bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Gospel of Prosperity? An Analysis of the Relationship Between Religion and Earned Income in Ghana, the Most Religious Country in the World*
Authors: Beck Sedefka V. , Gundersen Sara J. 
Published: June 2016

This study tests for a relationship between religious affiliation and earned income in Ghana. While microeconomic analyses have studied the relationship between religion and several socioeconomic outcomes in the United States, remarkably few have done so in developing countries, and none has explored the religion‐earnings relationship. Using the fifth round of the Ghana Living Standards Survey from 2005 to 2006, we find that, among women, religious denomination correlates with earned income. Specifically, Spiritualists, Pentecostals, and Methodists earn higher income than the Presbyterian base group, while Traditionalists earn less. This article investigates the relationship and posits some of its causes, including the influence of a trend in neo‐Pentecostal religious groups that emphasizes wealth accumulation and self‐confidence.
Epidemiology of Diabetes Mellitus among 193,435 Cats Attending Primary‐Care Veterinary Practices in England
Authors: O'Neill D.G. , Gostelow R. , Orme C. , Church D.B. , Niessen S.J.M. , Verheyen K. , Brodbelt D.C. 
Published: June 2016

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is a common endocrine disease of cats. The prevalence ofDMin cats in England is not well‐defined.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo estimate the prevalence and identify risk factors forDMin a large population of cats attending primary‐care practices.AnimalsA cohort of 193,563 cats in the VetCompass Programme attending 118 primary‐care practices in England.MethodsCross‐sectional analysis of cohort clinical data. Data were extracted covering September 1st 2009 and August 31st 2014. Period prevalence ofDMwas calculated. Associations between risk factors andDMwere assessed using logistic regression modelling.ResultsOf 1,128DMcases were identified among 194,563 cats (period prevalence 0.58%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.54–0.61). Multivariable modelling indicated that Tonkinese (OR4.1; 95%CI1.8–9.6;P= .001), Norwegian Forest (odds ratio [OR] 3.5; 95%CI1.3–9.6;P= .001) and Burmese (OR3.0; 95%CI2.0–4.4;P< .001) cats had increased odds ofDMcompared with crossbred cats.DModds increased as bodyweight categories increased above 4 kg (P< .001), as cats aged beyond 6 years old (P< .001) and in insured cats (OR2.0; 95%CI1.6–2.4;P< .001) but sex was not significantly associated withDM.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceDiabetes mellitus is an important component of the primary‐care practice caseload with 1‐in‐200 cats affected. An increased risk ofDMin certain cat breeds supports a genetic predisposition. These results can guide future research and preventative healthcare.
Targeted Sequencing of Myogenic Regulatory Factors and Myostatins Reveals an Association between MSTN‐1 and Interorbital Distance in Orange‐spotted Grouper, Epinephelus coioides (Hamilton, 1822)
Authors: Guo Liang , Xia Junhong , Li Mingming , Yang Sen , Lin Haoran , Meng Zining 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes that are presumed to control muscle growth and to determine their potential association with growth in a cultured population of orange‐spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Seven genes, myogenic regulatory factor 4 (MRF4), Myf5, MSTN‐1, MSTN‐2, MyoD1, MyoD2, and myogenin, were selected for the investigation, covering approximately 26 kbp. First, the two clades for the genes MSTN (myostatin) and MyoD were confirmed in this species using Bayesian inference analysis of the phylogenetic relationships. Then, the seven genes were enriched by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced using an Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine. A total of 586 SNPs were discovered. Linkage disequilibrium was decayed by 50% within 250 bp based on the combined data, which means that there was high resolution in the association mapping. A mixed linear model considering the population structure and kinship was used to detect the associations between genotypes and phenotypes. Only one site (KR269814.1:g.22T>G) in MSTN‐1 was found to be significantly associated with a measured trait, the interorbital distance (false discovery ratio < 0.05), and it explained 12.4% of the phenotype variation of this trait. This study provides insight on strategies for molecular marker‐assisted breeding in orange‐spotted grouper.
Effects of Bdellovibrio and Like Organisms on Survival and Growth Performance of Juvenile Turbot, Scophthalmus maximus
Authors: Guo Yanbiao , Yan Liuhui , Cai Junpeng 
Published: June 2016

