bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Arterial Stiffness and Wave Reflection 1 Year After a Pregnancy Complicated by Hypertension
Authors: Ehrenthal Deborah B. , Goldstein Neal D. , Wu Pan , Rogers Stephanie , Townsend Raymond R. , Edwards David G.
Published: August 2014

Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) later in life. The authors investigated the association of HDP with blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness 1‐year postpartum. Seventy‐four participants, 33 with an HDP and 41 with uncomplicated pregnancies, were examined using applanation tonometry to measure BP, carotid‐femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and augmentation index (AIx). On average, women with HDP had a 9 mm higher systolic BP (P<.01), 0.8 m/s faster cfPWV (P=.09), and 5.4% greater AIx (P=.09) at the 1‐year examination. After adjustment for covariates, there was no significant difference in cfPWV between groups, while a 7.3% greater AIx (P<.05) remained. These findings suggest that reduced endothelial function may be detected 1 year after HDP. Large prospective studies are needed to further understand the contribution of arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction in the evolution of CVD after these complicated pregnancies.
Differentiation and morphogenesis of the ovary and expression of gonadal development‐related genes in the protogynous hermaphroditic ricefield eel Monopterus albus
Authors: He Z. , Li Y. , Wu Y. , Shi S. , Sun C. , Deng Q. , Xie J. , Wang T. , Zhang W. , Zhang L.
Published: August 2014

The ovarian differentiation, morphogenesis and expression of some putative gonadal development‐related genes were analysed in the ricefield eel Monopterus albus, a protogynous hermaphroditic teleost with a single elongate ovary. At c. 1 day post‐hatching (dph), the gonadal ridge was colonized with primordial germ cells (PGCs) at the periphery and transformed into the gonadal primordium, which appeared to contain two germinal epithelia. At c. 7 dph, four ovarian cavities appeared in the gonadal tissue with two in each germinal epithelial compartment, and the indifferent gonad might have begun to differentiate into the ovary. The oocytes at the leptotene stage in meiosis I appeared at c. 14 dph, and oocytes at the diplotene stage at c. 30 dph. As development proceeded, the connective tissue separating the two germinal epithelia disappeared, and two of the four ovarian cavities collapsed into one. At 60 dph, the gonad had already taken the shape as observed in the adults. One outer and two inner ovarian cavities could be easily recognized, with slightly basophilic primary growth oocytes usually residing close to the outer ovarian cavity. The expression of cyp19a1a and erb in the early gonad was detected at 6 dph. The abundant expression of foxl2 coincided with the up‐regulation of cyp19a1a at 8 dph onwards. The expression of dmrt1 isoforms was not detectable until 8 dph for dmrt1a and dmrt1b and until 33 dph for dmrt1d. The earlier appearance of cyp19a1a compared to dmrt1 transcripts in the indifferent gonad may contribute to the initial differentiation of the gonad towards the ovary in M. albus.
Product Sustainability Index (ProdSI)
Authors: Shuaib Mohannad , Seevers Daniel , Zhang Xiangxue , Badurdeen Fazleena , Rouch Keith E. , Jawahir I.S.
Published: August 2014

As a result of the rapidly depleting global resources, continuing climate change and increasing environmental pollution, and the associated growth in customer awareness, improving product sustainability has become a global trend. Comprehensive sustainability assessment techniques are needed to assess a product's sustainability performance throughout its entire life cycle. This article presents the Product Sustainability Index (ProdSI) methodology and its application. This methodology is metrics based and provides a comprehensive assessment of the overall product sustainability throughout its total life cycle, covering the four life cycle stages: pre‐manufacturing; manufacturing; use; and postuse. In this article, first the fundamentals of sustainable manufacturing and product sustainability assessment (PSA) are presented, followed by a review of existing PSA methodologies. Major product sustainability elements that are used to define product sustainability clusters and individual sustainability metrics are then presented. Finally, theProdSImethodology for PSA, which follows a hierarchical approach for sustainability metrics identification and overall PSA, is introduced. The application of the methodology is demonstrated in a numerical example ofProdSIevaluation for two generations of a consumer electronics component.
Timing of UHP exhumation and rock fabric development in gneiss domes containing the world's youngest eclogite Facies rocks, southeastern Papua New Guinea
Authors: Korchinski M. S. , Vry J. , Little T. A. , Millet M.‐A. , Bicknell R. , Smith E. , von der Handt A.
Published: August 2014

