bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutritional and therapeutic potential ofbael(Aegle marmelosCorr.) fruit juice: a review
Authors: Bhardwaj R. L. , Nandal Urvashi
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to summarize the scientific information of various qualities of bael fruit juice used in traditional system of medicine for variety of purposes. Utilization of bael fruit juice in day-to-day life has great nutritional, therapeutic, and commercial importance. Bael fruit contains nutrients like vitamins (riboflavin), minerals, trace elements, energy and phytochemicals, including flavonoids, polyphenols and antioxidants, that have been shown to have varied health benefits. In past few decades, bael has been extensively studied for its medicinal properties by advanced scientific techniques, and a variety of bioactive compounds like marmelosin, tannins, alkaloids, coumarins, steroids, rutacine, y-sitosterol, psoralin, xanthotoxin, scopolotein, aegelemine, aegeline, marmeline, fragrine, dictamine, cinnamide and different derivatives of cinnamide have been isolated from its fruit juice.

Design/methodology/approach

– The medicinal value of bael fruit is very high when the harvests just begin to ripen. As a result, it has a high demand as alternative medicine for curing the diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol, peptic ulcer, inflammation, diarrhea and dysentery, constipation, respiratory infection. Furthermore, the bael fruit juice has anticancer, cardio protective, antibacterial, antifungal, radio protective, antipyretic, analgesic, antioxidant, antiviral, anthelmintic and anti-inflammatory, hepatoprotective, wound healing properties. The ripe fruit juice is aromatic, has cooling and laxative effects, and arrests secretion or bleeding.

Findings

– The unripe or half-ripe fruit juice is good for digestion, useful in preventing or curing scurvy, and it strengthens the stomach action. It helps in the healing of ulcerated intestinal surfaces and has appreciable activity against intestinal pathogenic organisms. The present review summarizes the scientific information of various qualities of bael fruit juice used in traditional system of medicine for a variety of purposes.

Originality/value

– It is quite evident from this review that bael is an important medicinal herb and extensively used in Ayurveda, Siddha and other medicinal systems. Bael fruit juice is an excellent source of water and natural sugar and is important principally for containing vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals, antioxidants, pigments, energy, organic acids, dietary fiber and other food components, which are the key factors in the medicinal value of this plant. Moreover, mechanisms of action of a few bioactive compounds have been identified so far.
Genotype × environment influence on African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa) antinutrients
Authors: Adesoye Adenubi , Oluyede Temidayo
Published: November 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to determine the influence of genotype and environment on tannins, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and haemagglutinin content of African yam bean (AYB). The presence of antinutritional factors (ANFs) alongside hardness-to-cook have been identified as reasons for the neglected and under-utilized status of AYB, a protein-rich legume. Various researchers have focused on ways to reduce these ANFs. However, breeding varieties of AYB with low levels of these ANFs offers a more satisfactory long-term solution to this problem.

Design/methodology/approach

– Fifteen genotypes of AYB were grown in three different locations – Abakaliki (6° 19′ N 8° 6′ E), Enugu (6° 52′ N 7° 37′ E) and Ibadan (7° 26′ N 3° 53′ E). The locations are representative of the major areas where AYB are produced in Nigeria. Seeds were collected and analysed for the presence of haemagglutinin, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and tannin.

Findings

– Genotype effects were strongest in controlling haemagglutinin content, while environment was the major source of variation for phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and tannin content. Therefore, variability in the levels of these ANFs in AYB depends largely on the environment where they are grown. Genotype × environment was significant for all the ANFs.

Research limitations/implications

– The implication of this is that an AYB genotype grown and safely consumed in an environment could have antinutritional effects when grown and consumed in another environment.

Originality/value

– While research has been carried out on genotypic variations in ANFs of AYB, limited work has been done on the effect of genotype × environment interactions on these ANFs.
Algorithm to select optimal systemic anti‐psoriatic drugs in relation with patients' Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score for plaque psoriasis
Authors: Bae Soo Hyeon , Yun Sook Jung , Lee Jee‐Bum , Kim Seong‐Jin , Won Young Ho , Lee Seung‐Chul
Published: November 2015

This study sought to develop a therapeutic algorithm for selecting the optimal systemic drugs to treat moderate to severe psoriasis, based on the patient's Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI) score. Data from 191 patients undergoing treatment for plaque psoriasis were retrospectively analyzed. Pre‐ and post‐treatment PASI scores were compared across patients treated with acitretin of retinoic acid (RA; n = 95), methotrexate (MTX; n = 41) or cyclosporin A (CsA; n = 55). The PASI score improvement was examined at weeks 4 (primary end‐point) and 12 (secondary end‐point). MTX and CsA had a higher global therapeutic efficacy, with more patients exhibiting a marked improvement (≥75% improvement in PASI [PASI 75]) at week 12 with MTX (56.1%, P = 0.028) and CsA (54.5%, P = 0.025) than RA (35.8%). Multivariate analysis adjusting for confounders produced consistent results (P = 0.026). For patients with severe psoriasis (PASI >12), the PASI 75 response was higher with CsA (55.6%) than RA (31.5%) (P = 0.023) at week 4 and higher with MTX (57.1%, P = 0.029) and CsA (61.5%, P = 0.017) than RA (21.7%) at week 12. Because RA is a standard systemic drug, the RA group was divided into two subgroups based on the PASI 50 response at week 12. Marked or moderate improvement (PASI ≥50) with RA was observed in patients with a pretreatment PASI score less than 14. Thus, oral RA is recommended as a first‐line drug for patients with PASI of less than 14, and MTX or CsA are recommended for patients with PASI of 14 or more.
Incidence and prognostic significance of non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality in glioblastoma
Authors: Lasocki Arian , Gaillard Frank , Tacey Mark , Drummond Katharine , Stuckey Stephen
Published: November 2015

