bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic analysis reveals differentially expressed genes associated with wool length in rabbit
Authors: Zhao B. , Chen Y. , Hao Y. , Yang N. , Wang M. , Mei M. , Wang J. , Qiu X. , Wu X. 
Published: August 2018

SummaryRabbit fur characteristics are primarily genetically determined traits. We used Illumina high‐throughput sequencing technology to assess gene expression in the skin tissues of rabbits derived from a cross between Wanxi Angora rabbits and Rex rabbits, which exhibit differential characteristics of short and long wool respectively, to investigate molecular mechanisms related to wool length determination. To identify key regulatory genes involved in rabbit wool length, genes that were differentially expressed between the long‐ and short‐wool rabbits based on a P‐value < 0.05 and log2|fold change| > 1 were characterized. A total of 798 genes were up‐regulated and 523 were down‐regulated in the long‐wool group compared to expression levels in the short‐wool group, and these genes were annotated with GO terms and KEGG pathways, revealing wool‐development‐related biological functions. The Wnt, Hedgehog and TGF‐β signaling pathways, which are related to cell proliferation, fibroblast proliferation and hair follicle regulation respectively, were identified. The expression levels of eight genes were validated by RT‐qPCR. In addition, an interaction network was constructed to show the regulatory relationships among the differentially expressed genes. In this study, we found that FGF5, WNT5A, BMP4 and BMP7 showed significant differential expression between the two groups. These transcriptomic profiling results provide comprehensive gene expression information for improving understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the growth and development of rabbit wool.
Monetary and fiscal policies in a heterogeneous‐agent economy
Authors: Sun Hongfei , Zhou Chenggang 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe study the effects of long‐run inflation and income taxation in an economy where households face uninsurable idiosyncratic risks. We construct a tractable competitive‐search framework that generates dispersion of prices, income and wealth. We analytically characterize the stationary equilibrium and the policy effects on individual choices. Quantitative analysis finds that monetary and fiscal policies have distinct effects on macro aggregates, such as output, savings and wealth, income and consumption inequalities. There is a hump‐shaped relationship between welfare and the respective policies. Overall, welfare is maximized by a deviation from the Friedman rule, paired with distortionary income taxation.
How important are wealth effects on consumption in Canada?
Authors: Kichian Maral , Mihic Milana 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe estimate the marginal propensity to consume from financial and housing wealth in Canada. The modelling framework of Carroll et al. (2011) that builds on the observed stickiness in consumption data is used. Estimations and inferences are conducted using identification‐robust methods. The results provide support for the overall modelling strategy, but there are also important differences in the identification status of the econometric equations considered. Based on the most informative specification, we find that both types of wealth—financial and housing—have significant effects in Canada and that the former has a greater effect than the latter. A simple extension of the model that also accounts for non‐price credit conditions shows that housing wealth may be relevant only during periods of easier access to credit. Finally, we find support for relatively high stickiness in consumption growth in Canada.
A policy model to analyze macroprudential regulations and monetary policy
Authors: Alpanda Sami , Cateau Gino , Meh Césaire 
Published: August 2018

AbstractWe construct a small‐open‐economy, new Keynesian dynamic stochastic general‐equilibrium model with real financial linkages to analyze the effects of financial shocks and macroprudential policies on the Canadian economy. The model incorporates rich interactions between the balance sheets of households, firms and banks, long‐term household and business debt, macroprudential policy instruments and nominal and real rigidities and is calibrated to match dynamics in Canadian macroeconomic and financial data. We study the transmission of monetary policy and financial and real shocks in the model economy and analyze the effectiveness of various policies in simultaneously achieving macroeconomic and financial stability. We find that, in terms of reducing household debt, more targeted tools such as loan‐to‐value regulations are the most effective and least costly, followed by bank capital regulations and monetary policy, respectively.
Downward nominal wage rigidity: Evidence from Canada 1901–1950
Authors: Coe Patrick J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis paper tests for the presence of downward nominal wage rigidity in Canadian wage data for 26 occupations in 38 cities from the first half of the 20th century. The sample is of particular interest as it contains periods with average inflation rates that are close to zero as well as two sharp deflations. Results from a variety of different tests indicate that wage change distributions are consistent with the presence of downward nominal wage rigidity. However, for two subsamples containing sharp declines in output and prices, estimates of the extent of downward nominal wage rigidity are much lower. This suggests that downwards adjustments did occur during times of severe depression and deflation.
