bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Continued root maturation despite persistent apical periodontitis of immature permanent teeth after failed regenerative endodontic therapy
Authors: Lin Louis M. , Kim Sahng G. , Martin Gabriela , Kahler Bill 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThree immature permanent teeth with pulp necrosis and apical periodontitis were treated with regenerative endodontic therapy (RET), which included root canal disinfection with sodium hypochlorite irrigation, intra‐canal medication with calcium hydroxide paste, 17% EDTA rinse, induction of periapical bleeding into the canal, collagen matrix and MTA coronal seal, and composite resin restoration of access cavities. After different periods of follow‐up, it was observed that continued root maturation, especially apical closure occurred despite persistent apical periodontitis of immature permanent teeth after failed RET. This finding is of interest as the secondary goal of further root maturation occurred despite failure of the primary goal of elimination of clinical symptom/sign and periapical inflammation. The possible biological mechanisms that could allow for further root maturation to occur in spite of persistent root canal infection of immature permanent teeth are discussed. Based on these observations, the biology of wound healing of immature permanent teeth after injury is not fully understood and should be further investigated. This case report demonstrates that whilst further root maturation is considered a successful outcome for teeth treated with RET, the primary objective must be the resolution of the signs and symptoms of apical periodontitis.
NO, CO and H2S: What about gasotransmitters in fish and amphibian heart?
Authors: Imbrogno S. , Filice M. , Cerra M. C. , Gattuso A. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe gasotransmitters nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulphide (H2S), long considered only toxicant, are produced in vivo during the catabolism of common biological molecules and are crucial for a large variety of physiological processes. Mounting evidence is emerging that in poikilotherm vertebrates, as in mammals, they modulate the basal performance of the heart and the response to stress challenges. In this review, we will focus on teleost fish and amphibians to highlight the evolutionary importance in vertebrates of the cardiac control elicited by NO, CO and H2S, and the conservation of the intracellular cascades they activate. Although many gaps are still present due to discontinuous information, we will use examples obtained by studies from our and other laboratories to illustrate the complexity of the mechanisms that, by involving gasotransmitters, allow beat‐to‐beat, short‐, medium‐ and long‐term cardiac homoeostasis. By presenting the latest data, we will also provide a framework in which the peculiar morpho‐functional arrangement of the teleost and amphibian heart can be considered as a reference tool to decipher cardiac regulatory networks which are difficult to explore using more conventional vertebrates, such as mammals.
Rural Labor Migration and Households' Land Rental Behavior: Evidence from China
Authors: Ji Xianqing , Qian Zhonghao , Zhang Linxiu , Zhang Tonglong 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThere has been growing debate about whether the changing demographic composition due to rural labor migration could potentially threaten China's agricultural productivity. The Chinese Government is promoting the “three rights separation system” to consolidate agricultural land through the land rental market with the explicit intention of fostering new agricultural management subjects and improving agricultural productivity. The present paper estimates the effect of rural labor migration on households' participation in land renting in and renting out activities based on a unique dataset from three rounds of nationally representative surveys. Our results indicate that rural labor migration has a significant negative effect on households renting in land and has a positive effect on households renting out land in rural China. Therefore, the government should adopt targeted policies to effectively encourage farmers with higher agricultural capacity to rent in land to alleviate the negative effect of rural migration on households renting in land. Supporting policies should guarantee that rural migrants enjoy the same welfare services as urban residents.
Democratic accountability and the changing European political order
Authors: Olsen Johan P. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThis article is about democratic accountability and a Europe struggling to find viable answers to the questions of who and what shall constitute “Europe” and how to develop legitimate political institutions for governing it. The article is, nevertheless, first and foremost about political order and change, rules for living together, the role of democratic politics in society and the relations between political organization and civilized coexistence, and the study of the political. Modern democracies live with unresolved conflict, and accountability regimes are part of an institutional arrangement for preserving order and continuity and also for creating dynamics and change. Accountability processes take place within settled and unsettled orders, and they affect and are affected by existing orders. Without denying the importance of contending interests, power struggles, strategic behaviour, non‐cooperative games, and (re)distributional battles, attention is directed towards the search for unity, political cohesion and solidarity based upon the informed voluntary consent of the people through reflection and reasoned deliberation among individuals with different values, interests, understandings and resources.
Reframing transnational engagement: a relational analysis of Afghan diasporic groups
Authors: FISCHER CAROLIN 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn recent years, there have been repeated calls to refocus studies of diasporic engagements, especially their conceptual underpinnings, underlying assumptions and units of analysis. Based on a qualitative case study of Afghan diasporic groups in Britain and Germany, I propose a refined approach to such engagements. I combine the distinction between different spheres of engagement with key concepts from relational sociology. Afghans in both countries participate in a plethora of transnational engagements, which vary according to the extent of their orientation towards the public or private sphere. At the same time, clearly delineated groups of people undertake engagements observed in different spheres, which different aims and objectives drive. Although informants' attachments to their home country are important, they are not the only basis on which they act. My conceptual angle seeks to inspire critical, nuanced and theoretically rich research on diasporas as social actors and transnational civic engagement in a wider sense.
Rethinking the informal and criminal economy from a global commodity chain perspective: China–Paraguay–Brazil
Authors: PINHEIRO‐MACHADO ROSANA 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThe criminalization of Chinese counterfeit goods in the global market calls for a fresh approach to understanding well‐established binary distinctions such as legal/illegal, licit/illicit, and formal/informal. Based on a multi‐sited ethnography in China, Paraguay and Brazil, I examine five commodity chains of two products – toys and watches – and their regulatory frameworks in terms of merchandise status, business formality, and international transaction legality. Certain merchandise produced in the formal economy has no legal definition a priori, but legal variability starts when goods leave the factory. A great interchangeability of a product's legal status existed along its chain according to governance structures, legal cultures, geographical domains, and power relations. These findings suggest that the illicit is a relational category and the so‐called criminal economy is not a segmented market, but part of a global process integrated with formality and marked by great legal variability within and between nations.
Bodily Violence, Agency, and Animals
Authors: Lin Zi 
Published: January 2018