The youngest known ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) rocks in the world occur in the Woodlark Rift of southeastern Papua New Guinea. Since their crystallization in the Late Miocene to Early Pliocene, these eclogite facies rocks have been rapidly exhumed from mantle depths to the surface and today they remain in the still‐active geodynamic setting that caused this exhumation. For this reason, the rocks provide an excellent opportunity to study rates and processes of (U)HP exhumation. We present New Rb–Sr results from 12 rock samples from eclogite‐bearing gneiss domes in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands, and use those results to examine the time lag between (U)HP metamorphism and later ductile thinning, penetrative fabric development and accompanying metamorphic retrogression at amphibolite facies conditions during their exhumation. A Rb–Sr age for a sample of mafic eclogite (with no preserved coesite) from the core zone of the Mailolo gneiss dome (Fergusson Island) provides a new estimate of the timing of HP metamorphism (5.6 ± 1.6 Ma). The strongly deformed quartzofeldspathic and granitic gneisses (90–95% by volume) that enclose variably retrogressed relict blocks of mafic eclogite (5–10% by volume) yield Rb–Sr isochron ages from 4.4 to 2.4 Ma. For the UHP‐bearing gneisses of Mailolo dome, previously published U–Pb ages on zircon and our Rb–Sr isochron ages are consistent with a mean time lag of 2.2 ± 1.5 Ma (~95% c.i.) for passage of the rock between eclogite and amphibolite facies conditions. New thermobarometric data indicate that the main syn‐exhumational foliation developed at amphibolite facies conditions of 630–665 °C and 12.1–14.4 kbar. These pressure estimates indicate that the lower crust of the Woodlark Rift was unusually thick (>40 km) at the time of the amphibolite facies overprint, possibly as a result of accumulation and underplating of UHP‐derived material from below. Our data imply a minimum unroofing rate of 10 ± 7 mm year−1 (~95% c.i.) for the (U)HP body from minimum HP depths (73 ± 7 km) to lower crustal depths. This minimum unroofing rate reinforces previous inferences that the exhumation from the mantle to the surface of the gneiss domes in the D'Entrecasteaux Islands took place at plate tectonic rates. On the basis of previous structural studies and the new thermobarometry, we attribute the high (cm year−1) exhumation to diapiric ascent of the partially molten terrane from mantle depths, with a secondary contribution from pure shear thinning of the terrane after its arrival in the crust.
State‐Level School Competitive Food and Beverage Laws Are Associated With Children's Weight Status
Authors: Hennessy Erin , Oh April , Agurs‐Collins Tanya , Chriqui Jamie F. , Mâsse Louise C. , Moser Richard P. , Perna Frank
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

This study attempted to determine whether state laws regulating low nutrient, high energy‐dense foods and beverages sold outside of the reimbursable school meals program (referred to as “competitive foods”) are associated with children's weight status.

METHODS

We use the Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (CLASS) database of state codified law(s) relevant to school nutrition. States were classified as having strong, weak, or no competitive food laws in 2005 based on strength and comprehensiveness. Parent‐reported height and weight along with demographic, behavioral, family, and household characteristics were obtained from the 2007 National Survey of Children's Health. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses estimated the association between states' competitive food laws and children's overweight and obesity status (body mass index [BMI]‐for‐age ≥85th percentile). Children (N = 16,271) between the ages of 11‐14 years with a BMI for age ≥5th percentile who attended public school were included.

RESULTS

Children living in states with weak competitive food laws for middle schools had over a 20% higher odds of being overweight or obese than children living in states with either no or strong school competitive food laws.

CONCLUSION

State‐level school competitive food and beverage laws merit attention with efforts to address the childhood obesity epidemic. Attention to the specificity and requirements of these laws should also be considered.
School‐Level Factors Associated With Increased Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among Students in California Middle and High Schools
Authors: Gosliner Wendi
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

This study assessed associations between selective school‐level factors and students' consumption of fruits and vegetables at school. Better understanding of school factors associated with increased produce consumption is especially important, as students are served more produce items at school.

METHODS

This cross‐sectional study included 5439 seventh‐ and ninth‐grade students from 31 schools in California in 2010. Multilevel regression models estimated whether the odds of consuming fruits or vegetables at school among students eating the school lunch were associated with the length of the lunch period, quality/variety of produce options, or other factors.

RESULTS

A longer lunch period was associated with increased odds of a student eating fruits (odds ratio [OR] = 1.40) and vegetables (OR = 1.54) at school. Better fruit quality increased the odds of a student consuming fruit (OR = 1.44). Including a salad bar and involving students in food service decisions increased a student's odds of consuming vegetables (OR = 1.48 and OR = 1.34, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that institutional factors in schools are positively associated with middle and high school students' consumption of produce items at school. Additional efforts to structure school meal environments to enhance students' consumption of produce items can benefit students' nutrition and health.
School Bus Crash Rates on Routine and Nonroutine Routes
Authors: O'Neal Elizabeth , Ramirez Marizen , Hamann Cara , Young Tracy , Stahlhut Mary , Peek‐Asa Corinne
Published: August 2014

BACKGROUND

Although prior research has established that school buses are a safe form of transportation, crashes can produce catastrophic consequences. School buses have 2 types of routes: predictable, routine routes that take children to and from school and less predictable, nonroutine routes for school events. No studies have examined school bus crash incidence and characteristics by these route types.

METHODS

School bus crashes were identified from the Iowa Department of Transportation Crash Database from mid‐2005 through mid‐2010. Crash reports did not identify whether the bus was on a routine or nonroutine route, so a protocol to assign these based on day and time was developed. Bus mileage was provided by the Iowa Department of Education.