Dietary acrylamide intake and the risk of endometrial or ovarian cancers in Japanese women
Authors: Kotemori Ayaka , Ishihara Junko , Zha Ling , Liu Rong , Sawada Norie , Iwasaki Motoki , Sobue Tomotaka , Tsugane Shoichiro ,   the JPHC Study Group
Published: August 2018

A meta‐analysis published in 2015 noted a marginally increased risk of endometrial and ovarian cancers in non‐smoking women with dietary acrylamide intake, but only a few studies were included, and they were limited to Western countries. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between dietary acrylamide intake and endometrial or ovarian cancer risk in the Japan Public Health Center‐based Prospective Study (JPHC Study). In this prospective cohort study, 47 185 participants aged 45‐74 years at the follow‐up starting point in the JPHC Study were enrolled. Dietary acrylamide intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). In participants with endometrial and ovarian cancer, the average follow‐up periods were 15.5 and 15.6 years, respectively, and 161 and 122 cases of endometrial and ovarian cancer were diagnosed, respectively. Energy‐adjusted dietary acrylamide intake was negatively associated with endometrial cancer, but the association disappeared after adjusting for coffee consumption with an adjusted HR for the highest vs lowest tertile of 0.85 (95%CI: 0.54‐1.33). No association was observed, however, for ovarian cancer (adjusted HR, 0.77; 95%CI: 0.49‐1.23). Furthermore, after stratifying by smoking status, coffee consumption, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and menopause status, no association was observed. Dietary acrylamide intake was not associated with the risk of endometrial or ovarian cancer in Japanese women with a relatively lower dietary intake of acrylamide compared with Western populations.
Comparison of immediate‐load mini dental implants and conventional‐size dental implants to retain mandibular Kennedy class I removable partial dentures: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Threeburuth Waruth , Aunmeungtong Weerapan , Khongkhunthian Pathawee 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackgroundComplications of distal extension mandibular removable partial dentures are: loss of retention, irritation, and so forth. Dental implants have been used to support distal extension removable partial dentures. However, many patients have limited bone support in which to place conventional‐size dental implants.PurposeTo compare the clinical outcomes of using immediate‐loaded mini dental implants and immediate‐loaded conventional‐size dental implants, when used to retain mandibular Kennedy class I removable partial dentures.Materials and MethodsThirty patients were randomly divided into two groups. Mini dental implants and conventional‐size dental implants were placed in participants in the first molar region on both sides. The dentures were connected immediately. Patients were recalled on 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Digital periapical radiographs were made, and patient satisfaction was recorded. Data were analyzed by independent samples t‐test and paired samples t‐test (P = .05).ResultsTwenty eight of the implants survived (survival rate = 93.3%) in each group. Mean radiographic bone loss was 0.47 ± 0.42 and 1.03 ± 1.07 mm in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Conventional‐size implants revealed significantly greater marginal bone loss than mini implants (P = .01). Patient satisfaction showed significant improvement after treatment in both groups.ConclusionsImmediate‐loaded mini dental implants can be applied for retaining mandibular Kennedy class I removable partial dentures with very favorable results.
Structural insights into the mechanism of Type IVa pilus extension and retraction ATPase motors
Authors: Solanki Vipul , Kapoor Srajan , Thakur Krishan Gopal 
Published: August 2018

Type IVa pili are bacterial appendages involved in diverse physiological processes, including electron transfer in Geobacter sulfurreducens. ATP hydrolysis coupled with conformational changes powers the extension (PilB) and retraction (PilT) motors in the pilus machinery. We report the unliganded crystal structures of the core ATPase domain of PilB and PilT‐4 from G. sulfurreducens at 3.1 and 2.6 Å resolution, respectively. PilB structure revealed three distinct conformations, that is, open, closed, and open′ which were previously proposed to be mediated by ATP/ADP binding. PilT‐4 subunits, on the other hand, were observed in the closed state conformation. We further report that both PilB and PilT‐4 hexamers have two high‐affinity ATP‐binding sites. Comparative structural analysis and solution data presented here supports the “symmetric rotary model” for these ATPase motors. Our data further suggest that pores of these motors rotate either clockwise or counterclockwise to facilitate assembly or disassembly of right‐handed or left‐handed pilus.DatabaseStructural data are available in the RCSB PDB database under the PDB ID 5ZFQ (PilT‐4), 5ZFR (PilB).
Regenerative medicine for urological tissues: Updated review 2018
Authors: Kanematsu Akihiro 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe focus of the present review on regenerative medicine is limited; first, on a few human clinical trials carried out thus far in the urology field, and second, on more basic but important biological progress that regenerative medicine has brought us. Clinical trials for the bladder, urethra and urethral sphincter have been carried out thus far. Reconstruction with autologous cell‐seeded biomaterial failed in patients in need of bladder augmentation. The strategy succeeded for urethral reconstruction in patients who might not have required this approach. Sphincter function improvement was attained by cell therapy, but did not equal the conventional standard therapy – the artificial sphincter. The radical progress in regenerative medicine is reported in more basic stem cell technology. The strategy to induce therapeutic cells from inducible pluripotent stem cells has shed novel light on developmental biology. In vitro creation of novel kidney tissue from inducible pluripotent stem cells has been attained. Other kinds of therapeutic cells could also be induced from the inducible pluripotent stem cells. Research should be encouraged to fill the gap between patient needs and what current regenerative medicine can attain.
