bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Discovering phenotypic causal structure from nonexperimental data
Authors: Otsuka J. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe evolutionary potential of organisms depends on how their parts are structured into a cohesive whole. A major obstacle for empirical studies of phenotypic organization is that observed associations among characters usually confound different causal pathways such as pleiotropic modules, interphenotypic causal relationships and environmental effects. The present article proposes causal search algorithms as a new tool to distinguish these different modes of phenotypic integration. Without assuming an a priori structure, the algorithms seek a class of causal hypotheses consistent with independence relationships holding in observational data. The technique can be applied to discover causal relationships among a set of measured traits and to distinguish genuine selection from spurious correlations. The former application is illustrated with a biological data set of rat morphological measurements previously analysed by Cheverud et al. (Evolution 1983, 37, 895).
Miracles, Rituals, Heritage: The Invention of Nature in Candomblé
Authors: Sansi Roger 
Published: March 2016

ResumenNas ultimas décadas, a religião Afro‐brasileira Candomblé atravessou um longo processo de patrimonialização. Esse processo tem girado entorno da noção de axé, ou poder ancestral, incorporado em templos, objetos e pessoas. Algumas variantes rituais ou “nações” do Candomblé tem tido mais sucesso que outras em reproduzir o seu poder ancestral, virando também mas identificáveis como objetos de cultura e patrimônio. Nesse artigo vou contrastar esse processo como outro que poderia ser visto como seu oposto: a “naturalização” dos rituais, objetos, espíritos que aparecem no Candomblé como eventos inéditos, novas entidades “naturais”, milagres e lugares de peregrinação, mas no fundo são repetições de antigos mitos e lugares que tem sido conscientemente esquecidos como tais, virando dessa forma irreconhecíveis como objetos de patrimônio. [Arte, Afro‐Latino Americanos, Brasil, Candomblé, Religião]
Deception in Networks: A Laboratory Study
Authors: RONG RONG , HOUSER DANIEL 
Published: March 2016

AbstractCommunication between departments within a firm may include deception. Theory suggests that telling lies in these environments may be strategically optimal if there exists a small difference in monetary incentives. We design a laboratory experiment to investigate whether agents with different monetary incentives in a network environment lie to each other. We found that most communication within an incentive group is truthful and deception often occurs between subjects from different groups. These results align with the prediction of the existing theory. Our findings have important implications for intraorganizational conflict management, demonstrating that in order to minimize deceptive communication between departments the firm may need to reduce incentive differences between these groups.
Technology Diffusion on the International Trade Network
Authors: FERRIER GARY D. , REYES JAVIER , ZHU ZHEN 
Published: March 2016

AbstractTechnological innovations generate knowledge spillovers—non‐innovators benefit through the adoption, imitation, and extension of new technologies. International trade facilitates technology diffusion by providing importing countries access to technical knowledge that they can potentially internalize. Previous studies of the effect of trade on technology diffusion typically only consider the impact of direct (bilateral) trade on indirect measures of technology (e.g., total factor productivity). We contend that the analysis of trade's impact on technology diffusion would be more accurately assessed by using direct measures of specific technologies (e.g., intensity levels) and by allowing for the influence of both the direct and indirect effects of trade in the analysis. The latter is accomplished by modeling the international trade system as a weighted network, which quantifies both direct and indirect trade linkages. Combining trade data with data on the adoption of specific technologies, we find that the network effects of trade play a significant role in technology diffusion. In most cases, countries that are better‐connected on the trade network have higher technology intensities. Further support for the importance of trade is provided by the finding that for “outdated” technologies, better‐connected countries have lower technology intensities because of their adoption of newer, substitute technologies.
Different physical forms of one diet fed to growing pigs induce morphological changes in mandubular glands and local leptin (Ob) production and receptor (ObR) expression
Authors: Cappai M. G. , Dall'Aglio C. , Sander S. J. , Ratert C. , Dimauro C. , Pinna W. , Kamphues J. 
Published: March 2016

