bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The current state of epilepsy guidelines: A systematic review
Authors: Sauro Khara M. , Wiebe Samuel , Dunkley Colin , Janszky Jozsef , Kumlien Eva , Moshé Solomon , Nakasato Nobukazu , Pedley Timothy A. , Perucca Emilio , Senties Horacio , Thomas Sanjeev V. , Wang Yuping , Wilmshurst Jo , Jetté Nathalie
Published: December 2015

Objective

The International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) Epilepsy Guidelines Task Force, composed of 14 international members, was established in 2011 to identify, using systematic review methodology, international epilepsy clinical care guidelines, assess their quality, and determine gaps in areas of need of development.

Methods

A systematic review of the literature (1985–2014) was performed in six electronic databases (e.g. Medline, Embase) using a broad search strategy without initial limits to language or study design. Six gray literature databases (e.g., American Academy of Neurology [AAN], ILAE) were also searched to minimize publication bias. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts, reviewed full text articles, and performed data abstraction. Descriptive statistics and a meta‐analysis were generated.

Results

The search identified 10,926 abstracts. Of the 410 articles selected for full text review, 63 met our eligibility criteria for a guideline. Of those included, 54 were in English and 9 were in other languages (French, Spanish, and Italian). Of all guidelines, 29% did not specify the target age groups, 27% were focused on adults, 22% included only children, and 6% specifically addressed issues related to women with epilepsy. Guidelines included in the review were most often aimed at guiding clinical practice for status epilepticus (n = 7), first seizure (n = 6), drug‐resistant epilepsy (n = 5), and febrile seizures (n = 4), among others. Most of the guidelines were therapeutic (n = 35) or diagnostic (n = 16) in nature. The quality of the guidelines using a 1–7 point scale (7 = highest) varied and was moderate overall (mean = 4.99 ± 1.05 [SD]).

Significance

We identified substantial gaps in topics (e.g., epilepsy in the elderly) and there was considerable heterogeneity in methodologic quality. The findings should offer a valuable resource for health professionals caring for people with epilepsy, since they will help guide the prioritization, development, and dissemination of future epilepsy‐related guidelines.
Diagnostic yield of continuous video electroencephalography for paroxysmal vital sign changes in pediatric patients
Authors: Dang Louis T. , Shellhaas Renée A.
Published: December 2015

Objective

We aimed to determine the diagnostic yield of continuous monitoring with video electroencephalography (cVEEG) for pediatric inpatients with paroxysmal vital sign changes (PVSCs), and to identify risk factors for thePVSCs being seizures, based on clinical information available beforecVEEGinitiation. We hypothesized thatPVSCs without nonautonomic symptoms (NAS) were unlikely to be seizures, and also that patients' clinical characteristics would alter the risk of recording seizures.

Methods

We performed a single‐center chart review of 324cVEEGstudies that were obtained for differential diagnosis ofPVSCs. We examined the type ofPVSCs that promptedcVEEG, associatedNAS, and patient characteristics, and whether the target events or seizures were recorded. We performed logistic regression analyses to determine which patient and semiologic features altered the risk of thePVSCs being seizures, and which patient characteristics altered the risk of recording any seizures.

Results

TargetPVSCs were recorded in 52% (N = 169). Seizures were recorded in 21% (N = 69) of the studies, often unrelated to thePVSCs (N = 39). When examining onlyPVSCs withoutNAS, only 4% (3/75) of studies obtained for apnea and 2.1% (1/48) of studies obtained for oxygen desaturation revealed the target events to be seizures. No studies recorded ictal hypertension (0/26), hypotension (0/16), or bradycardia (0/18). In univariate analysis, there was a decreased risk that the events were seizures whenPVSCs lackedNAS(odds ratio [OR] 0.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.08–0.65). The risk was increased when the patient had received an antiseizure medication (2.9, 1.3–6.5), the targetPVSCwas apnea (3.5, 1.5–8.5), and in particular, apnea withNAS(8.7, 3.7–20.8). In adjusted analyses, only apnea with associatedNASindependently increased the risk of thePVSCs being seizures (7.7, 3.2–18.5).

Significance

PVSCs in the absence ofNASare rarely due to seizures. Ideally,cVEEGshould be reserved for children with additional risk factors for seizures, beyond isolatedPVSCs.
Seizures with tonic posturing: Semiologic difference between supplementary sensorimotor area (SSMA) origin and extra‐SSMA origin
Authors: Sitthinamsuwan Bunpot , Usui Naotaka , Tottori Takayasu , Terada Kiyohito , Kondo Akihiko , Matsuda Kazumi , Baba Koichi , Inoue Yushi
Published: December 2015

