bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Drinking Motives Questionnaire among Swedish psychiatric patients: An exploration of the four‐factor structure
Authors: Öster Caisa , Arinell Hans , Nehlin Christina
Published: June 2016

Introduction and Aims

Alcohol use above hazardous limits is common among persons with psychiatric disorders, and there is limited knowledge about motives for drinking. The objective of this study was to explore the adequacy of the four‐factor structure of drinking motives in an adult psychiatric outpatient population in Sweden by confirming the factor structure in the Drinking Motives Questionnaire (DMQ‐R) and in alternative models.

Design and Methods

In total, 371 patients responded to the DMQ‐R along with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT). AUDIT was used to assess frequency of alcohol consumption, number of drinks consumed on a typical occasion and binge drinking frequency. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the construct validity of the DMQ‐R and alternative models, including the short form, DMQ‐R SF.

Results

Fit statistics suggested that the original four‐factor model had questionable fit (root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.10, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.89, standardised root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.08). The model with the best fit indices was the DMQ‐R SF (RMSEA = 0.07, CFI = 0.97, SRMR = 0.04). When using DMQ‐R SF in further analyses enhancement, the most strongly endorsed motives were related to quantity and AUDIT sum score. Coping motives were most strongly related to AUDIT sum score, frequency and binge drinking. Social motives were only related to binge drinking, whereas conformity motives were not statistically associated with any motives.

Discussion and Conclusions

The study implies that the 12‐item short form, DMQ‐R SF, could be more appropriate than the original DMQ‐R in this group. [Öster C, Arinell H, Nehlin C. The Drinking Motives Questionnaire among Swedish psychiatric patients: An exploration of the four‐factor structure. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:400–407]
Alcohol's involvement in an array of harms to intimate partners
Authors: Laslett Anne‐Marie , Jiang Heng , Room Robin
Published: June 2016

Introduction

Harms from intimate partners' (IP) drinking range from frustration because the partner has not performed their role to assault.

Aim

To describe the prevalence and persistence of alcohol‐related harms to IPs and assess which respondents are more likely to report discontinuation of this harm.

Design and methods

Cross‐sectional (n = 2649) and follow‐up (n = 1106) alcohol's harm to others telephone surveys in 2008 and 2011 (response rates of 35% and 15% of the original sample respectively) were used to elicit harms to respondents from their IP's drinking (by gender and relationship). To examine discontinuation, a sub‐sample of 83 respondents was analysed in detail.

Results

A total of 6.7% of Australians were negatively affected by an IP's drinking in 2008. Women were more likely to report harm than men from an IP's drinking. Of the 1106 respondents who completed both surveys, the majority (90%) reported no harm from IPs although 3% reported harm in both surveys. No significant correlates of discontinuation of harm were identified.

Discussion

Many Australian relationships are affected in a range of ways because of the drinking of their IPs. A minority of respondents were affected by their IP's drinking, yet over half (57%) of those harmed in 2008 continued to experience harm in 2011. Additionally, half (46.9%) of those who were not harmed in 2008 but did live with a heavy drinking IP did go on to be harmed in 2011. More research on the role of alcohol‐related harm from IPs with larger samples is required to examine predictors of change. [Laslett A‐M, Jiang H, Room R. Alcohol's involvement in an array of harms to intimate partners. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:72–79]
Napping reduces emotional attention bias during early childhood
Authors: Cremone Amanda , Kurdziel Laura B.F. , Fraticelli‐Torres Ada , McDermott Jennifer M. , Spencer Rebecca M.C.
Published: June 2016

Sleep loss alters processing of emotional stimuli in preschool‐aged children. However, the mechanism by which sleep modifies emotional processing in early childhood is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that a nap, compared to an equivalent time spent awake, reduces biases in attention allocation to affective information. Children (n = 43; M = 55.40 months, SD = 8.05 months) completed a Dot Probe task, which provides a measure of attention biases to emotional stimuli, following a mid‐day nap and an equivalent interval spent awake. No emotional attention biases emerged when children napped. However, when nap‐deprived, children exhibited biases towards negative and positive stimuli. This emotional bias after wake was greater in children who napped habitually. Gender differences also emerged such that females were more attentive to positive emotional stimuli whereas males showed heightened attention to negative emotional stimuli, regardless of having napped or not. Moreover, greater slow wave activity (SWA) during the nap was associated with faster responding, which suggests that SWA may promote efficiency of attention allocation. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIoZ8mzxQgg
Glanders and the risk for its introduction through the international movement of horses
Authors: Kettle A. N. B. , Wernery U.
Published: June 2016

