bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of waterbirds in the dispersal of aquatic alien and invasive species
Authors: Reynolds Chevonne , Miranda Nelson A. F. , Cumming Graeme S.
Published: May 2015

Aim

To review existing literature on the ability of waterbirds to spread aquatic alien and invasive species, and to assess the relevance of bird‐mediated dispersal for the conservation of freshwater ecosystems.

Location

Global.

Methods

Literature Review.

Results

A systematic review of the literature revealed that quantitative studies investigating dispersal of alien organisms by waterbirds are rare (n = 14). Most studies citing waterbird dispersal rely on anecdotes or inferences from morphological dispersal syndromes. However, evidence from each stage of dispersal (i.e. emigration, transport and immigration) shows that waterbirds can carry alien plants and invertebrates internally and externally; transport them between water bodies at a variety of spatial scales; and deposit viable propagules in sites suited to aquatic invasive species.

Main conclusions

Our review suggests that waterbirds can and do act as important dispersal vectors for freshwater invasive species. Further experimental and field based research on the numbers and viability of moved alien propagules, and the roles of different species in the bird community, is needed. Furthermore, consideration of the spatially explicit manner in which birds move is imperative to understanding invasive spread. Populations of alien aquatic species in seemingly isolated wetlands can no longer be considered contained if they are able to be spread through waterbird‐mediated dispersal, and containment measures must recognize such opportunities for further spread. Changing waterbird movement patterns, driven by climate and land use change, further add to the challenge of managing invasive species and offers an interesting opportunity for future research. The study of waterbird‐mediated dispersal of aquatic alien invasive species provides insights not only into species invasions, but more generally into movement ecology, population ecology and biogeography.
Multiscale distribution models for conserving widespread species: the case of sloth bear Melursus ursinus in India
Authors: Puri Mahi , Srivathsa Arjun , Karanth Krithi K. , Kumar N. Samba , Karanth K. Ullas
Published: May 2015

Aim

Information on patterns and determinants of spatial distributions remains poorly available for many widespread species of conservation importance. The sloth bear Melursus ursinus in the Indian subcontinent exemplifies this requirement. We aimed at assessing (1) distribution patterns of sloth bears at two spatial scales, (2) ecological and anthropogenic factors that determine bear occupancy.

Location

We estimated sloth bear habitat occupancy at a nationwide scale across India and at the landscape scale (38, 540 km2) in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, India.

Methods

We used a grid‐based occupancy approach to determine sloth bear distribution patterns. At the nationwide scale, we used data from questionnaire surveys of field experts (grid‐cell size ~2818 km2; 1326 cells). At the landscape scale, we conducted field surveys of bear signs (grid‐cell size = 188 km2; 205 cells). Detection/non‐detection data from both surveys were analyzed using occupancy modelling methods that account for imperfect detection. We examined the influence of scale‐specific ecological and social covariates on patterns of occupancy.

Results

Nationwide, sloth bears occupied an estimated 67% of plausible bear habitat in contrast to 46% derived from methods that disregard detectability. Bear distribution was positively influenced by deciduous forests, scrub and barren areas, regions with high human densities and cultural tolerance. At the landscape scale, bears occupied 61% of the area versus 54% estimated from methods ignoring detectability. Occupancy probabilities increased with forest cover and topographic heterogeneity, whereas annual precipitation and human disturbance showed negative effects.

Main conclusions

Our study underlines the need to integrate human‐modified areas with existing conservation landscapes. Given its widespread nature, functional role, conservation status and relatively benign interactions with humans, we propose recognizing sloth bear as an umbrella species for securing unprotected habitats in India. Protection of widespread species like the sloth bear in other landscapes may complement current conservation strategies for large mammalian communities.
Blood pressure‐lowering effect of the sodium glucose co‐transporter‐2 inhibitor ertugliflozin, assessed via ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension
Authors: Amin N. B. , Wang X. , Mitchell J. R. , Lee D. S. , Nucci G. , Rusnak J. M.
Published: May 2015

This study compared the blood pressure‐lowering effect of ertugliflozin (1, 5, 25 mg), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ; 12.5 mg) and placebo in 194 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension for 4 weeks using ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. Endpoints (change from baseline to week 4) were: 24‐h mean systolic blood pressure (SBP; primary); daytime, night‐time, seated predose SBP, 24‐h, daytime, night‐time, seated predose diastolic blood pressure, 24‐h urinary glucose excretion and fasting plasma glucose (FPG; secondary). Safety and tolerability were monitored. Significant decreases in placebo‐corrected 24‐h mean SBP (−3.0 to −4.0 mmHg) were recorded for all doses of ertugliflozin (for HCTZ, this was −3.2 mmHg). Daytime, but not night‐time SBP was consistently reduced. Ertugliflozin produced dose‐dependent significant decreases in FPG and increases in urinary glucose excretion. No notable changes in plasma renin activity or urinary aldosterone were seen. The most common adverse events were urinary tract infection, genital fungal infection, upper respiratory tract infection and musculoskeletal pain.
RESERVE PRICE EFFECTS IN AUCTIONS: ESTIMATES FROM MULTIPLE REGRESSION‐DISCONTINUITY DESIGNS
Authors: Choi Syngjoo , Nesheim Lars , Rasul Imran
Published: May 2015

