bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Avian malaria is associated with increased reproductive investment in the blue tit
Authors: Podmokła Edyta , Dubiec Anna , Drobniak Szymon M. , Arct Aneta , Gustafsson Lars , Cichoń Mariusz
Published: January 2014

Haemosporidians causing avian malaria are very common parasites among bird species. Their negative effects have been repeatedly reported in terms of deterioration in survival prospects or reproductive success. However, a positive association between blood parasites and avian fitness has also been reported. Here, we studied a relationship between presence of malaria parasites and reproductive performance of the host, a hole‐breeding passerine – the blue titCyanistes caeruleus. Since the malaria parasites might affect their hosts differently depending on environmental conditions, we performed brood size manipulation experiment to differentiate parental reproductive effort and study the potential interaction between infection status and brood rearing conditions on reproductive performance. We found individuals infected with malaria parasites to breed later in the season in comparison with uninfected birds, but no differences were detected in clutch size. Interestingly, infected parents produced heavier and larger offspring with stronger reaction to phytohemagglutinin. More importantly, we found a significant interaction between infection status and brood size manipulation in offspring tarsus length and reaction to phytohemagglutinin: presence of parasites had stronger positive effect among birds caring for experimentally enlarged broods. Our results might be interpreted either in the light of the parasite‐mediated selection or terminal investment hypothesis.
Small Reduction of the Piezoelectric d33 Response in Potassium Sodium Niobate Thick Films
Authors: Pavlič Jernej , Malič Barbara , Rojac Tadej
Published: January 2014

We have investigated the electromechanical response of potassium sodium niobate (K0.5Na0.5NbO3 or KNN) thick films. The high‐field strain hysteresis loops and weak‐field converse piezoelectric d33 coefficient of the films were measured and compared with those of KNN bulk ceramics under the same electric field conditions. The converse d33 values of the thick films and bulk ceramics were equal to 82.5 and 138 pm/V, respectively, at 0.4 kV/mm. The fundamental difference between the piezoelectric response of the KNN films and the ceramics was studied in terms of the effective (“clamped”) piezoelectric d33 coefficient. The reduction in the piezoelectric d33 coefficient of the KNN films, resulting from the clamping by the substrate, was compared to lead‐based ferroelectric thick films, including Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PZT) and (1 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−xPbTiO3 (PMN‐PT). We propose a possible explanation, based on the particular elastic properties of KNN, for the small relative difference observed between the “clamped” and “unclamped” (“bulk”) d33 of KNN, in comparison with lead‐based systems.
Apelin inhibits the proliferation and migration of rat PASMCs via the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal and the inhibition of autophagy under hypoxia
Authors: Zhang Hongyu , Gong Yongsheng , Wang Zhouguang , Jiang Liping , Chen Ran , Fan Xiaofang , Zhu Huanmian , Han Liping , Li Xiaokun , Xiao Jian , Kong Xiaoxia
Published: January 2014

Apelin is highly expressed in the lungs, especially in the pulmonary vasculature, but the functional role of apelin under pathological conditions is still undefined. Hypoxic pulmonary hypertension is the most common cause of acute right heart failure, which may involve the remodeling of artery and regulation of autophagy. In this study, we determined whether treatment with apelin regulated the proliferation and migration of rat pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) under hypoxia, and investigated the underlying mechanism and the relationship with autophagy. Our data showed that hypoxia activated autophagy significantly at 24 hrs. The addition of exogenous apelin decreased the level of autophagy and further inhibited pulmonary arterial SMC (PASMC) proliferation via activating downstream phosphatidylinositol‐3‐kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/the mammalian target of Rapamycin (mTOR) signal pathways. The inhibition of the apelin receptor (APJ) system by siRNA abolished the inhibitory effect of apelin in PASMCs under hypoxia. This study provides the evidence that exogenous apelin treatment contributes to inhibit the proliferation and migration of PASMCs by regulating the level of autophagy.
RUNX3 regulates vimentin expression via miR‐30a during epithelial–mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer cells
Authors: Liu Zhifang , Chen Long , Zhang Xinchao , Xu Xia , Xing Huaixin , Zhang Yingjie , Li Wenjuan , Yu Han , Zeng Jiping , Jia Jihui
Published: January 2014

Runt‐related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) is a putative tumour suppressor via regulating the expression of a series of target genes. Clinical studies demonstrated that loss of RUNX3 expression is associated with gastric cancer progression and poor prognosis, but the underlying mechanism is not entirely clear. Accumulating evidence shows that the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in cancer relapse and metastasis. Therefore, we addressed whether RUNX3 has a role in the EMT in gastric cancer. Knockdown of RUNX3 promoted cell invasion and increased the protein expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin in human gastric cancer cells. Overexpression of RUNX3 suppressed cell invasion and decreased the protein expression of vimentin in the cells and inhibited gastric cancer cells colonization in nude mice. Furthermore, overexpression of RUNX3 increased the expression of microRNA‐30a (miR‐30a), and miR‐30a directly targeted the 3′ untranslated region of vimentin and decreased its protein level. miR‐30a inhibitor abrogated RUNX3‐mediated inhibition of cell invasion and downregulation of vimentin. Thus, RUNX3 suppressed gastric cancer cell invasion and vimentin expression by activating miR‐30a. In gastric cancer patients, levels of RUNX3 were positively correlated with miR‐30a and negatively associated with the levels of vimentin. Collectively, our data suggest a novel molecular mechanism for the tumour suppressor activity of RUNX3. Effective therapy targeting the RUNX3 pathway may help control gastric cancer cell invasion and metastasis by inhibiting the EMT.
Trophic size‐structure of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus in eastern Taiwan estimated by stable isotope analysis
Authors: Tsai C.‐N. , Chiang W.‐C. , Sun C.‐L. , Shao K.‐T. , Chen S.‐Y. , Yeh S.‐Z.
Published: January 2014