AbstractIn this study, the impact of Bdellovibrio and like organisms (BALOs) on juvenile turbot rearing was investigated in a static water rearing system with weekly partial change of water. A 60‐d‐long rearing experiment showed that, compared with control, survival rate, percent weight gain, percent length gain, and average daily growth were 92 ± 2.8%, 387.1 ± 4.6%, 78.6 ± 1.5%, and 1.87 ± 0.79 g/d, respectively, significantly higher than those in the control, viz., 81 ± 3.2%, 248.2 ± 5.3%, 56.7 ± 2.1%, and 1.16 ± 0.68 g/d, respectively. Water quality results demonstrated that no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed between test and control with the addition of BDW03. Compared with the control, total culturable bacteria and total vibrio numbers in rearing water and in intestines were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced by 0.8–1.4 log CFU/mL/ log CFU/g, with the addition of BDW03. Furthermore, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles in rearing waters collected at a 1.5‐d interval over a week revealed that BDW03 simplified bacterial community structures with time, and some vibrios disappeared with the addition of BDW03. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that BALOs can promote growth and survival of juvenile turbots and be beneficial to coldwater fish aquaculture at the production level.
σE‐dependent activation of RbpA controls transcription of the furA‐katG operon in response to oxidative stress in mycobacteria
Authors: Hu Yangbo , Wang Zhongwei , Feng Lipeng , Chen Zhenkang , Mao Chunyou , Zhu Yan , Chen Shiyun 
Published: June 2016

SummaryMycobacterium tuberculosis adopts various strategies to cope with oxidative stress during infection. Transcriptional regulators, including σ factors, make important contributions to this stress response, but how these proteins cooperate with each other is largely unknown. In this study, the role of RbpA and its cooperation with σ factors in response to oxidative stress are investigated. Knock down expression of rbpA in Mycobacterium smegmatis attenuated bacterial survival in the presence of H2O2. Additionally, transcription of the rbpA gene was induced by H2O2 in a σE‐dependent manner. After induction, RbpA interacts with the principal sigma factor, σA, to control the transcription of furA‐katG operon, which encodes an H2O2 scavenging enzyme. Moreover, this regulation is responsible for the role of σE in oxidative response because bacterial survival was attenuated and transcription of the furA‐katG operon was down‐regulated with H2O2 treatment in sigE deletion mutant (ΔsigE), and over‐expression of RbpA in ΔsigE strain restored all of these phenotypes. Taken together, our study first illustrated a mechanism for σE in response to oxidative stress through regulation of rbpA transcription. This study was also the first to demonstrate that RbpA is required for the full response to oxidative stress by cooperating with the principal σA.
Gastrointestinal dysfunction and enteric neurotoxicity following treatment with anticancer chemotherapeutic agent 5‐fluorouracil
Authors: McQuade R. M. , Stojanovska V. , Donald E. , Abalo R. , Bornstein J. C. , Nurgali K. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractBackgroundThe use of the anticancer chemotherapeutic agent 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) is often limited by nausea, vomiting, constipation, and diarrhea; these side‐effects persist long after treatment. The effects of 5‐FU on enteric neurons have not been studied and may provide insight into the mechanisms underlying 5‐FU‐induced gastrointestinal dysfunction.MethodsBalb/c mice received intraperitoneal injections of 5‐FU (23 mg/kg) 3 times/week for 14 days. Gastrointestinal transit was analysed in vivo prior to and following 3, 7, and 14 days of 5‐FU treatment via serial x‐ray imaging. Following 14 days of 5‐FU administration, colons were collected for assessment of ex vivo colonic motility, gross morphological structure, and immunohistochemical analysis of myenteric neurons. Fecal lipocalin‐2 and CD45+ leukocytes in the colon were analysed as markers of intestinal inflammation.Key ResultsShort‐term administration of 5‐FU (3 days) increased gastrointestinal transit, induced acute intestinal inflammation and reduced the proportion of neuronal nitric oxide synthase‐immunoreactive neurons. Long‐term treatment (7, 14 days) resulted in delayed gastrointestinal transit, inhibition of colonic migrating motor complexes, increased short and fragmented contractions, myenteric neuronal loss and a reduction in the number of ChAT‐immunoreactive neurons after the inflammation was resolved. Gross morphological damage to the colon was observed following both short‐ and long‐term 5‐FU treatment.Conclusions & InferencesOur results indicate that 5‐FU induces accelerated gastrointestinal transit associated with acute intestinal inflammation at day 3 after the start of treatment, which may have led to persistent changes in the ENS observed after days 7 and 14 of treatment contributing to delayed gastrointestinal transit and colonic dysmotility.
Adolescents with irritable bowel syndrome report increased eating‐associated symptoms, changes in dietary composition, and altered eating behaviors: a pilot comparison study to healthy adolescents
Authors: Reed‐Knight B. , Squires M. , Chitkara D. K. , van Tilburg M. A. L. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractBackgroundAbout half of adult irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients report symptoms with eating and disordered eating habits. However, little is known about eating in adolescent IBS patients, a common age at which eating disorders develop. The aim of the study was to investigate if adolescents with IBS are more likely than healthy controls (HCs) to experience eating‐associated symptoms (EAS), report disordered eating patterns, and show differences in diet composition.MethodsA total of 99 adolescents between 15 and 21 years‐of‐age participated (n = 48 IBS; n = 51 HCs). All subjects completed three 24‐h dietary recalls and questionnaires on EAS and disordered eating.Key ResultsIBS patients were more likely to report EASs than HC (91.7% vs 28%, p < 0.001). Eating‐associated symptoms were controlled by avoiding the offending food (97.7%), not eating any food even when hungry (43.2%), or vomiting after eating (13.6%). Compared to HC, IBS patients reported reduced daily intake of overall calories (1828 vs 2139; p < 0.05), fat (65.4 g vs 81.4 g, p < 0.05), and lactose (8.2 g vs 12.8 g, p < 0.01). No differences were found between IBS and HC in screening for disordered eating patterns or BMI, though IBS patients endorsed using potentially unhealthy eating behaviors in an attempt to control symptoms.Conclusions & InferencesEating‐associated symptoms are very common in adolescents with IBS and associated with changes in eating behaviors and dietary composition. They do not appear to change BMI and risk for eating disorders. More research is needed to guide adolescents with IBS in making appropriate dietary changes to control EASs.
Development and validation of a vision and night driving questionnaire
Authors: Kimlin Janessa A , Black Alex A , Djaja Ngadiman , Wood Joanne M 
Published: June 2016