We present evidence from 260,000 online auctions of second‐hand cars to identify the impact of public reserve prices on auction outcomes. We exploit multiple discontinuities in the relationship between reserve prices and vehicle characteristics to present causal regression‐discontinuity estimates of reserve price impacts. We find an increase in reserve price decreases the number of bidders, increases the likelihood the object remains unsold, and increases expected revenue conditional on sale. We then combine these estimates to calibrate the reserve price effect on the auctioneer's ex ante expected revenue. This reveals the auctioneer's reserve price policy to be locally optimal. (JEL D44, L11, L62)
Parallel evolution in an invasive plant: effect of herbivores on competitive ability and regrowth of Jacobaea vulgaris
Authors: Lin Tiantian , Klinkhamer Peter G. L. , Vrieling Klaas
Published: May 2015

A shift in the composition of the herbivore guild in the invasive range is expected to select for plants with a higher competitive ability, a lower regrowth capacity and a lower investment in defence. We show here that parallel evolution took place in three geographically distinct invasive regions that differed significantly in climatic conditions. This makes it most likely that indeed the shifts in herbivore guilds were causal to the evolutionary changes. We studied competitive ability and regrowth of invasive and native Jacobaea vulgaris using an intraspecific competition set‐up with and without herbivory. Without herbivores invasive genotypes have a higher competitive ability than native genotypes. The invasive genotypes were less preferred by the generalist Mamestra brassicae but more preferred by the specialist Tyria jacobaeae, consequently their competitive ability was significantly increased by the first and reduced by the latter. Invasive genotypes showed a lower regrowth ability in both herbivore treatments.
Resilience of a stream community to extreme climatic events and long‐term recovery from a catastrophic flood
Authors: Woodward Guy , Bonada Núria , Feeley Hugh B. , Giller Paul S.
Published: May 2015

Floods and droughts are predicted to increase in intensity, duration and frequency in many future climate scenarios, yet long‐term data that track before‐and‐after responses of natural communities remain scarce. We explored the impacts of a series of extreme events, including a particularly catastrophic flood, over 13 years in the Glenfinish River in Ireland.

Overall, seasonal cycles of absolute and relative abundance were the strongest temporal signal in the data, and the community as a whole was relatively persistent. At interannual scales, a core ofc. 15 taxa were present throughout most of the time series, which spanned >10 generations for most taxa, whereas extreme events had negligible or weak effects, with two notable exceptions. The catastrophic 1986 summer flood triggered a 10‐fold decline in abundance: although most populations returned to their pre‐disturbance state in <3 years, some took up to a decade to recover. In 1988–1989, two contrasting extreme low‐rainfall and storm events occurred within a year and were associated with far more marked compositional and functional shifts than were seen in the 1986 flood, although abundance was not so strongly affected.

Contrasting extreme events that occur close to one another in time and/or at atypical times of year (e.g. floods in summer, when base flow is low) can have particularly strong effects, whereas at other times even the most extreme events may leave little longer‐term footprint. Therefore, both the temporal context and the magnitude of events determine the biota's response.

Effects of the events also varied across taxa and organisational levels: the morer‐selected taxa (e.g. Chironomidae) were relatively unaffected compared with the larger, moreK‐selected taxa. Community‐level responses were mostly driven by shifts in relative abundances, rather than species loss or turnover, and the functional diversity of species traits was more resilient still. The apparent stability in relative abundances of functional groups in the face of significant variation at the species level is suggestive of high functional redundancy, but without exhaustive further analyses using null‐model approaches, this remains unproved. In turn, relatively high levels of redundancy and the reshuffling of species with similar traits could confer resilience in the face of all but the most extreme events.
Unifying research on the fragmentation of terrestrial and aquatic habitats: patches, connectivity and the matrix in riverscapes
Authors: Erős Tibor , Campbell Grant Evan H.
Published: May 2015

While there is an increasing emphasis in terrestrial ecology on determining the influence of the area that surrounds habitat patches (the landscape ‘matrix’) relative to the characteristics of the patches themselves, research on these aspects in running waters is still rather underrepresented.

Here we outline conceptual foundations of matrix ecology for stream and river ecosystems (‘riverscapes’). We discuss how a hierarchical, patch‐based perspective is necessary for the delineation of habitat patches and the surrounding matrix, through which we may identify two classes of habitat edges in riverscapes (i.e. edges between the terrestrial–aquatic interface and edges within streams).

Under this conceptual framework, we discuss the role of the matrix in influencing between‐patch movement, and resource quality and quantity within and among habitat patches in riverscapes. We also review types of empirical and modelling approaches which may advance our understanding of fragmentation effects in these systems.

We identify five key challenges for understanding fragmentation and matrix effects more completely: (i) defining populations and their status (i.e. quantifying the demographic contribution of habitat patches to metapopulation dynamics), (ii) scaling from metapopulations to metacommunities (particularly searching for generalities in species responses to landscape heterogeneity), (iii) scaling from metacommunities to metaecosystems (i.e. exploring the interactive role of the terrestrial–aquatic and within‐stream matrix effects on the flow of material and energy at the network scale), (iv) understanding temporal dynamics in matrix permeability and (v) revealing the utility of different patch and matrix representations for modelling connectivity relationships.

