bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
rSPACE: Spatially based power analysis for conservation and ecology
Authors: Ellis Martha M. , Ivan Jacob S. , Tucker Jody M. , Schwartz Michael K.
Published: March 2015

Power analysis is an important step in designing effective monitoring programs to detect trends in plant or animal populations. Although project goals often focus on detecting changes in population abundance, logistical constraints may require data collection on population indices, such as detection/non‐detection data for occupancy estimation.

We describe the open‐source R package,rSPACE, for implementing a spatially based power analysis for designing monitoring programs. This method incorporates information on species biology and habitat to parameterize a spatially explicit population simulation. A sampling design can then be implemented to create replicate encounter histories which are subsampled and analysed to estimate the power of the monitoring program to detect changes in population abundance over time, using occupancy as a surrogate.

The proposed method and software are demonstrated with an analysis of wolverine monitoring in a U.S. Northern Rocky Mountain landscape.

The package will be of use to ecologists interested in evaluating objectives and performance of monitoring programs.
Geriatric dentistry, teaching and future directions
Authors: Slack‐Smith LM , Hearn L , Wilson DF , Wright FAC
Published: March 2015

Background

Many nations are facing a demographic shift in the age profile of their population, leading the World Health Organization to a ‘Call for Public Health Action’ on the oral health of older people.

Methods

A search of the literature relevant to geriatric dentistry teaching was undertaken using MEDLINE, Web of Science, Eric and Psychlit. A search of dental professional school websites in Australia and policy and international practice documents was undertaken.

Results

The international literature describes requirements for geriatric dentistry courses and various approaches to teaching, including didactic teaching, practical experiences and external placements. Challenges are identified in the area of geriatric dental education. Educational institutions (with others) have an obligation to lead change, yet there appears to be little formal recognition in Australian dental curricula of the need to develop quality education and research programmes in geriatric dentistry.

Conclusions

Internationally, the inclusion of geriatrics within dental curricula has been the subject of consideration since the 1970s. The current evidence indicates that geriatrics/gerodontology is not a significant component of dental curricula. Given the projected age distribution in many countries, the need for implementation of dental curriculum content in the area of geriatrics/gerodontology is evident.
High‐flow nasal cannulae are associated with increased diaphragm activation compared with nasal continuous positive airway pressure in preterm infants
Authors: Nasef Nehad , El‐Gouhary Enas , Schurr Patti , Reilly Maureen , Beck Jennifer , Dunn Michael , Ng Eugene
Published: March 2015

Aim

High‐flow nasal cannulae (HFNC) are increasingly used for respiratory management of preterm infants. However, their ability to provide support compared to nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been questioned. We compared the effect of HFNC versus nasal CPAP on diaphragm electrical activity (EAdi) in preterm infants.

Methods

Preterm infants ≤1500 g were randomised in a crossover design to receive 2 hours of either Infant Flow® CPAP (IF‐CPAP) at 5–6 cmH2O or HFNC with the flow rate adjusted to achieve an equivalent pharyngeal pressure. A feeding catheter with miniaturised sensors was inserted for continuous EAdi measurement.

Results

The study comprised ten infants. Physiologic parameters and oxygen requirements were not different between the two modes. However, seven infants demonstrated a higher EAdi peak and six showed a higher EAdi tonic on HFNC, even though the mean group data showed no difference between HFNC and IF‐CPAP. Neural inspiratory time was significantly longer with HFNC than IF‐CPAP (0.55 ± 0.11 versus 0.48 ± 0.06 seconds, p = 0.018).

Conclusion

In this cohort of preterm infants, the majority exhibited greater diaphragm activation, as assessed by neural breathing patterns, when supported with HFNC than IF‐CPAP, suggesting that nasal CPAP may provide more effective respiratory support.
Ultrasound observations of subtle movements: a pilot study comparing foetuses of smoking and nonsmoking mothers
Authors: Reissland Nadja , Francis Brian , Kumarendran Kumar , Mason James
Published: March 2015

Aim

One way to assess foetal health of smokers is to ask mothers to count perceived movements, an unreliable method hiding differences in prenatal development. The aim of this pilot study was to assess subtle foetal movements in ultrasound scans and establish whether they differ in foetuses of mothers who smoked and nonsmoking mothers.

Methods

This longitudinal pilot study recruited twenty mothers (16 nonsmoking; 4 smoking) scanned four times from 24 to 36 weeks gestation (80 ultrasound scans). Two types of fine‐grained movements were coded offline and analysed using a Poisson log‐linear mixed model.

Results

Foetuses of smoking mothers showed a significantly higher rate of mouth movements compared to foetuses of nonsmoking mothers (p = 0.02), after controlling for maternal stress and depression. As pregnancy progressed, these differences between the smoking and nonsmoking groups widened. Differences between the two groups in the rate of foetal facial self‐touch remained constant as pregnancy progressed and were borderline significant (p = 0.07).

