bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlations of Cervical Sagittal Alignment before and after Occipitocervical Fusion
Authors: Matsubayashi Yoshitaka , Shimizu Takachika , Chikuda Hirotaka , Takeshita Katsushi , Oshima Yasushi , Tanaka Sakae
Published: September 2015

Study Design

Retrospective radiographic study.

Objective

To investigate changes and correlations of cervical sagittal alignment including T1 slope before and after occipitocervical corrective surgery. We also investigated the relevance for preoperative planning.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective radiographic analysis of 27 patients who underwent surgery for occipitocervical deformity. There were 7 men and 20 women with a mean age of 56.0 years. Mean follow-up was 68.0 months (range 24 to 120). The radiographic parameters measured before surgery and at final follow-up included McGregor slope, T1 slope, occipito (O)–C2 angle, O–C7 angle, and C2–C7 angle. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to examine the correlation between the radiographic parameters.

Results

There was a stronger positive correlation between the T1 slope and the O–C7 angle both preoperatively and postoperatively ( r = 0.72 and r = 0.83, respectively) than between the T1 slope and the C2–C7 angle ( r = 0.60 and r = 0.76, respectively). The O–C2 angle and C2–C7 angle had inverse correlations to each other both pre- and postoperatively ( r = − 0.50 and −0.45). McGregor slope and T1 slope did not significantly change postoperatively at final follow-up. Increase in O–C2 angle after surgery (mean change, 10.7 degrees) inversely correlated with decrease in postoperative C2–C7 angle (mean change, 12.2 degrees). As result of these complementary changes, O–C7 angle did not statistically change.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that the O–C7 angle is regulated by T1 slope and the corresponding O–C7 angle is divided into the O–C2 and C2–C7 angles, which have inverse correlation to each other and then maintain McGregor slope (horizontal gaze).
Bayesian Convergence to the Truth and the Metaphysics of Possible Worlds
Authors: Huttegger Simon M.
Published: September 2015

In a recent paper, Belot argues that Bayesians are epistemologically flawed because they believe with probability 1 that they will learn the truth about observational propositions in the limit. While Belot’s considerations suggest that this result should be interpreted with some care, the concerns he raises can largely be defused by putting convergence to the truth in the context of learning from an arbitrarily large but finite number of observations.
Inter-functional analysis of high-throughput phenotype data by non-parametric clustering and its application to photosynthesis
Authors: Gao Qiaozi , Ostendorf Elisabeth , Cruz Jeffrey A. , Jin Rong , Kramer David M , Chen Jin
Published: September 2015

Motivation: Phenomics is the study of the properties and behaviors of organisms (i.e. their phenotypes) on a high-throughput scale. New computational tools are needed to analyze complex phenomics data, which consists of multiple traits/behaviors that interact with each other and are dependent on external factors, such as genotype and environmental conditions, in a way that has not been well studied.

Results: We deployed an efficient framework for partitioning complex and high dimensional phenotype data into distinct functional groups. To achieve this, we represented measured phenotype data from each genotype as a cloud-of-points, and developed a novel non-parametric clustering algorithm to cluster all the genotypes. When compared with conventional clustering approaches, the new method is advantageous in that it makes no assumption about the parametric form of the underlying data distribution and is thus particularly suitable for phenotype data analysis. We demonstrated the utility of the new clustering technique by distinguishing novel phenotypic patterns in both synthetic data and a high-throughput plant photosynthetic phenotype dataset. We biologically verified the clustering results using four Arabidopsis chloroplast mutant lines.

Availability and implementation: Software is available at www.msu.edu/~jinchen/NPM.

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Contact:  jinchen@msu.edu, kramerd8@cns.msu.edu or rongjin@cse.msu.edu
Culture and Law in Corporate Governance
Authors: Licht Amir N.
Published: September 2015

This chapter explores the relationship between culture and law, especially corporate law, and its implications for corporate governance. It begins with an overview of the basic concepts in cultural analysis as well as prevalent theories of cultural dimensions and of social networks as social capital. It then summarizes research findings regarding the consequences of culture for corporate governance on issues ranging from executive compensation to legal transplants and the objectives of the corporation (corporate social responsibility). It also discusses relations with investors and other stakeholders by way of disclosure and dividend distribution, along with the operation, composition, and network structure of the board of directors. Finally, the chapter considers how the relationship between culture and law affects diversity and persistence in corporate governance.
Accounting and Financial Reporting
Authors: Cunningham Lawrence A.
Published: September 2015

This chapter examines the functions of corporate accounting and financial reporting around the world, with particular emphasis on how local realities that explain persistent diversity often pose a barrier to aspirations for a universal system. It first charts the history and progress of contemporary efforts to move accounting from its diverse local roots to a unified global stage before turning to a discussion of the varying functions of accounting and reporting laws around the world. It then looks at aspects of accounting that are affected by national variation, including securities regulation, corporate governance, and corporate finance. Finally, the chapter explains how related forces contribute to persistent divergence in financial reporting.
Metamemory in Comparative Context
Authors: Washburn David A. , Beran Michael J. , Smith J. David
Published: September 2015