Glanders is the contagious zoonotic disease caused by infection with Burkholderia mallei. It affects primarily horses, donkeys and mules. The disease was eradicated from large areas of the Western world in the early 20th century, but, over the last 10–20 years, has emerged and re‐emerged in areas in which it was previously unknown or had been eradicated. Although glanders was previously thought to manifest in only acute or chronic presentations, it now appears that B. mallei can produce latent infections similar to those caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei. These latent infections may or may not be detectable by current diagnostic tests. The diagnostic test currently recommended by the World Organisation for Animal Health (Office International des Epizooties [OIE]) for international trade in equids is the complement fixation test (CFT). This test has been shown to have varying sensitivities and specificities depending on the antigen and methodology used. False positives are problematic for the horse‐owner and veterinary authority, whereas false negatives may allow the reintroduction of B. mallei into B. mallei‐free areas. These gaps in knowledge of the epidemiology of glanders, and weaknesses in its diagnosis, coupled with the increased movement of equids, indicate that infection with B. mallei remains a major risk in the context of international movement of equids.
Clinicopathological characteristics of non‐B non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma without past hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Kimura Takefumi , Kobayashi Akira , Tanaka Naoki , Sano Kenji , Komatsu Michiharu , Fujimori Naoyuki , Yamazaki Tomoo , Shibata Soichiro , Ichikawa Yuki , Joshita Satoru , Umemura Takeji , Matsumoto Akihiro , Horiuchi Akira , Mori Hiromitsu , Wada Shuichi , Kiyosawa Kendo , Miyagawa Shin‐ichi , Tanaka Eiji
Published: June 2016

Aim

Past hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is considered a risk factor for hepatocarcinogenesis, but the clinicopathological characteristics of non‐B non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma (NBNC‐HCC) excluding past HBV infection have not been investigated. This study aimed to clarify the clinicopathological features of strictly defined NBNC‐HCC.

Methods

Among HCC patients who underwent surgical resection at our affiliated hospitals in Nagano prefecture, Japan, between 1996 and 2012, 77 were negative for serum anti‐HBV core/surface antibodies in addition to HBV surface antigen and anti‐hepatitis C virus antibody without signs of autoimmune liver disease, Wilson disease, or hemochromatosis. These patients were divided into the alcohol intake‐positive group (ethanol intake >20 g/day, n = 31), non‐alcoholic fatty liver group (steatosis >5% and ethanol intake <20 g/day, n = 30), and cryptogenic group (no ethanol intake or steatosis, n = 16). Preoperative clinical parameters, tumor and background liver pathology, and prognosis were analyzed.

Results

Advanced fibrosis and steatosis were detected in 64% and 60% of all patients, respectively. Approximately 85% of the alcohol intake‐positive patients had advanced fibrosis. Non‐alcoholic fatty liver HCC subjects had the highest body mass index and prevalence of diabetes, but 30–40% had none to mild fibrosis. The cryptogenic group of HCC patients had the lowest incidence of accompanying hepatic inflammation/fibrosis but the largest tumor size. Recurrence/survival rates were comparable among the groups.

Conclusions

Liver fibrosis and steatosis are risk factors of HCC regardless of past HBV infection and ethanol consumption. The present results also indicate the possibility of hepatocarcinogenesis independent of hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, ethanol intake, and past HBV infection.
High conservation value forests for burn‐associated saproxylic beetles: an approach for developing sustainable post‐fire salvage logging in boreal forest
Authors: Boucher Jonathan , Hébert Christian , Ibarzabal Jacques , Bauce Éric
Published: June 2016

Fire‐killed timber is considered as a loss of potential revenues and is thus increasingly salvaged, though not without concerns for biodiversity conservation. Indeed, a large diversity of burn‐associated saproxylic beetles use recently burned trees.

This study intends to reduce potential impacts of salvage logging on biodiversity by identifying high conservation value forests (HCVFs) for burn‐associated beetles, which are considered the most at risk.

In five burns ignited naturally in 2010 in the eastern Canadian boreal forest, we selected 31 and 29 stands of black spruce and jack pine respectively. Three 50‐cm bole segments were retrieved from each stand and placed in emergence cages to measure tree utilisation by saproxylic beetles. This yielded 7235 beetles from 103 taxa, of which 67 were considered rare (<5% occurrence in logs) and 36 as common taxa (>5% occurrence in logs).

Among the common taxa, we identified six groups of ecologically related species using co‐occurrence‐based hierarchical clustering, among which three were mainly formed by opportunistic species that are currently of little concern in a post‐fire logging context. The three other groups were formed by burn‐associated species that could be affected by salvage logging.

HCVFs include jack pine stands and large trees of either tree species of low‐ to mid‐range burn severity. We also recommend retaining the periphery of burned stands, as ecotones are rich habitats used by several burn‐associated species that are found in low numbers in green forests but they benefit from burned habitats by increasing their populations significantly.
Crushing oral solid drugs: Assessment of nursing practices in health‐care facilities in Auvergne, France
Authors: Clauson Hélène , Rull Françoise , Thibault Magali , Ordekyan Audrey , Tavernier Jérôme
Published: June 2016

Iatrogenic harm from crushing oral drugs, a common but hazardous practice, can be largely avoided by following recommendations for good practice. The aims of this study were to evaluate the frequency of tablet crushing and opening capsules in hospitals and to compare the nursing practices with national recommendations.

From 46 health facilities in Auvergne, 1110 nurses answered an anonymous self‐completed questionnaire between September and November 2014 regarding general medication issues, prescription, preparation and administration of crushed medications.

Crushing tablets or opening capsules was reported as a daily practice for 28% (increasing to 67% in geriatric units). While most best practice recommendations were followed by most nurses, scope for improvement remained: pharmacists were rarely contacted, rationales for change of medication formulation were seldom recorded in patients' files and medications were often crushed and administered together, risking drug interactions.

