bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Food-induced brain responses and eating behaviour
Authors: Smeets Paul A.M. , Charbonnier Lisette , van Meer Floor , van der Laan Laura N. , Spetter Maartje S.
Published: August 2012

The brain governs food intake behaviour by integrating many different internal and external state and trait-related signals. Understanding how the decisions to start and to stop eating are made is crucial to our understanding of (maladaptive patterns of) eating behaviour. Here, we aim to (1) review the current state of the field of ‘nutritional neuroscience’ with a focus on the interplay between food-induced brain responses and eating behaviour and (2) highlight research needs and techniques that could be used to address these. The brain responses associated with sensory stimulation (sight, olfaction and taste), gastric distension, gut hormone administration and food consumption are the subject of increasing investigation. Nevertheless, only few studies have examined relations between brain responses and eating behaviour. However, the neural circuits underlying eating behaviour are to a large extent generic, including reward, self-control, learning and decision-making circuitry. These limbic and prefrontal circuits interact with the hypothalamus, a key homeostatic area. Target areas for further elucidating the regulation of food intake are: (eating) habit and food preference formation and modification, the neural correlates of self-control, nutrient sensing and dietary learning, and the regulation of body adiposity. Moreover, to foster significant progress, data from multiple studies need to be integrated. This requires standardisation of (neuroimaging) measures, data sharing and the application and development of existing advanced analysis and modelling techniques to nutritional neuroscience data. In the next 20 years, nutritional neuroscience will have to prove its potential for providing insights that can be used to tackle detrimental eating behaviour.
Ion-exchange protocol to obtain antigenic fractions with potential for serodiagnosis of strongyloidiasis
Authors: GONZAGA H. T. , VILA-VERDE C. , NUNES D. S. , RIBEIRO V. S. , CUNHA-JÚNIOR J. P. , COSTA-CRUZ J. M.
Published: August 2012

The aim of this study was to fractionate and partially characterize the antigenic extract of filariform larvae ofStrongyloides venezuelensisin ion-exchange resin diethylaminoethyl sepharose (DEAE), to obtain antigenic fractions potentially applicable in immunoassays. Somatic antigen (SA) and its fractions DEAE S1 and DEAE S2 - which interacted with the resin - were evaluated by 1-dimensional electrophoresis to obtain protein profiles. SA and its fractions were tested in serum samples for IgG detection by ELISA. Serum samples (n = 155) were analysed: 50 from strongyloidiasis patients (G1), 55 from patients with other parasitic infections (G2) and 50 from healthy volunteers. Sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), area under curve (AUC) and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated. The DEAE S2 fraction provided a high diagnostic value for IgG detection (Se 92·0%, Sp 91·4%, AUC 0·981, LR+ 10·75, LR − 0·09). In conclusion, the DEAE S2 fraction would probably be a source of immunodominant polypeptides for IgG detection in human strongyloidiasis serodiagnosis.
Position-invariant letter identification is a key component of any universal model of reading
Authors: Bowers Jeffrey S.
Published: August 2012

A universal property of visual word identification is position-invariant letter identification, such that the letter “A” is coded in the same way in CAT and ACT. This should provide a fundamental constraint on theories of word identification, and, indeed, it inspired some of the theories that Frost has criticized. I show how the spatial coding scheme of Colin Davis (2010) can, in principle, account for contrasting transposed letter (TL) priming effects, and at the same time, position-invariant letter identification.
Developing a universal model of reading necessitates cracking the orthographic code
Authors: Davis Colin J.
Published: August 2012

I argue, contra Frost, that when prime lexicality and target density are considered, it is not clear that there are fundamental differences between form priming effects in Semitic and European languages. Furthermore, identifying and naming printed words in these languages raises common theoretical problems. Solving these problems and developing a universal model of reading necessitates “cracking” the orthographic input code.
Bringing development into a universal model of reading
Authors: Deacon S. Hélène
Published: August 2012

Reading development is integral to a universal model of reading. Developmental research can tell us which factors drive reading acquisition and which are the product of reading. Like adult research, developmental research needs to be contextualised within the language and writing system and it needs to include key cross-linguistic evaluations. This will create a universal model of reading development.
Universals of reading: Developmental evidence for linguistic plausibility
Authors: Goswami Usha
Published: August 2012

Children's reading and spelling errors show that orthographic learning involves complex interactions with phonology, morphology, and meaning throughout development. Even young children seek to make their visual word recognition strategies linguistically coherent. Orthographic knowledge gained through spelling affects reading, and vice versa. Developmental data support Frost's claim that letter-coding flexibility reflects the optimization of encoding resources in a highly developed system.
No reason to expect “reading universals”
Authors: Levy Yonata
Published: August 2012

Writing systems encode linguistic information in diverse ways, relying on cognitive procedures that are likely to be general purpose rather than specific to reading. Optimality in reading for meaning is achieved via the entire communicative act, involving, when the need arises, syntax, nonlinguistic context, and selective attention.
Orthographic processing is universal; it's what you do with it that's different
Authors: Norris Dennis , Kinoshita Sachiko
Published: August 2012