Demonstrations of animal memory were among the earliest experimental results obtained in psychology, but investigations of whether animals show metacognitive competencies are relatively new. Such investigations require innovative paradigms in which uncertainty can be created and empirically validated, methods by which nonverbal organisms can indicate their recognition of confidence or uncertainty, and systematic inquiry to determine whether such responses are externally, associatively generated or are subjective and metacognitive. This third point requires particular attention to balance competing considerations like anthropomorphism, parsimony, and interpretive errors, such as being too inclined to infer analogous mechanisms, or conversely to reject real demonstrations of animal metamemory by holding them to different evidentiary standards than is human metacognition. The results from numerous attempts to address these challenges are reviewed, yielding the overall conclusion that the capacity for metamemory and metacognition has been demonstrated at least by some animals in ways that defy low-level associative interpretation.
Determinism and Indeterminism
Authors: Werndl Charlotte
Published: September 2015

This article focuses on three themes concerning determinism and indeterminism. The first is observational equivalence between deterministic and indeterministic models. The article discusses several results about observational equivalence and presents an argument on how to choose between deterministic and indeterministic models involving indirect evidence. The second is whether Newtonian physics is indeterministic. The article argues that the answer depends on what one takes Newtonian mechanics to be and highlights how contemporary debates on this issue differ from those in the nineteenth century. The third theme is how the method of arbitrary functions can be used to make sense of deterministic probabilities. The article discusses various ways of interpreting the initial probability distributions and argues that they are best understood as physical, biological, and other quantities characterizing the particular situation. The fact that the method of arbitrary functions deserves more attention than it has received so far is also emphasized.
Finding What Works
Authors: Sexton Thomas L. , LaFollette Julie R.
Published: September 2015

One of the critical challenges in relationship science is translating the “science” of relationship research into the “practice” of clinical intervention. One of the major issues in this challenge is determining when something “works” or, more specifically, identifying the central criteria from which to evaluate the findings of research and determine that an intervention is ready for clinical use. This seemingly simple task is complex given that relationship science research is based on the interaction among client factors, therapeutic influence, and specific change mechanisms that lead to measurable outcomes in couple and family therapy (CFT). As a result of the complexity, determining what works can no longer be accomplished by literature reviews or meta-analyses alone. Determining what works in a clinically useful way is an important task because if clinicians are to use research it must be evaluated on components that are both methodologically sound and clinically useful. We suggest that treatment guidelines have the potential to reliably distinguish varying levels of evidence and effectively disseminate this information to practitioners, serving to close the gap between practice and research in relationship science. Thus, treatment guidelines offer a “vehicle” to move research into practice.
Evolutionary dynamics of roX lncRNA function and genomic occupancy
Authors: Quinn Jeffrey J. , Zhang Qiangfeng C. , Georgiev Plamen , Ilik Ibrahim A. , Akhtar Asifa , Chang Howard Y.
Published: September 2015

Many long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate chromatin states, but the evolutionary origin and dynamics driving lncRNA–genome interactions are unclear. We developed an integrative strategy that identifies lncRNA orthologs in different species despite limited sequence similarity that is applicable to fly and mammalian lncRNAs. Analysis of the roX lncRNAs, which are essential for dosage compensation of the single X-chromosome in Drosophila males, revealed 47 new roX orthologs in diverse Drosophilid species across ∼40 million years of evolution. Genetic rescue by roX orthologs and engineered synthetic lncRNAs showed that evolutionary maintenance of focal structural repeats mediates roX function. Genomic occupancy maps of roX RNAs in four species revealed rapid turnover of individual binding sites but conservation within nearby chromosomal neighborhoods. Many new roX binding sites evolved from DNA encoding a pre-existing RNA splicing signal, effectively linking dosage compensation to transcribed genes. Thus, evolutionary analysis illuminates the principles for the birth and death of lncRNAs and their genomic targets.
Evolutionary quantitative genomics ofPopulus trichocarpa
Authors: Porth Ilga , Klápště Jaroslav , McKown Athena D. , Mantia Jonathan La , Guy Robert D. , Ingvarsson Pär K. , Hamelin Richard , Mansfield Shawn D. , Ehlting Jüergen , Douglas Carl J. , El-Kassaby Yousry A.
Published: September 2015

Forest trees generally show high levels of local adaptation and efforts focusing on understanding adaptation to climate will be crucial for species survival and management.

Merging quantitative genetics and population genomics, we studied the molecular basis of climate adaptation in 433Populus trichocarpa(black cottonwood) genotypes originating across western North America. Variation in 74 field-assessed traits (growth, ecophysiology, phenology, leaf stomata, wood, and disease resistance) was investigated for signatures of selection (comparingQST-FST) using clustering of individuals by climate of origin. 29,354 SNPs were investigated employing three different outlier detection methods.

Narrow-sense QSTfor 53% of distinct fieldQSTtraits was significantly divergent from expectations of neutrality (indicatingadaptivetrait variation); 2,855 SNPs showed signals of diversifying selection and of these, 118 SNPs (within 81 genes) were associated with adaptive traits (based on significantQST). Many SNPs were putatively pleiotropic for functionally uncorrelated adaptive traits, such as autumn phenology, height, and disease resistance.

