bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The link between behavioural type and natal dispersal propensity reveals a dispersal syndrome in a large herbivore
Authors: Debeffe L. , Morellet N. , Bonnot N. , Gaillard J. M. , Cargnelutti B. , Verheyden-Tixier H. , Vanpé C. , Coulon A. , Clobert J. , Bon R. , Hewison A. J. M.
Published: July 2014

When individuals disperse, they modify the physical and social composition of their reproductive environment, potentially impacting their fitness. The choice an individual makes between dispersal and philopatry is thus critical, hence a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in the decision to leave the natal area is crucial. We explored how combinations of behavioural (exploration, mobility, activity and stress response) and morphological (body mass) traits measured prior to dispersal were linked to the subsequent dispersal decision in 77 roe deerCapreolus capreolusfawns. Using an unusually detailed multi-trait approach, we identified two independent behavioural continuums related to dispersal. First, a continuum of energetic expenditure contrasted individuals of low mobility, low variability in head activity and low body temperature with those that displayed opposite traits. Second, a continuum of neophobia contrasted individuals that explored more prior to dispersal and were more tolerant of capture with those that displayed opposite traits. While accounting for possible confounding effects of condition-dependence (body mass), we showed that future dispersers were less neophobic and had higher energetic budgets than future philopatric individuals, providing strong support for a dispersal syndrome in this species.
A proprioceptive neuromechanical theory of crawling
Authors: Paoletti P. , Mahadevan L.
Published: July 2014

The locomotion of many soft-bodied animals is driven by the propagation of rhythmic waves of contraction and extension along the body. These waves are classically attributed to globally synchronized periodic patterns in the nervous system embodied in a central pattern generator (CPG). However, in many primitive organisms such as earthworms and insect larvae, the evidence for a CPG is weak, or even non-existent. We propose a neuromechanical model for rhythmically coordinated crawling that obviates the need for a CPG, by locally coupling the local neuro-muscular dynamics in the body to the mechanics of the body as it interacts frictionally with the substrate. We analyse our model using a combination of analytical and numerical methods to determine the parameter regimes where coordinated crawling is possible and compare our results with experimental data. Our theory naturally suggests mechanisms for how these movements might arise in developing organisms and how they are maintained in adults, and also suggests a robust design principle for engineered motility in soft systems.
Re-examination of the taxonomic status of Enterobacter helveticus, Enterobacter pulveris and Enterobacter turicensis as members of the genus Cronobacter and their reclassification in the genera Franconibacter gen. nov. and Siccibacter gen. nov. as Franconibacter helveticus comb. nov., Franconibacter pulveris comb. nov. and Siccibacter turicensis comb. nov., respectively
Authors: Stephan Roger , Grim Christopher J. , Gopinath Gopal R. , Mammel Mark K. , Sathyamoorthy Venugopal , Trach Larisa H. , Chase Hannah R. , Fanning Séamus , Tall Ben D.
Published: July 2014

Recently, a taxonomical re-evaluation of the genus

Enterobacter

, based on multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) analysis, has led to the proposal that the species

Enterobacter pulveris

,

Enterobacter helveticus

and

Enterobacter turicensis

should be reclassified as novel species of the genus

Cronobacter

. In the present work, new genome-scale analyses, including average nucleotide identity, genome-scale phylogeny and k-mer analysis, coupled with previously reported DNA–DNA hybridization values and biochemical characterization strongly indicate that these three species of the genus

Enterobacter

are not members of the genus

Cronobacter

, nor do they belong to the re-evaluated genus

Enterobacter

. Furthermore, data from this polyphasic study indicated that all three species constitute two new genera. We propose reclassifying

Enterobacter pulveris

and

Enterobacter helveticus

in the genus Franconibacter gen. nov. as Franconibacter pulveris comb. nov. (type strain 601/05T = LMG 24057T = DSM 19144T) and Franconibacter helveticus comb. nov. (type strain 513/05T = LMG 23732T = DSM 18396T), respectively, and

Enterobacter turicensis

in the genus Siccibacter gen. nov. as Siccibacter turicensis comb. nov. (type strain 508/05T = LMG 23730T = DSM 18397T).
Characterization of uncultured giant rod-shaped magnetotactic Gammaproteobacteria from a freshwater pond in Kanazawa, Japan
Authors: Taoka Azuma , Kondo Junya , Oestreicher Zachery , Fukumori Yoshihiro
Published: July 2014

Magnetotactic bacteria (MTB) are widespread aquatic bacteria, and are a phylogenetically, physiologically and morphologically heterogeneous group, but they all have the ability to orientate and move along the geomagnetic field using intracellular magnetic organelles called magnetosomes. Isolation and cultivation of novel MTB are necessary for a comprehensive understanding of magnetosome formation and function in divergent MTB. In this study, we enriched a giant rod-shaped magnetotactic bacterium (strain GRS-1) from a freshwater pond in Kanazawa, Japan. Cells of strain GRS-1 were unusually large (~13×~8 µm). They swam in a helical trajectory towards the south pole of a bar magnet by means of a polar bundle of flagella. Another striking feature of GRS-1 was the presence of two distinct intracellular biomineralized structures: large electron-dense granules composed of calcium and long chains of magnetosomes that surround the large calcium granules. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that this strain belongs to the Gammaproteobacteria and represents a new genus of MTB.
The RcsCDB regulatory system plays a crucial role in the protection of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium against oxidative stress
Authors: Farizano Juan V. , Torres Mariela A. , Pescaretti María de las Mercedes , Delgado Mónica A.
Published: July 2014