RESULTS

The school bus crash rate was 2.1 times higher on nonroutine routes than on routine routes (95% CI = 1.8‐2.3). Most crashes involved an improper action by the driver of another vehicle. In crashes attributed to improper actions of school buses, failure to yield the right‐of‐way and disregarding traffic signs were more common on routine routes, while losing control, speeding, reckless, or aggressive driving were more common on nonroutine routes.

CONCLUSIONS

School bus crashes are more likely to occur on nonroutine routes.
Protective effect of ((4-tert-butylcyclohexylidene) methyl) (4-methoxystyryl) sulfide, a novel unsymmetrical divinyl sulfide, on an oxidative stress model induced by sodium nitroprusside in mouse brain: involvement of glutathione peroxidase activity
Authors: Ianiski Francine R , Alves Catiane B , Bassaco Mariana M , Silveira Claudio C , Luchese Cristiane
Published: August 2014

Objectives

In this study, the antioxidant action of ((4-tert-butylcyclohexylidene) methyl) (4-methoxystyryl) sulfide, a novel unsymmetrical divinyl sulfide, against oxidative damage induced by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) in brains of mice was investigated.

Methods

Mice received SNP (0.335 μmol/site, intracerebroventricular) 30 min after administration of sulfide (10 mg/kg, intragastrically). After 1 h, animals were sacrificed and the brains were removed to biochemistry analysis. Thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PC) and non-protein thiol (NPSH) levels, as well as catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities were determined.

Key findings

SNP increased TBARS and PC levels, CAT, GPx, GR and GST activities and reduced NPSH levels. Administration of the sulfide attenuated the changes produced by SNP and increased per se GPx activity in brains of mice. Toxicological parameters revealed that this compound did not cause acute renal or hepatic damage.

Conclusions

In conclusion, ((4-tert-butylcyclohexylidene) methyl) (4-methoxystyryl) sulfide protected against oxidative damage caused by SNP in mouse brain. GPx activity is involved, at least in part, in the cerebral antioxidant action of this compound.
Constrained k‐means on cluster proportion and distances among clusters for longitudinal data analysis
Authors: Usami Satoshi
Published: August 2014

Clustering individuals by measures of similarity or dissimilarity at trajectories of changes in longitudinal data enables determination of typical patterns of development and growth. The present research proposes a new constrained k‐means method with lower bound constraints on cluster proportions and distances among clusters at focused variables and time points to fulfill various needs in clustering longitudinal data. The method assumes a large number of clusters at the onset and iteratively deletes and combines clusters according to these constraints. An additional property of the proposed constrained k‐means includes direct estimation of the unknown number of clusters. Simulation results clearly show the usefulness of the method for extracting clusters in plausible, real‐life analysis including non‐normality within clusters, and the proposed algorithm works well and convergence of the estimates is satisfactory. An actual example using Japanese longitudinal data regarding sleep habits and mental health is presented to verify the utility of the proposed constrained k‐means.
Constructing initial phonology in Mandarin Chinese: Syllabic or subsyllabic? A masked priming investigation
Authors: Verdonschot Rinus G. , Lai Jun , Chen Feng , Tamaoka Katsuo , Schiller Niels O.
Published: August 2014

Recent research has put forward the idea that Chinese speech production is governed by the syllable as the fundamental phonological unit. However, it may be that onset priming might be more difficult to obtain in Mandarin Chinese. Therefore, in this study, the degree of overlap between prime and target was increased from C to CV (i.e., extending beyond the phoneme) as well as whether primes and targets had an overlapping structure (CV vs. CVN). Subsyllabic priming effects were found (i.e., onset + vowel overlap but not purely onset overlap), contrasting with the claim that the syllable is the compulsory building block in the initial construction of Mandarin Chinese phonology.
Implementing a Medical Screening and Referral Program for Rural Emergency Departments
Authors: Menser Terri L. , Radcliff Tiffany A. , Schuller Kristin A.
Published: August 2014

Context

Emergency Department (ED) overcrowding due to nonemergent use is an ongoing concern. In 2011, a regional health system that primarily serves rural communities in Texas instituted a new program to medically screen and refer nonemergent patients to nearby affiliated rural health clinics (RHCs).

Purpose

This formative evaluation describes the program goals, process, and early implementation experiences at 2 sites that adopted the program before wider implementation within the rural health system.

Methods

Primary data collection including document review, internal stakeholder interviews, and direct observation of program processes were used for this formative evaluation of program implementation in light of program goals and objectives. Fourteen key informants were asked questions related to the program concept, structure, and implementation.

Results

The program, as implemented, aligned with initial program goals, but it was dependent on ED screening staff and RHC availability. Some adjustments to the program were needed, including RHC hours, consistency among staff in making referrals, patient education, and improving patient uptake on the referral. Stakeholders reported lessons learned related to training, staff buy‐in, Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), and intraorganizational cooperation.

