bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli haemolysin is cleaved and inactivated by serine protease EspPα
Authors: Brockmeyer Jens , Aldick Thomas , Soltwisch Jens , Zhang Wenlan , Tarr Philip I. , Weiss André , Dreisewerd Klaus , Müthing Johannes , Bielaszewska Martina , Karch Helge
Published: February 2011

The haemolysin from enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC‐Hly) and the serine protease EspPα are putative virulence factors of EHEC. We investigated the interplay between these secreted factors and demonstrate that EspPα cleaves the 107 kDa large EHEC‐Hly. Degradation was observed when purified EspPα was added to a growing culture of an EHEC‐Hly‐expressing strain, with isolated proteins and with coexpressing strains, and was independent of the EHEC serotype. EHEC‐Hly breakdown occurred as a multistage process with the formation of characteristic fragments with relative molecular masses of ∼82 kDa and/or ∼84 kDa and ∼34 kDa. The initial cleavage occurred in the N‐terminal hydrophobic domain of EHEC‐Hly between Leu235 and Ser236 and abolished its haemolytic activity. In a cellular infection system, the cytolytic potential of EHEC‐Hly‐secreting recombinant strains was abolished when EspPα was coexpressed. EHEC in contact with human intestinal epithelial cells simultaneously upregulated their EHEC‐Hly and EspP indicating that both molecules might interact under physiological conditions. We propose the concept of bacterial effector molecule interference (BEMI), reflecting the concerted interplay of virulence factors. Interference between effector molecules might be an additional way to regulate virulence functions and increases the complexity of monomolecular phenotypes.
Primary and secondary oxidative stress in Bacillus
Authors: Mols Maarten , Abee Tjakko
Published: February 2011

Coping with oxidative stress originating from oxidizing compounds or reactive oxygen species (ROS), associated with the exposure to agents that cause environmental stresses, is one of the prerequisites for an aerobic lifestyle of Bacillus spp. such as B. subtilis, B. cereus and B. anthracis. This minireview highlights novel insights in the primary oxidative stress response caused by oxidizing compounds including hydrogen peroxide and the secondary oxidative stress responses apparent upon exposure to a range of agents and conditions leading to environmental stresses such as antibiotics, heat and acid. Insights in the pathways and damaging radicals involved have been compiled based among others on transcriptome studies, network analyses and fluorescence techniques for detection of ROS at single cell level. Exploitation of the current knowledge for the control of spoilage and pathogenic bacteria is discussed.
Inference in morphological taxonomy using collinear data and small sample sizes: Monogenean sclerites (Platyhelminthes) as a case study
Authors: Vignon Matthias
Published: February 2011

Vignon, M. (2011) Inference in morphological taxonomy using collinear data and small sample sizes: Monogenean sclerites (Platyhelminthes) as a case study. —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 306–316.

Taxonomists and evolutionary biologists frequently use a combination of morphological measurements to distinguish between species and investigate local adaptation. However, the entire set of characters often displays various degrees of collinearity. This paper discusses the effect of using collinear data in morphological taxonomy and ways to handle multicollinearity in a classification context, with special consideration for small sample size. In addition, I propose a robust and easy‐to‐use combination of dimension reduction using partial least squares (PLS) with traditional discriminant methods for morphological data. To do this, I investigated morphological variation patterns among four monogenean populations from the Pacific Ocean using the correlated morphological features of the sclerotized attachment organ. The new approach yielded better prediction results (lower classification error rates) than the traditional dimension reduction method based on principle component analysis (PCA) and is also much more robust for small sample size. This emphasizes that PLS may be more efficient than PCA in dealing with correlated data and extracting the most relevant morphological differences among groups.
Molecular phylogeny of venus clams (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Veneridae) with emphasis on the systematic position of taxa along the coast of mainland China
Authors: Chen Jun , Li Qi , Kong Lingfeng , Zheng Xiaodong
Published: February 2011

Chen, J., Li, Q., Kong, L. & Zheng, X. (2011). Molecular phylogeny of venus clams (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Veneridae) with emphasis on the systematic position of taxa along the coast of mainland China. —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 260–271.

Veneridae is the most richly speciose family of heterodont bivalves with high ecological and economic value. Attention to the Veneridae systematics has been raised since traditional conchology‐based ideas on relationships among the venerids were challenged by recent studies using molecular makers and other new approaches and methods. Herein, DNA sequence information from fragments of two mitochondrial genes (COI and 16S) and one nuclear protein‐coding gene (H3) for 135 taxa (128 venerids, five nonvenerid veneroids and two other outgroups) are used to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships of venus clams under maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches. According to our molecular results, the traditional Veneridae is not recovered as monophyletic and most of the nominal subfamilies and genera formed para‐polyphyletic clades. The findings indicate that the current venerid classification cannot validly reflect a natural subdivision. In the present study, the classification of taxa along the coast of mainland China within this family are also revised based on their phylogenetic position and morphological characters. The synonymization of chionine genus Placamen with Clausinella is rejected. Chionine subgenera Anomalodiscus and Cryptonema are given full generic rank again and incorporated into Venerinae and Tapetinae, respectively. Tapetine Marcia hiantina, M. japonica and M. marmorata were distantly related to Katelysia spp., so assigning those three species into the genus Katelysia by some malacologists is rejected herein. Our results also evidence that the synonymization of the genus Tigammona and Periglypta might be inappropriate.
Biotechnological application of functional genomics towards plant‐parasitic nematode control
Authors: Li Jiarui , Todd Timothy C. , Lee Junghoon , Trick Harold N.
Published: February 2011