Evolutionary quantitative genomics inP. trichocarpaprovides an enhanced understanding regarding the molecular basis of climate-driven selection in forest trees. We highlight that important loci underlyingadaptivetrait variation also show relationship to climate of origin.

Author summary

Comparisons between population differentiation on the basis of quantitative traits and neutral genetic markers inform about the importance of natural selection, genetic drift and gene flow for local adaptation of populations. Here, we address fundamental questions regarding the molecular basis of adaptation in undomesticated forest tree populations to past climatic environments by employing an integrative quantitative genetics and landscape genomics approach. Marker-inferred relatedness was estimated to obtain thenarrow-senseestimate of population differentiation in wild populations. We analyzed an unstructured population of common garden grownPopulus trichocarpaindividuals to uncover different extents of variation for a suite of field traits, wood quality and pathogen resistance with temperature and precipitation. We consider our approach the most comprehensive, as it uncovers the molecular mechanisms of adaptation using multiple methods and tests. We provide a detailed outline of the required analyses for studying adaptation to the environment in a population genomics context to better understand the species’ potential adaptive capacity to future climatic scenarios.
Facilitating systematic reviews, data extraction and meta‐analysis with the metagear package for r
Authors: Lajeunesse Marc J.
Published: September 2015

The r package ecosystem is rich in tools for the statistics of meta‐analysis. However, there are few resources available to facilitate research synthesis as a whole.

Here, I present the metagear package for r. It is a comprehensive, multifunctional toolbox with capabilities aimed to cover much of the research synthesis taxonomy: from applying a systematic review approach to objectively assemble and screen the literature, to extracting data from studies, and to finally summarize and analyse these data with the statistics of meta‐analysis.

Current functionalities of metagear include the following: an abstract screener GUI to efficiently sieve bibliographic information from large numbers of candidate studies; tools to assign screening effort across multiple collaborators/reviewers and to assess inter‐reviewer reliability using kappa statistics; PDF downloader to automate the retrieval of journal articles from online data bases; automated data extractions from scatter‐plots, box‐plots and bar‐plots; PRISMA flow diagrams; simple imputation tools to fill gaps in incomplete or missing study parameters; generation of random‐effects sizes for Hedges' d, log response ratio, odds ratio and correlation coefficients for Monte Carlo experiments; covariance equations for modelling dependencies among multiple effect sizes (e.g. with a common control, phylogenetic correlations); and finally, summaries that replicate analyses and outputs from widely used but no longer updated meta‐analysis software.

Research synthesis practices are vital to many disciplines in the sciences, including ecology and evolutionary biology, and metagear aims to enrich the scope, quality and reproducibility of what can be achieved with the systematic review and meta‐analysis of research outcomes.
Body posture during simulated tracheal intubation: GlideScope® videolaryngoscopy vs Macintosh direct laryngoscopy for novices and experts
Authors: Grundgeiger T. , Roewer N. , Grundgeiger J. , Hurtienne J. , Happel O.
Published: September 2015

Tracheal intubation requires the anaesthetist to adopt an awkward body posture. To investigate how posture may be improved, we compared the effects of laryngoscopy technique (GlideScope® vs Macintosh blade) and experience (novices vs experts) on body posture angles and the Rapid Entire Body Assessment postural analysis score. Novices (25 medical students) and experts (26 anaesthetists) were video‐recorded performing intubation in a manikin using both devices. The GlideScope resulted in smaller deflections for all analysed posture angles (all p values < 0.001) except the wrist compared with the Macintosh blade. Novices showed more trunk (p < 0.001) and neck (p = 0.002) flexion than experts. Using the GlideScope resulted in a lower Rapid Entire Body Assessment score compared with using the Macintosh blade (p < 0.001), indicating that the GlideScope resulted in body posture less likely to induce musculoskeletal injuries. From an ergonomic point of view, the GlideScope should be the preferred technique for laryngoscopy.
Recurrence of gestational diabetes in primiparous women
Authors: Kruse Anne R. , Darling Mette S. , Hansen Mia K. L. , Markman Miriam J. , Lauszus Finn F. , Wielandt Hanne B.
Published: September 2015

Introduction

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) increases the risk for diabetes in the next pregnancy and later in life. Thus, estimating the risk of GDM in further pregnancies provides a time frame for possible preventive measures. We aimed to calculate the recurrence rate of GDM in primiparous women and evaluate the factors involved such as age, body mass index, weight gain, time between pregnancy and postpartum OGTT results.

Material and methods

We established a prospective cohort during a 5‐year period at the Department of Obstetrics at Kolding Hospital. Women with diet‐treated GDM in their first pregnancy and a subsequent pregnancy constituted our study population. Multiparity and insulin‐treated GDM were exclusion criteria.

Results

Among 15 735 deliveries, 535 women were diagnosed with GDM (3.4%). Of these, 209 (39.1%) were nulliparous women, treated with diet only. Seventy‐two of these women had a subsequent pregnancy and they all attended the recommended screening procedure, a 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test at 14–20 (early) or 27–30 (late) weeks' gestation. The recurrence rate of GDM was 47.2%. The risk of recurrence was less in women who lost weight between the first and the subsequent pregnancy.