Discussion

The system was able to leverage excess capacity of affiliated RHCs to accommodate low‐acuity patients referred from the ED and may lead to improvements in Triple Aim goals of increased patient satisfaction, better population health and outcomes, and lower per capita costs. Lessons learned from this program may inform similar processes aimed to reduce nonemergency ED utilization by other rural health systems.
Electronic Medical Record Adoption in Oklahoma Practices: Rural‐Urban Differences and the Role of Broadband Availability
Authors: Whitacre Brian E. , Williams Randi S.
Published: August 2014

Purpose

Most recent research has not found significant differences in electronic medical record (EMR) adoption rates between rural and urban physicians. However, few studies have assessed rural/urban differences at a lower level—for instance, by specialty or size of practice. Determinants of EMR adoption by physician practices in Oklahoma are explored, including the potential role of broadband availability (which is required for EMR interoperability).

Methods

Surveys of 2,800 unique Oklahoma physician practices in 2011 were meshed with data from the National Broadband Map for that same year. Summary statistics from the survey data allowed for comparison of EMR adoption rates by sub category. Logistic regressions were used to tease out the impact of location, specialty, and broadband availability on the EMR adoption decision.

Findings

Similar overall EMR adoption rates in rural and urban practices masked significant differences among specific subcategories. In particular, solo practices in rural areas are much more likely to adopt EMRs than are their urban counterparts (41% vs 33%, P < .01); rural psychiatric practices also have measurably higher adoption rates (59% vs 25%, P < .01). Logistic regression results demonstrate that determinants of adoption do vary between rural and urban practices. No statistical relationship between EMR adoption and measures of broadband availability was found.

Conclusions

Measurable differences in EMR adoption rates do exist between rural and urban practices for specific physician categories in Oklahoma. Targeted policies may be important for increasing EMR adoption, but policy efforts focusing solely on broadband availability for private practices are likely misguided.
At the Second Glance: Stability of Neural Responses Toward Visual Sexual Stimuli
Authors: Wehrum-Osinsky Sina , Klucken Tim , Kagerer Sabine , Walter Bertram , Hermann Andrea , Stark Rudolf
Published: August 2014

Introduction

Studies investigating the neural responses toward sexual stimuli can provide an important basis for further understanding disorders of sexual functioning. Although our knowledge of the neural correlates of sexual stimulus processing has increased considerably in the last decade, the stability of the observed effects in studies on neural sexual responses has been rather neglected.

Aims

The current study aimed to test the stability of behavioral and neural responses to visual sexual stimuli in men and women over a time span of 1 to 1.5 years. To disentangle valence and arousal-related aspects of sexual stimulus processing, we employed not only sexual and neutral, but also positive and negative emotional stimuli.

Methods

A sample of 56 subjects (24 women) was assessed twice, with an interval of 1 to 1.5 years between assessments. During a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session, participants passively viewed sexual, neutral, positive, and negative emotional pictures. Pictures were presented in 24 blocks of five pictures each. Every block was rated immediately after its presentation with respect to valence, arousal, and sexual arousal.

Main Outcome Measures

Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) responses measured by fMRI and stimulus ratings.

Results

fMRI analyses revealed a distributed network involved in the processing of sexual stimuli, with large parts of this network being consistently activated at both assessment points. Nucleus accumbens, anterior cingulate, occipital and parietal cortex showed the most robust results with respect to group stability. Responses of anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal, parietal and occipital cortex showed interindividual stability. Gender differences were restricted to a few regions of interest.

Conclusions

Our data indicate stability of neural responses toward sexual stimuli not only on the group but also on the individual level. Activation of parietal and occipital cortex might reflect a trait like character of attention related responses toward sexual stimuli.
The effects of sleep deprivation on emotional empathy
Authors: Guadagni Veronica , Burles Ford , Ferrara Michele , Iaria Giuseppe
Published: August 2014

Previous studies have shown that sleep loss has a detrimental effect on the ability of the individuals to process emotional information. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that this negative effect extends to the ability of experiencing emotions while observing other individuals, i.e. emotional empathy. To test this hypothesis, we assessed emotional empathy in 37 healthy volunteers who were assigned randomly to one of three experimental groups: one group was tested before and after a night of total sleep deprivation (sleep deprivation group), a second group was tested before and after a usual night of sleep spent at home (sleep group) and the third group was tested twice during the same day (day group). Emotional empathy was assessed by using two parallel versions of a computerized test measuring direct (i.e. explicit evaluation of empathic concern) and indirect (i.e. the observer's reported physiological arousal) emotional empathy. The results revealed that the post measurements of both direct and indirect emotional empathy of participants in the sleep deprivation group were significantly lower than those of the sleep and day groups; post measurement scores of participants in the day and sleep groups did not differ significantly for either direct or indirect emotional empathy. These data are consistent with previous studies showing the negative effect of sleep deprivation on the processing of emotional information, and extend these effects to emotional empathy. The findings reported in our study are relevant to healthy individuals with poor sleep habits, as well as clinical populations suffering from sleep disturbances.
Dialogical Demand: Discursive Position Repertoires for a Local and Global UK Sex Industry
Authors: Crossley Adam R. , Lawthom Rebecca
Published: August 2014