Plant‐parasitic nematodes are primary biotic factors limiting the crop production. Current nematode control strategies include nematicides, crop rotation and resistant cultivars, but each has serious limitations. RNA interference (RNAi) represents a major breakthrough in the application of functional genomics for plant‐parasitic nematode control. RNAi‐induced suppression of numerous genes essential for nematode development, reproduction or parasitism has been demonstrated, highlighting the considerable potential for using this strategy to control damaging pest populations. In an effort to find more suitable and effective gene targets for silencing, researchers are employing functional genomics methodologies, including genome sequencing and transcriptome profiling. Microarrays have been used for studying the interactions between nematodes and plant roots and to measure both plants and nematodes transcripts. Furthermore, laser capture microdissection has been applied for the precise dissection of nematode feeding sites (syncytia) to allow the study of gene expression specifically in syncytia. In the near future, small RNA sequencing techniques will provide more direct information for elucidating small RNA regulatory mechanisms in plants and specific gene silencing using artificial microRNAs should further improve the potential of targeted gene silencing as a strategy for nematode management.
Regional Representation in Brussels and Multi-Level Governance: Evidence from Northern Ireland
Authors: Murphy Mary C.
Published: February 2011

The creation of Northern Ireland's regional representation in Brussels (ONEIB) has changed the dynamics of the region's engagement with the EU. Devolution has formalised Northern Ireland's representation in Brussels and has created close links between it and UKRep. On balance, this new arrangement limits rather than enhances regional autonomy, and is in contrast to the pre-devolution period when the ability of regional actors to pursue influence in Brussels was less constrained by the institutions of the UK state. The result is a movement towards rather than away from government, where less formal modes of governance have been replaced by formalised and institutionalised government-directed arrangements. This contradicts the claims of MLG theorists who suggest that the evolving power and influence of regions has been to the detriment of states.
Inference on 3D Procrustes Means: Tree Bole Growth, Rank Deficient Diffusion Tensors and Perturbation Models
Authors: HUCKEMANN STEPHAN
Published: February 2011

Abstract.  The Central Limit Theorem (CLT) for extrinsic and intrinsic means on manifolds is extended to a generalization of Fréchet means. Examples are the Procrustes mean for 3D Kendall shapes as well as a mean introduced by Ziezold. This allows for one‐sample tests previously not possible, and to numerically assess the ‘inconsistency of the Procrustes mean’ for a perturbation model and ‘inconsistency’ within a model recently proposed for diffusion tensor imaging. Also it is shown that the CLT can be extended to mildly rank deficient diffusion tensors. An application to forestry gives the temporal evolution of Douglas fir tree stems tending strongly towards cylinders at early ages and tending away with increased competition.
The non‐display of authentic distress: public‐private dualism in young people’s discursive construction of self‐harm
Authors: Scourfield Jonathan , Roen Katrina , McDermott Elizabeth
Published: February 2011

This article draws from focus groups and interviews investigating how young people talk about self‐harm. Some of the research participants had personal experience of self‐harm but this was not a prerequisite for their inclusion in the study. Thematic coding was used initially to organise and give an overview of the data, but the data were subsequently analysed using a discourse analytic approach. The article focuses on the young people’s constructions of deliberate self‐harm such as ‘cutting’. Throughout the focus groups and interviews, a dichotomy was set up by the young people between authentic, private self‐harm which is rooted in real distress (and warrants a sympathetic response) and public, self‐indulgent attempts to seek attention. This dualistic construction is discussed in some detail and located in various socio‐cultural contexts. It is argued that the dualism illustrates contemporary ambivalence about mental health and youth.
‘Building rapport’ with customers across the world: The global diffusion of a call centre speech style1
Authors: Hultgren Anna Kristina
Published: February 2011

This paper identifies a particular ‘rapport‐building’ speech style prescribed to call centre workers in four countries – Denmark, Britain, Hong Kong and the Philippines – irrespective of the language being spoken in the service interaction. It then compares Danish and British call centre workers’ compliance with the prescribed speech style and finds that Danish workers adhere significantly less to it than their British counterparts. It is suggested that this is attributable to the predominance of different politeness norms in the two cultures. The paper then discusses the indexicality of the prescribed speech style and argues that it is more commercially than culturally marked, despite the American origin of call centres. Overall, the paper draws attention to inadequacies in the paradigm focusing on the global spread of English, while lending support to recent theoretical suggestions to focus instead on how practices and styles are exported globally and potentially independently of language.