In seizures with tonic posturing, differentiation of seizures originating in SSMA from seizures originating in cortices other than SSMA and spreading to SSMA has not been previously attempted. Twenty‐two patients were studied with intractable focal epilepsy with tonic limb posturing as the most prominent semiology, who underwent resective surgery and obtained favorable postoperative seizure outcomes. These 22 patients were divided into an SSMA group (N = 12) and an extra‐SSMA group (N = 10), according to the location of resection. Resection area in the extra‐SSMA group was located in the dorsolateral frontal or prefrontal area in four patients, the frontal operculum (insula) in two, the parietal cortex in three, and the temporoparietal cortex in one patient. Video‐recorded seizures were carefully reviewed. Tonic posturing characteristics and the presence or absence of accompanying symptoms were compared between groups. Incidence of preservation of consciousness was significantly higher in the SSMA group (p < 0.001). Patients in the SSMA group demonstrated a propensity for having unilateral or bilateral asymmetrical tonic limb posturing. In contrast, patients in the extra‐SSMA group had a statistically significantly higher incidence of bilateral symmetrical tonic limb posturing (p < 0.05). These findings may be helpful in identifying seizure origin.
Response to letter to the Editor. Epiduroscopy of the lumbosacral vertebral canal in the horse: Technique and endoscopic anatomy
Authors: Prange T. , Shrauner B. D. , Blikslager A. T.
Published: December 2015

See correspondence by Josephson and article by Prange et al.
Ontogeny of ABC and SLC transporters in the microvessels of developing rat brain
Authors: Soares Ricardo V. , Do Tuan M. , Mabondzo Aloïse , Pons Gérard , Chhun Stéphanie
Published: December 2015

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is responsible for the control of solutes’ concentration in the brain. Tight junctions and multiple ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) and SoLute Carrier (SLC) efflux transporters protect brain cells from xenobiotics, therefore reducing brain exposure to intentionally administered drugs. In epilepsy, polymorphisms and overexpression of efflux transporters genes could be associated with pharmacoresistance. The ontogeny of these efflux transporters should also be addressed because their expression during development may be related to different brain exposure to antiepileptic drugs in the immature brain. We detected statistically significant higher expression of Abcb1b and Slc16a1 genes, and lower expression of Abcb1a and Abcg2 genes between the post‐natal day 14 (P14) and the adult rat microvessels. P‐gP efflux activity was also shown to be lower in P14 rats when compared with the adults. The P‐gP proteins coded by rodent genes Abcb1a and Abcb1b are known to have different substrate affinities. The role of the Abcg2 gene is less clear in pharmacoresistance in epilepsy, nonetheless the coded protein Bcrp is frequently associated with drug resistance. Finally, we observed a higher expression of the Mct1 transporter gene in the P14 rat brain microvessels. Accordingly to our results, we suppose that age may be another factor influencing brain exposure to antiepileptics as a consequence of different expression patterns of efflux transporters between the adult and immature BBB.
Different habitats within a region contain evolutionary heritage from different epochs depending on the abiotic environment
Authors: Bartish Igor V. , Ozinga Wim A. , Bartish Mark I. , Wamelink G. W. Wieger , Hennekens Stephan M. , Prinzing Andreas
Published: December 2015

Aim

Biodiversity hot‐spots are regions containing evolutionary heritage from ancient or recent geological epochs, i.e. evolutionary ‘museums’ or ‘cradles’, respectively. We hypothesize that: (1) there are also ‘museums’ and ‘cradles’ within regions – some species pools of particular habitat types contain angiosperm (flowering plants) lineages from ancient geological epochs, others from recent epochs; (2) habitat‐specific abiotic factors control the number of angiosperm lineages from a given epoch contained in a given habitat species pool.

Location

The flora of theNetherlands.

Methods

We studied the world's largest vegetation‐plot database and a new, uniquely resolved dated angiosperm phylogeny available for theNetherlands. We characterized species pools of habitat types by a novel concept: epoch‐specific lineage diversities.

Results

We found that species pools of most habitat types were characterized by over‐ or underrepresentation of lineages from at least one epoch, dating back to the origin of angiosperms. These patterns are not captured by mean lineage ages. Abiotic environments explained on average 56% and up to 75% of the variance in the number of lineages per epoch, but with opposing effects of the same factor for different epochs. Specifically, warm and dry habitats tend to contain lineages dating back to warm and dry epochs. Identifying lineages from sets of random time intervals rather than from a set of geological epochs significantly reduced relationships with the environment.

Main conclusions

Within a region, habitat types differ significantly in the evolutionary heritage they contain from different geological epochs, and these differences are controlled by the environment.
Correlation between the stability of tRNA tertiary structure and the catalytic efficiency of a tRNA‐modifying enzyme, archaeal tRNA‐guanine transglycosylase
Authors: Nomura Yuichiro , Ohno Satoshi , Nishikawa Kazuya , Yokogawa Takashi
Published: December 2015

In many archaeal tRNAs, archaeosine is found at position 15. During archaeosine biosynthesis, archaeal tRNA‐guanine transglycosylase (ArcTGT) first replaces the guanine base at position 15 with 7‐cyano‐7‐deazaguanine (preQ0). In this study, we investigated whether modified nucleosides in tRNA substrates would affect ArcTGT incorporation of preQ0. We prepared a series of hypomodified tRNAsSer(GGA) from Escherichia coli strains lacking each tRNA‐modifying enzyme. Measurement of ArcTGT kinetic parameters with the various tRNAsSer(GGA) as substrates showed that the Km decreased due to the lack of modified nucleosides. The tRNAsSer(GGA) melting profiles resulted in experimental evidence showing that each modified nucleoside in tRNASer(GGA) enhanced tRNA stability. Furthermore, the ArcTGT Km strongly correlated with the melting temperature (Tm), suggesting that the unstable tRNA containing fewer modified nucleosides served as a better ArcTGT substrate. These results show that preQ0 incorporation into tRNA by ArcTGT takes place early in the archaeal tRNA modification process.
Fatty acid profile of new promising unconventional plant oils for cosmetic use
Authors: Bialek A. , Bialek M. , Jelinska M. , Tokarz A.
Published: December 2015

Objective

Oils have been used on the cosmetic application since antiquity. With the growing interest in cosmetic formulation of strictly natural origin there has been also an increased interest in the use of alternative oils obtained from nuts, herbs, fruit and vegetable seeds. Due to lack of good scientific reports on the cosmetic plant oils available in Poland, the aim of our research was to characterize fatty acids (FA) profile and oxidative quality of selected unconventional plant oils, which are used as cosmetics or potential cosmetic ingredients.