Conclusions

Recurrence of diet‐treated GDM was 47.2% in primiparous women with previous GDM and the recurrence was associated with weight gain between pregnancies.
Pharmaceutical and clinical development of a novel progesterone formulation
Authors: Cometti Barbara
Published: September 2015

Progesterone plays an essential role in reproductive events. Its use for luteal support in patients undergoing infertility treatment is an established practice. The different routes used to administer progesterone impact on its efficacy in luteal support: oral administration has been shown to be ineffective due to an extensive first‐pass metabolism in the liver; vaginal application has a good efficacy but has drawbacks such as vaginal leakage, irritation, discomfort and uncertainty about the real dose adsorbed; finally, intramuscular administration ensures a precise dosage but can be extremely painful with, in some cases, formation of sterile abscesses. A new progesterone preparation is now available in several European and extra‐European countries that combines the precise dosage of the injectable formulation with the comfort of a well‐tolerated subcutaneous self‐administration. The pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of this new product are reviewed here, together with the clinical evidence obtained in two multicenter randomized clinical trials.
A comparison of postoperative pain after transumbilical single‐port access and conventional three‐port total laparoscopic hysterectomy: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chung Ji‐Hyun , Baek Jong Min , Chung Kyudon , Park Eun Kyung , Jeung In Cheul , Chang Hyun Tae , Choi Ji Hyang , Kim Chan Joo , Lee Yong Seok
Published: September 2015

Introduction

The objective of this study was to compare postoperative pain between single‐port access total laparoscopic hysterectomy (SPA‐TLH) using a transumbilical single‐port system and conventional multi (three)‐port access total laparoscopic hysterectomy (MPA‐TLH).

Material and methods

A randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 women who underwent SPA‐TLH and MPA‐TLH for benign gynecologic diseases between March 2014 and January 2015. Patients were randomly assigned to undergo SPA‐TLH (n = 30) or MPA‐TLH (n = 30). The variables measured included surgical outcomes and postoperative pain at 30 min and 1, 12, 24, and 48 h after surgery, assessed by the visual analog scale, bolus requirement of intravenous patient‐controlled analgesia, and additional analgesic use.

Results

The two study groups did not differ in terms of patient demographics or surgical outcomes except for operative time. The SPA‐TLH group had a longer operative time (p < 0.0001) compared with the MPA‐TLH groups. There were no differences in pain scores between the two groups. The SPA‐TLH group had significantly more intravenous analgesia requests during the 12–24 h after surgery (2.17 ± 3.05 vs. 0.79 ± 1.99; p = 0.047), more 24–48 h postoperative analgesics (0.21 ± 0.41 vs. 0.03 ± 0.19; p = 0.045), and more total additional analgesics (0.97 ± 0.94 vs. 0.45 ± 0.87; p = 0.034).

Conclusion

SPA‐TLH was feasible compared with MPA‐TLH but the SPA‐TLH group had a longer operative time. Although there is no difference in pain based on the visual analog scale pain score, the SPA‐TLH group required more analgesia to give the same postoperative pain control.
Finnish guidelines for the treatment of community‐acquired pneumonia and pertussis in children
Authors: Tapiainen Terhi , Aittoniemi Janne , Immonen Johanna , Jylkkä Heli , Meinander Tuula , Nuolivirta Kirsi , Peltola Ville , Salo Eeva , Seuri Raija , Walle Satu‐Maaria , Korppi Matti
Published: September 2015

Evidence‐based guidelines are needed to harmonise and improve the diagnostics and treatment of children's lower respiratory tract infections. Following a professional literature search, an interdisciplinary working group evaluated and graded the available evidence and constructed guidelines for the treatment of community‐acquired pneumonia and pertussis.

Conclusion

The clinical guidelines state that chest radiography is not needed if the child is diagnosed with pneumonia and treated at home. Complications should be considered if there is no improvement after antimicrobial therapy and a paroxysmal cough can indicate pertussis, which is life‐threatening in unvaccinated infants and can lead to respiratory failure.
Natural history of subclinical hypothyroidism with TSH ≤10 mIU/l: a prospective study
Authors: Rosário Pedro W. S. , Carvalho Marina , Calsolari Maria Regina
Published: September 2015

Objective

The risk of progression of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) to clinical dysfunction is one of the factors considered in the decision to treat this condition. This study evaluated the natural history of SCH in women with TSH ≤10 mIU/l.

Design

This is a prospective study.

Patients

Two hundred and fifty‐two women with SCH and TSH levels ranging from 4·5 to 10 mIU/l were followed up for a period of 5 years.

Results

Among the 241 patients followed up until the completion of the study, 46 (19%) required levothyroxine (L‐T4) therapy, 55 (22·8%) had spontaneous normalization of serum TSH, and 140 (58·1%) continued to meet the criteria for mild SCH. In multivariate analysis, only initial TSH >8 mIU/l was a predictor of the need for L‐T4. In contrast, initial TSH ≤8 mIU/l and the absence of thyroiditis [negative antithyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) and ultrasonography (US)] were predictors of TSH normalization. Of note, the natural history was similar in TPOAb‐positive patients and patients with negative TPOAb but with positive US.

