bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Placental inflammation in pre-eclampsia by Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP)3 inflammasome activation in trophoblasts
Authors: Stødle G S , Silva G B , Tangerås L H , Gierman L M , Nervik I , Dahlberg U E , Sun C , Aune M H , Thomsen L C V , Bjørge L , Iversen A-C 
Published: April 2018

Summary
Pre-eclampsia is associated with increased levels of cholesterol and uric acid and an inflamed placenta expressing danger-sensing pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Crystalline cholesterol and uric acid activate the PRR Nod-like receptor protein (NLRP)3 inflammasome to release interleukin (IL)-1β and result in vigorous inflammation. We aimed to characterize crystal-induced NLRP3 activation in placental inflammation and examine its role in pre-eclampsia. We confirmed that serum total cholesterol and uric acid were elevated in pre-eclamptic compared to healthy pregnancies and correlated positively to high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and the pre-eclampsia marker soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1). The NLRP3 inflammasome pathway components (NLRP3, caspase-1, IL-1β) and priming factors [complement component 5a (C5a) and terminal complement complex (TCC)] were co-expressed by the syncytiotrophoblast layer which covers the placental surface and interacts with maternal blood. The expression of IL-1β and TCC was increased significantly and C5a-positive regions in the syncytiotrophoblast layer appeared more frequent in pre-eclamptic compared to normal pregnancies. In-vitro activation of placental explants and trophoblasts confirmed NLRP3 inflammasome pathway functionality by complement-primed crystal-induced release of IL-1β. This study confirms crystal-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation located at the syncytiotrophoblast layer as a mechanism of placental inflammation and suggests contribution of enhanced NLRP3 activation to the harmful placental inflammation in pre-eclampsia.
Medical crowdfunding for organ transplantation
Authors: Durand Wesley M. , Peters Jillian L. , Eltorai Adam E. M. , Kalagara Saisanjana , Osband Adena J. , Daniels Alan H. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAn increasing number of patients and families are utilizing online crowdfunding to support their medical expenses related to organ transplantation. The factors influencing the success of crowdfunding campaigns are poorly understood. Crowdfunding campaigns were abstracted from a popular crowdfunding web site. Campaigns were included if they were actively accepting donations to fund medical expenses related to transplantation of selected organs. The primary outcome measure was total amount raised among successful campaigns receiving at least one donation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed on various campaign characteristics. A total of 850 campaigns were analyzed. Kidney transplant campaigns were most common (40.5%), followed by liver (33.3%), lung (12.2%), heart (11.3%), and multiorgan (2.7%). 69.1% of campaigns received any donation, and among these, the mean amount raised was $3664 (median $1175). The following factors were significantly associated with amount raised: more positive emotional sentiment in the campaign description (+2.6% per AFINN unit, P < .001), longer campaign description length (+2.4% per 100 characters, P = .001), higher goal amount (+0.6% per $1000 of goal amount, P = .004), and third‐person description perspective (+131% vs first person, P < .001). Physicians will likely encounter medical crowdfunding with increasing frequency as it continues to grow in popularity among their patients.
Outcome of patients with hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis undergoing simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation. Comparative study
Authors: Marcacuzco Alberto , Jiménez‐Romero Carlos , Manrique Alejandro , Calvo Jorge , Cambra Félix , Caso Óscar , García‐Sesma Álvaro , Nutu Anisa , Justo Iago 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBackgroundControversy remains with regard to the higher risk of intra‐abdominal infections and lower patient and graft survival when peritoneal dialysis (PD) rather than hemodialysis (HD) is used in simultaneous pancreas‐kidney transplantation (SPKT).MethodsFrom March 1995 to December 2015, we performed 165 SPKTs. Prior to transplant, patients received hemodialysis (group HD; n = 98) or peritoneal dialysis (group PD; n = 67). A comparison was made to analyze post‐transplant complications and patient, pancreas, and kidney graft survivals.ResultsDonor, pretransplant, and perioperative recipient variables were similar in both groups. Overall rates of infections (69.4% in HD vs 73.1% in PD; P = .50) and intra‐abdominal infections (31.6% in HD vs 35.8 in PD; P = .57) were similar in both groups. The rates of pancreatitis, hemorrhage or thrombosis of the graft, duodenal graft leak, relaparotomy, transplantectomy, pancreas rejection, and retransplantation were similar in both groups. Patient survival at 1, 3, and 5 years (95.9%, 93.9%, and 93.9% in HD vs 95.5%, 92.2%, and 90.4% in PD; P = .54) and pancreas graft survival (83.6%, 78.0%, and 71.8% in HD vs 79.2%, 77.4%, and 71.0% in PD; P = .8) were similar in both groups. Kidney graft survival was similar in both groups. Pancreas graft thrombosis, rejection, and relaparotomy for intra‐abdominal complications were independent predictors of lower pancreas graft survival, but dialysis modality did not influence patient or graft survival.ConclusionsPre‐SPKT modality of dialysis does not significantly influence overall or intra‐abdominal infection and patient, pancreas, or kidney graft survivals.
Mining Formalization at the Margins of the State: Small‐scale Miners and State Governance in the Peruvian Amazon
Authors: Damonte Gerardo Hector 
Published: April 2018