To examine trophic dynamics over different size classes, an isotopic study of sailfish Istiophorus platypterus life‐history stages was carried out. Samples were collected from eastern Taiwan and the South China Sea during April 2009 and February 2012. A total of 263 samples (111–245 cm, lower jaw fork length, LLJFL) were examined for changes in trophic structure in relation to LLJFL by using stable isotope analysis of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N). The δ15N values for I. platypterus ranged from 7·51 to 14·19‰ (mean ± s.d. = 12·06 ± 1·16‰) and the δ13C values ranged from −22·04 to −15·48‰ (mean ± s.d. = −17·62 ± 1·10‰). The δ15N values were positively dependent on LLJFL (r2 = 0·377), whereas δ13C were negatively dependent on LLJFL (r2 = 0·063). There were significantly different seasonal changes in nitrogen and carbon isotopic concentration, but no significant differences in concentrations between eastern Taiwan and the South China Sea were reported. The trophic level (TL) of each LLJFL class was correlated, starting from 2·84 TL for size class I (LLJFL < 140 cm) and reaching 5·03 TL for size class VI (LLJFL > 221 cm). The mean ± s.d. TL was 4·43 ± 0·19 for all samples. The results reveal that I. platypterus occupies a wide range of trophic levels and different size classes occupy different trophic positions in the pelagic ecosystem.
Comparative demography of commercially important parrotfish species from Micronesia
Authors: Taylor B. M. , Choat J. H.
Published: January 2014

Fishery‐independent sampling was used to determine growth patterns, life span, mortality rates and timing of maturation and sex change in 12 common parrotfishes (Labridae: tribe Scarinae) from five genera (Calotomus,Cetoscarus,Chlorurus,HipposcarusandScarus) in Micronesia. Interspecific variation in life‐history traits was explored using multivariate analysis. All species displayed strong sex‐specific patterns of length‐at‐age among which males reached larger asymptotic lengths. There was a high level of correlation among life‐history traits across species. Relationships between length‐based and age‐based variables were weakest, with a tenuous link between maximum body size and life span. Cluster analysis based on similarities among life‐history traits demonstrated that species were significantly grouped at two major levels. The first grouping was driven by length‐based variables (lengths at maturity and sex change and maximum length) and separated the small‐ and large‐bodied species. Within these, species were grouped by age‐based variables (age at maturity, mortality and life span). Groupings based on demographic and life‐history features were independent of phylogenetic relationships at the given taxonomic level. The results reiterate that body size is an important characteristic differentiating species, but interspecific variation in age‐based traits complicates its use as a life‐history proxy. Detailed life‐history metrics should facilitate future quantitative assessments of vulnerability to overexploitation in multispecies fisheries.
Evaluation of the non‐functional tooth contact in patients with temporomandibular disorders by using newly developed electronic system
Authors: Funato M. , Ono Y. , Baba K. , Kudo Y.
Published: January 2014

The aims of this study were to introduce a novel electronic system for reliable evaluation of the non‐functional tooth contact in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and investigate the possible associations between the non‐functional tooth contact and some characteristics of the patients with TMD. We designed and installed a software program to send emails regarding the non‐functional tooth contact to the subjects' preregistered cellular phones at intervals of 20 ± 9 min daily for 10 consecutive days. Twelve patients with TMD and 12 gender‐ and age‐matched healthy subjects responded via emails to one of 3 choices: no tooth contact, tooth contact during oral functions or tooth contact not associated with oral functions. The influence of subjective stress, anxiety, depression, personality and daily activities on tooth contact was then assessed. The frequency of the non‐functional tooth contact was significantly higher in the patients with TMD than in the healthy subjects (35·0% vs. 9·6%, P < 0·001), while no significant group difference was found for the frequency of functional tooth contact, the stress, anxiety, depression and personality.
Phenotypic variation in resource acquisition influences trade‐off between number and mass of offspring in a burying beetle
Authors: Smiseth P. T. , Andrews C. P. , Mattey S. N. , Mooney R.
Published: January 2014

