bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Age, Gender, Mandibular Bone Height, Previous Experience with Prostheses, and Fabrication Methods on Masticatory Performance of Complete Denture Wearers
Authors: Alves Carla Pinto , Munhoz Maira Foresti Vieira , Oliveira Nascimento Gabriela Mayara , Nícoli Giovanni Antônio , Paleari André Gustavo , Camargos Germana de Villa 
Published: July 2018

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the influence of age, gender, mandibular bone height, previous experience with prostheses, and methods for denture fabrication on masticatory performance of complete denture (CD) wearers.Materials and MethodsFor this study, 29 individuals treated with CDs fabricated by simplified or conventional methods had their masticatory performance assessed 4 weeks after the prostheses’ adjustment and control, using the sieve method and almonds as a natural food test. Experimental variables related to age, gender, and previous use of complete dentures were collected from dental records. Panoramic digital radiographs were used to determine mandibular bone height according to the criteria described by the American College of Prosthodontists. Data on masticatory performance were assessed using t‐test for independent samples to make comparison between simplified and conventional methods, and a multiple linear regression analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of age, gender, previous experience with CDs, and mandibular bone height on masticatory performance using SPSS software with a significance level of 5%.ResultsThere was no significant influence regarding the method for CD fabrication (p = 0.92), age (p = 0.36), mandibular bone height (p = 0.37), and previous experience with prostheses (p = 0.15) on masticatory performance of CD wearers. Female patients presented lower masticatory performance than male (p = 0.04) patients did.ConclusionsConsidering the limitations of this study, it was concluded that gender might be considered a risk factor for masticatory performance of CD wearers. Female patients demonstrated reduced masticatory performance in comparison to male patients.
Effect of Resin Cement Brand on the Color of Zirconia‐Based Restorations
Authors: Tabatabaian Farhad , Bakhshaei Delaram , Namdari Mahshid 
Published: July 2018

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of resin cement brand on the color of zirconia‐based restorations.Materials and MethodsNinety A2 shade veneered zirconia disc specimens (0.5 mm zirconia thickness, 1 mm veneer thickness, 10 mm diameter) and 90 A3.5 shade composite resin background specimens (10 mm height, 10 mm diameter) with a superficial cement space (0.1 mm depth, 8 mm diameter) were fabricated. The zirconia specimens were cemented to the background specimens using universal resin cements: RelyX Unicem 2 (RU), PANAVIA SA Cement Plus (PS), and NX3 Nexus (NN). CIELab values were measured with a spectrophotometer before and after cementation. ∆E values were calculated to determine the color differences between before and after cementation of specimens (∆E1), and between the A2 VITA classical shade tab and specimens before cementation (∆E2) and after cementation (∆E3). The ΔE values were compared with an acceptability threshold (ΔE = 3.7) to evaluate color changes/matches. Welch, 1‐way ANOVA, Games‐Howell, Tukey HSD, and 1‐sample t test were used to analyze data (p < 0.05).ResultsMean ΔE1 values were 0.6 ± 0.3 for RU, 0.8 ± 0.4 for PS, and 0.6 ± 0.2 for NN. Resin cement brand significantly affected the ΔE1 (p = 0.029) and the ΔE3 (p < 0.001). Mean ΔE3 values were 3.6 ± 0.3 for RU, 3.5 ± 0.3 for PS, and 3.9 ± 0.3 for NN. RU (p = 0.960) and PS (p = 0.999) showed a color match, but NN did not (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe resin cement brand affected the color match of zirconia‐based restorations. Although the tested cements created minor color changes, RU and PS were better than NN for color match. The use of resin cements with the corresponding shade to the target shade is indicated.
Evaluation of age‐dependent changes of myocardial velocity using pulsed wave and colour tissue Doppler imaging in adult warmblood horses
Authors: Gehlen Heidrun , Bildheim Lisa‐Marie 
Published: July 2018