AbstractEthical theories in the Kantian tradition tend to centre heavily on rational agency, so it may appear challenging for such theories to account for the wrongness of bodily violence, especially the wrongness of bodily violence to animals who lack rationality. This article develops a Kantian explanation for the pro tanto wrongness of killing or injuring animals who have agency and lack rationality, based on a Kantian explanation for the pro tanto wrongness of killing or injuring people. Even though morality is grounded in the will of rational agents or the value of rational agency, one does not have to be a rational agent to be morally considerable.
Making The Most of It, Counting the Cost: Some Catholic Perspectives on Luther's Revolution
Authors: Duffy Eamon 
Published: January 2018

AbstractAgainst the background of greatly improved ecumenical relations between the Lutheran and Roman Catholic Churches, this article discusses Catholic scholarship on Martin Luther, from the four centuries after the reformation, when Luther was subject to consistently hostile distortions of his character, to more positive twentieth century approaches by Joseph Lortz and his followers, who saw Luther as a reluctant dissenter, essentially orthodox on the contested issue of Justification, but forced by circumstances to call for the reform of a corrupt and theologically decadent Church. But more recent reformation scholarship has called into question Lortz's negative view of pre‐reformation Catholicism, while some post‐Lortzian Catholic Luther scholarship has highlighted the reformer's radical departures from Catholic orthodoxy, consequently entailing a less optimistic reading of the doctrinal divisions between Lutherans and Catholics.
The Problem with Morality: Impeding Progress and Increasing Divides
Authors: Kovacheff Chloe , Schwartz Stephanie , Inbar Yoel , Feinberg Matthew 
Published: January 2018

AbstractMorality is commonly held up as the pinnacle of goodness but can also be a source of significant problems, interfering with societal functioning and progress. We review the literature regarding how morality diverges from nonmoral attitudes, biases our cognitive processing, and the ways in which it can lead to negative interpersonal and intergroup consequences. To illustrate the negative implications of morality, we detail two specific examples of how moral convictions impair societal progress: the rejection of science and technology, and political polarization in the United States. Specifically, we discuss how moral convictions can cause individuals to challenge scientific facts (e.g., evolution), oppose technologies that can improve health and well‐being (e.g., vaccinations and GMO foods), and fuel political polarization and segregation. We conclude this review by suggesting strategies for policy makers and individuals to help overcome the problems morality can cause.
Mirroring the object of the lesson: The creative process of scriptural rewriting as an effective practice for teaching sacred texts
Authors: Palmer Carmen 
Published: January 2018

