bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phaeochromocytoma and ACTH‐dependent cushing's syndrome: tumour crf secretion can mimic pituitary cushing's disease
Authors: Lois Konstantinos B. , Santhakumar Anjali , Vaikkakara Suresh , Mathew Sajjan , Long Anna , Johnson Sarah J. , Peaston Rovert , Neely R. Dermot G. , Richardson David L. , Graham James , Lennard Thomas W.J. , Bliss Richard , Miller Margaret , Ball Stephen G. , Pearce Simon H.S. , Woods David R. , Quinton Richard 
Published: October 2015

SummaryIntroduction10% of corticotrophin (ACTH)‐dependent Cushing's syndrome arises from secretion by extrapituitary tumours, with phaeochromocytoma implicated in a few cases. Ectopic secretion by phaeochromocytoma of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRF), with secondary corticotroph hyperplasia, is even rarer, with only five cases in the literature hitherto. However, such cases may be classified as ‘ectopic ACTH’ due to incomplete verification.Clinical casesWe describe three patients with phaeochromocytoma and ACTH‐dependent Cushing's syndrome in whom biochemical cure was achieved following unilateral adrenalectomy. Although unable to access a validated CRF assay within the timeframe for sample storage, we nevertheless inferred CRF secretion in 2 of 3 cases by tumour immunostaining (positive for CRF; negative for ACTH), supported in one case by pre‐operative inferior petrosal sinus sampling (IPSS) indicative of pituitary ACTH source. Both cases were characterized by rapid postoperative wean off glucocorticoids, presumed to reflect the pituitary stimulatory‐effect of CRF outweighing central negative feedback inhibition by hypercortisolaemia. By contrast, the tumour excised in a third case exhibited positive immunostaining for ACTH – negative for CRF – and postoperative recovery of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis took significantly longer.DiscussionEctopic CRF production is biochemically indistinguishable from ectopic ACTH secretion, except that IPSS mimics pituitary Cushing's disease and cortisol dynamics may normalize rapidly postadrenalectomy. CRF secretion can be inferred through tumour immunohistochemistry, even if no CRF assay is available. Unrecognized phaeochromocytoma ACTH secretion may underpin some cases of cardiovascular collapse postadrenalectomy through acute hypocortisolaemia. Despite advances in phaeochromocytoma genetics since previous reports, we were unable to identify somatic DNA defects associated with either ACTH or CRF secretion.
How Distractor Objects Trigger Referential Overspecification: Testing the Effects of Visual Clutter and Distractor Distance
Authors: Koolen Ruud , Krahmer Emiel , Swerts Marc 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn two experiments, we investigate to what extent various visual saliency cues in realistic visual scenes cause speakers to overspecify their definite object descriptions with a redundant color attribute. The results of the first experiment demonstrate that speakers are more likely to redundantly mention color when visual clutter is present in a scene as compared to when this is not the case. In the second experiment, we found that distractor type and distractor color affect redundant color use: Speakers are most likely to overspecify if there is at least one distractor object present that has the same type, but a different color than the target referent. Reliable effects of distractor distance were not found. Taken together, our results suggest that certain visual saliency cues guide speakers in determining which objects in a visual scene are relevant distractors, and which not. We argue that this is problematic for algorithms that aim to generate human‐like descriptions of objects (such as the Incremental Algorithm), since these generally select properties that help to distinguish a target from all objects that are present in a scene.