Mental health nurses' and psychiatrists' views on addressing parenthood issues among service users
Authors: Krumm Silvia , Checchia Carmen , Kilian Reinhold , Becker Thomas 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMental health professionals (MHPs) are in a central position to provide support for mental health service users (MHSUs) in regard to parental needs, from preconception to caring for children. This study aims to examine whether mental health nurses and psychiatrists regard the issue of having children and being a parent as relevant to be considered in a clinical setting, how they describe the MHPs' roles and responsibilities in this regard, and to what extent they feel willing and able to fulfil these demands. A qualitative approach was undertaken by conducting four focus groups with 30 MHPs (15 nurses and 15 psychiatrists) within an inpatient mental health service in south Germany. We found that MHPs generally acknowledged the importance of parenting issues for psychiatric treatment. However, they assessed the talks between MHPs and MHSUs about parenting as less relevant in routine practice; the issue of the desire for children in particular was seen as generally not important. Addressing parenthood issues was restricted to mainly two areas: clarifying children's situations during inpatient treatment and considering medication issues among (potentially) pregnant service users. MHPs' focus on the adult service user, privacy, and historical issues were the main arguments against addressing parenthood issues.
A Step Closer to a Transnational Party System? Competition and Coherence in the 2009 and 2014 European Parliament
Authors: Lefkofridi Zoe , Katsanidou Alexia 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAt this stage of European integration and given the high degree of Europe's politicization and salience caused by the recent global financial crisis, representative democracy in the EU can only function if parties mobilize beyond borders. We examine whether European Party Groups (EPG) in the European Parliament (EP) offer distinct policy alternatives and how coherent these are. We use party position data collected by two Voting Advice Applications designed for the 2009 and 2014 EP elections, respectively (EUProfiler and Euandi). We find evidence of competition between EPGs groups on both left right issues and European integration; on the latter issue, there is greater differentiation within the anti‐EU camp. Coherence within EPG exists, though it varies across issues, EPGs and between election years examined: it is greater on European integration than on left–right issues and it is particularly high for right wing eurosceptics though for most parties it deteriorates between 2009 and 2014.
Sperm is a sexual ornament in rose bitterling
Authors: Smith Carl , Spence Rowena , Reichard Martin 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn many taxa, odour cues mediate mating decisions. A key question is what these odours comprise, where they are produced, and what they signal. Using rose bitterling, fish that spawn in the gills of freshwater mussels, we investigated the role of sperm cues on female oviposition decisions using individuals of known MHC genotype. Male bitterling frequently released sperm prior to female oviposition and females responded with an increased probability of oviposition and released a greater number of eggs, particularly if males had a dissimilar MHC genotype. These mating preferences by females were shown to be adaptive, with MHC dissimilarity of males and females correlated positively with embryo survival. These results support a role for indirect benefits to rose bitterling mate choice, and we propose that sperm acts as a releaser pheromone in bitterling, functioning as a sexual ornament signalling male quality as a mate.
Unpacking 3GPP standards
Authors: Baron Justus , Gupta Kirti 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis paper describes a new database with detailed information on standardization procedures at the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP). 3GPP is the most relevant standard‐setting organization (SSO) in the field of mobile telecommunications. Empirical research on technology standards and SSOs has so far been limited by the scarcity of available data. The present database contains information on membership, meeting attendance, chairmanship, work items, contributions, and votes at 3GPP. These data shed light on the technical complexity of standard development and illustrate the importance of voluntary contributions from SSO members. The data allow addressing important policy questions regarding the regulation of voluntary SSOs and the role of standard‐essential patents in standardization.
Characterization of Two EF‐hand Domain‐containing Proteins from Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Chang Le , Dykes Eric J. , Li Jianhua , Moreno Silvia N.J. , Hortua Triana Miryam Andrea 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe universal role of calcium (Ca2+) as a second messenger in cells depends on a large number of Ca2+‐binding proteins (CBP), which are able to bind Ca2+ through specific domains. Many CBPs share a type of Ca2+‐binding domain known as the EF‐hand. The EF‐hand motif has been well studied and consists of a helix‐loop‐helix structural domain with specific amino acids in the loop region that interact with Ca2+. In Toxoplasma gondii a large number of genes (approximately 68) are predicted to have at least one EF‐hand motif. The majority of these genes have not been characterized. We report the characterization of two EF‐hand motif‐containing proteins, TgGT1_216620 and TgGT1_280480, which localize to the plasma membrane and to the rhoptry bulb, respectively. Genetic disruption of these genes by CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)/Cas9 (CRISPR‐associated protein 9) resulted in mutant parasite clones (Δtg216620 and Δtg280480) that grew at a slower rate than control cells. Ca2+ measurements showed that Δtg216620 cells did not respond to extracellular Ca2+ as the parental controls while Δtg280480 cells appeared to respond as the parental cells. Our hypothesis is that TgGT1_216620 is important for Ca2+ influx while TgGT1_280480 may be playing a different role in the rhoptries.