Fragmentation of habitats is a critical issue in the conservation and management of stream networks across spatial scales. Although the effects of individual barriers (e.g. dams) are well documented, we argue that a more comprehensive patch–matrix landscape model will improve our understanding of fragmentation effects and improve management in riverscapes.
Impact of nitrogen deposition on forest and lake food webs in nitrogen‐limited environments
Authors: Meunier Cédric L. , Gundale Michael J. , Sánchez Irene S. , Liess Antonia
Published: May 2015

Increased reactive nitrogen (Nr) deposition has raised the amount of N available to organisms and has greatly altered the transfer of energy through food webs, with major consequences for trophic dynamics. The aim of this review was to: (i) clarify the direct and indirect effects of Nr deposition on forest and lake food webs in N‐limited biomes, (ii) compare and contrast how aquatic and terrestrial systems respond to increased Nr deposition, and (iii) identify how the nutrient pathways within and between ecosystems change in response to Nr deposition. We present that Nr deposition releases primary producers from N limitation in both forest and lake ecosystems and raises plants' N content which in turn benefits herbivores with high N requirements. Such trophic effects are coupled with a general decrease in biodiversity caused by different N‐use efficiencies; slow‐growing species with low rates of N turnover are replaced by fast‐growing species with high rates of N turnover. In contrast, Nr deposition diminishes below‐ground production in forests, due to a range of mechanisms that reduce microbial biomass, and decreases lake benthic productivity by switching herbivore growth from N to phosphorus (P) limitation, and by intensifying P limitation of benthic fish. The flow of nutrients between ecosystems is expected to change with increasing Nr deposition. Due to higher litter production and more intense precipitation, more terrestrial matter will enter lakes. This will benefit bacteria and will in turn boost the microbial food web. Additionally, Nr deposition promotes emergent insects, which subsidize the terrestrial food web as prey for insectivores or by dying and decomposing on land. So far, most studies have examined Nr‐deposition effects on the food web base, whereas our review highlights that changes at the base of food webs substantially impact higher trophic levels and therefore food web structure and functioning.
Immigrants Doing Business in a Mid‐sized Canadian City: Challenges, Opportunities, and Local Strategies in Kelowna, British Columbia
Authors: Lo Lucia , Teixeira Carlos
Published: May 2015

Lacking a tradition of settling immigrants and the appropriate infrastructure to integrate them, small‐ and medium‐sized cities often face the challenge of attracting and retaining immigrants. Using a mixed methods approach, this study compares the experiences of immigrant and non‐immigrant entrepreneurs in a mid‐sized Canadian city, Kelowna, British Columbia. A survey reveals different experiences between these two groups, with immigrants facing more challenges. In the absence of institutionally complete communities or strong ethnic economies, immigrants do not rely extensively on their own community resources, an element considered instrumental for immigrant business development in large cities. Compared to non‐immigrants, immigrant entrepreneurs have a more optimistic outlook on doing business in Kelowna; this is encouraging for a city trying hard to attract immigrant investment. Key informants recommended transforming the city into a more welcoming community, establishing appropriate support infrastructure, and removing potential institutional offsets. This paper adds new theoretical insights to the literature on immigrant entrepreneurship; all socio‐cultural, political‐institutional, and economic‐structural considerations are embedded in geography. The findings also have implications for growth strategies in small‐ and medium‐sized cities.
Family carers' experience of caring for an older parent with severe and persistent mental illness
Authors: McCann Terence V. , Bamberg John , McCann Flora
Published: May 2015

While the burden of caring for older people with chronic medical illness and dementia has been well documented, considerably less is known about how carers develop the strength and resilience to sustain this important role with older family members with mental illness. The aim of the study was to understand the lived experience of primary caregivers of older people with severe and persistent mental illness, and to explore what, if anything, helps to sustain them in their caring role. An interpretative phenomenological analysis approach was adopted, and qualitative interviews were used with 30 primary caregivers. Two overarching themes, and related subthemes, were abstracted from the data. First, caring is a difficult and demanding responsibility. It affects carers adversely, emotionally, physically, socially, and financially, and their lifestyle in general. This is reflected in three subthemes: (i) physically and emotionally draining; (ii) grieving about the loss; (iii) and adverse effects on lifestyle and social relationships. Second, carers develop resilience in caring, which helps sustain them in their role, as illustrated in three subthemes: (i) caring as purposeful and satisfying; (ii) harnessing social support from others; and (iii) purposefully maintaining their own well‐being. Community mental health nurses have a key role in assessing carers' needs and supporting them in their caring role.
2015 European guidelines for the management of partners of persons with sexually transmitted infections
Authors: Tiplica G.‐S. , Radcliffe K. , Evans C. , Gomberg M. , Nandwani R. , Rafila A. , Nedelcu L. , Salavastru C.
Published: May 2015

Background

Partner management is the process of identifying the contacts of a person infected by a sexually transmitted infection (STI) and referral to a health care provider for appropriate management. It represents a public health activity.

Methods

This guideline is produced by the IUSTI European Guideline Editorial Board and EDF Guideline Committee.

Results

It provides recommendations concerning the infections that require partner management, the lookback periods for this STI and the main steps to follow for partner management (offering support to patients, notifying partners, identification of contacts). Partner management is voluntary and needs to be performed with respect to human rights, social, cultural and religious behaviours.