Dps, the most abundant protein during the stationary growth phase, in Salmonella enterica is required for resistance to reactive oxygen species produced by the host during infection. It has been reported that in Salmonella
dps expression is controlled by RpoS and Fur proteins. However, the regulation and function of Dps remain to be resolved. In the present work we demonstrate that activation of the complex RcsCDB regulatory system increases dps expression during exponential growth of Salmonella. In addition, we show that such dps upregulation produces high levels of H2O2 resistance. This phenotype allows the bacteria to avoid reactive oxygen species killing at early stages of growth, thus protecting its genetic material.
4-Hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde 4-ethylthiosemicarbazone
Authors: Oliveira Adriano Bof de , Beck Johannes , Daniels Jörg , Feitosa Bárbara Regina Santos
Published: July 2014

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C11H15N3O2S, the C—N—N—C and C—N—C—C torsion angles involving the benzene ring and ethyl group are 11.91 (15) and 99.4 (2)°, respectively. An intramolecular N—H...N hydrogen bond is observed. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaN—H...O and N—H...S hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional hydrogen bonded network. Finally, the molecules show a herringbone arrangement when viewed along theaaxis.
Methyl 4-amino-2-chloropyrimidine-5-carboxylate
Authors: Wu Ya-Ming
Published: July 2014

In the title compound, C6H6ClN3O2, all non-H atoms are approximately coplanar [maximum deviation = 0.012 (4) Å]; an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond occurs between the amino group and the carbonyl group. In the crystal, molecules are linked by N—H...N hydrogen bonds into supramolecular chains propagated along [101].
Fast microstructure and phase analyses of nanopowders using combined analysis of transmission electron microscopy scattering patterns
Authors: Boullay P. , Lutterotti L. , Chateigner D. , Sicard L.
Published: July 2014

The full quantitative characterization of nanopowders using transmission electron microscopy scattering patterns is shown. This study demonstrates the feasibility of the application of so-called combined analysis, a global approach for phase identification, structure refinement, characterization of anisotropic crystallite sizes and shapes, texture analysis and texture variations with the probed scale, using electron diffraction patterns of TiO2and Mn3O4nanocrystal aggregates and platinum films. Electron diffraction pattern misalignments, positioning, and slight changes from pattern to pattern are directly integrated and refined within this approach. The use of a newly developed full-pattern search–match methodology for phase identification of nanopowders and the incorporation of the two-wave dynamical correction for diffraction patterns are also reported and proved to be efficient.
Metabolomic analysis indicates a pivotal role of the hepatotoxin microcystin in high light adaptation of Microcystis
Authors: Meissner Sven , Steinhauser Dirk , Dittmann Elke
Published: July 2014

Microcystis is a freshwater cyanobacterium frequently forming nuisance blooms in the summer months. The genus belongs to the predominant producers of the potent hepatotoxin microcystin. The success of Microcystis and its remarkable resistance to high light conditions are not well understood. Here, we have compared the metabolic response of Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806, its microcystin‐deficient ΔmcyB mutant (Mut) and the cyanobacterial model organism Synechocystis PCC6803 to high light exposure of 250 μmol photons m−2 s−1 using GC/MS‐based metabolomics. Microcystis wild type and Mut show pronounced differences in their metabolic reprogramming upon high light. Seventeen per cent of the detected metabolites showed significant differences between the two genotypes after high light exposure. Whereas the microcystin‐producing wild type shows a faster accumulation of glycolate upon high light illumination, loss of microcystin leads to an accumulation of general stress markers such as trehalose and sucrose. The study further uncovers differences in the high light adaptation of the bloom‐forming cyanobacterium Microcystis and the model cyanobacterium Synechocystis. Most notably, Microcystis invests more into carbon reserves such as glycogen after high light exposure. Our data shed new light on the lifestyle of bloom‐forming cyanobacteria, the role of the widespread toxin microcystin and the metabolic diversity of cyanobacteria.
Toxin YafQ increases persister cell formation by reducing indole signalling
Authors: Hu Ying , Kwan Brian W. , Osbourne Devon O. , Benedik Michael J. , Wood Thomas K.
Published: July 2014

