bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In vitro biofilm development of Streptococcus pneumoniae and formation of choline‐binding protein–DNA complexes
Authors: Domenech Mirian , Ruiz Susana , Moscoso Miriam , García Ernesto 
Published: May 2015

SummaryExtracellular deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) is an essential component of bacterial biofilm matrices, and is required in their formation and maintenance. Extracellular DNA binds to exopolysaccharides or extracellular proteins, affording biofilms greater structural integrity. Recently, we reported evidence of intercellular eDNA−LytC complexes in pneumococcal biofilms. The LytC lysozyme is a member of the choline‐binding family of proteins (CBPs) located on the pneumococcal surface. The present work shows that other CBPs, i.e. LytA, LytB, Pce, PspC and CbpF, which have a pI between 5 and 6, can bind DNA in vitro. This process requires the presence of divalent cations other than Mg2+. This DNA binding capacity of CBPs appears to be independent of their enzymatic activity and, at least in the case of LytA, does not require the choline‐binding domain characteristic of CBPs. Positively charged, surface‐exposed, 25 amino acid‐long peptides derived from the catalytic domain of LytB, were also found capable of DNA binding through electrostatic interactions. Confocal laser scanning microcopy revealed the existence of cell‐associated LytB−eDNA complexes in Streptococcus pneumoniae biofilms. These and other findings suggest that these surface‐located proteins of S. pneumoniae could play roles of varying importance in the colonization and/or invasion of human host where different environmental conditions exist.
Thin and thick layers of resin‐based sealer cement bonded to root dentine compared: Adhesive behaviour
Authors: Pane Epita S. , Palamara Joseph E.A. , Messer Harold H. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThis study aims to evaluate tensile and shear bond strengths of one epoxy (AH) and two methacrylate resin‐based sealers (EZ and RS) in thin and thick layers bonded to root dentine. An alignment device was prepared for accurate positioning of 20 root dentine cylinders in a predefined gap of 0.1 or 1 mm. Sealer was placed in the interface. Bond strength tests were conducted. Mode of failures and representative surfaces were evaluated. Data were analysed using anova and post‐hoc tests, with P < 0.05. The thick layer of sealer produced higher bond strength, except for the shear bond strength of EZ. Significant differences between thin and thick layers were found only in tensile bond strengths of AH and RS. Mixed type of failure was constantly found with all sealers. Bond strengths of thick layers of resin‐based sealers to root dentine tended to be higher than with thin layers.
Pathological and problem gambling in substance use treatment: Results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC)
Authors: Cowlishaw Sean , Hakes Jahn K 
Published: May 2015

Background and ObjectivesPathological and problem gambling may be common yet frequently undetected conditions in substance use treatment. This paper reports findings on the prevalence of gambling comorbidities in these clinical contexts that are generalizable across regions and settings. It indicates the implications of such conditions for treatment of substance use problems.MethodsA U.S. representative sample of n = 402 patients reporting past‐year treatment for substance use problems was derived from wave 1 and 2 of the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC). Weighted prevalence estimates were produced and regression analyses used to examine correlates of gambling symptoms.ResultsRates of lifetime pathological gambling (5+ DSM‐IV symptoms) and problem gambling (3+ DSM‐IV symptoms) were 4.3% (s.e. = 1.3%) and 7.2% (s.e. = 1.6%), respectively. Lifetime gambling symptoms were associated with Axis II disorders, but no Axis I diagnoses. There was limited evidence of associations with substance usage, mental or physical health and medical utilization. There were associations with financial crises and relationship breakdown, during and after treatment.Conclusions and Scientific SignificanceGambling problems are elevated in substance use treatment but may be less common than previously thought; when considered nationally and across clinical settings. They may have modest associations with clinical characteristics given high levels of psychiatric severity that characterise treatment seeking samples overall. Notwithstanding, the results suggest that gambling comorbidities should be standard considerations in substance use treatment. They may signal complex conditions characterised by pervasive underlying psychopathology, and psychosocial difficulties that accumulate over time. (Am J Addict 2015;24:467 –474)
Who Overreacts to Overnight News?: Empirical Evidence from the Korean Stock Market
Authors: Kwon Enjung , Eom Young Ho , Jang Woon Wook , Hahn Jaehoon 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWe investigate whether the pattern of intraday return reversal in Korea, recently found to be significant only when the previous day's United States stock market movements are relatively large, is due to overreaction of investors. We estimate a partial adjustment model modified to distinguish price reaction at the open and at the close, and the results indicate that the Korean stock market tends to overreact at the open and underreact at the close. Furthermore, our evidence suggests that foreign investors' trading behavior contributes to overreaction at the open, while individual investors' trading behavior contributes to return reversal during the trading day.