We agree with Frost that the variety of orthographies in the world's languages complicates the task of “cracking the orthographic code.” Frost suggests that orthographic processing must therefore differ between orthographies. We suggest that the same basic orthographic processes are applied to all languages. Where languages differ is in what the reader must do with the results of orthographic processing.
Perceptual uncertainty is a property of the cognitive system
Authors: Perea Manuel , Carreiras Manuel
Published: August 2012

We qualify Frost's proposals regarding letter-position coding in visual word recognition and the universal model of reading. First, we show that perceptual uncertainty regarding letter position is not tied to European languages – instead it is a general property of the cognitive system. Second, we argue that a universal model of reading should incorporate a developmental view of the reading process.
Vision, development, and bilingualism are fundamental in the quest for a universal model of visual word recognition and reading
Authors: Pitchford Nicola J. , van Heuven Walter J. B. , Kelly Andrew N. , Zhang Taoli , Ledgeway Timothy
Published: August 2012

We agree with many of the principles proposed by Frost but highlight crucial caveats and report research findings that challenge several assertions made in the target article. We discuss the roles that visual processing, development, and bilingualism play in visual word recognition and reading. These are overlooked in all current models, but are fundamental to any universal model of reading.
Beyond one-way streets: The interaction of phonology, morphology, and culture with orthography
Authors: Beveridge Madeleine E. L. , Bak Thomas H.
Published: August 2012

Frost's claim that universal models of reading require linguistically diverse data is relevant and justified. We support it with evidence demonstrating the extent of the bias towards some Indo-European languages and alphabetic scripts in scientific literature. However, some of his examples are incorrect, and he neglects the complex interaction of writing system and language structure with history and cultural environment.
Are there universals of reading? We don't believe so
Authors: Coltheart Max , Crain Stephen
Published: August 2012

There are universals of language; but is it also true, as the target article claims, that there are universals of reading? We believe there are no such universals, and invite others to refute our claim by providing a list of some universals of reading. If there are no universals of reading, there cannot be a universal model of reading.
Visual word recognition models should also be constrained by knowledge about the visual system
Authors: Gomez Pablo , Silins Sarah
Published: August 2012

Frost's article advocates for universal models of reading and critiques recent models that concentrate in what has been described as “cracking the orthographic code.” Although the challenge to develop models that can account for word recognition beyond Indo-European languages is welcomed, we argue that reading models should also be constrained by general principles of visual processing and object recognition.
Beyond isolated word recognition
Authors: Liversedge Simon P. , Blythe Hazel I. , Drieghe Denis
Published: August 2012

In this commentary we concur with Frost's view of the centrality of universal principles in models of word identification. However, we argue that other processes in sentence comprehension also fundamentally constrain the nature of written word identification. Furthermore, these processes appear to be universal. We, therefore, argue that universality in word identification should not be considered in isolation, but instead in the context of other linguistic processes that occur during normal reading.
Towards a universal neurobiological architecture for learning to read
Authors: Szwed Marcin , Vinckier Fabien , Cohen Laurent , Dehaene Stanislas
Published: August 2012

Letter-position tolerance varies across languages. This observation suggests that the neural code for letter strings may also be subtly different. Although language-specific models remain useful, we should endeavor to develop a universal model of reading acquisition which incorporates crucial neurobiological constraints. Such a model, through a progressive internalization of phonological and lexical regularities, could perhaps converge onto the language-specific properties outlined by Frost.
Giving theories of reading a sporting chance
Authors: Plaut David C.
Published: August 2012

The search for a universal theory of reading is misguided. Instead, theories should articulate general principles of neural computation that interact with language-specific learning environments to explain the full diversity of observed reading-related phenomena across the world's languages.
Theories of reading should predict reading speed
Authors: Pelli Denis G. , Chung Susana T. L. , Legge Gordon E.
Published: August 2012

Reading speed matters in most real-world contexts, and it is a robust and easy aspect of reading to measure. Theories of reading should account for speed.
Writing systems: Not optimal, but good enough
Authors: Seidenberg Mark S.
Published: August 2012

Languages and writing systems result from satisfying multiple constraints related to learning, comprehension, production, and their biological bases. Orthographies are not optimal because these constraints often conflict, with further deviations due to accidents of history and geography. Things tend to even out because writing systems and the languages they represent exhibit systematic trade-offs between orthographic depth and morphological complexity.
Bad Language: Transpositions in Mark Morris's Dido and Aeneas
Authors: Schwartz Selby Wynn
Published: August 2012