Conclusions

In European countries, there are different approaches to the partner management; some common type of actions can enhance the fight against STI.
Severity and duration of pain after colonoscopy and gastroscopy: a cohort study
Authors: Allen Penny , Shaw Elissa , Jong Anne , Behrens Heidi , Skinner Isabelle
Published: May 2015

Aims and objectives

This study aimed to determine the prevalence, severity, location and duration of pain post‐colonoscopy, and to explore possible associations between pain, demographic variables and diagnostic findings. The study also sought to provide information to guide decision‐making on CO2 insufflation.

Background

Colonoscopy with sedation is a common day surgery procedure in Australia. Attendance for colonoscopy is influenced by patient expectations, particularly about pain. Research on post‐colonoscopy pain has focussed on pain experienced immediately post‐procedure, with few studies investigating pain beyond 24 hours.

Design

Follow‐up study using patient‐completed Pain Numerical Rating Scales.

Methods

Patients undergoing colonoscopy at a single hospital day surgery unit were invited to complete Pain Numerical Rating Scales (where 0 = no pain and 10 = worst possible pain) three times daily for three days post‐colonoscopy.

Results

Among the 277 participants, 124 (45%) reported pain at any time during follow‐up. Twenty‐one (8%) participants experienced pain on each of the three days. Pain was most commonly experienced in the hypogastric and iliac regions. The severity of pain was low, with only 33 participants self‐administering analgesics (paracetamol or nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs) during follow‐up. Participants who had both colonoscopy and gastroscopy were not more likely to report pain overall. However, they were more likely to report pain on days 2 and 3 and were also more likely to take analgesics. Pain was not associated with procedure duration, abdominal pressurisation, removal of polyps, diverticulitis, inflammatory bowel disease or the presence of benign or malignant lesions.

Conclusions

This research indicates that fewer than half of the patients undergoing colonoscopy will experience post‐procedure pain and that just over one in ten patients will require analgesics. Patients undergoing both gastroscopy and colonoscopy are more likely to experience pain for longer and require over‐the‐counter analgesics. The low prevalence of pain suggests that room air insufflation is an acceptable alternative to more expensive CO2.

Relevance to clinical practice

The findings provide evidence for nurses and clinicians to advise patients about the likelihood of experiencing pain post‐colonoscopy, and the characteristics of this pain. Nurses may reassure patients that pain is not more likely among patients diagnosed with colorectal disease or malignancy. Patients who have persistent pain for longer than 24 hours post‐colonoscopy should be advised to seek medical care to investigate the cause of their pain.
Alcohol, Isolation, and Access to Treatment: Family Physician Experiences of Alcohol Consumption and Access to Health Care in Rural British Columbia
Authors: Slaunwhite Amanda K. , Macdonald Scott
Published: May 2015

Objective

The purpose of this project was to study the experiences of physicians who treat persons with alcohol‐attributed diseases in rural areas of British Columbia, Canada.

Method

A cross‐sectional survey was distributed to primary health care physicians that had a family practice in a designated rural community using the Rural Coordination Centre of British Columbia's community isolation rating system. Data were collected through a mail and online survey sent to primary health care physicians. Purposeful sampling was used to select participants that had a primary health care practice in a designated rural community.

Results

Surveys were returned by 22% of potential participants (N = 67) that had an average of 15.8 years in family practice. The majority of participants (95.4%) reported that alcohol had a negative impact on population health, and physicians expressed particular concern for alcohol consumption in relation to mental health (85.1%) and physical illness (82.1%). Most participants had referred patients out of the community for treatment; however, 76.4% reported difficulty with referrals, including long wait‐lists, limited services, and issues related to transportation and leaving the community for substance use treatment.

Conclusion

Rural physicians showed an awareness and concern for alcohol consumption in their community, but they also reported difficulties referring patients for substance use treatment. Additional study is required to understand how to improve the continuity of care provided to persons with alcohol‐related issues in rural British Columbia.
Neurogenic pulmonary edema following Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis associated with HIV infection
Authors: Kondo Reiichiro , Sugita Yasuo , Arakawa Kenji , Nakashima Shinji , Umeno Yumi , Todoroki Keita , Yoshida Tomoko , Takase Yorihiko , Kage Masayoshi , Oshima Koichi , Yano Hirohisa
Published: May 2015

Neurogenic pulmonary edema (NPE) is a clinical syndrome characterized by the acute onset of pulmonary edema following a significant central nervous system insult. Only a few cases of NPE after Cryptococcal meningitis have been reported. We report a case of NPE following Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. A 40‐year‐old man with no medical history was hospitalized for disturbance of consciousness. Blood glucose level was 124 mg/dL. Non‐contrast head computed tomography showed no abnormalities. Lumbar puncture revealed a pressure of over 300 mm H2O and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) confirmed a white blood cell count of 65/mm3. The CSF glucose level was 0 mg/dL. The patient was empirically started on treatment for presumptive bacterial and viral meningitis. Four days after, the patient died in a sudden severe pulmonary edema. Autopsy was performed. We found at autopsy a brain edema with small hemorrhage of the right basal ganglia, severe pulmonary edema and mild cardiomegaly. Histologically, dilated Virchow‐Robin spaces, crowded with Cryptococci were observed. In the right basal ganglia, Virchow‐Robin spaces were destroyed with hemorrhage and Cryptococci spread to parenchyma of the brain. No inflammatory reaction of the lung was seen. Finally, acute pulmonary edema in this case was diagnosed as NPE following Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis. After autopsy, we found that he was positive for serum antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus.
Characteristic expression of p57/Kip2 in balloon cells in focal cortical dysplasia
Authors: Kimura Tadashi , Kitaura Hiroki , Masuda Hiroshi , Kameyama Shigeki , Saito Yuko , Sugai Kenji , Otsuki Taisuke , Nakazawa Atsuko , Morota Nobuhito , Yamamoto Takamichi , Iida Kouji , Nakagawa Masanori , Mizuno Toshiki , Takahashi Hitoshi , Kakita Akiyoshi
Published: May 2015

