bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Clumped perinuclear BAP1 expression is a frequent finding in sporadic epithelioid Spitz tumors
Authors: Gammon Bryan , Traczyk Tom N. , Gerami Pedram 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBackgroundBRCA1‐associated protein 1 (BAP1) represents a recently identified tumor suppressor protein. Loss of BAP1 has been observed in cutaneous epithelioid Spitz tumors. These cutaneous melanocytic tumors show a distinct histopathologic phenotype characterized by an intradermal sheet‐like proliferation of epithelioid melanocytes.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical outcomes, histopathologic findings and immunophenotype in spitzoid melanocytic neoplasms with the morphologic features seen in BAP1 mutated Spitz tumors. Cases were obtained from our files. BAP1 immunohistochemistry was evaluated dichotomously for the presence of nuclear staining.ResultsFifteen of 19 cases showed loss of nuclear BAP1 expression. Of the 15 cases displaying nuclear loss of BAP1, clumped perinuclear staining was observed in 8 cases while 7 cases showed complete loss. Follow up ranging from 0–45 months (mean 17 months) was uneventful.ConclusionsOur data are consistent with an indolent overall clinical course for epithelioid Spitz tumors with loss of BAP1. Furthermore, a large subset of epithelioid Spitz tumors display loss of nuclear expression but show a reproducible clumped perinuclear staining pattern.
The Fight Against Disease: Malaria and Economic Development in Italian Regions
Authors: Percoco Marco 
Published: March 2013

AbstractMalaria is thought to be strictly related to underdevelopment and poverty, and its geographically related origin is now widely recognized. That is, it is endemic only in certain areas of the globe, with environmental and climatic characteristics that are ideal for the proliferation of mosquitoes, which are the vector for transmitting the disease. This feature is the main reason why a large body of economic literature uses mortality from malaria as a proxy with which to measure the effect of geography on human outcomes. Cases of eradication are being scrutinized by scholars to determine the socioeconomic impacts of malaria. Among the various malaria parasites, the worst, Plasmodium falciparum, infested Italian regions for centuries until its eradication in the period 1945–50. This article presents an empirical assessment of the economic outcomes of the eradication of malaria in the Italian regions by exploiting the spatial variation in mortality rates. I found support for the hypothesis that the eradication of malaria increases human capital in the long run. In particular, I found that eradication increased the years of schooling by about 0.3 years, although my evidence suggests a greater effect on males than on females. Moreover, I found support for a long‐run impact of eradication actions that operated through an intergenerational spillover effect and accounted for about 0.07 years of schooling.
Increased sorting and wage inequality in the Czech Republic
Authors: Eriksson Tor , Pytliková Mariola , Warzynski Frédéric 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThis paper makes use of a linked employer–employee dataset to examine the evolution of wage inequality in the Czech Republic during 1998–2006. We find evidence of slightly increasing returns to human capital and diminishing gender inequality and document sharp increases in both within‐firm and between‐firm inequality. We investigate several hypotheses to explain these patterns: increased domestic and international competition, decentralized wage bargaining, skill‐biased technological change and a changing educational composition of the workforce. Domestic competition is found to lower within‐firm inequality whereas we find no evidence that increased international trade at the industry level is associated with higher between‐ or within‐firm wage inequality. The key factors driving the observed increase in wage inequality are increased educational sorting and the inflow of foreign firms to the Czech Republic.
Turnover of plant lineages shapes herbivore phylogenetic beta diversity along ecological gradients
Authors: Pellissier Loïc , Ndiribe Charlotte , Dubuis Anne , Pradervand Jean‐Nicolas , Salamin Nicolas , Guisan Antoine , Rasmann Sergio 
Published: March 2013

AbstractUnderstanding drivers of biodiversity patterns is of prime importance in this era of severe environmental crisis. More diverse plant communities have been postulated to represent a larger functional trait‐space, more likely to sustain a diverse assembly of herbivore species. Here, we expand this hypothesis to integrate environmental, functional and phylogenetic variation of plant communities as factors explaining the diversity of lepidopteran assemblages along elevation gradients in the Swiss Western Alps. According to expectations, we found that the association between butterflies and their host plants is highly phylogenetically structured. Multiple regression analyses showed the combined effect of climate, functional traits and phylogenetic diversity in structuring butterfly communities. Furthermore, we provide the first evidence that plant phylogenetic beta diversity is the major driver explaining butterfly phylogenetic beta diversity. Along ecological gradients, the bottom up control of herbivore diversity is thus driven by phylogenetically structured turnover of plant traits as well as environmental variables.
Changes over time in adult dental fear and correlation to depression and anxiety: a cohort study of pregnant mothers and fathers
Authors: Tolvanen Mimmi , Hagqvist Outi , Luoto Anni , Rantavuori Kari , Karlsson Linnea , Karlsson Hasse , Lahti Satu 
Published: March 2013