AbstractThis paper introduces Rewritten Scripture and scriptural rewriting as a creative process that, when mirrored in a teaching exercise, may serve as an effective practice in teaching sacred texts. Observing changes made between scripture and its rewriting may allow readers to identify different contexts among these texts. Furthermore, the act of rewriting scripture mirrors descriptions of creativity, which itself is argued to be the highest level of cognitive operation in learning. Therefore, the paper shows how scriptural rewriting can be simultaneously the object of the lesson and the method of learning through a two‐step teaching process, using an example of scriptural rewriting in a Dead Sea Scroll. The first step offers a way to understand the meaning of Rewritten Scripture and what exegetes can learn from it, while the second step engages creativity by practicing rewriting scripture itself.
The retina of the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu): structure and function
Authors: Ezra‐Elia Raaya , Ross Maya , Avni‐Magen Nili , Berkowitz Asaf , Ofri Ron 
Published: January 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo study retinal morphology and function in the collared peccary, an ungulate species distantly related to the domestic pig.Animal studiesTwenty captive peccaries anesthetized for routine health examinations.Procedures No abnormalities were noted on a complete ophthalmic examination. Fundi were examined ophthalmoscopically and photographed. The eyes of an individual that died of unrelated, nonocular reasons were studied histologically and by immunohistochemistry. Scotopic, mixed rod–cone, and photopic electroretinography (ERG) responses were recorded using the ‘QuickRetCheck’ (n = 6) and ‘Dog diagnostic’ (n = 5) protocols of the Handheld Multispecies ERG (HMsERG).ResultsThe fundus of the peccary is atapetal, with varying amounts of pigmentation seen ophthalmoscopically, and histologically in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choroid. The retina is holangiotic with dichotomously branching vessels. These cross, and apparently loop on, the optic disk surface, but no venous circle was seen. Immunohistochemistry suggests a high concentration of cone photoreceptors with red/green cones being more abundant than blue cones. Rod ERG responses were very low with no evident dark adaptation. Mixed rod–cone and cone ERG response amplitudes were low compared to those of domestic pigs, but quite similar to those of minipigs.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this study describes the collared peccary's retinal features for the first time. A comparison of our findings with data from other ungulate species shows some similarities between the peccary and pig retinas. Further studies are warranted to determine whether the peccary can be used alongside the pig as an animal model in retinal studies.
Evaluation of Horizontal Recirculatory Air Curtain Efficiencies: Cooler to Conditioned Space
Authors: Rhyner Daniel J. 
Published: January 2018

Air curtains have long been used to reduce losses from high traffic doorways in cold storage facilities. Different varieties of air curtains have been used including vertical (down blast) non-recirculatory, horizontal non-recirculatory and horizontal recirculatory. The effectiveness of air curtains to provide thermal separation between rooms of differing temperatures has long been a matter of debate. Previous experiments have been done to determine the effectiveness using tracer gas decay methods. This paper will evaluate the thermal effectiveness of the horizontal recirculatory air curtain when applied in a typical cooler application using an environmental chamber. This allowed testing of the air curtain’s ability to reduce infiltration on the actual thermal envelope. A vertical non-recirculatory air curtain was also evaluated for comparison purposes. The air curtains were tested in an environmental chamber that was divided into two rooms of differing temperature. The chamber was instrumented to measure all energy transfer into and out of each room. The cold room was maintained at a temperature of 4°C (39°F) and the warm room was maintained at a temperature of 24°C (75°F) and 60% RH throughout all tests. Three phases of testing were conducted for each air curtain to completely evaluate all energy losses — a completely closed doorway test for calibration, a completely open doorway test with no air curtains and an open doorway test with the air curtains adjusted and running. Completion of the testing revealed the horizontal recirculatory air curtain had a thermal efficiency of 71% while the vertical non-recirculatory air curtain had an efficiency of 38%. The results were slightly lower than theoretical calculations which may be attributable to chamber size. Additional tests were conducted using a smaller doorway for comparison. Applying the results from the smaller doorway yields an effectiveness of 76.2%. Using the theoretical open doorway energy loss yields an effectiveness of 80%.
Paper published with permission.
ASME OM Code Implementation Lessons Learned for the AP1000® Plant
Authors: Cardillo Augustine A. , Rodgers Natalie M. 
Published: January 2018

The Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 52 process and unique aspects of a passive plant design have presented new challenges for the development and implementation of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Code for Operation and Maintenance of Nuclear Power Plants (OM Code) requirements. This paper will discuss lessons learned from the development and implementation of pre-service testing (PST) / in-service testing (IST) program plans for the AP1000® plant, for both international and domestic. Topics to be addressed include the following:
• Level of detail in design certification
• Treatment of unique passive plant features
• Design certification commitments beyond Code requirements
• Future regulatory requirements for high-risk non-safety component PST/IST
• Implementation challenges for international plants
Paper published with permission.
Multi Matrix System Mesalazine Plus Rectal Mesalazine in the Treatment of Mild to Moderately Active Ulcerative Proctitis
Authors: Cuomo Antonio , Sgambato Dolores , D’Auria Mauro Valeriano , Miranda Agnese , Ferrante Emanuele , Romano Marco 
Published: January 2018