Study data were used to inform recommendations for practice improvement. As findings bear similarities to those from other countries, this may be a widespread issue and study recommendations may be widely relevant. Practice will be reviewed again once practice improvement has been completed.
The engagement of oral‐associated lymphoid tissues during oral versus gastric antigen administration
Authors: Bankvall Maria , Östberg Anna‐Karin , Jontell Mats , Wold Agnes , Östman Sofia
Published: June 2016

The role of oral‐associated lymphoid tissues during induction of oral tolerance still remains elusive. Therefore, the aim was to compare T‐cell activation and induction of tolerance to ovalbumin (OVA) presented through either of two routes; deposited into the oral cavity, or the stomach, thereby bypassing the oral cavity. OVA was administered by the oral or gastric route to BALB/c mice that had received OVA‐specific DO11.10+ CD4+ T cells, stained with CellTrace™ Violet dye, through intravenous injection. Proliferating OVA‐specific T cells were detected in the nose‐associated lymphoid tissues (NALT) and the cervical, mesenteric and peripheral lymph nodes at different time‐points following OVA exposure. OVA‐specific T‐cell proliferation was initially observed in the NALT 1 hr after oral, but not gastric, administration. However, at day 1, proliferation at this site was also detected after gastric administration and profound proliferation was observed at all sites by day 4. For the oral route the degree of proliferation observed was lower in the peripheral lymph nodes by day 4 compared with the other sites. These results demonstrate a similar activation pattern achieved by the two routes. However, the NALT distinguishes itself as a site of rapid T‐cell activation towards fed antigens irrespective of feeding regimen. To evaluate induction of tolerance a semi‐effective OVA dose was used, to detect differences in the degree of tolerance achieved. This was performed in a model of OVA‐induced airway hypersensitivity. No differences in tolerance induction were observed between the two administration routes.
Lot‐sizing model with advance payment pricing and disruption in supply under planned partial backordering
Authors: Taleizadeh Ata Allah
Published: June 2016

Inventory management is a group of policies used to enhance company efficiencies in using the inventory and decrease its related costs. Inventory management policies operate efficiently only in the normal market environment. When the manager faces disruption, the common decisions do not lead to optimality. In this paper, a lot‐sizing model for when the retailer may face disruption is developed. A portion of purchasing cost should be spent before delivery by several predetermined equal‐sized advanced payments; shortage is permitted and will be partially back‐ordered. The total cost function includes purchasing, holding, capital, backordering, and lost sale costs. The optimal decisions are obtained after proving the convexity of the expected total cost function. Finally, a solution algorithm is presented and several numerical examples and analysis are provided to show that the developed model and derived results can be applied to real‐world problems.
A new method for measuring process flexibility of product design
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Wu Desheng , Fu Chao , Baron Claude , Peng Zhanglin
Published: June 2016

Process flexibility enables product designers to accommodate changing requirements in a timely and cost‐effective way. However, in order to effectively guide process flexibility in terms of investment in product design, one must be able to objectively measure process flexibility. Hence, this paper introduces a new quantitative method to measure the process flexibility of product design. Instead of directly measuring the available process flexibility, this method introduces a surrogate value (i.e., the reduced project cost resulting from process flexibility) to indirectly measure process flexibility, with consideration of requirement variations. Then, the relationships between process flexibility and impact factors of requirement variations are investigated based on the proposed method. A set of simulation experiments indicates that the method proposed and related propositions are also suitable for complex product design.
Impact of diet on the efficacy of insulin lispro mix 25 and insulin lispro mix 50 as starter insulin in East Asian patients with type 2 diabetes: Subgroup analysis of the Comparison Between Low Mixed Insulin and Mid Mixed Insulin as Starter Insulin For Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (CLASSIFY Study) randomized trial
Authors: Chen Wei , Qian Lei , Watada Hirotaka , Li Peng Fei , Iwamoto Noriyuki , Imori Makoto , Yang Wen Ying
Published: June 2016

Aims/Introduction

The pathophysiology of diabetes differs between Asian and Western patients in many ways, and diet is a primary contributor. The present study examined the effect of diet on the efficacy of 25% insulin lispro/75% insulin lispro protamine suspension (LM25) and 50% insulin lispro/50% insulin lispro protamine suspension (LM50) as starter insulin in Chinese and Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control with oral antidiabetic medication.

Materials and Methods

This was a predefined subgroup analysis of a phase 4, open‐label, 26‐week, parallel‐arm, randomized (computer‐generated random sequence) trial (21 January 2013 to 22 August 2014). Nutritional intake was assessed from food records kept by participants before study drug administration. Outcomes assessed were changes from baseline in self‐monitored blood glucose, 1,5‐anhydroglucitol and glycated hemoglobin.

Results

In total, 328 participants were randomized to receive twice‐daily LM25 (n = 168) or LM50 (n = 160). Median daily nutritional intake (by weight and percentage of total energy) was 230.8 g of carbohydrate (54%), 56.5 g of fat (31%) and 66 g of protein (15%). Improvements in self‐monitored blood glucose were significantly greater (P ≤ 0.028) in the LM50 group than in the LM25 group, regardless of nutritional intake. When carbohydrate (by weight or percentage energy) or fat (by weight) intake exceeded median levels, LM50 was significantly more efficacious than LM25 (P ≤ 0.026) in improving 1,5‐anhydroglucitol and glycated hemoglobin.

