bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimating Religious Populations with the Network Scale‐Up Method: A Practical Alternative to Self‐Report
Authors: Yang Xiaozhao Yousef , Yang Fenggang 
Published: May 2018

AbstractGetting accurate information on religious demographics from survey‐based self‐reports presents a difficult task, suffering from the biases of social desirability, personal safety concerns, and the ambiguous definitions of religious identity. The network scale‐up method (NSUM) is an estimation strategy based on the enumeration of social network ties. NSUM has recently been employed to estimate the sizes of hidden populations in criminology and public health, but it has not been utilized in the study of religion. In this study, we argue for the advantages of NSUM in overcoming the biases associated with self‐reports and lay out a practical guide for the scholars of religion to the design and calculation of NSUM. We use a recent survey of Chinese international students to illustrate the use of NSUM and estimate the percentage of Buddhists (4.3 percent) and Christians (8.6 percent) in this population. We recommend interested scholars to adopt NSUM for its reliability, easy implementation, and the affinity between the sociological perspective on religion and the socially‐oriented assumption of NSUM.
From adversaries to allies: ethnic gerrymandering and ethnic party behaviour in local elections in Macedonia
Authors: Stewart Brandon 
Published: May 2018

AbstractConstitutional designers often construct political institutions to provide greater autonomy to ethnic minority groups. One tool available to constitutional designers is ‘ethnic gerrymandering’, where the boundaries of local government units are altered to provide greater representation to minority groups. This paper analyses the effects of changes in the ethnic composition of municipalities, which occur as a result of ethnic gerrymandering, on ethnic party behaviour. I compare ethnic party behaviour in local elections in the Republic of Macedonia from 2000 to 2013. I expand on a theory initially proposed by Sherrill Stroschein linking ethnic demography to ethnic party behaviour. I find that changes in the ethnic composition of municipalities influence whether rival ethnic parties engage in outbidding or whether ethnic communities unite behind a single ethnic party. My findings have important implications for those tasked with designing political institutions in ethnically divided societies.
Metabolic adaptation of short‐living growth hormone transgenic mice to methionine restriction and supplementation
Authors: Brown‐Borg Holly M. , Rakoczy Sharlene , Wonderlich Joseph A. , Borg Kurt E. , Rojanathammanee Lalida 
Published: May 2018

AbstractExtension of mammalian health and life span has been achieved using various dietary interventions. We previously reported that restricting dietary methionine (MET) content extends life span only when growth hormone signaling is intact (no life span increase in GH deficiency or GH resistance). To understand the metabolic responses of altered dietary MET in the context of accelerated aging (high GH), the current study evaluated MET and related pathways in short‐living GH transgenic (GH Tg) and wild‐type mice following 8 weeks of restricted (0.16%), low (0.43%), or enriched (1.3%) MET consumption. Liver MET metabolic enzymes were suppressed in GH Tg compared to diet‐matched wild‐type mice. MET metabolite levels were differentially affected by GH status and diet. SAM:SAH ratios were markedly higher in GH Tg mice. Glutathione levels were lower in both genotypes consuming 0.16% MET but reduced in GH Tg mice when compared to wild type. Tissue thioredoxin and glutaredoxin were impacted by diet and GH status. The responsiveness to the different MET diets is reflected across many metabolic pathways indicating the importance of GH signaling in the ability to discriminate dietary amino acid levels and alter metabolism and life span.
Opiate‐Free Pain Therapy Using Carbamazepine‐Loaded Microparticles Provides Up to 2 Weeks of Pain Relief in a Neuropathic Pain Model
Authors: Dai Haining , Tilley Dana M. , Mercedes Greici , Doherty Chris , Gulati Amitabh , Mehta Neel , Khalil Amer , Holzhaus Katrin , Reynolds Francis M. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractIntroductionOpioids remain a mainstay in the treatment of acute and chronic pain, despite numerous and potentially dangerous side effects. There is a great unmet medical need for alternative treatments for patients suffering from pain that do not result in addiction or adverse side effects. Anticonvulsants have been shown to be effective in managing pain, though high systemic levels and subsequent side effects limit their widespread usage. Our goal was to determine if the incorporation of an anticonvulsant, carbamazepine, into a biodegradable microparticle for local sustained perineural release would be an efficacious analgesic following a peripheral injury.MethodsFollowing induction of the chronic constriction injury model in Sprague‐Dawley rats, mechanical allodynia testing was performed using von Frey filaments and thermal allodynia was evaluated using the Hargreaves method. Histology and blood work were performed to evaluate toxicity as well as to monitor drug and metabolite presence over time.ResultsA 2‐fold increase in hindpaw withdrawal thresholds in animals receiving carbamazepine‐loaded microparticles relative to controls was observed for up to 14 days after treatment. Drug and metabolite had a peak blood concentration of 54.7 ng/mL and dropped off exponentially to < 5 ng/mL over a few days.ConclusionThis formulation reduced systemic exposure to carbamazepine over 1,000‐fold relative to traditional analgesic dosing regimens. This 2‐component drug delivery system has been specifically engineered to release a controlled amount of carbamazepine over a 14‐day period, providing significant pain relief with no toxicological or observable adverse events via behavioral or histochemical analysis.
Enriched Environment and Effects on Neuropathic Pain: Experimental Findings and Mechanisms
Authors: Tai Lydia Wai , Yeung Sung Ching , Cheung Chi Wai 
Published: May 2018