We aimed to evaluate (i) changes in dental fear over time during pregnancy and after delivery among mothers and fathers and (ii) whether these changes inter‐relate to changes in depression and anxiety. Longitudinal pilot data for the FinnBrain Cohort study were used. Of 254 pregnant families, 80% agreed to participate and 60% returned questionnaires at the first data‐collection point. After three data‐collection points [weeks 18–20 and 32–34 of pregnancy (H18–20 and H32–34, respectively), and 3 months after childbirth], 99 mothers and 74 fathers had filled out at least two out of three Modified Dental Anxiety Scale questionnaires and were included in this study. Other questionnaires used were the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, the State Trait Anxiety Inventory, and the Pregnancy Related Anxiety Questionnaire. All scales were analyzed as sum scores. Among mothers, dental fear decreased during late pregnancy and increased slightly after childbirth, but no statistically significant correlations between dental fear and depression or anxiety, except for fear of giving birth, were found. Among fathers dental fear increased and was correlated with depression and anxiety. Dental fear seems to fluctuate among women during pregnancy and could be affected by hormonal changes.
Reversibly acetylated lysine residues play important roles in the enzymatic activity of Escherichia coli N‐hydroxyarylamine O‐acetyltransferase
Authors: Zhang Qunfang , Gu Jing , Gong Peng , Wang Xude , Tu Shun , Bi Lijun , Yu Ziniu , Zhang Zhiping , Cui Zongqiang , Wei Hongping , Tao Shengce , Zhang Xianen 
Published: March 2013

CobB is a bacterial NAD+‐dependent protein deacetylase. Although progress has been made in functional studies of this protein in recent years, its substrates and biological functions are still largely unclear. Using proteome microarray technology, potential substrates of Escherichia coli CobB were screened and nine proteins were identified, including N‐hydroxyarylamine O‐acetyltransferase (NhoA). In vitro acetylation/deacetylation of NhoA was verified by western blotting and mass spectrometry, and two acetylated lysine residues were identified. Site‐specific mutagenesis experiments showed that mutation of each acetylated lysine decreased the acetylation level of NhoA in vitro. Further analysis showed that variant NhoA proteins carrying substitutions at the two acetylated lysine residues are involved in both the O‐acetyltransferase and N‐acetyltransferase activity of NhoA. Structural analyses were also performed to explore the effects of the acetylated lysine residues on the activity of NhoA. These results suggest that reversible acetylation may play a role in the activity of Escherichia coli NhoA.
New insights into the pathobiology of Down syndrome – hyaluronan synthase‐2 overexpression is regulated by collagen VI α2 chain
Authors: Karousou Evgenia , Stachtea Xanthi , Moretto Paola , Viola Manuela , Vigetti Davide , D'Angelo Maria Luisa , Raio Luigi , Ghezzi Fabio , Pallotti Francesco , De Luca Giancarlo , Karamanos Nikos K. , Passi Alberto 
Published: March 2013