ABSTRACTThis article analyses the Peruvian government's quest to formalize small‐scale mining in the Amazon as a political process which shows how state governance problems are reproduced in the margins of the state. It asks why the central state is unable to govern mining activities in the Madre de Dios region, and examines how small‐scale miners have reacted to state attempts to formalize their activities. The author argues that, through political agency and the reproduction of ‘hybrid’ formal and informal institutions, small‐scale miners have learned to contest, reinterpret and build alternatives to central state governance. The article contributes to the literature on development policies by showing how difficulties in implementing regulatory policies may be analysed as governance problems, particularly in regions like the Amazon, where the state apparatus is not well established.
Rac‐GTPases and Rac‐GEFs in neutrophil adhesion, migration and recruitment
Authors: Pantarelli Chiara , Welch Heidi C. E. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractRac‐GTPases and their Rac‐GEF activators play important roles in the recruitment and host defence functions of neutrophils. These proteins control the activation of adhesion molecules and the cytoskeletal dynamics that enable the adhesion, migration and tissue recruitment of neutrophils. They also regulate the effector functions that allow neutrophils to kill bacterial and fungal pathogens, and to clear debris. This review focuses on the roles of Rac‐GTPases and Rac‐GEFs in neutrophil adhesion, migration and recruitment.
Fifth‐year dental students’ visions of leadership—A qualitative study
Authors: Taipale H. , Tuononen T. A. , Suominen A. L. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractIntroductionLeadership skills are important in dentists’ work. Leadership education already in undergraduate curriculum is noteworthy. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe dental students’ visions of leadership: how they imagined they end up in leadership position, factors supporting either staying in or leaving the position and their future views.Materials and methodsThe data were gathered after participants, fifth‐year dental students, attended a “Dentist as a Leader” study module. A method of empathy‐based stories was utilised. Based on contrasting frame stories, students were divided into two groups and wrote essays about an imagined situation in which they either enjoyed their leadership position (“Stayers”) or considered leaving it (“Leavers”). The data were analysed using the content analysis method.ResultsThe reasons for ending up in a leadership position were similar in the two groups: accidentally drifting into or intentionally heading for it. Factors supporting staying or leaving the leadership position were more diverse and were divided into personal and working community levels. These factors were common and group‐specific. Clinical work, personal life and the ability to improve the organisations were common factors. Good working community was a “Stayer”‐specific factor. “Leaver”‐specific factors included loneliness, stress and lack of public sector resources. Future career plans were similar in both groups emphasising clinical work.ConclusionsAfter having attended leadership training, dental students were able to describe their future careers and list factors supporting either staying or leaving an imagined leadership position. These factors can be utilised by organisations to develop better working environments for future dentist leaders. By recognising the factors, students themselves are able to plan their future career choices and prepare to become leaders.
The role of transforming growth factor β in T helper 17 differentiation
Authors: Zhang Song 
Published: April 2018