In the middle of Mark Morris's ballet Dido and Aeneas, set to the Henry Purcell opera of the same title, a female dancer mimes the story of the Greek goddess Diana and her unfortunate suitor, Actaeon. While hunting in the mountains, Actaeon catches sight of Diana bathing nude, and the fiercely chaste goddess transforms him into a stag; his own well-trained hounds, baying triumphantly, turn on their master. When the word “mountain” is sung, the dancer marks out two jagged peaks over her head with one hand. When the hunter Actaeon is mentioned by name, the dancer mimes a bow being arched and an arrow shot from it. Then, as the line “here, here, Actaeon met his fate,” is being sung, the dancer points one finger down at a spot on the ground, nodding emphatically. It was here, she is saying—right here, where I am pointing, see?
ON DOMINANCE AND CONTEXT-DEPENDENCE IN DECISIONS INVOLVING MULTIPLE ATTRIBUTES
Authors: Pattanaik Prasanta K. , Xu Yongsheng
Published: August 2012

In decision-making involving multiple criteria or attributes, a decision maker first identifies all relevant evaluative attributes in making decisions. Then, a dominance principle is often invoked whenever applicable: whenever an option x is better than an option y in terms of some attribute and no worse than y in terms of any other attributes, x is judged to be better than y. If, however, this dominance principle is not applicable, then the decision maker determines the relative importance between the identified evaluative attributes, consults with contextual features of the options under consideration, and makes a decision. It is shown that the combination of these principles runs into problems in the presence of rationality properties, such as transitivity, and a weak continuity requirement on decisions. The paper gives examples from welfare economics, and theories of individual and group decisions.
VALUE RELATIONS REVISITED
Authors: Rabinowicz Wlodek
Published: August 2012

In Rabinowicz (2008), I considered how value relations can best be analysed in terms of fitting pro-attitudes. In the formal model of that paper, fitting pro-attitudes are represented by the class of permissible preference orderings on a domain of items that are being compared. As it turns out, this approach opens up for a multiplicity of different types of value relationships, along with the standard relations of ‘better’, ‘worse’, ‘equally as good as’ and ‘incomparable in value’. Unfortunately, the approach is vulnerable to a number of objections. I believe these objections can be avoided if one re-interprets the underlying notion of preference: instead of treating preference as a ‘dyadic’ attitude directed towards a pair of items, we can think of it as a difference of degree between ‘monadic’ attitudes of favouring. Each such monadic attitude has just one item as its object. Given this re-interpretation, permissible preferences can be modelled by the class of permissible assignments of degrees of favouring to items in the domain. From this construction, we can then recover the old modelling in terms of the class of permissible preference orderings, but the previous objections to that model no longer apply.
MUST GROUP AGENTS BE RATIONAL? LIST AND PETTIT'S THEORY OF JUDGEMENT AGGREGATION AND GROUP AGENCY
Authors: Sugden Robert
Published: August 2012

As a writing partnership, Christian List and Philip Pettit are probably best known for a paper in Economics and Philosophy that describes and generalizes the ‘discursive dilemma’ (List and Pettit 2002). That paper is one of the main points of reference for what is now a large literature on the aggregation of judgements – a literature to which List and Pettit have continued to contribute, individually and jointly. Their new book Group Agency reviews and synthesizes that body of work, and proposes an analysis of group agency in which the aggregation of judgements plays a central role.
Infection intensity, spore density and inoculum potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi decrease during secondary succession in tropical Brazilian ecosystems
Authors: Zangaro Waldemar , Ansanelo Adrielly Pereira , Lescano Luis Eduardo Azevedo Marques , de Almeida Alves Ricardo , Rondina Artur Berbel Lírio , Nogueira Marco Antonio
Published: August 2012

Little is known about the relationship involving arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and functional groups of plants that characterize different phases of tropical succession. We appraised the AM infection intensity of root cortex and spore density in the soil in sites over tropical successional gradients (grassland, secondary forest and mature forest) for several years in Araucaria, Atlantic and Pantanal ecosystems in Brazil. The intensity of AM infection decreased with advancing successional stages in all ecosystems and it was around 60–80% in early stages of succession, 37–56% in secondary forests and 19–29% in mature forests. Similarly, the AM spore number also decreased with advancing succession and was the highest in early stages (73–123 g−1), intermediate in secondary forests (32–54 g−1) and lowest in the mature forests (10–23 g−1). To verify whether such reductions influenced the potential of AM inoculum in soil, seedlings of Heliocarpus popayanensis (Malvaceae) were grown as test plants in soils obtained from five grasslands, five young secondary forests, and five mature forests in the Atlantic ecosystem. The soil inocula from the grasslands and secondary forests were 7.6 and 5.7 times more effective in stimulating seedling growth than inocula from the mature forests, respectively. Our results show that plant species in grasslands and young secondary forests stimulate the multiplication of AM fungi, leading to a higher potential of the AM inoculum. In later-successional stages, plant investment in AM fungi decreases and the potential of the AM inoculum is also reduced.
Within-species leaf trait variation and ecological flexibility in resprouting tropical trees
Authors: Salk Carl F.
Published: August 2012

