bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salivary IL‐1β and PGE2 as biomarkers of periodontal status, before and after periodontal treatment
Authors: Sánchez Gabriel A. , Miozza Valeria A. , Delgado Alejandra , Busch Lucila
Published: September 2013

Aim

Interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) are key inflammatory mediators involved in periodontitis. The purpose was to compare their salivary concentrations in relation to periodontal status and their changes after periodontal treatment, to determine their use as non‐invasive diagnostic tools.

Materials and Methods

In this study, 74 subjects grouped in periodontally healthy, mild, moderate and severe periodontitis, according to clinical attachment level (CAL) and probing pocket depth (PPD) served as participants. IL‐1β and PGE2 were determined in unstimulated whole saliva by enzyme‐linked‐immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results

Interleukin ‐1β increased with the severity of periodontitis with a large effect size in prediction of CAL (η2 = 0.35, p = 0.0001). PGE2 showed an increment in mild periodontitis and another in moderate. A significant effect size was also found between PGE2 and PPD (η2 = 0.12, p = 0.003). Both mediators decreased after periodontal treatment. With a selected threshold of 212 pg/ml, salivary IL1‐β predicted periodontitis with 78% sensitivity and 100% specificity. With a selected threshold of 121 pg/ml, salivary PGE2 predicted periodontitis with 78% sensitivity and 91% specificity.

Conclusion

The high sensitivity and specificity of salivary IL‐1β and PGE2 in identifying periodontitis suggest a potential use as biomarkers for diagnosis of periodontitis presence and severity.
Assessing periodontitis in populations: a systematic review of the validity of partial‐mouth examination protocols
Authors: Tran Duong T. , Gay Isabel , Du Xianglin L. , Fu Yunxin , Bebermeyer Richard D. , Neumann Ana S. , Streckfus Charles , Chan Wenyaw , Walji Muhammad F.
Published: September 2013

Objective

To estimate bias associated with partial‐mouth periodontal examination (PMPE) protocols regarding estimates of prevalence, severity and extent of clinical attachment loss (CAL), pocket depth (PD) and gingival recession (REC).

Material and Methods

A search was made for articles published in English, from 1946 to 2012, which compared PMPE versus full‐mouth periodontal examination protocols for CAL or PD ≥ 4 mm or REC ≥3 mm thresholds. PMPE protocols were evaluated for sensitivity of estimates of periodontitis prevalence, relative biases for severity and extent estimates.

Results

A review of the literature identified 12 studies which reported 32 PMPE protocols. Three PMPE protocols which had sensitivities ≥85% and relative biases ≤0.05 in absolute values for severity and extent estimates were as follows: (1) half‐mouth six‐sites, (2) diagonal quadrants six‐sites and (3) full‐mouth mesiobuccal–midbuccal–distobuccal (MB–B–DB). Two other PMPE protocols (full‐mouth and half‐mouth mesiobuccal–midbuccal–distolingual) performed well for prevalence and severity of periodontitis; however, their performance in estimates of extent was unknown.

Conclusions

Among the 32 PMPE protocols listed, the half‐mouth six‐sites and full‐mouth MB–B–DB protocols had the highest sensitivities for prevalence estimates and lowest relative biases for severity and extent estimates.
One phase of the dormancy developmental pathway is critical for the evolution of insect seasonality
Authors: Wadsworth C. B. , Woods W. A. , Hahn D. A. , Dopman E. B.
Published: September 2013

Evolutionary change in the timing of dormancy enables animals and plants to adapt to changing seasonal environments and can result in ecological speciation. Despite its clear biological importance, the mechanisms underlying the evolution of dormancy timing in animals remain poorly understood because of a lack of anatomical landmarks to discern which phase of dormancy an individual is experiencing. Taking advantage of the nearly universal characteristic of metabolic suppression during insect dormancy (diapause), we use patterns of respiratory metabolism to document physiological landmarks of dormancy and test which of the distinct phases of the dormancy developmental pathway contribute to a month‐long shift in diapause timing between a pair of incipient moth species. Here, we show that divergence in life cycle between the earlier‐emerging E‐strain and the later‐emerging Z‐strain of European corn borer (ECB) is clearly explained by a delay in the timing of the developmental transition from the diapause maintenance phase to the termination phase. Along with recent findings indicating that life‐cycle differences between ECB strains stem from allelic variation at a single sex‐linked locus, our results demonstrate how dramatic shifts in animal seasonality can result from simple developmental and genetic changes. Although characterizing the multiple phases of the diapause developmental programme in other locally adapted populations and species will undoubtedly yield surprises about the nature of animal dormancy, results in the ECB moth suggest that focusing on genetic variation in the timing of the dormancy termination phase may help explain how (or whether) organisms rapidly respond to global climate change, expand their ranges after accidental or managed introductions, undergo seasonal adaptation, or evolve into distinct species through allochronic isolation.
Does nasal echolocation influence the modularity of the mammal skull?
Authors: Santana S. E. , Lofgren S. E.
Published: September 2013