Understanding the consequences of phenotypic variation in resource acquisition is an important problem in evolutionary ecology because such variation may impact on how parents balance resource investment in individual offspring against other life‐history priorities. Here we investigate the effects of phenotypic variation in resource acquisition on the number and mass of offspring and the trade‐off between the two in the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides. We manipulate resource acquisition in adults by providing some females with a small mouse carcass (5–10 g) and other females with a large mouse carcass (15–20 g). We found that females breeding on larger carcasses produced both more and larger offspring than females breeding on smaller carcasses. Furthermore, an increase in brood size had a stronger negative effect on offspring mass in broods produced on smaller carcasses than in broods produced on larger carcasses. We conclude that phenotypic variation in resource acquisition had a strong effect on the number and mass of offspring and the trade‐off between the two. Our study contributes to our understanding of phenotypic variation in resource acquisition by showing that females with more resources produce both more and larger offspring in situations where such variation is not associated with anatomical or physiological differences between females.
Survival analysis of high‐intensity focused ultrasound therapy vs. transarterial chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinomas
Authors: Cheung Tan To , Poon Ronnie T. P. , Jenkins Caroline R. , Chu Ferdinand S. K. , Chok Kenneth S. H. , Chan Albert C. Y. , Tsang Simon H. Y. , Dai Wing Chiu , Yau Thomas C. C. , Chan See Ching , Fan Sheung Tat , Lo Chung Mau
Published: January 2014

Background & Aims

High‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation is a non‐invasive treatment for unresectable hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), but long‐term survival analysis is lacking. This study was to analyse its outcome compared to that of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

Methods

From October 2003 to September 2010, 113 patients received HIFU ablation as a treatment of HCCs at our hospital. Twenty‐six patients had HCCs sized 3–8 cm. Fifty‐two patients with matched tumour characteristics having TACE as primary treatment were selected for comparison. Short‐term outcome and long‐term survival were analysed.

Results

In the HIFU group (n = 26), 46 tumours were ablated. The median age of the patients was 69 (49–84) years. The median tumour size was 4.2 (3–8) cm. In the TACE group (n = 52), the median age of the patients was 67 (44–84) years. The median tumour size was 4.8 (3–8) cm. There was no hospital mortality in any of the groups. In the HIFU group, the rates of complete tumour response, partial tumour response, stable disease and progressive disease were 50%, 7.7%, 25.6% and 7.7% respectively, according to the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours. The TACE group had the corresponding rates at 0%, 21.2%, 63.5% and 15.4% respectively (P < 0.0001). The 1‐year, 3‐year and 5‐year survival rates were 84.6%, 49.2% and 32.3% respectively, in the HIFU group and 69.2%, 29.8% and 2.3% respectively, in the TACE group (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

HIFU ablation is a safe and effective method for unresectable HCCs. A survival benefit is observed over sole TACE.
Exercise‐Induced Capillary Growth in Human Skeletal Muscle and the Dynamics of VEGF
Authors: Hoier Birgitte , Hellsten Ylva
Published: January 2014

In skeletal muscle, growth of capillaries is an important adaptation to exercise training that secures adequate diffusion capacity for oxygen and nutrients even at high‐intensity exercise when increases in muscle blood flow are profound. Mechanical forces present during muscle activity, such as shear stress and passive stretch, lead to cellular signaling, enhanced expression of angiogenic factors, and initiation of capillary growth. The most central angiogenic factor in skeletal muscle capillary growth is VEGF. During muscle contraction, VEGF increases in the muscle interstitium, acts on VEGF receptors on the capillary endothelium, and thereby stimulates angiogenic processes. A primary source of muscle interstitial VEGF during exercise is the skeletal muscle fibers which contain large stores of VEGF within vesicles. We propose that, during muscle activity, these VEGF‐containing vesicles are redistributed toward the sarcolemma where the contents are secreted into the extracellular fluid. VEGF mRNA expression is increased primarily after exercise, which allows for a more rapid replenishment of VEGF stores lost through secretion during exercise. Future studies should focus on elucidating mechanisms and regulation of VEGF secretion.
Functional characterization of kinetochore protein, Ctf19 in meiosis I: an implication of differential impact of Ctf19 on the assembly of mitotic and meiotic kinetochores in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Mehta Gunjan D. , Agarwal Meenakshi , Ghosh Santanu K.
Published: January 2014

Meiosis is a specialized cell division process through which chromosome numbers are reduced by half for the generation of gametes. Kinetochore, a multiprotein complex that connects centromeres to microtubules, plays essential role in chromosome segregation. Ctf19 is the key central kinetochore protein that recruits all the other non‐essential proteins of the Ctf19 complex in budding yeast. Earlier studies have shown the role of Ctf19 complex in enrichment of cohesin around the centromeres both during mitosis and meiosis, leading to sister chromatid cohesion and meiosis II disjunction. Here we show that Ctf19 is also essential for the proper execution of the meiosis I specific unique events, such as non‐homologous centromere coupling, homologue pairing, chiasmata resolution and proper orientation of homologues and sister chromatids with respect to the spindle poles. Additionally, this investigation reveals that proper kinetochore function is required for faithful chromosome condensation in meiosis. Finally, this study suggests that absence of Ctf19 affects the integrity of meiotic kinetochore differently than that of the mitotic kinetochore. Consequently, absence of Ctf19 leads to gross chromosome missegregation during meiosis as compared with mitosis. Hence, this study reports for the first time the differential impact of a non‐essential kinetochore protein on the mitotic and meiotic kinetochore ensembles and hence chromosome segregation.
Groups, Decision Rules, and Negotiation Outcomes: Simulating the Negotiator's Dilemma
Authors: Urlacher Brian R.
Published: January 2014

The negotiator's dilemma is a vexing problem (structurally similar to the prisoner's dilemma), but it is made more complicated by the fact that many negotiations involve teams of negotiators. Although it is widely recognized that the behavior of groups of people can deviate in important ways from the behavior of individuals, the implications of this for the negotiator's dilemma are unclear.