Fire effects on invasive and native warm‐season grass species in a North American grassland at a time of extreme drought
Authors: Havill Scott , Schwinning Susanne , Lyons Kelly G. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractQuestionCan the timing of cutting or burning be used to selectively damage an invasive C4 grass species while limiting collateral damage to dominant native C4 grass species in a grassland community?LocationA medium to short grass prairie in central Texas, US.MethodsWe conducted six cut and burn trials between June 2011 and January 2012 during an exceptional drought year. Target species were the native, perennial, C4 grass Schizachyrium scoparium (little bluestem) and the introduced, perennial, C4 grass Bothriochloa ischaemum (yellow bluestem). Burn trials were conducted inside a steel barrel using standardized fuel loads. To assess recovery, we counted the first cohort of new tillers that emerged after treatment and tillers that grew in the subsequent spring. We also recorded phenological status, meteorological variables and burn temperatures to determine if tiller recovery was predictable.ResultsBothriochloa ischaemum responded more negatively to burning than to cutting, but these treatments were no different for S. scoparium. Both species produced the smallest number of tillers after the summer burns, and the burn date × species interaction was insignificant. On average, peak fire temperature inside tussocks was 100 °C higher in B. ischaemum than in S. scoparium. Judging from the reduction in tiller densities in undisturbed plots from spring 2011 to spring 2012, B. ischaemum was also more sensitive to drought. Multivariate models were significant and related burn recovery to peak fire temperature, among other factors, and recovery from cutting to ambient temperature on the day of cutting. In B. ischaemum, plants with higher investment in early reproductive growth suffered more burn damage.ConclusionsWe identified no optimal burn time that maximized discrimination between the two species. Nonetheless, the invasive species was more sensitive to both drought and fire, possibly due to higher heat exposure of growing points. Thus, burning during the summer of a drought year may constitute the sought‐after treatment that selectively favours native species. Ultimately, successful management will involve fuel and temperature management combined with assessment of the relative phenologies of the target species prior to burning. This study suggests that a hot fire at a time when the invasive species has a larger investment in early reproductive growth will provide the best control.
Chronology and palaeoenvironmental implications of the ice‐wedge pseudomorphs and composite‐wedge casts on the Magdalen Islands (eastern Canada)
Authors: Rémillard Audrey M. , Hétu Bernard , Bernatchez Pascal , Buylaert Jan‐Pieter , Murray Andrew S. , St‐Onge Guillaume , Geach Martin 
Published: May 2015

The Magdalen Islands are a valuable terrestrial record, evidencing the complex glacial and periglacial history of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Thirteen structures interpreted as ice‐wedge pseudomorphs or composite‐wedge casts were observed at four sites on the southern Magdalen Islands and testify to the former presence of permafrost under periglacial conditions. These features truncate Carboniferous sandstone or Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) glacial and glaciomarine diamicts, both overlain by subtidal or coastal units. Six optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and four radiocarbon ages were obtained from both host and infilled sedimentary units. These ages provide the first absolute chronological data on these structures, shedding new light on the relationships between glacial and periglacial phases. Our chronostratigraphic data suggest that, after the deglaciation and the emersion of the archipelago, thermal contraction cracks grew during the cold period of the Younger Dryas (11–10 ka; 12.9–11.5 cal. ka BP). The Younger Dryas, which is well documented in the Maritime Provinces of Canada, occurred after a pedogenesis phase associated with the Allerød warm period evidenced by the well‐developed palaeopodzol ubiquitous on the Magdalen Islands.