Introduction

The presence of non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality is useful for differentiating between glioblastoma and metastatic disease, but its significance has not been studied. We aimed to determine the incidence and prognostic implications of non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality in glioblastomas.

Methods

Patients with a new diagnosis of glioblastoma between September 2007 and December 2010 were identified. Only patients with at least fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and post‐contrast T1‐weighted sequences were included. Pre‐operative MRIs were reviewed together by two readers to determine whether there was evidence of non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality, based primarily on the FLAIR sequence. The results were compared with patient survival using both univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results

One hundred fifty‐one patients met the inclusion criteria. Seventy‐seven patients (51%) had evidence of non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality. On both univariate and multivariate analysis, there was overall no significant difference in survival between patients with non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality and those without. Peripheral enhancing lesions (51 patients) were generally associated with the longest survival, but subgroup analysis suggested that non‐enhancing signal abnormality was associated with worse survival in these patients (P = 0.004), conveying an intermediate prognosis.

Conclusions

Non‐enhancing cortical signal abnormality is a common feature of glioblastomas, occurring in about half of cases. It does not affect survival overall, but appears to be associated with worse survival in the setting of a peripherally located enhancing lesion. This has the potential to alter surgical management.
The burden of disease attributable to cannabis use in Canada in 2012
Authors: Imtiaz Sameer , Shield Kevin D. , Roerecke Michael , Cheng Joyce , Popova Svetlana , Kurdyak Paul , Fischer Benedikt , Rehm Jürgen
Published: November 2015

Background and Aims

Cannabis use is associated with several adverse health effects. However, little is known about the cannabis‐attributable burden of disease. This study quantified the age‐, sex‐ and adverse health effect‐specific cannabis‐attributable (1) mortality, (2) years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs), (3) years of life lost due to disability (YLDs) and (4) disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) in Canada in 2012.

Design

Epidemiological modeling.

Setting

Canada.

Participants

Canadians aged ≥ 15 years in 2012.

Measurements

Using comparative risk assessment methodology, cannabis‐attributable fractions were computed using Canadian exposure data and risk relations from large studies or meta‐analyses. Outcome data were obtained from Canadian databases and the World Health Organization. The 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed using Monte Carlo methodology.

Findings

Cannabis use was estimated to have caused 287 deaths (95% CI = 108, 609), 10 533 YLLs (95% CI = 4760, 20 833), 55 813 YLDs (95% CI = 38 175, 74 094) and 66 346 DALYs (95% CI = 47 785, 87 207), based on causal impacts on cannabis use disorders, schizophrenia, lung cancer and road traffic injuries. Cannabis‐attributable burden of disease was highest among young people, and males accounted for twice the burden than females. Cannabis use disorders were the most important single cause of the cannabis‐attributable burden of disease.

Conclusions

The cannabis‐attributable burden of disease in Canada in 2012 included 55 813 years of life lost due to disability, caused mainly by cannabis use disorders. Although the cannabis‐attributable burden of disease was substantial, it was much lower compared with other commonly used legal and illegal substances. Moreover, the evidence base for cannabis‐attributable harms was smaller.
Long‐term outcomes after randomization to buprenorphine/naloxone versus methadone in a multi‐site trial
Authors: Hser Yih‐Ing , Evans Elizabeth , Huang David , Weiss Robert , Saxon Andrew , Carroll Kathleen M. , Woody George , Liu David , Wakim Paul , Matthews Abigail G. , Hatch‐Maillette Mary , Jelstrom Eve , Wiest Katharina , McLaughlin Paul , Ling Walter
Published: November 2015

Aims

To compare long‐term outcomes among participants randomized to buprenorphine or methadone.

Design, Setting and Participants

Follow‐up was conducted in 2011–14 of 1080 opioid‐dependent participants entering seven opioid treatment programs in the United States between 2006 and 2009 and randomized (within each program) to receive open‐label buprenorphine/naloxone or methadone for up to 24 weeks; 795 participants completed in‐person interviews (~74% follow‐up interview rate) covering on average 4.5 years.

Measurements

Outcomes were indicated by mortality and opioid use. Covariates included demographics, site, cocaine use and treatment experiences.