Methods

Oils were purchased from cosmetic health shops in Warsaw (Poland); FA profile was analysed by gas chromatography with flame‐ionization detection. Peroxide index (PI), content of hydroperoxides (PV) and free fatty acids (AV) were also determined.

Results

Oxidative quality and FA composition of examined oils varied widely among analyzed oils. Cluster analysis revealed three clusters. Clusters S1 and S3 include only one oil (Perilla and sea buckthorn, respectively). Perilla oil is characterized by relatively small content of both saturated FA (8.5%) and monounsaturated FA (14.2%) and much higher amount of polyunsaturated FA (73.5%) whereas in sea buckthorn these proportions are opposite (saturated FA and monounsaturated FA – 33.5% and 51.0% respectively, and the lowest amount of polyunsaturated FA – 5.2%). In cluster S2 two sub‐clusters were distinguished and the content of linoleic (p = 0.0015), α‐linolenic (p = 0.0092) and oleic (p = 0.0015) acid caused this distinction. PI ranged from 8.9 in sea buckthorn oil to 135 in Perilla oil. Perilla oil and raspberry seed oil were also characterized by the highest PV (225 ± 14.9 mEq O/kg oil and 232 ± 13.8 mEq O/kg oil, respectively), whereas the lowest PV was determined for walnut oil (0.82 ± 0.18 mEq O/kg oil) and carrot seed oil (0.87 ± 0.21 mEq O/kg oil) oils.

Conclusion

FA composition of cosmetic oils in combination with data concerning their oxidative quality, is very important for determining their safe and effective use. It is very important to standardize and test the FA content in commercially available oils of cosmetic use.
Antifungal activity of five different essential oils in vapour phase for the control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae in vitro and on mango
Authors: Perumal Anand Babu , Sellamuthu Periyar Selvam , Nambiar Reshma B. , Sadiku Emmanuel Rotimi
Published: December 2015

Mango fruit has high commercial value; however, major postharvest losses are encountered throughout the supply chain due to postharvest diseases. These results lead to the search for natural fungicide for postharvest diseases control. The antifungal effects of five essential oils (thyme, clove, cinnamon, anise and vitex) were assessed by disc volatilisation method. Thyme oil vapours at 5 μL per Petriplate, and clove and cinnamon oil at 8 μL per Petriplate showed 100% growth inhibition of mango pathogens in vitro. GC/MS analysis of essential oil showed thymol (23.88), o‐cymol (23.88) and terpinolene (23.88) as the major constituents of thyme oil. Clove and cinnamon oils contain 3‐allyl‐2‐methoxyphenol (37.42%) and benzofuran 3‐methyl (17.97%), respectively. Thyme oil as a fumigant at 66.7 μL L−1 showed a significant (P < 0.05) inhibition on postharvest pathogens of mango fruits stored at 25 °C for 6 days. Results of our study suggest the possibility of using thyme oil as an alternate natural fungicide to manage postharvest diseases in mango.
A case of maternal–foetal chimerism identified during routine histocompatibility testing for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Grubic Z. , Stingl Jankovic K. , Kelecic J. , Batinic D. , Dubravcic K. , Zunec R.
Published: December 2015

This report describes a case of maternal‐foetal chimerism identified in a boy diagnosed with SCID, who underwent HLA testing in preparation for HSCT. The first analysis was carried out on DNA from peripheral blood and included HLA‐A, HLA‐B, HLA‐DRB1 typing using PCR‐SSO. The patient's HLA‐B typing results were noninterpretable. All samples were re‐typed for HLA‐B using PCR‐SSP, again resulting in noninterpretable typing of patient's HLA‐B. In both cases, several weak positive probes/reactions interfered with the interpretation when using commercial software. Next round of HLA typing, using PCR‐SSP and PCR‐SSO methods, included the patient's bone marrow sample and HLA‐C locus, but interpretation was again not possible. The PCR‐STR analysis performed on both peripheral blood and bone marrow samples revealed seven STRs for which two maternal and one paternal allele were detected. Retrospective manual interpretation of HLA‐B and HLA‐C typing revealed that weak positive reactions were indeed owed to paternal HLA‐B and HLA‐C alleles and that the patient had both maternal and one paternal allele. Retyping of HLA‐B and HLA‐C loci and STR analysis on the patient's buccal cells sample revealed the expected one maternal/one paternal allele pattern. In summary, the combination of several different typing methods and manual interpretation were necessary to obtain the patient's HLA typing results.
News/Interview/Editorial
Authors: Olson Randy , Tarran Brian
Published: December 2015