Syntheses, Cholinesterases Inhibition, and Molecular Docking Studies of Pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazine Derivatives
Authors: Hameed Abdul , Zehra Syeda T. , Shah Syed J. A. , Khan Khalid M. , Alharthy Rima D. , Furtmann Norbert , Bajorath Jürgen , Tahir Muhammad N. , Iqbal Jamshed 
Published: May 2015

Cholinesterases, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), have a role in cholinergic deficit which evidently leads to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibition of cholinesterases with small molecules is an attractive strategy in AD therapy. This study demonstrates synthesis of pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazines (6a‐6q) series, their inhibitory activities against both cholinesterases, AChE and BChE, and molecular docking studies. The bioactivities data of pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazines showed 3‐(3′‐nitrophenyl)pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazine 6n a potent dual inhibitor among the series against both AChE and BChE with IC50 values of 0.466 ± 0.121 and 1.89 ± 0.05 μm, respectively. The analogues 3‐(3′‐methylphenyl)pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazine 6c and 3‐(3′‐fluorophenyl)pyrido[2,3‐b]pyrazine 6f were found to be selective inhibition for BChE with IC50 values of 0.583 ± 0.052 μm and AChE with IC50 value of 0.899 ± 0.10 μm, respectively. Molecular docking studies of the active compounds suggested the putative binding modes with cholinesterases. The potent compounds among the series could potentially serves as good leads for the development of new cholinesterase inhibitors.
Eating marshmallows reduces ileostomy output: a randomized crossover trial
Authors: Clarebrough E. , Guest G. , Stupart D. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAimAnecdotally, many ostomates believe that eating marshmallows can reduce ileostomy effluent. There is a plausible mechanism for this, as the gelatine contained in marshmallows may thicken small bowel fluid, but there is currently no evidence that this is effective.MethodThis was a randomized crossover trial. Adult patients with well‐established ileostomies were included. Ileostomy output was measured for 1 week during which three marshmallows were consumed three times daily, and for one control week where marshmallows were not eaten. There was a 2‐day washout period. Patients were randomly allocated to whether the control or intervention week occurred first. In addition, a questionnaire was administered regarding patient's subjective experience of their ileostomy function.ResultsThirty‐one participants were recruited; 28 completed the study. There was a median reduction in ileostomy output volume of 75 ml per day during the study period (P = 0.0054, 95% confidence interval 23.4–678.3) compared with the control week. Twenty of 28 subjects (71%) experienced a reduction in their ileostomy output, two had no change and six reported an increase. During the study period, participants reported fewer ileostomy bag changes (median five per day vs six in the control period, P = 0.0255). Twenty of 28 (71%) reported that the ileostomy effluent was thicker during the study week (P = 0.023). Overall 19 (68%) participants stated they would use marshmallows in the future if they wanted to reduce or thicken their ileostomy output.ConclusionEating marshmallows leads to a small but statistically significant reduction in ileostomy output.
