bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Functional and structural changes in aorta of mice divergently selected for basal metabolic rate
Authors: Sawicka Diana , Maciak Sebastian , Kozłowska Hanna , Kasacka Irena , Kloza Monika , Sadowska Anna , Sokołowska Emilia , Konarzewski Marek , Car Halina 
Published: December 2019

AbstractCardiovascular diseases (CVD) are one of the most common causes of mortality likely genetically linked to the variation in basal metabolic rate (BMR). A robust test of the significance of such association may be provided by artificial selection experiments on animals selected for diversification of BMR. Here we asked whether genetically determined differences in BMR correlate with anatomical shift in endothelium structure and if so, the relaxation and contraction responses of the aorta in mice from two lines of Swiss-Webster laboratory mice (Mus musculus) divergently selected for high or low BMR (HBMR and LBMR lines, respectively). Functional and structural study of aorta showed that a selection for divergent BMR resulted in the between-line difference in diastolic aortic capacity. The relaxation was stronger in aorta of the HBMR mice, which may stem from greater flexibility of aorta mediated by higher activity of Ca2+-activated K+ channels. Structural examination also indicated that HBMR mice had significantly thicker aorta's middle layer compared to LBMR animals. Such changes may promote arterial stiffness predisposing to cardiovascular diseases. BMR-related differences in the structure and relaxation ability of aortas in studied animals may be reminiscent of potential risk factors in the development of CVD in humans.
Recent progress on elucidating the molecular mechanism of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance and drug design
Authors: Kai Jindan , Wang Sheng 
Published: December 2019

AbstractAntibiotic resistance is a growing global challenge to public health. Polymyxin is considered to be the last-resort antibiotic against most gram-negative bacteria. Recently, discoveries of a plasmid-mediated, transferable mobilized polymyxin resistance gene (mcr-1) in many countries have heralded the increased threat of the imminent emergence of pan-drug-resistant super bacteria. MCR-1 is an inner membrane protein that enables bacteria to develop resistance to polymyxin by transferring phosphoethanolamine to lipid A. However, the mechanism associated with polymyxin resistance has yet to be elucidated, and few drugs exist to address this issue. Here, we review our current understanding regarding MCR-1 and small molecule inhibitors to provide a detailed enzymatic mechanism of MCR-1 and the associated implications for drug design.
Chirurgie der Temporallappenepilepsie
Authors: Dorfer Christian , Czech Thomas , Rössler Karl 
Published: December 2019

ZusammenfassungDie chirurgische Therapie der therapierefraktären Temporallappenepilepsie ist der medikamentösen weitaus überlegen, und es kann bei 60–80% der Patienten eine Anfallsfreiheit erreicht werden. Aufgrund der Fortschritte in den diagnostischen Verfahren, insbesondere der MR-Bildgebung, haben sich verschiedene chirurgische Techniken entwickelt. Allen gemeinsam ist der Einschluss der medialen temporalen Strukturen (Amygdala, Hippocampus, Parahippocampus) in die Resektion. Unterschiede zwischen der vorderen Temporallappenresektion und der anteromedialen Temporallappenresektion bestehen im Ausmaß der lateralen temporalen Resektion. Im Falle einer selektiven Resektion des medialen Temporallappens werden unterschiedliche Zugangswege vorgeschlagen. Im Hinblick auf Anfallsfreiheit und Minimierung der neuropsychologischen Morbidität ist die Wahl des jeweiligen resektiven Verfahrens sowohl zentrums- als auch chirurgenabhängig. Gleichzeitig zielen sie darauf ab, die Morbidität v. a. im Hinblick auf das neuropsychologische Outcome zu reduzieren. Diesen Gedanken führen minimal-invasive Methoden wie die Laserablation (LITT) fort. Durch diese erhofft man sich, das gute Anfallsoutcome der offenen Resektionen beibehalten zu können und gleichzeitig die mit einer Resektion verbundenen Kollateralschäden zu minimieren. Des Weiteren soll die minimal-invasive Natur dieser Methoden die Hemmschwelle der Patienten für einen Eingriff senken und so die Anzahl der epilepsiechirurgischen Kandidaten, die sich nicht einem offen chirurgischen Eingriff unterziehen wollen, reduzieren. Die Erfahrungen mit diesen Methoden sind noch vergleichsweise gering, und es bleibt abzuwarten, ob sie ein ebenso gutes Anfallsoutcome im Langzeitverlauf bei so geringer Komplikationsrate, wie es die resektive chirurgische Therapie der Temporallappenepilepsie hat, erreichen kann.
Arsenic and Selenium Profile in Erythrocytes of Renal Transplant Recipients
Authors: Wilk Aleksandra , Wiszniewska Barbara 
Published: December 2019