The increasing incidence of ‘trafficking’ has added an incontestably disturbing dimension to the contestable nature of a ‘non‐trafficked’ UK sex industry. Men who buy sex remain under‐researched, though some studies have indicated ambivalence within men's attitudes. This study combines a critical discursive psychology in support of dialogical self theory. Secondary data, from prominent UK media resources, were analysed using Edley's (2001) method of combining ‘interpretative repertoires’, ‘ideological dilemmas’ and ‘subject positions’. Contrasting discursive practices indicative of wider ideological conflict were found. Discursive concepts were ‘mapped’ onto Hermans and Hermans‐Konopka's (2010) ‘I‐positions’ to explore how these potentially dilemmatic positions might be understood in terms of identity production. The function of ‘uncertainty’, particularly salient with the increasing complexity of globalisation, was considered a factor in how men's identities might be limited by the current discursive space. A ‘dialogical’ model of self is introduced as a framework for understanding how men who buy sex might take up new, inclusive, positions. A corollary is reflected upon; that researchers, activists and buyers alike, who remain ideologically inflexible, may be sustaining the conditions for coercion through their contribution to the discursive conflict. The synthesis of discursive and dialogical analytical tools is recommended for investigating the production of selves in contested spaces.
Law Enforcement as Legal Mobilization: Reforming the Pharmaceutical Industry Through Government Litigation
Authors: Nolette Paul
Published: August 2014

Scholars of legal mobilization have long explored how litigation is used as a resource for social and political change. While most studies focus on the actions of private groups, this article considers law enforcement as a form of legal mobilization. Employing a case study of recent pharmaceutical litigation, this article examines how prosecutors have mobilized the law to reshape corporate responsibilities in the prescription drug industry. Prosecutors' litigation campaigns have forced changes in organizational practices, expanded the scope of the conflict over pharmaceutical industry actions, and established new legal norms that have spread throughout the political system. This form of prosecutor‐led legal mobilization has occurred in other contexts as well, including gun control and mortgage lending. In addition to indicating how lawyers within the state can engage in a form of cause lawyering, the government litigation explored in this article illustrates both the instrumental and constitutive power of the law.
The Middlemen: The Legal Profession, the Rule of Law, and Authoritarian Regimes
Authors: Kisilowski Maciej
Published: August 2014

Scholars are increasingly interested in exploring ways to strengthen the rule of law in authoritarian states—especially when deeper political reforms are not attainable. The article contributes to this discussion by revisiting the story of the emergence of the so‐called socialist legality in the communist states of Eastern Europe. Using the historical record from Poland, the author demonstrates a previously unnoticed, yet pivotal, role of legal professionals in facilitating socialist legality's rise to prominence. Using the lenses of Pierre Bourdieu's theory of fields, the article chronicles the evolving dynamic between the legal profession, the authoritarian regime, and society. These observations challenge conventional explanations of the emergence of the rule of law in nondemocratic conditions.
Redox‐dependent lipoylation of mitochondrial proteins in Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Afanador Gustavo A. , Matthews Krista A. , Bartee David , Gisselberg Jolyn E. , Walters Maroya S. , Freel Meyers Caren L. , Prigge Sean T.
Published: August 2014

Lipoate scavenging from the human host is essential for malaria parasite survival. Scavenged lipoate is covalently attached to three parasite proteins: the H‐protein and the E2 subunits of branched chain amino acid dehydrogenase (BCDH) and α‐ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (KDH). We show mitochondrial localization for the E2 subunits of BCDH and KDH, similar to previously localized H‐protein, demonstrating that all three lipoylated proteins reside in the parasite mitochondrion. The lipoate ligase 1, LipL1, has been shown to reside in the mitochondrion and it catalyses the lipoylation of the H‐protein; however, we show that LipL1 alone cannot lipoylate BCDH or KDH. A second mitochondrial protein with homology to lipoate ligases, LipL2, does not show ligase activity and is not capable of lipoylating any of the mitochondrial substrates. Instead, BCDH and KDH are lipoylated through a novel mechanism requiring both LipL1 and LipL2. This mechanism is sensitive to redox conditions where BCDH and KDH are exclusively lipoylated under strong reducing conditions in contrast to the H‐protein which is preferentially lipoylated under less reducing conditions. Thus, malaria parasites contain two different routes of mitochondrial lipoylation, an arrangement that has not been described for any other organism.
Phenotypic and genetic evidence for ecological speciation of Aquilegia japonica and A. oxysepala
Authors: Li Lin‐Feng , Wang Hua‐Ying , Pang Di , Liu Ying , Liu Bao , Xiao Hong‐Xing
Published: August 2014

Natural selection is thought to be a driving force that can cause the evolution of reproductive isolation. The genus Aquilegia is a model system to address how natural selection promotes the process of speciation.

Morphological differences between A. oxysepala, A. japonica and their hybrids were quantified for two vegetative (plant height and leaf area) and three floral morphological (sepal area, corolla length and diameter) traits. We also evaluated the genetic variability of the two species and their hybrids based on two chloroplast (1225 bp), four nuclear (5811 bp) genes and 15 microsatellites.