AbstractNeuropathic pain inflicts tremendous biopsychosocial suffering for patients worldwide. However, safe and effective treatment of neuropathic pain is a prominent unmet clinical need. Environmental enrichment (EE) is an emerging cost‐effective nonpharmacological approach to alleviate neuropathic pain and complement rehabilitation care. We present here a review of preclinical studies in ascertaining the efficacy of EE for neuropathic pain. Their proposed mechanisms, including the suppression of ascending nociceptive signaling to the brain, enhancement of the descending inhibitory system, and neuroprotection of the peripheral and central nervous systems, may collectively reduce pain perception and improve somatic and emotional functioning in neuropathic pain. The current evidence offers critical insights for future preclinical research and the translational application of EE in clinical pain management.
Confidence Intervals for Causal Effects with Invalid Instruments by Using Two-Stage Hard Thresholding with Voting
Authors: Guo Zijian , Kang Hyunseung , Tony Cai T. , Small Dylan S. 
Published: May 2018

SummaryA major challenge in instrumental variable (IV) analysis is to find instruments that are valid, or have no direct effect on the outcome and are ignorable. Typically one is unsure whether all of the putative IVs are in fact valid. We propose a general inference procedure in the presence of invalid IVs, called two-stage hard thresholding with voting. The procedure uses two hard thresholding steps to select strong instruments and to generate candidate sets of valid IVs. Voting takes the candidate sets and uses majority and plurality rules to determine the true set of valid IVs. In low dimensions with invalid instruments, our proposal correctly selects valid IVs, consistently estimates the causal effect, produces valid confidence intervals for the causal effect and has oracle optimal width, even if the so-called 50% rule or the majority rule is violated. In high dimensions, we establish nearly identical results without oracle optimality. In simulations, our proposal outperforms traditional and recent methods in the invalid IV literature. We also apply our method to reanalyse the causal effect of education on earnings.
A cross‐regional study of the reactive and proactive aggression of youth in Spain, Uruguay, mainland China, and Hong Kong
Authors: Fung Annis Lai Chu , Li Xiang , Ramírez Martín J. , Lam Bess Yin‐Hung , Millana Luis , Fares‐Otero Natalia E. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThis study is the first attempt to measure reactive and proactive aggression in 1,203 youths aged between 11 and 20 from Hong Kong, mainland China, Spain, and Uruguay using the reactive‐proactive aggression questionnaire (RPQ). The two‐factor RPQ construct was found to exhibit an excellent model fit for all subsamples, and the measurement and structural invariance across the four regions was also revealed. After controlling for age, the youth in Uruguay exhibited the highest levels of general, reactive, and proactive aggression, followed by Spain, Hong Kong, and mainland China. Reactive, proactive, and general aggression increased with age in the total sample, but the effects differed among regions. Boys were found to exhibit higher levels of general, reactive, and proactive aggression than girls only in Uruguayan sample. These findings confirmed the cross‐cultural generalizability of the two‐factor RPQ model, and suggested culture, age, and gender to be significant determinants of youth aggression.
Is Bypassing the Stomach a Means to Optimize Sodium Bicarbonate Supplementation? A Case Study With a Postbariatric Surgery Individual
Authors: de Oliveira Luana Farias , Saunders Bryan , Artioli Guilherme Giannini 
Published: May 2018