AbstractOur aim was to evaluate the influence of the ageing process on the myocardium using pulsed wave tissue Doppler (PW‐TDI) and colour tissue Doppler imaging (cTDI) to measure myocardial velocities at three different myocardial regions (right ventricular free wall: RVFW, interventricular septum: IVS, left ventricular free wall: LVFW). A total of 60 healthy warmblood horses, aged from 3 to 30 years, were examined. The horses were divided into five age groups (group 1: 3–8 years,n = 14; group 2: 9–13 years,n = 9; group 3: 14–18 years,n = 10; group 4: 19–23 years,n = 14; group 5: 24–30 years,n = 10). The results showed that age has a significant influence on the radial myocardial velocity of horses in different myocardial regions. This influence was detectable by both echocardiographic techniques, although PW‐TDI measurements showed a higher reproducibility due to lower intraindividual variation coefficients. Systolic contraction velocity (p ≤ 0.01) and early diastolic relaxation velocity (p ≤ 0.001) in the LVFW decreased significantly with ageing, while late diastolic contraction velocity increased (0.001 < p ≤ 0.01). Early and late diastolic contraction velocities at the IVS increased significantly with ageing (p ≤ 0.001). Systolic and late‐diastolic contraction velocities at the RVFW increased significantly with ageing (p ≤ 0.001). The results indicated a decrease in left ventricular contraction ability and reduced myocardial relaxation and altered diastolic function in the right ventricle with increasing age. These functional changes may be signs of age‐related structural myocardial changes or cardiac remodelling, such as increased myocardial stiffness. Thus, an assessment of the radial myocardial velocities of a horse's heart with TDI should always consider physiological age‐related changes in contractility. Comparing the two examination techniques (PW‐TDI and cTDI) we used in our study, we found that both methods showed comparable age‐related alterations. Nevertheless, differences in absolute values were found with a tendency of higher values using PW‐TDI in comparison to cTDI.
Pharmacokinetics of intravenous, subcutaneous, and topical administration of lidocaine hydrochloride and metabolites 3‐hydroxylidocaine, monoethylglycinexylidide, and 4‐hydroxylidocaine in horse
Authors: Soma Lawrence R. , You Youwen , Robinson Mary A. , Boston Raymond C. 
Published: July 2018