Conclusions

Most women with mild elevation of serum TSH, ranging from 4·5 to 10 mIU/l, do not progress to overt hypothyroidism and even normalize their TSH. However, initial TSH seems to be a more important predictor of progression than the presence of antibodies or ultrasonographic appearance.
Iron therapy for the treatment of preoperative anaemia in patients with colorectal carcinoma: a systematic review
Authors: Borstlap W. A. A. , Stellingwerf M. E. , Moolla Z. , Musters G. D. , Buskens C. J. , Tanis P. J. , Bemelman W. A.
Published: September 2015

Aim

Preoperative anaemia is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the efficacy of preoperative iron supplementation in the treatment of anaemia, and its effect on the postoperative recovery of patients undergoing surgery for colorectal carcinoma.

Method

This systematic review was performed using MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane library to assess current evidence on the role of iron supplementation in the treatment of preoperative anaemia. Our main outcomes were absolute increase in haemoglobin, blood transfusion rate and postoperative morbidity. Main inclusion criteria were: preoperative iron supplementation, presence of colorectal carcinoma and elective surgery. The Downs–Black questionnaire was used for quality assessment of the included studies.

Results

Of the 605 studies analysed, seven, three randomized controlled trials and four cohort studies, were included. Despite iron supplementation, the three randomized controlled trials showed a decrease in haemoglobin level. This was contrary to the four cohort studies which all showed a significant increase. All studies showed a decreased blood transfusion rate following iron supplementation. None of the included studies assessed postoperative morbidity. Due to heterogeneity in study design, duration of treatment, dosages and variation in iron substrates, we were unable to perform a meta‐analysis.

Conclusion

In anaemic patients who require surgery for colorectal carcinoma, current evidence is of inadequate quality to draw a definitive conclusion on the efficacy of the various measures to treat preoperative anaemia.
Spatiotemporal profiles of arginine vasopressin transcription in cultured suprachiasmatic nucleus
Authors: Yoshikawa Tomoko , Nakajima Yoshihiro , Yamada Yoshiko , Enoki Ryosuke , Watanabe Kazuto , Yamazaki Maya , Sakimura Kenji , Honma Sato , Honma Ken‐ichi
Published: September 2015

Arginine vasopressin (AVP), a major neuropeptide in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), is postulated to mediate the output of the circadian oscillation. Mice carrying a reporter gene of AVP transcription (AVPELuc) were produced by knocking‐in a cDNA of Emerald‐luciferase (ELuc) in the translational initiation site. Homozygous mice did not survive beyond postnatal day 7. Using the heterozygous (AVPELuc/+) mice, a bioluminescence reporter system was developed that enabled to monitor AVP transcription through AVP‐ELuc measurement in real time for more than 10 cycles in the cultured brain slice. AVPELuc/+ mice showed circadian behaviour rhythms and light responsiveness indistinguishable from those of the wild‐type. Robust circadian rhythms in AVP‐ELuc were detected in the cultured SCN slice at a single cell as well as tissue levels. The circadian rhythm of the whole SCN slice was stable, with the peak at the mid‐light phase of a light–dark cycle, while that of a single cell was more variable. By comparison, rhythmicity in the paraventricular nucleus and supraoptic nucleus in the hypothalamus was unstable and damped rapidly. Spatiotemporal profiles of AVP expression at the pixel level revealed significant circadian rhythms in the entire area of AVP‐positive cells in the SCN, and at least two clusters that showed different circadian oscillations. Contour analysis of bioluminescence intensity in a cell‐like region demonstrated the radiation area was almost identical to the cell size. This newly developed reporter system for AVP gene expression is a useful tool for the study of circadian rhythms.
Induction of hypertension blunts baroreflex inhibition of vasopressin neurons in the rat
Authors: Han Su Young , Bouwer Gregory T. , Seymour Alexander J. , Korpal Aaron K. , Schwenke Daryl O. , Brown Colin H.
Published: September 2015

Vasopressin secretion from the posterior pituitary gland is determined by action potential discharge of hypothalamic magnocellular neurosecretory cells. Vasopressin is a potent vasoconstrictor, but vasopressin levels are paradoxically elevated in some patients with established hypertension. To determine whether vasopressin neurons are excited in hypertension, extracellular single‐unit recordings of vasopressin neurons from urethane‐anaesthetized Cyp1a1‐Ren2 rats with inducible angiotensin‐dependent hypertension were made. The basal firing rate of vasopressin neurons was higher in hypertensive Cyp1a1‐Ren2 rats than in non‐hypertensive Cyp1a1‐Ren2 rats. The increase in firing rate was specific to vasopressin neurons because oxytocin neuron firing rate was unaffected by the induction of hypertension. Intravenous injection of the α1‐adrenoreceptor agonist, phenylephrine (2.5 μg/kg), transiently increased mean arterial blood pressure to cause a baroreflex‐induced inhibition of heart rate and vasopressin neuron firing rate (by 52 ± 9%) in non‐hypertensive rats. By contrast, intravenous phenylephrine did not inhibit vasopressin neurons in hypertensive rats, despite a similar increase in mean arterial blood pressure and inhibition of heart rate. Circulating angiotensin II can excite vasopressin neurons via activation of afferent inputs from the subfornical organ. However, the increase in vasopressin neuron firing rate and the loss of inhibition by intravenous phenylephrine were not blocked by intra‐subfornical organ infusion of the angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan. It can be concluded that increased vasopressin neuron activity at the onset of hypertension is driven, at least in part, by reduced baroreflex inhibition of vasopressin neurons and that this might exacerbate the increase in blood pressure at the onset of hypertension.
Decoding sequential finger movements from preparatory activity in higher‐order motor regions: a functional magnetic resonance imaging multi‐voxel pattern analysis
Authors: Nambu Isao , Hagura Nobuhiro , Hirose Satoshi , Wada Yasuhiro , Kawato Mitsuo , Naito Eiichi
Published: September 2015