Findings

Mortality was not different between the two randomized conditions, with 23 (3.6%) of 630 participants randomized to buprenorphine having died versus 26 (5.8%) of 450 participants randomized to methadone. Opioid use at follow‐up was higher among participants randomized to buprenorphine relative to methadone [42.8 versus 31.7% positive opioid urine specimens, P < 0.01, effect size (h) = 0.23 (0.09, 0.38); 5.8 days versus 4.4 days of past 30‐day heroin use, P < 0.05, effect size (d) = 0.14 (0.00, 0.28)]. Opioid use during the follow‐up period by randomization condition was also significant (F(7,39 600) = 3.16; P < 0.001) due mainly to less treatment participation among participants randomized to buprenorphine than methadone. Less opioid use was associated with both buprenorphine and methadone treatment (relative to no treatment); no difference was found between the two treatments. Individuals who are white or used cocaine at baseline responded better to methadone than to buprenorphine.

Conclusions

There are few differences in long‐term outcomes between buprenorphine and methadone treatment for opioid dependence, and treatment with each medication is associated with a strong reduction in opioid use.
Pregestational diabetes is associated with adverse outcomes in twin pregnancies: a regional register‐based study
Authors: Darke Joanne , Glinianaia Svetlana V. , Marsden Philippa , Bell Ruth
Published: November 2015

Introduction

The incidence of pregnancies complicated by twinning and diabetes is increasing in the UK. This is a worrying trend as both diabetes and twin gestations are associated with a high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. The few studies that have specifically addressed how twinning and pregestational diabetes in the same pregnancy may affect outcome have reported conflicting results.

Material and methods

We analyzed data on 27 women with a twin pregnancy and pregestational diabetes (54 babies) and 6407 women with a twin pregnancy without diabetes (12 814 babies) from the Northern Survey of Twin and Multiple Pregnancy during 1998–2010. A composite adverse pregnancy outcome (comprising fetal loss before 24 weeks, termination of pregnancy, stillbirth, infant death or any major congenital anomaly), extended perinatal mortality (stillbirths and neonatal deaths) and major congenital anomaly were the main outcome measures. Adjusted rate ratios were estimated using generalized estimating equations for Poisson regression controlling for potential confounders.

Results

Mothers with twin pregnancies with diabetes were older (p = 0.001) and had higher body mass indices (p < 0.0001) than those without diabetes. Their twins were more likely to be delivered earlier (p = 0.026), be delivered by cesarean section (80.4% vs. 49.7%; p < 0.0001), be large‐for‐gestational‐age (p < 0.0001) and require admission to a special care baby unit (p < 0.0001). Pregestational diabetes was associated with significantly increased rates of the composite adverse outcome and major congenital anomalies in twins (adjusted rate ratios 2.66, 95% confidence interval 1.14–6.20 and adjusted rate ratios 3.51, 95% confidence interval 1.31–9.40, respectively).

Conclusion

Maternal pregestational diabetes in twin pregnancies is associated with a significantly increased risk of an adverse pregnancy outcome.
Characteristics of babies who unexpectedly survive long term after withdrawal of intensive care
Authors: Pal Sanchita , Jones Jacqueline , Job Sajeev , Maynard Linda , Curley Anna , Clarke Paul
Published: November 2015

Aim

Occasional babies survive long term after withdrawal of intensive care despite a poor prognosis. We aimed to review in detail the clinical cases, characteristics, and outcomes of neonates with unexpected protracted survival following planned withdrawal of intensive cardiorespiratory support.

Methods

We reviewed infants who unexpectedly survived for more than one week following planned withdrawal of intensive care in two tertiary‐level NICUs over a seven‐year period.

Results

We identified eight long‐term survivors (six term, two preterm) between 2007 and 2013. All had a clinical diagnosis of grade 3 hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy and severely abnormal electroencephalography and neuroimaging prior to intensive care withdrawal. Intensive care was withdrawn at five days postnatal age (range: two to nine days), but the possibility of protracted survival was discussed beforehand in only two cases. Three infants died before three months of age. Five infants remain alive, currently aged from 2.0 to 6.5 years, and all have significant neurodevelopmental problems.

Conclusion

Unexpected long‐term survival after neonatal intensive care withdrawal occurs occasionally but unpredictably. Significant neurodevelopmental adversity was invariable in those surviving beyond infancy. Ventilator dependency along with severely abnormal electroencephalography and neuroimaging is still compatible with long‐term survival. The possibility of protracted survival should be discussed routinely with parents before intensive care withdrawal.
Short courses of dual‐strain probiotics appear to be effective in reducing necrotising enterocolitis
Authors: Guthmann Florian , Arlettaz Mieth Romaine P. , Bucher Hans Ulrich , Bührer Christoph
Published: November 2015

Aim

Prophylactic probiotics to reduce necrotising enterocolitis (NEC) are mostly given for at least 28 days or until discharge. We describe the effects of a shorter duration dosing strategy.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of neonates (birthweight 400–1500 g) in three neonatal intensive care units in Switzerland and Germany that embarked on probiotic prophylaxis given for 10 or 14 days, employing a fixed combination (Lactobacillus acidophilus plus Bifidobacterium infantis, each 109 CFU/day) licensed as a drug in Switzerland. Probiotics were initiated upon discontinuation of antibiotics, or on day 1–3 in infants without antibiotics. Repeat probiotic courses were given whenever antibiotics had been instituted and were discontinued.