AbstactIntravenous (iv), subcutaneous (sq), and topical (tp) lidocaine was administered to six horses in a cross‐over, randomized design study. Samples were collected for up to 72 hr. Compartmental models were used to investigate the pharmacokinetics of (LD) and its metabolites 3‐hydroxylidocaine (3‐OH), 4‐hydroxylidocaine (4‐OH), and monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX). Metabolites 3‐OH and 4‐OH were present in conjugated forms, whereas LD and metabolite MEXG were present primarily in the un‐conjugated form. Plasma concentrations of LD after iv administration (100 mg) were described by three‐compartment model with an additional three compartments to describe the elimination of metabolites. Median (range) elimination micro‐constants (Ke) for LD, 3‐OH, 4‐OH, and MEXG were 4.12 (2.62–6.23), 1.25 (1.10–2.15), 1.79 (1.22–2.39), and 1.69 (1.03–1.99)/hr, respectively. Median (range) values of alpha (t½α), beta (t½β), and gamma (t½γ) half‐lives were 0.08 (0.07–0.13), 0.57 (0.15–1.25), and 4.11 (0.52–7.36) hr. Plasma concentrations of LD after sq (200 mg) administration were described by absorption and two‐compartment elimination model. The median (range) of the LD absorption half‐life (t½ab) was 0.47 (0.29–0.61) hr. TheKefor LD, 3‐OH, 4‐OH, and MEXG was 3.91 (1.48–9.25), 1.00 (0.78–1.08), 1.76 (0.96–2.11), and 1.13 (0.69–1.33)/hr. The median (range) oft½αandt½βwas 0.15 (0.06–0.27) and 3.04 (2.53–6.39) hr. Plasma concentrations of LD after tp (400 mg) application were described by one‐compartment model with at½abof 8.49 (5.16–11.80) hr. TheKefor LD, 3‐OH, and MEXG was 0.24 (0.10–0.81), 0.41 (0.08–0.93), and 0.38 (0.26–1.14)/hr.
Dissecting the role of a large chromosomal inversion in life history divergence throughout the Mimulus guttatus species complex
Authors: Coughlan Jennifer M. , Willis John H. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractChromosomal inversions can play an important role in adaptation, but the mechanism of their action in many natural populations remains unclear. An inversion could suppress recombination between locally beneficial alleles, thereby preventing maladaptive reshuffling with less‐fit, migrant alleles. The recombination suppression hypothesis has gained much theoretical support but empirical tests are lacking. Here, we evaluated the evolutionary history and phenotypic effects of a chromosomal inversion which differentiates annual and perennial forms of Mimulus guttatus. We found that perennials likely possess the derived orientation of the inversion. In addition, this perennial orientation occurs in a second perennial species, M. decorus, where it is strongly associated with life history differences between co‐occurring M. decorus and annual M. guttatus. One prediction of the recombination suppression hypothesis is that loci contributing to local adaptation will predate the inversion. To test whether the loci influencing perenniality pre‐date this inversion, we mapped QTLs for life history traits that differ between annual M. guttatus and a more distantly related, collinear perennial species, M. tilingii. Consistent with the recombination suppression hypothesis, we found that this region is associated with life history in the absence of the inversion, and this association can be broken into at least two QTLs. However, the absolute phenotypic effect of the LG8 inversion region on life history is weaker in M. tilingii than in perennials which possess the inversion. Thus, while we find support for the recombination suppression hypothesis, the contribution of this inversion to life history divergence in this group is likely complex.
Modelling the distribution of the vector Aedes aegypti in a central Argentine city
Authors: Estallo E. L. , Sangermano F. , Grech M. , Ludueña‐Almeida F. , Frías‐Cespedes M. , Ainete M. , Almirón W. , Livdahl T. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractAedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) is an urban mosquito involved in the transmission of numerous viruses, including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. In Argentina, Ae. aegypti is the main vector of dengue virus and has been involved in several outbreaks in regions ranging from northern to central Argentina since 2009. In order to evaluate areas of potential vector‐borne disease transmission in the city of Córdoba, Argentina, the present study aimed to identify the environmental, socioeconomic and demographic factors driving the distribution of Ae. aegypti larvae through spatial analysis in the form of species distribution models (SDMs). These models elucidate relationships between known occurrences of a species and environmental data in order to identify areas with suitable habitats for that species and the consequent risk for disease transmission. The maximum entropy species distribution model was able to fit the training data well, with an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of > 0.8, and produced models with fair extrapolation capacity (average test AUC: > 0.75). Human population density, distance to vegetation and water channels were the main variables predictive of the vector suitability of an area. The results of this work will be used to target surveillance and prevention measures, as well as in mosquito management.
Circadian rhythms and influencing factors of xerostomia among Parkinson’s disease patients
Authors: Barbe Anna Greta , Ludwar Lena , Scharfenberg Isabel , Hellmich Martin , Dano Richard , Barbe Michael Thomas , Noack Michael Johannes 
Published: July 2018

