bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Complete sequence of the ANKK1 gene in Mexican-Mestizo individuals with obesity, with or without binge eating disorder
Authors: Palacios Adriana , Canto Patricia , Tejeda María Elena , Stephano Sylvana , Luján Hassell , García-García Eduardo , Rojano-Mejía David , Méndez Juan Pablo 
Published: August 2018

AbstractBackground:The aim of this study was to investigate if Mexican-Mestizo individuals with obesity, with or without binge eating disorder (BED), exhibited mutations or other type of genetic variants in the sequence ofANKK1.Subjects and methods:Fifty unrelated individuals (21–53 years of age) with obesity, of Mexican-Mestizo ethnic origin were included; 25 of them had BED and 25 presented obesity without BED. The diagnosis of BED was based on criteria proposed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Besides, we also analyzed 100 individuals with normal body mass index. DNA from blood leukocytes was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and all exons ofANKK1were sequenced.Results:AfterANKK1sequencing we did not find any mutations; however, we observed various polymorphisms. One polymorphism, rs4938013 in exon 2 showed an association with obesity, whilst rs1800497 (also known as Taq1A) in exon 8, showed an association with BED (P = 0.020). Remarkable, for this study, the number of individuals for both polymorphisms for and additive model was sufficient to derive strong statistical power (80%, with a P < 0.05).Conclusions:To our knowledge, this constitutes the first report where the complete sequences ofANKK1has been analyzed in individuals with obesity, with or without BED. No mutations were found; however, one polymorphism was associated with obesity, with or without BED, and another one was associated with BED.
Sexual Activity and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A Dose–Response Meta-Analysis
Authors: Jian Zhongyu , Ye Donghui , Chen Yuntian , Li Hong , Wang Kunjie 
Published: August 2018

Abstract

Introduction
The role of sexual activity (SA) on prostate cancer (PCa) risk is still controversial.

Aim
To determine the associations among number of female sexual partners, age at first intercourse, ejaculation frequency (EF), and the risk of PCa.

Methods
A systematic literature search on MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Web of Science based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was conducted to identify the relevant studies published before April 2018. We calculated the summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% CI to determine the association between SA and PCa risk. A 2-stage dose-response meta-analysis was performed to explore the trend from the correlated log OR estimates.

Main Outcome Measures
Outcome measures included characteristics of included studies, associations among number of female sexual partners, age at first intercourse, as well as EF and PCa risk.

Results
A total of 21 case-control studies and 1 cohort study with 55,490 participants (14,976 patients and 40,514 controls) were included in this meta-analysis. Linear and significant dose–response associations were found among number of female sexual partner as well as age at first intercourse and PCa risk, an increment of 10 female sexual partners associated with a 1.10-fold increase of PCa risk (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01–1.21), and the risk of PCa was decreased by 4% for every 5-year delay in age at first intercourse (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.92–0.99). Although no linear association was observed between EF and the risk of PCa, moderate EF (2–4 times per week) was significantly associated with a lower risk of PCa (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87–0.96).

Clinical Implications
Modification of SA factors would appear to be a useful low-risk approach to decreasing the risk of PCa.

Strengths & Limitations
This is the first dose–response meta-analysis performed to describe the association between SA and PCa risk. However, the direction of causality between SA and risk of PCa should be interpreted with caution because most included studies used case-control design.

Conclusion
Meta-analysis of the included studies indicated that men with fewer sexual partner numbers, older age at first intercourse, and moderate frequent ejaculation were associated with a significantly decreased risk of PCa.
Least Energy Nodal Solutions for a Defocusing Schrödinger Equation with Supercritical Exponent
Authors: Yang Minbo , Santos Carlos Alberto , Zhou Jiazheng 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn this paper we consider the existence of least energy nodal solution for the defocusing quasilinear Schrödinger equation
$$-\Delta u - u \Delta u^2 + V(x)u = a(x)[g(u) + \lambda \vert u \vert ^{p-2}u] \hbox{in} {\open R}^N,$$
where λ≥0 is a real parameter, V(x) is a non-vanishing function, a(x) can be a vanishing positive function at infinity, the nonlinearity g(u) is of subcritical growth, the exponent p≥22*, and N≥3. The proof is based on a dual argument on Nehari manifold by employing a deformation argument and an $L</italic>^{\infty}({\open R}^{N})$-estimative.
AMERICAN POWER AND INTERWAR INTERNATIONALISM
Authors: THOMPSON JOHN A. 
Published: August 2018