For this article, I have used a computer simulation to explore the impact of different decision rules (majority rule, consensus, and weakest link) on how the approach of groups to negotiations might differ. The results suggest that the use of different decision rules can greatly complicate negotiations. While the majority rule is quite versatile in multiple contexts, a pairing of weakest link and consensus decision rules is highly problematic for finding a negotiated settlement.
Psychometric goodness of the Mini Sleep Questionnaire
Authors: Natale Vincenzo , Fabbri Marco , Tonetti Lorenzo , Martoni Monica
Published: January 2014

Aim

The current study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties and analyze the convergent validity of the Italian version of the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ). In addition, it was aimed to put forward cut‐off values to be used in screening protocols.

Methods

The MSQ was administered to 1830 participants (age range 18–87 years), of whom 1208 also completed the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire (age range 18–87 years). A subgroup of 187 (age range 18–71 years) participants was randomly chosen to test the test–retest reliability. A complete psychometric evaluation was performed on the MSQ. To study the validity of the tool, the Sleep Disorder Questionnaire was used as an external criterion to validate the MSQ. Using the Youden index, we calculated the cut‐off values that performed best. Finally, we created receiver–operator curves to test the accuracy of each cut‐off value identified.

Results

For the MSQ, Cronbach's alpha score was 0.77 while homogeneity was 0.26. Factorial analyses confirmed the presence of two dimensions: sleep (Cronbach's alpha 0.75; homogeneity 0.37) and wake (Cronbach's alpha 0.75; homogeneity 0.44). For each dimension, a cut‐off value was identified (>16 and >14, respectively). Both cut‐off values obtained an area under the curve higher than 0.80.

Conclusions

Psychometric evaluation of the MSQ was satisfactory. The cut‐off values analyzed in the present study showed good performance. On the whole, the results of this study suggest that the MSQ can be a useful screening tool.
Mitochondrial DNA variation and increased oxidative damage in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder
Authors: Chang Cheng‐Chen , Jou Shaw‐Hwa , Lin Ta‐Tsung , Liu Chin‐San
Published: January 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to compare alterations of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number, single nucleotide polymorphisms, and oxidative damage of mtDNA in clinically stable patients with bipolar I disorder (BD).

Methods

Patients meeting DSM‐IV diagnostic criteria for BD were recruited from the psychiatric outpatient clinic at Changhua Christian Hospital, Taiwan. They were clinically stable and their medications had not changed for at least the preceding 2 months. Exclusion criteria were substance‐induced psychotic disorder, eating disorder, anxiety disorder or illicit substance abuse. Comparison subjects did not have any history of major psychiatric disorders and they were non‐smokers. By analyzing peripheral blood leukocytes, copy number, single nucleotide polymorphisms and oxidative damage of mtDNA were compared between the two groups.

Results

The median age of the subjects was 38 years and 41.5 years in the comparison and BD groups, respectively. The leukocyte mtDNA copy number of the BD group was significantly lower than that of the comparison group (P < 0.001). BD patients had significantly higher mitochondrial oxidative damage than the comparison group (6.1 vs 3.9, P < 0.001). After generalized linear model adjusting with age, sex, smoking, family history, and psychotropic use, mtDNA copy number was still significantly lower in the BD group (P < 0.001). MtDNA oxidative damage was positively correlated with age (P = 0.034), although mtDNA oxidative damage was similar between these two groups.

Conclusion

Possible involvement of oxidative stress and mitochondria in the pathophysiology of BD needs more large‐scale studies. It is important that psychiatrists retain a high level of suspicion for mitochondrial dysfunction in patients with bipolar disorder.
Reply to Kenneth Thomas's “Wild Analysis in Politics”
Authors: Crouse James , Stalker Douglas
Published: January 2014

We try to clarify Kenneth Thomas's (“Wild Analysis in Politics”) mistakes about our analysis of the question: Do right‐wing authoritarian (RWA) beliefs originate from psychological conflict? We suggest, contrary to Thomas's analysis, an approach that builds on the kinds of psychodynamic causes we use to explain RWA and the importance of confirming them empirically.
In Defense of Mainstream Conservatism: A Response to Crouse and Stalker
Authors: Thomas Kenneth R.
Published: January 2014