In vertebrates, changes in cranial modularity can evolve rapidly in response to selection. However, mammals have apparently maintained their pattern of cranial integration throughout their evolutionary history and across tremendous morphological and ecological diversity. Here, we use phylogenetic, geometric morphometric and comparative analyses to test the hypothesis that the modularity of the mammalian skull has been remodelled in rhinolophid bats due to the novel and critical function of the nasal cavity in echolocation. We predicted that nasal echolocation has resulted in the evolution of a third cranial module, the ‘nasal dome’, in addition to the braincase and rostrum modules, which are conserved across mammals. We also test for similarities in the evolution of skull shape in relation to habitat across rhinolophids. We find that, despite broad variation in the shape of the nasal dome, the integration of the rhinolophid skull is highly consistent with conserved patterns of modularity found in other mammals. Across their broad geographical distribution, cranial shape in rhinolophids follows two major divisions that could reflect adaptations to dietary and environmental differences in African versus South Asian distributions. Our results highlight the potential of a relatively simple modular template to generate broad morphological and functional variation in mammals.
Combining fossil and molecular data to date the diversification of New World Primates
Authors: Schrago C. G. , Mello B. , Soares A. E. R.
Published: September 2013

Recent methodological advances in molecular dating associated with the growing availability of sequence data have prompted the study of the evolution of New World Anthropoidea in recent years. Motivated by questions regarding historical biogeography or the mode of evolution, these works aimed to obtain a clearer scenario of Platyrrhini origins and diversification. Although some consensus was found, disputed issues, especially those relating to the evolutionary affinities of fossil taxa, remain. The use of fossil taxa for divergence time analysis is traditionally restricted to the provision of calibration priors. However, new analytical approaches have been developed that incorporate fossils as terminals and, thus, directly assign ages to the fossil tips. In this study, we conducted a combined analysis of molecular and morphological data, including fossils, to derive the timescale of New World anthropoids. Differently from previous studies that conducted total‐evidence analysis of molecules and morphology, our approach investigated the morphological clock alone. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that living platyrrhines diversified in the last 20 Ma and that Miocene Patagonian fossils compose an independent evolutionary radiation that diversified in the late Oligocene. When compared to the node ages inferred from the molecular timescale, the inclusion of fossils augmented the precision of the estimates for nodes constrained by the fossil tips. We show that morphological data can be analysed using the same methodological framework applied in relaxed molecular clock studies.
Body size and sexual size dimorphism in primates: influence of climate and net primary productivity
Authors: Dunham A. E. , Maitner B. S. , Razafindratsima O. H. , Simmons M. C. , Roy C. L.
Published: September 2013

Understanding the evolution of body size and sexual size dimorphism has been a longstanding goal in evolutionary biology. Previous work has shown that environmental stress can constrain male‐biased sexual size dimorphism at the population level, but we know little about how this might translate to geographical patterns of body size and sexual size dimorphism at the species level. Environmental constraints due to a highly seasonal, resource‐poor and/or variable environment have often been cited to explain the unusual lack of sexual size dimorphism amongMadagascar's diverse and numerous primate taxa; however, empirical tests of this hypothesis are lacking. Using a phylogenetic approach and a geographical information system platform, we explored the role of seasonality, interannual variability and annual measures of temperature and rainfall, and net primary productivity on patterns of body size and sexual size dimorphism across 130 species of primates. Phylogenetically controlled comparisons showed no support for a role of environmental constraints in moderating sexual size dimorphism at the interspecific level, despite significant associations of environmental variables with body mass. Results suggest that the focus of discussions that have dominated in the last two decades regarding the role of environmental constraints in driving patterns of monomorphism ofMadagascar's lemurs should be reconsidered; however, the conundrum remains.
Flowability and Homogeneity of Food Powders with Plated Oil Ingredient
Authors: Domian Ewa , Cenkier Jan
Published: September 2013

The present study was conducted to analyze flowability and homogeneity of single and multi‐ingredient bulk carriers with plated oil ingredient, including the influence of mixing parameters in a ploughshare mixer, addition of silica and composition of a plator. Powder flowability was determined using simple tests as Hausner ratio, angle of repose, pouring time, and by funnels. Homogeneity was determined using the analysis of variation of coefficient of color parameters. Plators received on the basis of salt and a mixture of salt and glucose with the addition of hydrophylic silica were free‐flowing powders, but their homogeneity was moderate. Plators received on the basis of mixtures containing maltodextrin were characterized by good homogeneity and were also described as free‐flowing powders. Application of porous starch as a carrier enabled to obtain plator characterized by the best homogeneity and very good flowability determined by all simple tests. Elongation of mixing time, as well as augmentation of ploughshare speed or application of a chopper resulted in deterioration of plator homogeneity. Adequate plator homogeneity was obtained without the application of chopper, when mixing time was 4.5 min and ploughshare speed was 130 rpm.