SummaryThe physical form of the diet plays an important role for morphological adaptations of organs in the gastrointestinal tract. It was hypothesized that different physical forms of one diet could exert extra‐enteric effects, under local and systemic neuroendocrine regulation. Gross morphology, fresh mass and cytoarchitecture of mandibular glands (MG) were studied in growing pigs fed with one diet processed under four different physical forms. Four dietary treatments were offered for 4 weeks to 32 growing pigs (initial BW: 8.30 ± 0.83 kg) allotted into 4 experimental groups: FP, finely ground pellet (dMean, 0.46 mm); CM, coarsely ground meal (dMean, 0.88 mm); CP, coarsely ground pellet (dMean, 0.84); CE, coarsely ground extruded (dMean, 0.66). Conventional and immuonohistochemical techniques were used to immunolocalize, in particular, leptin (Ob) and its receptor (ObR). A significant effect was observed on the relative mass of the MG, depending on the diet (p < 0.03) and on the BW (p < 0.04), with no interactions (diet*BW). The immunohistochemical reactions for Ob and ObR showed a marked positivity in the MG from the group fed with the CM diet, displaying Ob‐positive acinar cells and ObR‐positive cells in the striated ducts, together with endocrine‐like cells. The intensity of chromogenic reactions positively testing to ObR was used to evaluate the cytoarchitecture of the MG and its possible correlations. Pearson's correlation coefficient resulted to positively link (p < 0.0001) the ObR expression with the absolute mass of MG in the 61.1% of pigs. The physical form of the diet is related to extra‐enteral effects, inducing changes in gross and microscopic morphology of the MG in the growing pig. The local production of Ob and the expression of the respective ObR in the striated duct cells shed a new light on the mitogenic activity of Ob in extra‐enteral organs, like the MG, in relation to the physical form of the diet.
Access to therapy and therapy outcomes in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study: a person‐centred approach
Authors: Giudici F. , Bertisch B. , Negro F. , Stirnimann G. , Müllhaupt B. , Moradpour D. , Cerny A. , Keiser O. ,   the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study
Published: March 2016

SummarySocio‐demographic and behavioural characteristics are associated with delayed diagnosis and disease progression in HCV‐infected persons. However, many analyses focused on single variables rather than groups defined by several variables. We used latent class analysis to study all 4488 persons enrolled in the Swiss Hepatitis C Cohort Study. Groups were identified using predefined variables at enrolment. The number of groups was selected using the Bayesian information criterion. Mortality, loss to follow‐up, cirrhosis, treatment status and response to antivirals were analysed using Laplace and logistic regressions. We identified five groups and named them according to their characteristics: persons who inject drugs, male drinkers, Swiss employees, foreign employees and retirees. Two groups did not conform to common assumptions about persons with chronic hepatitis C and were already in an advanced stage of the disease at enrolment: ‘male drinkers’ and ‘retirees’ had a high proportion of cirrhosis at enrolment (15% and 16% vs <10.3%), and the shortest time to death (adjusted median time 8.7 years and 8.8 years vs >9.0). ‘Male drinkers’ also had high substance use, but they were well educated and were likely to be employed. This analysis may help identifying high‐risk groups which may benefit from targeted interventions.
Extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis E virus
Authors: Kamar Nassim , Marion Olivier , Abravanel Florence , Izopet Jacques , Dalton Harry R. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractHepatitis E virus can cause acute, fulminant and chronic hepatitis and has been associated with a range of extrahepatic manifestations. Guillain–Barré syndrome, neuralgic amyotrophy and encephalitis are the main neurological manifestations associated with acute and chronic hepatitis E virus infection. Renal injuries have been also reported, including membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis with or without cryoglobulinemia and membranous glomerulonephritis. Acute pancreatitis, haematological disorders and other autoimmune extrahepatic manifestations of hepatitis E virus, such as myocarditis and thyroiditis, have been also reported. In this comprehensive article, we review all published reports describing hepatitis E virus–associated extrahepatic manifestations.
The two Suvasvesi impact structures, Finland: Argon isotopic evidence for a “false” impact crater doublet
Authors: Schmieder Martin , Schwarz Winfried H. , Trieloff Mario , Buchner Elmar , Hopp Jens , Tohver Eric , Pesonen Lauri J. , Lehtinen Martti , Moilanen Jarmo , Werner Stephanie C. , Öhman Teemu 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe two neighboring Suvasvesi North and South impact structures in central‐east Finland have been discussed as a possible impact crater doublet produced by the impact of a binary asteroid. This study presents40Ar/39Ar geochronologic data for impact melt rocks recovered from the drilling into the center of the Suvasvesi North impact structure and melt rock from glacially transported boulders linked to Suvasvesi South.40Ar/39Ar step‐heating analysis yielded two essentially flat age spectra indicating a Late Cretaceous age of ~85 Ma for the Suvasvesi North melt rock, whereas the Suvasvesi South melt sample gave a Neoproterozoic minimum (alteration) age of ~710 Ma. Although the statistical likelihood for two independent meteorite strikes in close proximity to each other is rather low, the remarkable difference in40Ar/39Ar ages of >600 Myr for the two Suvasvesi impact melt samples is interpreted as evidence for two temporally separate, but geographically closely spaced, impacts into the Fennoscandian Shield. The Suvasvesi North and South impact structures are, thus, interpreted as a “false” crater doublet, similar to the larger East and West Clearwater Lake impact structures in Québec, Canada, recently shown to be unrelated. Our findings have implications for the reliable recognition of impact crater doublets and the apparent rate of binary asteroid impacts on Earth and other planetary bodies in the inner solar system.
Hypoxia attenuates anti‐Aspergillus fumigatus immune responses initiated by human dendritic cells
Authors: Fliesser Mirjam , Wallstein Marion , Kurzai Oliver , Einsele Hermann , Löffler Jürgen 
Published: March 2016