Balloon cells are a pathognomonic cellular feature of various cortical malformations, including focal cortical dysplasia type IIb (FCD IIb), cortical tubers of tuberous sclerosis (TSC) and hemimegalencephaly (HME). In the present study, we investigated the immunohistochemical expression of p57/Kip2, a member of the Cip/Kip family of cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitory proteins, in balloon cells in surgical specimens taken from 26, 17 and six patients with FCD IIb, TSC and HME, respectively. Characteristic dot‐like reactivity with a faint, intense, reticular and process‐like pattern was confined to the proximal portion of the cytoplasmic processes of the cells. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the p57/Kip2 reactivity on intermediate filaments in the proximal portion of the processes. The immunohistochemical profile appeared similar to that of CD34; however, a double immunofluorescence study demonstrated that no cells showed reactivity for both p57/Kip2 and CD34. The frequencies of the p57/Kip2‐positive cells in FCD IIb and HME were significantly higher than those in TSC, suggesting that the balloon cells may be heterogeneous. These findings suggest some functional significance of the protein on the cytoplasmic processes of balloon cells and appear consistent with the notion that the cells are abnormally differentiated progenitor cells.
Risk factors for acute asthma in tropical America: a case–control study in the City of Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Authors: Ardura‐Garcia Cristina , Vaca Maritza , Oviedo Gisela , Sandoval Carlos , Workman Lisa , Schuyler Alexander J. , Perzanowski Matthew S. , Platts‐Mills Thomas A.E. , Cooper Philip J.
Published: May 2015

Background

Despite the high asthma rates described in Latin America, asthma risk factors in poor urban settings are not well established. We investigated risk factors for acute asthma among Ecuadorian children.

Methods

A matched case–control study was carried out in a public hospital serving a coastal city. Children with acute asthma were age‐ and sex‐matched to non‐asthmatics. A questionnaire was administered, and blood, as well as stool, and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected.

Results

Sixty cases and 119 controls aged 5–15 were evaluated. High proportions of cases were atopic with population‐attributable fractions for atopy of 68.5% for sIgE and 57.2% for SPT. Acute asthma risk increased with greater titers of mite IgE (3.51–50 kU/l vs. <0.70kU/l – OR 4.56, 95% CI 1.48–14.06, p = 0.008; >50kU/l vs. <0.70kU/l – OR 41.98, 95% CI: 8.97–196.39, p < 0.001). Asthma risk was significantly independently associated with bronchiolitis (adj. OR: 38.9, 95% CI 3.26–465), parental educational level (adj. OR 1.26, 95% CI: 1.08–1.46), and presence of sIgE (adj. OR: 36.7, 95% CI: 4.00–337), while a reduced risk was associated with current contact with pets (adj. OR: 0.07, 95% CI: 0.01–0.56). Rhinovirus infection was more frequent in cases (cases 35.6% vs. controls 7.8%, p = 0.002). None of the cases were on maintenance therapy with inhaled corticosteroids and most relied on emergency department for control.

Conclusions

A high proportion of children presenting to a public hospital with acute asthma were allergic to mite, particularly at high IgE titer. Poor asthma control resulted in overuse of emergency care.
Assessing disease severity: accuracy and reliability of rater estimates in relation to number of diagrams in a standard area diagram set
Authors: Bock C. H. , Hotchkiss M. W. , Wood B. W.
Published: May 2015

Error in estimates of plant disease severity occur and standard area diagrams (SADs) help improve accuracy and reliability. The effects of diagram number in SADs are unknown. The objective of this study was to compare estimates of pecan scab severity made without SADs, and using three‐, five‐, seven‐ or 10‐diagram SADs. Disease severity was estimated to the nearest percent (NPE), or classified to the closest reference diagram value using a scale. Twelve raters assessed 20 images of scabbed pecan valves with and without the SADs using NPEs and the scale method (values were converted to midpoints prior to analysis). Increases in diagram number using NPEs did not necessarily result in more accurate or reliable estimates. Inter‐rater reliability was positively correlated with number of diagrams using NPEs (r = 0·3288 (P < 0·0001)) or a scale (r = 0·2803 (P < 0·0001)). The least accurate estimates improved the most using SADs with NPEs, but the gain did not relate to number of diagrams; as few as three diagrams reduced error of inaccurate estimates as much as five, seven or 10 diagrams. When used as a scale, only estimates made with 10‐diagram SADs had similar accuracy and inter‐rater reliability to estimates made using SADs with NPEs. Maximum disease severity and the disease severity range for the pathosystem and the SADs are important factors and will probably influence resulting accuracy and reliability. The ramifications of diagram numbers in SADs and assessment methods on accuracy and reliability of disease estimates are discussed.
Passive restoration is often quite effective: response to Zahawi et al. (2014)
Authors: Prach Karel , del Moral Roger
Published: May 2015