Practical Applications

The simplest means of turning liquid flavors and oils into easily manageable dry powders is to extend or plate a liquid on a dry edible carrier. The only equipment required for this process is a mixer which is capable of fluidizing the carrier and has a spray applicator that can uniformly distribute the liquid flavoring. The application of porous starches or multicomponent mixtures of carriers can optimize cost, absorption capacity, homogeneity and any number of other desired properties, as flowability. The specific combination of carriers is dependent on several factors and needs to be based on the desired finished product. Knowledge of the effect of carrier and mixing conditions on the flowability and homogeneity of the plated liquid ingredient would help in understanding their suitability in plator production. In the quality control are useful measurements that are easily feasible, fast, repeatable and accurate. Knowledge of the applicability of simple tests to assess the homogeneity and powder flowability of plators indicates the guidelines for quick and optimal designing of such processes.
Effect of Traditional Nixtamalization Process on Starch Annealing and the Relation to Pozole Quality
Authors: Figueroa J.D.C. , Véles‐Medina J.J. , Tolentino‐López E.M. , Gaytán‐Martínez M. , Aragón‐Cuevas F. , Palacios N. , Willcox M.
Published: September 2013

Several maize landraces were evaluated using microstructural and rheological starch properties and related them to pozole quality. Annealed starch produced during traditional nixtamalization and additional boiling step enhances the viscosity, swelling and starch stability to collapse by forming amylose–lipid complexes. Regarding pozole broth, Cacahuacintle maize (pozole end‐use) presented significantly higher (P < 0.05) soluble solids (0.41%) compared with tortilla end‐use landraces Pepitilla (0.16%) and Celaya (0.32%). The explanation is that Cacahuacintle pozole matrix did not collapse, but it eroded, forming a sponge structure. Celaya had a compact matrix structure. Pozole yield was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Cacahuacintle as it was 100% soft endosperm type. X‐ray diffraction suggests changes from A‐type starch in nixtamal to V‐type pattern in pozole, typical of amylose–lipid complexes. Those changes in processing and in quality of the final products are important economic issues that merit further investigations concerning annealing temperatures, steeping and processing times.

Practical Applications

Pozole is a pre‐Columbian exotic soup or stew that once had a ritual significance for the Aztecs of Mexico; it is made with a very special floury type of maize named Cacahuacintle. Despite the economic importance of the Cacahuacintle maize race in Mexico and in Southwest U.S.A., the quality characteristics that the maize kernel should have to give good quality pozole are not well known, which is in part due to the ready availability of poor quality canned products in the market. Combined treatments involving starch annealing during nixtamalization and heat treatment of the wet nixtamal during boiling lead to increase the pozole quality. A practical way to produce thermally resistant starches is through the use of selected maize and heat/moisture treatments. The amylose–lipid complexes formed increase starch gelatinization temperatures and its stability to produce puckered granules at water boiling temperatures, giving the unique sponge structure with soft texture and high swelling properties in the final product.
Asset Prices, News Shocks, and the Trade Balance
Authors: FRATZSCHER MARCEL , STRAUB ROLAND
Published: September 2013

We analyze the relationship between asset prices and the trade balance estimating a Bayesian VAR for a broad set of 38 industrialized and emerging market countries. To derive model‐based identifying restrictions, we model asset price shocks as news shocks about future productivity in a two‐country dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model. Such shocks are found to exert sizable effects on the trade balance. Moreover, the effects are highly heterogeneous across countries. For instance, following a news shock that implies on impact a 10% increase in domestic equity prices relative to the rest of the world, the U.S. trade balance will worsen by up to 1.0 percentage points, but much less so for most other economies. We find that this heterogeneity appears to be linked to the financial market depth and equity home bias of countries. Moreover, the channels via wealth effects and via the real exchange rate are important for understanding the heterogeneity in the transmission.
Does Inflation Targeting Help Reduce Financial Dollarization?
Authors: LIN SHU , YE HAICHUN
Published: September 2013

We examine whether adopting an inflation‐targeting regime helps reduce financial dollarization as predicted by Ize and Levy Yeyati's () portfolio model. To address the self‐selection problem of policy adoption, we apply a variety of propensity score matching methods to a large sample of 106 developing countries for the years 1985–2004. We find strong evidence that inflation targeting has large and significant treatment effects on lowering both actual financial dollarization and the model implied minimum variance portfolio dollarization. Our results are robust to alternative samples and model specifications and also to control for additional factors in postmatching regressions.
Foreign Banks and the Dual Effect of Financial Liberalization
Authors: FERRARIS LEO , MINETTI RAOUL
Published: September 2013

In emerging countries, credit market liberalization is often motivated with the financial deepening generated by the entry of foreign financial institutions. However, there is a risk that liberalization may benefit internationally active, export‐oriented businesses at the expense of domestically oriented ones. This paper models a two‐sector economy in which foreign lenders are more efficient than local lenders at extracting value from internationally tradable collateral assets. Under some conditions the entry of foreign lenders eases entrepreneurs’ access to the credit market and raises asset prices and output, but in other circumstances it reduces the depth of the credit market and depresses the price of nontradables and output. Liberalization can have a contractionary impact by inducing a reallocation of credit from the nontradables to the tradables sector.
An Unobserved Components Model that Yields Business and Medium‐Run Cycles
Authors: MA JUN , WOHAR MARK E.
Published: September 2013