Sodium bicarbonate (SB) is an ergogenic supplement shown to improve high-intensity exercise via increased blood bicarbonate buffering. Substantial amounts of the ingested bicarbonate are neutralized in the stomach. Bariatric surgery results in a small gastric pouch which dramatically reduces exposure time of any ingested food in the stomach. The aim of this study was to examine the pharmacokinetics of orally ingested SB in a postgastric bypass individual to determine the magnitude of changes in blood bicarbonate and associated side effects. We hypothesized that SB supplementation in a gastric bypass model would result in greater blood bicarbonate increases and fewer side effects than in healthy individuals due to minimal bicarbonate losses in the stomach. One postbariatric male ingested 0.3 g/kg·body mass of SB on three occasions (SB1, SB2, and SB3) and 0.3 g/kg·body mass of placebo on a further occasion. Blood bicarbonate was determined before and every 10 min following supplement ingestion for 3 hr and then every 20 min for a further 1 hr. Side effects were reported using an adapted questionnaire at identical time points. Maximal increases in blood bicarbonate with SB were +20.0, +15.2, and +12.6 mM, resulting in maximal bicarbonate concentrations of 42.8, 39.3, and 36.2 mM. Area under the curve was SB1: 8,328 mM/min; SB2: 7,747 mM/min; SB3: 7,627 mM/min, and 6,436 mM/min for placebo. Side effects with SB were scarce. Maximal bicarbonate increases were well above those shown previously, with minimal side effects, indicative of minimal neutralization of bicarbonate in the stomach. The large increases in circulating bicarbonate and minimal side effects experienced by our postgastric surgery bypass patient are indicative that minimizing neutralization of bicarbonate in the stomach, as would occur with enteric coated capsules, may optimize SB supplementation and thus warrants investigation.
Correcting Vitamin D Insufficiency Improves Some But Not All Aspects of Physical Performance During Winter Training in Taekwondo Athletes
Authors: Jung Hyun Chul , Seo Myong Won , Lee Sukho , Jung Sung Woo , Song Jong Kook 
Published: May 2018

We investigated the effects of vitamin D3 supplementation on physical performance during winter training in vitamin D insufficient taekwondo athletes. Thirty-five collegiate male and female taekwondo athletes, aged 19–22 years with low serum 25(OH)D concentration (28.8 ± 1.10 nmol/L), were randomly assigned to a vitamin D group (n = 20) or a placebo group (n = 15). Subjects received either a vitamin D3 capsule (5,000 IU/day) or a placebo during 4 weeks of winter training. Blood samples were collected for analyzing serum 25(OH)D concentration. Physical performance tests included Wingate anaerobic test, isokinetic muscle strength and endurance, a countermovement jump test, sit-ups, agility test, and 20-m pacer. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations increased significantly in the vitamin D group (96.0 ± 3.77 nmol/L) after 4 weeks of supplementation, but no changes were found in the placebo group (F = 242.44, p = .000). There were significant interaction effects for anaerobic peak power (F = 7.49, p = .010) and isokinetic knee extension at 180 deg/s (F = 6.08, p = .019). Changes in serum 25(OH)D concentration were positively associated with changes in peak power and isokinetic knee extension at 180 deg/s. However, no significant interaction effects were observed in other performance variables. This study suggests that 4 weeks of vitamin D supplementation elevates serum 25(OH)D concentration to sufficient levels. Correcting vitamin D insufficiency improves some but not all aspects of performance. Thus, efficacy of vitamin D supplementation to enhance performance remains unclear.
Effects of PslG on the Surface Movement of Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Zhang Jingchao , He Jing , Zhai Chunhui , Ma Luyan Z. , Gu Lichuan , Zhao Kun 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACT

PslG attracted a lot of attention recently due to its great potential abilities in inhibiting biofilms of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. However, how PslG affects biofilm development still remains largely unexplored. Here, we focused on the surface motility of bacterial cells, which is critical for biofilm development. We studied the effects of PslG on bacterial surface movement in early biofilm development at a single-cell resolution by using a high-throughput bacterial tracking technique. The results showed that compared with no exogenous PslG addition, when PslG was added to the medium, bacterial surface movement was significantly (4 to 5 times) faster and proceeded in a more random way with no clear preferred direction. A further study revealed that the fraction of walking mode increased when PslG was added, which then resulted in an elevated average speed. The differences of motility due to PslG addition led to a clear distinction in patterns of bacterial surface movement and retarded microcolony formation greatly. Our results provide insight into developing new PslG-based biofilm control techniques.

IMPORTANCE
Biofilms of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
are a major cause for hospital-acquired infections. They are notoriously difficult to eradicate and pose serious health hazards to human society. So, finding new ways to control biofilms is urgently needed. Recent work on PslG showed that PslG might be a good candidate for inhibiting/disassembling biofilms of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
through Psl-based regulation. However, to fully explore PslG functions in biofilm control, a better understanding of PslG-Psl interactions is needed. Toward this end, we examined the effects of PslG on the surface movement of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
in this work. The significance of our work is in greatly enhancing our understanding of the inhibiting mechanism of PslG on biofilms by providing a detailed picture of bacterial surface movement at a single-cell level, which will allow a full understanding of PslG abilities in biofilm control and thus present potential applications in biomedical fields.
Do schoolbags cause back pain in children and adolescents? A systematic review
Authors: Yamato Tiê Parma , Maher Chris G , Traeger Adrian C , Wiliams Christopher M , Kamper Steve J 
Published: May 2018

ObjectiveTo investigate whether characteristics of schoolbag use are risk factors for back pain in children and adolescents.Data sourcesElectronic searches of MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL databases up to April 2016.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesProspective cohort studies, cross-sectional and randomised controlled trials conducted with children or adolescents. The primary outcome was an episode of back pain and the secondary outcomes were an episode of care seeking and school absence due to back pain. We weighted evidence from longitudinal studies above that from cross-sectional. The risk of bias of the longitudinal studies was assessed by a modified version of the Quality in Prognosis Studies tool.ResultsWe included 69 studies (n=72 627), of which five were prospective longitudinal and 64 cross-sectional or retrospective. We found evidence from five prospective studies that schoolbag characteristics such as weight, design and carriage method do not increase the risk of developing back pain in children and adolescents. The included studies were at moderate to high risk of bias. Evidence from cross-sectional studies aligned with that from longitudinal studies (ie, there was no consistent pattern of association between schoolbag use or type and back pain). We were unable to pool results due to different variables and inconsistent results.Summary/conclusionThere is no convincing evidence that aspects of schoolbag use increase the risk of back pain in children and adolescents.
A long way to go: a systematic review to assess the utilisation of sexual and reproductive health services during humanitarian crises
Authors: Singh Neha S , Aryasinghe Sarindi , Smith James , Khosla Rajat , Say Lale , Blanchet Karl 
Published: May 2018

