bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Different Hypothalamic Nicotinic α7 Receptor Expression and Response to Low Nicotine Dose in Alcohol‐Preferring and Alcohol‐Avoiding Rats
Authors: Nuutinen Saara , Panula Pertti , Salminen Outi 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to examine possible differences in nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and responses in rats with genetic preference or avoidance for alcohol. This was done by using 2 rat lines with high alcohol preference (Alko Alcohol [AA]) or alcohol avoidance (Alko Non‐Alcohol [ANA]).MethodsLocomotor activity was measured following nicotine and histamine H3 receptor (H3R) antagonist treatment. In situ hybridization and receptor ligand binding experiments were used in drug‐naïve animals to examine the expression of different α nicotinic receptor subunits.ResultsThe AA rats were found to be more sensitive to the stimulatory effect of a low dose of nicotine than ANA rats, which were not significantly activated. Combination of histamine H3R antagonist, JNJ‐39220675, and nicotine resulted to similar locomotor activation as nicotine alone. To further understand the mechanism underlying the difference in nicotine response in AA and ANA rats, we studied the expression of α5, α6, and α7 nicotinic receptor subunits in specific brain areas of AA and ANA rats. We found no differences in the expression of α5 nicotinic receptor subunits in the medial habenula and hippocampus or in α6 subunit in the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra. However, the level of α7 nicotinic receptor subunit mRNA was significantly lower in the tuberomamillary nucleus of posterior hypothalamus of alcohol‐preferring AA rats than in alcohol‐avoiding ANA rats. Also the hypothalamic [125]I‐α‐bungarotoxin binding was lower in AA rats indicating lower levels of α7 nicotinic receptors.ConclusionsThe lower expression and receptor binding of α7 nicotinic receptors in the tuberomamillary nucleus of AA rats suggest a difference in the regulation of brain histamine neurons between the rat lines since the α7 nicotinic receptors are located in histaminergic neurons. Stronger nicotine‐induced locomotor response, mediated partially via α7 receptors, and previously described high alcohol consumption in AA rats could be explained by the found difference in tuberomamillary α7 receptor levels.
Cognitive Control Over Immediate Reward in Binge Alcohol Drinkers
Authors: Poulton Antoinette , Mackenzie Caitlyn , Harrington Kaitlyn , Borg Sarah , Hester Robert 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundCognitive control deficits, as captured by inhibitory control measures, are indicative of increased impulsivity and are considered a marker for substance use disorder vulnerability. While individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) typically exhibit inhibitory control dysfunction, evidence of impaired inhibitory control among harmful drinkers, who are at increased risk of developing an AUD, is mixed. This study examined the response inhibition of binge drinkers using a task that employed neutral, as well as both immediate and delayed reward contingencies, to determine whether reward induced heightened impulsivity in this population.MethodsBinge alcohol users (n = 42) and controls (n = 42) were administered a Monetary Incentive Control Task that required participants to successfully inhibit a prepotent motor response to both neutral and immediately rewarding stimuli in order to secure a large delayed reward.ResultsBinge drinkers had significantly worse response inhibition than controls irrespective of trial condition and even after controlling for differences in weekly intake. Although both binge and control participants exhibited significantly worse inhibitory control in the presence of immediate reward, the control group showed a greater reduction in inhibition accuracy compared to the binge group in reward relative to neutral conditions. Both groups demonstrated significantly enhanced control when forewarned there was an increased chance response inhibition would be required. Control participants secured the delayed reward more often than binge participants.ConclusionsDespite the variability in the literature, this study demonstrated consistent generalized impulse control deficits among binge‐drinking individuals that were unrelated to reward manipulations. These findings point to mechanisms that may confer vulnerability for transition from binge drinking to AUD.