Effect of a structured diabetes education programme in primary care on hospitalizations and emergency department visits among people with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: results from the Patient Empowerment Programme
Authors: Wong C. K. H. , Wong W. C. W. , Wan Y. F. , Chan A. K. C. , Chan F. W. K. , Lam C. L. K. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimTo assess whether a structured diabetes education programme, the Patient Empowerment Programme, was associated with a lower rate of all‐cause hospitalization and emergency department visits in a population‐based cohort of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus in primary care.MethodsA cohort of 24 250 patients was evaluated using a linked administrative database during 2009–2013. We selected 12 125 patients with Type 2 diabetes who had at least one Patient Empowerment Programme session attendance. Patients who did not participate in the Patient Empowerment Programme were matched one‐to‐one with patients who did, using the propensity score method. Hospitalization events and emergency department visits were the events of interest. Cox proportional hazard and negative binomial regressions were performed to estimate the hazard ratios for the initial event, and incidence rate ratios for the number of events.ResultsDuring a median 30.5 months of follow‐up, participants in the Patient Empowerment Programme had a lower incidence of an initial hospitalization event (22.1 vs 25.2%; hazard ratio 0.879; P < 0.001) and emergency department visit (40.5 vs 44%; hazard ratio 0.901; P < 0.001) than those who did not participate in the Patient Empowerment Programme. Participation in the Patient Empowerment Programme was associated with a significantly lower number of emergency department visits (incidence rate ratio 0.903; P < 0.001): 40.4 visits per 100 patients annually in those who did not participate in the Patient Empowerment Programme vs. 36.2 per 100 patients annually in those who did. There were significantly fewer hospitalization episodes (incidence rate ratio 0.854; P < 0.001): 20.0 hospitalizations per 100 patients annually in those who did not participate in the Patient Empowerment Programme vs. 16.9 hospitalizations per 100 patients annually in those who did.ConclusionsAmong patients with Type 2 diabetes, the Patient Empowerment Programme was shown to be effective in delaying the initial hospitalization event and in reducing their frequency.
Dairy consumption and risk of metabolic syndrome: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Kim Y. , Je Y. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimsTo conduct a systematic review and meta‐analysis of epidemiological studies in order to assess quantitatively the effect of dairy consumption on risk of metabolic syndrome.MethodsWe searched for eligible studies published up to March 2015 through the PubMed and Embase databases and reviewed the references of relevant articles. Random‐effects models were used to calculate the pooled relative risks with 95%CIs after adjusting for several confounders.ResultsWe identified nine prospective cohort studies including a total of 35 379 subjects and 7322 incident cases of metabolic syndrome, and 12 cross‐sectional studies including 37 706 subjects. In the meta‐analysis of prospective cohort studies, the pooled relative risk of incidence of metabolic syndrome for the highest vs. the lowest category of dairy consumption was 0.85 (95%CI0.73–0.98), and for a 1‐serving/day increment of dairy consumption, the pooled relative risk was 0.88 (95%CI0.82–0.95). In the meta‐analysis of cross‐sectional studies, the pooled relative risk of prevalence of metabolic syndrome for the highest vs. the lowest category of dairy consumption was 0.73 (95%CI0.63–0.86). The association was not significantly different by geographical region, follow‐up time and adjustment factors.ConclusionOur findings indicate that dairy consumption is inversely associated with the incidence and prevalence of metabolic syndrome. Further well‐designed cohort studies and randomized controlled trials are warranted to provide definitive evidence.
GCKR and PPP1R3B identified as genome‐wide significant loci for plasma lactate: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study
Authors: Tin A. , Balakrishnan P. , Beaty T. H. , Boerwinkle E. , Hoogeveen R. C. , Young J. H. , Kao W. H. L. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimTo investigate the genetic influence of circulating lactate level, a marker of oxidative capacity associated with diabetes.MethodsWe conducted a genome‐wide association study of log‐transformed plasma lactate levels in 6901 European‐American participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. For regions that achieved genome‐wide significance in European‐American participants, we conducted candidate region analysis in African‐American subjects and tested for interaction between metformin use and the index single nucleotide polymorphisms for plasma lactate in European‐American subjects.ResultsThe genome‐wide association study in European‐American subjects identified two genome‐wide significant loci, GCKR (rs1260326, T allele β=0.08; P=1.8×10‐47) and PPP1R3B/LOC157273 (rs9987289, A allele β=0.06; P=1.6×10‐9). The index single nucleotide polymorphisms in these two loci explain 3.3% of the variance in log‐transformed plasma lactate levels among the European‐American subjects. In the African‐American subjects, based on a region‐significant threshold, the index single nucleotide polymorphism at GCKR was associated with plasma lactate but that at PPP1R3B/LOC157273 was not. Metformin use appeared to strengthen the association between the index single nucleotide polymorphism at PPP1R3B/LOC157273 and plasma lactate in European‐American subjects (P for interaction=0.01).ConclusionsWe identified GCKR and PPP1R3B/LOC157273 as two genome‐wide significant loci of plasma lactate. Both loci are associated with other diabetes‐related phenotypes. These findings increase our understanding of the genetic control of lactate metabolism.