AbstractArsenic and selenium elements play extremely important roles in organisms. Too high As concentration in blood may lead to functional disorders within organs, including cancer. Arsenic is designated as a Group 1 human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer that has established causal role of arsenic in cancers of the urinary bladder, lung, and skin in humans. In contrast, Se is believed to be the antioxidant trace element that is important in the biological defense against oxidative damage. We tested the hypothesis that immunosuppressive treatment based on mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), that is one of the most commonly used drug by renal transplant recipients, affects arsenic and selenium concentration in erythrocytes of renal transplant recipients. Current research was undertaken due to the fact that there are few studies on the concentration of chemical elements in the erythrocytes in kidney patients receiving immunosuppressive drugs. Monitoring of the concentration of chemical elements in the blood in patients who underwent kidney transplantation could be helpful, since chemical elements play an important role in many biological processes and it seems to be crucial in the prevention of cancer to which renal transplant recipients are more often exposed.The material consisted of blood from 115 renal transplant recipients of the Department of Nephrology, Transplantology, and Internal Medicine of Independent Public Clinical Hospital No. 2, Pomeranian Medical University, in the city of Szczecin in northwestern Poland. Arsenic and selenium levels in erythrocytes were quantified by inductively coupled mass spectroscopy.Men MMF+ had significantly higher As concentration than men MMF−. Se concentration was significantly higher in younger patients compared with older patients. The patients with lower creatinine level who used MMF had significantly higher As than MMF− patients. Patients whose therapy was based on MMF, cyclosporine A and glucocorticosteroids exhibited significantly higher concentration of As compared with patients whose regimen was based on MMF, tacrolimus, and glucocorticosteroids.This is the first study that demonstrates that regimen based on mycophenolate mofetil affects As and Se concentrations in erythrocytes in renal transplant recipients.
Kooperationsfaktoren in den Klimaverhandlungen: Eine vergleichende Analyse der Klimagipfel in Kopenhagen 2009 und in Paris 2015
Authors: Högl Maximilian 
Published: December 2019

ZusammenfassungInterdisziplinäre Forschungen zeigen, dass sieben Faktoren bestimmen, ob Individuen bei Problemen gemeinsam genutzter Ressourcen kooperieren: Reziprozität, Vertrauen, Kommunikation, Reputation, Fairness, Sanktion und Wir-Identität. Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Übertragbarkeit dieser Erkenntnisse auf die Ebene der internationalen Beziehungen. Ein Vergleich der Kopenhagener und der Pariser Klimakonferenz zeigt, dass Veränderungen bei den Faktoren Vertrauen und Kommunikation, Sanktion, Fairness, Reputation und Reziprozität maßgeblich zum Erfolg der Pariser Konferenz beitrugen.
Narrative coherence, psychopathology, and wellbeing: Concurrent and longitudinal findings in a mid‐adolescent sample
Authors: Mitchell Claire , Reese Elaine , Salmon Karen , Jose Paul 
Published: December 2019