Persister cells survive antibiotic and other environmental stresses by slowing metabolism. Since toxins of toxin/antitoxin (TA) systems have been postulated to be responsible for persister cell formation, we investigated the influence of toxin YafQ of the YafQ/DinJ Escherichia coli TA system on persister cell formation. Under stress, YafQ alters metabolism by cleaving transcripts with in‐frame 5′‐AAA‐G/A‐3′ sites. Production of YafQ increased persister cell formation with multiple antibiotics, and by investigating changes in protein expression, we found that YafQ reduced tryptophanase levels (TnaA mRNA has 16 putative YafQ cleavage sites). Consistently, TnaA mRNA levels were also reduced by YafQ. Tryptophanase is activated in the stationary phase by the stationary‐phase sigma factor RpoS, which was also reduced dramatically upon production of YafQ. Tryptophanase converts tryptophan into indole, and as expected, indole levels were reduced by the production of YafQ. Corroborating the effect of YafQ on persistence, addition of indole reduced persistence. Furthermore, persistence increased upon deleting tnaA, and persistence decreased upon adding tryptophan to the medium to increase indole levels. Also, YafQ production had a much smaller effect on persistence in a strain unable to produce indole. Therefore, YafQ increases persistence by reducing indole, and TA systems are related to cell signalling.
A New Tool for Coding and Interpreting Injuries in Fatal Airplane Crashes: The Crash Injury Pattern Assessment Tool Application to the Air France Flight AF447 Disaster (Rio de Janeiro–Paris), 1st of June 2009
Authors: Schuliar Yves , Chapenoire Stéphane , Miras Alain , Contrand Benjamin , Lagarde Emmanuel
Published: July 2014

For investigation of air disasters, crash reconstruction is obtained using data from flight recorders, physical evidence from the site, and injuries patterns of the victims. This article describes a new software, Crash Injury Pattern Assessment Tool (CIPAT), to code and analyze injuries. The coding system was derived from the Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS). Scores were created corresponding to the amount of energy required causing the trauma (ER), and the software was developed to compute summary variables related to the position (assigned seat) of victims. A dataset was built from the postmortem examination of 154/228 victims of the Air France disaster (June 2009), recovered from the Atlantic Ocean after a complex and difficult task at a depth of 12790 ft. The use of CIPAT allowed to precise cause and circumstances of deaths and confirmed major dynamics parameters of the crash event established by the French Civil Aviation Safety Investigation Authority.
Boston Violence Intervention Advocacy Program: A Qualitative Study of Client Experiences and Perceived Effect
Authors: James Thea L. , Bibi Salma , Langlois Breanne K. , Dugan Elizabeth , Mitchell Patricia M.
Published: July 2014

Objectives

This study intended to explore clients’ experiences and provide a contextual basis for understanding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the Boston Medical Center (BMC) Violence Intervention Advocacy Program (VIAP).

Methods

This was an exploratory, qualitative study conducted in an urban, Level I trauma center from July 1, 2011 to February 24, 2012. Emergency department (ED) patients older than 18 years with penetrating trauma, and who were enrolled in the VIAP, were eligible. Two trained, qualitative interviewers who were not part of the VIAP obtained consent and conducted in‐depth, semistructured interviews. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, deidentified, coded, and analyzed. Thematic content analysis consistent with grounded theory was used to identify themes related to client experiences with VIAP, life circumstances, challenges to physical and emotional healing postinjury, services provided by VIAP, and perceptions of VIAP's effectiveness.

Results

Twenty subjects were interviewed. Most were male, African American, and younger than 30 years of age, reflecting the overall program's clientele. Most subjects perceived their advocates as caring adults in their lives and cited aspects of the peer support model that helped establish trusting relationships. Major challenges to healing were fear and safety, trust, isolation as a coping mechanism, bitterness, and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Every subject noted important services provided by VIAP advocates. Most subjects explicitly stated that they had positive experiences with the VIAP and perceived advocates’ roles as a positive influence, providing client‐centered advocacy, education, and support.

Conclusions

This study provides insight into the lives of 20 BMC VIAP clients and contextualizes their unique challenges. Participants described positive, life‐changing behaviors on their journey to healing through connections to caring, supportive adults. Information gained from this study will help the VIAP to further support its clients. However, future research is needed to identify best practices for ED‐based violence intervention programs and to measure community‐wide efficacy in different settings.
miRNome of Italian Large White pig subcutaneous fat tissue: new miRNAs, isomiRs and moRNAs
Authors: Gaffo Enrico , Zambonelli Paolo , Bisognin Andrea , Bortoluzzi Stefania , Davoli Roberta
Published: July 2014

Small RNAs, such as micro‐RNAs (miRNAs), are decisive regulators of gene expression, and they could determine adipose tissue traits. A better knowledge of porcine fat genomics is relevant given that the pig is a biomedical model for metabolic and cardiovascular human pathologies. Adipose tissue is particularly important for the meat industry. We explored the miRNome of two adult Italian Large White pig backfat samples by Illumina RNA‐Seq. Using custom bioinformatic methods, the expressed miRNAs were identified and quantified and the nucleotide sequence variability of miRNA isoforms were analysed. We detected 222 known miRNAs, 68 new miRNAs and 17 miRNA‐offset RNAs (moRNAs) expressed from known hairpins, and 312 new miRNAs expressed from 253 new hairpins. Porcine transcripts targeted by the most expressed miRNAs were predicted, showing that these miRNAs may have an impact on Wnt, insulin signalling and axon guidance pathways. The expression of five small RNAs, including moRNA ssc‐5′‐moR‐21 and a miRNA from a new hairpin, was validated by a qRT‐PCR assay, thus confirming the robustness of our results. The depicted miRNome complexity suggests that quantitative and qualitative features of miRNAs and non‐canonical products of their precursors are worthy of further investigation to clarify their roles in the adipose tissue biology.
Impact of long‐term soft contact lens wear on epithelial flap production and postoperative recovery in laser‐assisted subepithelial keratomileusis
Authors: Ma Fei , Xu Man , Qian Yifeng , Gao Guohong , Dai Jinhui
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To investigate the impact and postoperative clinical recovery of long‐term soft contact lens wear on the epithelial flap made during laser‐assisted subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).