MH17 report identifies “blind spot in risk assessment”. Hans Rosling on the importance of “factfulness”. Modelling the impact of malaria control. England's plastic bag tax: will it work? Rethinking the population pyramid. Statistical support for exoplanet discovery. What are the chances of World War III breaking out this century?
The Volkswagen Scandal: Deception, Driving and Deaths
Authors: Krall Jenna R. , Peng Roger D.
Published: December 2015

News that a major car manufacturer had used “defeat devices” to cheat emissions tests led many to wonder how many deaths may have been caused by excess pollution. But as Jenna R. Krall and Roger D. Peng explain, such calculations are riddled with uncertainties
The Fitbit Generation: From Couch Potato to Marathon Runner
Authors: Haynes Kaylea
Published: December 2015

Kaylea Haynes, a PhD student in statistics at Lancaster University, applies changepoint analysis to Fitbit data to optimise her exercise regime
Promiscuous Publication
Authors: Bland Martin
Published: December 2015

Statisticians “get to play in everyone's back yard”, said John Tukey – and they get to publish in other people's journals as well. Martin Bland takes a light-hearted look at the publication records of prominent statisticians
High‐Temperature Electrical Conductivity of LaCr1−xCoxO3 Ceramics
Authors: Bonet Alexander , to Baben Moritz , Travitzky Nahum , Greil Peter
Published: December 2015

LaCr1−xCoxO3 solid‐solution ceramics (x = 0.0–0.3) were prepared by pressureless sintering of a submicrometer powder. The powder was synthesized by a modified glycine nitrate process at 800°C. The electrical conductivity of the material sintered at 1600°C was measured by AC four‐wire method from room temperature to 1200°C. While undoped (x = 0) LaCrO3 revealed semiconductivity dominated by thermally activated mobility of small polarons over a vast temperature range, substitution of Co for Cr gave rise for a pronounced enhancement of conductivity at temperatures >200°C. XPS analysis showed that the concentration of Cr4+ on the Cr‐site and Co2+ at the Co‐site increased with Co substitution suggesting a thermally activated redox reaction Cr3+ + Co3+→Cr4+ + Co2+ to create additional charge carriers. Thus, Co doping offers a high potential for designing the electrical conductivity making LaCr1−xCoxO3 an interesting resistivity material for high temperature applications.
Enhanced Energy Density in Core–Shell Ferroelectric Ceramics: Modeling and Practical Conclusions
Authors: Wu Longwen , Wang Xiaohui , Li Longtu
Published: December 2015

A microstructure‐level model of the core–shell‐structured ferroelectric ceramics was developed through the voronoi tessellation random construction routine. Assuming the shell is linear dielectric and parameterizing the ferroelectric core with a classical and a modified hyperbolic tangent model, finite element method was applied to solve the resulting systems. Statistics of electric field spatial distribution indicate that increasing applied electric field leads to intensified field fluctuation while this effect is weakened through the incorporation with thicker shell. Energy density extracted from the as‐calculated hysteresis loops possesses an optimal value with regard to the shell fraction. Calculation results show that enhancing the saturation polarization and lowering the remnant polarization of the core, as well as modulating the shell fraction within a favorable range, provide the most effective way to obtain high‐energy‐density ceramics. Reducing the core initial and the shell permittivity benefits the energy efficiency. The underlying mechanisms of the enhanced energy density and reduced energy loss in the core–shell ferroelectric ceramics were discovered to be the trade‐offs between the lowered polarization and the weakened dielectric nonlinearity as a consequence of the dilution and depolarization of the shell. This model can guide the engineering of core–shell‐structured ferroelectric ceramics for energy storage.
Geographical variation in body size of a pelagic seabird, the streaked shearwater Calonectris leucomelas
Authors: Yamamoto Takashi , Kohno Hiroyoshi , Mizutani Akira , Yoda Ken , Matsumoto Sakiko , Kawabe Ryo , Watanabe Shinichi , Oka Nariko , Sato Katsufumi , Yamamoto Maki , Sugawa Hisashi , Karino Kiyotaka , Shiomi Kozue , Yonehara Yoshinari , Takahashi Akinori
Published: December 2015

Aim

In general, within temperate latitudes, races of endotherms tend to show larger body size at higher latitudes, while smaller bodied ones tend to be found at lower latitudes, a pattern known as Bergmann's rule (or James's rule for intra‐specific patterns). The adaptive basis of this geographical variation in body size is explained mostly by the heat conservation hypothesis. Application of Bergmann's rule has been confirmed mostly among terrestrial taxa and studies of marine taxa are rare. Our aim was to examine whether the intra‐specific variation in body size of a pelagic seabird species (streaked shearwater Calonectris leucomelas) follows Bergmann's/James's rule.

Location

Eight different breeding colonies of the streaked shearwater, ranging from 24–39° N in latitude (approximately the full latitudinal range of the species) and 123–142° E in longitude.

Methods

We measured morphological traits of 454 adult streaked shearwaters in total. Principal components analysis was used to create a composite body size index for each sex from each colony using the measured traits, and the value of first principal component was compared. The relationships between body size index and latitude, longitude and the averaged mean air temperature were examined using generalized linear models.

Results

Body size was positively correlated with latitude and longitude, and negatively correlated with the mean air temperature. Latitude and longitude were highly correlated with air temperature. Nonetheless, between colonies, populations that are considered to forage over large areas appeared to exhibit smaller body size than those of lower latitude populations.