IntroductionWomen and girls are affected significantly in both sudden and slow-onset emergencies, and face multiple sexual and reproductive health (SRH) challenges in humanitarian crises contexts. There are an estimated 26 million women and girls of reproductive age living in humanitarian crises settings, all of whom need access to SRH information and services. This systematic review aimed to assess the utilisation of services of SRH interventions from the onset of emergencies in low- and middle-income countries.MethodsWe searched for both quantitative and qualitative studies in peer-reviewed journals across the following four databases: EMBASE, Global Health, MEDLINE and PsychINFO from 1 January 1980 to 10 April 2017. Primary outcomes of interest included self-reported use and/or confirmed use of the Minimum Initial Service Package services and abortion services. Two authors independently extracted and analysed data from published papers on the effect of SRH interventions on a range of SRH care utilisation outcomes from the onset of emergencies, and used a narrative synthesis approach.ResultsOf the 2404 identified citations, 23 studies met the inclusion criteria. 52.1% of the studies (n=12) used quasi-experimental study designs, which provided some statistical measure of difference between intervention and outcome. 39.1% of the studies (n=9) selected were graded as high quality, 39.1% moderate quality (n=9) and 17.4% low quality (n=4). Evidence of effectiveness in increasing service utilisation was available for the following interventions: peer-led and interpersonal education and mass media campaigns, community-based programming and three-tiered network of community-based reproductive and maternal health providers.ConclusionsDespite increased attention to SRH service provision in humanitarian crises settings, the evidence base is still very limited. More implementation research is required to identify interventions to increase utilisation of SRH services in diverse humanitarian crises settings and populations.
The size seems to matter or where lies the “asymptopia”?
Authors: Petrov V. A. , Okorokov V. A. 
Published: May 2018

We discuss an apparent correlation between the onset of the rising regime for the total cross-sections and the slowdown of the rise of the forward slopes with energy. It is shown that even at highest energies achieved with the large hadron collider (LHC) the proper sizes of the colliding protons comprise the bulk of the interaction region. This seems to witness that the “asymptopia” — a hypothetical “truly asymptotic” regime — lies at energies no less than [Formula: see text] (100 TeV). In the course of reasoning, we also discuss the question of the dependence of the effective sizes of hadrons in collision on the type of their interaction.
Recent advances in karst research: from theory to fieldwork and applications
Authors: Parise Mario , Gabrovsek Franci , Kaufmann Georg , Ravbar Natasa 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Karst landscapes and karst aquifers, which are composed of a variety of soluble rocks such as salt, gypsum, anhydrite, limestone, dolomite and quartzite, are fascinating areas of study. As karst rocks are abundant on the Earth's surface, the fast evolution of karst landscapes and the rapid flow of water through karst aquifers present challenges from a number of different perspectives. This collection of 25 papers deals with different aspects of these challenges, including karst geology, geomorphology and speleogenesis, karst hydrogeology, karst modelling, and karst hazards and management. Together these papers provide a state-of-the-art review of the current challenges and solutions in describing karst from a scientific perspective.
Exploration and development in the Carboniferous of the Southern North Sea: a 30-year retrospective
Authors: Besly Bernard 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
A review is presented of the progress of exploration for, and development of, gas fields in the Carboniferous of the UK Southern North Sea in the period since the first significant discoveries were made in 1984. The outcomes of such exploration have generally failed to live up to high initial expectations and exploration targeting of the Carboniferous has declined, the objective having come to be seen by many as difficult and risky. This review includes a summary of the published consensus regarding elements of the Carboniferous petroleum system and discusses the reasons for the decline in interest, which encompass geological complexity, interpretational and operational problems and other non-technical factors. Five areas of Carboniferous petroleum geology are identified in which the currently accepted status quo is open to challenge. More detailed discussion of these leads to the following general conclusions: (1) the distribution of source rocks and their maturation history remains poorly understood, largely as a result of the hitherto unquestioned acceptance that Westphalian coals have acted as the dominant gas source; (2) in many early wells the combination of formation damage and shortcomings in petrophysical data acquisition and evaluation has resulted in a failure to identify potential pay in low permeability formations and an overemphasis on the importance of channel sand bodies as reservoir objectives; (3) the controls on seal capacity and integrity within the Carboniferous succession have been little studied and, as a result, an unduly pessimistic view of intra-Carboniferous sealing potential has prevailed; (4) the distribution of sub-basin depocentres, and thus of basinal shale source rocks and potential hydrocarbon migration paths, remains poorly understood; and (5) conceptual models of the large-scale tectonic history of the Carboniferous basin complex have failed to evolve from early and simplistic rift and sag models, which do not adequately explain the observed distribution of stratigraphic thicknesses and are inconsistent with some published burial histories.