Long‐term outcome of prucalopride for chronic constipation: a single‐centre study
Authors: Dhruva Rao P. K. , Lewis M. , Peiris S. P. M. , Shah P. R. , Haray P. N. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAimNewer 5‐hydroxytryptamine agonists, such as prucalopride, have been demonstrated to be effective in the short term for treatment of chronic constipation. To date, few studies have investigated their medium‐ and long‐term effectiveness.MethodAn analysis was carried out of a prospectively maintained database of all patients started on prucalopride for chronic constipation between April 2011 and April 2014. Cleveland Clinic Constipation Score (CCCS) questionnaires were administered before starting treatment with prucalopride and at the first follow‐up visit to assess change in CCCS scores in 50 randomly selected patients.ResultsA total of 155 patients (median age: 47 years; seven men) were started on prucalopride in this period. Of these, 16 (10%) had slow‐transit constipation, 31 (20%) had obstructive defaecation syndrome and 30 (19%) had a combination of both. Of these 155 patients, 78% patients were on three or more laxatives at the time of starting prucalopride. Patients were started on 1 mg or 2 mg according to their age. The median follow‐up period was 24 (range: 4–40) months. At the first follow‐up visit, 106 (68%) patients reported good symptomatic improvement, whereas the remainder had no response. Third of initial responders showed decreased efficacy after a median duration of 6 months and needed regular laxatives/irrigation. Of the 50 patients who filled in the CCCS questionnaires (15 patients were nonresponders), 32 (64%) reported improved scores with a median improvement of two points per criterion.ConclusionThis study provides evidence that prolonged use of prucalopride is effective in achieving a sustained benefit in the majority of patients.
Cerebral palsy research funding from the National Institutes of Health, 2001 to 2013
Authors: Wu Yvonne W , Mehravari Alison S , Numis Adam L , Gross Paul 
Published: May 2015

AimCerebral palsy (CP) is a poorly understood disorder with no cure. We determined the landscape of National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for CP‐related research.MethodWe searched NIH databases Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results, and Research, Condition, and Disease Categorization for keywords ‘cerebral palsy’ among all NIH‐funded studies, 2001 to 2013. We classified grants by type and area of study.ResultsNIH funding, averaging $30 million per year, supported clinical ($215 million), basic ($187 million), and translational ($26.3 million) CP‐related research. Clinical intervention studies comprised 19% of funding, and focused on treatments ($60.3 million), early parent intervention ($2.7 million), and CP prevention ($2.5 million). Among grants that specified gestational age, more funds were devoted to preterm ($166 million) than term infants ($15 million). CP in adulthood was the main focus of 4% of all funding. Annual NIH funding for CP increased steadily over the study period from $3.6 to $66.7 million. However, funding for clinical intervention studies peaked in 2008, and has since decreased.InterpretationAdditional research funds are needed to improve the treatment and prevention of CP. Topics that have been relatively underfunded include clinical interventions, prevention, and term infants and adults with CP.
Longitudinal assessment of bone growth and development in a facility‐based population of young adults with cerebral palsy
Authors: Grossberg Richard , Blackford Martha G , Kecskemethy Heidi H , Henderson Richard , Reed Michael D 
Published: May 2015

AimOsteoporosis is a significant clinical problem in persons with moderate to severe cerebral palsy (CP), causing fractures with minimal trauma. Over the past decade, most studies examining osteoporosis and CP have been cross‐sectional in nature, focused exclusively on children and adolescents and only involving one evaluation of bone mineral density (BMD). The purpose of this study was to assess BMD in a group including adults with CP, and changes in each individual's BMD over a 5‐ to 6‐year period.MethodThe study group included 40 residents of a long‐term care facility aged 6 to 26 years at the time of their initial evaluation. Twenty‐one patients (52.5%) were male, 35 (88%) were white, and 38 (95%) were in Gross Motor Function Classification System level V. BMD was assessed by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry on the right and left distal femurs for three distinct regions of interest.ResultsFive residents had a fracture that occurred during the study period; this represented a fracture rate of 2.1% per year in the study group. Longitudinally, annualized change in the median BMD was 0.7% to 1.0% per year in the different regions of the distal femur, but ranged widely among the study group, with both increases and decreases in BMD. Increase in BMD over time was negatively correlated with age and positively correlated with change in weight.InterpretationChanges in BMD over time in profoundly involved persons with CP can range widely, which is important to recognize when evaluating potential interventions to improve BMD. Age and changes in body weight appear the most relevant factors.