Results

Birthweight and gestational age were similar in the two 24‐month pre‐ and postimplementation cohorts. NEC rates fell from 33 of 633 (5.2%) to 8 of 591 infants alive at three days (1.4%; risk ratio (RR) 0.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12–0.55). The drop in NEC was significant both for infants of 400–999 g (6.4% to 2.5%) and 1000–1500 g birthweight (4.4% to 0.6%). Mortality was 5.1% (32/633) without, as opposed to 3.5% (21/591) with probiotics, respectively (RR 0.69, 95% CI 0.41–1.19).

Conclusion

Short courses of a dual‐strain probiotics appear to be effective in reducing NEC.
Current concepts on microscopic colitis: evidence‐based statements and recommendations of the Spanish Microscopic Colitis Group
Authors: Fernández‐Bañares F. , Casanova M. J. , Arguedas Y. , Beltrán B. , Busquets D. , Fernández J. M. , Fernández‐Salazar L. , García‐Planella E. , Guagnozzi D. , Lucendo A. J. , Manceñido N. , Marín‐Jiménez I. , Montoro M. , Piqueras M. , Robles V. , Ruiz‐Cerulla A. , Gisbert J. P. ,   the Spanish Microscopic Colitis Group (SMCG)
Published: November 2015

Background

Microscopic colitis (MC) is an underdiagnosed inflammatory bowel disease.

Aim

To develop an evidence‐based clinical practice guide on MC current concepts.

Methods

Literature search was done on the Cochrane Library, EMBASE and MEDLINE electronic databases, which were consulted covering the period up until March 2015. Work groups were selected for each of the reviewed topics, with the purpose of drafting the initial statements and recommendations. They subsequently underwent a voting process based on the Delphi method. Each statement/recommendation was accompanied by the result of the vote the level of evidence, and discussion of the corresponding evidence. The grade of recommendation (GR) using the GRADE approach was established for diagnosis and treatment recommendations.

Results

Some key statements and recommendations are: advancing age increases the risk of developing MC, mainly in females. The symptoms of MC and IBS‐D may be similar. If MC is suspected, colonoscopy taking biopsies is mandatory. Treatment with oral budesonide is recommended to induce clinical remission in patients with MC. Oral mesalazine is not recommended in patients with collagenous colitis for the induction of clinical remission. The use of anti‐TNF‐alpha drugs (infliximab, adalimumab) is recommended for the induction of remission in severe cases of MC that fail to respond to corticosteroids or immunomodulators, as an alternative to colectomy.

Conclusions

This is the first consensus paper on MC based on GRADE methodology. This initiative may help physicians involved in care of these patients in taking decisions based on evidence.
Effects of dietary leucine supplementation in low crude protein diets on performance, nitrogen balance, whole‐body protein turnover, carcass characteristics and meat quality of finishing pigs
Authors: Zhang Shihai , Chu Licui , Qiao Shiyan , Mao Xiangbing , Zeng Xiangfang
Published: November 2015

Eighteen Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire barrows, with an average initial body weight (BW) of 75.4 ± 2.0 kg, were randomly allotted to one of three diets with six replicates per treatment for 25 days. The diets comprised a normal protein diet (NP, 14.5% crude protein), a low crude protein diet supplemented with 0.27% alanine (LP + Ala, 10.0% crude protein), or a low crude protein diet supplemented with 0.40% leucine (LP + Leu, 10.0% crude protein). The whole‐body protein synthesis rate, whole‐body protein breakdown rate and protein deposition rate in pigs fed the LP + Leu diet were similar to the NP diet (P > 0.05), and both were significantly higher than pigs fed the LP + Ala diet (P < 0.05). The Longissimus muscle area (LMA) of pigs fed the LP + Leu diet was larger than those fed the LP + Ala diet (P = 0.05). In addition, drip loss and intramuscular fat of pigs fed the LP + Ala diet were higher than that of the others (P < 0.05). In conclusion, supplementation of leucine in low protein diet could stimulate protein deposition and improve the meat quality of finishing pigs more than an alanine‐supplemented one.
SATB2‐associated syndrome presenting with Rett‐like phenotypes
Authors: Lee J.S. , Yoo Y. , Lim B.C. , Kim K.J. , Choi M. , Chae J.‐H.
Published: November 2015

The SATB2‐associated syndrome (SAS) was proposed recently, after the SATB2 gene was initially discovered to be associated with isolated cleft palate. This syndrome is characterized by intellectual disability with delayed speech development, facial dysmorphism, cleft or high‐arched palate, and dentition problems. Here, we describe two novel SATB2 sequence variants in two unrelated patients presenting with Rett‐like phenotypes. We performed trio‐based whole‐exome sequencing in a 17‐month‐old girl presenting with severe retardation and Rett‐like phenotypes, which revealed a de novo missense variant in SATB2 (p.Glu396Gln). Moreover, targeted sequencing of the SATB2 gene was performed in a 2‐year‐old girl with severe psychomotor retardation, facial hypotonia, and cleft palate who also exhibited some features of Rett syndrome. A nonsense variant in SATB2 was identified in this patient (p.Arg459*). This study expanded the clinical and genetic spectrum of SAS. SATB2 variants should be considered in cases with psychomotor retardation alone or in any cases with Rett‐like phenotypes, regardless of the typical features of SAS such as cleft palate.
Sibling Relationships in Adoptive and Fostering Families: A Review of the International Research Literature
Authors: Jones Christine
Published: November 2015