“Saluage soyl, far from Parnasso Mount”: Spenser and Shakespeare in contemporary Irish writing
Authors: Grogan Jane 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThis essay studies the literary politics of the reception of Spenser and Shakespeare in contemporary Irish writing, theatre, and public culture. Often conceived as a project of recovery or restitution, or as a niche interest for urban élites, the mixed fortunes and contrasting politics of Shakespeare and Spenser in 20th‐ and 21st‐century Ireland testify to the still sensitive politics of settlement and plantation, as well as the blind spots of nationalism and the national model of Irish literature. Focussing primarily on the current century, this essay traces crucial lines of reception back to W. B. Yeats and the Irish literary revival, pausing over Frank McGuinness's important playMutabilitie(1997), which dared to imagine and provocatively recast both Shakespeare and Spenser's habitation in Ireland. That project found little support, just months before the Good Friday agreement was signed, but it stands over and guides a significant body of work in Irish drama and poetry in ways that have yet to be fully unpacked. Yet the contrast remains between the hero and the whipping boy, a congenial Shakespeare and a cruel Spenser, in literary engagements with Tudor Ireland. Although Shakespeare has generally been heralded as an enabling or emancipatory figure for Irish writers, this essay proposes that a richer and more radical politics can be accessed by the thornier route of confronting Spenser's place in Irish culture and history. The essay concludes by outlining a recent flourishing of interest in Spenser that seeks to exploit his potential for Irish culture and politics in these new, more honest but more challenging ways.
Meta‐analysis of the incidence of lead dislodgement with conventional and leadless pacemaker systems
Authors: Wang Yan , Hou Wenbo , Zhou Chao , Yin Yuxia , Lu Shoutao , Liu Guang , Duan Cuihai , Cao Mingkun , Li Maoquan , Toft Egon Steen , Zhang Hai‐jun 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIntroductionLeadless cardiac pacemaker (LCP) implantation using a transcatheter was recently developed to avoid pocket‐ and lead‐related complications. Although a LCP has an active fixation mechanism using tines or a helix, LCP and lead dislodgement issues remain a major safety concern for patients. This article reviews the literature to determine the incidence of lead and LCP dislodgement.Methods and resultsA total of 18 studies which included 17,321 patients undergoing conventional single‐ or dual‐chamber pacemaker implantation and three studies which included 2,116 patients undergoing LCP device implantation were reviewed. The incidence of lead dislodgement ranged from 1% to 2.69% in individual studies with a mean of 1.63%, weighted mean of 1.71%, and median of 1.60 %. There was a relatively higher lead dislodgement rate between atrial and ventricular electrodes (odds ratio [OR], 3.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9–6.70; P = 0.6; I2 = 0%), and between magnetic resonance imaging conditional and conventional leads (OR, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.30–5.99; P = 0.16; I2 = 46%). The use of active fixation leads (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.66–1.70; P = 0.29; I2 = 20%) showed no significant difference in dislodgement risk compared to passive fixation leads. The incidence of LCP device dislodgement was 0%, 0.13%, and 1% in three leadless pacemaker studies.ConclusionsThe incidence rates of conventional pacemaker lead dislodgement vary in individual studies with an overall high incidence. Use of the currently available LCP systems appears to result in a lower rate of device dislodgement. This may reflect the effectiveness of this novel technology and the fixation design of LCP devices.
How David Hatch became a professor of pediatric anesthesia
Authors: Sury Michael R. J. 
Published: August 2018

SummaryThis is an account of an interview with David John Hatch who was one of the first Professors of Pediatric Anesthesia in the world. He began his anesthesia career as a medical student administering chloroform and ended it 40 years later as a Consultant at Great Ormond Street Hospital where he developed and led a world renowned research team measuring and assessing lung function in infants and children. These productive years earned him his chair at the Institute of Child Health in London (part of University College London) funded by Portex (currently, a branch of Smiths Medical). His academic achievements include over 110 journal publications, two textbooks and having many honors and awards. Yet he does not think of himself as an academic. In his words “I wanted to be a hard working clinician with an interest in research, and not just academic”.