Conclusions

Glycemic control improved in both LM25 and LM50 groups, but LM50 was significantly more efficacious under certain dietary conditions, particularly with increased carbohydrate intake.
Biodiversity of green algae covering artificial hard substrate surfaces in a suburban environment: a case study using molecular approaches
Authors: Hallmann Christine , Hoppert Michael , Mudimu Opayi , Friedl Thomas
Published: June 2016

In Middle European suburban environments green algae often cover open surfaces of artificial hard substrates. Microscopy reveals the Apatococcus/Desmococcus morphotype predominant over smaller coccoid forms. Adverse conditions such as limited water availability connected with high PAR and UV irradiance may narrow the algal diversity to a few specialists in these subaerial habitats. We used rRNA gene cloning/sequencing from both DNA extracts of the biofilms without culturing as well as cultures, for the unambiguous determination of the algal composition and to assess the algal diversity more comprehensively. The culture independent approach revealed mainly just two genera (Apatococcus, Trebouxia) for all study sites and five molecular operational taxonomic units (OTUs) for a particular study site, which based on microscopic observation was the one with the highest morphological diversity. The culture approach, however, revealed seven additional OTUs from five genera (Chloroidium, Coccomyxa, Coenochloris, Pabia, Klebsormidium) and an unidentified trebouxiophyte lineage for that same site; only two OTUs were shared by both approaches. Two OTUs or species were recovered for which references have been isolated only from Antarctica so far. However, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence differences among them supported they are representing distinct populations of the same species. Within Apatococcus five clearly distinct groups of ITS sequences, each putatively representing a distinct species, were recovered with three or four such ITS types co‐occurring at the same study site. Except for the streptophyte Klebsormidium only members of Trebouxiophyceae were detected suggesting these algae may be particularly well‐adapted to subaerial habitats.
Morphological and molecular characterization of Ptychodiscus noctiluca revealed the polyphyletic nature of the order Ptychodiscales (Dinophyceae)
Authors: Gómez Fernando , Qiu Dajun , Dodge John D. , Lopes Rubens M. , Lin Senjie
Published: June 2016

The planktonic dinoflagellate Ptychodiscus noctiluca combined distinctive morphological features such as a disk‐shaped anteroposteriorly compressed cell body and an apical carina, together with a flexible and tough cell covering, suggesting intermediate characteristics between thecate and naked dinoflagellates. Ptychodiscus noctiluca was examined by light, epifluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy from specimens collected in the Mediterranean Sea and the North and South Atlantic Ocean. Ptychodiscus noctiluca showed a straight apical groove that bisected the carina, a cell covering with a polygonal surface reticulum, nucleus without capsule, sulcal intrusion in the episome, sulcal ventral flange, and yellowish‐green chloroplasts that are shared characters with Brachidinium/Karenia. The cell division was the typical binary fission of gymnodinioid dinoflagellates, although exceptionally in an oblique transversal axis. We examined the intraspecific variability during incubation experiments. In the fattened cells, termed as Ptychodiscus carinatus, chloroplasts transformed into dark granules, and the cell acquired the swollen and smaller stage, termed as P. inflatus. Ptychodiscus carinatus, P. inflatus, and Diplocystis antarctica are synonyms of P. noctiluca. Molecular phylogeny based on the SSU rDNA sequence revealed that Ptychodiscus branched within the short‐branching dinokaryotic dinoflagellates as an independent lineage with affinity to Brachidinium/Karenia and Karlodinium/Takayama in a generally poorly resolved clade. Our results indicated that the order Ptychodiscales, established for unarmored dinoflagellates with a strongly developed pellicle, has artificially grouped thecate dinoflagellates (Kolkwitziella, Herdmania), naked dinoflagellates with thick cell covering (Balechina, Cucumeridinium) and other insufficiently known unarmored genera with typical cell coverings (Brachidinium, Ceratoperidinium).
Remarkable life history polymorphism may be evolving under divergent selection in the silverleaf sunflower
Authors: Moyers Brook T. , Rieseberg Loren H.
Published: June 2016

Substantial intraspecific variation in life history is rare and potentially a signal of incipient ecological speciation, if variation is driven by geographically heterogenous natural selection. We present the first report of extensive life history polymorphism inHelianthus argophyllus, the silverleaf sunflower, and examine evidence for its evolution by divergent selection. In 18 populations sampled from across the species range and grown in a common garden, most quantitative traits covaried such that individuals could be assigned to two distinct life history syndromes: tall and late flowering with small initial flowerheads, or short and early flowering with larger initial flowerheads.Helianthus argophyllusexhibits regional genetic structure, but this population structure does not closely correspond with patterns of phenotypic variation. The early‐flowering syndrome is primarily observed in populations from coastal barrier islands, while populations from the nearby mainland coast, although geographically and genetically close, are primarily late flowering. Additionally, several traits are more differentiated among regions than expected based on neutral genetic divergence (QST > FST), including the first principal component score corresponding with life history syndrome. This discordance between patterns of phenotypic and genetic variation suggests that divergent selection is driving genetic differences in life history across the species range. If so, the silverleaf sunflower may be in early stages of ecological speciation.
Divergence history of the Carpathian and smooth newts modelled in space and time
Authors: Zieliński P. , Nadachowska‐Brzyska K. , Dudek K. , Babik W.
Published: June 2016