Do dogs sense hypoglycaemia?
Authors: Weber K. S. , Roden M. , Müssig K. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimsTo summarize the current knowledge on the phenomenon of dogs, both trained and untrained, sensing hypoglycaemia and alerting their owners to it.MethodsElectronic databases were searched for all types of articles reporting on untrained or trained ‘diabetes alert’ dogs. Articles published up until December 2014 in the English or German language were included.ResultsSeveral case reports and observational studies provide evidence that animals can perform at a level above that attributable to chance, and may reliably detect low diurnal as well as nocturnal hypoglycaemic episodes. Behavioural changes in untrained dogs were reported during 38–100% of hypoglycaemic events experienced by their owners. The sensitivity and specificity of the performance of trained diabetes alert dogs sensing hypoglycaemia ranged from 22 to 100% and 71 to 90%, respectively. Additionally, 75–81% of patients with diabetes who owned a trained dog reported a subsequent improvement in their quality of life. Nevertheless, the available data are limited and heterogeneous because they rely on low patient numbers and survey‐based studies prone to recall bias.ConclusionFurther research is needed to confirm the preliminary data on the reliability and mechanism underlying the dogs' abilities to detect hypoglycaemia, and its impact on patient outcomes.
Characterization of the feeding behavior of three Erythroneura species on grapevine by histological and DC‐electrical penetration graph techniques
Authors: Saguez Julien , Lemoyne Pierre , Giordanengo Philippe , Olivier Chrystel , Lasnier Jacques , Mauffette Yves , Vincent Charles 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFeeding behavior of three leafhopper species – Erythroneura vitis (Harris), Erythroneura ziczac (Walsh), and Erythroneura elegantula (Say) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) – reared on grapevine, Vitis vinifera L. cv. ‘Seyval blanc’ (Vitaceae), was investigated using histological techniques and DC‐electrical penetration graphs (DC‐EPG). Histological studies revealed that the Erythroneura species induced white stipples on the leaves and that these leafhoppers produced thin salivary sheaths in grapevine leaf tissues. The DC‐EPG system allowed the characterization of five waveforms associated with stylet penetration and feeding in leaf tissues. These waveforms were characteristic of feeding phases corresponding to epidermis penetration pathway, salivation, and ingestion. We calculated 28 parameters (e.g., number of probes, duration of phases, and time spent in the various tissues) to describe and compare the feeding behavior of the Erythroneura species. We conclude that the three Erythroneura species are mainly mesophyll feeders but may probably also feed in other tissues such as xylem.
Olfactory responses of Rhopalosiphum padi to three maize, potato, and wheat cultivars and the selection of prospective crop border plants
Authors: Schröder Michelle L. , Glinwood Robert , Webster Ben , Ignell Rickard , Krüger Kerstin 
Published: October 2015

AbstractUnderstanding host plant volatile – aphid interactions can facilitate the selection of crop border plants as a strategy to reduce plant virus incidence in crops. Crop border plant species with attractive odours could be used to attract aphids into the border crop and away from the main crop. As different cultivars of the same crop can vary in their olfactory attractiveness to aphids, selecting an attractive cultivar as a border crop is important to increase aphid landing rates. This study evaluated olfactory responses of the bird cherry‐oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi (L.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), to three cultivars each of maize [Zea mays L. (Poaceae)], potato [Solanum tuberosum L. (Solanaceae)], and wheat [Triticum aestivum L. (Poaceae)] with the aim of selecting an attractive crop border plant to reduce the incidence of the non‐persistent Potato virus Y [PVY (Potyviridae)] in seed potatoes. Volatiles emitted by the crop cultivars were collected and identified using coupled gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Quantitative and qualitative differences were found among cultivars. Behavioural responses of alate R. padi to odours of the cultivars and synthetic compounds identified from the plants were determined with a four‐arm olfactometer. Rhopalosiphum padi was attracted to odours emitted from maize cultivar 6Q‐121, but did not respond to odours from the remaining eight crop cultivars. Volatile compounds from maize and wheat cultivars that elicited a behavioural response from R. padi and contributed to differences in plant volatile profiles included (Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate (attractant) and α‐farnesene, (E)‐2‐hexenal, indole, and (3E,7E)‐4,8,12‐trimethyltrideca‐1,3,7,11‐tetraene (TMTT) (repellents). We conclude that maize cv. 6Q‐121 is potentially suitable as a crop border plant based on the behavioural response of R. padi to the olfactory cues emitted by this cultivar. The findings provide insight into selecting crop cultivars capable of attracting R. padi to crop border plants.