Performing a complex sequential finger movement requires the temporally well‐ordered organization of individual finger movements. Previous behavioural studies have suggested that the brain prepares a whole sequence of movements as a single set, rather than the movements of individual fingers. However, direct neuroimaging support for this hypothesis is lacking and, assuming it to be true, it remains unclear which brain regions represent the information of a prepared sequence. Here, we measured brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging while 14 right‐handed healthy participants performed two types of well‐learned sequential finger movements with their right hands. Using multi‐voxel pattern analysis, we examined whether the types of the forthcoming sequence could be predicted from the preparatory activities of nine regions of interest, which included the motor, somatosensory and posterior parietal regions in each hemisphere, bilateral visual cortices, cerebellum and basal ganglia. We found that, during preparation, the activity of the contralateral motor regions could predict which of the two sequences would be executed. Further detailed analysis revealed that the contralateral dorsal premotor cortex and supplementary motor area were the key areas that contributed to the prediction consistently across participants. These contrasted with results from execution‐related brain activity where a performed sequence was successfully predicted from the activities in the broad cortical sensory‐motor network, including the bilateral motor, parietal and ipsilateral somatosensory cortices. Our study supports the hypothesis that temporary well‐organized sequences of movements are represented as a set in the brain, and that preparatory activity in higher‐order motor regions represents information about upcoming motor actions.
A review on cost allocation methods in collaborative transportation
Authors: Guajardo Mario , Rönnqvist Mikael
Published: September 2015

Collaboration in transportation between two or more agents is becoming an important approach to find efficient solutions or plans. Efficiency can be measured in, for example, lower cost or more flexibility. An important aspect of the collaboration is to decide on how to share the benefits—for example, cost, profit, or resources. There are many sharing mechanisms or cost allocations proposed in the literature. Some are based on simple proportional rules and others are based on theoretical concepts found in game theory. We provide a survey on cost allocation methods found in the literature on collaborative transportation, including problems on planning, vehicle routing, traveling salesman, distribution, and inventory. A total of 55 scientific articles compose the main part of the survey, most of them published between 2010 and 2015. We identify more than 40 cost allocation methods used in this stream of literature. We describe the theoretical basis for the main methods as well as the cases where they are used. We also report savings from the collaborations when they are based on industrial data. Some directions for future research are discussed.
4‐n‐butylresorcinol dissolving microneedle patch for skin depigmentation: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial
Authors: Kim Suyong , Yang Huisuk , Kim Miroo , Baek Ji Hwoon , Kim So Jeong , An Sang Mi , Koh Jae Sook , Seo Ransug , Jung Hyungil
Published: September 2015

Background

For effective skin depigmentation, the skin depigmentation agent must be delivered to melanocytes, where melanin is synthesized. Although dissolving microneedle (DMN) is one of the best transdermal drug delivery systems to deliver the active compound, no clinical trial has been conducted in terms of safety and efficacy.

Objectives

To assess the clinical efficacy and safety of a DMN patch that contained 4‐n‐butylresorcinol, a skin depigmentation agent.

Methods

In the safety assessment, 31 subjects were selected for primary skin irritation test using Frosch & Kligman's method and 50 women for the cumulative irritation test and sensitization potential test using a modification of the Shelanski–Shelanski method. In the efficacy assessment, the 4‐n‐butylresorcinol DMN patch was compared with a control (DMN without 4‐n‐butylresorcinol) in our double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study with 45 subjects by measuring two parameters, the melanin index and individual typology angle value, during 8 weeks of administration.

Results

The 4‐n‐butylresorcinol DMN patch was shown to be safe based on the results of the safety assessment and was more than two times effective than the control patch.