This paper presents a review of the international research literature published since 2005 focusing specifically on sibling relationships in fostering and adoptive families. It presents an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding sibling relationships of fostered and adopted children as well as gaps and limitations. The review concludes that while methodological advances are apparent in this body of work siblinghood is poorly conceptualised and there has been inadequate attention to the perspectives of children. The paper goes on to suggest that one possible source of insight comes from recent work undertaken within social anthropology and sociology and the application of this theoretical and methodological approach to the study of siblinghood in out‐of‐home care is considered.
Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership and Trans‐Pacific Partnership: Policy Options of China
Authors: Aslan Buhara , Kutuk Merve Mavus , Oduncu Arif
Published: November 2015

As a result of deadlocked multilateral trade negotiations, many countries have embarked on the establishment of bilateral and regional trade agreements. Using the Global Trade Analysis Project database and a computable general equilibrium model, our paper focuses on the impacts of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans‐Pacific Partnership (TPP) on the Chinese economy under three scenarios. The results suggest that when only the TTIP is realized, Chinese economic variables are negatively affected. When both the TTIP and the TPP are realized and China is excluded, the combined damage to the Chinese economy is higher than the damage with the TTIP alone. However, the inclusion of China in the TPP has a positively effect on economic variables in China. This indicates that the impacts of China's participation in the TPP compensate for the negative impacts of the TTIP. Therefore, China should consider being part of the TPP to offset the negative impacts of the TTIP.
Chinese Renminbi Arrival in the “Tripolar” Global Monetary Regime
Authors: Ryan John
Published: November 2015

Since the financial crisis hit in 2007, the US dollar privilege has not only become “exorbitant” but “extortianate.” Countries such as China are no longer willing to allow the USA to exercise this extortionate behavior. The potential geopolitical implications of a US dollar decline are immense. The USA would lose its privileged seigniorage position and with that the ability to achieve permanently higher returns on foreign assets than the returns paid to foreigners who invest in the USA. The global economy is already close to operating with three regional exchange rate anchors: the US dollar; the euro; and, increasingly, the renminbi. Hence, the transition to a tripolar system could occur sooner than many assert. Nevertheless, given the importance of financial deepening and integration in the internationalization of currencies, any shift will still be gradual.
Remedy or Poison: Impacts of China's Outward Direct Investment on Its Exports
Authors: Liu Xiaoguang , Gou Qin , Lu Feng
Published: November 2015

During the past decade, China's outward direct investment (ODI) and exports have experienced rapid growth, drawing increasing attention to the relationship between them. Using the gravity model based on panel data on China's ODI and trade to 174 countries and regions during 2003–2012, the present paper investigates the impacts of China's ODI on exports. We find that China's ODI to a host country significantly promotes China's trade with that economy: a 10‐percent increase in ODI stock can lead to a 2.14‐percent increase in exports, a 2.07‐percent increase in imports and a 2.87‐percent increase in net exports. The scale of the host country's economy, its infrastructure and its distance to China also have significant impacts on China's exports. Therefore, growth in ODI will facilitate China's trade and integration into the global economy, and enhance industrial upgrading in China by transferring the low‐end industries abroad.
Language Deficits in Poor L2 Comprehenders: The Simple View
Authors: Sparks Richard L.
Published: November 2015

The simple view of reading (SVR) model proposes that reading comprehension is the product of word decoding and language comprehension, and that both components make independent contributions to reading skill (Gough & Tunmer, 1986). The model posits that there are good readers and three types of poor readers—dyslexic, hyperlexic, and garden variety—who exhibit different profiles of strengths and/or deficits in word decoding and language comprehension. In this study, 165 first‐ and second‐year high school students studying Spanish as a second language in the United States were administered standardized measures of Spanish word decoding, pseudoword decoding, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Participants' scores were compared to monolingual Spanish readers from grades 1 to 9 and then classified according to SVR reader types. The majority of students met the hyperlexic profile (good word decoding, poor reading comprehension). No participant fit the dyslexic criteria (poor decoding, good reading comprehension), and none met the good reader criteria (good word decoding, good reading comprehension) at a level higher than that of second‐grade monolingual Spanish learners.
Do trace metals select for darker birds in urban areas? An experimental exposure to lead and zinc
Authors: Chatelain Marion , Gasparini Julien , Frantz Adrien
Published: November 2015