SummaryAspergillus fumigatus is an opportunistic mould that causes invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA), a life‐threatening infection in immunocompromised patients. During the course of IPA, localised areas of tissue hypoxia occur. Bacterial infection models revealed that hypoxic microenvironments modulate the function of host immune cells. However, the influence of hypoxia on anti‐fungal immunity has been largely unknown. We evaluated the impact of hypoxia on the human anti‐A. fumigatus immune response. Human monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (DCs) were stimulated in vitro with germ tubes of A. fumigatus under normoxia or hypoxia (1% O2), followed by analysis of DC viability, maturation and cytokine release. While DC viability was unaffected, hypoxia attenuated cytokine release from DCs and maturation of DCs upon stimulation with A. fumigatus. These data suggest that hypoxia at the site of A. fumigatus infection inhibits full activation and function of human DCs. Thereby, this study identified hypoxia as a crucial immune‐modulating factor in the human anti‐fungal immune response that might influence the course and outcome of IPA in immunocompromised patients.
Effectiveness of centre‐based childcare interventions in increasing child physical activity: a systematic review and meta‐analysis for policymakers and practitioners
Authors: Finch M. , Jones J. , Yoong S. , Wiggers J. , Wolfenden L. 
Published: March 2016

SummaryContextThe review describes the effectiveness of physical activity interventions implemented in centre‐based childcare services and (i) examines characteristics of interventions that may influence intervention effects; (ii) describes the effects of pragmatic interventions and non‐pragmatic interventions; (iii) assesses adverse effects; and (iv) describes cost‐effectiveness of interventionsMethodsData sources were Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, SCOPUS and SPORTDISCUS. Studies selected included randomized controlled trials conducted in centre‐based childcare including an intervention to increase objectively measured physical activity in children aged less than 6 years. Data were converted into standardized mean difference (SMD) and analysed using a random effects model.ResultsOverall interventions significantly improved child physical activity (SMD 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12–0.76). Significant effects were found for interventions that included structured activity (SMD 0.53; 95% CI: 0.12–0.94), delivery by experts (SMD 1.26; 95% CI: 0.20–2.32) and used theory (SMD 0.76; 95% CI: 0.08–1.44). Non‐pragmatic (SMD 0.80; 95% CI: 0.12–1.48) but not pragmatic interventions (SMD 0.10; 95% CI:−0.13–0.33) improved child physical activity. One trial reported adverse events, and no trials reported cost data.ConclusionsIntervention effectiveness varied according to intervention and trial design characteristics. Pragmatic trials were not effective, and information on cost and adverse effects was lacking. Evidence gaps remain for policymakers and practitioners regarding the effectiveness and feasibility of childcare‐based physical activity interventions.
Thiodigalactoside shows antitumour activity by beta‐galactoside‐binding protein and regulatory T cells inhibition in oral squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Aggarwal S , Das SN 
Published: March 2016