Two central features of global history over the past century have been the pre-eminent power of the United States in world politics and the growth of international organizations. The relationship between these phenomena has been variously interpreted, in ways that reflect theoretical and methodological commitments as well as political perspectives. The Realist school, for whom power relationships are always determinative, have followed Carl Schmitt and E. H. Carr in seeing international institutions, and the norms and laws they uphold, as instruments through which dominant powers seek legitimacy as well as influence. By contrast, liberal theorists have viewed the pursuit of a rule-governed world order, and the development of the idea of a ‘world community’, as a more autonomous and broadly based enterprise, one spurred by increased interdependence and greater concern with matters of common interest to all nations – not least that of avoiding the devastating effects of great power warfare in the modern era. As is usually the case with such analytically sharp distinctions, neither of these positions conveys the whole truth. From the Concert of Europe on, great powers have recognized a collective interest in peace and stability but the growth of international institutions has also been the product of wider ideals and interests. As Mark Mazower has shown in his wide-ranging study, Governing the world, the relationship between the narrower interests of great powers on the one hand and various forms of internationalism on the other has been a complex one, involving elements both of conflict and of congruence. But, Mazower emphasizes, since the Second World War, the structure and activities of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and other international organizations have been largely shaped by Washington. A generation earlier, however, the United States did not even become a member of the League of Nations, making it more possible to distinguish between the role of American power and that of other sources of support for international bodies, and also to assess the relationship and comparative importance of these two novel elements in world politics. It is perhaps not surprising that much of the recent scholarship on the international history of the post-First World War period has focused, in one way or another, on this issue.
European Reconfigurations of Transnational Activism: Solidarity and Human Rights Campaigns on Behalf of Chile during the 1970s and 1980s
Authors: Christiaens Kim 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe overthrow of the democratically elected socialist president Salvador Allende in Chile and the human rights violations under the military junta of Augusto Pinochet spawned one of the most iconic and sustained human rights campaigns of the Cold War. Human rights scholars have argued that this movement on behalf of Chile signalled the “breakthrough” of human rights as the lingua franca of transnational activism. They have emphasized the global dimensions of these campaigns, which inspired movements mobilizing on behalf of other issues in the Third World. However, such narratives have not been corroborated by research on the campaigns as developed in Europe. Historians have so far focused on the impact of the Chilean crisis in specific countries or on particular organizations, and on the ways in which human rights activism was coloured by local and national contexts. This article aims to shift the scope of the debate by establishing relations with and crossovers from other transnational causes and campaigns, analysing the ways in which campaigns on behalf of Chile became intimately related to campaigns on intra-European issues during the 1970s and 1980s. It explores the so far little-studied connections between campaigns over Chile and simultaneously burgeoning movements on behalf of East–West détente, resistance against authoritarian regimes in Southern Europe, and the plight of dissidents in Eastern Europe. It argues that campaigns on behalf of Chile were reconfigured around European themes, created bonds of solidarity within a divided Europe, and drew on analogies rather than a juxtaposition between Europe and the Third World.
Dietary patterns and components to prevent and treat heart failure: a comprehensive review of human studies
Authors: Kerley Conor P. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractGrowing evidence has emerged about the role of dietary patterns and components in heart failure (HF) incidence and severity. The objective here is to provide a comprehensive summary of the current evidence regarding dietary patterns/components and HF. A comprehensive search of online databases was conducted using multiple relevant keywords to identify relevant human studies. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and Mediterranean diets have consistently been associated with decreased HF incidence and severity. Regarding specific dietary components, fruit, vegetables, legumes and whole grains appear beneficial. Current evidence suggests that red/processed meats, eggs and refined carbohydrates are harmful, while fish, dairy products and poultry remain controversial. However, there is a notable lack of human intervention trials. The existing but limited observational and interventional evidence from human studies suggests that a plant-based dietary pattern high in antioxidants, micronutrients, nitrate and fibre but low in saturated/trans-fat and Na may decrease HF incidence/severity. Potential mechanisms include decreased oxidative stress, homocysteine and inflammation but higher antioxidant defence and NO bioavailability and gut microbiome modulation. Randomised, controlled trials are urgently required.
THE CONTENT-INDEPENDENCE OF POLITICAL OBLIGATION: WHAT IT IS AND HOW TO TEST IT
Authors: Valentini Laura 
Published: August 2018