Denne artikel identificerer en særlig ‘relationsskabende’ samtalestil som foreskrives til callcentermedarbejdere i fire lande – Danmark, Storbritannien, Hong Kong og Filippinerne – uafhængigt af hvilket sprog der benyttes i serviceinteraktionen. Herefter bliver danske og engelske callcentermedarbejderes brug af den foreskrevne samtalestil sammenlignet, og det vises at danske medarbejdere gør signifikant mindre brug af den end deres britiske modparter. Det foreslås at dette skyldes at der råder forskellige høflighedsnormer i de to kulturer. Artiklen diskuterer derefter indeksikaliteten af den foreskrevne samtalestil, og argumenterer for at den i højere grad er kommercielt end kulturelt kodet, på trods af callcentres amerikanske oprindelse. I sin helhed gør artiklen opmærksom på utilstrækkeligheder i det paradigme der fokuserer på hvordan engelsk breder sig globalt, mens den underbygger nylige teoretiske forslag om i stedet at fokusere på hvordan praksisser og stile eksporteres globalt og potentielt set uafhængigt af sprog.
Why Reasons Skepticism is Not Self‐Defeating
Authors: Husi Stan
Published: February 2011

Abstract:Radical meta‐normative skepticism is the view that no standard, norm, or principle has objective authority or normative force. It does not deny that there are norms, standards of correctness, and principles of various kinds that render it possible that we succeed or fail in measuring up to their prerogatives. Rather, it denies that any norm has the status of commanding with objective authority, of giving rise to normative reasons to take seriously and follow its demands. Two powerful transcendental arguments challenge this view. First, skepticism is said to be self‐defeating: Settling what to accept, and in particular whether to accept skepticism, appears to be a reason‐guided enterprise. How can skeptics coherently support their view by citing reasons in their favor after they just rejected them throughout? Second, there is the practical‐deliberative version, most recently developed by David Enoch: We are essentially deliberative creatures. Yet deliberation appears to require that there are correct answers in the form of normative reasons to our practical questions. Thus confidence in the sensible nature of deliberation should inspire confidence in reasons. The essay undermines both transcendental arguments by demonstrating, first, how to support skepticism without deserting its tenets, and, second, how to deliberate in skeptical fashion.
Hybrid Expressivism and the Analogy between Pejoratives and Moral Language
Authors: Hay Ryan J.
Published: February 2011

Abstract:In recent literature supporting a hybrid view between metaethical cognitivism and noncognitivist expressivism, much has been made of an analogy between moral terms and pejoratives. The analogy is based on the plausible idea that pejorative slurs are used to express both a descriptive belief and a negative attitude. The analogy looks promising insofar as it encourages the kinds of features we should want from a hybrid expressivist view for moral language. But the analogy between moral terms and pejorative slurs is also problematic. In this paper, I argue for two main ways in which we should distinguish between two different types of pejorative terms: slurs, on the one hand, and what I call general pejorative terms, on the other. I examine the problems with the analogy between slurs and moral terms and conclude that general pejorative terms like ‘jerk’ are a better candidate on which to model the potential dual‐use behavior of moral terms. So if hybrid theorists are looking for a dual‐use model for moral language, they should be careful to base their analogies on general pejoratives, rather than slurs.
Is Iris Murdoch a Closet Existentialist? Some Trouble with Vision, Choice and Exegesis
Authors: Robjant David
Published: February 2011

Abstract: Richard Moran argues that Iris Murdoch is an Existentialist who pretends not to be. His support for this view will be shown to depend on his attempt to assimilate Iris Murdoch's discussion of moral ‘vision’ in the parable of the Mother in Law to Sartre's thought on ‘choice’ and ‘orientation’. Discussing both Moran's Murdoch exegesis and Sartre's Being and Nothingness, I develop the Sartrean view to which Moran hopes to assimilate Murdoch, before pointing out how Moran's assimilation fails. Murdoch's thought that when M is just and loving she sees D ‘as she really is’ cannot be accommodated on Sartre's picture. I develop this point of disagreement between Murdoch and Sartre, and argue that Murdoch has not as Moran claims made a misattribution to Sartre of an unsituated will, but has instead offered a penetrating critique of the central theme of Sartre's epistemology.
T‐CARE: temporal case retrieval system
Authors: Juarez Jose M. , Campos Manuel , Palma Jose , Marin Roque
Published: February 2011

Abstract: The temporal dimension is highly present in almost all critical medical scenarios (e.g. intensive care units, burn units or cardiology departments), considering that the temporal evolution of the patient is a key factor in providing an effective healthcare. While the irruption of new technologies in hospital services provides large amounts of data, knowledge‐based systems are not often considered by clinicians, as part of the clinical information process. Case‐based reasoning (CBR) is a field of artificial intelligence that tackles new problems by referring to analogous problems that have already been solved in the past. Therefore, CBR seems to be an effective approach in medical domains since cases refer directly to patient episodes within the health records. Despite the importance of the temporal dimension, no in‐depth study of the impact of time on the CBR systems has been carried out in critical medical domains. This work focuses on the development of case retrieval systems based on their temporal similarity in the medical domain. We present T‐CARE, a temporal case retrieval system that combines classical and non‐classical approaches to measure temporal similarity of cases which are composed of temporal sequences of time point events and intervals. Finally, we show its practical implementation in an intensive care burn unit.
Is primary melanoma ulceration a factor of good response to adoptive immunotherapy?
Authors: Peuvrel L. , Nguyen J.M. , Khammari A. , Quereux G. , Brocard A. , Dreno B.
Published: February 2011

Background  Primary melanoma ulceration is a factor of poor prognosis at the local and regional stage. The physiopathological mechanisms which explain its prognostic impact are still little known. However, two recent studies suggest that it could be a predictive factor of good response to a non‐specific immunotherapy (interferon‐alpha) and to an active immunotherapy (vaccine).