SummaryT helper 17 (Th17) cells play critical roles in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The lineage‐specific transcription factor RORγt is the key regulator for Th17 cell fate commitment. A substantial number of studies have established the importance of transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) ‐dependent pathways in inducing RORγt expression and Th17 differentiation. TGF‐β superfamily members TGF‐β1, TGF‐β3 or activin A, in concert with interleukin‐6 or interleukin‐21, differentiate naive T cells into Th17 cells. Alternatively, Th17 differentiation can occur through TGF‐β‐independent pathways. However, the mechanism of how TGF‐β‐dependent and TGF‐β‐independent pathways control Th17 differentiation remains controversial. This review focuses on the perplexing role of TGF‐β in Th17 differentiation, depicts the requirement of TGF‐β for Th17 development, and underscores the multiple mechanisms underlying TGF‐β‐promoted Th17 generation, pathogenicity and plasticity. With new insights and comprehension from recent findings, this review specifically tackles the involvement of the canonical TGF‐β signalling components, SMAD2, SMAD3 and SMAD4, summarizes diverse SMAD‐independent mechanisms, and highlights the importance of TGF‐β signalling in balancing the reciprocal conversion of Th17 and regulatory T cells. Finally, this review includes discussions and perspectives and raises important mechanistic questions about the role of TGF‐β in Th17 generation and function.
Muddling up Political Systems? When Regionalization Blurs Democracy: Decentralization and Attribution of Responsibility
Authors: León Sandra 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe rise of regional governments in Europe has been often espoused on democratic grounds. Yet the democratic promise of political decentralization should be evaluated in light of its potential undermining effects upon the essential mechanism to make accountability work: citizens’ capacity to assign responsibility for policy outcomes. People may get it wrong when assigning responsibility because they are not sure who is responsible for policy outcomes when powers are vertically fragmented between different levels of government and/or simply because their responsibility judgements are biased by political beliefs, which act as lenses through which attribution is filtered. How can we then make electoral accountability work in decentralized systems? This paper will explore this question by delving into the most important theoretical and empirical challenges in the study of attribution of responsibility and electoral accountability in decentralized contexts. At the theoretical level, there is still need of a better understanding of the relationship between federal institutional conditions and individuals’ use of cognitive bias to cope with institutional complexity when assigning responsibility. The empirical challenge is to overcome the lack of comparable individual‐level data on responsibility attribution for a broad range of country cases.
Index of Healthy Aging in Chinese Older Adults: China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study
Authors: Wu Chenkai , Newman Anne B. , Dong Bi‐Rong , Odden Michelle C. 
Published: April 2018