This article provides a response to Crouse and Stalker's reply to my commentary (Thomas, 2013) on their article titled “Do Right‐Wing Authoritarian Beliefs Originate from Psychological Conflict?” (Psychoanalytic Psychology, 24, 25–44). The authors' critical remarks regarding my commentary are addressed, and recommendations are offered for a more cautious use of psychoanalytic theory and results derived from The Right‐Wing Authoritarianism Scale (Altemeyer, 1998) for labeling persons with mainstream conservative political beliefs as being “psychopathological” or “right‐wing authoritarians.” Such assertions regarding the personality characteristics of political conservatives are particularly troubling, since the authors' conclusions were purely speculative, and they collected neither clinical nor empirical data on patients or research subjects with so‐called right‐wing authoritarian personalities to support their speculations.
Political Neuroscience: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship
Authors: Jost John T. , Nam H. Hannah , Amodio David M. , Van Bavel Jay J.
Published: January 2014

The emergence of political neuroscience—an interdisciplinary venture involving political science, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience—has piqued the interests of scholars as well as the mass public. In this chapter, we review evidence pertaining to four areas of inquiry that have generated most of the research in political neuroscience to date: (1) racial prejudice and intergroup relations; (2) the existence of partisan bias and motivated political cognition; (3) the nature of left‐right differences in political orientation; and (4) the dimensional structure of political attitudes. Although these topics are well‐known to political psychologists, the application of models and methods from neuroscience has renewed interest in each of them and yielded novel insights. There is reason to believe that many other areas of political psychology await similarly promising renewals and that innovative methods will continue to advance our understanding of the physiological processes involved in political cognition, evaluation, judgment, and behavior. We address limitations, criticisms, and potential pitfalls of existing work—including the “chicken‐and‐egg problem”—and propose an ambitious agenda for the next generation of research in political neuroscience.
Political Ecology: On the Mutual Formation of Biology and Culture
Authors: McDermott Rose , Hatemi Peter K.
Published: January 2014

Biology and culture continually and interactively cocreate. In order to fully understand culture, the biological pathways that co‐occur must also be appreciated. And in order to determine how biological influences manifest in social behaviors, culture cannot be discarded. Here we discuss the interaction between genes and culture and show the ways in which each influences and informs the other. We argue that this interaction is profoundly important in shaping a wide variety of political and institutional differences across populations, including critical processes such as cooperation and conflict. We apply a levels‐of‐analysis approach to the study of individuals, cultures, and populations. In doing so, we discuss the potentially critical role of gene‐environment mismatch in precipitating many political and social problems, especially those related to political violence.
Trade Openness, Corruption and Factor Abundance: Evidence from a Dynamic Panel
Authors: Marjit Sugata , Mandal Biswajit , Roy Suryadipta
Published: January 2014

Using the Heckscher–Ohlin–Samuelson–Vanek (HOSV) framework, this paper illustrates a relationship between corruption and the pattern of international trade that depends on the factor endowments of countries. The relationship between trade openness and corruption is empirically investigated by using a panel dataset on trade openness, corruption and capital–labor ratio, and applying estimation techniques developed for dynamic panels. The regression results provide strong support to the hypothesis that the effect of corruption on trade openness depends on relative factor abundance.
Gender‐specific Human Capital, Openness and Growth: Exploring the Linkages for South Asia
Authors: Cooray Arusha , Mallick Sushanta , Dutta Nabamita
Published: January 2014

Using data covering 1970–2008 for South Asia, this study investigates the influence of human capital disaggregated by gender, on economic growth. We use an extended version of the Solow growth model with per capita gross domestic product (GDP) a function of the key variables, viz. physical capital accumulation, human capital accumulation, trade openness and capital flows, fiscal policy and financial development. The key contribution of this study is to show that openness when interacted with the human capital stock disaggregated by gender, has differential impacts on economic growth. While the positive impact of male secondary schooling captures the direct skill effect relative to primary schooling, the marginal influence of female primary/secondary schooling fails to show a positive impact on growth at higher levels of openness. An implication stemming from this study is that educational opportunities for females at the secondary level should be increased for South Asia.
Technological Change and Wages in China: Evidence from Matched Employer–Employee Data
Authors: Mishra Vinod , Smyth Russell
Published: January 2014

The relationship between research and development (R&D) intensity and wages is examined using a unique matched employer–employee dataset. The ordinary least squares estimates suggest that a one standard deviation increase in R&D intensity is associated with an increase in the hourly wage rate between 3.4% and 6.9% for the full sample, depending on the exact specification. The instrumental variable estimates are that a one standard deviation increase in R&D intensity is associated with an increase in the hourly wage rate between 5.5% and 11.4%. The wage elasticity with respect to R&D intensity is found to be higher in larger firms as well as for better educated workers and workers with technical skills. Consistent with the rent‐sharing hypothesis it is also found that the wage elasticity with respect to R&D intensity is higher for workers who belong to the Communist Party or union.
The (Im)possibility of Distinguishing Horizontal and Vertical Motivations for FDI
Authors: Lankhuizen Maureen
Published: January 2014

Skill differences between parent and host countries are considered a key variable for distinguishing horizontal and vertical motivations within aggregate foreign direct investment (FDI). This paper tests the robustness of the skill difference term in the knowledge‐capital model for FDI in a sample of Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development (OECD) countries. The evidence in this paper indicates that skill differences per se do not properly explain FDI: the skill level of the host country is also important. This paper argues that both horizontal and vertical FDI may increase in the skill level of the host. It follows that the distinction between vertical and horizontal motivations for FDI with respect to skills is less straightforward than generally assumed in the literature.
Temporary Migration and the Flow of Savings to the Source Country
Authors: Djajić Slobodan
Published: January 2014