Conclusion

Rates of foetal mouth movement and facial self‐touch differ significantly between smokers and nonsmokers. A larger study is needed to confirm these results and to investigate specific effects, including the interaction of maternal stress and smoking. Additionally, the feasibility of this technique for clinical practice should be assessed.
Pituitary stalk thickening on MRI: when is the best time to re‐scan and how long should we continue re‐scanning for?
Authors: Di Iorgi Natascia , Morana Giovanni , Maghnie Mohamad
Published: March 2015

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has proved to be an essential tool in the assessment of pituitary stalk lesions including lymphocytic infundibulo‐hypophysitis, Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), germ cell tumours, nongerminomatous germ cell tumours, pituicytomas and other tumours, metastases from lymphoma or breast cancer, Wegener's hypophysitis, neurosarcoidosis and inflammatory infiltrations by infectious diseases. The diagnosis of lesions determining pituitary stalk thickness is challenging, and the identification of the underlying condition may require a long‐term follow‐up. Thus, clinicians should readily recognize that, when the diagnosis of central diabetes insipidus has been established, specific MRI sequences should be used in the assessment of the hypothalamic–pituitary region, and whole‐brain evaluation is recommended. For clinical practice, a timely diagnosis is advisable to avoid central nervous system damage, pituitary defects and the risk of dissemination of germ cell tumours or organ involvement by LCH. Proper aetiological diagnosis can be achieved via a series of steps that start with careful observation of several neuroimaging predictors and endocrine dysfunction and then progress to more sophisticated and advanced imaging techniques.
Establishing cancer risks associated with PMS2 germline mutations in Lynch syndrome
Authors: Caron N. S.
Published: March 2015

Lynch syndrome caused by germline PMS2 mutations: delineating the cancer risk

ten Broeke et al. (2015)

J Clin Oncol;33(4):319–325
Effects of sequence diversity and recombination on the accuracy of phylogenetic trees estimated by kSNP
Authors: Hall Barry G.
Published: March 2015

kSNP v2 is a powerful tool for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) identification from complete microbial genomes and for estimating phylogenetic trees from the identified SNPs. kSNP can analyse finished genomes, genome assemblies, raw reads or any combination of those and does not require either genome alignment or reference genomes. This study uses sequence evolution simulations to evaluate the topological accuracy of kSNP trees and to assess the effects of diversity and recombination on that accuracy. The accuracies of kSNP trees are strongly affected by increasing diversity, with parsimony accuracy > maximum‐likelihood accuracy > neighbour‐joining accuracy. Accuracy is also strongly influenced by recombination; as recombination increases accuracy decreases. Reliable trees are arbitrarily defined as those that have ≥ 90% topological accuracy. It is determined that the best predictor of topological accuracy is the ratio of r/m, a measure of the effect of recombination, to FCK (the fraction of core kmers), a measure of diversity. Tools are available to allow investigators to determine both r/m and FCK, and the relationship between topological accuracy and the ratio of r/m to FCK is determined. The practical implication of this study is that kSNP is an effective tool for estimating phylogenetic trees from microbial genome sequences provided that both recombination and sequence diversity are within acceptable ranges.
Clinical analysis of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia in mainland China
Authors: Cao Yueqin , Shao Changzhou , Song Yuanlin , Bai Chunxue , He Lixian
Published: March 2015

Background and Aims

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare, genetic disorder featured with dysfunctional motility of cilia. Clinical presentations of PCD include situs inversus, repeated respiratory tract infections, otitis media, sinusitis and infertility. This study aims to provide clinical strategies on diagnosis and treatment of PCD.

Methods

Clinical data of seven patients diagnosed as PCD in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were analyzed. We also extracted data from other cases in mainland China from the China Academic Journals Full‐Text Database by the end of 2012. A total of 127 cases of PCD were summarized and analyzed in this study.

Results

Seven patients in Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were finally confirmed to have PCD. All of them had clinical history of recurrent respiratory infection. Imaging analysis showed varying degrees of bronchiectasis. Pulmonary function tests in four patients showed combined obstructive and restrictive patterns. Three cases were confirmed to have PCD by electron microscopy.

We then further extracted information from literature for those 127 PCD patients in mainland China. All of them had chronic respiratory infection. Seven cases were complicated with recurrent otitis media and 15 cases were complicated with infertility. A total of 119 patients were diagnosed with situs inversus totalis (94%). Among those 127 patients, only 9 patients' diagnosis was confirmed by electron microscopy. Four patients received sinus resection, and one patient received pulmonary lobectomy due to recurrent hemoptysis. One patient died of massive hemoptysis.

Conclusions

Being a rare disease and easily confused with uncomplicated bronchiectasis, PCD diagnosis warrants particular attention. Recurrent respiratory infection, especially situs inversus could be the most important indicator of this disease.
Successful embolization in childhood hemoptysis due to abnormal systemic arterial bleeding of the lung and review of the literature
Authors: Sismanlar Tugba , Aslan Ayse T. , Akkan Koray , Cindil Emetullah , Onal Baran , Ozcan Beyza
Published: March 2015

Background and Aims

Hemoptysis in children is a rare but potentially life‐threatening symptom of an underlying respiratory tract abnormality. Hemoptysis, when massive and untreated, has a mortality rate of more than 50%. With interventional radiological procedures and surgery, this rate has dropped to 7%–18%. The experience with bronchial arterial embolization in childhood is very limited; only a few case reports with short‐term follow‐up have been reported.