ABSTRACTIntroductionResearch with adults and older adolescents has found that people exhibiting higher narrative coherence in life stories also report higher psychological wellbeing; however, this link has not been investigated longitudinally. The current study investigated concurrent and longitudinal relationships in mid‐adolescence between narrative coherence (causal and thematic coherence) of turning point narratives and psychopathology (depressive symptoms and rumination) and psychological wellbeing (life satisfaction). Hypothesis one was that in concurrent analyses, narrative coherence would be negatively associated with psychopathology and positively associated with wellbeing. Hypothesis two was that higher narrative coherence would predict lower psychopathology and greater wellbeing over time.MethodA sample of 132 adolescents (ages 14–18 years) wrote a narrative about a turning point event in their life and completed psychopathology and psychological wellbeing measures twice, approximately one year apart.ResultsPartial correlations on concurrent data showed that only causal coherence was associated with lower psychopathology and higher wellbeing. Longitudinal regressions showed that causal coherence predicted higher wellbeing one year later.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that causal coherence in life stories may play a causal role in increased life satisfaction over time for adolescents. Experimental research is required to further investigate this possibility.
A subglacial hydrologic drainage hypothesis for silt sorting and deposition during retreat in Pine Island Bay
Authors: Schroeder Dustin M. , MacKie Emma J. , Creyts Timothy T. , Anderson John B. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractLate Holocene sediment deposits in Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica, are hypothesized to be linked to intensive meltwater drainage during the retreat of the paleo-Pine Island Ice Stream after the Last Glacial Maximum. The uppermost sediment units show an abrupt transition from ice-proximal debris to a draped silt during the late Holocene, which is interpreted to coincide with rapid deglaciation. The small scale and fine sorting of the upper unit could be attributed to origins in subglacial meltwater; however the thickness and deposition rate for this unit imply punctuated- rather than continuous-deposition. This, combined with the deposit's location seaward of large, bedrock basins, has led to the interpretation of this unit as the result of subglacial lake outbursts in these basins. However, the fine-scale sorting of the silt unit is problematic for this energetic interpretation, which should mobilize and deposit a wider range of sediment sizes. To resolve this discrepancy, we present an alternative mechanism in which the silt was sorted by a distributed subglacial water system, stored in bedrock basins far inland of the grounding line, and subsequently eroded at higher flow speeds during retreat. We demonstrate that this mechanism is physically plausible given the subglacial conditions during the late Holocene. We hypothesize that similar silt units observed elsewhere in Antarctica downstream of bedrock basins could be the result of the same mechanism.
Resisting Democratic Backsliding: Malawi’s Experience in Comparative Perspective
Authors: VonDoepp Peter 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWhy does collective resistance to democratic backsliding emerge in some contexts and not others? The experience of Malawi in 2011–2012 offers an opportunity to explore this question. In the face of attacks on democratic rights and institutions, large-scale popular and civil society mobilization challenged the government’s authoritarian tendencies. Drawing on collective action theories and comparing Malawi’s experience to that of Zambia, VonDoepp argues that Malawi’s resistance arose in an environment that was favorable to its emergence. Economic conditions had generated grievances against government, polarization remained modest, and civil society organizations benefitted from credibility and the presence of allies that facilitated activism.
Englacial drainage structures in an East Antarctic outlet glacier
Authors: Schaap Thomas , Roach Michael J. , Peters Leo E. , Cook Sue , Kulessa Bernd , Schoof Christian 
Published: December 2019