Methods

In a prospective study, 371 patients (589 eyes) who underwent LASEK were divided into four groups (G1, G2, G3, G4) according to their length of soft contact lens wear. After the contact lens (CL) was removed 1 week after surgery, various symptoms – uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA), oedema of the corneal epithelium, spherical equivalent (SE) and haze degree – were recorded on day 1, and at 1 and 3 months postoperatively.

Results

There were no significant differences in corneal flap production among the first three groups that wore CLs, but various symptoms and UCVA were all different from the fourth group that did not wear CLs. There were statistically significant differences in oedema of corneal epithelium among the first three groups, and the degree of oedema was positively correlated with the CL wearing time. There were no significant differences in postoperative SE and haze in all four groups.

Conclusions

Long‐term soft CL wear can affect production of the epithelial flap and postoperative recovery, including various symptoms, oedema of the central corneal epithelium and visual acuity. In contrast, there was no effect of long‐term CL wear on postoperative mean refractive spherical equivalent (MRSE) and haze.
Bayesian design of superiority clinical trials for recurrent events data with applications to bleeding and transfusion events in myelodyplastic syndrome
Authors: Chen Ming‐Hui , Ibrahim Joseph G. , Zeng Donglin , Hu Kuolung , Jia Catherine
Published: July 2014

In many biomedical studies, patients may experience the same type of recurrent event repeatedly over time, such as bleeding, multiple infections and disease. In this article, we propose a Bayesian design to a pivotal clinical trial in which lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients are treated with MDS disease modifying therapies. One of the key study objectives is to demonstrate the investigational product (treatment) effect on reduction of platelet transfusion and bleeding events while receiving MDS therapies. In this context, we propose a new Bayesian approach for the design of superiority clinical trials using recurrent events frailty regression models. Historical recurrent events data from an already completed phase 2 trial are incorporated into the Bayesian design via the partial borrowing power prior of Ibrahim et al. (2012, Biometrics 68, 578–586). An efficient Gibbs sampling algorithm, a predictive data generation algorithm, and a simulation‐based algorithm are developed for sampling from the fitting posterior distribution, generating the predictive recurrent events data, and computing various design quantities such as the type I error rate and power, respectively. An extensive simulation study is conducted to compare the proposed method to the existing frequentist methods and to investigate various operating characteristics of the proposed design.
C‐LOD: Context‐aware Material Level‐of‐Detail applied to Mobile Graphics
Authors: Koulieris G. A. , Drettakis G. , Cunningham D. , Mania K.
Published: July 2014

Attention‐based Level‐Of–Detail (LOD) managers downgrade the quality of areas that are expected to go unnoticed by an observer to economize on computational resources. The perceptibility of lowered visual fidelity is determined by the accuracy of the attention model that assigns quality levels. Most previous attention based LOD managers do not take into account saliency provoked by context, failing to provide consistently accurate attention predictions. In this work, we extend a recent high level saliency model with four additional components yielding more accurate predictions: an object‐intrinsic factor accounting for canonical form of objects, an object‐context factor for contextual isolation of objects, a feature uniqueness term that accounts for the number of salient features in an image, and a temporal context that generates recurring fixations for objects inconsistent with the context. We conduct a perceptual experiment to acquire the weighting factors to initialize our model. We design C‐LOD, a LOD manager that maintains a constant frame rate on mobile devices by dynamically re‐adjusting material quality on secondary visual features of non‐attended objects. In a proof of concept study we establish that by incorporating C‐LOD, complex effects such as parallax occlusion mapping usually omitted in mobile devices can now be employed, without overloading GPU capability and, at the same time, conserving battery power.
Initial External Validation of REGRESS in Public Health Graduate Students
Authors: Kidwell Kelley M. , Enders Felicity B.
Published: July 2014

Linear regression is typically taught as a second and potentially last required (bio)statistics course for Public Health and Clinical and Translational Science students. There has been much research on the attitudes of students toward basic biostatistics, but there has not been much assessing students’ understanding of critical regression topics. The REGRESS (REsearch on Global Regression Expectations in StatisticS) quiz developed at Mayo Clinic utilizes 27 questions to assess understanding for simple and multiple linear regression. We performed an initial external validation of this tool with 117 University of Michigan public health students. We compare the results of pre‐ and postcourse quiz scores from the Michigan cohort to scores of Mayo medical students and professional statisticians. University of Michigan students performed higher than Mayo students on the precourse quiz due to previous related coursework, but did not perform as high postcourse indicating the need for course modification. In the Michigan cohort, REGRESS scores improved by a mean (standard deviation) of 4.6 (3.4), p < 0.0001. Our results support the use of the REGRESS quiz as a learning tool for students and an evaluation tool to identify topics for curricular improvement for teachers, while we highlight future directions of research.
A comparative study of blood alcohol concentrations in Australian night‐time entertainment districts
Authors: Miller Peter , Pennay Amy , Droste Nicolas , Butler Erin , Jenkinson Rebecca , Hyder Shannon , Quinn Brendan , Chikritzhs Tanya , Tomsen Stephen , Wadds Phillip , Jones Sandra C. , Palmer Darren , Barrie Lance , Lam Tina , Gilmore William , Lubman Dan I.
Published: July 2014