Our results revealed that differentiation of A. japonica and A. oxysepala at the ecological and morphological levels also involved divergence at the genetic level. In addition, the analysis of nucleotide variation patterns showed that the two species possessed numerous fixation sites at nuclear genes gAA4, gA7 and gAA12. Furthermore, we found that all of the phenotypic hybrids also showed a genetically admixed ancestry.

These findings suggest that natural selection has indeed facilitated the formation of distinct genetic variation patterns in the two Aquilegia species and habitat adaptation has been driving the ecologically based evolution of reproductive isolation.
Fostering sustainable tribal economies in a time of climate change
Authors: Bargh Maria , Douglas Sarsha‐Leigh , Te One Annie
Published: August 2014

In this article, we explore how Māori tribal organisations are responding to calls by other Indigenous peoples to become more sustainable in a time of climate change. From a close examination of tribal Environmental Management Plans, we move to a specific case study in the Bay of Plenty area, Ngāti Kea/Ngāti Tuara. Ultimately, we suggest that many tribal organisations are seeking to respond to climate change and transition to becoming producers of their own food and energy needs, and are often articulating these responses in relation to specific local resources and contexts.
Successful treatment of post‐transplant thrombocytopenia with romiplostim in a pediatric patient with X‐linked chronic granulomatous disease
Authors: Buchbinder David , Hsieh Loan , Krance Robert , Nugent Diane J.
Published: August 2014

Thrombocytopenia is a frequent complication following HSCT in pediatric patients. Romiplostim is a TPO receptor agonist that has been utilized successfully in the treatment of pediatric patients with immune thrombocytopenia. We describe a three‐yr‐old male with X‐linked CGD treated with an unrelated donor bone marrow transplant. His course was complicated by the development of symptomatic thrombocytopenia. He was started on romiplostim with prompt improvement in his thrombocytopenia. We found the use of romiplostim to be an effective and safe alternative to the potential complications as well as morbidity and mortality associated with the use of immunosuppressive agents such as corticosteroids.
Myocyte growth, repair, and oxidative stress following pediatric heart transplantation
Authors: Dipchand Anne I. , White Michel , Manlhiot Cedric , Pollock‐BarZiv Stacey , Allain‐Rooney Tina , West Lori , He Ying , Touyz Rhian M.
Published: August 2014

Cardiac remodeling is associated with plasma biomarkers of fibrinogenesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress, and upregulation of mitogenic, pro‐fibrotic, and apoptotic signaling pathways. Our primary objective was to evaluate biomarker and subcellular myocardial changes in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Fifty‐two‐week prospective, randomized (tacrolimus, Tac, vs. cyclosporine, CsA), open‐label, parallel group study. Serial myocardial biopsies were probed for mitogenic and pro‐inflammatory proteins. Plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress (F2α isoprostanes, nitrotyrosine), and inflammation and oxidation (hsCRP and cystatin‐C) were measured. Nine of 11 randomized patients completed the study (four Tac, five CsA). Mean levels of F2α isoprostanes, hsCRP, and cystatin‐C were maximal at Week 2. Peak activation of all MAP kinases in myocardial tissue was maximal at Week 10; no association was seen with rejection. Cardiac Bax/Bcl‐2 levels (index of apoptosis) correlated negatively with F2α isoprostanes at Week 2 (r = −0.88) and with hsCRP at Week 52 (r = −0.67). At Week 52, hsCRP levels correlated positively with molecular indices of cardiac cell growth. We found evidence of systemic and myocardial oxidative damage and inflammation early posttransplant, which may be related to the remodeling process. Further study is needed to better understand the cardiac and systemic repair processes following pediatric heart transplantation.
Filariasis asymptomatically infected donors have lower levels of disialylated IgG compared to endemic normals
Authors: O'Regan N. L. , Steinfelder S. , Schwedler C. , Rao G. B. , Srikantam A. , Blanchard V. , Hartmann S.
Published: August 2014

Helminths induce strong regulatory and T helper 2‐type responses, whereby antibody‐derived host protection and regulation are essential components. Lymphatic filariasis is an immune‐mediated spectral disease that manifests as two main clinical outcomes: chronic pathology or asymptomatic infection. These outcomes depend on a multitude of factors, including parasite‐induced immunoregulation and host genetic background; antibody responses contribute to this outcome. N‐glycosylation of the Fc region of antibodies is a post‐translational modification required for the structure and molecular function, influencing host inflammatory and regulatory responses. Altered IgG glycosylation correlates with disease, whereby decreased galactosylation is associated with inflammation while increased sialylation is associated with anti‐inflammatory responses. We purified N‐linked glycans from the Fc region of total IgG from Wuchereria bancrofti‐infected patients characterizing the two clinical manifestations (chronic pathology and asymptomatic infection) and compared them to infection‐free endemic normals. Using capillary electrophoresis, we found that there was no difference in galactosylation of total IgG between the three groups; however, asymptomatically infected patients had significantly lower levels of disialylated IgG compared to endemic normals and patients with pathology. These data suggest that while galactosylation does not contribute to disease outcome, sialylation may be involved in asymptomatic infection.
Belief in a Just World and Attitudes Toward Affirmative Action
Authors: Wilkins Vicky M. , Wenger Jeffrey B.
Published: August 2014