Methods

We report herein two patients with massive hemoptysis due to abnormal systemic arterial bleeding of the lung; neither patient had any lung or systemic disease. In both cases, the bleeding was controlled with endovascular embolization. The first case had bronchopulmonary arterial anastomosis and represents the first reported case with this anomaly. The second case had recurrent massive hemoptysis due to bronchial artery bleeding, and repeat embolization was performed.

Results

Both of these children had rare vascular anomalies without parenchymal lung disease and were treated successfully with bronchial arterial embolization.

Conclusion

Massive hemoptysis due to abnormal systemic bleeding of the lung in the absence of parenchymal disease is an uncommon and severe symptom in childhood. Embolization can be a treatment option in children with abnormal vasculature bleeding and can be repeated safely when needed.
An 80‐year‐old man with a right upper lobe opacity
Authors: Bishara Hashem , Saffuri Amer , Weiler‐Ravell Daniel
Published: March 2015

Background and Aims

The differential diagnosis of a right upper lobe pulmonary opacity in an elderly afebrile patient includes infectious and malignant etiology. However, unilateral lung edema should also be included in the differential diagnosis.

Methods

Case report of an 80‐year‐old afebrile patient who presented with cough, dyspnea and blood‐tinged sputum and had an isolated right upper lobe infiltrate on chest X‐ray on whom a diagnostic work‐up including computed tomography scan of the chest and echocardiography was performed.

Results

Bilateral alveolar opacities and pleural effusions, not apparent on the chest X‐ray, and a flail posterior leaflet with severe mitral valve regurgitation were revealed. His symptoms and findings responded to diuretic treatment.

Conclusion

Pulmonary edema should be considered in a patient with mitral valve regurgitation presenting with a unilateral lung infiltrate. Chest computed tomography scan findings consistent with heart failure and echocardiography demonstrating mitral valve regurgitation are the main clues to the diagnosis. Diuretic therapy should cause a rapid improvement of the radiologic and clinical findings.
Diabetes‐related distress over the course of illness: results from the Diacourse study
Authors: Kasteleyn M. J. , de Vries L. , van Puffelen A. L. , Schellevis F. G. , Rijken M. , Vos R. C. , Rutten G. E. H. M. ,   on behalf of the Diacourse study group
Published: March 2015

Aims

To investigate the relationship between diabetes duration and diabetes‐related distress and to examine the impact of micro‐ and macrovascular complications and blood glucose‐lowering treatment on this relationship.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study in people with Type 2 diabetes who participated in the Dutch Diacourse study (n = 590) and completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes questionnaire. Data on diabetes duration, micro‐ and macrovascular complications and blood glucose‐lowering treatment were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to investigate the association between diabetes duration and diabetes‐related distress, and to examine whether complications and treatment could explain this association.

Results

A significant linear and quadratic association between diabetes duration and diabetes‐related distress was found (duration: β = 0.27, P = 0.005; duration2: β = ‐0.21, P = 0.030). The association between duration and distress could be explained by microvascular complications and insulin treatment, which were both more often present in people with a longer diabetes duration, and were associated with higher levels of diabetes‐related distress (β = 0.20, P < 0.001 and β = 0.16, P = 0.006 respectively). Duration, age, gender, complications and treatment together explained 13.1% of the variance in distress.

Conclusions

Diabetes duration was associated with diabetes‐related distress. This association can be explained largely by the presence of diabetes‐related microvascular complications and insulin treatment. Healthcare providers should focus on distress in people with Type 2 diabetes in different stages over the course of illness, especially when complications are present or when people are on insulin treatment. As well as diabetes duration, complications and blood glucose‐lowering treatment, diabetes‐related distress is likely to be influenced by many other factors.
Condition‐related predictors of successful transition from paediatric to adult care among adolescents with Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Mistry B. , Van Blyderveen S. , Punthakee Z. , Grant C.
Published: March 2015

Aims

To describe patient attendance for adult treatment after completion by young people of a structured Diabetes Transition Clinic and to identify the predictors of non‐attendance at adult clinics by young people with Type 1 diabetes transitioning from paediatric care.

Methods

Young people with Type 1 diabetes were consecutively enrolled on a Diabetes Transition Clinic programme at a Canadian paediatric teaching hospital, beginning in December 2007. Data from clinical interviews completed by an adolescent medicine specialist and an adult endocrinologist were prospectively collected at the Diabetes Transition Clinic visit in the patient's 18th year, before he/she was transferred at age 18 years to the adult clinic and at the first adult clinic visit.

Results

As of June 2011, 136 young people participating in the Diabetes Transition Clinic programme had been discharged from paediatric care at least 1 year earlier. Of these, 43 participants were lost to follow‐up. Loss to follow‐up was more frequent among: those who were diagnosed with diabetes before the age of 12 years; those who were taking insulin twice or three times daily rather than by pump or multiple daily injections; those who had higher HbA1c levels; those who had fewer diabetes physician visits in the year preceding the Diabetes Transition Clinic visit; and those who did not ask questions at the Diabetes Transition Clinic visit.