We generalize the unobserved components (UC) model to allow the permanent component to have different dynamics than the transitory components when decomposing U.S. economic activity using a multivariate UC model of (log) output, consumption, and investment. We find that these proposed dynamics in the permanent component are statistically significant and distinct from those of the transitory components. Our approach provides an alternative explanation for the growth cycles identified by Comin and Gertler () that is related to the cyclical movements in technology, in a framework consistent with the Beveridge and Nelson () decomposition.
How Do Anticipated Changes to Short‐Term Market Rates Influence Banks' Retail Interest Rates? Evidence from the Four Major Euro Area Economies
Authors: BANERJEE ANINDYA , BYSTROV VICTOR , MIZEN PAUL
Published: September 2013

In this paper, we argue that banks anticipate short‐term market rates when setting interest rates on loans and deposits. In order to include anticipated rates in an empirical model, we use two methods to forecast market rates—a level, slope, curvature model, and a principal components model—before including them in a model of retail rate adjustment for four retail rates in four major euro area economies. Using both aggregate data and data from individual French banks, we find a significant role for forecasts of market rates in determining retail rates; alternative specifications with futures information yield comparable results.
Cost Savings from Check 21 Electronic Payment Legislation
Authors: HUMPHREY DAVID B. , HUNT ROBERT
Published: September 2013

Electronic payment legislation permitted an initially paper substitute digital image of a check, and later the electronic digital image of a check, to be processed and presented for payment on a same‐day basis. By shifting to electronic collection and presentment, Federal Reserve per item check processing costs fell by over 70%, reducing estimated overall U.S. payment system costs by $1.16 billion in 2010. Payment collection times and associated float fell dramatically for collecting banks and payees with consequent additional savings in firm working capital costs of perhaps $1.37 billion and indebted consumer benefits of $0.64 billion.
Development of functional oral health literacy assessment instruments: Application of literacy and cognitive theories
Authors: Bridges Susan M. , Parthasarathy Divya S. , Au Terry K.F. , Wong Hai Ming , Yiu Cynthia K.Y. , McGrath Colman P.
Published: September 2013

Objectives

This paper describes the development of a new literacy assessment instrument, the Hong Kong Oral Health Literacy Assessment Task for Paediatric Dentistry (HKOHLAT‐P). Its relationship to literacy theory is analyzed to establish content and face validity. Implications for construct validity are examined by analyzing cognitive demand to determine how “comprehension” is measured.

Methods

Key influences from literacy assessment were identified to analyze item development. Cognitive demand was analyzed using an established taxonomy.

Results

The HKOHLAT‐P focuses on the functional domain of health literacy assessment. Items had strong content and face validity reflecting established principles from modern literacy theory. Inclusion of new text types signified relevant developments in the area of new literacies. Analysis of cognitive demand indicated that this instrument assesses the “comprehension” domain, specifically the areas of factual and procedural knowledge, with some assessment of conceptual knowledge. Metacognitive knowledge was not assessed.

Conclusions

Comprehension tasks assessing patient health literacy predominantly examine functional health literacy at the lower levels of comprehension. Item development is influenced by the fields of situated and authentic literacy. Inclusion of content regarding multiliteracies is suggested for further research. Development of functional health literacy assessment instruments requires careful consideration of the clinical context in determining construct validity.
Frequent recombination shapes the epidemic population structure of Planktothrix (Cyanoprokaryota) in Italian subalpine lakes
Authors: D'Alelio Domenico , Salmaso Nico , Gandolfi Andrea
Published: September 2013

The planktonic genus Planktothrix, as other cyanobacteria, shows signals of both homologous and nonhomologous recombination. However, the frequency of recombination and its effect on Planktothrix population structuring is unknown. We isolated 290 Planktothrix strains from seven neighboring lakes in the subalpine Italian region and analyzed these using multilocus sequence typing. Four of six loci analyzed were polymorphic, resulting in 20 distinct multilocus genotypes. Association indices among alleles at different loci were suggestive of an “epidemic population structure,” resulting from an explosive (and temporary) dominance of one genotype against a panmictic background. ClonalFrame analyses supported this view by detecting: (i) three major clades affected by three distinct recombination events, (ii) a recombination rate about equal to the mutation rate, and (iii) the fact that recombination had an impact on introducing molecular diversity more than double the mutation rate. Furthermore, analysis of molecular variance over an annual cycle in three of seven lakes revealed that both local clonal expansion and recombination processes affected among‐lake diversity. Our observations suggest that recombination affects microevolution of Planktothrix and that an epidemic structure can emerge in populations of this genus.
Effects of different nutrient sources on plasticity of reproductive strategies in a monoecious species, Sagittaria graminea (Alismataceae)
Authors: ZHANG Li‐Hui , ZHANG Yan‐Wen , ZHAO Xing‐Nan , HUANG Sheng‐Jun , ZHAO Ji‐Min , YANG Yun‐Fei
Published: September 2013