ObjectivesTo characterize the distribution of an index of healthy aging—the Chinese Healthy Aging Index (CHAI)—in Chinese adults aged 60 and older according to sociodemographic characteristics and geographic region and to examine the association between the CHAI and mortality, disability, and functional limitation over 4 years.DesignNationally representative cohort study.SettingChina Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study.ParticipantsChinese adults aged 60 and older (N=3,740).MeasurementsSix CHAI components (systolic blood pressure, peak expiratory flow, Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, estimated glomerular filtration rate, fasting glucose, C‐reactive protein) were scored 0 (healthiest), 1, and 2 (unhealthiest) according to sex‐specific tertiles or clinically relevant cut‐points and summed to construct the CHAI (range 0–12).ResultsMean CHAI score was 5.6; 5.7% had a score of 0 to 2 (healthiest), 23.0% a score of 3 or 4, 37.5% a score of 5 or 6, and 33.8% a score of 7 to 12 (unhealthiest). Participants who were younger, more educated, and married were much more likely to have an ideal CHAI profile (score 0–2). Age‐adjusted prevalence of an ideal CHAI profile ranged from 1.7% in the south to 8.1% in the north. After multivariable adjustment, persons with a CHAI score of 3 to 12 had substantially higher odds of mortality, disability, and functional limitation than those with a score of 0 to 2. The CHAI further stratified outcomes for persons with no clinically recognizable comorbidities.ConclusionSubstantial variation exists in the CHAI according to sociodemographic characteristics and geographic regions. The CHAI could identify Chinese elderly adults with low risk of adverse outcomes and provide incremental value for risk prediction beyond clinically diagnosed comorbidities.
Prosocial vs antisocial coping and general life satisfaction of youth with mild intellectual disability
Authors: Kurtek P. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBackgroundThe purpose of this study was to find differences in general life satisfaction in adolescents with mild intellectual disability (MID) with respect to exhibiting a prosocial or an antisocial coping style. According to the ecological approach, using the antisocial style in a competitive school environment (a zero‐sum game) may increase personal satisfaction, while in the family, which operates on the principles of ‘common good’ or ‘common failure’ (a non‐zero‐sum game), the antisocial style may reduce general satisfaction of the individual. However, according to the self‐regulatory approach, antisocial coping in interactions with parents and teachers in adolescence may increase life satisfaction as it heightens the individual's sense of autonomy. The differences between the two approaches in the hypothesised influence of a particular coping style on life satisfaction led us to conduct empirical research.MethodA total of 151 students with MID were qualified for the final study (75 females and 76 males). The age of the examined group varied from 18 to 22 years. The study was conducted using the R‐PDPI test, which is based on the Strategic Approach to Coping Scale by Hobfoll (). The test measures coping with domination and humiliation from parents and teachers as well as isolation and humiliation from peers (Kurtek ). Next, the Index of General Affect by Campbell et al. () was used to assess general life satisfaction.ResultsGenerally, a positive relationship between the indirect prosocial style and life satisfaction was found. Also, the results indicate that using the prosocial coping style to deal with humiliating acts of the mother and dominant acts of the father was connected with increased general life satisfaction, whereas the antisocial coping style employed in these situations – with a lower level of satisfaction. Moreover, it was found that general life satisfaction was positively related to passive and suppressive coping styles but negatively correlated with the antisocial coping style in situations of isolation and humiliation from peers. The paper ends with the discussion and interpretation of the results.
Comparative study of the efficacy of Platelet‐rich plasma combined with carboxytherapy vs its use with fractional carbon dioxide laser in atrophic acne scars
Authors: Al Taweel Abdul‐Aziz Ibrahim , Al Refae Abdul‐Aziz Abdul‐Salam , Hamed Ahmed Mohamed , Kamal Asmaa Mostafa 
Published: April 2018

SummaryBackgroundAcne scars are a major concerning problem to all acne patients affecting their quality of life. Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) and fractional CO2 laser are innovative treatment modalities for acne scars. Carboxytherapy can also be used to improve scar tissue through the increase in collagen deposition and reorganization, and the improvement in skin texture and tone.AimsThe aim of this work was to compare the efficacy, safety, and complications of the intradermal injection of PRP combined with carboxytherapy and PRP combined with fractional CO2 laser, in the treatment of atrophic acne scars.Patients and MethodsForty patients with atrophic acne scars were divided into 2 groups. Group A included 20 patients and was subjected to three fractional CO2 laser sessions combined with PRP injection. Group B included 20 patients and was subjected to three sessions of carboxytherapy combined with PRP injection.ResultsBoth fractional CO2 laser and carboxytherapy combined with PRP showed improvement in acne scars and patients’ satisfaction but the improvement with fractional CO2 laser was significantly better than carboxytherapy but with more side effects.ConclusionsImprovement of acne scars was noted in both treatment modalities with obvious higher and statistically significant results in favor of fractional CO2 laser but with more side effects. Carboxytherapy is a promising tool in treatment of acne scars with less complication.
The effect of pomegranate seed oil and grapeseed oil on cis‐9, trans‐11 CLA (rumenic acid), n‐3 and n‐6 fatty acids deposition in selected tissues of chickens
Authors: Białek A. , Białek M. , Lepionka T. , Kaszperuk K. , Banaszkiewicz T. , Tokarz A. 
Published: April 2018