Conclusions

Several factors easily ascertained at a clinical encounter before transition can predict the likelihood of attendance in adult care, including age at diagnosis, mode of insulin administration, frequency of physician visits, and questions asked by patients during a transition visit.
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria: to prednisone or not to prednisone? – a case report of a patient previously treated with steroids for 15 yrs and significant response on eculizumab
Authors: Röth Alexander , Alashkar Ferras , Herich‐Terhürne Dörte , Dührsen Ulrich
Published: March 2015

Background

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare acquired haematopoietic stem cell disorder characterised by persistent haemolysis and platelet activation, severe end‐organ damage, an increased risk of thrombosis and early mortality. We present the case of a 56‐year‐old male with long‐standing PNH and significant disease‐related morbidity who underwent steroid therapy for approximately 15 yrs before treatment with eculizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the terminal phase of the complement cascade at the C5 level.

Case history

The patient presented with a severely impaired quality of life in 1997 and was diagnosed with PNH 8 months later, soon after which he was commenced on steroid therapy with prednisone. During long‐term steroid therapy with progressive increases in prednisone dose, the patient had frequent haemolytic episodes as well as thrombosis and renal complications. He also experienced Cushing's syndrome with arterial hypertension, insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis, acne and portal fibrosis. Eculizumab therapy was started in late‐2009 and led to rapid improvements in haemoglobin and lactate dehydrogenase levels with a complete cessation of haemolytic episodes. Eculizumab has been well tolerated.

Conclusions

Long‐term steroid therapy was not effective in controlling PNH in this patient and was associated with significant comorbidities. Treatment with eculizumab led to major improvements, even after such a long period with relatively uncontrolled disease.
Evidence for a common biological pathway linking three Parkinson's disease‐causing genes: parkin, PINK1 and DJ‐1
Authors: van der Merwe Celia , Jalali Sefid Dashti Zahra , Christoffels Alan , Loos Ben , Bardien Soraya
Published: March 2015

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. Autosomal recessive, early‐onset cases of PD are predominantly caused by mutations in the parkin, PINK1 and DJ‐1 genes. Animal and cellular models have verified a direct link between parkin and PINK1, whereby PINK1 phosphorylates and activates parkin at the outer mitochondrial membrane, resulting in removal of dysfunctional mitochondria via mitophagy. Despite the overwhelming evidence for this interaction, few studies have been able to identify a link for DJ‐1 with parkin or PINK1. The aim of this review is to summarise the functions of these three proteins, and to analyse the existing evidence for direct and indirect interactions between them. DJ‐1 is able to rescue the phenotype of PINK1‐knockout Drosophila models, but not of parkin‐knockouts, suggesting that DJ‐1 may act in a parallel pathway to that of the PINK1/parkin pathway. To further elucidate a commonality between these three proteins, bioinformatics analysis established that Miro (RHOT1) interacts with parkin and PINK1, and HSPA4 interacts with all three proteins. Furthermore, 30 transcription factors were found to be common amongst all three proteins, with many of them being involved in transcriptional regulation. Interestingly, expression of these proteins and their associated transcription factors are found to be significantly down‐regulated in PD patients compared to healthy controls. In summary, this review provides insight into common pathways linking three PD‐causing genes and highlights some key questions, the answers to which may provide critical insight into the disease process.
Top‐Down Self‐Organization: State Logics, Substitutional Delegation, and Private Governance in Russia
Authors: Hedberg Masha
Published: March 2015

This study investigates the counterintuitive emergence of self‐regulation in the Russian construction sector. Despite its proclivity for centralizing political authority, the government acted as the catalyst for the delegation of regulatory powers to private industry groups. The article argues that a factor little considered in extant literature—namely, a weak and corrupt bureaucracy—is key to explaining why the normally control‐oriented executive branch began to promote private governance despite industry's preference for continued state regulation. The article's signal contribution is to theoretically explain and empirically demonstrate how a government's prior inability to establish intrastate control over an ineffective and bribable public bureaucracy creates incentives for political authorities to search for alternative means for policy implementation outside of existing state agencies. These findings are important for understanding the impetus and logic behind particular regulatory shifts in countries where the state apparatus is both deficient and corrupt.
Entrepreneurship, Family Ties, and Land Inequality: Evidence from Italy
Authors: Percoco Marco
Published: March 2015

Entrepreneurship is considered to be one of the most important engines of growth, and its determinants are widely investigated. Several theories of entrepreneurship have been proposed and tested in the literature, most of them focusing on “hard factors,” i.e., determinants related to the quality/quantity of inputs and to the size of the market. In this paper, I investigate how the interaction between hard and soft factors may shape the entrepreneurial behavior of individuals. In particular, the aim of the paper is to explore the links among the structure of the family, land inequality at the beginning of the twentieth century, and subsequent entrepreneurship in Italian provinces. Using a novel data set on the Gini coefficient of land inequality in 1931, sharecropping in 1911, and the classification of family structures in 1950, I test their relevance to explaining entrepreneurship. I find that high land concentration with strong family ties reduces the probability of becoming an entrepreneur. Furthermore, the diffusion of sharecropping contracts is associated with higher entrepreneurship rates. Taken together, these results point to a central role played by the organization of agriculture in promoting entrepreneurship.
Dietary Intake Patterns and Diet Quality in a Nationally Representative Sample of Women With and Without Severe Headache or Migraine
Authors: Evans E. Whitney , Lipton Richard B. , Peterlin B. Lee , Raynor Hollie A. , Thomas J. Graham , O'Leary Kevin C. , Pavlovic Jelena , Wing Rena R. , Bond Dale S.
Published: March 2015

