at early and middle asymptomatic stages of NFT pathology. Dopaminergic/noradrenergic denervation and increased expression of α2A adrenergic receptor in the hippocampus and amygdala occur at first stage of NFT pathology, suggesting compensatory activation in the face of decreased adrenergic input occurring before clinical evidence of cognitive impairment and depression.
Pretreatment with nebivolol attenuates level and expression of matrix metalloproteinases in a rat model of renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury
Authors: Ersan Sibel , Tanrısev Mehmet , Cavdar Zahide , Celık Asli , Unlu Mehtat , Kocak Ayse , Kose Timur
Published: January 2017

Aim

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc‐containing proteinases that are involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and a number of cell surface proteins in order to maintain tissue homeostasis. They are involved in pathogenesis of several ischaemic organ injuries. In the present study, we aimed to determine the expression and level of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 in renal ischaemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) model and the potential beneficial effect of nebivolol, a β1‐adrenergic receptor blocker, on both MMP‐2 and ‐9 level and expression and tubular injury caused by IRI.

Methods

Twenty Wistar albino rats were divided into three groups: sham‐operated , ischaemia–reperfusion, and nebivolol‐pretreated. IRI model was induced by bilateral clamping of renal arteries for 45 min followed by 24 h of reperfusion. The analysis of serum creatinine levels, quantity and expression of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 were performed after 24 h of IRI. The effects of nebivolol on level and expression of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 levels were investigated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The pathological examinations were performed to score tubular damage by light microscopy.

Results

Creatinine levels increased significantly in the ischaemia–reperfusion group compared to the sham‐operated group. Rats in the nebivolol‐pretreated group showed significant decrease in expression and quantity of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 during IRI. The pathological examinations demonstrated significantly low level of tubular injury score in nebivolol‐pretreated group.

Conclusion

Nebivolol attenuated IRI by decreasing the expression and level of MMP‐2 and MMP‐9.
Rebamipide, an anti‐ulcerative drug, inhibits induction of salivary dysfunction by benzodiazepines
Authors: Ogane M , Okubo M , Yoshikawa M , Shinomiya T , Tsukagoshi E , Kawaguchi M
Published: January 2017

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to determine whether rebamipide, an antistomach ulcer agent, ameliorated benzodiazepine‐induced hyposalivation in rat parotid gland (PG) and submandibular gland (SMG).

Methods

Saliva was collected from PG and SMG through a capillary cannula inserted into the parotid duct and sublingual papillae, respectively, every 15 min for 1 h after stimulation with pilocarpine dissolved in physiological saline and intraperitoneally administered at 1 mg kg−1. Diazepam (DZP) was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 0.2 mg kg−1 twice daily for 7 days. Rebamipide was administered at 10, 20, 30, or 100 mg kg−1 concomitantly with DZP to determine its effect on hyposalivation. The effect of rebamipide on movement of intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) in isolated parotid acinar cells was analyzed using Fluo4, a fluorescent dye used to detect Ca2+.

Results

Repetitive administration of DZP decreased salivary secretion in PG and SMG. This inhibitory effect was weakened by administration of rebamipide. Prior administration of DZP (10−6M) significantly suppressed carbachol (10−7M)‐induced increase in [Ca2+]i. This inhibitory effect was ameliorated by combined use with rebamipide (5 × 10−4M).

Conclusion

This findings suggest that rebamipide weakens the downregulatory effect of DZP on salivary secretion by preventing DZP‐induced suppression of increase in [Ca2+]i.