Plants have an inherent flexibility to respond to different environmental conditions. One axis of plant ecophysiological strategy is seen in the spectrum of leaf functional traits. Flexibility in these traits would be suggestive of plants’ phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental changes. This research seeks to identify differences between leaves of sprout and non-sprout shoots of a broad ecological range of neotropical tree species. Using a functional-trait approach, this study assesses a large pool of species for within-species physiological flexibility. Leaf mass per area (LMA) and leaf area were measured for plants of sprout and non-sprout origin for 26 tree species grown in a reforestation plantation in Panama. Sprouts had a consistently lower LMA than non-sprouts, but there was no consistent pattern for leaf area. These trends show that sprouts are more like pioneer species than conspecific saplings, a finding in general agreement with fast sprout growth seen in previous studies. Further, later-successional (high LMA) species showed a greater reduction of LMA in sprouts. These results show that tropical tree species adjust physiologically to changing ecological roles and suggest that certain species may be more resilient than realized to changing climate and disturbance patterns.
Neotropical primary productivity affects biomass of the leaf-litter herpetofaunal assemblage
Authors: Deichmann Jessica L. , Toft Catherine A. , Deichmann Peter M. , Lima Albertina P. , Williamson G. Bruce
Published: August 2012

Soil fertility and plant productivity are known to vary across the Amazon Basin partially as a function of geomorphology and age of soils. Using data on herpetofaunal abundance collected from 5 × 5 m and 6 × 6 m plots in mature tropical forests, we tested whether variation in community biomass of litter frogs and lizards across ten Neotropical sites could be explained by cation exchange capacity, primary productivity or stem turnover rate. About half of the variation in frog biomass (48%) could be attributed to stem turnover rate, while over two-thirds of the variation in lizard biomass (69%) was explained by primary productivity. Biomass variation in frogs resulted from variation in abundance and size, and abundance was related to cation exchange capacity (45% of variation explained), but size was not. Lizard biomass across sites varied mostly with individual lizard size, but not with abundance, and size was highly dependent on primary productivity (85% of variation explained). Soil fertility and plant productivity apparently affect secondary consumers like frogs and lizards through food webs, as biomass is transferred from plants to herbivorous arthropods to secondary consumers.
Resource abundance and frugivory in two manakin species (Aves: Pipridae) inhabiting a reforested area in Colombia
Authors: Morales-Betancourt Juan A. , Castaño-Villa Gabriel J. , Fontúrbel Francisco E.
Published: August 2012

Coexistence of closely related species is a central issue in community ecology, and those species are expected to present niche differentiation, particularly when resources become scarce (García & Arroyo 2005). Hence, resource abundance and diet differences might be playing a key role in determining species coexistence (Chapman & Rosenberg 1991, Stevensonet al. 2000). Trophic niche differentiation in frugivorous birds could be driven by fruit selection, morphology, behaviour (Moermond & Denslow 1983, 1985) and the spatiotemporal resource dynamics (Blake & Loiselle 1991, Saraccoet al. 2005, Solórzanoet al. 2000).
Charge Me if You Can: Assessing Political Biases in Vote-buying Verdicts in Democratic Taiwan (2000–2010)
Authors: Wu Chung-li
Published: August 2012

While the judicial system is an important part of any given political regime, other than in a few Western countries, it has received comparatively little attention. This study employs vote-buying litigation as a litmus test to inquire whether or not the judiciary in Taiwan is politically biased in its judgments. Vote buying has long marred Taiwan's elections and the general public does not seem to trust the judicial system to be independent of political influences. This study examines the impact of political variables (including partisanship, whether candidates are elected or not, and the type of election) on court decisions in vote-buying litigation between 2000 and 2010. The article looks at these decisions at three levels: district courts, high courts, and the Supreme Court. The empirical findings indicate that the effects of political factors are considerably less an influence than expected on trial outcomes.
C3 in UAS as a Means for Secondary Navigation
Authors: Ramirez Jorge , Salazar Dagoberto , Prats Xavier , Barrado Cristina
Published: August 2012

Unmanned Air Systems (UAS) navigate using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), but GNSS vulnerability precludes its use as the only means of navigation and requires a secondary means of navigation. A differentiating characteristic of UAS is their periodic communications with the ground station. This paper analyses the adequacy of employing UAS Command, Control and Communications (C3) as a secondary means of navigation. With no additional infrastructure, an Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used to process C3 messages and to obtain the positions of the UAS. Navigation accuracy and integrity are calculated in a scenario with three UAS. The obtained results meet the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) requirements.
Endemic human blastomycosis in Quebec, Canada, 1988–2011
Authors: LITVINOV I. V. , St-GERMAIN G. , PELLETIER R. , PARADIS M. , SHEPPARD D. C.
Published: August 2012

Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection found in various parts of the world. A review of literature for Quebec, Canada revealed only few case reports with the most recent one dating back to 1993. However, whether Quebec represents an important endemic region for blastomycosis in North America is unknown. In this work we reviewed 158 cases of human blastomycosis documented in Quebec during 1988–2011 using microbiological records available from the provincial public health laboratory. The estimated annual incidence of blastomycosis in the province is was ∼0·133 cases per 100 000 individuals with the highest rates of 0·79 and 0·46 cases per 100 000 recorded in South-eastern and South-western Quebec. Moreover, the annual incidence rate significantly increased over the past 20 years. This study for the first time establishes Quebec as an important endemic region for Blastomyces dermatitidis.
A population-based study of the epidemiology and clinical features of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection in Pennsylvania, 2001–2010
Authors: CASEY J. A. , COSGROVE S. E. , STEWART W. F. , POLLAK J. , SCHWARTZ B. S.
Published: August 2012