Conclusion

The 4‐n‐butylresorcinol DMN patch was effective and safe for skin depigmentation through targeting melanocytes and could be a useful functional cosmetic product.
Germline determinants of clinical outcome of cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Vogelsang Matjaz , Wilson Melissa , Kirchhoff Tomas
Published: September 2015

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is the most lethal form of skin cancer. Despite the constant increase in melanoma incidence, which is in part due to incremental advances in early diagnostic modalities, mortality rates have not improved over the last decade and for advanced stages remain steadily high. While conventional prognostic biomarkers currently in use find significant utility for predicting overall general survival probabilities, they are not sensitive enough for a more personalized clinical assessment on an individual level. In recent years, the advent of genomic technologies has brought the promise of identification of germline DNA alterations that may associate with CM outcomes and hence represent novel biomarkers for clinical utilization. This review attempts to summarize the current state of knowledge of germline genetic factors studied for their impact on melanoma clinical outcomes. We also discuss ongoing problems and hurdles in validating such surrogates, and we also project future directions in discovery of more powerful germline genetic factors with clinical utility in melanoma prognostication.
Combined liver and kidney transplantation and kidney after liver transplantation in children: Indication, postoperative outcome, and long‐term results
Authors: Büscher Rainer , Büscher Anja K. , Cetiner Metin , Treckmann Jürgen W. , Paul Andreas , Vester Udo , Hoyer Peter F.
Published: September 2015

CLKT and sequential KALT are decided on a case‐by‐case basis in children for special indications such as ARPKD or PH1. We report on 21 children who underwent CLKT or KALT at our hospital between 1998 and 2013. Eleven children were diagnosed with PH1 and six with ARPKD. Other diagnosis were Joubert syndrome (n = 1), nephronophthisis (n = 1), CF (n = 1), and hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 1). Children (12 males, nine females) were aged 7.8 ± 6.2 yr (range, 10 months to 18 yr) at time of transplantation. Average wait time was 1.9 ± 0.9 yr (range, four months to 2.3 yr). Fifteen patients received dialysis prior to transplantation. In PH1 patients, four children received CLKT, five received KALT, and two infants have received only an LTx, whereas all six patients with ARPKD received CLKT. In patients with other indications, CLKT was performed in three cases and KALT in one girl. Cumulative 10‐yr survival of all 21 patients was 78.4%. At the time of transfer into adult care, 13 patients retained stable liver and kidney function. Regardless the underlying diagnosis, CLKT and KALT can be performed in children with good surgical outcomes and long‐term survival.
Preparation of SnO2–TiO2/Fly Ash Cenospheres and its Application in Phenol Degradation
Authors: Liu Shaomin , Zhu Jinglin , Yang Qing , Xu Pengpeng , Ge Jianhua , Guo Xuetao
Published: September 2015

SnO2–TiO2/fly ash cenospheres (FAC) were prepared via hydrothermal method and used as an active photocatalyst in a photocatalytic system. Scanning electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction analysis, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and N2 adsorption–desorption measurements were used to determine the structure and optical property of SnO2–TiO2/FAC. Phenol was selected as the model substance for photocatalytic reactions to evaluate catalytic ability. Results showed that the degradation efficiency of phenol by SnO2–TiO2/FAC was 90.7% higher than that decomposed by TiO2/FAC. Increased efficiency could be due to the enhanced synergistic effect of semiconductors and FAC could provide more adsorption sites for the pollutant in the photocatalytic reaction. Furthermore, SnO2–TiO2/FAC composites exhibited excellent photocatalytic stability in four reuse cycles. Radical‐trapping experiments further revealed the dominating functions of holes in the photocatalytic reaction.
Innovative qPCR using interfacial effects to enable low threshold cycle detection and inhibition relief
Authors: Harshman Dustin K. , Rao Brianna M. , McLain Jean E. , Watts George S. , Yoon Jeong-Yeol
Published: September 2015

PCR device amplifies DNA directly from tissue samples and achieves smartphone-based quantification at early thermal cycles.
Pt monolayer coating on complex network substrate with high catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Li Man , Ma Qiang , Zi Wei , Liu Xiaojing , Zhu Xuejie , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: September 2015

A deposition process has been developed to fabricate a complete-monolayer Pt coating on a large-surface-area three-dimensional (3D) Ni foam substrate using a buffer layer (Ag or Au) strategy. The quartz crystal microbalance, current density analysis, cyclic voltammetry integration, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that the monolayer deposition process accomplishes full coverage on the substrate and the deposition can be controlled to a single atomic layer thickness. To our knowledge, this is the first report on a complete-monolayer Pt coating on a 3D bulk substrate with complex fine structures; all prior literature reported on submonolayer or incomplete-monolayer coating. A thin underlayer of Ag or Au is found to be necessary to cover a very reactive Ni substrate to ensure complete-monolayer Pt coverage; otherwise, only an incomplete monolayer is formed. Moreover, the Pt monolayer is found to work as well as a thick Pt film for catalytic reactions. This development may pave a way to fabricating a high-activity Pt catalyst with minimal Pt usage.
Trait-mediated trophic cascade creates enemy-free space for nesting hummingbirds
Authors: Greeney Harold F. , Meneses M. Rocio , Hamilton Chris E. , Lichter-Marck Eli , Mannan R. William , Snyder Noel , Snyder Helen , Wethington Susan M. , Dyer Lee A.
Published: September 2015

The presence of hawks at their nests alters the foraging height of predatory jays, creating a safe nesting area for hummingbirds.
Cis-regulatory mechanisms governing stem and progenitor cell transitions
Authors: Johnson Kirby D. , Kong Guangyao , Gao Xin , Chang Yuan-I , Hewitt Kyle J. , Sanalkumar Rajendran , Prathibha Rajalekshmi , Ranheim Erik A. , Dewey Colin N. , Zhang Jing , Bresnick Emery H.
Published: September 2015