Main conclusion

The overall trend of the geographical variations in body size of streaked shearwaters followed Bergmann's/James's rule, suggesting that this rule may be applicable to seabirds. However, in addition to thermoregulatory adaptation, intra‐specific differences in foraging characteristic in relation to local marine environment might also affect the body size in highly mobile seabirds.
Neo‐Functional Peace: The European Union Way of Resolving Conflicts
Authors: Visoka Gëzim , Doyle John
Published: December 2015

The European Union has expanded its role in preventing conflicts and building peace, but its institutional practices remain insufficiently conceptualized. This article argues that, drawing from a strong self‐perception toward a neo‐functionalist interpretation of its own history, the EU uses 'neo‐functional peace’ as an approach for resolving protracted disputes, through deconstructing highly political issues into technical meanings in order to achieve mutually acceptable agreements. This article explores the EU's efforts to normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia, and examines the reliance on aspects of neo‐functionalism for building peace after protracted disputes. We argue that neo‐functional peace has played a crucial role in normalizing political relations and reconciling some of the outstanding disputes between Kosovo and Serbia. Building on this case study, we suggest a theoretical concept of neo‐functional peace as a useful means to conceptualize the EU's peace support practices.
Success and survival of autotransplanted premolars and molars during short‐term clinical follow‐up
Authors: Verweij Jop P. , Toxopeus Elisabeth E. , Fiocco Marta , Mensink Gertjan , van Merkesteyn J.P. Richard
Published: December 2015

Aim

Autotransplantation is an elegant therapy for single tooth replacement that is too often overlooked in patients with missing teeth. Especially, autotransplantation of third molars to replace heavily damaged or missing molars is often not considered. This study investigated the success and survival of autotransplanted premolars and molars during clinical follow‐up.

Materials and Methods

The medical files and radiographs of 97 consecutive patients were retrospectively investigated. Seventy‐nine patients could be included in this study. Autotransplantation of 97 premolars and 14 molars (111 procedures) was performed. The median follow‐up time was equal to 13.4 months.

Results

In this study group, 82.0% of transplanted teeth were classified as successful and 98.2% were present at the end of follow‐up. No transplants were extracted during standard follow‐up of 1 year. The 5‐year tooth survival probability was 87.5% (95%CI 64.5–100). One premolar and one molar were extracted, respectively, 4 and 9 years after autotransplantation.

Conclusions

These results show that autotransplantation is associated with high success and survival rates and can provide a reliable treatment option for tooth replacement in young patients. Further research regarding long‐term outcome is necessary to assess if the transplanted teeth function as normal teeth after clinical follow‐up.
Prospective association of sex steroid concentrations with periodontal progression and incident tooth loss
Authors: Samietz Stefanie , Holtfreter Birte , Friedrich Nele , Mundt Torsten , Hoffmann Wolfgang , Völzke Henry , Nauck Matthias , Kocher Thomas , Biffar Reiner
Published: December 2015

Aim

The aim of this study was to determine the prospective association between sex steroid concentrations with periodontal progression and incident tooth loss in men and women.

Methods

We used data from 1465 women and 1838 men (age 20–81 years) with completed five‐year‐follow‐up from the Study‐of‐Health‐in‐Pomerania, a population‐based longitudinal cohort. Serum levels of total testosterone (TT) and other sex steroids were measured. Mean clinical attachment loss (CAL) and the number of teeth were assessed. Generalized regression models were implemented for cross‐sectional and longitudinal analyses, adjusting for age, education, smoking, waist circumference, diabetes, physical activity, blood sampling time and time between baseline and follow‐up.

Results

Fully adjusted models revealed no consistent associations betweenTTand meanCAL, neither in cross‐sectional [men: ß = −0.0004 (−0.023;0.022),p = 0.97; women: ß = −0.033 (−0.057; −0.009),p = 0.006] nor in longitudinal analyses [men: ß = −0.033 (−0.100;0.034),p = 0.33; women: ß = −0.023 (−0.086;0.040),p = 0.47]. For tooth loss, neither cross‐sectional nor longitudinal associations with any of the sex steroid concentrations were found.

Conclusions

No consistent associations of sexual steroids with periodontal progression or tooth loss were found. Further cohort studies are necessary to evaluate possible associations between endocrinological parameters, like supra‐ or subphysiologic testosterone concentrations, and periodontal progression or tooth loss.
Molecular cloning and characterization of lymphocyte cell kinase from humphead snapper (Lutjanus sanguineus)
Authors: Huang Y , Cai J , Wang B , Tang J‐F , Jian J‐C , Wu Z‐H , Gan Z , Lu Y‐S
Published: December 2015

Lymphocyte cell kinase (LCK) belongs to the Src family of tyrosine kinases, which involves in the proliferation control of lymphocytes. In this study, we cloned the LCK gene of humphead snapper (Lutjanus sanguineus) (designed as LsLCK). Sequence analysis showed that the full‐length cDNA of LsLCK was 2279 bp, contained a 1506‐bp open reading frame (ORF), encoding a polypeptide of 501 amino acids. The deduced amino acid possessed the typical structural features of known LCK proteins, including four Src homology (SH) domains arranged as the SH1 domain followed by a regulatory C‐terminal tail (COOH‐domain), SH2 and SH3 adapter domains and SH4 domain which required for membrane attachment and CD4/CD8 binding. Fluorescent quantitative real‐time PCR analysis indicated that LsLCK transcripts were expressed mainly in thymus, spleen and head kidney in healthy fish. Moreover, the mRNA expressions in these tissues were significantly up‐regulated after challenge with Vibrio harveyi. The results of immunohistochemistry showed that LsLCK protein localized distinctly in cytoplasm of cell in thymus, spleen and head kidney. Taken together, these findings indicated that LsLCK may play an important role in the immune response of humphead snapper against bacterial infection.
Inscribing the Miraculous Place: Writing and Ritual Communication in the Chapel of a Guatemalan Popular Saint
Authors: Knowlton Timothy W.
Published: December 2015