Information about demographic history is essential for the understanding of the processes of divergence and speciation. Patterns of genetic variation within and between closely related species provide insights into the history of their interactions. Here, we investigated historical demography and genetic exchange between the Carpathian (Lissotriton montandoni, Lm) and smooth (L. vulgaris, Lv) newts. We combine an extensive geographical sampling and multilocus nuclear sequence data with the approximate Bayesian computation framework to test alternative scenarios of divergence and reconstruct the temporal and spatial pattern of gene flow between species. A model of recent (last glacial period) interspecific gene flow was favoured over alternative models. Thus, despite the relatively old divergence (4–6 mya) and presumably long periods of isolation, the species have retained the ability to exchange genes. Nevertheless, the low migration rates (ca. 10−6per gene copy per generation) are consistent with strong reproductive isolation between the species. Models allowing demographic changes were favoured, suggesting that the effective population sizes of both species at least doubled as divergence reaching the current ca. 0.2 million in Lm and 1 million in Lv. We found asymmetry in rates of interspecific gene flow between Lm and one evolutionary lineage of Lv. We suggest that intraspecific polymorphism for hybrid incompatibilities segregating within Lv could explain this pattern and propose further tests to distinguish between alternative explanations. Our study highlights the importance of incorporating intraspecific genetic structure into the models investigating the history of divergence.
A comparison of single‐sample estimators of effective population sizes from genetic marker data
Authors: Wang Jinliang
Published: June 2016

In molecular ecology and conservation genetics studies, the important parameter of effective population size (Ne) is increasingly estimated from a single sample of individuals taken at random from a population and genotyped at a number of marker loci. Several estimators are developed, based on the information of linkage disequilibrium (LD), heterozygote excess (HE), molecular coancestry (MC) and sibship frequency (SF) in marker data. The most popular is the LD estimator, because it is more accurate than HE and MC estimators and is simpler to calculate than SF estimator. However, little is known about the accuracy of LD estimator relative to that of SF and about the robustness of all single‐sample estimators when some simplifying assumptions (e.g. random mating, no linkage, no genotyping errors) are violated. This study fills the gaps and uses extensive simulations to compare the biases and accuracies of the four estimators for different population properties (e.g. bottlenecks, nonrandom mating, haplodiploid), marker properties (e.g. linkage, polymorphisms) and sample properties (e.g. numbers of individuals and markers) and to compare the robustness of the four estimators when marker data are imperfect (with allelic dropouts). Extensive simulations show that SF estimator is more accurate, has a much wider application scope (e.g. suitable to nonrandom mating such as selfing, haplodiploid species, dominant markers) and is more robust (e.g. to the presence of linkage and genotyping errors of markers) than the other estimators. An empirical data set from a Yellowstone grizzly bear population was analysed to demonstrate the use of the SF estimator in practice.
Trade‐offs and evolution of thermal adaptation in the Irish potato famine pathogen Phytophthora infestans
Authors: Yang Li‐Na , Zhu Wen , Wu E‐Jiao , Yang Ce , Thrall Peter H. , Burdon Jeremy J. , Jin Li‐Ping , Shang Li‐Ping , Zhan Jiasui
Published: June 2016

Temperature is one of the most important environmental parameters with crucial impacts on nearly all biological processes. Due to anthropogenic activity, average air temperatures are expected to increase by a few degrees in coming decades, accompanied by an increased occurrence of extreme temperature events. Such global trends are likely to have various major impacts on human society through their influence on natural ecosystems, food production and biotic interactions, including diseases. In this study, we used a combination of statistical genetics, experimental evolution and common garden experiments to investigate the evolutionary potential for thermal adaptation in the potato late blight pathogen, Phytophthora infestans, and infer its likely response to changing temperatures. We found a trade‐off associated with thermal adaptation to heterogeneous environments in P. infestans, with the degree of the trade‐off peaking approximately at the pathogen's optimum growth temperature. A genetic trade‐off in thermal adaptation was also evidenced by the negative association between a strain's growth rate and its thermal range for growth, and warm climates selecting for a low pathogen growth rate. We also found a mirror effect of phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation on growth rate. At below the optimum, phenotypic plasticity enhances pathogen's growth rate but nature selects for slower growing genotypes when temperature increases. At above the optimum, phenotypic plasticity reduces pathogen's growth rate but natural selection favours for faster growing genotypes when temperature increases further. We conclude from these findings that the growth rate of P. infestans will only be marginally affected by global warming.
Non‐motor involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: new insight from nerve and vessel analysis in skin biopsy
Authors: Nolano M. , Provitera V. , Manganelli F. , Iodice R. , Caporaso G. , Stancanelli A. , Marinou K. , Lanzillo B. , Santoro L. , Mora G.
Published: June 2016

Aims

To assess cutaneous sensory and autonomic nerves and the vascular bed in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods

We enrolled 41 patients (M = 20, aged 63.5 ± 11.8 years), and 41 age‐ and gender‐matched healthy volunteers (M = 20, aged 63.5 ± 11.8 years). Disease severity and sensory and autonomic symptoms were scored using dedicated rating scales. Skin biopsies obtained from thigh, leg and fingertip were processed using indirect immunofluorescence. Intraepidermal nerve fibres, Meissner corpuscles (MCs), intrapapillary myelinated endings, cholinergic and noradrenergic pilomotor nerves and dermal vessels were quantified on confocal images. Intraepidermal nerve fibres, pilomotor nerves and vessels were also assessed on distal leg skin samples of 10 spinal cord injury patients to compare our findings with those of a chronic hypomobility condition.