The saving behavior of temporary migrants when the duration of their stay abroad is set by the immigration policy of the host country is studied in this paper. The focus is on the implied flow of savings back to the source country and how it depends on migration costs, duration of the work permit, and international wage, interest and price‐level differentials. The amount of time that migrants are allowed to work in the host country is shown to be a key policy variable that affects the flow of savings repatriated to the source country.
Young Adult Follow‐up of Adolescent Girls in Juvenile Justice Using the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale
Authors: Kerr David C. R. , Gibson Brandon , Leve Leslie D. , DeGarmo David S.
Published: January 2014

This study focused on the reliability and validity of the Columbia Suicide Severity Scale (C‐SSRS). Severely delinquent adolescent girls (n = 166) participated in a treatment trial and repeated assessments over time. Lifetime suicide attempt history was measured using the C‐SSRS in early adulthood (n = 144; 7–12 years postbaseline). Nonclinician raters showed strong interrater reliability using the C‐SSRS. Self‐reports, caseworker reports, and caregiver reports of girls' suicide attempt histories collected at baseline correlated with adult participants' recollections of their baseline attempt histories. Suicidal ideation measured prospectively across a 7‐ to –12‐year period was associated with retrospectively reported suicide attempt across the same period.
Turbocharger Map Reduction for Control-Oriented Modeling
Authors: Stricker Karla , Kocher Lyle , Koeberlein Ed , Van Alstine D. G. , Shaver Gregory M.
Published: January 2014

Models of the gas exchange process in modern diesel engines typically use manufacturer-provided maps to describe mass flows through, and efficiencies of, the turbine and compressor based on pressure ratios across the turbine and compressor, as well as the turbocharger shaft speed, and in the case of variable-geometry turbochargers, the nozzle position. These look-up maps require multiple interpolations to produce the necessary information for turbocharger performance, and are undesirable when modeling for estimation and control. There have been several previous efforts to reduce dependence on maps with general success, yet many of these approaches remain complex and are not easily integrated into engine control systems. The focus of this paper is the reduction of turbomachinery maps to analytical functions that are amenable to estimator and control design, and have been validated against manufacturer-provided turbomachinery data.
Fabrication of tapered graded-refractive-index micropillars using ion-implanted-photoresist as an etch mask
Authors: Ma Ming , Fred Schubert E. , Cho Jaehee , Evans Morgan , Bum Kim Gi , Sone Cheolsoo
Published: January 2014

Thermally reflowed photoresist is used as an etch mask in inductively coupled plasma reactive ion etching of dielectric graded-refractive-index (GRIN) coatings. The coatings have varying compositions of TiO2 and SiO2 and are used to fabricate GRIN micropillars with tapered sidewalls. The effects of ion implantation on the dry-etch-resistance of photoresist are investigated for Si, N, and Ar ion implantation. Compared with the unimplanted photoresist, the implanted photoresists show enhanced dry-etch-resistance under fluorine chemistry (CHF3 and O2). The etch rate of the Si-implanted photoresist is 72% lower than that of the unimplanted photoresist. The measured depth of modification of the photoresist is in good agreement with the trend predicted by ion-implantation-simulation software. Using Si-implanted photoresist as an etch mask, five-layer GRIN micropillars with tapered sidewalls are fabricated.
Long-Term Practice Induced Plasticity in the Primary Motor Cortex Innervating the Ankle Flexor in Football Juggling Experts
Authors: Hirano Masato , Kubota Shinji , Morishita Takuya , Uehara Kazumasa , Fujimoto Shusaku , Funase Kozo
Published: January 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the plasticity of M1 innervating the tibialis anterior muscle (TA) induced by the long-term practice of football juggling using a transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) technique. Ten football juggling experts and ten novices participated in this study. Motor evoked potentials (MEP) and the H-reflex were recorded from the right TA during isometric dorsiflexion at 10% of maximum voluntary contraction. The MEP input-output curve of the experts was steeper than that of the novices, and reduced short-interval intracortical inhibition and long-interval intracortical inhibition were observed in the experts. In contrast, the ratio of Hmax to Mmax did not differ between the groups. Our results show that football juggling experts displayed enhanced excitability in the M1 innervating the TA, which was induced by the long-term practice of the ankle movements required to perform football juggling well.
Neonatal Estradiol Stimulation Prevents Epilepsy in Arx Model of X-Linked Infantile Spasms Syndrome
Authors: Olivetti Pedro R. , Maheshwari Atul , Noebels Jeffrey L.
Published: January 2014

Estradiol treatment of a mouse model of X-linked infantile spasms syndrome during the neonatal period prevents epilepsy in adulthood, restores interneurons, and alters mRNA levels of Arx targets.
Identifying Gut Microbe–Host Phenotype Relationships Using Combinatorial Communities in Gnotobiotic Mice
Authors: Faith Jeremiah J. , Ahern Philip P. , Ridaura Vanessa K. , Cheng Jiye , Gordon Jeffrey I.
Published: January 2014