AbstractGround-penetrating radar data acquired in the 2016/17 austral summer on Sørsdal Glacier, East Antarctica, provide evidence for meltwater lenses within porous surface ice that are conceptually similar to firn aquifers observed on the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Arctic and Alpine glaciers. These englacial water bodies are associated with a dry relict surface basin and consistent with perennial drainage into an interconnected englacial drainage system, which may explain a large englacial outburst flood observed in satellite imagery in the early 2016/17 melt season. Our observations indicate the rarely-documented presence of an englacial hydrological system in Antarctica, with implications for the storage and routing of surface meltwater. Future work should ascertain the spatial prevalence of such systems around the Antarctic coastline, and identify the degree of surface runoff redistribution and storage in the near surface, to quantify their impact on surface mass balance.
A QUALIFIED DEFENCE OF THE PRIMACY OF NATIONALITY OVER EUROPEAN UNION CITIZENSHIP
Authors: van den Brink Martijn 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe relationship between EU citizenship and nationality is still defined by ‘linkage’ and ‘derivation’: national citizenship enjoys primacy over and conditions access to EU citizenship. However, because naturalisation decisions have a European dimension as well as a cross-border dimension, various commentators have questioned whether this primacy is desirable. This article examines alternative models of EU citizenship and argues that the answer is not to reconsider the criteria of ‘linkage’ and ‘derivation’, but to create some common EU rules on ‘access’ to national and EU citizenship. A particularly attractive solution is for rules on the grant of nationality to be guided by the idea of a ‘genuine link’. Reflecting on the Commission's recent report on investment citizenship within the EU and the debate it provoked, this article questions whether such shared rules can currently be adopted.
Eustachian tube balloon dilatation: a cross-sectional, survey-based study of 137 UK consultants
Authors: Koumpa F S , Moraitis I , Bowles P , Saunders N 
Published: December 2019

AbstractObjectiveTo explore the opinions of the UK consultant body on endoscopic Eustachian tube balloon dilatation in the context of Eustachian tube dysfunction.MethodA 10-question online survey was distributed to ENT consultants currently practising in the UK (July–September 2018).ResultsA total of 137 ENT consultants responded. Twenty-three per cent reported experience of Eustachian tube balloon dilatation, with a further 10 per cent planning to start performing the procedure. Of those performing the procedure, 16 per cent had more than two years’ experience. Thirty-two per cent were performing zero to five procedures a year. Eustachian tube balloon dilatation was primarily conducted to treat Eustachian tube dysfunction symptoms, as well as retraction pockets, baro-challenge-induced Eustachian tube dysfunction and otitis media with effusion. The most common reason for not undertaking Eustachian tube balloon dilatation was insufficient evidence of efficacy (65 per cent). Seventy-two per cent of consultants thought that creating a national database for audit and monitoring purposes would benefit the specialty.ConclusionThe majority of UK ENT consultants do not practise Eustachian tube balloon dilatation, citing a lack of high-level evidence to support its use. A national database for auditing and research could facilitate the creation of guidelines.
Constructing and negotiating social participation in old age: experiences of older adults living in urban environments in the United Kingdom
Authors: Woolrych Ryan , Sixsmith Judith , Fisher Jenny , Makita Meiko , Lawthom Rebecca , Murray Michael 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe age-friendly cities and communities movement has focused on how to better support older adults to age well within urban environments. Central to ‘ageing well’ and ‘active ageing’ agendas is ensuring that older adults can participate in meaningful forms of social participation. The benefits of social participation in old age have been well documented, and research amongst community-dwelling older adults has explored some of the neighbourhood qualities that facilitate or impede such forms of engagement. However, understandings of how older adults construct and negotiate social participation within everyday urban environments have been largely unexplored. To address this gap, we present results from 104 interviews conducted with older adults living in three cities and nine neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom (UK). The findings explore three themes generated from the research: ‘constructing meaningful social participation in old age’, ‘negotiating access to social participation’ and ‘navigating home and community’. Across these themes, the paper describes how experiences of social participation in old age involve a number of inter-connected physical, psychological and social processes experienced by individuals across a range of environmental settings including the home, outdoor spaces and community facilities. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for practice, specifically in the delivery of age-friendly communities.
Work–family lifecourses and later-life health in the United Kingdom
Authors: Tosi Marco , Grundy Emily 
Published: December 2019