Results

Compared to healthy controls skin biopsies showed: (i) non–length‐dependent loss of intraepidermal nerve fibres (P < 0.01) and loss of MCs (P < 0.01); (ii) reduced (P < 0.01) density of pilomotor nerves involving cholinergic and noradrenergic fibres and (iii) a reduced (P < 0.01) vascular bed. Autonomic nerve and dermal vessel densities were higher in patients with higher disease progression rate (P < 0.01). Moreover, we observed signs of nerve regeneration coexisting with nerve degeneration and increased complexity of the dermal vessels. In patients with posttraumatic spinal cord injury, the density of intraepidermal nerve fibres, pilomotor nerves and of the vascular bed did not differ from controls (P > 0.05).

Conclusions

We demonstrated a cutaneous sensory and autonomic denervation in ALS and a previously undescribed relationship between autonomic and vascular involvement that appeared to be linked to the disease progression rate.
Review: Central nervous system involvement in mitochondrial disease
Authors: Lax N. Z. , Gorman G. S. , Turnbull D. M.
Published: June 2016

Mitochondrial respiratory chain defects are an important cause of inherited disorders affecting approximately 1 in 5000 people in the UK population. Collectively these disorders are termed ‘mitochondrial diseases’ and they result from either mitochondrial DNA mutations or defects in nuclear DNA. Although they are frequently multisystem disorders, neurological deficits are particularly common, wide‐ranging and disabling for patients. This review details the manifold neurological impairments associated with mitochondrial disease, and describes the efforts to understand how they arise and progressively worsen in patients with mitochondrial disease. We describe advances in our understanding of disease pathogenesis through detailed neuropathological studies and how this has spurred the development of cellular and animal models of disease. We underscore the importance of continued clinical, molecular genetic, neuropathological and animal model studies to fully characterize mitochondrial diseases and understand mechanisms of neurodegeneration. These studies are instrumental for the next phase of mitochondrial research that has a particular emphasis on finding novel ways to treat mitochondrial disease to improve patient care and quality of life.
EAACI Molecular Allergology User's Guide
Authors: Matricardi P. M. , Kleine‐Tebbe J. , Hoffmann H. J. , Valenta R. , Hilger C. , Hofmaier S. , Aalberse R. C. , Agache I. , Asero R. , Ballmer‐Weber B. , Barber D. , Beyer K. , Biedermann T. , Bilò M. B. , Blank S. , Bohle B. , Bosshard P. P. , Breiteneder H. , Brough H. A. , Caraballo L. , Caubet J. C. , Crameri R. , Davies J. M. , Douladiris N. , Ebisawa M. , EIgenmann P. A. , Fernandez‐Rivas M. , Ferreira F. , Gadermaier G. , Glatz M. , Hamilton R. G. , Hawranek T. , Hellings P. , Hoffmann‐Sommergruber K. , Jakob T. , Jappe U. , Jutel M. , Kamath S. D. , Knol E. F. , Korosec P. , Kuehn A. , Lack G. , Lopata A. L. , Mäkelä M. , Morisset M. , Niederberger V. , Nowak‐Węgrzyn A. H. , Papadopoulos N. G. , Pastorello E. A. , Pauli G. , Platts‐Mills T. , Posa D. , Poulsen L. K. , Raulf M. , Sastre J. , Scala E. , Schmid J. M. , Schmid‐Grendelmeier P. , van Hage M. , van Ree R. , Vieths S. , Weber R. , Wickman M. , Muraro A. , Ollert M.
Published: June 2016

The availability of allergen molecules (‘components’) from several protein families has advanced our understanding of immunoglobulin E (IgE)‐mediated responses and enabled ‘component‐resolved diagnosis’ (CRD). The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Molecular Allergology User's Guide (MAUG) provides comprehensive information on important allergens and describes the diagnostic options usingCRD. Part A of theEAACI MAUGintroduces allergen molecules, families, composition of extracts, databases, and diagnostic IgE, skin, and basophil tests. Singleplex and multiplex IgE assays with components improve both sensitivity for low‐abundance allergens and analytical specificity; IgE to individual allergens can yield information on clinical risks and distinguish cross‐reactivity from true primary sensitization. Part B discusses the clinical and molecular aspects of IgE‐mediated allergies to foods (including nuts, seeds, legumes, fruits, vegetables, cereal grains, milk, egg, meat, fish, and shellfish), inhalants (pollen, mold spores, mites, and animal dander), and Hymenoptera venom. Diagnostic algorithms and short case histories provide useful information for the clinical workup of allergic individuals targeted forCRD. Part C covers protein families containing ubiquitous, highly cross‐reactive panallergens from plant (lipid transfer proteins, polcalcins,PR‐10, profilins) and animal sources (lipocalins, parvalbumins, serum albumins, tropomyosins) and explains their diagnostic and clinical utility. Part D lists 100 important allergen molecules. In conclusion, IgE‐mediated reactions and allergic diseases, including allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthma, food reactions, and insect sting reactions, are discussed from a novel molecular perspective. TheEAACI MAUGdocuments the rapid progression of molecular allergology from basic research to its integration into clinical practice, a quantum leap in the management of allergic patients.
Basal serum tryptase is not a risk factor for immediate‐type drug hypersensitivity during childhood
Authors: Cavkaytar Ozlem , Karaatmaca Betul , Arik Yilmaz Ebru , Sahiner Umit M. , Sackesen Cansın , Sekerel Bulent E. , Soyer Ozge
Published: June 2016

Background

High serum basal tryptase (sBT) levels have been identified as a risk factor for both venom‐ and food‐induced severe allergic reactions. The aim of this study was to comparesBTlevels in children with different severity of actual drug hypersensitivity reactions (DHRs) with those of age‐ and sex‐matched controls without any history ofDHRs.