Considering marijuana legalization carefully: insights for other jurisdictions from analysis for Vermont
Authors: Caulkins Jonathan P. , Kilmer Beau 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackground and AimsIn 2014 the legislature of Vermont, USA passed a law requiring the Secretary of Administration to report on the consequences of legalizing marijuana. The RAND Corporation was commissioned to write that report. This paper summarizes insights from that analysis that are germane to other jurisdictions.MethodTranslation of key findings from the RAND Corporation report to the broader policy debate.ResultsMarijuana legalization encompasses a wide range of possible regimes, distinguished along at least four dimensions: which organizations are allowed to produce and supply the drug, the regulations under which they operate, the nature of the products that can be distributed and taxes and prices. Vermont's decriminalization had already cut its costs of enforcing marijuana prohibition against adults to about $1 per resident per year. That is probably less than the cost of regulating a legal market. Revenues from taxing residents’ purchases after legalization could be many times that amount, so the main fiscal cost of prohibition after decriminalization relative to outright legalization may be foregone tax revenues, not enforcement costs. Approximately 40 times as many users live within 200 miles of Vermont's borders as live within the state; drug tourism and associated tax revenues will be important considerations, as will be the response of other states. Indeed, if another state legalized with lower taxes, that could undermine the ability to collect taxes on even Vermont residents’ purchases.ConclusionsAnalysis of possible outcomes if Vermont, USA, legalized marijuana reveal that choices about how, and not just whether, to legalize a drug can have profound consequences for the effects on health and social wellbeing, and the choices of one jurisdiction can affect the options and incentives available to other jurisdictions.
The distribution of epidermolysis bullosa in Australia with a focus on rural and remote areas
Authors: Harris Adam G , Todes‐Taylor Nancy R , Petrović Nenad , Murrell Dedee F 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackground/ObjectivesPatients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB) require specialised medical care. In Australia this expertise is located in the major cities, with patients living in rural and remote areas having reduced access to these services. We aim to analyse the geographical distribution of patients with EB in Australia to determine the relevance of this potential geographical disadvantage for this population.MethodsUsing postal codes obtained from the Australian National Diagnostic Laboratory Database for EB and the Australasian EB Registry, living patients with EB in Australia were categorised using the Australian standard geographical classification, remoteness areas. An analysis of EB subtype, including severity was also performed.ResultsA total of 318 patients were categorised, of whom 221 lived in major cities, 65 in inner regional areas, 26 in outer regional areas, four in remote and two in very remote areas. Half the patients living in remote and very remote areas had severe forms of EB.ConclusionsA significant proportion of patients with EB live outside the major cities in Australia. Half of the patients living in remote and very remote areas had severe forms of EB. Targeted strategies to improve access to EB‐specific medical care may be needed for patients living in rural and remote areas.
The effect of age and increasing head‐up tilt on pre‐oxygenation times in children: a randomised exploratory study
Authors: Oshan V. , Plant N. , Gopal P. , Rajai A. , Roberts S. A. , Walker R. W. M. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryWe conducted a randomised exploratory trial in children aged between one and sixteen years old to establish the time to achieve an end‐tidal oxygen fraction ≥ 0.9 in three different positions: supine, and 30 and 45° head up. We recruited 120 children analysed in two age groups: 1–8 years and 9–16 years. The median (IQR [range]) time to reach the end point was 80 (59–114 [41‐295]) s in the younger group and 150 (107‐211 [44‐405]) s in the older group, regardless of position (p = 0.0001). The end point was reached in 90% of children in approximately 160 s in the younger, and 271 s in the older, groups, respectively. There was no statistical difference between the three positions within each age group in the time to reach the endpoint (p = 0.59). Only two patients in the older age group could not reach the end point, due to poorly fitting facemasks. We conclude that pre‐oxygenation can therefore be achieved effectively in most children, and that tilting children head up by 30 or 45° does not significantly reduce the time taken to achieve an end‐tidal oxygen fraction of ≥ 0.9. The recommended period for pre‐oxygenation in both groups should remain at 3 min but it should be noted that this may be insufficient for many older patients.