No U.S. general population-based study has characterized the epidemiology and risk factors, including skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI), for healthcare-associated (HA) and community-associated (CA) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We estimated the incidence of HA- and CA-MRSA and SSTI over a 9-year period using electronic health record data from the Geisinger Clinic in Pennsylvania. MRSA cases were frequency-matched to SSTI cases and controls in a nested case-control analysis. Logistic regression was used to assess risk factors, while accounting for antibiotic administration. We identified 1713 incident CA- and 1506 HA-MRSA cases and 78 216 SSTI cases. On average, from 2005 to 2009, the annual incidence of CA-MRSA increased by 34%, HA-MRSA by 7%, and SSTI by 4%. Age, season, community socioeconomic deprivation, obesity, smoking, previous SSTI, and antibiotic administration were identified as independent risk factors for CA-MRSA.
The diagnosis and evaluation of dementia and mild cognitive impairment with emphasis on SPECT perfusion neuroimaging
Authors: Henderson Theodore A.
Published: August 2012

As the world population ages, the incidence of dementing illnesses will dramatically increase. The number of people afflicted with dementia is expected to quadruple in the next 50 years. Since the neuropathology of the dementias precedes clinical symptoms often by several years, earlier detection and intervention could be key steps to mitigating the progression and burden of these diseases. This review will explore methods of evaluating, differentiating, and diagnosing the multiple forms of dementia. Particular emphasis will be placed on the diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment—the precursor to dementia. Anatomical imaging; cerebrospinal fluid markers; functional neuroimaging, such as positron emission tomography and single photon emission tomography; and molecular imaging, such as amyloid marker imaging, will be assessed in terms of sensitivity and specificity. Cost will also be a consideration, as the growing population afflicted with dementia represents an increasingly large financial encumbrance to the healthcare systems of every nation. In the face of expensive new markers and limited availability of cyclotrons, single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT) provides relatively high sensitivity and specificity at a comparatively low overall cost.
DISCONNECTION AND RESPONSIBILITY
Authors: Schaffer Jonathan
Published: August 2012

InCausation and Responsibility, Michael Moore offers an integrated conception of the law, morality, and metaphysics, centered on the notion of causation. I contest Moore's claim that causation cannot relate absences and show how accepting absence causation would improve Moore's view. For denying absence causation drives Moore to a disjunctive account of legal and moral responsibility in order to handle cases such as negligence. It forces him into denying that beheading someone can cause them to die, since the route from beheading to death involves the absence of blood flow to the brain. And it leads him into allowing that responsibility can arise from mere correlation with a crime, given that counterfactual dependence can still hold between correlates.
Health information regarding diabetes mellitus reduces misconceptions and underestimation of consequences in the general population
Authors: Dorner Thomas E , Lackinger Christian , Schindler Karin , Stein K Viktoria , Rieder Anita , Ludvik Bernhard
Published: August 2012

Objective

To evaluate self-assessed knowledge about diabetes mellitus, to assess determinants of health knowledge and to evaluate consequences of health knowledge on appraisal about consequences of the disease.

Design

Population-based computer-assisted web interview survey, supplemented with a paper-and-pencil survey via post.

Setting

Representative sample of the general Austrian population aged 15 years and older.

Subjects

Men (n 1935) and women (n 2065) with and without diabetes mellitus.

Results

Some 20·5 % of men and 17·7 % of women with diabetes, and 46·2 % of men and 36·7 % of women without diabetes, rated their knowledge about diabetes mellitus to be ‘very bad’ or ‘rather bad’. Individuals with diabetes and individuals with a family member with diabetes rated their information level more often as ‘very good’ or ‘rather good’, with adjusted OR (95 % CI) of 1·7 (1·1, 2·8) and 2·1 (1·6, 2·7), respectively, in men and 2·7 (1·5, 4·8) and 2·7 (2·1, 3·5), respectively, in women. Additional significant influencing factors on diabetes knowledge were age and educational level in both sexes, and city size in men. Independent of personal diabetes status, diabetes knowledge was associated with a lower perception of restrictions on daily life of diabetes patients and with a lower probability of underestimating health consequences of diabetes.

Conclusions

Health knowledge is associated with fewer misconceptions and less underestimation of health consequences in individuals both with and without diabetes mellitus. Thus health information about diabetes is important on the individual level towards disease management as well as on the public health level towards disease prevention.
Beverage consumption patterns of Canadian adults aged 19 to 65 years
Authors: Nikpartow Nooshin , Danyliw Adrienne D , Whiting Susan J , Lim Hyun J , Vatanparast Hassanali
Published: August 2012

Objective

To investigate the beverage intake patterns of Canadian adults and explore characteristics of participants in different beverage clusters.