Varied nutrient sources can influence the plasticity of reproductive strategies in monoecious species differently. We examined the plasticity of sexual and clonal reproductive components in distinct nutrient sources in a monoecious species, Sagittaria graminea Michx. The results showed that for aboveground reproductive components, in rich‐phosphorus and low‐nitrogen conditions, the species produced more male flowers, whereas female flowers did not significantly increase in number compared to low‐phosphorus and low‐nitrogen conditions (control). In rich‐nitrogen and low‐phosphorus conditions, the species produced more flowers, particularly female, and more seeds, compared to the control conditions. In the rich‐nitrogen and rich‐phosphorus conditions, plants increased male flowers, female flowers, total flower number, synchronously, as well as seed production. For the belowground reproductive components, in the rich‐phosphorus conditions, the plants produced bigger corms than in the rich‐nitrogen and control conditions, which further enhanced their competitiveness against companion species. In rich‐nitrogen conditions, the plants produced more medium and small corms, and relatively more and longer stolons, which were useful in expansion and invasion of more space. Furthermore, the species displayed trade‐off relationships between the aboveground and belowground reproductive components in unbalanced nutrient conditions (add‐N or add‐P). However, in low nutrient levels (control) or in nutrient abundant (add‐N + P) conditions, there were no significant trade‐off relationships between the aboveground and belowground reproductive components, based on quantities.
Sexual interference in twoChamerionspecies with contrasting modes of movement herkogamy
Authors: GUO Wen , WANG Lin‐Lin , SUN Shan , YANG Yong‐Ping , DUAN Yuan‐Wen
Published: September 2013

Evolution of herkogamy has been ascribed to preventing autonomous selfing within flowers, but this argument has received challenges due to the negative effects of sexual interference on reproductive success of plant species. We examined the effects of the two contrasting modes of herkogamy, detailed by the different patterns of style movement, on the foraging time of pollinators on flowers, pollen removal, and deposition in twoChamerionspecies. Our results suggested that the duration of foraging time of bumblebees was generally higher inC. angustifolium(L.) Holub than inC. conspersum(Hausskn.) Holub during the male‐phase of flowers, but the reverse during the female‐phase of flowers. As a result, stigma interfered with pollen removal more inC. conspersumthan inC. angustifolium, based on examinations of pollen removal after one visit by a pollinator. However, this negative effect on total pollen removal was covered by the high pollinator diversity and the possible high visitation rate in the study sites. In contrast, we found that almost no difference existed in pollen deposition rate after one visit of a pollinator between the twoChamerionspecies, and emasculation did not increase the total pollen deposition in either species, indicating that anthers did not interfere with pollen deposition in the twoChamerionspecies. Our results suggested that, compared withC. conspersum, the derived mode of herkogamy inC. angustifoliumreduced interference of stigmas in pollen removal. This might contribute to the wide distribution ofC. angustifolium, to some degree, in environments of pollinator scarcity and low activity in newly colonized habitats.
Empirical analysis of fuel price and subsidy reform in Nigeria
Authors: Nwachukwu Maxwell Umunna , Mba Harold Chike , Jiburum Uloma , Okosun Andrew Erega
Published: September 2013

Fuel subsidy removal has been a very topical and delicate issue in Nigeria. In spite of government assurance that the proceeds from the fuel subsidy withdrawal will be used judiciously and effectively to provide critical infrastructure that will cushion its effects, the opponents have remained resolute on their uncompromising stand against its removal. The goal of this study is to determine the actual size of fuel subsidy in Nigeria. It is therefore hypothesised that there was no significant relationship between price of fuel and fuel subsidy. Simple linear regression technique was used in the analysis. The results suggest that there was a significant relationship between the price of fuel and subsidy at less than 0.01 significant level (R2 = 0.79). This implies that fuel subsidy accounted for 79 per cent of the actual price of fuel. This is an indication that government actually subsidised fuel by 79 per cent of the actual price per litre. In others word, the consumers only paid for 21 per cent of the actual price per litre. This is evidence that fuel is highly subsidised in Nigeria. The study recommends gradual removal of subsidy, and using the money realised from it for cushioning the effects on the poor.
An introduction to oil market volatility analysis
Authors: Matar Walid , Al‐Fattah Saud M. , Atallah Tarek , Pierru Axel
Published: September 2013