ABSTRACTOne of the distinctive features of the obligation to obey the law is its content-independence. We ought to do what the law commandsbecausethe law commands it, and not because of the law's content—i.e., the independent merits of the actions it prescribes. Despite its popularity, the notion of content-independence is marked by ambiguity. In this paper, I first clarify what content-independence is. I then develop a simple test—the “content-independence test”—which allows us to establish whether any candidate justification of the obligation to obey the law delivers genuine content-independence. I apply this test to prominent such justifications and conclude that several of them, surprisingly, fail it.
Executive Functions and Their Relation to Sleep Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Preschoolers
Authors: Landry-Roy Catherine , Bernier Annie , Gravel Jocelyn , Beauchamp Miriam H. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectives:Traumatic brain injury (TBI) sustained during childhood is known to impact children’s executive functioning. However, few studies have focused specifically on executive functioning after preschool TBI. TBI has also been associated with sleep disturbances, which are known to impair executive functions in healthy children. The aim of this study was to investigate executive functions in preschoolers with mild TBI, and to determine the role of sleep in the links between TBI and executive functioning.Methods:The sample was drawn from a longitudinal study and included 167 children, aged 18 to 60 months, divided into 2 groups: children with accidental mild TBI (n=84) and typically developing children (n=83). Children were assessed 6 months post-injury on executive function measures (inhibition and cognitive flexibility) and sleep measures (actigraphy data and parental rating of sleep problems).Results:The two groups did not differ in their executive abilities. However, relative to controls, children with mild TBI and shorter nighttime sleep duration or increased sleep problems exhibited poorer executive functions.Conclusions:These results support a “double hazard” effect, whereby the combination of sleep disturbances and mild TBI results in poorer executive functions. The findings highlight the importance of assessing and monitoring the quality of sleep even after mild head injuries. Poor sleep may place children at risk for increased cognitive difficulties. (JINS, 2018,24, 769–780)
New Yes/No Recognition Memory Analysis on the California Verbal Learning Test-3: Clinical Utility in Alzheimer’s and Huntington’s Disease
Authors: Graves Lisa V. , Holden Heather M. , Van Etten Emily J. , Delano-Wood Lisa , Bondi Mark W. , Salmon David P. , Corey-Bloom Jody , Delis Dean C. , Gilbert Paul E. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractObjectives: The third edition of the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-3) includes a new index termed List A versus Novel/Unrelated recognition discriminability (RD) on the Yes/No Recognition trial. Whereas the Total RD index incorporates false positive (FP) errors associated with all distractors (including List B and semantically related items), the new List A versus Novel/Unrelated RD index incorporates only FP errors associated with novel, semantically unrelated distractors. Thus, in minimizing levels of source and semantic interference, the List A versus Novel/Unrelated RD index may yield purer assessments of yes/no recognition memory independent of vulnerability to source memory difficulties or semantic confusion, both of which are often seen in individuals with primarily frontal-system dysfunction (e.g., early Huntington’s disease [HD]). Methods: We compared the performance of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and HD in mild and moderate stages of dementia on CVLT-3 indices of Total RD and List A versus Novel/Unrelated RD. Results: Although AD and HD subgroups exhibited deficits on both RD indices relative to healthy comparison groups, those with HD generally outperformed those with AD, and group differences were more robust on List A versus Novel/Unrelated RD than on Total RD. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the clinical utility of the new CVLT-3 List A versus Novel/Unrelated RD index, which (a) maximally assesses yes/no recognition memory independent of source and semantic interference; and (b) provides a greater differentiation between individuals whose memory disorder is primarily at the encoding/storage level (e.g., as in AD) versus at the retrieval level (e.g., as in early HD). (JINS, 2018, 24, 833–841)
Maternal smoking and low family income during pregnancy as predictors of the relationship between depression and adiposity in young adults
Authors: Bhat S. K. , Beilin L. J. , Robinson M. , Burrows S. , Mori T. A. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThere is an increasing incidence of overweight/obesity and mental health disorders in young adults and the two conditions often coexist. We aimed to investigate the influence of antenatal and postnatal factors that may underlie this association with a focus on maternal prenatal smoking, socio-economic status and gender. Data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study (women enrolled 1989–1991) including 1056 offspring aged 20 years (cohort recalled 2010–2012) were analyzed (2015–2016) using multivariable models for associations between offspring depression scores (DASS-21 Depression-scale) and body mass index (BMI), adjusting for pregnancy and early life factors and offspring behaviours. There was a significant positive relationship between offspring depression-score and BMI independent of gender and other psychosocial covariates. There was a significant interaction between maternal prenatal smoking and depression-score (interaction coefficient=0.096; 95% CI: 0.006, 0.19, P=0.037), indicating the relationship between depression-score and BMI differed according to maternal prenatal smoking status. In offspring of maternal prenatal smokers, a positive association between BMI and depression-score (coefficient=0.133; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.21, P=0.001) equated to 1.1 kg/m2 increase in BMI for every 1standard deviation (8 units) increase in depression-score. Substituting low family income during pregnancy for maternal prenatal smoking in the interaction (interaction coefficient=0.091; 95% CI: 0.01, 0.17, P=0.027) showed a positive association between BMI and depression score only among offspring of mothers with a low family income during pregnancy (coefficient=0.118; 95% CI: 0.06, 0.18, P<0.001). There were no significant effects of gender on these associations. Whilst further studies are needed to determine whether these associations are supported in other populations, they suggest potentially important maternal behavioural and socio-economic factors that identify individuals vulnerable to the coexistence of obesity and depression in early adulthood.