AbstractPurposeNight‐time driving difficulties are a common concern of older drivers and those with eye disease. This study aimed to develop and validate a questionnaire for assessing vision‐related night driving difficulties in older drivers.MethodsItems from existing vision‐related quality of life questionnaires and driving studies were used to develop a questionnaire that was completed by 283 participants who reported visual difficulties for night driving (65% female, 50 to >80 years). The questionnaire included items relating to demographic and night driving characteristics (seven items), general vision ratings (eight items), vision‐related night driving difficulties (11 items), and a single open question about specific night driving difficulties. The vision‐related night driving difficulty items were analysed separately using Rasch analysis to form the vision and night driving questionnaire (VND‐Q). Rasch analysis assessed validity and psychometric properties of the scale. Generalised linear regression models examined associations between VND‐Q scores and age, gender, amount of night driving, self‐rated vision, and eye conditions. Test‐retest repeatability was assessed using intra‐class correlation analysis and Bland‐Altman methods of agreement for a subset of 30 participants.ResultsRasch analysis indicated that a nine‐item VND‐Q scale was unidimensional, valid and reliable, and showed excellent discriminant ability (person separation index 3.04; person reliability 0.90). Targeting was better for those with greater self‐reported night driving difficulties. Participants with self‐reported bilateral eye conditions and worse self‐reported general vision ratings had significantly more night driving difficulties with the VND‐Q scale than individuals without eye conditions (p = 0.03) and with better general vision ratings (p < 0.001). Females reported more difficulties than males (p < 0.001) and drove shorter distances at night per week which was also associated with greater difficulties (p < 0.001). A repeatability coefficient (Rc) of 2.07 demonstrated excellent test‐retest repeatability.ConclusionsThe nine‐item VND‐Q is a unidimensional and reliable questionnaire allowing quantification of the level of visual difficulties that older drivers report at night. The development of this questionnaire is an important step in providing a reliable and validated instrument for use to guide appropriate investigations, referrals, or interventions in clinical and research settings.
Masked hypertension and allograft function in pediatric and young adults kidney transplant recipients
Authors: Hamdani Gilad , Nehus Edward J. , Hooper David K. , Mitsnefes Mark M. 
Published: June 2016