Resilience vs. historical contingency in microbial responses to environmental change
Authors: Hawkes Christine V. , Keitt Timothy H. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractHow soil processes such as carbon cycling will respond to future climate change depends on the responses of complex microbial communities, but most ecosystem models assume that microbial functional responses are resilient and can be predicted from simple parameters such as biomass and temperature. Here, we consider how historical contingencies might alter those responses because function depends on prior conditions or biota. Functional resilience can be driven by physiological, community or adaptive shifts; historical contingencies can result from the influence of historical environments or a combination of priority effects and biotic resistance. By modelling microbial population responses to environmental change, we demonstrate that historical environments can constrain soil function with the degree of constraint depending on the magnitude of change in the context of the prior environment. For example microbial assemblages from more constant environments were more sensitive to change leading to poorer functional acclimatisation compared to microbial assemblages from more fluctuating environments. Such historical contingencies can lead to deviations from expected functional responses to climate change as well as local variability in those responses. Our results form a set of interrelated hypotheses regarding soil microbial responses to climate change that warrant future empirical attention.
Manipulation of araneid spider web architecture by the polysphinctine parasitoid Zatypota picticollis (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Pimplinae)
Authors: Korenko Stanislav , Satrapová Jitka , Zwakhals Kees 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWe found that the koinobiont ectoparasitoid wasp Zatypota picticollis is exclusively associated with three orb weaving spiders Cyclosa conica, Mangora acalypha and Zilla diodia from the family Araneidae. Under the influence of the parasitoid's final instar larva the spiders built a specific web architecture, which differed considerably from the capturing orb web. Manipulated webs of C. conica and M. acalypha lacked the spiral, stabilimentum and central hub, and the radials were reduced in number. The manipulated web of Z. diodia consisted of one strong horizontally oriented thread.
Middle School Foreign Language Instruction: A Missed Opportunity?
Authors: Kissau Scott , Adams Mary Jo , Algozzine Bob 
Published: May 2015

AbstractMultiple studies conducted over the past decade have suggested the motivational and proficiency‐related benefits of commencing language instruction at an early age. Limitations in many of these studies, however, have prevented their results from being applied to the teaching of foreign languages in the United States. In response to calls for further studies examining the possible benefits of early‐start foreign language instruction, the researchers used a mixed methodology to compare the oral proficiency and motivation of two groups of foreign language learners studying Level II French, German, Spanish, or Mandarin. One group consisted of primarily 14‐year‐old students who began their foreign language studies in middle school, and the other included 15‐ and 16‐year‐olds who postponed the onset of their foreign language instruction until high school. Quantitative and qualitative data collected from student surveys, tests scores, and individual interviews suggested both proficiency‐related and motivational benefits of commencing language instruction at an early age. Equipped with these much‐needed results, foreign language stakeholders should renew their argument to expand early‐start foreign language programs in K–12 schools in the United States and to remove the optional nature of foreign language instruction at the middle school level.
Inter‐annual changes in detritus‐based food chains can enhance plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2
Authors: Hines Jes , Eisenhauer Nico , Drake Bert G. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractElevated atmospheric CO2 generally enhances plant growth, but the magnitude of the effects depend, in part, on nutrient availability and plant photosynthetic pathway. Due to their pivotal role in nutrient cycling, changes in abundance of detritivores could influence the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on essential ecosystem processes, such as decomposition and primary production. We conducted a field survey and a microcosm experiment to test the influence of changes in detritus‐based food chains on litter mass loss and plant growth response to elevated atmospheric CO2 using two wetland plants: a C3 sedge (Scirpus olneyi) and a C4 grass (Spartina patens). Our field study revealed that organism's sensitivity to climate increased with trophic level resulting in strong inter‐annual variation in detritus‐based food chain length. Our microcosm experiment demonstrated that increased detritivore abundance could not only enhance decomposition rates, but also enhance plant growth of S. olneyi in elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. In contrast, we found no evidence that changes in the detritus‐based food chains influenced the growth of S. patens. Considered together, these results emphasize the importance of approaches that unite traditionally subdivided food web compartments and plant physiological processes to understand inter‐annual variation in plant production response to elevated atmospheric CO2.