Strategies to reduce non-communicable diseases in the offspring: negative and positivein uteroprogramming
Authors: Rodriguez-Caro H. , Williams S. A. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a major problem as they are the leading cause of death and represent a substantial economic cost. The ‘Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Hypothesis’ proposes that adverse stimuli at different life stages can increase the predisposition to these diseases. In fact, adversein uteroprogramming is a major origin of these diseases due to the high malleability of embryonic development. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature onin uteroprogramming and NCDs highlighting potential medical strategies to prevent these diseases based upon this programming. We fully address the concept and mechanisms involved in this programming (anatomical disruptions, epigenetic modifications and microbiota alterations). We also examine the negative role ofin uteroprogramming on the increased predisposition of NCDs in the offspring, which introduces the passive medical approach that consists of avoiding adverse stimuli including an unhealthy diet and environmental chemicals. Finally, we extensively discuss active medical approaches that target the causes of NCDs and have the potential to significantly and rapidly reduce the incidence of NCDs. These approaches can be classified as directin uteroprogramming modifications and personalized lifestyle pregnancy programs; they could potentially provide transgenerational NCDs protection. Active strategies against NCDs constitute a promising tool for the reduction in NCDs.
Sources of confounding in life course epidemiology
Authors: Santos S. , Zugna D. , Pizzi C. , Richiardi L. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn epidemiologic analytical studies, the primary goal is to obtain a valid and precise estimate of the effect of the exposure of interest on a given outcome in the population under study. A crucial source of violation of the internal validity of a study involves bias arising from confounding, which is always a challenge in observational research, including life course epidemiology. The increasingly popular approach of meta-analyzing individual participant data from several observational studies also brings up to discussion the problem of confounding when combining data from different populations. In this study, we review and discuss the most common sources of confounding in life course epidemiology: (i) confounding by indication, (ii) impact of baseline selection on confounding, (iii) time-varying confounding and (iv) mediator–outcome confounding. We also discuss the issue of addressing confounding in the context of an individual participant data meta-analysis.
Living in Harmony with Nature? A Critical Appraisal of the Rights of Mother Earth in Bolivia
Authors: Villavicencio Calzadilla Paola , Kotzé Louis J. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractJuridical protection of the rights of nature is steadily emerging in several legal systems and in public discourse. Building on a recent publication inTransnational Environmental Lawin which we interrogated Ecuador’s constitutional experiment with the rights of nature, we critically reflect in this contribution on Bolivia’s legal regime providing for the rights of Mother Earth. We do so, first, by sketching the juridical-political context within which these statutes were drafted and adopted, and then by analyzing the relevant constitutional provisions that provide the basis for the laws of Mother Earth. The third part forms the bulk of the discussion and details the background and the most relevant provisions of Bolivian statutes with a view to enabling a deeper critique in Part 4, in which we critically evaluate both the symbolic and the theoretical significance of the statutes as well as concerns related to their practical implementation. Insofar as the rights of nature paradigm has now become a truly global debate and a consideration in transnational comparative legal borrowing practices, our analysis aims to reveal the Bolivian experience, which could be instructive for civil society groups, academics, politicians and legislatures in a transnational setting.
Stoichiometric N:P Ratios, Temperature, and Iron Impact Carbon and Nitrogen Uptake by Ross Sea Microbial Communities
Authors: Spackeen Jenna L. , Bronk Deborah A. , Sipler Rachel E. , Bertrand Erin M. , Hutchins David A. , Allen Andrew E. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractPhytoplankton growth in the seasonally productive Southern Ocean is typically limited by iron (Fe). In the next century, however, Fe inputs and temperature are predicted to increase. Dissolved concentrations of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) may also change due to physical and biological drivers, altering the stoichiometric N:P ratio of the water column. Two separate experiments were conducted to study how these predicted changes will impact nutrient utilization by two natural microbial communities from the Ross Sea, Antarctica. The first investigation focused on a Terra Nova Bay community amended with Fe and grown under a wide range of seven different N:P ratios. Building on the results of the first study, a McMurdo Sound community was incubated under a factorial design at high, medium (ambient), and low N:P ratios, with and without Fe addition, and at ambient versus elevated temperature. In both experiments absolute uptake rates of bicarbonate, nitrate, and amino acids by two size fractions (0.7–5.0 μm and > 5.0 μm) of microorganisms were measured using stable isotopes. For Terra Nova Bay microorganisms, significant differences in nutrient uptake rates occurred when the N:P ratio was elevated, and nitrate uptake rates significantly increased early in the experiment but were not different at the end. For McMurdo Sound microorganisms, changing the N:P supply ratio did not have a clear effect, while temperature elevation and/or Fe addition significantly increased nutrient uptake. Results indicate that changing the dissolved N:P ratio can potentially alter nutrient uptake rates; however, the impact of temperature and Fe are greater.