AbstractMasked hypertension is a common complication of pediatric kidney transplantation. While office hypertension is known to be associated with worse short‐ and long‐term graft function, the role of masked hypertension in allograft dysfunction is not clear. We conducted a retrospective cross‐sectional analysis of 77 consecutive pediatric kidney transplant recipients who had routine 24‐h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring with the aims to estimate the prevalence of masked hypertension and examine its association with allograft function. Masked hypertension was defined as a 24‐h systolic or diastolic blood pressure load ≥25%. Twenty‐nine percent of patients had masked hypertension. Patients with masked hypertension had significantly lower allograft function estimated using the creatinine‐based Schwartz‐Lyon formula, a cystatin C‐based formula, and combined cystatin C and creatinine‐based formulas than patients with normal blood pressure (all p values <0.05). In a multivariable analysis, masked hypertension remained independently associated with worse allograft function after adjustment for age, sex, race, time post‐transplant, rejection history, antihypertensive treatment, and hemoglobin level. We conclude that in young kidney transplant recipients, masked hypertension is common and is associated with worse allograft function. These results support the case for routine ambulatory blood pressure monitoring as the standard of care in these patients to detect and treat masked hypertension.
Silk drives aggregation and following in the neotropical caterpillar Mechanitis menapis (Nymphalidae: Ithomiini)
Authors: Despland Emma , Santacruz Endara Paola 
Published: June 2016

AbstractGregarious larvae that use chemical communication to feed and move together are widespread among folivorous insects, although social behaviour has been studied almost exclusively in a few temperate zone genera. The Menapis (or variable) tigerwing butterfly Mechanitis menapis mantineus Hewitson (Lepidoptera, Nymphalidae, Danainae, Ithomiini) is a neotropical species whose larvae feed gregariously on Solanaceae host plants. In laboratory experiments conducted in the Ecuador cloud forest, M. menapis caterpillars are attracted to silk produced by conspecifics and show no evidence of pheromone production. Indeed, caterpillars consistently choose arenas with silk over bare arenas but do not show a preference for arenas marked with abdominal cuticular surface residues. Mechanitis menapis caterpillars on silk‐coated plants are both more mobile and more cohesive than those on control plants. Nonetheless, caterpillars move independently over unmarked surfaces and groups do not make rapid collective choices between two food sources. Collective behaviour in M. menapis thus appears to be based on aggregation on collectively produced silk to facilitate feeding, as well as using this silk to maintain cohesion. Silk production is common in caterpillars, although M. menapis appears to be unique among species studied so far in using silk to maintain group cohesion.
Immune response to recombinant Leishmania infantum lipophosphoglycan 3 plus CpG oligodeoxynucleotides in BALB/c mice
Authors: Pirdel L. , Zavaran Hosseini A. 
Published: June 2016

SummaryDevelopment of a protective antileishmanial vaccine is an urgent priority for successful control of different forms of leishmaniasis. The potential of a recombinant lipophosphoglycan 3 (rLPG3) expressed by Leishmania tarentolae was evaluated in combination with CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG‐ODN) as a Th1‐promoting adjuvant against Leishmania infantum infection in BALB/c mice. First, mice were immunized subcutaneously with rLPG3 either alone or in combination with CpG‐ODN. Next, the immunogenic and protective efficacies of this vaccine were analysed in immunized mice. It was observed that coadministration of rLPG3 with CpG‐ODN led to enhance in a Th1 response to rLPG3 induced by itself as the IFN‐γ production was promoted in association with the predominant presence of IgG2a antibodies in the sera. However, immunization with rLPG3 plus CpG‐ODN induced partial protection against infectious challenge in BALB/c mice. Taken together, further studies are required to improve the protective efficacy using either more potent immune enhancers or vaccination strategies.
Two Ralstonia species associated with bacterial wilt of Eucalyptus
Authors: Carstensen G. D. , Venter S. N. , Wingfield M. J. , Coutinho T. A. 
Published: June 2016