Objective  The aim of this study was to determine whether ulceration could be a factor of good prognosis in the context of an adoptive immunotherapy with tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in stage III regional lymph node metastatic melanoma (sixth American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system) and whether it was associated with an improvement in the effectiveness of this treatment compared with the control group.

Methods  We have included all the patients treated in open prospective randomized TIL vs. control protocols in our unit from 1997 to 2009. Clinical data were derived retrospectively from patient files. Statistical analysis was performed using log‐rank tests, Cox models and tests for interaction.

Results  A total of 144 patients were included. In the group of 80 patients treated with TIL, primary melanoma ulceration remained a pejorative factor for relapse‐free and overall survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. The presence of ulceration did not change the effectiveness of TIL treatment in comparison with the control group with regards to relapse‐free and overall survival.

Conclusion  Our study demonstrates that primary melanoma ulceration does not have any impact on the response to TIL adoptive immunotherapy and thus does not confirm its positive prognostic value suggested by two other immunotherapy approaches.
Ear, nose and throat involvement in patients with pemphigus vulgaris: correlation with severity, phenotype and disease activity
Authors: Kavala M. , Altıntaş S. , Kocatürk E. , Zindancı İ. , Can B. , Ruhi Ç. , Turkoglu Z.
Published: February 2011

Background  Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is the most common clinical form of pemphigus that is characterized by easily ruptured or loose bulla formation on skin and/or mucosa. The frequency of the ear, nose and throat involvement of PV is not clearly defined.

Objectives  To evaluate the frequency of ear, nose and throat (ENT) involvement in patients suffering from PV who had been recently diagnosed or exacerbated under follow up and to determine the association with ENT symptoms, clinical involvement, severity and duration of pemphigus vulgaris.

Materials and Methods  The study group included a total of 38 PV patients comprising 24 new patients and 14 patients who showed exacerbations while on complete remission or under treatment. All patients were asked about ENT symptoms and endoscopic examination were performed to evaluate the presence of nasal, pharynx, larynx and ear involvement.

Results  Of the 38 patients, 33 (87%) had active PV lesions on endoscopic evaluation. Twenty‐five patients (66%) had lesions on pharynx, twenty‐one (55%) on larynx, twenty‐nine (76%) on nasal mucosa and four (10%) on the ear mucosa. ENT involvement was not associated with the severity and the clinical involvement of the disease. Pharyngeal and nasal involvement was significantly associated with symptoms, while laryngeal and ear involvement was not found to be significantly associated with symptoms. Nasal and ear involvement was not associated with the duration of the disease while pharyngeal and laryngeal involvement favored newly diagnosed patients.

Conclusions  Our results revealed that high number of patients with PV may present with active ENT lesions, furthermore patients with ear, nose and throat involvement may be asymptomatic and active lesions may be found in patients without any ENT symptoms. Therefore it should be considered that to understand the real extent of PV involvement, endoscopic ENT evaluation should be performed in patients with or without symptoms.
The levels of adiponectin and leptin and their relation to other markers of cardiovascular risk in patients with psoriasis
Authors: Kaur S. , Zilmer K. , Leping V. , Zilmer M.
Published: February 2011

Background  A link between psoriasis and risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is supposed. Adipokines (adiponectin and leptin) playing roles in inflammation as well as lipid metabolism could have impact on CVD.

Objectives  We investigated links between adiponectin and leptin levels and several inflammation‐ and oxidative stress‐related CVD risk makers in patients with psoriasis.

Methods  Sixty patients with plaque‐type psoriasis with normal total cholesterol levels belonging to three body mass index (BMI) categories: BMI < 24.9, BMI 25.0–29.9 and BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2 were studied. Fasting blood samples were analysed for adiponectin, leptin, high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL), oxidized LDL/β2‐glycoprotein complexes (oxLDL‐β2‐GPI) and standard blood lipid panel.

Results  In patients, adiponectin was negatively (P < 0.005), and leptin, oxLDL and oxLDL‐β2‐GPI levels were positively correlated to BMI (P < 0.005, P < 0.05, and P < 0.01, respectively). Patients had higher hsCRP and IL‐6 levels as compared with the endemic reference values. High adiponectin was strongly associated with higher TNF‐α and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (P = 0.001), and lower triglycerides (TG) (P = 0.01) as well as oxLDL‐β2‐GPI levels (P < 0.05). After multivariate adjustment, the association for TNF‐α and TG remained significant (P < 0.01 for both). Multiple regression analysis also revealed that leptin concentration was significantly associated with hsCRP, oxLDL and TG levels.