AbstractSocio-economic inequalities in physical and mental health persist at older ages and previous studies have shown that partnership and parenthood histories are also associated with differentials in later-life health. These domains of adult life interact, and both may be influenced by earlier life circumstances, indicating a need for a holistic approach to understanding lifecourse influences on health at older ages. In this paper, we identify classes of lifecourse types for a United Kingdom (UK) cohort born 1933–1945 and investigate differences between the latent classes identified in physical and mental health, and changes in health over a five-year follow-up period. Data were drawn from Waves 1–5 (2009–2013) of the nationally representative UK Household Longitudinal Study. Multi-level models were used to analyse associations with summary indicators of physical and mental health measured using the SF-12, and changes in health, controlling for childhood circumstances and taking account of support from family and friends in later life. Lifecourses characterised by lower socio-economic position, early parenthood and large family size were associated with worse physical and mental health in later life, with respondents who had combined a high socio-economic position and two children being the most advantaged. The study indicates that socio-economic disparities in later-life health vary depending on the way in which individuals combine work and family life.
The landscape-scale drivers of herbivore assemblage distribution on the central basalt plains of Kruger National Park
Authors: Young Cyanne , Fritz Hervé , Smithwick Erica A.H. , Venter Jan A. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe distribution and abundance of herbivores in African savannas are constrained by interactions between abiotic and biotic factors. At the species-level, herbivores face trade-offs among foraging requirements, vegetation structure and the availability of surface water that change over spatial and temporal scales. Characterizing herbivore requirements is necessary for the management of the environment in which they occur, as conservation management interventions such as fencing and artificial water provision consequently have effects on how herbivores address these trade-offs. We tested the effects of environmental attributes on the probability of presence of herbivore functional types at different distances to water in the Satara section of Kruger National Park over the period of a year. Hypotheses about species’ relative distribution and abundance were developed through a literature review of forage and water availability constraints on feeding preference and body size of herbivore. We expected strong seasonal relationships between vegetation biomass and quality, and biomass of water-dependent herbivores with increasing distance to water. Our analyses of herbivore distribution across the region confirmed broad-scale descriptions of interactions between forage requirements and water availability across a set of species which differ in functional traits.
A field experiment to determine the effect of dry-season irrigation on vegetative and reproductive traits in the wet-deciduous tree Bonellia nervosa
Authors: Sánchez Octavio , Quesada Mauricio , Dirzo Rodolfo , Schlichting Carl D. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractSeasonally dry tropical forests (SDTFs) stand out by the diversity of phenological patterns used by plants to deal with dry periods. Although the predominant phenological pattern is dry deciduousness, in Mesoamerican SDTFs the heliophilous tree species Bonellia (formerly Jacquinia) nervosa displays an unusual inverted leaf phenology, producing and holding leaves through the dry season while becoming deciduous in the rainy season. Applying a dry season irrigation field experiment (no water, low watering, high watering), we studied the consequences of contrasting water availability from a phenological plasticity response perspective. Contrary to our expectations, our results show no effect of irrigation treatment on leaf phenology. In addition, mid-day twig water potential showed no significant differences across treatments, but reproductive phenological responses varied among treatments: canopy flowering per cent decreased gradually until the beginning of the wet season in all treatments; meanwhile canopy fruit per cent showed a significant decline under low irrigation. Finally, non-structural carbohydrate concentration (starch) was significantly higher in the high irrigation treatment. Our results showed that inverted leaf phenology remains unaffected regardless of supplemental water availability, and suggest a reallocation of non-structural carbohydrates to fruits and seeds in high-irrigation treatments. Given the current and expected increase in extreme drought events, investigations on the responses of trees of different phenologies, including those of inverted leafing such as Bonellia nervosa, are warranted.
A NEW LOOK ON THE SHORTEST QUEUE SYSTEM WITH JOCKEYING
Authors: Ravid Rachel 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWe introduce a Markov queueing system with Poisson arrivals, exponential services, and jockeying between two parallel and equivalent servers. An arriving customer admits to the shortest line. Every transition, of only the last customer in line, from the longer line to the shorter line may accompanied by a certain fixed cost. Thus, a transition from the longer queue to the shorter queue occurs whenever the difference between the lines reaches a certain discrete threshold (d = 2, 3, …). In this study, we focus on the stochastic analysis of the number of transitions of an arbitrary customer.