Method

Patients between 0 and 18 years of age with a history of immediate‐typeDHRs manifested in 0–6 h after the culprit drug intake were included. FollowingENDA(European Network for Drug Allergy) inquiries, patients were evaluated with skin and/or provocation tests to define the actual drug‐hypersensitive patients. SerumBTlevels were determined for both patients and controls.

Results

Of 345 children, 106 patients (30.7%) [(58.5% male), median age (interquartile range) 8.0 years (4.2–12.2)] were diagnosed as drug hypersensitive. Ninety‐eight controls were also included. ThesBTlevels of drug‐hypersensitive patients with and without anaphylaxis and the control group were similar [2.6 (2.0–3.6) μg/l vs. 2.8 (1.6–4.3) μg/l vs. 2.6 (1.8–3.6) μg/l, respectively, (p > 0.05)]. ThesBTlevels of the patients with sole cutaneous symptoms 2.8 (1.6–4.3) μg/l, mild anaphylaxis 3.0 (1.9‐4.9) μg/l, and moderate‐to‐severe anaphylaxis 2.6 (2.0–3.6) μg/l were also comparable (p > 0.05). The onset ofDHRs [those occurring in 1 h (n = 87) or in 1–6 h (n = 19) after the drug intake], positive results with skin tests with the culprit drug, or the classification of the patients according to different age groups [(0–2 years), (2–6 years), (6–12 years), (12–18 years)] did not correlate withsBTlevels.

Conclusion

ThesBTlevels in children with actual drug hypersensitivity would not be a risk factor for severe systemic reactions on the contrary to children with allergic reactions to food or insect venom.
How specialized volatiles respond to chronic and short‐term physiological and shock heat stress in Brassica nigra
Authors: Kask Kaia , Kännaste Astrid , Talts Eero , Copolovici Lucian , Niinemets Ülo
Published: June 2016

Brassicales release volatile glucosinolate breakdown products upon tissue mechanical damage, but it is unclear how the release of glucosinolate volatiles responds to abiotic stresses such as heat stress. We used three different heat treatments, simulating different dynamic temperature conditions in the field to gain insight into stress‐dependent changes in volatile blends and photosynthetic characteristics in the annual herb Brassica nigra (L.) Koch. Heat stress was applied by either heating leaves through temperature response curve measurements from 20 to 40 °C (mild stress), exposing plants for 4 h to temperatures 25–44 °C (long‐term stress) or shock‐heating leaves to 45–50 °C. Photosynthetic reduction through temperature response curves was associated with decreased stomatal conductance, while the reduction due to long‐term stress and collapse of photosynthetic activity after heat shock stress were associated with non‐stomatal processes. Mild stress decreased constitutive monoterpene emissions, while long‐term stress and shock stress resulted in emissions of the lipoxygenase pathway and glucosinolate volatiles. Glucosinolate volatile release was more strongly elicited by long‐term stress and lipoxygenase product released by heat shock. These results demonstrate that glucosinolate volatiles constitute a major part of emission blend in heat‐stressed B. nigra plants, especially upon chronic stress that leads to induction responses.
Selective Photoreceptor Gene Knock‐out Reveals a Regulatory Role for the Growth Behavior of Pseudomonas syringae
Authors: Shah Rashmi , Pathak Gopal , Drepper Thomas , Gärtner Wolfgang
Published: June 2016

The plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae (Ps) is a well‐established model organism for bacterial infection of plants. The genome sequences of two pathovars, pv. syringae and pv. tomato, revealed one gene encoding a blue and two genes encoding red/far red light‐sensing photoreceptors. Continuing former molecular characterization of the photoreceptor proteins, we here report selective photoreceptor gene disruption for pv. tomato aiming at identification of potentially regulatory functions of these photoreceptors. Transformation of Ps cells with linear DNA constructs yielded interposon mutations of the corresponding genes. Cell growth studies of the generated photoreceptor knock‐out mutants revealed their role in light‐dependent regulation of cell growth and motility. Disruption of the blue‐light (BL) receptor gene caused a growth deregulation, in line with an observed increased virulence of this mutant (Moriconi et al., Plant J., 2013, 76, 322). Bacterial phytochrome‐1 (BphP1) deletion mutant caused unaltered cell growth, but a stronger swarming capacity. Inactivation of its ortholog, BphP2, however, caused reduced growth and remarkably altered dendritic swarming behavior. Combined knock‐out of both bacteriophytochromes reproduced the swarming pattern observed for the BphP2 mutant alone. A triple knock‐out mutant showed a growth rate between that of the BL (deregulation) and the phytochrome‐2 mutant (growth reduction).
Ethylene signalling is essential for the resistance of Nicotiana attenuata against Alternaria alternata and phytoalexin scopoletin biosynthesis
Authors: Sun H. , Song N. , Ma L. , Li J. , Ma L. , Wu J. , Wu J.
Published: June 2016