Conclusion  The data suggest that in addition to the strong effect of inflammation and LDL oxidation, adipokine level may be one of the mechanisms behind the close association between psoriasis and CVD. Given the significant relations of several markers with BMI, health consequences of excessive weight should be better communicated to patients with psoriasis.
Lipid levels in patients with lichen planus: a case–control study
Authors: Arias‐Santiago S. , Buendía‐Eisman A. , Aneiros‐Fernández J. , Girón‐Prieto M.S. , Gutiérrez‐Salmerón M.T. , García‐Mellado V. , Cutando A. , Naranjo‐Sintes R.
Published: February 2011

Background  Cardiovascular risk factors have been assessed with some skin diseases such as alopecia and psoriasis. Recently, a case–control study found that lichen planus (LP) was associated with dyslipidaemia in a large series of patients. However, no data were presented about lipid values in patients and controls.

Objective  The objective of this case–control study was to evaluate lipid levels in men and women with lichen planus and in healthy controls, excluding lichenoid drug eruption and treatment for LP such as systemic corticosteroids, retinoid acid or methotrexate.

Patients and methods  This case–control study included 160 patients, 80 with LP (40 men and 40 women) and 80 controls consecutively admitted to the outpatient clinic in Dermatology department of San Cecilio Hospital, Granada, Spain.

Results  Patients with LP presented higher significant triglycerides values (145.9 vs. 101.5 mg/dL P = 0.0007), total cholesterol values (197.7 vs. 178.4 mg/dL P = 0.001), LDL‐C values (120.8 vs. 100.9 mg/dL P < 0.0001) and lower HDL‐C values (55.3 vs. 61.9 mg/dL P = 0.004) vs. controls. Adjusted OR for dyslipidaemia in patients with LP was 3.03 (95% confidence interval: 1.49–6.17, P = 0.002).

Conclusion  The results obtained in this study indicate an association between LP and dyslipidaemia. Lipid levels screening in men or women with LP may be useful to detect individuals at risk and start preventive treatment against the development of cardiovascular disease.
Treatment of palmoplantar psoriasis with infliximab: a randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Bissonnette R. , Poulin Y. , Guenther L. , Lynde C.W. , Bolduc C. , Nigen S.
Published: February 2011

Background  Palmoplantar psoriasis is a difficult to treat variant of plaque psoriasis.

Objective  To study the safety and efficacy of infliximab in non‐pustular palmoplantar psoriasis.

Methods  Patients with non‐pustular palmoplantar psoriasis affecting at least 10% of their palms and soles and with a modified palmoplantar psoriasis area and severity index (m‐PPPASI) of at least eight were recruited. Patients were randomized (1:1) to receive infliximab 5 mg/kg or placebo at weeks 0, 2 and 6. Patients initially randomized to placebo received infliximab at weeks 14, 16 and 20 whereas patients randomized to infliximab received additional infliximab infusions every 8 weeks until week 22.

Results  Twenty four (24) patients were randomized in this study. At week 14, 33.3% and 66.7% of patients treated with infliximab achieved m‐PPPASI 75 and m‐PPPASI 50 respectively compared to 8.3% for both m‐PPPASI 75 (P = 0.317) and m‐PPPASI 50 (P = 0.009) for patients randomized to placebo. A reduction of 50.3% in the mean surface area of palms and soles affected with psoriasis was seen at week 14 in patients randomized to infliximab as compared to an increase of 14.9% in patients randomized to placebo (P = 0.009).

Conclusions  This pilot study did not reach its primary endpoint of m‐PPPASI 75 at week 14. However, infliximab was observed to be more efficacious than placebo in improving PPSA and with respect to the percentage of patients reaching m‐PPPASI 50 at week 14. Larger and longer term studies are needed for severe patients to better assess the efficacy of infliximab in palmoplantar psoriasis.
Prevalence and characteristics of psoriatic arthritis in Chinese patients with psoriasis
Authors: Yang Q. , Qu L. , Tian H. , Hu Y. , Peng J. , Yu X. , Yu C. , Pei Z. , Wang G. , Shi B. , Zhang F. , Zhang Y. , Zhang F.
Published: February 2011

Background  The prevalence and clinical characteristics of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis vary widely in different countries and studies on Chinese population are rarely reported.

Objective  The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of PsA in a Chinese population of patients with psoriasis.

Methods  A large cross‐sectional observational study was conducted in our outpatient dermatology department and consecutive psoriatic patients were evaluated for PsA according to Classification of Psoriatic arthritis (CASPAR) criteria. Demographic and medical parameters were recorded.

Results  Among 1928 patients with psoriasis, 112 patients (5.8%) had PsA, of which 92% was newly diagnosed. Oligoarthritis (48.2%) was the most common manifestation pattern, followed by spondylitis (26.8%), polyarthritis (19.6%) and classic distal interphalangeal (DIP) arthritis (5.4%). Enthesitis was present in 26.8% and dactylitis in 13.4% of the patients. Compared with patients without PsA, patients with PsA had more severe skin disease (mean PASI 9.7 vs. 6.0), higher frequency of nail changes (46.4% vs. 21.0%) and scalp involvement (90.2% vs. 76.4%).