Objective/Background

The role of diet in migraine is not well understood. We sought to characterize usual dietary intake patterns and diet quality in a nationally representative sample of women with and without severe headache or migraine. We also examined whether the relationship between migraine and diet differs by weight status.

Methods

In this analysis, women with migraine or severe headache status was determined by questionnaire for 3069 women, ages 20‐50 years, who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Study, 1999‐2004. Women who experienced severe headaches or migraines were classified as migraine for the purposes of this analysis. Dietary intake patterns (micro‐ and macronutrient intake and eating frequency) and diet quality, measured by the Healthy Eating Index, 2005, were determined using one 24‐hour dietary recall.

Results

Dietary intake patterns did not significantly differ between women with and without migraine. Normal weight women with migraine had significantly lower diet quality (Healthy Eating Index, 2005 total scores) than women without migraine (52.5 ± 0.9 vs 45.9 ± 1.0; P < .0001).

Conclusions

Whereas findings suggest no differences in dietary intake patterns among women with and without migraine, dietary quality differs by migraine status in normal weight women. Prospective analyses are needed to establish how diet relates to migraine onset, characteristics, and clinical features in individuals of varying weight status.
Providing cultural care behind the spotlight at the Olympic Games
Authors: Morse Janice M. , Clark Lauren , Haynes Tracii , Noji Ariko
Published: March 2015

The Olympic Games constitutes the world's largest sporting event. Nurses play an important, but poorly discussed, role in emergency care, routine clinical care and preventive care for athletes from many cultures as well as an enormous influx of spectators. In this article, we discuss five important considerations when preparing nurses to provide safe care for Olympians: elite athletes as a cultural group; caring for the Olympic family; disaster preparedness and security; infection control; and principles of transcultural nursing. Because of the nature of the sports and types of injuries and the effects of climate, these challenges differ somewhat between the summer and winter Olympics. Nevertheless, the Olympic games provide a tremendous opportunity to experience transcultural nursing and to highlight how nurses play a significant role in the care of the athletes, the Olympic family, and the spectators.
Regulation of matrix remodelling phenotype in gingival fibroblasts by substratum topography
Authors: Kim Shawna S. , Wen Weiyan , Prowse Paul , Hamilton Douglas W.
Published: March 2015

Gingival connective tissue often has a composition resembling that of scar surrounding dental implant abutments. Increased cell adhesion, α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) expression and increased extracellular matrix deposition are a hallmark of fibrotic cells, but how topographic features influence gingival fibroblast adhesion and adoption of the α‐SMA positive myofibroblast phenotype associated with scarring is unknown. The purpose of the present study was to demonstrate whether implant topographies that limit adhesion formation would reduce myofibroblast differentiation and extracellular matrix deposition. Human gingival fibroblasts were cultured on PT (smooth) and SLA (roughened) titanium discs for varying time‐points. At 1 and 2 weeks after seeding, incorporation of α‐SMA into stress‐fibre bundles and fibronectin deposition was significantly higher on PT than SLA surfaces indicating differentiation of the cells towards a myofibroblast phenotype. Analysis of adhesion formation demonstrated that cells formed larger adhesions and more stable adhesions on PT, with more nascent adhesions observed on SLA. Gene expression analysis identified up‐regulation of 15 genes at 24 hrs on SLA versus PT associated with matrix remodelling. Pharmacological inhibition of Src/FAK signalling in gingival fibroblasts on PT reduced fibronectin deposition and CCN2 expression. We conclude that topographical features that reduce focal adhesion stability could be applied to inhibit myofibroblast differentiation in gingival fibroblasts.
IGF‐1 drives chromogranin A secretion via activation of Arf1 in human neuroendocrine tumour cells
Authors: Münzberg Christin , Höhn Katharina , Krndija Denis , Maaß Ulrike , Bartsch Detlef K. , Slater Emily P. , Oswald Franz , Walther Paul , Seufferlein Thomas , von Wichert Götz
Published: March 2015