Design

Analyses of nationally representative data with cross-sectional complex stratified design.

Setting

Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2·2 (2004).

Subjects

A total of 14 277 participants aged 19–65 years, in whom dietary intake was assessed using a single 24 h recall, were included in the study. After determining total intake and the contribution of beverages to total energy intake among age/sex groups, cluster analysis (K-means method) was used to classify males and females into distinct clusters based on the dominant pattern of beverage intakes. To test differences across clusters, χ2 tests and 95 % confidence intervals of the mean intakes were used.

Results

Six beverage clusters in women and seven beverage clusters in men were identified. ‘Sugar-sweetened’ beverage clusters – regular soft drinks and fruit drinks – as well as a ‘beer’ cluster, appeared for both men and women. No ‘milk’ cluster appeared among women. The mean consumption of the dominant beverage in each cluster was higher among men than women. The ‘soft drink’ cluster in men had the lowest proportion of the higher levels of education, and in women the highest proportion of inactivity, compared with other beverage clusters.

Conclusions

Patterns of beverage intake in Canadian women indicate high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages particularly fruit drinks, low intake of milk and high intake of beer. These patterns in women have implications for poor bone health, risk of obesity and other morbidities.
Nutrition knowledge and other determinants of food intake and lifestyle habits in children and young adolescents living in a rural area of Sicily, South Italy
Authors: Grosso Giuseppe , Mistretta Antonio , Turconi Giovanna , Cena Hellas , Roggi Carla , Galvano Fabio
Published: August 2012

Objective

The study aimed to test the reliability of a nutrition questionnaire and to assess potential associations between nutrition knowledge, food consumption and lifestyle behaviours, controlling for sociodemographic factors.

Design

Cross-sectional survey.

Setting

Comprehensive school in the municipality of Butera, a rural area of Sicily, South Italy.

Subjects

The survey was conducted between March and May 2010 on 445 students (4–16 years).

Results

All constructs of the questionnaire had statistically significant Cronbach's α and Pearson's correlation coefficients, showing good internal consistency and temporal stability. After controlling for covariates, nutrition knowledge was positively associated with pasta/rice, fish, vegetable and fruit intakes, and negatively with sweets, snacks, fried foods and sugary drinks consumption. Moreover, students whose parents were in the highest educational and occupational categories reported eating significantly more fruits and vegetables and less meat, sweets, snacks, fried foods and sugary drinks. Students with higher nutrition knowledge scores were less likely to have two or more snacks daily and to spend more than 3 h in sedentary activities daily (OR = 0·89, 95 % CI 0·83, 0·97 and OR = 0·92, 95 % CI 0·86, 0·99, respectively). High parental education was associated with less frequent snacking and more frequent weekly physical activity, compared with lower categories, whereas high parental occupational category was associated with daily breakfast.

Conclusions

Improving nutrition knowledge in children and young adolescents may translate into educating them in good dietary habits. Moreover, nutrition intervention programmes should also involve parents to improve dietary quality and nutritional habits of the entire family.
Selective deletion of leptin receptors in adult hippocampus induces depression-related behaviours
Authors: Guo Ming , Huang Tung-Yi , Garza Jacob C. , Chua Streamson C. , Lu Xin-Yun
Published: August 2012

Previous studies have demonstrated that leptin and its receptors (LepRb) in the central nervous system play an important role in regulating depression- and anxiety-related behaviours. However, the physiological functions of LepRb in specific brain regions for mediating different emotional behaviours remain to be defined. In this study, we examined the behavioural effects of LepRb ablation in the adult hippocampus using a series of behavioural paradigms for assessing depression- and anxiety-related behaviours. Targeted deletion of LepRb was achieved using the Cre/loxP site-specific recombination system through bilateral stereotaxic delivery of an adeno-associated virus expressing Cre-recombinase (AAV-Cre) into the dentate gyrus of adult mice homozygous for a floxed leptin receptor allele. AAV-Cre-mediated deletion of the floxed region of LepRb was detected 2 wk after injection. In accordance with this, leptin-stimulated phosphorylation of Akt was attenuated in the hippocampus of AAV-Cre injected mice. Mice injected with AAV-Cre displayed normal locomotor activity and anxiety-like behaviour, as determined in the elevated plus-maze, light–dark box and open field tests, but showed increased depression-like behaviours in the tail suspension, saccharin preference and learned helplessness tests. Taken together, these data suggest that deletion of LepRb in the adult hippocampus is sufficient to induce depression-like behaviours. Our results support the view that leptin signalling in the hippocampus may be essential for positive mood states and active coping to stress.
Antipsychotic augmentation of serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder: a meta-analysis of double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials
Authors: Dold Markus , Aigner Martin , Lanzenberger Rupert , Kasper Siegfried
Published: August 2012