Trace metals from anthropogenic activities are involved in numerous health impairments and may therefore select for detoxification mechanisms or a higher tolerance. Melanin, responsible for the black and red colourations of teguments, plays a role in metal ion chelation and its synthesis is positively linked to immunity, antioxidant capacity and stress resistance due to pleiotropic effects. Therefore, we expected darker birds to (1) store higher amounts of metals in their feathers, (2) maintain lower metal concentrations in blood and (3) suffer less from metal exposure. We exposed feral pigeons (Columba livia) exhibiting various plumage darkness levels to low, but chronic, concentrations of zinc and/or lead, two of the most abundant metals in urban areas. First, we found negative and positive effects of lead and zinc, respectively, on birds' condition and reproductive parameters. Then, we observed positive relationships between plumage darkness and both zinc and lead concentrations in feathers. Interestingly, though darker adults did not maintain lower metal concentrations in blood and did not have higher fitness parameters, darker juveniles exhibited a higher survival rate than paler ones when exposed to lead. Our results show that melanin‐based plumage colouration does modulate lead effects on birds' fitness parameters but that the relationship between metals, melanin, and fitness is more complex than expected and thus stress the need for more studies.
Humpback whale diets respond to variance in ocean climate and ecosystem conditions in the California Current
Authors: Fleming Alyson H. , Clark Casey T. , Calambokidis John , Barlow Jay
Published: November 2015

Large, migratory predators are often cited as sentinel species for ecosystem processes and climate‐related changes, but their utility as indicators is dependent upon an understanding of their response to environmental variability. Documentation of the links between climate variability, ecosystem change and predator dynamics is absent for most top predators. Identifying species that may be useful indicators and elucidating these mechanistic links provides insight into current ecological dynamics and may inform predictions of future ecosystem responses to climatic change. We examine humpback whale response to environmental variability through stable isotope analysis of diet over a dynamic 20‐year period (1993–2012) in the California Current System (CCS). Humpback whale diets captured two major shifts in oceanographic and ecological conditions in the CCS. Isotopic signatures reflect a diet dominated by krill during periods characterized by positive phases of the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation (NPGO), cool sea surface temperature (SST), strong upwelling and high krill biomass. In contrast, humpback whale diets are dominated by schooling fish when the NPGO is negative, SST is warmer, seasonal upwelling is delayed and anchovy and sardine populations display increased biomass and range expansion. These findings demonstrate that humpback whales trophically respond to ecosystem shifts, and as a result, their foraging behavior is a synoptic indicator of oceanographic and ecological conditions across the CCS. Multi‐decadal examination of these sentinel species thus provides insight into biological consequences of interannual climate fluctuations, fundamental to advancing ecosystem predictions related to global climate change.
Site‐specific function and regulation of Osterix in tooth root formation
Authors: He Y. D. , Sui B. D. , Li M. , Huang J. , Chen S. , Wu L. A.
Published: November 2015

Congenital diseases of tooth roots, in terms of developmental abnormalities of short and thin root phenotypes, can lead to loss of teeth. A more complete understanding of the genetic molecular pathways and biological processes controlling tooth root formation is required. Recent studies have revealed that Osterix (Osx), a key mesenchymal transcriptional factor participating in both the processes of osteogenesis and odontogenesis, plays a vital role underlying the mechanisms of developmental differences between root and crown. During tooth development, Osx expression has been identified from late embryonic to postnatal stages when the tooth root develops, particularly in odontoblasts and cementoblasts to promote their differentiation and mineralization. Furthermore, the site‐specific function of Osx in tooth root formation has been confirmed, because odontoblastic Osx‐conditional knockout mice demonstrate primarily short and thin root phenotypes with no apparent abnormalities in the crown (Journal of Bone and Mineral Research 30, 2014 and 742, Journal of Dental Research 94, 2015 and 430). These findings suggest that Osx functions to promote odontoblast and cementoblast differentiation and root elongation only in root, but not in crown formation. Mechanistic research shows regulatory networks of Osx expression, which can be controlled through manipulating the epithelial BMP signalling, mesenchymal Runx2 expression and cellular phosphorylation levels, indicating feasible routes of promoting Osx expression postnatally (Journal of Cellular Biochemistry 114, 2013 and 975). In this regard, a promising approach might be available to regenerate the congenitally diseased root and that regenerative therapy would be the best choice for patients with developmental tooth diseases.
Temperamental Susceptibility to Parenting among Preterm and Full‐Term Infants in Early Cognitive Development
Authors: Gueron‐Sela Noa , Atzaba‐Poria Naama , Meiri Gal , Marks Kyla
Published: November 2015

The current study examined the interaction between premature birth, temperamental reactivity, and parenting in early cognitive development. Participants were 142 infants (80 preterm; 62 full term) and their parents. Parent–child interactions (maternal, paternal, and co‐parental) were observed at age 6 months to assess parental structuring behaviors. Additionally, both parents reported on infants' temperamental reactivity. At 12 months of age, infants' cognitive abilities were assessed. Consistent with the diathesis–stress model, preterm infants had lower cognitive outcomes than full‐term infants when exposed to low levels of co‐parental structuring, but functioned similarly when exposed to high levels of co‐parental structuring. However, temperamental reactivity moderated this effect: Infants who carried one susceptibility factor (i.e., premature birth or reactive temperament) were similarly affected by co‐parental structuring, whereas infants who carried two or no susceptibility factors were not. Furthermore, consistent with the differential susceptibility hypothesis, infants with highly reactive temperaments had lower cognitive functioning when exposed to low maternal structuring, but higher cognitive functioning when exposed to high maternal structuring compared to infants with lower reactivity. Results from this study highlight the importance of considering both temperamental reactivity and quality of parenting in understanding preterm infants' early cognitive vulnerability.
Etiology of Intracranial Arterial Stenosis: Are Transcranial Color‐Coded Duplex Ultrasound and 3T Black Blood MR Imaging Complementary?
Authors: Perren Fabienne , Vargas Maria I. , Kargiotis Odysseas
Published: November 2015

BACKGROUND

In order to differentiate between the different causes of intracranial stenosis, we compared the diagnostic results of transcranial color‐coded duplex (TCCD) sonography with the recently developed 3D high‐resolution black blood MR sequence.