Hypersecretion is the major symptom of functional neuroendocrine tumours. The mechanisms that contribute to this excessive secretion of hormones are still elusive. A key event in secretion is the exit of secretory products from the Golgi apparatus. ADP‐ribosylation factor (Arf) GTPases are known to control vesicle budding and trafficking, and have a leading function in the regulation of formation of secretory granula at the Golgi. Here, we show that Arf1 is the predominant Arf protein family member expressed in the neuroendocrine pancreatic tumour cell lines BON and QGP‐1. In BON cells Arf1 colocalizes with Golgi markers as well as chromogranin A, and shows significant basal activity. The inhibition of Arf1 activity or expression significantly impaired secretion of chromogranin A. Furthermore, we show that the insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1), a major regulator of growth and secretion in BON cells, induces Arf1 activity. We found that activation of Arf1 upon IGF‐1 receptor stimulation is mediated by MEK/ERK signalling pathway in BON and QGP‐1 cells. Moreover, the activity of Arf1 in BON cells is mediated by autocrinely secreted IGF‐1, and concomitantly, autocrine IGF1 secretion is maintained by Arf1 activity. In summary, our data indicate an important regulatory role for Arf1 at the Golgi in hypersecretion in neuroendocrine cancer cells.
Targeting procaspase‐3 with WF‐208, a novel PAC‐1 derivative, causes selective cancer cell apoptosis
Authors: Wang Fangyang , Liu Yajing , Wang Lihui , Yang Jingyu , Zhao Yanfang , Wang Nannan , Cao Qi , Gong Ping , Wu Chunfu
Published: March 2015

Caspase‐3 is a critical effector caspase in apoptosis cascade, and is often over‐expressed in many cancer tissues. The first synthesized procaspase‐3 activator, PAC‐1, induces cancer cell apoptosis and exhibits antitumour activity in murine xenograft models. To identify more potent procaspase‐3 activators, a series of compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their ability of inducing cancer cell death in culture. Among these compounds, WF‐208 stood out by its high cytotoxicity against procaspase‐3 overexpressed HL‐60 cells. Compared with PAC‐1, WF‐208 showed higher cytotoxicity in cancer cells and lower toxicity in normal cells. The further investigation described herein showed that WF‐208 activated procaspase‐3, degraded IAPs (The Inhibitors of apoptosis proteins) and leaded to caspase‐3‐dependent cell death in tumour cells, which possibly because of the zinc‐chelating properties. WF‐208 also showed greater antitumour activity than PAC‐1 in murine xenograft model. In conclusion, we have discovered WF‐208 as a promising procaspase‐3 activating compound, with higher activity and higher cell selectivity than PAC‐1.
Life Cycle Assessment and the Resilience of Product Systems
Authors: Pizzol Massimo
Published: March 2015

Resilience is the capacity of systems to withstand and recover from disturbance. It depends on the structure and architecture of a system and plays a key role for the sustainability of complex systems. Despite its importance, resilience is not explicitly taken into account by studies of life cycle assessment (LCA), whose main objective is determining the eco‐efficiency of a product system, with limited focus on its structure. The question is whether a product system whose structure is improved or designed to be more resilient will result in being not only inefficient, but also eco‐inefficient, when assessed by means of LCA. This study proposes a theoretical modeling approach, consisting of assessment of disturbance and system expansion, to compare vulnerable and resilient product systems within the framework of LCA. Examples are provided where the theory is made operational. The structure of a vulnerable product system changes under disturbance: some processes are constrained and others are made necessary. In a resilient product system, the number and type of processes do not change under conditions of disturbance, because some redundant disturbance‐preventing activities are included. If this modeling approach is applied, resilient product systems are not necessarily less eco‐efficient than their vulnerable counterparts. This runs contrary to the intuitive idea that optimizing a system only for efficiency will necessarily allow achievement of eco‐efficiency as well. This modeling approach is then critically discussed.
HEI–LO Model: A Grounded Theory Approach to Assess Digital Drawing Tools
Authors: Tan Lindsay , Peek Paula Frances , Chattaraman Veena
Published: March 2015

This paper compares the efficacy of four digital drawing tools—mouse, iPad, Wacom Cintiq, and Bamboo1—when measured by user perception of technical and esthetic quality outcomes. The tools were assessed through the experiences of 20 senior–level undergraduate students majoring in interior design. The results indicate the mouse was preferred overall, contradicting previous studies showing students’ preference for digital drawing tablets. However, as we show, drawing is an affordance–based interaction that is influenced by participants’ prior experience with both hand and digital drawing tools. We therefore propose a grounded–theory model underscoring the importance of hand–eye–interface (HEI) and layout and orientation (LO) in supporting successful introduction of any new drawing tool. Further implications of the HEI–LO model suggest facilitating learning with multiple opportunities to use a wide range of tools to embed experiences in long–term memory, strengthen learned conventions, and promote positive affordances for both hand and digital media.
Resource selection modeling reveals potential conflicts involving reintroduced lions in Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa
Authors: Millspaugh J. J. , Rittenhouse C. D. , Montgomery R. A. , Matthews W. S. , Slotow R.
Published: March 2015