Because of the high number of patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) not responding satisfactorily to initial monotherapy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), the evaluation of additional treatment options is highly relevant. To examine efficacy of add-on pharmacotherapy with antipsychotics, a systematic literature search was applied to identify all double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials (DB-PC-RCTs) determining the efficacy of antipsychotic augmentation of SRIs in treatment-resistant OCD. The primary outcome of the pooled meta-analytic data analysis was response to the adjunctive antipsychotic treatment measured by both the rates of participants achieving response [defined as ⩾35% reduction in Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (YBOCS)] and mean changes in YBOCS total score. Twelve DB-PC-RCTs investigating quetiapine (N = 5), risperidone (N = 3), olanzapine (N = 2), aripiprazole (N = 1) and haloperidol (N = 1) with a total of 394 subjects were included. Significantly more patients responded to augmentation with antipsychotics than with placebo [relative risk = 2.10, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.16–3.80]. Additionally, the mean reduction of the YBOCS total score revealed an efficacy in favour of the antipsychotic medication [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.54, 95% CI 0.15–0.93]. Significant efficacy was identifiable only for risperidone, but not for quetiapine and olanzapine. The results regarding aripiprazole and haloperidol were inconsistent. Overall, about one-third of SRI-resistant OCD patients benefited from an augmentation strategy with antipsychotics. Based on the favourable risk:benefit ratio, risperidone can be considered as the agent of first choice and should be preferred to quetiapine and olanzapine. Further trials, mainly with higher antipsychotic doses, are required to optimize pharmacological treatment recommendations for SRI-refractory OCD.
Effects of amphetamine on the human brain opioid system – a positron emission tomography study
Authors: Guterstam Joar , Jayaram-Lindström Nitya , Cervenka Simon , Frost J. James , Farde Lars , Halldin Christer , Franck Johan
Published: August 2012

Studies in rodents have shown that psychostimulant drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine cause endorphin release in the brain reward system. There is also evidence for the involvement of the opioid system in human psychostimulant dependence. The acute effects of an i.v. psychostimulant drug on the brain opioid system, however, have not yet been investigated in humans. We hypothesized that an i.v. dose of amphetamine as compared to placebo would cause an opioid release in the human brain reward system, measurable as a reduction of the binding potential of the µ-opioid receptor radioligand [11C]carfentanil. Ten healthy young men were examined using positron emission tomography (PET) and [11C]carfentanil in three sessions: at baseline; after placebo; after an i.v. amphetamine dose of 0.3 mg/kg bodyweight. The order of amphetamine and placebo was double-blinded and randomized. PET examinations were performed with a Siemens high resolution research tomograph. Data were analysed with the simplified reference tissue model, applying manually drawn regions of interest for every subject. Using repeated measures analysis of variance, we found no significant differences in [11C]carfentanil binding potential between amphetamine and placebo conditions in any of the investigated brain regions. In contrast to data from rodent studies and a recent study of oral amphetamine administration in humans, an i.v. dose of amphetamine does not cause any acute opioid release in healthy human subjects. The postulated role of the opioid system in mediating the effects of amphetamine needs to be further investigated in animal models of the disease as well as in patient populations.
The evaluation of AZ66, an optimized sigma receptor antagonist, against methamphetamine-induced dopaminergic neurotoxicity and memory impairment in mice
Authors: Seminerio Michael J. , Hansen Rolf , Kaushal Nidhi , Zhang Han-Ting , McCurdy Christopher R. , Matsumoto Rae R.
Published: August 2012

Sigma (σ) receptors have recently been identified as potential targets for the development of novel therapeutics aimed at mitigating the effects of methamphetamine. Particularly, σ receptors are believed to mitigate some of the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine through modulation of dopamine, dopamine transporters and body temperature. Furthermore, recent evidence suggests that targeting σ receptors may prevent cognitive impairments produced by methamphetamine. In the present study, an optimized σ receptor antagonist, AZ66, was evaluated against methamphetamine-induced neurotoxicity and cognitive dysfunction. AZ66 was found to be highly selective for σ receptors compared to 64 other sites tested. Pretreatment of male, Swiss Webster mice with i.p. dosing of AZ66 significantly attenuated methamphetamine-induced striatal dopamine depletions, striatal dopamine transporter reductions and hyperthermia. Additionally, neurotoxic dosing with methamphetamine caused significant memory impairment in the object recognition test, which was attenuated when animals were pretreated with AZ66; similar trends were observed in the step-through passive avoidance test. Taken together, these results suggest that targeting σ receptors may provide neuroprotection against the neurotoxicity and cognitive impairments produced by methamphetamine.
The effects of direct voting and deliberation on legitimacy beliefs: an experimental study of small group decision-making
Authors: Persson Mikael , Esaiasson Peter , Gilljam Mikael
Published: August 2012