The analysis of ritual in linguistic anthropology has witnessed significant advances in recent years, particularly those approaches which theorize ritual as fundamentally semiotic and ritual actions being composed of different kinds of sign relations across multiple modalities.Building onSilverstein's (2009) analysis of the interdiscursive chains of signification linking private and public rituals, this article examines how writing in the form of votive text‐artifacts is used byGuatemalan devotees to a popular saint as a public metasemiotic index substantiating the successful performance of their private ritual encounters, contributing to our broader understanding of writing's semiotic potential in ritual communication.
“There's no rules. It's hackathon.”: Negotiating Commitment in a Context of Volatile Sociality
Authors: Jones Graham M. , Semel Beth , Le Audrey
Published: December 2015

How do people negotiate commitments to engaging in joint activity while at the same time anticipating and managing the inherent risks of collaboration? We explore this question through the ethnographic example of a hackathon, a collaborative software‐design competition. We focus specifically on the earliest and, in many ways, most uncertain phase of collaboration, in which commitment and activity simultaneously emerge: team formation. We analyze mercurial allegiances in terms of a technoliberal participation ideology closely associated with the mores of the digital economy, which paradoxically emphasizes intensive project‐based collaboration but limited interpersonal responsibility. We examine the verbal and nonverbal resources (such as stance‐taking, politeness, reported speech, humor, and gesture) that prospective teammates use to modulate expressions of commitment, and the ways in which they pursue self‐interested projects while maintaining social relatedness in order to accomplish joint activity in a context of social volatility.
Sloganization and the Political Pragmatics of Interdiscursivity: The Social Life of a Haitian Political Critique
Authors: Joersz Alison C.
Published: December 2015

In the weeks leading up to the 2013 Carnival season in Haiti, the release of a Carnival song, “Aloral,” sparked controversy because of the song's critical message accusing the Martelly administration of false promises. What began as a pointed political critique (pwen) transformed into a slogan, widely repeated and recontextualized to fit a variety of discursive scenarios. This article examines the entextualization process through which the aloral critique became a slogan (“sloganization”). I explore the social context within which it was released and responded to, the poetic features that favored “detachability,” and the political partisanship of its recontextualized usages. By tracing the social life of the aloral critique, I show how it was communally mobilized across time and space through public negotiations of meaning. The aloral case points to the role of political stance‐taking and discursive negotiation of meaning as a fundamental aspect of the sloganization process. Beyond the specific case of Haiti, sloganization serves as a useful way to conceptualize the political pragmatics of interdiscursivity, as it points to a “shared” quality of interdiscursive texts while also highlighting the role of differential political productivity.
A multifactorial model of masticatory performance: the Suita study
Authors: Kosaka T. , Ono T. , Kida M. , Kikui M. , Yamamoto M. , Yasui S. , Nokubi T. , Maeda Y. , Kokubo Y. , Watanabe M. , Miyamoto Y.
Published: December 2015

Previous studies have identified various factors related to masticatory performance. This study was aimed to investigate variations and impacts of factors related to masticatory performance among different occlusal support areas in general urban population in Japan. A total of 1875 Japanese subjects (mean age: 66·7 years) were included in the Suita study. Periodontal status was evaluated using the Community Periodontal Index (CPI). The number of functional teeth and occlusal support areas (OSA) were recorded, and the latter divided into three categories of perfect, decreased and lost OSA based on the Eichner Index. Masticatory performance was determined by means of test gummy jelly. For denture wearers, masticatory performance was measured with the dentures in place. The multiple linear regression analysis showed that, when controlling for other variables, masticatory performance was significantly associated with sex, number of functional teeth, maximum bite force and periodontal status in perfect OSA. Masticatory performance was significantly associated with number of functional teeth, maximum bite force and periodontal status in decreased OSA. In lost OSA, masticatory performance was significantly associated with maximum bite force. Maximum bite force was a factor significantly influencing masticatory performance that was common to all OSA groups. After controlling for possible confounding factors, the number of functional teeth and periodontal status were common factors in the perfect and decreased OSA groups, and only sex was significant in the perfect OSA group. These findings may help in providing dietary guidance to elderly people with tooth loss or periodontal disease.
BETWEEN‐GROUP ADVERSE SELECTION: EVIDENCE FROM GROUP CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE
Authors: Eling Martin , Jia Ruo , Yao Yi
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACT

This article demonstrates the presence of adverse selection in the group insurance market. Conventional wisdom suggests that group insurance mitigates adverse selection because it minimizes individual choice. We complement this conventional wisdom by analyzing a group insurance scenario in which individual choice is excluded, and we find that group insurance alone is not effective enough to eliminate adverse selection; that is, between‐group adverse selection exists. Between‐group adverse selection, however, disappears over time if the group renews with the same insurer for a certain period. Our results thus indicate that experience rating and underwriting based on information that insurers learn over time are important in addressing adverse selection.
Value‐at‐Risk Bounds With Variance Constraints
Authors: Bernard Carole , Rüschendorf Ludger , Vanduffel Steven
Published: December 2015

We study bounds on the Value‐at‐Risk (VaR) of a portfolio when besides the marginal distributions of the components its variance is also known, a situation that is of considerable interest in risk management. We discuss when the bounds are sharp (attainable) and also point out a new connection between the study of VaR bounds and the convex ordering of aggregate risk. This connection leads to the construction of an algorithm, called Extended Rearrangement Algorithm (ERA), that makes it possible to approximate sharp VaR bounds. We test the stability and the quality of the algorithm in several numerical examples. We apply the results to the case of credit risk portfolio models and verify that adding the variance constraint gives rise to significantly tighter bounds in all situations of interest.
Beyond “Difference”: Examining the Process and Flexibility of Racial Identity in Interracial Marriages
Authors: Afful Stephanie E. , Wohlford Corinne , Stoelting Suzanne M.
Published: December 2015

This article examines the definitions of “race” used in discussing interracial marriage, arguing that the common framework of “cultural differences” used in existing literature insufficiently describes the range of experiences in interracial marriage. By redefining race as a process of classification that is neither about cultural nor biological “difference,” we use racial formation theory to examine racial identity within interracial marriages and how racial identity might be reclassified as a function of interracial marriage status (i.e., comparing oneself to a different racial group). Finally, we discuss individual‐level implications with respect to how interdependence theory affects racial identity and marital quality in interracial marriages.
Both Personal and Public: Measuring Interethnic Marriage Attitudes
Authors: Campbell Mary E. , Herman Melissa R.
Published: December 2015

In this article, we examine a new survey measure called the “grid item” that we designed to assess personal willingness to engage in interethnic marriage, rather than approval of intergroup relations for an abstract other, while also mitigating social desirability pressures to respond in favor of intermarriage. Using three waves of 2006–2008 Cooperative Congressional Election Study (CCES) data (Ns range from 727 to 2,731 over waves and across survey items), we compare results from the grid item to those of several other common survey techniques. Our findings suggest that responses to the grid item, which separates personal from general willingness to intermarry, are less influenced by social desirability bias than the traditional survey item. In 2007, for example, 75% of Whites approved of Black‐White intermarriage when asked using a traditional question, while only 49% of White males and 39% of White females expressed willingness to marry a Black person when asked with the grid item in 2008. We also show how approval of intermarriage for a generalized “other” is significantly greater than personal willingness to consider an interracial relationship, particularly among White women. We conclude that research on attitudes toward and engagement in interethnic marriage must distinguish personal from generalized attitudes. Measuring these types of attitudes accurately is important for guiding and assessing social policy on racial integration in schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces.
An integrative systematic revision of the European southern birch mice (Rodentia: Sminthidae, Sicista subtilis group)
Authors: Cserkész Tamás , Rusin Mikhail , Sramkó Gábor
Published: December 2015

The systematics of the genus Sicista is unclear, mostly because of the high level of chromosomal variability within the genus. One of the most challenging groups for systematists is the steppic Sicista subtilis species group that extends from central Europe to Lake Baikal. We present a systematic review of these European southern birch mice using an integrative taxonomic approach.

In this review, we evaluate the degree of genetic and morphological differentiation of the Sicista subtilis complex by analysing 12 European populations, and propose a new taxonomic treatment for the subtilis group based on an integrative approach combining phylogenetic and morphometric analyses with a review on previously published cytogenetic and morphological data.

The phylogenetic relationship was reconstructed using sequences of the whole mitochondrial cytochrome b (CytB) and the nucleus‐encoded interphotoreceptor binding protein (IRBP) under the maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood criteria. Based on whole CytB sequences, genetic distances were reconstructed and visualised among the taxa. These data were supplemented with multivariate analysis of the morphology of the baculum and of the penile spike of museum specimens.

Based on the genetic and the morphological data set, we suggest that the subspecies trizona and nordmanni should be raised to the species rank. We suggest Sicista trizona (Frivaldszky, 1865) and Sicista nordmanni (Keyserling and Blasius, 1840) as names for these species, respectively.

The species status of Sicista severtzovi is not supported by our results, so we recommend reclassifying it as a subspecies of Sicista subtilis.

Finally, the large genetic distance between the Hungarian and Romanian populations of Sicista trizona led us to describe the Romanian population as a new subspecies.
Replicated analysis of the genetic architecture of quantitative traits in two wild great tit populations
Authors: Santure Anna W. , Poissant Jocelyn , De Cauwer Isabelle , van Oers Kees , Robinson Matthew R. , Quinn John L. , Groenen Martien A. M. , Visser Marcel E. , Sheldon Ben C. , Slate Jon
Published: December 2015