Four‐port bimanual 23‐gauge vitrectomy for diabetic tractional retinal detachment
Authors: Wang Zhao‐yang , Zhao Ke‐ke , Li Jia‐kai , Rossmiller Brian , Zhao Pei‐quan 
Published: February 2016

AbstractPurposeFour‐port bimanual vitrectomy is a surgical technique that facilitates removal of epiretinal membranes in severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). As the illumination is held by the assistant through the fourth scleral incision, fibrovascular membranes are removed by bimanual manipulation techniques. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of four‐port bimanual 23‐gauge vitrectomy for patients with tractional retinal detachment (TRD) in severe PDR.DesignRetrospective, comparative, consecutive, interventional case series.MethodsSixty‐six eyes of 58 consecutive patients who underwent primary vitrectomy for severe diabetic TRD. Thirty‐six eyes of 31 cases that were treated with four‐port 23‐gauge vitrectomy were compared with 30 eyes of 27 cases that were treated with 23‐gauge pars plana vitrectomy (PPV). Main outcome measures were best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA), retinal status, intraocular pressure, and incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications with at least 6 months of follow‐up.ResultsThe primary and ultimate anatomic success rates (94.4% versus 93.3%, and 100% in both groups, respectively) and the mean BCVA changes did not differ significantly between groups. The whole surgical time and the membrane removal time were significantly (p < 0.001, respectively) shorter in the four‐port 23‐gauge group than in the 23‐gauge group. There was no difference in the incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications in both groups.ConclusionsFour‐port bimanual 23‐gauge vitrectomy offers comparable anatomic success and shortens the surgical time compared with conventional 23‐gauge PPV in patients with TRD resulting from severe PDR.
Marginally low birthweight increases the risk of underweight and short stature at three and a half years of age
Authors: Berglund Staffan K. , Kriström Berit , Björn Matias , Lindberg Josefine , Westrup Björn , Norman Mikael , Domellöf Magnus 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAimLittle is known about the long‐term health of marginally low birthweight (LBW) children. This study characterised growth among infants weighing 2000 g–2500 g and explored the prevalence and predictors of sustained growth restriction.MethodThis prospective observational trial followed the weight and height of 281 Swedish marginally LBW children from birth to 3.5 years of age. Children with a standard deviation score (SDS) for body mass index or height below −2 were considered underweight and short, respectively.ResultsThe mean SDS for weight and height showed a rapid increase before 12–19 weeks of age. The most rapid weight gain was in infants born small for gestational age. However, at 3.5 years of age, 9.5% of the children remained underweight and 6.5% had short stature. Regression models showed that slow weight gain before 19 weeks of age was the strongest predictor for lasting underweight, while slow height gain before 19 weeks of age and male sex were associated with short stature.ConclusionMarginally LBW infants were more likely to be underweight and have a short stature at 3.5 years of age and the absence of catch‐up growth during the first five months after birth identified those at highest risk.
STATE OWNED ENTERPRISES AS INSTRUMENTS OF INNOVATION POLICY
Authors: TÕNURIST Piret , KARO Erkki 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTThis article expands the literature on the rationales and governance of state owned enterprises (SOEs). We show that SOEs could be seen as instruments of innovation policies and change agents within broader innovation systems that can overcome many of the conventional challenges of innovation policy and its implementation, from coordination and implementation of policies and innovation system actor networks to financing innovation. We review the existing literature on the rationales of SOEs and extend it to include innovation as a central rationale. Thereafter we provide a taxonomy that reveals the necessary policy and managerial conditions and constraints for using SOEs as instruments of innovation policy. We place some of the better‐known innovation‐oriented SOE successes and failures into this taxonomy and show that this approach will allow in future research to explore different SOE practices and potential for using SOEs as innovation policy instruments across countries.