In democratic theory, two frequently occurring ideas are that deliberation and direct voting in referendums can increase perceived legitimacy of democratic procedures. To evaluate this claim, we conducted a controlled field experiment in which 215 high school students participated by being subject to a decision on a collective issue. The decision was made either by direct voting or as a non-voting procedure (decision made by the teacher). Additionally, we manipulated the opportunities for deliberation prior to the decision. Our primary finding is that both voting and deliberation significantly increase perceived legitimacy compared with a procedure in which these components are absent. However, applying both voting and deliberation does not yield significantly higher perceived legitimacy than applying voting without deliberation. We also found that perceived influence in the decision-making process mediates the effect of both voting and deliberation, whereas the epistemic quality of the decision, which is heavily emphasized in deliberative democratic theory, gained no support as a mediator.
Genetic Susceptibility to Sickness Absence is Similar Among Women and Men: Findings From a Swedish Twin Cohort
Authors: Svedberg Pia , Ropponen Annina , Alexanderson Kristina , Lichtenstein Paul , Narusyte Jurgita
Published: August 2012

Previous studies of risk factors for sickness absence (SA) focus primarily on psychosocial and work environmental exposures. The aim of this study was to investigate the relative contribution of genetic influences on SA among women and men. The population-based study sample of Swedish twins (34,547) included 13,743 twin pairs of known zygosity, 3,495 monozygotic, 5,073 same-sexed dizygotic, and 5,175 opposite sexed. The point prevalence of long-term SA (≥15 days) in each zygosity and sex group was calculated. The risk of SA was estimated as an odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) where the odds for twins on SA to have a co-twin on SA was compared to the OR for SA in twins whose co-twin were not sickness absent. Intrapair correlations and probandwise concordance rates were calculated and standard biometrical genetic model-fitting methods were used to estimate the heritability of SA. The prevalence of SA was 8.8% (women 10.7%; men 6.5%). Intrapair similarity was higher among monozygotic than dizygotic twin pairs. The best-fitting model showed no sex differences in genetic effects or variance components contributing to SA. The heritability estimate was 36% (95% CI: 35–40%). Results suggest genetic contribution to the variation of SA and that environmental factors have an important role, for women and men. As SA seem to be influenced by genetic factors, future studies of associations between risk factors and SA should consider this potentially confounding effect.
The 14th Congress of the International Society for Twin Studies: Selected Highlights/Research Summaries: Twin Study of Telomere Erosion; Genetics of Monozygotic Twinning; Developmental Dysplasia; Fertility of Mothers of Twins / General Interest: Video Portraits; Separated at Birth; Childhood Actors; Adult Twin Film Villains
Authors: Segal Nancy L.
Published: August 2012

Selected highlights from the 14th International Congress on Twin Studies, set in Florence, Italy in April 2012, are presented. This meeting, which traditionally occurred every three years, is now being held every two years. Reviews of research on the topics of stress and aging (telomere erosion), the genetics of MZ twinning, developmental dysplasia, and fertility of mothers of twins follow. The final section includes several public interest items, namely an exhibit of twins' video portraits, unusual physical look-alikes, and young and adult twin television and film actors.
Emac – a comparative index for the assessment of macrocyclization efficiency
Authors: Collins James C. , James Keith
Published: August 2012

Based upon a critical analysis of macrocyclization reactions published over the last three years, a macrocyclization efficiency index, Emac, is proposed, which takes into account both yield and concentration, as a means of determining the true efficiency of a macrocyclization reaction.
Approaches to discover non-ATP site kinase inhibitors
Authors: Gavrin Lori Krim , Saiah Eddine
Published: August 2012

This review will highlight the most commonly used methods to discover small molecule Type III/IV kinase inhibitors.
Nocturnin in the demosponge Suberites domuncula: a potential circadian clock protein controlling glycogenin synthesis in sponges
Authors: Müller Werner E. G. , Wang Xiaohong , Grebenjuk Vlad A. , Korzhev Michael , Wiens Matthias , Schlossmacher Ute , Schröder Heinz C.
Published: August 2012

Sponges are filter feeders that consume a large amount of energy to allow a controlled filtration of water through their aquiferous canal systems. It has been shown that primmorphs, three-dimensional cell aggregates prepared from the demosponge Suberites domuncula and cultured in vitro, change their morphology depending on the light supply. Upon exposure to light, primmorphs show a faster and stronger increase in DNA, protein and glycogen content compared with primmorphs that remain in the dark. The sponge genome contains nocturnin, a light/dark-controlled clock gene, the protein of which shares a high sequence similarity with the related molecule of higher metazoans. The sponge nocturnin protein was found showing a poly(A)-specific 3′-exoribonuclease activity. In addition, the cDNA of the glycogenin gene was identified for subsequent expression studies. Antibodies against nocturnin were raised and used in parallel with the cDNA to determine the regional expression of nocturnin in intact sponge specimens; the highest expression of nocturnin was seen in the epithelial layer around the aquiferous canals. Quantitative PCR analyses revealed that primmorphs after transfer from light to dark show a 10-fold increased expression in the nocturnin gene. In contrast, the expression level of glycogenin decreases in the dark by 3– 4-fold. Exposure of primmorphs to light causes a decrease in nocturnin transcripts and a concurrent increase in glycogenin transcripts. It was concluded that sponges are provided with the molecular circadian clock protein nocturnin that is highly expressed in the dark where it controls the stability of a key metabolic enzyme, glycogenin.