Although we share many of the ideas expressed by Zahawi et al., we believe that they are more skeptical in some aspects of the value of passive restoration than we are. Their comment is based primarily on experience within tropical habitats with idiosyncratic legal and social circumstances that limit extrapolations to other habitats. Passive restoration is not always slower than active restoration, and restoration goals should not always focus on rapid development of mature vegetation structure and function. Even less mature vegetation may provide important benefits. A meta‐analysis to compare passive and active restoration in a variety of habitats and geographical regions is needed.
Using the World Health Organization Measles Programmatic Risk Assessment Tool for Monitoring of Supplemental Immunization Activities in the Philippines
Authors: Ducusin Maria Joyce U. , de Quiroz‐Castro Maricel , Roesel Sigrun , Garcia Luzviminda C. , Cecilio‐Elfa Dulce , Schluter W. William , Goodson James L. , Lam Eugene
Published: May 2015

In 2012, the World Health Organization Regional Committee for the Western Pacific Region (WPR) reaffirmed its commitment to eliminate measles and urged WPR member states to interrupt endemic measles virus transmission as rapidly as possible. In 2013, a large measles outbreak occurred in the Philippines despite implementation of measles elimination strategies including a nationwide supplemental immunization activity (SIA) in 2011 using measles‐ and rubella‐containing vaccine and targeting children aged nine months to seven years. To prevent future measles outbreaks a new tool was developed to assess district‐level risk for measles outbreaks, based on the WPR polio risk assessment tool previously applied in the Philippines. Risk was assessed as a function of combined indicator scores from four data input categories: population immunity, surveillance quality, program performance, and threat assessment. On the basis of the overall score, the tool assigned each district a risk category of low, medium, high, or very high. Of the 122 districts and highly urbanized cities in the Philippines, 58 (48%) were classified as high risk or very high risk, including the district of the Metro Manila area and Region 4A where the outbreak began in 2013. Risk assessment results were used to guide the monitoring and supervision during the nationwide SIA conducted in 2014. The initial tool drafted in the Philippines served as a template for development of the global risk assessment tool. Regular annual measles programmatic risk assessments can be used to help plan risk mitigation activities and measure progress toward measles elimination.
Gamma‐irradiation of deglycerolized red cells does not significantly affect in vitro quality
Authors: Winter K. M. , Johnson L. , Webb R. G. , Marks D. C.
Published: May 2015

Background and Objectives

Red cells frozen with glycerol may require gamma‐irradiation after thawing and deglycerolization for transfusion to at‐risk patients. Both freezing and irradiation are known to cause red cell damage. However, the effect of irradiation on the quality of deglycerolized red cells and the optimal shelf life of such a component is currently unknown.

Materials and Methods

Red cells (<7 days) were pooled, split and glycerolized using an ACP‐215 automated cell washer (n = 12 pairs) and frozen at −80°C. Red cells were thawed, deglycerolized and resuspended in SAG‐M. One of each pair was gamma‐irradiated, while the other served as a control. Products were stored at 2–6°C and sampled for in vitro testing immediately after irradiation, and at 24 and 48 h postirradiation.

Results

Irradiation of deglycerolized red cells led to a >1·5‐fold increase in extracellular potassium, compared to control units at 24 and 48 h postirradiation. Other parameters, including haemolysis, were not significantly affected by irradiation postdeglycerolization.

Conclusion

Deglycerolized, irradiated red cells had increased supernatant potassium, but remained of acceptable quality for 24 h postirradiation.
A hollow‐fibre column system to effectively prepare washed platelets
Authors: Tanaka S. , Hayashi T. , Sugaya S. , Osabe M. , Ueno Y. , Tani Y. , Hirayama F.
Published: May 2015

Background and Objectives

We developed a hollow‐fibre column system specifically adapted to prepare washed platelet concentrates (WPCs). This study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of the hollow‐fibre column system for preparing WPCs.

Materials and Methods

First, the percentages of platelet (PLT) recovery and remaining plasma proteins were calculated by determining the PLT count, volume and plasma protein levels in both the prewash and postwash. Secondly, washed PLTs and unwashed control PLTs were stored for 5 days, and the changes during this 5‐day storage of in vitro PLT characteristics were determined.

Results

The hollow‐fibre column system effectively removed >98% of plasma in platelet concentrates (PCs), and the PLT recovery was 97% on an average. The CD62P‐expression level on washed PLTs immediately after washing was approximately twofold higher than that on prewashed PLTs as well as on PLTs washed via manual methods or cell washing devices. Until day 5 during storage, PLT aggregability, hypotonic shock response and swirling scores of washed PLTs were not significantly different from those of the control PCs.