AbstractObjectivesParkinson's disease (PD) patients suffer from xerostomia, but limited information exists regarding associations with dysphagia, drooling, daily habits, PD characteristics, or possible circadian rhythms.Subjects and methodsA questionnaire was administered, including (a) clinical characteristics (comorbidities, prescribed medications, levodopa equivalent daily dose [LEDD], disease duration); (b) self‐assessment of dysphagia, xerostomia, drooling (10‐cm visual analogue scale [VAS]); (c) 24‐hr diary of motor impairment, dyskinesia, xerostomia, dysphagia, drooling, daily habits.ResultsOf 75 PD patients who completed the study, 67% reported dysphagia (mean ± standard deviation VAS 4 ± 2), 76% drooling (5 ± 2), 77% xerostomia (5 ± 2). Xerostomia was associated with comorbidities (p = 0.021) and smoking (p = 0.010) and affected by tremor (p = 0.003), dyskinesia (p = 0.010), dysphagia (p < 0.001), food intake (p = 0.005), sleep (p = 0.011), age (p = 0.018), medication intake (p = 0.063), LEDD (p = 0.052), daytime (p = 0.075), disease duration (p = 0.004). Xerostomia peaked at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.ConclusionsPD patients suffer from xerostomia, dysphagia, and drooling. Subjective dysphagia is associated with drooling and xerostomia, but drooling prevalence or intensity does not influence xerostomia symptoms. Tremor, dyskinesia, and disease duration, which characterise PD, affect xerostomia. Additionally, food intake, sleep, age, LEDD, and daytime (peaks at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.) increase xerostomia occurrence. This knowledge may improve dentists’ advice to patients and aid development of patient‐centred, symptom‐relieving products.
Effect of silencing a boule homologue on the survival and reproduction of Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri
Authors: Yu Xiudao , Killiny Nabil 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe fertility gene boule is conserved in most organisms and deletion of boule is found to block meiosis during spermatogenesis, which contributes to male infertility. The biological role of boule in Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri, currently the most serious citrus pest and the vector of huanglongbing (HLB) pathogen, remains poorly understood. In the present study, a boule homologue in Diaphorina citri (DcBol) is identified and the potential application of DcBol for RNA interference (RNAi) based control of D. citri is evaluated. DcBol is constitutively expressed at gonadal and somatic tissues in both sexes. DsDcBol appears to be refractory to the salivary proteins of D. citri and no degradation is discovered over a 3‐day feeding period. DsRNA‐mediated RNAi of DcBol is achieved via artificial feeding, with DsDcBol at 400 ng μL−1 being sufficient to knockdown endogenous DcBol expression. A further bioassay reveals that knockdown of DcBol causes higher mortality of adult D. citri. In comparison with the control, the number of eggs and offspring nymphs generated by RNAi males is not reduced significantly. The results of the present study indicate that DcBol may play a limited role in male fertility.
The role of phenotypic plasticity and pollination environment in the cleistogamous, mixed mating breeding system of Triodanis perfoliata
Authors: Ansaldi B. H. , Weber J. J. , Franks S. J. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract

The role of variable pollination environments in maintaining mixed mating systems is an active area of research. Dimorphic cleistogamy, in which a plant reproduces by both open, facultative outcrossing chasmogamous (CH) flowers and closed, cleistogamous (CL) flowers presents an excellent opportunity to study mixed mating. For example, plastic responses in allocation to an optimal floral type could serve as an adaptive strategy that maintains mixed mating under variable pollination environments.

We tested for pollen limitation and plastic responses in allocation to different floral types under manipulated pollination conditions in the dimorphic cleistogamous, mixed mating annual, Triodanis perfoliata. Using a field population, we quantified pollen limitation, auto‐fertility and plastic responses in the breeding system by measuring allocation to flower number and seed set of floral types.

We found no evidence for pollen limitation for CH flowers, and CH flowers had low efficacy of autonomous selfing. Importantly, we found that T. perfoliata alters floral number following changes in pollination conditions, with pollen‐supplemented plants having lower relative CH flower number than non‐supplemented plants.

Breeding system plasticity may allow for benefits from outcrossing through CH flowers, but also increased overall fitness through relatively cheap CL reproduction. After CH flowers receive pollen, subsequent production of CH flowers was reduced, which may be due to resource limitation. Our findings did not support a theoretical model predicting increased CH flowers with high pollination levels. These results increase our understanding of the role of pollination services and resource allocation in the maintenance of mixed mating systems, which also warrants further investigation.
The Long-Run Effect of Childhood Poverty and The Mediating Role of Education
Authors: Bellani Luna , Bia Michela 
Published: July 2018

SummaryThe paper examines the role of education as a causal channel through which growing up poor affects the economic outcomes in adulthood in the European Union. We apply a potential outcomes approach to quantify those effects and we provide a sensitivity analysis on possible unobserved confounders, such as child ability. Our estimates indicate that being poor in childhood significantly decreases the level of income in adulthood and increases the average probability of being poor. Moreover, our results reveal a significant role of education in this intergenerational transmission. These results are particularly relevant for Mediterranean and central and eastern European countries.
Detecting Heteroscedasticity in Non-Parametric Regression Using Weighted Empirical Processes
Authors: Chown Justin , Müller Ursula U. 
Published: July 2018