MODELLING SOCIAL ENTERPRISES
Authors: SZYMAŃSKA Aleksandra , JEGERS Marc 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTThe majority of research concentrates exclusively on the objectives of governments, profit entities or non‐profit organizations, while a significant number of organizations are hybrids. One form of these hybrids is the social enterprise. This paper theoretically describes social enterprises taking into consideration their main aims. Based on the ‘earned income’ school of thought, the principal‐agent theory and considering the nature of social enterprises’ activities we propose the objective functions of their owners (principals) and managers (agents). The maximization problem of the social enterprise is defined as the weighted average of the utilities of two groups of stakeholders who have an influence on the degree of the realization of the social mission and business orientations. We point out the direction which social enterprises should follow in order to obtain the highest value of their objective functions. The desired state for social enterprises should be one in which they reinvest all surpluses in the process of their mission realization and their profit is slightly higher than the required level by the principal's contract.
Negligible structural development and edge influence on the understorey at 16–17‐yr‐old clear‐cut edges in black spruce forest
Authors: Harper Karen A. , Drapeau Pierre , Lesieur Daniel , Bergeron Yves 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionsWhat is the distance of edge influence on the structure and understorey composition at 16–17‐yr‐old cut edges in black spruce boreal forest? How do these edges compare with more recent 2–5‐yr‐old cut edges in the same region?LocationNorthwestern Quebec, Canada.MethodsForest structure and understorey composition were sampled along transects perpendicular to ten 16–17‐yr‐old clear‐cut edges, and compared to published results from 2–5‐yr‐old cut edges. We used randomization tests to assess the magnitude and distance of edge influence, and to compare edge influence between different edge ages.ResultsBlack spruce forest next to the 16–17‐yr‐old cut edges was structurally and compositionally very similar to interior forest, with little edge influence from harvesting beyond 5 m into the forest. Edge influence on the understorey was weak (low magnitude) and not very extensive (short distance) at these edges, with no significant edge influence on the abundance of individual species. Logs peaked in abundance on the forest side of the edge, with values higher than in either adjacent ecosystem.ConclusionsOverall, 16–17‐yr‐old cut edges in black spruce forest showed little evidence of further structural change compared to the 2–5‐yr‐old cut edges. Structural development of these edges as well as regeneration of the disturbed areas also resulted in reduced edge influence on the understorey. Instead, clear‐cut edges in black spruce forest may experience more forest influence on the regenerating disturbed area.
Long‐term late season mowing maintains diversity in southernUStallgrass prairie invaded byBothriochloa ischaemum
Authors: Dee Justin R. , Thomas Shyam M. , Thompson Steven D. , Palmer Michael W. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionsWhile mowing is a viable management tool for the maintenance of diversity in grasslands, the suitability of mowing in grasslands with invasion by exotic plants is poorly understood. In this 18‐yr study, we investigate the effects of long‐term mowing on a tallgrass prairie community invaded by exotic yellow bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum;BOIS). We explore the influence ofBOISon species richness and composition in the face of different mowing treatments as well as monitoring any post‐treatment legacy effects.LocationNortheast central Oklahoma,US.MethodsA total of 144 permanent plots were laid out comprising eight treatments (i.e. all combinations of Mar, Jun and Sept, mows resulting in three single mows, three double mows, one triple mow and an un‐mowed control). Plots were mowed 1996–2011 and recovery was monitored through 2014. Repeated mixed modelANOVA,PERMANOVAand principal response curves were employed to analyse species richness and compositional changes from mowing. Correlation was used to explore the effects ofBOISon species richness.ResultsMowing resulted in higher species richness relative to the absence of mowing, with the highest levels being sustained in the late season mown plots throughout the study. Once mowing had ceased, early season mown plots declined in species richness down to the same levels as the un‐mown plots, concomitant with the sharpest increased cover ofBOISin these plots relative to all other treatments. Overall, we found a strong negative correlation betweenBOIScover and species richness. Species dissimilarity was highest between any plot that was mowed and the un‐mown controls, as well as between March and September only treatments.ConclusionsOur study highlights the potential of mowing in maintaining high species richness. However, the positive response to early season mowing of the exotic yellow bluestem and ensuing negative effect on species richness suggests thatBOIScan confound the favourable effects of mowing. We found only minor post‐treatment legacy effects, sinceBOISstrongly re‐established in the absence of mowing in all previously mown plots, especially the early season mown plots. Thus, we recommend sustained late season mowing to help control the spread ofBOISand maintain species‐rich grasslands.