The effect of identity, as socially constructed by race and gender, on social policies has been widely examined in policy analysis. Policy analysis would be improved by a wider discussion that includes the influence of social‐psychological constructs on social provision. We fill this gap by drawing on the theory of the “belief in a just world” and link this theory to attitudes toward the support of controversial government programs. We argue that this theory is a critical antecedent to the previous research on social construction. We hypothesize that citizens who perceive that the world is just and that opportunities are equal between groups are much less likely to favor government interventions altering market outcomes. We find that after controlling for race, sex, and political ideology, respondents who believe that luck is the primary determinant of success (low belief in a just world) are more supportive of preferential hiring programs for African Americans and women.
The President as Agenda Setter‐in‐Chief: The Dynamics of Congressional and Presidential Agenda Setting
Authors: Rutledge Paul E. , Larsen Price Heather A.
Published: August 2014

In this paper, we investigate the agenda leadership capability of two American political institutions, Congress and the presidency, in an array of issue areas that include both domestic and foreign policy. The president has long been considered to have the most significant role in setting the policymaking agenda, but there is limited empirical research to support that claim. Examining the issue areas of defense, environment, health care, international affairs, law and crime, and macroeconomics from 1956 to 2005, we find statistically significant positive influence by the president on the congressional agenda in all six of the policy areas under examination, providing compelling evidence of presidential agenda leadership and a reactive Congress. Additionally, we find that the agenda relationship between the president and Congress is issue dependent, in that presidential attention has the largest substantive effect on the congressional agenda in the area of international affairs.
Regulating Chemical Substances under REACH: The Choice between Authorization and Restriction and the Case of Dipolar Aprotic Solvents
Authors: Bergkamp Lucas , Herbatschek Nicolas
Published: August 2014

The REACH Regulation establishes several chemical regulatory regimes, which operate, by and large, as stand‐alone, but ostensibly complementary programmes. The two key REACH programmes for direct ‘command and control’ regulation of chemical risk are ‘restriction’ and ‘authorization’. In the case of substances of very high concern, both restriction and authorization are available as risk management measures. Because REACH fails to establish an independent, coherent and unbiased framework for chemical risk assessment and policy analysis of these alternative regulatory options, their deployment has been fraught with difficulties. This article reviews the REACH provisions governing the restriction and authorization programmes, and the differences, similarities and interrelations between them. In the second part, the problems arising in the application of the two regimes are illustrated with reference to the case of dipolar aprotic solvents. This case study demonstrates that the most appropriate regulatory instrument may be a regime other than REACH. The third part sets forth some recommendations to improve current practice and move towards a predictable, reasonable and balanced REACH application.
Adaptive Warped Kernel Estimators
Authors: Chagny Gaëlle
Published: August 2014

In this work, we develop a method of adaptive non‐parametric estimation, based on ‘warped’ kernels. The aim is to estimate a real‐valued function s from a sample of random couples (X,Y). We deal with transformed data (Φ(X),Y), with Φ a one‐to‐one function, to build a collection of kernel estimators. The data‐driven bandwidth selection is performed with a method inspired by Goldenshluger and Lepski (Ann. Statist., 39, 2011, 1608). The method permits to handle various problems such as additive and multiplicative regression, conditional density estimation, hazard rate estimation based on randomly right‐censored data, and cumulative distribution function estimation from current‐status data. The interest is threefold. First, the squared‐bias/variance trade‐off is automatically realized. Next, non‐asymptotic risk bounds are derived. Lastly, the estimator is easily computed, thanks to its simple expression: a short simulation study is presented.
Effects of washing of the face with a mild facial cleanser formulated with sodium laureth carboxylate and alkyl carboxylates on acne in Japanese adult males
Authors: Isoda K. , Takagi Y. , Endo K. , Miyaki M. , Matsuo K. , Umeda K. , Umeda‐Togami K. , Mizutani H.
Published: August 2014

Background/purpose

Washing the face with a mild cleanser is generally recommended for acne care. Occasionally, the general public has the misconception that acne is exacerbated by cleansers and furthermore it has concerns about inducing skin irritation and xerosis by intensive washing. Recently, we developed a new cleanser based on sodium laureth carboxylate and alkyl carboxylates (AEC/soap) that cleans sebum well without penetrating the stratum corneum.

Methods

We designed a controlled clinical trial conducted on adult Japanese males with moderate or less acne. Twenty subjects washed their faces with AEC/soap base cleanser twice a day for 4 weeks. Assessment of the efficacy was conducted prior to the start of the study, and at the end of weeks 2 and 4.

Results

Significant improvement of the acne was observed within 2 weeks, and acne lesions were not detectable in 25% of the subjects at week 4. Sebum secretion levels on the skin significantly increased on the forehead, but significantly decreased on the cheek which correlated with the improvement. No complaints of dryness or irritation occurred during the study.