Modelling and forecasting crude oil price volatility is crucial in many financial and investment applications. The main purpose of this paper is to review and assess the current state of oil market volatility knowledge. It highlights the properties and characteristics of the oil price volatility that models seek to capture, and discuss the different modelling approaches to oil price volatility. Asymmetric response to price change, persistence and mean reversion, structural breaks, and possible market spillover of volatility are discussed. To complement the discussion, West Texas Intermediate futures price data are used to illustrate these properties using non‐parametric and conditional modelling methods. The generalised autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity‐type models usually applied in the oil price volatility literature are also explored. We additionally examine the exogenous factors that may influence volatility in the oil markets.
Macroeconomic effects of world oil and food price shocks in Asia and Pacific economies: application of SVAR models
Authors: Alom Fardous , Ward Bert D. , Hu Baiding
Published: September 2013

This study, by employing structural vector auto regression models, investigates the macroeconomic effects of world oil and food price shocks in the context of selected Asia and Pacific countries. The study reveals that the economic activities of resource‐poor countries that specialise in heavy manufacturing industries, like Korea and Taiwan, are highly affected by world oil price shocks. On the other hand, the economic activities of oil‐poor nations such as Australia and New Zealand, with diverse mineral resources other than oil, are not affected by oil price shocks. Furthermore, countries that are oil poor but specialise in international financial services, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, are also not affected by oil price increases. Moreover, some developing countries, in this case, India, with limited reserves of oil are not affected by oil price shocks, whereas other such countries, like Thailand, possessing a number of natural resources other than oil are more strongly affected by oil price shocks. With regard to food price shocks, limited impacts from food price increases can be recorded for India, Korea and Thailand. Overall, the effects of external oil and food prices depend on the economic characteristics of the countries.
Rubens and the bird of paradise. Painting natural knowledge in the early seventeenth century
Authors: Marcaida José Ramón
Published: September 2013

This paper explores the interconnections between early modern natural history and European visual culture by focusing on the representation of a single motif, the bird of paradise, in one of Peter Paul Rubens's most celebrated paintings: the Adoration of the Magi (1609; 1628–29), now in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Portrayed as an aigrette in the Black Magus's headwear, the bird of paradise is interpreted as a symbol of exoticism and geographical diversity, in a painting of unmistakable Counter‐Reformist facture, produced in a context of tense religious and political disputes and conflicting commercial interests. By considering the representation of this motif in the Prado Adoration as well as in other works by Rubens and his contemporaries, this paper studies the contribution of artists and paintings to the dissemination of natural knowledge, and examines early modern visual culture as part of a wider context shaped by religiosity, political interests, the cult of the exotic and global trade.
Sick regimes and sick people: a multilevel investigation of the population health consequences of perceived national corruption
Authors: Witvliet Margot I. , Kunst Anton E. , Arah Onyebuchi A. , Stronks Karien
Published: September 2013

Objective

There is a paucity of empirical work on the potential population health impact of living under a regime marred by corruption. African countries differ in the extent of national corruption, and we explore whether perceived national corruption is associated with population health across all rungs of society.

Methods

World Health Survey data were analysed on 72 524 adults from 20 African countries. The main outcome was self‐reported poor general health. Multilevel logistic regression was used to assess the association between poor health and perceived corruption, while jointly accounting for individual‐ and country‐level human development factors. In this research, we use Transparency International's corruption perception index (CPI), which measures ‘both administrative and political corruption’ on a 0–10 scale. A higher score pertains to a higher rate of perceived corruption within society. We also examined effect modification by gender, age and socio‐economic status.

Results

Higher national corruption perception was consistently associated with an increase in poor health prevalence, also after multivariable adjustments, with odds ratio (OR) of 1.62 (95% CI: 1.01–2.60). Stratified analyses by age and gender suggested this same pattern in all subgroups. Positive associations between poor health and perceived corruption were evident in all socio‐economic groups, with the association being somewhat more positive among less educated people (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.01–2.58) than among more educated people (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 0.83–2.37).

Conclusions

This study is a cautious first step in empirically testing the general health consequences of corruption. Our results suggest that higher perceived national corruption is associated with general health of both men and women within all socio‐economic groups across the lifespan. Further research is needed using more countries to assess the magnitude of the health consequences of corruption.
Expansion of Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia and Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis in rice fields in Valencia, eastern Spain
Authors: Osca J M
Published: September 2013

Due to the rapid spread of two subspecies of Leptochloa fusca through the Valencia rice‐growing region in the east of Spain, a 3‐year field study was carried out to establish the frequency, distribution and infestation level of the two subspecies in rice paddies in the area. A total of 3650 fields were visited, of which 1235 were visited in each year of the study period. Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia and Leptochloa fusca ssp. fascicularis were found to be widely distributed in the area, increasing from a frequency of 5.3% in 2008 to 20.1% in 2010. Leptochloa fusca ssp. uninervia was the largest contributor to the infestations, but subspecies fascicularis is now on the increase and represents a serious threat to rice crops, as it is found within the rice fields themselves. The irrigation system and the farm machinery used in the rice fields also contribute to the rapid spread of these weeds. Severe infestations have been caused by periodic water shortages, and the fact that new herbicides used to control Echinochloa spp. do not affect Leptochloa subspecies. Spatial differences in the distributions of the two subspecies are attributed to the different water management systems and also to differences in the germination and dormancy of both subspecies.
Weak approximation of stochastic differential delay equations for bounded measurable function
Authors: Zhang Hua
Published: September 2013