Impact of stocking rate on species diversity and composition of a subtropical grassland in Argentina
Authors: Pizzio Rafael , Herrero‐Jáuregui Cristina , Pizzio Mariano , Oesterheld Martin 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionsWhat is the effect of a range of controlled stocking rates on plant species richness and diversity?LocationSubtropical grasslands of Corrientes, Argentina, South America.MethodsWe studied the effect of three controlled stocking rates (0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 cow equivalents·ha−1) on species diversity and composition during 8 yr. We calculated species diversity using the antilog of the Shannon‐Wiener index, and considered its two components, richness and evenness. We also assessed the proportion of prostrate and erect species. Species abundance was based on biomass estimations.ResultsSpecies diversity under high stocking rates gradually decreased throughout the experiment and became nearly 50% lower than under low stocking rate. This decline was largely accounted for by changes of evenness because species richness was not affected by stocking rates. Species composition clearly diverged among the three treatments over time. Low stocking rate maintained a fairly constant relative cover of erect and prostrate grasses throughout the experiment, whereas intermediate and high stocking rate treatments were gradually and consistently enriched in prostrate grasses and forbs. These effects occurred simultaneously with drastic inter‐annual changes likely driven by annual precipitation.ConclusionsThe range of stocking rates had no effect on species richness, but reduced diversity through the effect on evenness. High stocking rate progressively increased the proportion of prostrate species in the biomass.
Shrub encroachment influences herbaceous communities in flooded grasslands of a neotropical savanna wetland
Authors: Barbosa da Silva Fernando Henrique , Arieira Julia , Parolin Pia , Nunes da Cunha Cátia , Junk Wolfgang Johannes 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionThe encroachment of woody species has been globally reported over much of arid and semi‐arid biomes, and has been associated with a decrease in cover and number of herbaceous species. How does the encroachment of a woody shrub affect herbaceous community structure and species composition in grasslands of a wetland ecosystem?LocationSeasonally flooded grasslands in a Neotropical Hyperseasonal Savanna, the Pantanal wetland, Brazil.MethodsWe investigated the effect of the encroaching plant Combretum laxum on a herbaceous community from seasonally flooded grasslands in the Pantanal wetland using 29 vegetation samples representing encroachment at different spatio‐temporal stages. The point quadrat method was used to acquire vegetation data, as plant cover, species richness (S) and Shannon‐Wiener diversity index (H’). We evaluated the existence of stages of encroachment related to differences in vegetation structure and species composition using non‐metric multidimensional scaling ordination and analysis of similarity. The response of the herbaceous community to shrub advance was analysed using linear and quadratic polynomial regression models. Model fitness was tested using the ACI.ResultsThe advance of the woody encroaching plant C. laxum over the seasonally flooded grassland occurs in three stages: grassland stage, shrub islands stage and shrubland stage. The initial advance of C. laxum over the grassland, represented by the shrub islands stage was correlated to an increase in species richness and a decrease in important native forage grasses. Critical changes in the herbaceous community were observed when the encroaching plant covered >30% of the periodically flooded grassland, when the richness of herbaceous species dropped from 22 to four.ConclusionsWoody encroachment causes impoverishment and simplification of the herbaceous community. The shift from a grass‐ to a shrub‐dominated state is related to the reduction in important grassland‐obligate species, forage resources for herbivore livestock and wild animals, affecting the ecological dynamics and the economy of rangelands. Conservation of these grassland ecosystems depends on rangeland management practices guided by scientific knowledge on the causes and consequences of plant community changes.