Ecotourism has motivated efforts to reintroduce lions (Panthera leo) to landscapes where they were not previously common. In 2002, four lions were reintroduced into the fenced Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa to improve ecotourism opportunities, but lions potentially compete for habitat with humans and endemic herbivores of conservation concern. We developed a population‐level resource selection function to map the relative probability of lion occurrence throughout Tembe Elephant Park to predict the spatial distribution of potential conflicts. In winter, high relative probability of lion occurrence spatially overlapped with Muzi reedbeds/hygrophilous grassland habitat, which is where humans gather natural resources. Comparatively, we found no spatial overlap with sand forest habitat used by endemic herbivores. The results were opposite in summer, with lion occurrence overlapping sand forest habitat and no predicted overlap with Muzi reedbeds/hygrophilous grassland habitat. During spring and autumn, the highest relative probability of lion occurrence spatially overlapped both Muzi reedbeds/hygrophilous grassland and sand forest habitats. These results show that lions might compete with humans in winter, spring and autumn and with endemic herbivores in all seasons but winter. Despite the success of reserve fencing in limiting human–lion conflicts, we show that communities that reintroduce carnivores continue to balance relative reward, associated with ecotourism, and risks to human safety and species of conservation concern. We discuss the importance of dynamic management practices that ensure temporal segregation between humans and lions within specific habitat types.
Effects of threat, trait anxiety and state anxiety on police officers’ actions during an arrest
Authors: Renden Peter G. , Landman Annemarie , Daalder Nathalie R. , de Cock Hans P. , Savelsbergh Geert J. P. , Oudejans Raôul R. D.
Published: March 2015

Purpose

We investigated the effects of threat and trait anxiety on state anxiety and how that affects police officers’ actions during an arrest. Most experiments on police performance under anxiety test the performance of one particular skill. Yet, police work often involves concerted use of a combination of skills.

Methods

We created situations – with two different levels of threat – in which officers had to choose and initiate their actions to control and arrest a non‐cooperative suspect. We examined whether threat, trait anxiety and state anxiety influenced decision‐making (e.g., choosing the appropriate actions) and performance (e.g., quality of communication and the execution of skills).

Results

Trait anxiety affected the level of state anxiety, but not any of the decision‐making and performance variables. As for decision‐making, results showed that only threat determined which action officers took to gain control over the suspect. As for performance, higher levels of state anxiety were accompanied by lower scores of overall performance, communication, proportionality of applied force and quality of skill execution.

Conclusion

It is concluded that state anxiety not only impairs performance of single perceptual‐motor tasks, but also relevant accompanying skills such as communicating and applying appropriate force. We argue that police training should focus on an integrated set of decision‐making and perceptual‐motor skills and not just on the performance of isolated motor skills.
Total 25(OH) vitamin D, free 25(OH) vitamin D and markers of bone turnover in cirrhotics with and without synthetic dysfunction
Authors: Lai Jennifer C. , Bikle Daniel D. , Lizaola Blanca , Hayssen Hilary , Terrault Norah A. , Schwartz Janice B.
Published: March 2015

Background & Aims

Current clinical assays for total 25‐hydroxy (OH) vitamin D measure vitamin D bound to vitamin D‐binding protein (DBP) and albumin plus unbound (‘free’) D. We investigated the relationship between total and free 25(OH)D with bone metabolism markers in normal (>3.5 g/dl) vs. low (≤3.5 g/dl) albumin cirrhotics.

Methods

Eighty‐two cirrhotics underwent measurement of free and total 25(OH)D by immunoassay, DBP and markers of bone metabolism [intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), C‐telopeptide (CTX), bone‐specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP), osteocalcin, amino‐terminal pro‐peptide of type 1‐collagen (P1NP)]. Pearson's coefficients assessed relevant associations.

Results

Cirrhotics with low (n = 54) vs. normal (n = 28) albumin had lower total 25(OH)D (12.1 vs. 21.7 ng/ml), free 25(OH)D (6.2vs.8.6 pg/ml) and DBP(91.4 vs. 140.3 μg/ml) [P < 0.01 for each]. iPTH was similar in low and normal albumin groups (33 vs. 28 pg/ml; P = 0.38), although serum CTX(0.46vs.0.28 ng/ml) and BSAP(31.7 vs. 24.8 μg/L) were increased (P < 0.01). An inverse relationship was observed between total 25(OH)D and iPTH in normal (r = −0.47, P = 0.01) but not low albumin cirrhotics (r = 0.07, P = 0.62). Similar associations were seen between free 25(OH)D and iPTH(Normal: r = −0.46, P = 0.01; Low: r = −0.03, P = 0.84). BSAP, osteocalcin and P1NP were elevated above the normal range in all cirrhotics but not consistently associated with total or free 25(OH)D.

Conclusions

Cirrhotics with low vs. normal albumin have lower levels of DBP, total and free 25(OH)D. The expected relationship between total or free 25(OH)D with iPTH was observed in normal but not in low albumin cirrhotics, demonstrating that total 25(OH)D is not an accurate marker of bioactive vitamin D status in cirrhotics with synthetic dysfunction. Additional investigation into the role of vitamin D supplementation and its impact on bone mineral homoeostasis in this population is needed.
Culicoides monitoring in Belgium in 2011: analysis of spatiotemporal abundance, species diversity and Schmallenberg virus detection
Authors: DE REGGE N. , DE DEKEN R. , FASSOTTE C. , LOSSON B. , DEBLAUWE I. , MADDER M. , VANTIEGHEM P. , TOMME M. , SMEETS F. , CAY A. B.
Published: March 2015