Identifying human gut bacterial strains that affect three diverse biological responses should facilitate discovery of next-generation probiotics and realization of the microbiota’s diagnostic potential.
Sesquiterpene Lactone in Nanostructured Parenteral Dosage Form Is Efficacious in Experimental Chagas Disease
Authors: Branquinho Renata Tupinambá , Mosqueira Vanessa Carla Furtado , Oliveira-Silva Jaquelline Carla Valamiel de , Simões-Silva Marianne Rocha , Saúde-Guimarães Dênia Antunes , Lana Marta de
Published: January 2014

The drugs available for Chagas disease treatment are toxic and ineffective. We studied the
in vivo
activity of a new drug, lychnopholide (LYC). LYC was loaded in nanocapsules (NC), and its effects were compared to free LYC and benznidazole against
Trypanosoma cruzi
. Infected mice were treated in the acute phase at 2.0 mg/kg/day with free LYC, LYC-poly-ε-caprolactone NC (LYC-PCL), and LYC-poly(lactic acid)-co-polyethylene glycol NC (LYC-PLA-PEG) or at 50 mg/kg/day with benznidazole solution by the intravenous route. Animals infected with the CL strain, treated 24 h after infection for 10 days, evaluated by hemoculture, PCR, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay exhibited a 50% parasitological cure when treated with LYC-PCL NC and 100% cure when treated with benznidazole, but 100% of the animals treated during the prepatent period for 20 days with these formulations or LYC-PLA-PEG NC were cured. In animals with the Y strain treated 24 h after infection for 10 days, only mice treated by LYC-PCL NC were cured, but animals treated in the prepatent period for 20 days exhibited 100, 75, and 62.5% cure when treated with LYC-PLA-PEG NC, benznidazole, and LYC-PCL NC, respectively. Free LYC reduced the parasitemia and improved mice survival, but no mice were cured. LYC-loaded NC showed higher cure rates, reduced parasitemia, and increased survival when used in doses 2five times lower than those used for benznidazole. This study confirms that LYC is a potential new treatment for Chagas disease. Furthermore, the long-circulating property of PLA-PEG NC and its ability to improve LYC efficacy showed that this formulation is more effective in reaching the parasite
in vivo
.
Preclinical Safety Evaluation of Intravenously Administered SAL200 Containing the Recombinant Phage Endolysin SAL-1 as a Pharmaceutical Ingredient
Authors: Jun Soo Youn , Jung Gi Mo , Yoon Seong Jun , Choi Yun-Jaie , Koh Woo Suk , Moon Kyoung Sik , Kang Sang Hyeon
Published: January 2014

Phage endolysins have received increasing attention as potent antibacterial agents. However, although safety evaluation is a prerequisite for the drug development process, a good laboratory practice (GLP)-compliant safety evaluation has not been reported for phage endolysins. A safety evaluation of intravenously administered SAL200 (containing phage endolysin SAL-1) was conducted according to GLP standards. No animals died in any of the safety evaluation studies. In general toxicity studies, intravenously administered SAL200 showed no sign of toxicity in rodent single- and repeated-dose toxicity studies. In the dog repeated-dose toxicity test, there were no abnormal findings, with the exception of transient abnormal clinical signs that were observed in some dogs when daily injection of SAL200 was continued for more than 1 week. In safety pharmacology studies, there were also no signs of toxicity in the central nervous and respiratory system function tests. In the cardiovascular function test, there were no abnormal findings in all tested dogs after the first and second administrations, but transient abnormalities were observed after the third and fourth administrations (2 or 3 weeks after the initial administration). All abnormal findings observed in these safety evaluation studies were slight to mild, were apparent only transiently after injection, and resolved quickly. The safety evaluation results for SAL200 support the implementation of an exploratory phase I clinical trial and underscore the potential of SAL200 as a new drug. We have designed an appropriate phase I clinical trial based on the results of this study.
Post-β-Lactamase-Inhibitor Effect of Tazobactam in Combination with Ceftolozane on Extended-Spectrum-β-Lactamase-Producing Strains
Authors: Sader Helio S. , Rhomberg Paul R. , Jones Ronald N.
Published: January 2014

The post-β-lactamase-inhibitor effect (PBLIE) of tazobactam combined with ceftolozane was evaluated by time-kill assays on two clinical
Escherichia coli
strains producing CTX-M-15 with or without TEM-1. The organisms were exposed (2 h) to 4 μg/ml/4 μg/ml of ceftolozane-tazobactam (4× MIC), 4 μg/ml of ceftolozane, and medium containing no drug, washed, and resuspended in medium alone or medium containing ceftolozane-tazobactam or ceftolozane. The PBLIE was determined as 1.3 to 2.1 h, and a postantibiotic effect was measured as 0.8 to 0.9 h.
Study of Macrophage Functions in Murine J774 Cells and Human Activated THP-1 Cells Exposed to Oritavancin, a Lipoglycopeptide with High Cellular Accumulation
Authors: Lemaire Sandrine , Mingeot-Leclercq Marie-Paule , Tulkens Paul M. , Van Bambeke Françoise
Published: January 2014