Introduction and Aims

There is little research describing how intoxication levels change throughout the night in entertainment districts. This research aims to describe levels of alcohol intoxication across multiple Australian metropolitan and regional nightlife districts.

Design and Methods

This study was conducted in the night‐time entertainment districts of three metropolitan cities (Sydney, Melbourne and Perth) and two regional cities (Wollongong and Geelong) in Australia. Data collection occurred approximately fortnightly in each city on a Friday or Saturday night between 8 pm and 5 am. Brief structured interviews (3–10 min) and breathalyser tests were undertaken in busy thoroughfares over six months.

Results

Of the 7037 individuals approached to participate in the study, 6998 [61.8% male, mean age 24.89 years (standard deviation 6.37; range 18–73)] agreed to be interviewed. There was a linear increase in blood alcohol concentration (BAC) levels throughout the night. Post hoc testing revealed significantly more highly intoxicated participants (i.e. BAC above 0.10 mg of alcohol per 100 mL of blood) after midnight (P < 0.05). The overall mean BAC was 0.06 mg/100 mL. Men were more intoxicated than women earlier in the night, but gender differences disappeared by 3 am. There was no age differences in intoxication earlier in the night, but after midnight, patrons over the age of 21 showed increasing BAC levels.

Discussion and Conclusions

There is a consistent trend across the cities of high to very high levels of intoxication later in the night, with trends after midnight being significantly different to those before. [Miller P, Pennay A, Droste N, Butler E, Jenkinson R, Hyder S, Quinn B, Chikritzhs T, Tomsen S, Wadds P, Jones SC, Palmer D, Barrie L, Lam T, Gilmore W, Lubman DI. A comparative study of blood alcohol concentrations in Australian night‐time entertainment districts. Drug Alcohol Rev 2014;33:338–45]
Ongoing speciation within the Anastrepha fraterculus cryptic species complex: the case of the Andean morphotype
Authors: Devescovi Francisco , Abraham Solana , Roriz Alzira K.P. , Nolazco Norma , Castañeda Rosario , Tadeo Eduardo , Caceres Carlos , Segura Diego F. , Vera M. Teresa , Joachim‐Bravo Iara , Canal Nelson , Rull Juan
Published: July 2014

The Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) cryptic species complex is currently composed of seven taxonomically recognized morphotypes. Both, pre‐ and post‐zygotic isolation has been documented among four of these morphotypes, revealing that in fact they appear to be distinct biological entities. In order to progress in the full delimitation of species within the complex, we examined reproductive isolation between a Colombian population of the Andean morphotype and populations belonging to four other morphotypes spanning from Mexico to Argentina. Flies from the Andean morphotype exhibited strong pre‐zygotic mating isolation through temporal partitioning of mating activity. Post‐zygotic isolation was observed for crosses of males of all morphotypes and Andean morphotype females, yet most of the F1 hybrid ♂ × F1 hybrid ♀ self‐crosses showed normal levels of fertility, a finding suggesting a nuclear–cytoplasmic interaction according to previous studies. Overall, the Andean morphotype within the complex also appears to be a distinct biological entity. We discuss the implications of these findings for the understanding of speciation mechanisms in the Neotropical genus Anastrepha.
The dorsal raphe nucleus is integral to negative prediction errors in Pavlovian fear
Authors: Berg Benjamin A. , Schoenbaum Geoffrey , McDannald Michael A.
Published: July 2014

Prediction errors are central to modern learning theories. While brain regions contributing to reward prediction errors have been uncovered, the sources of aversive prediction errors remain largely unknown. Here we used probabilistic and deterministic reinforcement procedures, followed by extinction, to examine the contribution of the dorsal raphe nucleus to negative, aversive prediction errors in Pavlovian fear. Rats with dorsal raphe lesions were able to acquire fear and reduce fear to a non‐reinforced deterministic cue. However, dorsal raphe lesions impaired the reduction of fear to a probabilistic cue and fear extinction to a deterministic cue, both of which involve the use of negative prediction errors. The results point to an integral role for the dorsal raphe nucleus in negative prediction error signaling in Pavlovian fear.
Chemotherapy‐related cardiomyopathy: a neglected aspect of cancer survivorship
Authors: Nolan M. T. , Lowenthal R. M. , Venn A. , Marwick T. H.
Published: July 2014