Conclusion  The findings are consistent with a low prevalence of PsA among patients with psoriasis in Asia and confirm a high percentage of undiagnosed cases with active arthritis among PsA patients in dermatologist’s office. Dermatologists should screen for PsA in their patients, especially those with risk characteristics and early signs.
The decrease of pigment concentration in red tattooed skin years after tattooing
Authors: Lehner K. , Santarelli F. , Penning R. , Vasold R. , Engel E. , Maisch T. , Gastl K. , König B. , Landthaler M. , Bäumler W.
Published: February 2011

Background  Tattooing entails the injection of high amounts of colourants into skin. Excepting black inks, red azo pigments are the most frequent colourant used. Part of the pigment is transported away via lymphatic system. Another part can be decomposed in skin, which might be responsible for many known adverse skin reactions.

Objective  The aim of this study was to estimate the extent of decomposition and transportation by measuring the decrease of pigment concentration in human skin under in vivo conditions.

Methods  Red pigments were extracted from nine tattooed skin specimen and attempted quantification by using HPLC technology. To optimize quantification, we synthesized five common red azo pigments with purity at 98% and used them as HPLC reference substances.

Results  In five of the nine skin specimens, we were able to identify and subsequently to quantify the red tattoo pigments such as Pigment Red 22 or Pigment Red 112. The mean pigment concentration in skin was 0.077 ± 0.046 mg/cm². As the pigment concentration in skin ranges from 0.60 to 9.42 mg/cm² (mean: 2.53) directly after tattooing, we estimate a decrease of 87 to 99% of pigment concentration in skin after tattooing.

Conclusion  Millions of people have many and large tattoos, whereas a single tattoo frequently covers a skin area of more than 300 cm². Thus, the major part of more than 760 mg of azo pigments either decomposes in skin or migrates in the body. That may pose a health risk on tattooed individuals, in particular may cause severe skin reactions.
Conservation implications of inaccurate estimation of cryptic population size
Authors: Katzner T. E. , Ivy J. A.R. , Bragin E. A. , Milner‐Gulland E.J. , DeWoody J. A.
Published: February 2011

Estimating population size is central to species‐oriented conservation and management. However, in spite of recent development in monitoring protocols, there are gaps in our ability to accurately and quickly estimate numbers of individuals present, especially for the cryptic and often non‐breeding components of structured vertebrate populations. Yet knowing the size and growth trajectory of all stage classes of a population is critical for species conservation. Here we use data from 2 years of non‐invasive genetic sample collection from the cryptic, non‐breeding component of an endangered bird of prey population to evaluate the impact of variability in population estimates on demographic models that underpin conservation efforts. A single non‐invasive sample collection in 2003 conclusively identified 47 individual non‐breeding imperial eagles, 2.8 times more than were visually counted. In 2004, our comprehensive genetic and observational analyses determined that 414 imperial eagles (n=308 non‐breeders+68 territory holders+38 chicks) were present. This estimate was 326% larger than the 127 birds visually observed (n=21 non‐breeders+68 territory holders+38 chicks) and 265% larger than the population size predicted by demographic models with the same number of breeders (n=156±7.2;±se). Our study builds on a body of work that demonstrates that conventional visual estimation of cryptic components of structured populations may not always be effective. Furthermore, we show that reliance on those estimates can result in inaccuracies in the demographic models that are often the foundation for subsequent conservation action.
Correcting Away the Hidden Heritability
Authors: Williams Scott M. , Haines Jonathan L.
Published: February 2011

In the age of high‐density genome‐wide association (GWAS) data, correcting for multiple comparisons is a substantial issue for genetic epidemiological studies. However, the current manuscript review process generally requires both stringent correction and independent replication. The result of this stringency is that studies that are published suffer from inflated Type 2 error rates (false negatives), thereby removing many likely real signals from follow‐up. Elimination of these alleles, if they are truly associated, from further study will slow research progress in studies of complex disease. We argue that this method of correction is overly conservative, especially in an age when high‐density follow‐up experiments are possible and reasonably inexpensive.
Differential regulation of a MYB transcription factor is correlated with transgenerational epigenetic inheritance of trichome density in Mimulus guttatus
Authors: Scoville Alison G. , Barnett Laryssa L. , Bodbyl‐Roels Sarah , Kelly John K. , Hileman Lena C.
Published: February 2011

See also the Commentary by Richards and Wendel
Attitudes of students towards people with mental ill health and impact on learning and well‐being
Authors: Aggarwal Neeru Roami
Published: February 2011

This study, which was conducted within a college of further education in London, explored students' attitudes towards people with mental ill health, and examined whether these impact on the learning and well‐being of students with mental illness. The study was carried out in response to complaints about negativity about mental illness within the college. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were employed, which consisted of semantic differential surveys and semi‐structured interviews. Analysis of the results of the latter revealed the presence of stereotypes and prejudice, which had the potential to impact negatively upon learners with mental disorders. The article makes a number of recommendations for future teaching practice, which includes a need to raise awareness of mental health issues, and challenge stereotypes and negative attitudes relating to mental illness, within the classroom.
Using pupil perspective research to inform teacher pedagogy: what Caribbean pupils with dyslexia say about teaching and learning
Authors: Blackman Stacey
Published: February 2011