Currently, there is much debate on the genetic architecture of quantitative traits in wild populations. Is trait variation influenced by many genes of small effect or by a few genes of major effect? Where is additive genetic variation located in the genome? Do the same loci cause similar phenotypic variation in different populations? Great tits (Parus major) have been studied extensively in long‐term studies across Europe and consequently are considered an ecological ‘model organism’. Recently, genomic resources have been developed for the great tit, including a custom SNP chip and genetic linkage map. In this study, we used a suite of approaches to investigate the genetic architecture of eight quantitative traits in two long‐term study populations of great tits—one in the Netherlands and the other in the United Kingdom. Overall, we found little evidence for the presence of genes of large effects in either population. Instead, traits appeared to be influenced by many genes of small effect, with conservative estimates of the number of contributing loci ranging from 31 to 310. Despite concordance between population‐specific heritabilities, we found no evidence for the presence of loci having similar effects in both populations. While population‐specific genetic architectures are possible, an undetected shared architecture cannot be rejected because of limited power to map loci of small and moderate effects. This study is one of few examples of genetic architecture analysis in replicated wild populations and highlights some of the challenges and limitations researchers will face when attempting similar molecular quantitative genetic studies in free‐living populations.
Adaptation of the Coronary Microcirculation in Aging
Authors: LeBlanc Amanda J. , Hoying James B.
Published: December 2015

Advancing age will affect every individual and its impact on health deserves significant attention particularly as we address therapeutic possibilities to pathological conditions. The changes that occur in the coronary vasculature as a result of aging‐related senescence set the stage upon which CVD and ischemia can escalate. Because of its importance in health, the consequences of aging on vasculature adaptation must be considered as we identify molecular targets and cell therapies for older patients. To understand the complex relationships between the coronary vasculature and the myocardium, it is important to characterize the unique aged cardiac environment in both locales independent of overlying disease. Therefore, the overall theme of this review is to highlight the biology of aging coronary vasculature and how this promotes a decreased plasticity, exacerbating insults such as ischemia. We will identify potential age‐related mechanisms that may contribute to this overall loss of adaptation and regeneration and review potential therapeutic strategies to ameliorate this dysfunction.
Water avoidance stress induces visceral hyposensitivity through peripheral corticotropin releasing factor receptor type 2 and central dopamine D2 receptor in rats
Authors: Nozu T. , Miyagishi S. , Nozu R. , Takakusaki K. , Okumura T.
Published: December 2015

Background

Water avoidance stress (WAS) is reported to induce functional changes in visceral sensory function in rodents, but the results which have been demonstrated so far are not consistent, i.e., hypersensitivity or hyposensitivity. We determined the effect of WAS on visceral sensation and evaluated the mechanisms of the action.

Methods

Visceral sensation was assessed by abdominal muscle contractions induced by colonic balloon distention, i.e., visceromotor response (VMR), measured electrophysiologically in conscious rats. The electromyogram electrodes were acutely implanted under anesthesia on the day of the experiment. The threshold of VMR was measured before and after WAS for 1 h. To explore the mechanisms of WAS‐induced response, drugs were administered 10 min prior to the initiation of WAS.

Key Results

WAS significantly increased the threshold of VMR, and this effect was no longer detected at 24 h after. Intraperitoneal injection of astressin2‐B (200 μg/kg), a corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) receptor type 2 antagonist abolished the response by WAS. Subcutaneous (sc) injection of sulpiride (200 mg/kg), a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist blocked the response, while sc domperidone (10 mg/kg), a peripheral dopamine D2 receptor antagonist did not alter it. Naloxone (1 mg/kg, sc), an opioid antagonist did not modify it either.

Conclusions & Inferences

WAS induced visceral hyposensitivity through peripheral CRF receptor type 2 and central dopamine D2 receptor, but not through opioid pathways. As altered pain inhibitory system was reported to be observed in the patients with irritable bowel syndrome, CRF and dopamine signaling might contribute to the pathophysiology.
Methionine restriction and life‐span control
Authors: Lee Byung Cheon , Kaya Alaattin , Gladyshev Vadim N.
Published: December 2015

Dietary restriction (DR) without malnutrition is associated with longevity in various organisms. However, it has also been shown that reduced calorie intake is often ineffective in extending life span. Selecting optimal dietary regimens for DR studies is complicated, as the same regimen may lead to different outcomes depending on genotype and environmental factors. Recent studies suggested that interventions such as moderate protein restriction with or without adequate nutrition (e.g., particular amino acids or carbohydrates) may have additional beneficial effects mediated by certain metabolic and hormonal factors implicated in the biology of aging, regardless of total calorie intake. In particular, it was shown that restriction of a single amino acid, methionine, can mimic the effects of DR and extend life span in various model organisms. We discuss the beneficial effects of a methionine‐restricted diet, the molecular pathways involved, and the use of this regimen in longevity interventions.
Productivity Spillovers Across Countries and Industries: New Evidence From OECD Countries
Authors: Badinger Harald , Egger Peter
Published: December 2015

This paper uses a translog approach to estimate intra‐ and inter‐industry productivity spillovers transmitted through input–output linkages, distinguishing R&D and other (remainder) spillovers. For a panel of 12 OECD countries and 15 manufacturing industries from 1995–2005, first, we find that the estimated elasticity with respect to ‘own’ R&D amounts to 0.25 on average (which would be estimated to be lower if R&D were assumed to be additively separable from other inputs). Second, there are sizeable intra‐industry and relatively small inter‐industry R&D spillovers. Third, there are significant remainder spillovers, which are mainly of the intra‐industry type and substantially amplify idiosyncratic technology shocks.