ObjectiveThiodigalactoside (TDG), a synthetic inhibitor of β‐galactoside‐binding protein (β‐GBP) suppresses tumour growth by inhibiting multiple cancer enhancing activities of β‐GBP. Hence, we attempted to understand whether disruption of β‐GBP functions and indirect inhibition of Treg cells by TDG affect the growth and establishment of oral cancer cells.MethodThe growth, morphology, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis induction and angiogenesis of oral cancer cell lines (SCC‐4, SCC‐9, SCC‐25) via MACS‐purified Treg cells were performed by MTT, propidium iodide (PI) staining, annexin‐V‐binding assay and ELISA respectively.ResultsTreatment with β‐GBP showed growth‐promoting effects on Tregs and oral cancer cells. However, the treatment with its inhibitor TDG resulted in inhibition of Treg subsets and also decreased the frequency of IL10+ and IL35+ Tregs indicating its immunomodulatory effects. Additionally, TDG treatment significantly (P < 0.001) inhibited the growth of OSCC cells with a concomitant induction of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and anti‐angiogenesis.ConclusionIt appears that TDG concurrently prevents many tumour‐promoting effects of β‐GBP in oral cancer cells possibly by Treg inhibition. This offers a preclinical proof of the concept that therapeutic targeting of β‐GBP can overcome Treg‐mediated tumour promotion and immunosuppression in oral cancer patients.
Abscisic acid and sucrose regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening through the abscisic acid‐stress‐ripening transcription factor
Authors: Jia Haifeng , Jiu Songtao , Zhang Cheng , Wang Chen , Tariq Pervaiz , Liu Zhongjie , Wang Baoju , Cui Liwen , Fang Jinggui 
Published: March 2016

SummaryAlthough great progress has been made towards understanding the role of abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose in fruit ripening, the mechanisms underlying the ABA and sucrose signalling pathways remain elusive. In this study, transcription factor ABA‐stress‐ripening (ASR), which is involved in the transduction of ABA and sucrose signalling pathways, was isolated and analysed in the nonclimacteric fruit, strawberry and the climacteric fruit, tomato. We have identified four ASR isoforms in tomato and one in strawberry. All ASR sequences contained the ABA stress‐ and ripening‐induced proteins and water‐deficit stress‐induced proteins (ABA/WDS) domain and all ASR transcripts showed increased expression during fruit development. The expression of the ASR gene was influenced not only by sucrose and ABA, but also by jasmonic acid (JA) and indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA), and these four factors were correlated with each other during fruit development. ASR bound the hexose transporter (HT) promoter, which contained a sugar box that activated downstream gene expression. Overexpression of the ASR gene promoted fruit softening and ripening, whereas RNA interference delayed fruit ripening, as well as affected fruit physiological changes. Change in ASR gene expression influenced the expression of several ripening‐related genes such as CHS, CHI, F3H, DFR, ANS, UFGT, PG, PL, EXP1/2, XET16, Cel1/2 and PME. Taken together, this study may provide new evidence on the important role of ASR in cross‐signalling between ABA and sucrose to regulate tomato and strawberry fruit ripening. The findings of this study also provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism underlying fruit development.
A novel genetic engineering platform for the effective management of biological contaminants for the production of microalgae
Authors: Loera‐Quezada Maribel M. , Leyva‐González Marco Antonio , Velázquez‐Juárez Gilberto , Sanchez‐Calderón Lenin , Do Nascimento Mauro , López‐Arredondo Damar , Herrera‐Estrella Luis 
Published: March 2016