In this paper we study the weak approximation problem of $E[\phi (x(T))] $ by $E[\phi (y(T))] $, where $x(T)$ is the solution of a stochastic differential delay equation and $y(T)$ is defined by the Euler scheme. For $\phi \in { C}_{b}^{3} $, Buckwar, Kuske, Mohammed and Shardlow (‘Weak convergence of the Euler scheme for stochastic differential delay equations’, LMS J. Comput. Math. 11 (2008) 60–69) have shown that the Euler scheme has weak order of convergence $1$. Here we prove that the same results hold when $\phi $ is only assumed to be measurable and bounded under an additional non-degeneracy condition.
Molecular transport machinery involved in orchestrating luminal acid‐induced duodenal bicarbonate secretion in vivo
Authors: Singh Anurag Kumar , Liu Yongjian , Riederer Brigitte , Engelhardt Regina , Thakur Basant Kumar , Soleimani Manoocher , Seidler Ursula
Published: September 2013

Key points

Acid damage of the proximal duodenum is a key pathogenic factor in duodenal ulcer disease as well as in the intestinal manifestations of cystic fibrosis.

Short contact of healthy duodenal mucosa with acid results in long‐lasting stimulation of proximal duodenal bicarbonate secretion.

While the complex neural, paracrine, humoral and luminocrine regulation of this acid‐induced bicarbonate secretory response, as well as its protective role, has been studied in some detail, little is known about the molecular identity of the involved ion transporters or intracellular signalling.

Using genetically engineered mouse models, we found that the anion exchanger DRA (Slc26a3), the anion conductances Slc26a9 and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator, and the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 3 play essential roles in orchestrating the acid‐induced duodenal bicarbonate secretory response. These transporters are differentially controlled by signalling mechanisms along the crypt–villus axis.

These findings provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology of peptic damage to the duodenum and may provide novel treatment strategies.

Abstract  The duodenal villus brush border membrane expresses several ion transporters and/or channels, including the solute carrier 26 anion transporters Slc26a3 (DRA) and Slc26a6 (PAT‐1), the Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 3 (NHE3), as well as the anion channels cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and Slc26a9. Using genetically engineered mouse models lacking Scl26a3, Slc26a6, Slc26a9 or Slc9a3 (NHE3), the study was carried out to assess the role of these transporters in mediating the protective duodenal bicarbonate secretory response (DBS‐R) to luminal acid; and to compare it to their role in DBS‐R elicited by the adenylyl cyclase agonist forskolin. While basal DBS was reduced in the absence of any of the three Slc26 isoforms, the DBS‐R to forskolin was not altered. In contrast, the DBS‐R to a 5 min exposure to luminal acid (pH 2.5) was strongly reduced in the absence of Slc26a3 or Slc26a9, but not Slc26a6. CFTR inhibitor [CFTR(Inh)‐172] reduced the first phase of the acid‐induced DBS‐R, while NHE3 inhibition (or knockout) abolished the sustained phase of the DBS‐R. Luminal acid exposure resulted in the activation of multiple intracellular signalling pathways, including SPAK, AKT and p38 phosphorylation. It induced a biphasic trafficking of NHE3, first rapidly into the brush border membrane, followed by endocytosis in the later stage. We conclude that the long‐lasting DBS‐R to luminal acid exposure activates multiple duodenocyte signalling pathways and involves changes in trafficking and/or activity of CFTR, Slc26 isoforms Slc26a3 and Slc26a9, and NHE3.
Calcium signalling of human pluripotent stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes
Authors: Li Sen , Chen Gaopeng , Li Ronald A.
Published: September 2013

Abstract  Loss of cardiomyocytes (CMs), which lack the innate ability to regenerate, due to ageing or pathophysiological conditions (e.g. myocardial infarction or MI) is generally considered irreversible, and can lead to conditions from cardiac arrhythmias to heart failure. Human (h) pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including embryonic stem cells (ESC) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), can self‐renew while maintaining their pluripotency to differentiate into all cell types, including CMs. Therefore, hPSCs provide a potential unlimited ex vivo source of human CMs for disease modelling, drug discovery, cardiotoxicity screening and cell‐based heart therapies. As a fundamental property of working CMs, Ca2+ signalling and its role in excitation–contraction coupling are well described. However, the biology of these processes in hPSC‐CMs is just becoming understood. Here we review what is known about the immature Ca2+‐handling properties of hPSC‐CMs, at the levels of global transients and sparks, and the underlying molecular basis in relation to the development of various in vitro approaches to drive their maturation.
Reciprocal regulation of inhibitory synaptic transmission by nicotinic and muscarinic receptors in rat nucleus accumbens shell
Authors: Yamamoto Kiyofumi , Ebihara Katsuko , Koshikawa Noriaki , Kobayashi Masayuki
Published: September 2013

Key points

While cholinergic interneurones are few in number, their axons densely innervate and provide abundant acetylcholine‐containing terminals in the nucleus accumbens (NAc).