The phytohormone ethylene plays an important role in plant defence responses to pathogen attack. When infected by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen Alternaria alternata (tobacco pathotype), which causes severe diseases in Nicotiana species, the wild tobacco plant Nicotiana attenuata accumulates a high amount of the jasmonate (JA)‐dependent phytoalexin scopoletin to defend itself against this fungal pathogen. However, it is still not known whether ethylene signalling is also involved in scopoletin biosynthesis and the resistance of N. attenuata. After infection, ethylene biosynthetic genes were highly elicited. Furthermore, plants strongly impaired in ethylene biosynthesis or perception had dramatically decreased scopoletin levels, and these plants became more susceptible to the fungus, while A. alternata‐elicited JA levels were increased, indicating that the decreased defence responses were not due to lower JA levels. Thus, it is concluded that after infection, ethylene signalling is activated together with JA signalling in N. attenuata plants and this subsequently regulates scopoletin biosynthesis and plant resistance.
A pragmatic comparison of noise burst and electric shock unconditioned stimuli for fear conditioning research with many trials
Authors: Sperl Matthias F. J. , Panitz Christian , Hermann Christiane , Mueller Erik M.
Published: June 2016

Several methods that are promising for studying the neurophysiology of fear conditioning (e.g., EEG, MEG) require a high number of trials to achieve an adequate signal‐to‐noise ratio. While electric shock and white noise burst are among the most commonly used unconditioned stimuli (US) in conventional fear conditioning studies with few trials, it is unknown whether these stimuli are equally well suited for paradigms with many trials. Here, N = 32 participants underwent a 260‐trial differential fear conditioning and extinction paradigm with a 240‐trial recall test 24 h later and neutral faces as conditioned stimuli. In a between‐subjects design, either white noise bursts (n = 16) or electric shocks (n = 16) served as US, and intensities were determined using the most common procedure for each US (i.e., a fixed 95 dB noise burst and a work‐up procedure for electric shocks, respectively). In addition to differing US types, groups also differed in closely linked US‐associated characteristics (e.g., calibration methods, stimulus intensities, timing). Subjective ratings (arousal/valence), skin conductance, and evoked heart period changes (i.e., fear bradycardia) indicated more reliable, extinction‐resistant, and stable conditioning in the white noise burst versus electric shock group. In fear conditioning experiments where many trials are presented, white noise burst should serve as US.
Sweat pore reactivity as a surrogate measure of sympathetic nervous system activity in trauma‐exposed individuals with and without posttraumatic stress disorder
Authors: Familoni Babajide O. , Gregor Kristin L. , Dodson Thomas S. , Krzywicki Alan T. , Lowery Bobby N. , Orr Scott P. , Suvak Michael K. , Rasmusson Ann M.
Published: June 2016

Stress analysis by FLIR (forward‐looking infrared) evaluation (SAFE) has been demonstrated to monitor sweat pore activation (SPA) as a novel surrogate measure of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity in a normal population. SNS responses to a series of 15 1‐s, 82 dB, white noise bursts were measured by skin conductance (SC) and SAFE monitoring of SPA on the fingers (FiP) and face (FaP) in 10 participants with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and 16 trauma‐exposed participants without PTSD (Mage = 48.92 ± 12.00 years; 26.9% female). Within participants, SC and FiP responses across trials were strongly correlated (r = .92, p < .001). Correlations between SC and FaP (r = .76, p = .001) and between FiP and FaP (r = .47, p = .005) were smaller. The habituation of SNS responses across the 15 trials was substantial (SC: d = −2.97; FiP: d = −2.34; FaP: d = −1.02). There was a strong correlation between habituation effects for SC and FiP (r = .76, p < .001), but not for SC and FaP (r = .15, p = .45) or FiP and FaP (r = .29, p = .16). Participants with PTSD showed larger SNS responses to the first loud noise than those without PTSD. PTSD reexperiencing symptoms assessed by the PTSD Checklist on the day of testing were associated with the SNS responses to the first loud noise measured by SC (d = 1.19) and FiP (d = .99), but not FaP (d = .10). This study confirms convergence of SAFE and SC as valid measures of SNS activity. SAFE FiP and SC responses were highly predictive of self‐rated PTSD reexperiencing symptoms. SAFE may offer an attractive alternative for applications in PTSD and similar populations.
Detection and isolation of Toxoplasma gondii from fresh semen of naturally infected dogs in Southern Brazil
Authors: Koch MO , Weiss RR , Cruz AA , Soccol VT , Gonçalves KA , Bertol MAF , Beltrame OC , Dittrich RL
Published: June 2016

Contents

The aim of this study was to isolate Toxoplasma gondii and determine the viability of the parasite in fresh semen samples of clinically healthy adult dogs naturally infected. Eleven seropositive dogs with T. gondii IgG antibodies from southern Brazil were selected to confirm the presence and viability of T. gondii in fresh semen samples using in vitro isolation in Vero cell culture, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analysis. The presence of viable T. gondii was confirmed by in vitro isolation and PCR in five semen samples. The ITS1 region of the isolated protozoa (TG S4) was amplified and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence obtained was 99% compatible with the T. gondii DNA sequences stored in the GenBank. It has been shown that T. gondii tachyzoites may be isolated in vitro from fresh semen samples of clinically healthy dogs seropositive for T. gondii.