Improvements in survival from cancer have led to a large population who are at risk of late complications of chemotherapy. One of the most serious cardiovascular complications is chemotherapy‐related cardiomyopathy (CRC), which may become clinically overt years or even decades after treatment and has over threefold higher mortality rate compared with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The early stages of this condition appear to respond well to cardioprotective medications (i.e. angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors, β‐blockers). Periodic cardiac monitoring is necessary in this population to identify patients who would benefit from treatment. Cardio‐oncology clinics have been established in recognition of this hazard in survivorship. This review summarises the epidemiology and pathophysiology of CRC, the evidence base for different non‐invasive imaging modalities for screening and diagnosis and the rationale for treatment.
Adsorbed O2 on the Graphite‐Induced Growth of Ultra‐Long Single‐Crystalline 6H–SiC Nanowires
Authors: Chu Yanhui , Li Hejun , Luo Huijuan , Li Lu
Published: July 2014

Large‐scale ultra‐long 6H–SiC nanowires were in situ synthesized on the as‐prepared SiC–Si ceramic substrate using graphite as the carbon source and substrate as the silicon source via improving the adsorbed O2 content on the graphite precursors using milling technology. The as‐grown nanowires were typical single crystal of hexagonal 6H–SiC with diameters of 50–100 nm and lengths of up to several millimeters (or even centimeters). Vapor‐solid mechanism was proposed for the growth mode of the as‐grown ultra‐long 6H–SiC nanowires. This study not only provided new insight into the growth mode for in situ synthesizing 6H–SiC nanowires on silicon‐based ceramics, but also suggested a new design methodology for synthesizing ultra‐long nanowires.
Plasmon‐Assisted Precipitation of PbS Quantum Dots in Glasses Containing Ag Nanoparticles
Authors: So Byoungjin , Liu Chao , Heo Jong
Published: July 2014

PbS QDs of ~ 5nm diameter were precipitated in glasses containing Ag nanoparticles after 3 min of 1.5‐W continuous‐wave laser illumination at λ = 532 nm. Photoluminescence spectra of the PbS QDs recorded in the 1.3~1.6 μm wavelength region revealed conversion of photon energy to thermal energy by surface plasmon resonance. Laser‐assisted local heating around Ag NPs can provide a new method to control the spatial distribution of QDs in glasses.
Oculomotor executive function abnormalities with increased tic severity in Tourette syndrome
Authors: Jeter Cameron B. , Patel Saumil S. , Morris Jeffrey S. , Chuang Alice Z. , Butler Ian J. , Sereno Anne B.
Published: July 2014

Background

Reports conflict as to whether Tourette syndrome (TS) confers deficits in executive function. This study's aim was to evaluate executive function in youths with TS using oculomotor tasks while controlling for confounds of tic severity, age, medication, and severity of comorbid disorders.

Method

Four saccade tasks requiring the executive functions of response generation, response inhibition, and working memory (prosaccade, antisaccade, 0‐back, and 1‐back) were administered. Twenty youths with TS and low tic severity (TS‐low), nineteen with TS and moderate tic severity (TS‐moderate), and 29 typically developing control subjects (Controls) completed the oculomotor tasks.

Results

There were small differences across groups in the prosaccade task. Controlling for any small sensorimotor differences, TS‐moderate subjects had significantly higher error rates than Controls and TS‐low subjects in the 0‐back and 1‐back tasks. In the 1‐back task, these patients also took longer to respond than Controls or TS‐low subjects.

Conclusions

In a highly controlled design, the findings demonstrate for the first time that increased tic severity in TS is associated with impaired response inhibition and impaired working memory and that these executive function deficits cannot be accounted for by differences in age, medication or comorbid symptom severity.
Medical students’ attitudes on and experiences with evidence‐based medicine: a qualitative study
Authors: Ghojazadeh Morteza , Hajebrahimi Sakineh , Azami‐Aghdash Saber , Pournaghi Azar Fatemeh , Keshavarz Majid , Naghavi‐Behzad Mohammad , Hazrati Hakimeh
Published: July 2014

Rationale, aims and objectives

This qualitative study was designed to determine the attitudes towards and experiences of medical students on evidence‐based medicine (EBM).

Methods

The study was conducted using the phenomenological method. Medical students’ attitudes about and experiences with evidence‐based medicine were determined through semi‐structured interviews. Forty senior medical students were chosen by purposive sampling from medical sciences students of Tabriz University and Shahid Beheshti University. The context of interviews was analysed using the content analysis method.

Results

Medical students’ attitudes and experiences were ascertained through four main questions, and their answers were divided in to 12 categories and 31 subcategories. According to the subjects of the study, two basic concepts that they understood about EBM were its being up to date and requiring research skills. To the question what is necessary for EBM, the students’ answers were summarized as follows: access to information, teamwork and faculty members who could provide modeling and organizational support. Students reported having used EBM for problem solving, thinking and self‐confidence. On the other hand, lack of equipment and facilities, human factors and organizational factors were considered the main barriers to EBM use.