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Mesalazine 1 g suppository/die is used for mild to moderately active ulcerative proctitis (UP). Whether addiction of Multi Matrix System (MMX) mesalazine increases the remission rate of UP and prevents proximal extension of disease is unknown. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a retrospective study on 116 outpatients with UP who had been treated with one of the following regimens: (1) MMX mesalazine 1.2 g/die plus mesalazine suppositories for 8 ± 2 weeks and, subsequently, MMX mesalazine 1.2 g/die plus rectal mesalazine 1 g every other day for at least 6 months; (2) mesalazine 1 g suppositories/die alone for 8 ± 2 weeks and, subsequently, rectal mesalazine 1 g every other day for 6 more months. Patients were evaluated clinically at 2 months (±2 weeks) and endoscopically at 6 months (±2 weeks). For categorical variables, Pearson chi-square test was used. <b><i>Results:</i></b> A total of 46 of 55 patients (84%) on combined therapy and 49 of 61 patients (80%) on rectal mesalazine reached clinical remission (<i>p &#x3e;</i> 0.05; OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.30–2.07). At 6 months follow-up, proximal extension of disease was observed in 7 of 55 (14%) patients on combined therapy and in 18 of 61 (29%) patients on rectal mesalazine alone (<i>p &#x3c;</i> 0.05; OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.09–7.53). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> Oral MMX mesalazine plus rectal mesalazine combined treatment is associated with prevention of proximal extension of the disease compared with rectal mesalazine alone.
Comparative Burden of Subclinical Tremor in a Cohort of Normal Individuals Stratified by Familial Risk for Essential Tremor
Authors: Louis Elan D. , Meyers James H. , Badejo Olufunmilayo M. , Cristal Ashley D. , Hickman Ruby , Factor-Litvak Pam 
Published: January 2018

<b><i>Background:</i></b> The burden of mild (i.e., subclinical) tremor within essential tremor (ET) families is not fully understood. We assessed the burden of mild tremor in a cohort of 287 adults, none of whom reported tremor or were diagnosed with ET. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We recruited adults in 2 groups based on the familial risk for ET: 244 high-risk individuals (i.e., reporting one or more first-degree relative with ET) and 43 low-risk individuals (i.e., reporting no relatives with ET). Tremor was objectively assessed on 4 hand-drawn spirals (total spiral score = 0–12). Mild tremor was defined using 3 different cut points. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The prevalence rates of mild tremor among high-risk individuals ranged from 41.4 to 98.4% and were highly dependent on the cut point. Above a certain threshold (i.e., a total spiral score ≥5), 1-in-5 (i.e., 19.7%) high-risk individuals exhibited mild tremor, whereas no low-risk individuals did. High-risk individuals were 3.09–4.50 times more likely than low-risk individuals to exhibit mild tremor. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> The burden of ET extends beyond the boundaries of the clinically defined disease, and partially expressed forms of ET are abundant in ET families. This fact greatly complicates gene-finding studies and epidemiological studies whose goal is to detect disease-linked associations.
Reduced N‐Type Ca
2+
Channels in Atrioventricular Ganglion Neurons Are Involved in Ventricular Arrhythmogenesis
Authors: Zhang Dongze , Tu Huiyin , Cao Liang , Zheng Hong , Muelleman Robert L. , Wadman Michael C. , Li Yu‐Long 
Published: January 2018

Background

Attenuated cardiac vagal activity is associated with ventricular arrhythmogenesis and related mortality in patients with chronic heart failure. Our recent study has shown that expression of N‐type Ca
2+
channel α‐subunits (Ca
v
2.2‐α) and N‐type Ca
2+
currents are reduced in intracardiac ganglion neurons from rats with chronic heart failure. Rat intracardiac ganglia are divided into the atrioventricular ganglion (
AVG
) and sinoatrial ganglion. Ventricular myocardium receives projection of neuronal terminals only from the
AVG
. In this study we tested whether a decrease in N‐type Ca
2+
channels in
AVG
neurons contributes to ventricular arrhythmogenesis.

Methods and Results

Lentiviral Ca
v
2.2‐α sh
RNA
(2 μL, 2×10
7
pfu/mL) or scrambled sh
RNA
was in vivo transfected into rat
AVG
neurons. Nontransfected sham rats served as controls. Using real‐time single‐cell polymerase chain reaction and reverse‐phase protein array, we found that in vivo transfection of Ca
v
2.2‐α sh
RNA
decreased expression of Ca
v
2.2‐α
mRNA
and protein in rat
AVG
neurons. Whole‐cell patch‐clamp data showed that Ca
v
2.2‐α sh
RNA
reduced N‐type Ca
2+
currents and cell excitability in
AVG
neurons. The data from telemetry electrocardiographic recording demonstrated that 83% (5 out of 6) of conscious rats with Ca
v
2.2‐α sh
RNA
transfection had premature ventricular contractions (
P
<0.05 versus 0% of nontransfected sham rats or scrambled sh
RNA
‐transfected rats). Additionally, an index of susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias, inducibility of ventricular arrhythmias evoked by programmed electrical stimulation, was higher in rats with Ca
v
2.2‐α sh
RNA
transfection compared with nontransfected sham rats and scrambled sh
RNA
‐transfected rats.

Conclusions

A decrease in N‐type Ca
2+
channels in
AVG
neurons attenuates vagal control of ventricular myocardium, thereby initiating ventricular arrhythmias.