METHODS

We studied retrospectively 20 patients referred to our hospital after acute ischemic stroke who were diagnosed with intracranial stenosis and in whom a repetitive TCCD and a 3D MR T1 FAT SAT (black blood) sequence at 3T (TR/TE 350/20 ms, FOV 160×182×120 mm, 0.4×0.4×0.4 size of pixel, 300 slices, Fat Sat spair, acquisition time 6 minutes 14) were performed. Etiological diagnosis was based on one hand on the morphological aspect of the arterial wall (black blood T1 FAT SAT sequence) and on the hemodynamic aspect (TCCD) on the other hand. Analysis of black blood T1 FAT SAT MR sequence and TCCD agreement on the etiological diagnosis was performed using sign test.

RESULTS

TCCD was performed at admission and at least at two different intervals during follow‐up. Eleven patients had diffuse intracranial arterial disease and nine had involvement of a single intracranial artery. Etiology of intracranial arterial stenosis included: atheromatosis, thrombosis, vasculitis and reversible vasoconstriction syndrome. There was 80% agreement (sign test P = .0059) between these two methods.

CONCLUSIONS

These two combined imaging techniques might be promising for the differentiation of arteriosclerotic changes from stenosis of another origin, especially when follow‐up TCCD studies are completed early before a possible regression of the atherosclerotic plaque that might be observed 6 months after initial diagnosis.
Judicial Responsiveness to Valence Issues: An Event History Analysis of the Initial Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) Laws
Authors: Easterly Bianca
Published: November 2015

Under what conditions does judicial responsiveness to the public's policy preferences compromise the court's role as a countermajoritarian institution? Scholars have yet to examine whether and how quickly state appellate court justices respond to valence issues. This study investigates the relationship between retention elections and judicial responsiveness to the initial sex offender registration and notification (SORN) laws popularized in the 1990s. Findings show that judges who participated in nonpartisan retention elections exhibited greater democratic accountability by engaging in judicial review of SORN laws earlier than judges in other retention election systems. Valence issues create political challenges for nonpartisan judges who, like their counterparts in other retention systems, are expected to balance majoritarian interests with minority rights.
Becoming pure: identifying generational classes of admixed individuals within lesser and greater scaup populations
Authors: Lavretsky Philip , Peters Jeffrey L. , Winker Kevin , Bahn Volker , Kulikova Irina , Zhuravlev Yuri N. , Wilson Robert E. , Barger Chris , Gurney Kirsty , McCracken Kevin G.
Published: November 2015

Estimating the frequency of hybridization is important to understand its evolutionary consequences and its effects on conservation efforts. In this study, we examined the extent of hybridization in two sister species of ducks that hybridize. We used mitochondrial control region sequences and 3589 double‐digest restriction‐associated DNA sequences (ddRADseq) to identify admixture between wild lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and greater scaup (A. marila). Among 111 individuals, we found one introgressed mitochondrial DNA haplotype in lesser scaup and four in greater scaup. Likewise, based on the site‐frequency spectrum from autosomal DNA, gene flow was asymmetrical, with higher rates from lesser into greater scaup. However, using ddRADseq nuclear DNA, all individuals were assigned to their respective species with >0.95 posterior assignment probability. To examine the power for detecting admixture, we simulated a breeding experiment in which empirical data were used to create F1 hybrids and nine generations (F2–F10) of backcrossing. F1 hybrids and F2, F3 and most F4 backcrosses were clearly distinguishable from pure individuals, but evidence of admixed histories was effectively lost after the fourth generation. Thus, we conclude that low interspecific assignment probabilities (0.011–0.043) for two lesser and nineteen greater scaup were consistent with admixed histories beyond the F3 generation. These results indicate that the propensity of these species to hybridize in the wild is low and largely asymmetric. When applied to species‐specific cases, our approach offers powerful utility for examining concerns of hybridization in conservation efforts, especially for determining the generational time until admixed histories are effectively lost through backcrossing.
Association of recently described adipokines with liver histology in biopsy‐proven non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review
Authors: Bekaert M. , Verhelst X. , Geerts A. , Lapauw B. , Calders P.
Published: November 2015

The prevalence of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is rising, as is the prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. It is increasingly recognized that an impaired pattern in adipokine secretion could play a pivotal role in the development of NAFLD. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the potential link between newly described adipokines and liver histology in biopsy‐proven NAFLD patients. A computerized literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science electronic databases. Thirty‐one cross‐sectional studies were included, resulting in a total of seven different investigated adipokines. Studies included in this review mainly had a good methodological quality. Most adipokines were suggested to be involved in the inflammatory response that develops within the context of NAFLD, either at hepatic or systemic level, and/or hepatic insulin resistance. Based on literature, clinical studies suggest that chemerin, resistin and adipocyte‐fatty‐acid‐binding protein potentially are involved in NAFLD pathogenesis and/or progression. However, major inconsistency still exists, and there is a high need for larger studies, together with the need of standardized assays to determine adipokine levels.
Oral candidiasis following steroid therapy for oral lichen planus
Authors: Marable DR , Bowers LM , Stout TL , Stewart CM , Berg KM , Sankar V , DeRossi SS , Thoppay JR , Brennan MT
Published: November 2015

Objectives

The purpose of this multicentre study was to determine the incidence of oral candidiasis in patients treated with topical steroids for oral lichen planus (OLP) and to determine whether the application of a concurrent antifungal therapy prevented the development of an oral candidiasis in these patients.