Conclusion

Washing the face twice a day with facial cleanser based on AEC/soap is an effective care for moderate or less grade facial acne.
New insights into HLA‐G mediated tolerance
Authors: Amodio G. , Sales de Albuquerque R. , Gregori S.
Published: August 2014

Human Leukocyte Antigen G (HLA‐G) is a nonclassical HLA class I molecule with well‐characterized immunomodulatory activities. HLA‐G was first described as a regulatory molecule that allows the fetus to elude the maternal immune response. In the last decade it has become evident that HLA‐G is involved in modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses, in maintaining tolerance in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases and after transplantation, and in promoting immune escape in cancer and infectious diseases. HLA‐G exerts its modulatory/regulatory functions directly by interacting with specific inhibitory receptors. The expression of HLA‐G is finely tuned by genetic variations in the noncoding region of the locus. The recent discovery of dendritic cells‐10 (DC‐10) as naturally occurring HLA‐G‐expressing dendritic cells opens new perspectives in the identification of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying HLA‐G‐mediated tolerance. An overview on the HLA‐G‐mediated inhibition of innate and adaptive immune cells, on the genetic influence on HLA‐G expression, and on HLA‐G‐expressing DC‐10 is presented. Moreover, we discuss the central and critical role of DC‐10 in the HLA‐G‐mediated tolerance.
Equine Articular Cartilage Stiffness Determination Using Indentation
Authors: Lee Hyeon , Theis Kelcie M. , Jackson Robert L. , Reid Hanson R.
Published: August 2014

In order to determine that the stiffness varies between different joint types, an indentation test was performed on fresh equine articular cartilage surfaces from the fetlock, carpal, and stifle joints. The results demonstrated that the stiffness varies on different joints showing different mechanical behaviors. A flat-ended cylindrical indenter is lowered at a constant rate for 20 s until the indentation depth reaches 0.2 mm (velocity of 10 μm/s). It was shown that the articular cartilage of the fetlock is stiffer than the carpal and stifle joints. The average stiffness of the fetlock, carpal, and stifle joints are 46.1 N/mm, 20.5 N/mm, and 2.73 N/mm, respectively. The coefficients of a fit for the joints were statistically compared as well using the student t-test. The differences of some coefficients between the fetlock, carpus, and stifle were “very highly significant” (p < 0.001). Four different surfaces in the fetlock and four in carpal joint were compared as well. The front lateral, front medial, rear lateral, and rear medial cartilage surfaces in the fetlock were not significantly different in stiffness. In the carpus, the distal radius and proximal radial carpal bone articular cartilage surfaces showed significantly different stiffness from the others, while the distal radial carpal bone and proximal third carpal bone articular cartilage surfaces possessed similar stiffness values. The cartilage surfaces from the radiocarpal joint were stiffer than the midcarpal joint. Clear trends in the correlations between stiffness and weight as well as stiffness and age of the horse were not observed.
Sustained Participation in Youth Sports Related to Coach-Athlete Relationship and Coach-Created Motivational Climate
Authors: Rottensteiner Christoph , Konttinen Niilo , Laakso Lauri
Published: August 2014

The main purpose of this study was to examine the links of coach-athlete relationship (CAR) and perceived coach-created motivational climate to persistence in youth sport. A total of 1692 persistent and 543 withdrawn football, ice hockey, and basketball players, aged 15–16 years, completed the Coach-Athlete Relationship Questionnaire and the Perceived Motivational Climate Sport Questionnaire. Results indicated that persistent players reported higher scores in CAR and task-climate than withdrawn players. Persistent players also represented higher competition level, higher amount of training, and more years of involvement in sport than withdrawn players. Cluster analysis identified three profiles: 1) High CAR, high task climate, and moderate ego climate, 2) Moderate CAR, moderate task climate, and moderate ego climate, and 3) Low CAR, low task climate, and high ego climate. Differences between profiles were found in terms of relative proportion of continuing players, competition level, and amount of training. In all, Profile 1 appeared to be the most beneficial from the perspective of sport persistence. The present findings lend support for the view that coach-athlete relationship and motivational climate together can have implications for young athletes’ maintenance in organized sports.
Predicting Behavioral Loyalty through Community: Why Other Fans Are More Important Than Our Own Intentions, Our Satisfaction, and the Team Itself
Authors: Yoshida Masayuki , Heere Bob , Gordon Brian
Published: August 2014

A consumer’s loyalty to a specific sport team is longitudinal in nature. This longitudinal study examines the effects of consumers’ attitudinal constructs (team identification, associated attachment points, consumer satisfaction, and behavioral intentions) on behavioral loyalty in the context of a professional soccer event. To test the proposed relationships, the authors assess the impact of consumers’ self-reported measures (Time 1) on actual attendance frequency in the first half (Time 2) and the second half (Time 3) of the season. The results indicate that fan community attachment is the only construct that can predict attendance frequency over a longer period of time while team identification, satisfaction and behavioral intentions are not significant predictors of attendance frequency throughout the season. The theoretical model and results reinforce the importance of fan community attachment toward longitudinal attendance frequency and add new insights into the predictive validity of some of the attitudinal marketing measures in the field of sport management.