Oritavancin, a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic in development, accumulates to high levels in the lysosomes of eukaryotic cells. We examined specific functions of macrophages (phagocytic capacity, lysosomal integrity, metabolic activity, and production of reactive oxygen species [ROS]) in correlation with the cellular accumulation of the drug, using J774 mouse macrophages and THP-1 human monocytes differentiated into macrophages using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Oritavancin did not affectPseudomonas aeruginosaphagocytosis, lysosomal integrity, or metabolic activity in cells incubated for 3 h with extracellular concentrations ranging from 5 to 50 μg/ml. At extracellular concentrations of ≥25 μg/ml, oritavancin reduced latex bead phagocytosis by approximately 50% and doubled ROS production in J774 macrophages only. This may result from the fact that the cellular accumulation of oritavancin was 15 times higher in J774 cells than in activated THP-1 cells at 3 h. Human pharmacokinetic studies estimate that the concentration of oritavancin in alveolar macrophages could reach approximately 560 μg/ml after administration of a cumulative dose of 4 g, which is below the cellular concentration needed in the present study to impair latex bead phagocytosis (1,180 μg/ml) or to stimulate ROS production (15,000 μg/ml) by J774 cells. The data, therefore, suggest that, in spite of its substantial cellular accumulation, oritavancin is unlikely to markedly affect macrophage functions under the conditions of use investigated in current phase III trials (a single dose of 1,200 mg).
Selective Target Inactivation Rather than Global Metabolic Dormancy Causes Antibiotic Tolerance in Uropathogens
Authors: Goneau Lee W. , Yeoh Nigel S. , MacDonald Kyle W. , Cadieux Peter A. , Burton Jeremy P. , Razvi Hassan , Reid Gregor
Published: January 2014

Persister cells represent a multidrug-tolerant (MDT), physiologically distinct subpopulation of bacteria. The ability of these organisms to survive lethal antibiotic doses raises concern over their potential role in chronic disease, such as recurrent urinary tract infection (RUTI). Persistence is believed to be conveyed through global metabolic dormancy, which yields organisms unresponsive to external stimuli. However, recent studies have contested this stance. Here, various antibiotics that target different cellular processes were used to dissect the activity of transcription, translation, and peptidoglycan turnover in persister cells. Differential susceptibility patterns were found in type I and type II persisters, and responses differed between
Staphylococcus saprophyticus
and
Escherichia coli
uropathogens. Further, SOS-deficient strains were sensitized to ciprofloxacin, suggesting DNA gyrase activity in persisters and indicating the importance of active DNA repair systems for ciprofloxacin tolerance. These results indicate that global dormancy
per se
cannot sufficiently account for antibiotic tolerance. Rather, the activity of individual cellular processes dictates multidrug tolerance in an antibiotic-specific fashion. Furthermore, the susceptibility patterns of persisters depended on their mechanisms of onset, with subinhibitory antibiotic pretreatments selectively shutting down cognate targets and increasing the persister fraction against the same agent. Interestingly, antibiotics targeting transcription and translation enhanced persistence against multiple agents indirectly related to these processes. Conducting these assays with uropathogenic
E. coli
isolated from RUTI patients revealed an enriched persister fraction compared to organisms cleared with standard antibiotic therapy. This finding suggests that persister traits are either selected for during prolonged antibiotic treatment or initially contribute to therapy failure.
Antiviral Susceptibility of Variant Influenza A(H3N2)v Viruses Isolated in the United States from 2011 to 2013
Authors: Sleeman K. , Mishin V. P. , Guo Z. , Garten R. J. , Balish A. , Fry A. M. , Villanueva J. , Stevens J. , Gubareva L. V.
Published: January 2014

Since 2011, outbreaks caused by influenza A(H3N2) variant [A(H3N2)v] viruses have become a public health concern in the United States. The A(H3N2)v viruses share the A(H1N1)pdm09 M gene containing the marker of M2 blocker resistance, S31N, but do not contain any known molecular markers associated with resistance to neuraminidase (NA) inhibitors (NAIs). Using a fluorescent NA inhibition (NI) assay, the susceptibilities of recovered A(H3N2)v viruses (
n
= 168) to FDA-approved (oseltamivir and zanamivir) and other (peramivir, laninamivir, and A-315675) NAIs were assessed. All A(H3N2)v viruses tested, with the exception of a single virus strain, A/Ohio/88/2012, isolated from an untreated patient, were susceptible to the NAIs tested. The A/Ohio/88/2012 virus contained two rare substitutions, S245N and S247P, in the NA and demonstrated reduced inhibition by oseltamivir (31-fold) and zanamivir (66-fold) in the NI assay. Using recombinant NA (recNA) proteins, S247P was shown to be responsible for the observed altered NAI susceptibility, in addition to an approximately 60% reduction in NA enzymatic activity. The S247P substitution has not been previously reported as a molecular marker of reduced susceptibility to the NAIs. Using cell culture assays, the investigational antiviral drugs nitazoxanide, favipiravir, and fludase were shown to inhibit the replication of A(H3N2)v viruses, including the virus with the S247P substitution in the NA. This report demonstrates the importance of continuous monitoring of susceptibility of zoonotic influenza viruses to available and investigational antiviral drugs.