Conclusion

According to the results of this study, providing suitable conditions and appropriate planning to address identified barriers and encouraging students can promote EBM practice. Also, more extensive EBM integration in medical curricula and clinical settings by leading faculty members would prompt medical students to use EBM in their daily practice.
PTSD in Active Combat Soldiers: To Treat or Not to Treat
Authors: Wangelin Bethany C. , Tuerk Peter W.
Published: July 2014

Treatment of military-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a major public health care concern. Since 2001 over 2.5 million troops have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, many of whom have experienced direct combat and sustained threat. Estimates of PTSD rates related to these wars range from 8% to over 20%, or 192,000 to 480,000 individuals. Already, nearly 250,000 service members of Operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) have sought VA health care services for PTSD. This recent increased need for mental health services comes in addition to the ongoing needs of Vietnam-era and other veterans who continue to suffer from PTSD. PTSD is related to high co-morbidities of other mental health difficulties, poorer physical health status, and increased medical care utilization. Such high demand for services is an important contributor to the large cost associated with combat-related PTSD. Accordingly, promoting successful, cost-effective treatment strategies for PTSD is a chief public health care priority.
Active Shooters in Health Care Settings: Prevention and Response through Law and Policy
Authors: Hodge James G. , Nelson Kellie
Published: July 2014

In September 2010 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, one of the nation's elite academic hospitals located in East Baltimore, Maryland, Paul Warren Pardus entered the facility to visit his mother, a patient. During a discussion with her doctor in a hospital hallway, Pardus became “overwhelmed” about the care and condition of his mother, pulled a handgun from his waistband, and shot the doctor in the chest. Pardus then locked himself and his mother in her room, shot and killed her, and committed suicide.

Dr. Gabe Kelen, a national expert on emergency preparedness and director of the Johns Hopkins emergency department, admitted several years later that this tragic event “really got us thinking in a very serious way.” Together with colleagues at the Johns Hopkins Office of Critical Event Preparedness and Response (CEPAR), Kelen conducted research on the threat and impact of “active shooters” in health care settings.
THE CHINESE ECONOMY, PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
Authors: Claus Iris , Oxley Les
Published: July 2014

China is transforming itself and the world. This article highlights some of the critical issues facing China, which are discussed in detail by leading scholars in the area in this collection of surveys on the Chinese economy.
MRS in Mild Cognitive Impairment: Early Differentiation of Dementia with Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Zhang Bing , Ferman Tanis J. , Boeve Bradley F. , Smith Glenn E. , Maroney‐Smith Mandie , Spychalla Anthony J. , Knopman David S. , Jack Clifford R. , Petersen Ronald C. , Kantarci Kejal
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) precedes both Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and with Lewy bodies (DLB). We investigated proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) characteristics of MCI patients who progressed to DLB compared to those who progressed to AD dementia or remained stable.

METHODS

Consecutive MCI patients who underwent single voxel MRS at baseline and progressed to DLB (n = 10) were identified during a median follow‐up period of 18 months. From the same cohort, we identified age‐ and sex‐matched MCI patients who progressed to AD dementia (n = 27) or remained stable (n = 20) during a similar follow‐up period. This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board and informed consent was from every subject.

RESULTS

MCI patients who progressed to AD dementia were characterized by lower N‐acetylaspartate (NAA)/Cr ratio in the posterior cingulate voxel compared to those who progressed to DLB (P = .001). Decreased NAA/Cr in the posterior cingulate voxel differentiated MCI patients who progressed to DLB from those who progressed to AD with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of .85 (P < .001) on logistic regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

MRS may be useful in differentiating MCI patients with prodromal AD dementia from those with prodromal DLB for early disease‐specific interventions.
Prognostic Value of A Qualitative Brain MRI Scoring System After Cardiac Arrest
Authors: Hirsch Karen G. , Mlynash Michael , Jansen Sofie , Persoon Suzanne , Eyngorn Irina , Krasnokutsky Michael V. , Wijman Christine A.C. , Fischbein Nancy J.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To develop a qualitative brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system for comatose cardiac arrest patients that can be used in clinical practice.

METHODS

Consecutive comatose postcardiac arrest patients were prospectively enrolled. Routine MR brain sequences were scored by two independent blinded experts. Predefined brain regions were qualitatively scored on the fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) sequences according to the severity of the abnormality on a scale from 0 to 4. The mean score of the raters was used. Poor outcome was defined as death or vegetative state at 6 months.

RESULTS

Sixty‐eight patients with 88 brain MRI scans were included. Median time from the arrest to the initial MRI was 77 hours (IQR 58‐144 hours). At 100% specificity, the “cortex score” performed best in predicting unfavorable outcome with a sensitivity of 55%‐60% (95% CI 41‐74) depending on time window selection. When comparing the “cortex score” with historically used predictors for poor outcome, MRI improved the sensitivity for poor outcome over conventional predictors by 27% at 100% specificity.

CONCLUSIONS

A qualitative MRI scoring system helps assess hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury severity following cardiac arrest and may provide useful prognostic information in comatose cardiac arrest patients.
Carotid MRI Detection of Intraplaque Hemorrhage at 3T and 1.5T
Authors: Scott McNally J. , Yoon Hyo‐Chun , Kim Seong‐Eun , Narra Krishna K. , McLaughlin Michael S. , Parker Dennis L. , Treiman Gerald S.
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Carotid intraplaque hemorrhage leads to plaque progression and ischemic events.