SummaryThe aim of this study was to determine whether diet modification with different doses of grapeseed oil or pomegranate seed oil will improve the nutritive value of poultry meat in terms of n‐3 and n‐6 fatty acids, as well as rumenic acid (cis‐9, trans‐11 conjugated linoleic acid) content in tissues diversified in lipid composition and roles in lipid metabolism. To evaluate the influence of applied diet modification comprehensively, two chemometric methods were used. Results of cluster analysis demonstrated that pomegranate seed oil modifies fatty acids profile in the most potent way, mainly by an increase in rumenic acid content. Principal component analysis showed that regardless of type of tissue first principal component is strongly associated with type of deposited fatty acid, while second principal component enables identification of place of deposition—type of tissue. Pomegranate seed oil seems to be a valuable feed additive in chickens’ feeding.
Testosterone and Repression in Non‐Democracies: Evidence from a Sample of Russian Governors
Authors: Kozlov Vladimir , Libman Alexander , Schultz André 
Published: April 2018

SummaryThe paper examines the role of testosterone‐driven aggressive behavior in the politics of non‐democratic regimes and, in particular, its influence on the extent of repressiveness of these regimes. To measure testosterone exposure, we apply the facial width‐to‐height metric (fWHR) – a standard proxy widely used in the psychological literature – and look at a sample of Russian regional governors. We find a positive relationship between the fWHR of the governor and the level of repression in his region. Testosterone‐related behavior is, however, more widespread among younger governors and among governors with shorter tenure in office. Thus, the paper contributes to the recent trend of integrating insights of behavioral economics in political economics research.
In situ warming in the Antarctic: effects on growth and photosynthesis in Antarctic vascular plants
Authors: Sáez Patricia L. , Cavieres Lohengrin A. , Galmés Jeroni , Gil‐Pelegrín Eustaquio , Peguero‐Pina José Javier , Sancho‐Knapik Domingo , Vivas Mercedes , Sanhueza Carolina , Ramírez Constanza F. , Rivera Betsy K. , Corcuera Luis J. , Bravo León A. 
Published: April 2018

Summary

The Antarctic Peninsula has experienced a rapid warming in the last decades. Although recent climatic evidence supports a new tendency towards stabilization of temperatures, the impacts on the biosphere, and specifically on Antarctic plant species, remain unclear.

We evaluated the in situ warming effects on photosynthesis, including the underlying diffusive, biochemical and anatomical determinants, and the relative growth of two Antarctic vascular species, Colobanthus quitensis and Deschampsia antarctica, using open top chambers (OTCs) and gas exchange measurements in the field.

In C. quitensis, the photosynthetic response to warming relied on specific adjustments in the anatomical determinants of the leaf CO2 transfer, which enhanced mesophyll conductance and photosynthetic assimilation, thereby promoting higher leaf carbon gain and plant growth. These changes were accompanied by alterations in the leaf chemical composition. By contrast, D. antarctica showed no response to warming, with a lack of significant differences between plants grown inside OTCs and plants grown in the open field.

Overall, the present results are the first reporting a contrasting effect of in situ warming on photosynthesis and its underlying determinants, of the two unique Antarctic vascular plant species, which could have direct consequences on their ecological success under future climate conditions.
Comparing different instructed‐refreshing schedules: evidence for cumulative, forward‐order refreshing of verbal lists?
Authors: Vergauwe Evie 
Published: April 2018

AbstractRefreshing is one of the mechanisms proposed to maintain information in human working memory. The mechanism is assumed to operate serially, boosting the items of a memory list one after the other. In the current study, we test the most straightforward implementation of serial refreshing, by which refreshing spontaneously reproduces the order of presentation, starting with the first memory item and cycling through the list in a forward fashion, to support short‐term memory of a list. Therefore, we examined verbal serial recall performance under different instructed‐refreshing schedules that varied in their similarity to cumulative, forward‐order refreshing. This was done by manipulating whether instructed refreshing started with the first memory item, and whether instructed refreshing proceeded in forward order through the list. We expected recall performance to be poorer as participants were required to think of the list items in a way that was more dissimilar to what they would have done spontaneously. However, across four experiments, we observed that recall performance was not drastically affected by the nature of instructed refreshing and thus, we did not find any evidence that cumulative, forward‐order refreshing supports serial verbal WM performance.