SummaryHeteroscedastic errors can lead to inaccurate statistical conclusions if they are not properly handled. We introduce a test for heteroscedasticity for the non-parametric regression model with multiple covariates. It is based on a suitable residual-based empirical distribution function. The residuals are constructed by using local polynomial smoothing. Our test statistic involves a ‘detection function’ that can verify heteroscedasticity by exploiting just the independence–dependence structure between the detection function and model errors, i.e. we do not require a specific model of the variance function. The procedure is asymptotically distribution free: inferences made from it do not depend on unknown parameters. It is consistent at the parametric (root n) rate of convergence. Our results are extended to the case of missing responses and illustrated with simulations.
False Discovery Rate Control for High Dimensional Networks of Quantile Associations Conditioning on Covariates
Authors: Xie Jichun , Li Ruosha 
Published: July 2018

SummaryMotivated by gene coexpression pattern analysis, we propose a novel sample quantile contingency (SQUAC) statistic to infer quantile associations conditioning on covariates. It features enhanced flexibility in handling variables with both arbitrary distributions and complex association patterns conditioning on covariates. We first derive its asymptotic null distribution, and then develop a multiple-testing procedure based on the SQUAC statistic to test simultaneously the independence between one pair of variables conditioning on covariates for all p(p − 1)/2 pairs. Here, p is the length of the outcomes and could exceed the sample size. The testing procedure does not require resampling or perturbation and thus is computationally efficient. We prove by theory and numerical experiments that this testing method asymptotically controls the false discovery rate. It outperforms all alternative methods when the complex association patterns exist. Applied to a gastric cancer data set, this testing method successfully inferred the gene coexpression networks of early and late stage patients. It identified more changes in the networks which are associated with cancer survivals. We extend our method to the case that both the length of the outcomes and the length of covariates exceed the sample size, and show that the asymptotic theory still holds.
The D‐vitamin metabolite 1,25(OH)2D in serum is associated with disease activity and Anti‐Citrullinated Protein Antibodies in active and treatment naïve, early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
Authors: Herly Mette , Stengaard‐Pedersen Kristian , Vestergaard Peter , Østergaard Mikkel , Junker Peter , Hetland Merete L. , Hørslev‐Petersen Kim , Ellingsen Torkell 
Published: July 2018

AbstractRationaleSufficient levels of vitamin D seem to be essential for proper immune function, and low levels might be associated to disease activity in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). Most studies investigate only 25OHD and not the physiologically active vitamin D metabolite, 1,25(OH)2D.ObjectiveTo investigate associations between serum level of vitamin D metabolites and disease activity parameters in 160 inflammatory active and treatment naïve early RA patients. Serum level of vitamin D metabolites (25OHD2, 25OHD3 and 1,25(OH)2D) was measured by isotope dilution mass spectrometry and radio‐immunoassays at baseline. Disease characteristics were gender, number of tender joints, number of swollen joints, DAS28‐CRP, HAQ, VAS‐scores, CRP, erosive status (Total Sharp Score; TSS), ACPA and IgM‐RF‐status. Associations were evaluated using Spearman's and Wilcoxon rank‐sum tests. The study was registered in clinical trials; trial registration number: NCT00209859.FindingsStatistically significant inverse associations were found between the active metabolite 1,25(OH)2D and DAS28‐CRP (P = 0.004, rho = −0.23), HAQ (P = 0.005, rho = −0.22), CRP (P = 0.001, rho = −0.25), VASpatient‐pain (P = 0.008, rho = −0.21), and a positive association was found to ACPA‐status (P = 0.04).ConclusionThe vitamin D metabolite 1,25(OH)2D was inversely associated with disease activity and positively associated with ACPA in treatment naïve and inflammatory active early RA. The results indicate that in RA, both the degree of inflammatory activity, and the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity might affect—or might be affected by the level of vitamin 1,25(OH)2D.
Gradient-Informed Basis Adaptation for Legendre Chaos Expansions
Authors: Tsilifis Panagiotis A. 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
The recently introduced basis adaptation method for homogeneous (Wiener) chaos expansions is explored in a new context where the rotation/projection matrices are computed by discovering the active subspace (AS) where the random input exhibits most of its variability. In the case where a One-dimensional (1D) AS exists, the methodology can be applicable to generalized polynomial chaos expansions (PCE), thus enabling the projection of a high-dimensional input to a single input variable and the efficient estimation of a univariate chaos expansion. Attractive features of this approach, such as the significant computational savings and the high accuracy in computing statistics of interest are investigated.