In 2011, Culicoides (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) were collected at 16 locations covering four regions of Belgium with Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute (OVI) traps and at two locations with Rothamsted suction traps (RSTs). Quantification of the collections and morphological identification showed important variations in abundance and species diversity between individual collection sites, even for sites located in the same region. However, consistently higher numbers of Culicoides midges were collected at some sites compared with others. When species abundance and diversity were analysed at regional level, between‐site variation disappeared. Overall, species belonging to the subgenus Avaritia together with Culicoides pulicaris (subgenus Culicoides) were the most abundant, accounting for 80% and 96% of all midges collected with RSTs and OVI traps, respectively. Culicoides were present during most of the year, with Culicoides obsoletus complex midges found from 9 February until 27 December. Real‐time reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction screening for Schmallenberg virus in the heads of collected midges resulted in the first detection of the virus in August 2011 and identified C. obsoletus complex, Culicoides chiopterus and Culicoides dewulfi midges as putative vector species. At Libramont in the south of Belgium, no positive pools were identified.
Glutathione attenuates nitric oxide‐induced retinal lipid and protein changes
Authors: Siu Andrew W. , Shan Sze Wan , Li King Kit , Lam Hiu Yan , Fung Man Yee , Li Ka Ki , To Chi Ho , Do Chi Wai
Published: March 2015

Background

Elevated levels of nitric oxide (NO•), a pro‐oxidant that has been associated with numerous retinal diseases, have been implicated in experimental glaucoma models. This study investigated the oxidative effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, on the retinal lipids and proteins and evaluated the potential protective effects of glutathione (GSH).

Methods

Porcine retinal homogenates were incubated with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 μm SNP. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were assayed spectrophotometrically to quantify lipid peroxidation. Differential protein expressions of 3 μm SNP‐treated retinal homogenates were compared with controls after the conduction of two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis. Mass spectrometric data was used to identify proteins in NCBInr database. Furthermore, GSH was co‐incubated with 3 μm SNP‐treated retinal homogenates. MDA levels and protein expressions were compared with SNP‐treated controls.

Results

SNP significantly increased retinal‐MDA levels (p = 0.0002). 2‐D gel electrophoresis images displayed a significant change in 13 protein spot expressions (p < 0.05). GSH suppressed SNP‐induced MDA elevation (p < 0.0001) and selected protein changes (p < 0.05). SNP down‐regulated paraoxonase/arylesterase 2 precursor (PON2), β‐actin and β‐tubulin; however, these effects were prevented by a co‐incubation with GSH, as confirmed by Western blots.

Conclusions

Nitric oxide induced lipid and protein changes in retinal tissues. The effects were partially reversed by co‐incubation with GSH. Data from this study suggests that nitric oxide‐induced retinal oxidative stress induces specific molecular changes. This may enable us to better understand the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Further studies are indicated to explore potential pharmacological applications of GSH in nitric oxide‐related retinal diseases.
Glia‐related genes and their contribution to schizophrenia
Authors: Wang Chenyao , Aleksic Branko , Ozaki Norio
Published: March 2015

Schizophrenia, a debilitating disease with 1% prevalence in the general population, is characterized by major neuropsychiatric symptoms, including delusions, hallucinations, and deficits in emotional and social behavior. Previous studies have directed their investigations on the mechanism of schizophrenia towards neuronal dysfunction and have defined schizophrenia as a ‘neuron‐centric’ disorder. However, along with the development of genetics and systematic biology approaches in recent years, the crucial role of glial cells in the brain has also been shown to contribute to the etiopathology of schizophrenia. Here, we summarize comprehensive data that support the involvement of glial cells (including oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglial cells) in schizophrenia and list several acknowledged glia‐related genes or molecules associated with schizophrenia. Instead of purely an abnormality of neurons in schizophrenia, an additional ‘glial perspective’ provides us a novel and promising insight into the causal mechanisms and treatment for this disease.
On the World Distribution of Income
Authors: Provenzano Davide
Published: March 2015

In this paper we demonstrate that the size distribution of the world income may be reasonably approximated by a log‐normal distribution rather then by a power law, as has previously been believed. This result has been shown to be quite persistent as we move from 1985 to 2011.
Secular Victims, Religious Aggressors: Liudmila Ulitskaia's Muslims, Radical Islam, and the Russian Intelligentsia
Authors: SUTCLIFFE BENJAMIN
Published: March 2015

Several novels by contemporary author Liudmila Ulitskaia sympathize with oppressed Muslims (whether Crimean Tatars or Palestinians), yet her nonfiction attacks radical Islam as unthinking and brutal. Such a critique links Islamic extremists to intolerance, ignorance, and violence; these three traits are anathema to the intelligenty who dominate her writing. What results is a paradoxical image of victimized Muslims and their aggressive religion. This scenario is shaped by the intelligentsia's belief that literature can resolve society's crises, an assumption conceptualizing conflicts between Russia and Islam in alarmist terms inherited from the Soviet experience. Ulitskaia's portrayal of Muslims and their faith likewise unwittingly draws on Orientalist misconceptions and the increasing xenophobia of the Putin and Medvedev years.