Materials and Methods

Records of 315 patients with OLP seen at four Oral Medicine practices treated for at least 2 weeks with steroids with and without the use of an antifungal regimen were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

The overall incidence of oral fungal infection in those treated with steroid therapy for OLP was 13.6%. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of oral candidiasis development in those treated with an antifungal regimen vs those not treated prophylactically (14.3% vs 12.6%) (P = 0.68).

Conclusions

Despite the use of various regimens, none of the preventive antifungal strategies used in this study resulted in a significant difference in the rate of development of an oral candidiasis in patients with OLP treated with steroids.
Decrease in B‐Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels and Successful Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation in Patients with Heart Failure
Authors: YANAGISAWA SATOSHI , INDEN YASUYA , KATO HIROYUKI , FUJII AYA , MIZUTANI YOSHIAKI , ITO TADAHIRO , KAMIKUBO YOSUKE , KANZAKI YASUNORI , HIRAI MAKOTO , MUROHARA TOYOAKI
Published: November 2015

Background

Little is known about the association between B‐type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels and catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with heart failure. This study aimed to examine the impact of elimination of AF by catheter ablation on BNP levels in patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction.

Methods

Fifty‐four AF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 50%, who underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation therapy of AF, were included. BNP sampling was performed at baseline, 3 days, and 1 month after ablation.

Results

After a follow‐up period of 6 months, the BNP levels decreased significantly in the nonrecurrence group (n = 35; median 126.3 [interquartile 57.2–206.5] pg/mL, 63.5 [23.9–180.2] pg/mL, and 45.9 [21.9–160.3] pg/mL, P < 0.001, respectively), but not in the recurrence group (n = 19; 144.7 [87.1–217.3] pg/mL, 88.8 [12.9–213.2] pg/mL, and 118.5 [51.6–298.2] pg/mL, P = 0.368, respectively). The patients in the nonrecurrence group had a higher percentage relative reduction in BNP levels from baseline to 1 month after ablation than those in the recurrence group (56.5 [−9.0–77.4]% vs −2.4 [−47.1–60.9]%, P = 0.027). Additionally, a relative reduction in BNP levels significantly correlated with an increase in LVEF after ablation (r = 0.486, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

Plasma BNP levels decreased significantly with successful catheter ablation of AF in patients with impaired LVEF. The decrease in BNP levels might be associated with early recovery of cardiac function and subsequent maintenance of sinus rhythm at follow‐up.
“We Got To Live Together”: The Psychology of Encounter and the Politics of Engagement
Authors: Nesbitt‐Larking Paul
Published: November 2015

The article is set in the normative claim that our work as political psychologists emerges from concerns with our contemporary worlds and that political psychologists should not hesitate to draw out the policy implications of their own work. Following a brief explanation of the Allport tradition of the contact hypothesis and its critics, the article proposes four analytical considerations that contribute to the further understanding of the psychology of encounter and the politics of engagement: First, the insight that the individual is already constituted as a social being, through contact; second, an exploration of the opportunities and challenges of dialogue; third, the changing nature of selfhood, agency, and identity in the contemporary world; and, finally, through deep multiculturalism, the cosmopolitical perspective, and the politics of care, the case for a viable and sustainable politics of engagement.
Social Development Quartet: Emotion Socialization in the Context of Psychopathology and Risk
Authors: Lemerise Elizabeth A.
Published: November 2015

An introduction is provided to this Social Development Quartet in which the articles focus on parent emotion socialization in the context of psychopathology and risk. In two articles, the samples of children and/or adolescents have a psychiatric diagnosis [oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) or depressive disorder]. The other two articles feature samples in which children and families have experienced serious risks [exposure to inter‐parental violence (IPV) or maternal incarceration]. The articles in this Social Development Quartet extend our knowledge of the impact of parental emotion socialization practices to contexts in which children and parents experience higher than normative risks. The work reported in these articles builds upon research on emotion socialization in normative contexts, illustrating the buffering effects of supportive parenting as well as its limits.
Description of a novel HLA‐DQB1 allele, HLA‐DQB1*06:126, in the Saudi stem cell donor registry
Authors: Fakhoury H. A. , Alzahrani M. , Alaskar A. S. , Hajeer A. H.
Published: November 2015

HLA‐DQB1*06:126 differs from HLA‐DQB1*06:02:01 by a nonsynonymous C to T substitution at nucleotide position 1621 in Exon 2.