Although cholinergic effects on inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) via nicotinic and muscarinic receptors have been reported, the relationship between cholinergic modulation of IPSCs and presynaptic cell subtypes in the NAc has remained elusive.

Here we show that muscarinic receptor activation suppresses IPSCs in medium spiny neurone (MSN)→MSN connections, whereas nicotinic receptor activation enhances IPSCs in fast‐spiking neurone→MSN connections.

These reciprocal regulatory mechanisms for IPSCs help us to understand the role of cholinergic processes in physiological and pathophysiological functions of the NAc.

Abstract  Medium spiny neurones (MSNs) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) are the principal neurones whose activities are regulated by GABAergic inputs from MSNs and fast‐spiking interneurones (FSNs). Cholinergic interneurones play important roles in the regulation of activity in MSNs; however, how acetylcholine modulates inhibitory synaptic transmission from MSNs/FSNs to MSNs remains unknown. We performed paired whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from MSNs and FSNs in rat NAc shell slice preparations and examined cholinergic effects on unitary inhibitory postsynaptic currents (uIPSCs). Carbachol (1 μm) suppressed uIPSC amplitude by 58.3 ± 8.0% in MSN→MSN connections, accompanied by increases in paired‐pulse ratio and failure rate, suggesting that acetylcholine reduces the probability of GABA release from the synaptic terminals of MSNs. Carbachol‐induced uIPSC suppression was antagonised by 100 μm atropine, and was mimicked by pilocarpine (1 μm) and acetylcholine (1 μm) but not nicotine (1 μm). Application of AM251 slightly reduced carbachol‐induced uIPSC suppression (30.8 ± 8.9%), suggesting an involvement of endocannabinoid signalling in muscarinic suppression of uIPSCs. In contrast, FSN→MSN connections showed that pilocarpine had little effect on the uIPSC amplitude, whereas both nicotine and acetylcholine facilitated uIPSC amplitude, with decreases in failure rate and paired‐pulse ratio, suggesting that nicotine‐induced uIPSC facilitation is mediated by presynaptic mechanisms. Miniature IPSC recordings support these hypotheses of presynaptic cholinergic mechanisms. These results suggest a differential role for muscarinic and nicotinic receptors in GABA release, which depends on presynaptic neuronal subtypes in the NAc shell.
Differential patterns of replacement and reactive fibrosis in pressure and volume overload are related to the propensity for ischaemia and involve resistin
Authors: Chemaly Elie R. , Kang Soojeong , Zhang Shihong , McCollum LaTronya , Chen Jiqiu , Bénard Ludovic , Purushothaman K‐Raman , Hajjar Roger J. , Lebeche Djamel
Published: September 2013

Key points

Pressure overload hypertrophy is profibrotic while volume overload hypertrophy is not profibrotic.

Fibrosis occurs in the form of replacement or reactive fibrosis.

Replacement fibrosis in pressure overload is considered ischaemic in origin.

There is less propensity for ischaemia in volume overload, explaining the relative lack of fibrosis.

Reactive fibrosis pathways are more active in pressure than in volume overload.

Local resistin expression reflects replacement fibrosis in chronic ischaemia.

Abstract  Pathological left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy (LVH) results in reactive and replacement fibrosis. Volume overload LVH (VOH) is less profibrotic than pressure overload LVH (POH). Studies attribute subendocardial fibrosis in POH to ischaemia, and reduced fibrosis in VOH to collagen degradation favouring dilatation. However, the mechanical origin of the relative lack of fibrosis in VOH is incompletely understood. We hypothesized that reduced ischaemia propensity in VOH compared to POH accounted for the reduced replacement fibrosis, along with reduced reactive fibrosis. Rats with POH (ascending aortic banding) evolved into either compensated‐concentric POH (POH‐CLVH) or dilated cardiomyopathy (POH‐DCM); they were compared to VOH (aorta–caval fistula). We quantified LV fibrosis, structural and haemodynamic factors of ischaemia propensity, and the activation of profibrotic pathways. Fibrosis in POH‐DCM was severe, subendocardial and subepicardial, in contrast with subendocardial fibrosis in POH‐CLVH and nearly no fibrosis in VOH. The propensity for ischaemia was more important in POH versus VOH, explaining different patterns of replacement fibrosis. LV collagen synthesis and maturation, and matrix metalloproteinase‐2 expression, were more important in POH. The angiotensin II‐transforming growth‐factor β axis was enhanced in POH, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) was overexpressed in all types of LVH. LV resistin expression was markedly elevated in POH, mildly elevated in VOH and independently reflected chronic ischaemic injury after myocardial infarction. In vitro, resistin is induced by angiotensin II and induces CTGF in cardiomyocytes. Based on these findings, we conclude that a reduced ischaemia propensity and attenuated upstream reactive fibrotic pathways account for the attenuated fibrosis in VOH versus POH.