Conclusion

Our novel hollow‐fibre column system proved valuable in preparing washed PLTs with <2% of residual plasma proteins and high recovery of PLTs.
Characteristics of Flow Structures in the Wake of a Bed-Mounted Bluff Body in Shallow Open Channels
Authors: Nasif G. , Balachandar R. , Barron R. M.
Published: May 2015

The characteristics of the flow structures observed in the wake of a bluff body mounted vertically on the bed and normal to the flow in a shallow open channel are investigated using detached eddy simulation (DES). The flow structures in the shallow wake are identified using the λ2-criterion. A distinctive feature in the time-averaged flow field, referred to as the owl face of the first kind, is observed. The position of this spiraling structure is stable at locations close to the bed, while its rotation sense switches from stable inward to unstable outward spiraling as it moves toward the free surface, where the bed friction becomes insignificant and the flow develops into a traditional two-dimensional (2D) wake. A three-dimensional (3D) structure resulting from a horizontally oriented secondary roll-up process is observed immediately downstream of the base of the bluff body in the center of the near-wake region. In addition to the horseshoe vortex, a new structure that wraps around the bluff body in the toe region is identified, referred to as a collar vortex. The presence of the coherent structures in the near-bed region is highlighted and their influence on the wake region is discussed.
Children Display Adult-Like Kinetic Patterns in the Time Domain, But Not in the Frequency Domain, While Walking With Ankle Load
Authors: Wu Jianhua , Ajisafe Toyin , Beerse Matthew
Published: May 2015

This study used both time and frequency domain analyses to investigate walking patterns with ankle load in children and adults. Twenty-two children aged 7–10 years and 20 young adults participated in this study. Three levels of ankle load were manipulated: no load, low load (2% of body mass on each side), and high load (4% of body mass on each side). An instrumented treadmill was used to register vertical ground reaction force (GRF) and spatiotemporal parameters, and peak vertical GRFs were determined. A frequency domain analysis was conducted on the vertical GRF data. Results demonstrate that, in the time domain, children showed adult-like spatiotemporal parameters and adult-like timing and magnitude of the 2 peak vertical GRFs under each load. In the frequency domain, children produced a lower power from the second harmonic than young adults, although both groups showed the highest power from this harmonic and increased this power with ankle load. It was concluded that children aged 7–10 years may start showing adult-like neuromuscular adaptations to increasing ankle load and display similar spatiotemporal control of foot falls and foot–floor kinetic interaction; however, a frequency domain analysis is effective in revealing different kinetic and neuromuscular characteristics between children and adults.
Interrater and Intrarater Reliability and Validity of 3 Measurement Methods for Shoulder-Position Sense
Authors: Vafadar Amir K. , Cote Julie N. , Archambault Philippe S.
Published: May 2015

Context: Joint-position sense (JPS) plays a critical role in the stability of shoulder joint. Restoration of JPS is essential to improve rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with shoulder injury. However, the number of affordable and reliable shoulder-JPS measurement methods for everyday clinical practice is limited. Objective:To estimate reliability and validity of 3 simple shoulder-JPS measurement methods. Design: Cross-sectional study. Participants: 25 healthy men and women. Main Outcome Measure: Absolute-error scores of JPS in 3 ranges of shoulder flexion (low, mid, and high), measured with a laser pointer, an inclinometer, and a goniometer in 2 separate sessions (48 h apart). Results: Overall interrater and intrarater intraclass correlation coefficients were .86 and .78 for the laser pointer, .67 and .70 for the inclinometer, and .60 and .50 for the goniometer, respectively. There was excellent reliability in the low range for the laser pointer and inclinometer methods, but fair to good and poor reliability in mid- and high ranges, respectively. All methods showed strong validity. Conclusion: The laser pointer and inclinometer JPS measurement methods are reliable and can be used by clinicians during rehabilitation of shoulder injuries.
CENP-C reshapes and stabilizes CENP-A nucleosomes at the centromere
Authors: Falk Samantha J. , Guo Lucie Y. , Sekulic Nikolina , Smoak Evan M. , Mani Tomoyasu , Logsdon Glennis A. , Gupta Kushol , Jansen Lars E. T. , Van Duyne Gregory D. , Vinogradov Sergei A. , Lampson Michael A. , Black Ben E.
Published: May 2015

Building stable centromeres

Each of our chromosomes has a single centromere, seen as a constriction during cell division, which is required for accurate chromosome segregation to daughter cells. Falk
et al.
show that the special histone protein known as CENP-A, which forms part of the nucleosomes at centromeres, makes the chromatin at these constrictions very stable and long-lived. This stability is conferred by a protein-binding partner, CENP-C, recruited to the centromere by the CENP-A histone. Binding of CENP-C to CENP-A–containing nucleosomes alters the behavior of the macromolecular centromere complex to help it maintain its identity

Science
, this issue p.
699
The human transcriptome across tissues and individuals
Authors: Melé Marta , Ferreira Pedro G. , Reverter Ferran , DeLuca David S. , Monlong Jean , Sammeth Michael , Young Taylor R. , Goldmann Jakob M , Pervouchine Dmitri D. , Sullivan Timothy J. , Johnson Rory , Segrè Ayellet V. , Djebali Sarah , Niarchou Anastasia , Consortium The GTEx , Wright Fred A. , Lappalainen Tuuli , Calvo Miquel , Getz Gad , Dermitzakis Emmanouil T. , Ardlie Kristin G. , Guigó Roderic
Published: May 2015

Expression, genetic variation, and tissues

Human genomes show extensive genetic variation across individuals, but we have only just started documenting the effects of this variation on the regulation of gene expression. Furthermore, only a few tissues have been examined per genetic variant. In order to examine how genetic expression varies among tissues within individuals, the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) Consortium collected 1641 postmortem samples covering 54 body sites from 175 individuals. They identified quantitative genetic traits that affect gene expression and determined which of these exhibit tissue-specific expression patterns. Meléet al.measured how transcription varies among tissues, and Rivaset al.looked at how truncated protein variants affect expression across tissues.