Contrast and response gain control depend on cortical map architecture
Authors: Hietanen Markus A. , Cloherty Shaun L. , Ibbotson Michael R. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractVisual cortical neurons are sensitive to visual stimulus contrast and most cells adapt their sensitivity to the prevailing visual environment. Specifically, they match the steepest region of their contrast response function to the prevailing contrast (contrast gain control), and reduce spike rates to limit saturation (response gain control). Most neurons are also tuned for stimulus orientation, and neurons with similar orientation preference are clustered together into iso‐orientation zones arranged around pinwheels, i.e. points where all orientations are represented. Here we investigated the relationship between the contrast adaptation properties of neurons and their location relative to pinwheels in the orientation preference map. We measured orientation preference maps in cat cortex using optical intrinsic signal imaging. We then characterized the contrast adaptation properties of single neurons located close to pinwheels, in iso‐orientation zones, and at regions in between. We found little evidence of differential contrast sensitivity of neurons adapted to zero contrast. However, after adaptation to their preferred orientation at high contrast, changes in both contrast and response gain were greater for neurons near pinwheels compared with other map regions. Therefore, in the adapted state, which is probably typical during natural viewing, there is a spatial map of contrast sensitivity that is associated with the orientation preference map. This differential adaptation revealed a new dimension of cortical functional organization, linking the contrast adaptation of cells with the orientation preference of their nearest neighbours.
Affine‐Structure Models and the Pricing of Energy Commodity Derivatives
Authors: Kyriakou Ioannis , Nomikos Nikos K. , Papapostolou Nikos C. , Pouliasis Panos K. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe consider a seasonal mean‐reverting model for energy commodity prices with jumps and Heston‐type stochastic volatility, and three nested models for comparison. By exploiting the affine form of the log‐spot models, we develop a general valuation framework for futures and discrete arithmetic Asian options. We investigate five major petroleum commodities from Europe (Brent crude oil, gasoil) and US (light sweet crude oil, gasoline, heating oil) and analyse the effects of the competing fitted spot models in futures pricing, Asian options pricing and hedging. We find evidence that price jumps and stochastic volatility are important features of the petroleum price dynamics.
Velocity of temperature and flowering time in wheat – assisting breeders to keep pace with climate change
Authors: Zheng Bangyou , Chenu Karine , Chapman Scott C. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBy accelerating crop development, warming climates may result in mismatches between key sensitive growth stages and extreme climate events, with severe consequences for crop yield and food security. Using recent estimates of gene responses to vernalization and photoperiod in wheat, we modelled the flowering times of all ‘potential’ genotypes as influenced by the velocity of climate change across the Australian wheatbelt. In the period 1957–2010, seasonal increases in temperature of 0.012 °C yr−1 were recorded and changed flowering time of a mid‐season wheat genotype by an average −0.074 day yr−1, with flowering ‘velocity’ of up to 0.95 km yr−1 towards the coastal edges of the wheatbelt; this is an estimate of how quickly the given genotype would have to be ‘moved’ across the landscape to maintain its original flowering time. By 2030, these national changes are projected to accelerate by up to 3‐fold for seasonal temperature and by up to 5‐fold for flowering time between now and 2030, with average national shifts in flowering time of 0.33 and 0.41 day yr−1 between baseline and the worst climate scenario tested for 2030 and 2050, respectively. Without new flowering alleles in commercial germplasm, the life cycle of wheat crops is predicted to shorten by 2 weeks by 2030 across the wheatbelt for the most pessimistic climate scenario. While current cultivars may be otherwise suitable for future conditions, they will flower earlier due to warmer temperatures. To allow earlier sowing to escape frost, heat and terminal drought, and to maintain current growing period of early‐sown wheat crops in the future, breeders will need to develop and/or introduce new genetic sources for later flowering, more so in the eastern part of the wheatbelt.