The transformative potential of pupils' voices is well documented in past research by Pedder and McIntyre; and Cooper and McIntyre. In this qualitative research, I utilise a social constructivist framework by Vygotsky to ask pupils with dyslexia about the kinds of teacher strategies that they find helpful to their learning at secondary school in Barbados. This study utilised direct observations and individual interviews as part of a multiple case study strategy of 16 pupils with dyslexia from two secondary schools in Barbados. Findings suggest that there are regular teachers' strategies like more detailed explanations, demonstrations, drama and role play, storytelling, asking questions and enquiry‐based approaches that pupils find facilitative of their learning. This research is guided by the following questions: (1) what do pupils mean when they refer to teacher strategies as helpful?; and (2) what pedagogical approaches do pupils with dyslexia find helpful to their learning at secondary school?
What to do in the face of multiple threats? Incorporating dependencies within a return on investment framework for conservation
Authors: Evans Megan C. , Possingham Hugh P. , Wilson Kerrie A.
Published: February 2011

Aim Our study aimed to determine priority areas for conservation investment with explicit consideration of the impacts of multiple threatening processes, and the dependencies that exist between actions required to abate these threats.

Location Australia.

Methods We analysed the return on investment for two different management actions aimed at reducing the impact of invasive species on the native fauna and flora of Australia. We focussed on the management of the European red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) at two spatial scales: across 72 biogeographic regions of Australia and within one high‐priority biogeographic region. We considered each action independently and also explicitly accounted for the option of an integrated fox and rabbit management action. We accounted for the spatial distributions of the threatened species within our analysis and determined how this refined spatial information influenced both the priority areas and the timing of this investment.

Results Integrated fox and rabbit management was identified as a higher priority than singular threat abatement in most bioregions, whereas rabbit control alone was the most frequent priority if dependencies between actions were ignored. At the regional scale, funding was entirely directed to integrated action when seven or more species within the priority region were impacted by more than one threat. The total allocation of funding and timing of initial investment remained relatively insensitive to differences in the spatial overlap of species distributions.

Main conclusions Our findings indicate that prioritizing conservation actions without explicit consideration of the impacts of multiple threats can reduce the cost‐effectiveness of investments. The benefits expected from investment in abating one threat alone may be overestimated where other processes continue to threaten species persistence. We conclude that future attention should be directed to refining our understanding of the cost‐efficiencies delivered through integrated actions and institutional mechanisms to achieve their delivery.
Trait‐based risk assessment for invasive species: high performance across diverse taxonomic groups, geographic ranges and machine learning/statistical tools
Authors: Keller Reuben P. , Kocev Dragi , Džeroski Sašo
Published: February 2011

Aim Trait‐based risk assessment for invasive species is becoming an important tool for identifying non‐indigenous species that are likely to cause harm. Despite this, concerns remain that the invasion process is too complex for accurate predictions to be made. Our goal was to test risk assessment performance across a range of taxonomic and geographical scales, at different points in the invasion process, with a range of statistical and machine learning algorithms.

Location Regional to global data sets.

Methods We selected six data sets differing in size, geography and taxonomic scope. For each data set, we created seven risk assessment tools using a range of statistical and machine learning algorithms. Performance of tools was compared to determine the effects of data set size and scale, the algorithm used, and to determine overall performance of the trait‐based risk assessment approach.

Results Risk assessment tools with good performance were generated for all data sets. Random forests (RF) and logistic regression (LR) consistently produced tools with high performance. Other algorithms had varied performance. Despite their greater power and flexibility, machine learning algorithms did not systematically outperform statistical algorithms. Geographic scope of the data set, and size of the data set, did not systematically affect risk assessment performance.

Main conclusions Across six representative data sets, we were able to create risk assessment tools with high performance. Additional data sets could be generated for other taxonomic groups and regions, and these could support efforts to prevent the arrival of new invaders. Random forests and LR approaches performed well for all data sets and could be used as a standard approach to risk assessment development.
Puerarin protects human umbilical vein endothelial cells against high glucose‐induced apoptosis by upregulating heme oxygenase‐1 and inhibiting calpain activation
Authors: Chen Ying‐Ying , Chen Jie , Zhou Xin‐Mei , Meng Xiang‐Hong , Jiang Jian‐Ping , Shen Yue‐Liang
Published: February 2011