Detection can be accomplished with 3T T1w sequences, but may be limited by false‐positive lipid/necrosis. The purpose of this study was threefold: (1) to determine if magnetization‐prepared rapid acquisition with gradient‐echo (MPRAGE) detects intraplaque hemorrhage versus lipid/necrosis; (2) if 3T MPRAGE image quality is retained at 1.5T; and (3) to determine observer agreement.

METHODS

MPRAGE positive areas were compared to hemorrhage and lipid/necrosis areas from 100 carotid endarterectomy slides in 12 subjects using multivariable linear regression. Image quality was determined between 3T and 1.5T in 716 carotid arteries using t‐tests and multivariable linear regression. Kappa analysis was used to determine agreement.

RESULTS

Intraplaque hemorrhage, not lipid/necrosis, was a significant predictor of MPRAGE positive area before and after adjusting for confounders (slope = .52 vs. .51, P < .001).

Image quality at 3T was slightly lower than 1.5T (mean 3.87 vs. 4.34, P < .0001). 3T image quality remained slightly decreased before and after adjusting for confounders (slope = –.46 vs. –.41, P < .001). Kappa values for inter‐/intraobserver agreement were .807/.919 at 3T and .803/.871 at 1.5T.

CONCLUSIONS

Carotid MPRAGE detects intraplaque hemorrhage, not lipid/necrosis. 3T image quality was retained at 1.5T with very good observer agreement.
Microtubule nucleating and severing enzymes for modifying microtubule array organization and cell morphogenesis in response to environmental cues
Authors: Nakamura Masayoshi
Published: July 2014

In higher plants, reorientation of cortical microtubule arrays has been postulated to be of importance for modifying cell growth to adapt to environmental conditions. However, the process of microtubule reorientation is largely unknown. Recent genetic and live cell imaging studies of microtubule dynamics shed light on the regulatory mechanisms of microtubule molecular nucleation and severing apparatuses, which are required for array reorientation in response to blue light signaling. Branching nucleation from γ‐tubulin complexes creates a small population of discordant microtubules that are acted on by KATANIN‐mediated severing in two ways. KATANIN releases microtubules from nucleation sites and rapidly amplifies discordant microtubules by severing at microtubule crossovers. In this review, I focus on the molecular details of these two enzymes, which enable microtubule array transition.
Polyphosphate accumulation is driven by transcriptome alterations that lead to near‐synchronous and near‐equivalent uptake of inorganic cations in an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus
Authors: Kikuchi Yusuke , Hijikata Nowaki , Yokoyama Kaede , Ohtomo Ryo , Handa Yoshihiro , Kawaguchi Masayoshi , Saito Katsuharu , Ezawa Tatsuhiro
Published: July 2014

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi accumulate a massive amount of phosphate as polyphosphate to deliver to the host, but the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. In the present study, the dynamics of cationic components during polyphosphate accumulation were investigated in conjunction with transcriptome analysis.

Rhizophagus sp. HR1 was grown with Lotus japonicus under phosphorus‐deficient conditions, and extraradical mycelia were harvested after phosphate application at prescribed intervals. Levels of polyphosphate, inorganic cations and amino acids were measured, and RNA‐Seq was performed on the Illumina platform.

Phosphate application triggered not only polyphosphate accumulation but also near‐synchronous and near‐equivalent uptake of Na+, K+, Ca2+ and Mg2+, whereas no distinct changes in the levels of amino acids were observed. During polyphosphate accumulation, the genes responsible for mineral uptake, phosphate and nitrogen metabolism and the maintenance of cellular homeostasis were up‐regulated.

The results suggest that inorganic cations play a major role in neutralizing the negative charge of polyphosphate, and these processes are achieved by the orchestrated regulation of gene expression. Our findings provide, for the first time, a global picture of the cellular response to increased phosphate availability, which is the initial process of nutrient delivery in the associations.
The flower of Hibiscus trionum is both visibly and measurably iridescent
Authors: Vignolini Silvia , Moyroud Edwige , Hingant Thomas , Banks Hannah , Rudall Paula J. , Steiner Ullrich , Glover Beverley J.
Published: July 2014

Living organisms can use minute structures to manipulate the reflection of light and display colours based on interference. There has been debate in recent literature over whether the diffractive optical effects produced by epoxy replicas of petals with folded cuticles persist and induce iridescence in the original flowers when the effects of petal pigment and illumination are taken into account.

We explored the optical properties of the petal of Hibiscus trionum by macro‐imaging, scanning and transmission electron microscopy, and visible and ultraviolet (UV) angle‐resolved spectroscopy of the petal.

The flower of Hibiscus trionum is visibly iridescent, and the iridescence can be captured photographically. The iridescence derives from a diffraction grating generated by folds of the cuticle. The iridescence of the petal can be quantitatively characterized by spectrometric measurements with several square‐millimetres of sample area illuminated.

The flower of Hibiscus trionum has the potential to interact with its pollinators (honeybees, other bees, butterflies and flies) through iridescent signals produced by its cuticular diffraction grating.