Genotypic diversity effects on biomass production in native perennial bioenergy cropping systems
Authors: Morris Geoffrey P. , Hu Zhenbin , Grabowski Paul P. , Borevitz Justin O. , de Graaff Marie‐Anne , Miller R. Michael , Jastrow Julie D. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe perennial grass species that are being developed as biomass feedstock crops harbor extensive genotypic diversity, but the effects of this diversity on biomass production are not well understood. We investigated the effects of genotypic diversity in switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) and big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) on perennial biomass cropping systems in two experiments conducted over 2008–2014 at a 5.4‐ha fertile field site in northeastern Illinois, USA. We varied levels of switchgrass and big bluestem genotypic diversity using various local and nonlocal cultivars – under low or high species diversity, with or without nitrogen inputs – and quantified establishment, biomass yield, and biomass composition. In one experiment (‘agronomic trial’), we compared three switchgrass cultivars in monoculture to a switchgrass cultivar mixture and three different species mixtures, with or without N fertilization. In another experiment (‘diversity gradient’), we varied diversity levels in switchgrass and big bluestem (1, 2, 4, or 6 cultivars per plot), with one or two species per plot. In both experiments, cultivar mixtures produced yields equivalent to or greater than the best cultivars. In the agronomic trial, the three switchgrass mixture showed the highest production overall, though not significantly different than best cultivar monoculture. In the diversity gradient, genotypic mixtures had one‐third higher biomass production than the average monoculture, and none of the monocultures were significantly higher yielding than the average mixture. Year‐to‐year variation in yields was lowest in the three‐cultivar switchgrass mixtures and Cave‐In‐Rock (the southern Illinois cultivar) and also reduced in the mixture of switchgrass and big bluestem relative to the species monocultures. The effects of genotypic diversity on biomass composition were modest relative to the differences among species and genotypes. Our findings suggest that local genotypes can be included in biomass cropping systems without compromising yields and that genotypic mixtures could help provide high, stable yields of high‐quality biomass feedstocks.
Extending understanding of latitudinal patterns in parasitoid wasp diversity
Authors: Timms Laura L. , Schwarzfeld Marla , Sääksjärvi Ilari E. 
Published: October 2015

Abstract

While the diversity of most taxa increases from temperate to tropical regions, the parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae has often been cited as an example of an anomalous diversity pattern with their highest diversity at mid‐latitudes. A rich body of literature has attempted to explain this pattern and provide hypothesised mechanisms, and recent studies have suggested that the pattern may result from biases in the data.

Previous studies of patterns in ichneumonid diversity have mined catalogue data or have compared collections from tropical and temperate areas across a limited range of latitudes. Few studies are available that include species richness for all subfamilies, and none have been from regions above 60°N.

To increase the number of datasets available to address these patterns, we first tested the assumption that subfamily abundance can be a strong predictor of species richness. We then compared abundances of ichneumonid subfamilies in field collections from a wide range of latitudes (25°S–81°N), and used generalised additive models to evaluate characteristics of the subfamilies as predictors of the observed patterns.

We demonstrate a wide variety of latitudinal patterns, reflecting the ecological variation between subfamilies. In addition, our models show that host taxon and subfamily identities are better predictors of the shape of the relationship between subfamily abundance and latitude than other characteristics that have been previously hypothesised to be important, including parasitoid life history strategy and body size.