Non-coding DNA elements differentially control stem and progenitor cell transitions required for development.
Patterns of Endemism and Habitat Selection in Coalbed Microbial Communities
Authors: Lawson Christopher E. , Strachan Cameron R. , Williams Dominique D. , Koziel Susan , Hallam Steven J. , Budwill Karen
Published: September 2015

Microbially produced methane, a versatile, cleaner-burning alternative energy resource to fossil fuels, is sourced from a variety of natural and engineered ecosystems, including marine sediments, anaerobic digesters, shales, and coalbeds. There is a prevailing interest in developing environmental biotechnologies to enhance methane production. Here, we use small-subunit rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomics to better describe the interplay between coalbed methane (CBM) well conditions and microbial communities in the Alberta Basin. Our results show that CBM microbial community structures display patterns of endemism and habitat selection across the Alberta Basin, consistent with observations from other geographical locations. While some phylum-level taxonomic patterns were observed, relative abundances of specific taxonomic groups were localized to discrete wells, likely shaped by local environmental conditions, such as coal rank and depth-dependent physicochemical conditions. To better resolve functional potential within the CBM milieu, a metagenome from a deep volatile-bituminous coal sample was generated. This sample was dominated by
Rhodobacteraceae
genotypes, resolving a near-complete population genome bin related to
Celeribacter
sp. that encoded metabolic pathways for the degradation of a wide range of aromatic compounds and the production of methanogenic substrates via acidogenic fermentation. Genomic comparisons between the
Celeribacter
sp. population genome and related organisms isolated from different environments reflected habitat-specific selection pressures that included nitrogen availability and the ability to utilize diverse carbon substrates. Taken together, our observations reveal that both endemism and metabolic specialization should be considered in the development of biostimulation strategies for nonproductive wells or for those with declining productivity.
Mercury Reduction and Methyl Mercury Degradation by the Soil Bacterium Xanthobacter autotrophicus Py2
Authors: Petrus Amanda K. , Rutner Colin , Liu Songnian , Wang Yingjiao , Wiatrowski Heather A.
Published: September 2015

Two previously uncharacterized potential broad-spectrum mercury (Hg) resistance operons (
mer
) are present on the chromosome of the soil
Alphaproteobacteria
Xanthobacter autotrophicus
Py2. These operons,
mer1
and
mer2
, contain two features which are commonly found in
mer
operons in the genomes of soil and marine
Alphaproteobacteria
, but are not present in previously characterized
mer
operons: a gene for the mercuric reductase (MerA) that encodes an alkylmercury lyase domain typical of those found on the MerB protein, and the presence of an additional gene, which we are calling
merK
, with homology to glutathione reductase. Here, we demonstrate that Py2 is resistant to 0.2 μM inorganic mercury [Hg(II)] and 0.05 μM methylmercury (MeHg). Py2 is capable of converting MeHg and Hg(II) to elemental mercury [Hg(0)], and reduction of Hg(II) is induced by incubation in sub toxic concentrations of Hg(II). Transcription of the
merA
genes increased with Hg(II) treatment, and in both operons
merK
resides on the same polycistronic mRNA as
merA
. We propose the use of Py2 as a model system for studying the contribution of
mer
to Hg mobility in soil and marine ecosystems.
Bacillus thermoamylovorans Spores with Very-High-Level Heat Resistance Germinate Poorly in Rich Medium despite the Presence of
ger
Clusters but Efficiently upon Exposure to Calcium-Dipicolinic Acid
Authors: Berendsen Erwin M. , Krawczyk Antonina O. , Klaus Verena , de Jong Anne , Boekhorst Jos , Eijlander Robyn T. , Kuipers Oscar P. , Wells-Bennik Marjon H. J.
Published: September 2015

High-level heat resistance of spores of
Bacillus thermoamylovorans
poses challenges to the food industry, as industrial sterilization processes may not inactivate such spores, resulting in food spoilage upon germination and outgrowth. In this study, the germination and heat resistance properties of spores of four food-spoiling isolates were determined. Flow cytometry counts of spores were much higher than their counts on rich medium (maximum, 5%). Microscopic analysis revealed inefficient nutrient-induced germination of spores of all four isolates despite the presence of most known germination-related genes, including two operons encoding nutrient germinant receptors (GRs), in their genomes. In contrast, exposure to nonnutrient germinant calcium-dipicolinic acid (Ca-DPA) resulted in efficient (50 to 98%) spore germination. All four strains harbored
cwlJ
and
gerQ
genes, which are known to be essential for Ca-DPA-induced germination in
Bacillus subtilis
. When determining spore survival upon heating, low viable counts can be due to spore inactivation and an inability to germinate. To dissect these two phenomena, the recoveries of spores upon heat treatment were determined on plates with and without preexposure to Ca-DPA. The high-level heat resistance of spores as observed in this study (
D
120°C
, 1.9 ± 0.2 and 1.3 ± 0.1 min;
z
value, 12.2 ± 1.8°C) is in line with survival of sterilization processes in the food industry. The recovery of
B. thermoamylovorans
spores can be improved via nonnutrient germination, thereby avoiding gross underestimation of their levels in food ingredients.