The aim of this study was to investigate whether puerarin protects against high glucose (HG)‐induced apoptosis by suppressing calpain activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were exposed to normal glucose (NG) (5.5 mm) or HG (33 mm) for 48 h; then, apoptosis and caspase‐3 activity were determined. The expression of heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) mRNA was evaluated by RT‐PCR analysis. The activation of calpain and HO activity were also assessed. Compared with the NG group, exposure of HUVECs to HG for 48 h resulted in significant increases in calpain and caspase‐3 activity as well as apoptosis, which were prevented by co‐incubation with puerarin (1–100 μm) in a concentration‐dependent manner. HO‐1 mRNA expression and HO activity were decreased in HUVECs treated with HG for 48 h. Compared with the group exposed to HG alone, co‐incubation of HUVECs with puerarin and HG induced increases in HO‐1 mRNA expression and HO activity. The HO‐1 inhibitor protoporphyrin IX zinc (II) abolished the inhibitory effect of puerarin on HG‐induced calpain and caspase‐3 activation, as well as apoptosis. The data show that puerarin protects against HG‐induced endothelial cell apoptosis by a mechanism involving upregulation of HO‐1 expression and inhibition of calpain activity.
Furosemide‐induced genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in the hepatocytes, but weak genotoxicity in the bone marrow cells of mice
Authors: Mondal Sambhu Charan , Tripathi Durga Nand , Vikram Ajit , Ramarao Poduri , Jena Gopabandhu B.
Published: February 2011

Furosemide (FS) is a potent loop diuretic widely used in the management of fluid retention associated with cardiac, renal, and hepatic failure as well as for the treatment of hypertension. FS is a well‐characterized and known hepatotoxin in both human and animal test systems. In this study, an attempt has been made to investigate the in vivo genotoxicity of FS at the hepatotoxic equivalent doses using the chromosomal aberration and the comet assay in the bone marrow cells of mice as the endpoints of evaluation. The animals were treated with FS at the doses of 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, and 80 mg/kg/body weight (bw) intraperitoneal (ip) for both single (24 h) and repeated dose (seven consecutive days) toxicity studies. FS toxicity in the hepatocytes was evaluated using the parameters, such as, alanine‐/aspartate‐aminotransferase (ALT/AST), single cell gel electrophoresis (comet), tissue histology, DNA fragmentation, and TUNEL assay as the endpoints. The results clearly demonstrate that FS produced toxic responses in the hepatocytes as evident from increased ALT/AST level, DNA damage, TUNEL positive cells and increased DNA fragmentation in mice in vivo. However, it is interesting that in bone marrow cells, FS did not induced structural chromosomal abberations, but produced mild DNA strand breaks as observed by the comet assay. So it is considered as weak genotoxic toward the bone marrow cells when compared to the hepatocytes of mice.
Short and long‐term distribution with depth of soil organic carbon and nutrients under traditional and conservation tillage in a Mediterranean environment (southwest Spain)
Authors: López‐Garrido R. , Madejón E. , Murillo J. M. , Moreno F.
Published: February 2011

The impacts of tillage and cropping sequences on soil organic matter and nutrients have been frequently reported to affect the uppermost soil layers, but there is little published information concerning effects at greater depth. This article reports results on the distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC), active carbon (AC), N, Olsen‐P and extractable K within 100 cm in short (4 yr) and long (16 yr) term experiments under different tillage systems. Short (TT4) and long (TT16) traditional tillage are compared with conservation tillage, reduced (RT16) and non‐tillage (NT4). The results show more accumulation of SOC in the near‐surface under RT16 and NT4 in both experiments compared with traditional tillage. Moreover, greater C content occurs to 40 cm depth in the long‐term experiment. The results demonstrate the importance of time on C accumulation, not only in near‐surface layers but also at greater depths. Active C is an indicator of the increase in soil quality in the long‐term experiment. This trend is only apparent for the first 10 cm in the short‐term experiment. Patterns in N, Olsen‐P and extractable K are similar to that of SOC. However, only extractable K is significantly greater in soil under conservation tillage (RT16 and NT4) after short and long periods. Potassium availability is a good indicator of the changes caused by tillage. Our results indicate that studies of soils at depth could be very useful in long‐term experiments to demonstrate the effect of conservation tillage on C and nutrient distribution.
The political economy of place at the post‐socialist urban periphery: governing growth on the edge of Moscow
Authors: Golubchikov Oleg , Phelps Nicholas A
Published: February 2011

What economic and policy conditions and power relations govern the transformation of the metropolitan periphery in post‐socialist nations and to what extent do these converge on those observed in similar locations in the United States and Western Europe? Drawing on original empirical research conducted on location, we consider the case of the rapidly growing city of Khimki at the edge of Moscow in order to expose the post‐Soviet variety of the political economy of place on the metropolitan periphery. We analyse both a broader institutional context of post‐socialist urbanisation (ideology of transition, Soviet legacy, urban planning, relationships between stakeholders) and more specific aspects of local growth and placemaking in Khimki. Superficially, recent development in Khimki includes elements that resemble those apparent in edge cities in the liberal market economies and even appear to be promoted by a post‐socialist variety of growth machine politics. On closer inspection, however, the post‐socialist local growth regime operates as specific political‐bureaucratic processes that question the relevance of the Western understanding of place‐centred coalitions as the key elements of a political economy of place. Accumulation strategies in the post‐socialist case are found to be less cartelised and localised than in the West and seen to be largely decoupled from any collective placemaking or growth agendas. We argue for the need to de‐emphasise the word ‘place’ and to accentuate the word ‘political’ in notions of a political economy of place when speaking of the post‐socialist metropolitan periphery.