Ralstonia solanacearum sensu lato causes bacterial wilt in many economically important agronomic crops and tree species. Eucalyptus is one of the recorded hosts but, despite the losses to forestry, little is known regarding the disease. The aim of this study was to identify the Ralstonia species that are associated with bacterial wilt of Eucalyptus trees growing in different parts of the world. Phylotyping, sequevar and multilocus sequence analysis were used to identify and determine the genetic diversity of the available isolates. The isolates obtained from Africa and Asia grouped in phylotype I, and those isolates from South America in phylotype II. Following the recent reclassification of R. solanacearum sensu lato, these results show that there are two Ralstonia species associated with bacterial wilt of Eucalyptus, namely, R. solanacearum and R. pseudosolanacearum. The isolates from South America represented R. solanacearum, while those from Africa and Asia were R. pseudosolanacearum. Analysis of the endoglucanase (egl), transcriptional regulator (hrpB) and DNA mismatch repair (mutS) gene regions supported this finding. In addition, one previously unidentified sequevar was identified using partial endoglucanase (egl) gene sequence analysis of those isolates obtained from Colombia. This study raises questions regarding the aetiology of the two Ralstonia species found on Eucalyptus, their importance relating to quarantine, potential impact and management of the disease with which they are associated.
Lead, Sulfur, and Oxygen Isotope Systematics in Hydrothermal Precipitates from the 14°S Hydrothermal Field, South Mid‐Atlantic Ridge
Authors: Li Bing , Shi Xuefa , Li Chuanshun , Wang Jixin , Pei Yanliang , Ye Jun 
Published: June 2016

AbstractAt the inside corner between the South Mid‐Atlantic Ridge (SMAR) and the Cardno fracture zone, the 14°S hydrothermal field, with its abundant silica‐rich sulfides, was identified as a volcanic massif, which provided the first opportunity to study inside corner‐related hydrothermal mineralization. S, Pb, and O isotopes were measured in hydrothermal sulfide samples from the two sites (volcanic top and slope sites) in the 14°S field. The homogeneous Pb isotope values (207Pb/204Pb = 15.466 − 15.472; 206Pb/204Pb = 18.242 − 18.252) and the δ34S values (top site, +6.3 to +6.85‰; slope site, +2.37 to +3.36‰) suggest that the source of metals and most of the sulfur is the upper crust, whereas some sulfur is sourced from downward‐penetrating seawater, especially in the top site. The calculated oxygen isotope equilibration temperatures from quartz and seawater are between 94 and 144°C for the top site and between 179 and 196°C for the slope site. These isotopic proxies, together with geological background survey data, have an important implication: Discrepancies between the sites may result from variations in crust permeability, which also affect the mixing level between downward‐penetrating seawater and upward hydrothermal end‐member fluids and determine the various mineralization types.
Principal Stratification Analysis Using Principal Scores
Authors: Ding Peng , Lu Jiannan 
Published: June 2016

SummaryPractitioners are interested in not only the average causal effect of a treatment on the outcome but also the underlying causal mechanism in the presence of an intermediate variable between the treatment and outcome. However, in many cases we cannot randomize the intermediate variable, resulting in sample selection problems even in randomized experiments. Therefore, we view randomized experiments with intermediate variables as semiobservational studies. In parallel with the analysis of observational studies, we provide a theoretical foundation for conducting objective causal inference with an intermediate variable under the principal stratification framework, with principal strata defined as the joint potential values of the intermediate variable. Our strategy constructs weighted samples based on principal scores, defined as the conditional probabilities of the latent principal strata given covariates, without access to any outcome data. This principal stratification analysis yields robust causal inference without relying on any model assumptions on the outcome distributions. We also propose approaches to conducting sensitivity analysis for violations of the ignorability and monotonicity assumptions: the very crucial but untestable identification assumptions in our theory. When the assumptions required by the classical instrumental variable analysis cannot be justified by background knowledge or cannot be made because of scientific questions of interest, our strategy serves as a useful alternative tool to deal with intermediate variables. We illustrate our methodologies by using two real data examples and find scientifically meaningful conclusions.