Science, this issue p.648, p.660, p.666; see also p.640
More than just bugs in spit
Authors: Barry Clifton
Published: May 2015

Advances in imaging help to explain tuberculosis treatment failures and develop better drugs
A forward genetic screen identifies erythrocyte CD55 as essential for
Plasmodium falciparum
invasion
Authors: Egan Elizabeth S. , Jiang Rays H. Y. , Moechtar Mischka A. , Barteneva Natasha S. , Weekes Michael P. , Nobre Luis V. , Gygi Steven P. , Paulo Joao A. , Frantzreb Charles , Tani Yoshihiko , Takahashi Junko , Watanabe Seishi , Goldberg Jonathan , Paul Aditya S. , Brugnara Carlo , Root David E. , Wiegand Roger C. , Doench John G. , Duraisingh Manoj T.
Published: May 2015

A way to dissect malaria's secrets

Malaria has exerted a strong selective force on the human genome. However, efforts to identify host susceptibility factors have been hindered by the absence of a nucleus in red blood cells. Egan
et al.
developed an approach involving blood stem cells to discover host factors critical for
Plasmodium falciparum
infection of red blood cells. The authors identified an essential host receptor for parasite invasion that could provide a target for malaria therapeutics.

Science
, this issue p.
711
“RASopathic” astrocytes constrain neural plasticity
Authors: Xing Lei , Li Xiaoyan , Snider William D.
Published: May 2015

The cellular pathology of a complex neurodevelopmental disorder is teased apart
Definitive Identification of Laribacter hongkongensis Acquired in the United States
Authors: Beilfuss Hope A. , Quig David , Block Mary Ann , Schreckenberger Paul C.
Published: May 2015

Laribacter hongkongensis
is a potential emerging pathogen associated with community-acquired gastroenteritis and traveler's diarrhea. We report the isolation of
L. hongkongensis
from the stool of a patient who had no history of travel outside the United States. The organism was identified by phenotypic tests, mass spectrometry, and gene sequencing.
In Vivo
IS
6110
Profile Changes in a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Strain as Determined by Tracking over 14 Years
Authors: Millán-Lou María Isabel , Otal Isabel , Monforte María Luisa , Vitoria María Asunción , Revillo María José , Martín Carlos , Samper Sofía
Published: May 2015

Transposition and homologous recombination of IS
6110
appear in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
along
in vivo
sequential infections. These events were checked in different clones of a successful strain,
M. tuberculosis
Zaragoza, with the focus on a variant in which integration of a copy of IS
6110
in the origin of replication (
oriC
) region occurred.
Characterization of the Human Papillomavirus 16 E8 Promoter
Authors: Straub Elke , Fertey Jasmin , Dreer Marcel , Iftner Thomas , Stubenrauch Frank
Published: May 2015

Persistent infections with certain human papillomaviruses (HPV) such as HPV16 are a necessary risk factor for the development of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. HPV16 genomes replicate as low-copy-number plasmids in the nucleus of undifferentiated keratinocytes, which requires the viral E1 and E2 replication proteins. The HPV16 E8^E2C (or E8^E2) protein limits genome replication by repressing both viral transcription and the E1/E2-dependent DNA replication. How E8^E2C expression is regulated is not understood. Previous transcript analyses indicated that the spliced E8^E2C RNA is initiated at a promoter located in the E1 region upstream of the E8 gene. Deletion and mutational analyses of the E8 promoter region identify two conserved elements that are required for basal promoter activity in HPV-negative keratinocytes. In contrast, the transcriptional enhancer in the upstream regulatory region of HPV16 does not modulate basal E8 promoter activity. Cotransfection studies indicate that E8^E2C inhibits, whereas E2 weakly activates, the E8 promoter. Interestingly, the cotransfection of E1 and E2 induces the E8 promoter much more strongly than the major early promoter, and this is partially dependent upon binding of E2 to Brd4. Mutation of E8 promoter elements in the context of HPV16 genomes results in an increased genome copy number and elevated levels of viral early and late transcripts. In summary, the promoter responsible for the expression of E8^E2C is both positively and negatively regulated by viral and cellular factors, and this regulatory circuit may be crucial to maintain a low but constant copy number of HPV16 genomes in undifferentiated cells.

IMPORTANCE
HPV16 replicates in differentiating epithelia and can cause cancer. How HPV16 maintains its genome in undifferentiated cells at a low but constant level is not well understood but may be relevant for the immunological escape of HPV16 in the basal layers of the infected epithelium. This study demonstrates that the expression of the viral E8^E2C protein, which is a potent inhibitor of viral replication in undifferentiated cells, is driven by a separate promoter. The E8 promoter is both positively and negatively regulated by viral proteins and thus most likely acts as a sensor and modulator of viral copy number.