SummaryMicroalgal cultivation that takes advantage of solar energy is one of the most cost‐effective systems for the biotechnological production of biofuels, and a range of high value products, including pharmaceuticals, fertilizers and feed. However, one of the main constraints for the cultivation of microalgae is the potential contamination with biological pollutants, such as bacteria, fungi, zooplankton or other undesirable microalgae. In closed bioreactors, the control of contamination requires the sterilization of the media, containers and all materials, which increases the cost of production, whereas open pond systems severely limits the number of species that can be cultivated under extreme environmental conditions to prevent contaminations. Here, we report the metabolic engineering of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to use phosphite as its sole phosphorus source by expressing the ptxD gene from Pseudomonas stutzeri WM88, which encodes a phosphite oxidoreductase able to oxidize phosphite into phosphate using NAD as a cofactor. Engineered C. reinhardtii lines are capable of becoming the dominant species in a mixed culture when fertilized with phosphite as a sole phosphorus source. Our results represent a new platform for the production of microalgae, potentially useful for both closed photobioreactors and open pond systems without the need for using sterile conditions nor antibiotics or herbicides to prevent contamination with biological pollutants.
Pediatric hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae septic arthritis
Authors: Kishibe Shun , Okubo Yusuke , Morino Saeko , Hirotaki Shintaro , Tame Tomoyuki , Aoki Kotaro , Ishii Yoshikazu , Ota Norikazu , Shimomura Satoshi , Sakakibara Hiroshi , Terakawa Toshiro , Horikoshi Yuho 
Published: March 2016

AbstractCases of infection with hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae are gradually increasing in number, and cause life‐threatening community‐acquired infection even in immunocompetent patients. A 14‐year‐old boy developed septic hip arthritis due to hypervirulent K. pneumoniae (sequence type 23, serotype K1, magA positive). The patient initially seemed to have been successfully treated with antibiotics and surgical intervention, but septic arthritis developed into osteomyelitis of the femoral head and myositis, which required long‐term antibiotic therapy and additional surgical intervention. This is the first pediatric case of hypervirulent K. pneumoniae septic hip arthritis. Treatment plans should mainly consist of antibiotic therapy and surgical intervention. Clinicians, even pediatricians, in developed countries should be aware of the increasing incidence of hypervirulent Klebsiella pneumoniae infection.
Low 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with vitiligo: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Upala Sikarin , Sanguankeo Anawin 
Published: March 2016

SummaryBackgroundVitamin D deficiency is associated with a number of autoimmune diseases. We completed a meta‐analysis of observational studies to establish whether there was a relationship between hypovitaminosis D and the autoimmune skin disease vitiligo.MethodsComprehensive search was applied in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases from their inception to December 2015. Inclusion criteria were observational studies that assessed 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels in adults with vitiligo. The main outcome was the mean difference in serum 25(OH)D level between patients with vitiligo and controls.ResultsOur search strategy identified 383 articles; seventeen studies met the criteria for full‐length review and seven studies, containing the data of 1200 patients, were included in a random‐effects model meta‐analysis. The pooled mean difference in serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentration between patients with vitiligo and controls was −7.45 ng/ml (95% confidence interval, −12.99 to −1.91, P‐value = 0.01). The between‐study heterogeneity (I2) was 96%, P = value<0.001.ConclusionsThis meta‐analysis identifies a significant relationship between low 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels and vitiligo, but does not prove causation. Our findings emphasize the importance of measuring 25‐hydroxyvitamin D levels in patients with vitiligo. Further studies will be needed to establish whether vitamin D supplementation in this population improves the outcome of vitiligo.