Down syndrome (DS) is a common birth defect characterized by the trisomy of chromosome 21. DS‐affected umbilical cords (UCs) of fetuses show altered architecture of the extracellular matrix. Overexpression of the chromosome 21 genes encoding the collagen type VI (COLVI) chains α1(VI) and α2(VI), COL6A1 and COL6A2, respectively, has also reported to occur in the nuchal skin of DS fetuses. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the COLVI content in euploid and DS‐affected UCs and human skin fibroblasts, and to investigate the relationships between COLVI and hyaluronan (HA) and HA synthase‐2 (HAS2). We found that the UCs of DS fetuses showed denser staining of COLVI and increased COL6A2 expression at both early and term gestational ages. In vitro expression studies in DS‐derived fibroblasts showed similarly increased amounts of α1(VI) and α2(VI) chains at the protein and transcriptional level, supporting the hypothesis of the gene dosage effect. Furthermore, increased levels of HA and HAS2 were also found in DS‐derived skin fibroblast cultures. Notably, silencing of COL6A2 in DS‐derived cells resulted in downregulation of HAS2, with a simultaneous decrease in secreted HA. Exogenous addition of COLVI to normal fibroblasts did not have any effect on HAS2 expression. In conclusion, UCs and skin fibroblasts in DS show significant increases in COLVI and HA; the overexpression of COL6A2 in DS tissue and cells is closely related to the increased expression of HAS2. These data may explain the DS phenotypes and their effects in organ tissue maturation.
The flow field near a venous needle in hemodialysis: A computational study
Authors: Fulker David , Kang Martin , Simmons Anne , Barber Tracie 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe vascular access used in hemodialysis can suffer from numerous complications, which may lead to failure of the access, patient morbidity, and significant costs. The flow field in the region of the venous needle may be a source of damaging hemodynamics and hence adverse effects on the fistula. In this study, the venous needle flow has been considered, using three‐dimensional computational methods. Four scenarios where the venous needle flow could potentially influence dialysis treatment outcome were identified and examined: Variation of the needle placement angle (10°, 20°, 30°), variation of the blood flow rate settings (200, 300, 400 mL/min), variation of the needle depth (top, middle, bottom), and the inclusion of a back eye in the needle design. The presence of the needle has significant effect on the flow field, with different scenarios having varying influence. In general, wall shear stresses were elevated above normal physiological values, and increased presence of areas of low velocity and recirculation—indicating increased likelihood of intimal hyperplasia development—were found. Computational results showed that the presence of the venous needle in a hemodialysis fistula leads to abnormal and potentially damaging flow conditions and that optimization of needle parameters could aid in the reduction of vascular access complications. Results indicate shallow needle angles and lower blood flow rates may minimize vessel damage.
Properties of capsaicinoids for the control of fungi and oomycetes pathogenic to pepper
Authors: Veloso J. , Prego C. , Varela M. M. , Carballeira R. , Bernal A. , Merino F. , Díaz J. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractCapsaicinoids are pungent compounds found in pepper (Capsicum spp.) fruits. Capsaicin showed antimicrobial activity in plate assays against seven isolates of five species of fungi and nine isolates of two species of oomycetes. The general trend was that oomycetes were more inhibited than fungi. Assays of capsaicin biosynthetic precursors suggest that the lateral chain of capsaicinoids has more inhibitory activity than the phenolic part. In planta tests of capsaicinoids (capsaicin and N‐vanillylnonanamide) applied to the roots demonstrated that these compounds conferred protection against the pathogenic fungus Verticillium dahliae and induced both chitinase activity and expression of several defence‐related genes, such as CASC1, CACHI2 and CABGLU. N‐Vanillylnonanamide infiltrated into cotyledons confers systemic protection to the upper leaves of pepper against the fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. In wild‐type tomato plants such cotyledon infiltration has no protective effect, but is effective in the Never‐ripe tomato mutant impaired in ethylene response. A similar effect was observed in tomato after salicylic acid infiltration.
Adult Literacy Surveys in Australia
Authors: Caldwell Bruce , Webster Andrew 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIn 1996 and 2006, Australia conducted the International Adult Literacy Survey and the Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey to measure literacy (and numeracy) competencies. Good literacy skills are increasingly essential for individuals to participate in contemporary society and the modern economy. These surveys also collected background information, enabling an examination of the factors that influence literacy and of how literacy may affect individual opportunities and outcomes. The time series of adult literacy surveys will be enhanced when the 2011–12 Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies is published in 2013.
Constructing the Herald/Age – Lateral Economics Index of Australia's Wellbeing
Authors: Lancy Annette , Gruen Nicholas 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIn recent years, economists and others have returned to the question of how best to measure a country's level of well‐being. This article summarises a contemporary attempt to construct an Australian index of well‐being and discusses the key conceptual and methodological tradeoffs faced when seeking to be rigorous, engaging and useful in considering policy alternatives.
Representation inUKEmployment Tribunals: Analysis of the 2003 and 2008 Survey of Employment Tribunal Applications (SETA)
Authors: Urwin Peter , Buscha Franz , Latreille Paul L. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe perception is that formal representation is increasingly common inUK EmploymentTribunals (ETs), as case volumes and complexity increase. We investigate the nature of representation inUK ETsusing the 2003 and 2008Survey ofEmploymentTribunalApplications (SETA). The results suggest that between 2003 and 2008, the extent of formal claimant representation declined. The majority of employers and claimants are either heavily represented or have little/no representation, and there is little evidence that claimant representation is a response to employer representation at least at the level of individual claims. Overall, however, it would seem that some of the ‘accessible, informal and inexpensive’ characteristics envisaged byDonovan continue to apply only to cases within certain jurisdictions.
Advancing Genomic Research and Reducing Health Disparities: What Can Nurse Scholars Do?
Authors: Jaja Cheedy , Gibson Robert , Quarles Shirley 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPurposeAdvances in genomic research are improving our understanding of human diseases and evoking promise of an era of genomic medicine. It is unclear whether genomic medicine may exacerbate or attenuate extant racial group health disparities. We delineate how nurse scholars could engage in the configuration of an equitable genomic medicine paradigm.Organizing ConstructWe identify as legitimate subjects for nursing scholarship the scientific relevance, ethical, and public policy implications for employing racial categories in genomic research in the context of reducing extant health disparities.FindingsSince genomic research is largely population specific, current classification of genomic data will center on racial and ethnic groups. Nurse scholars should be involved in clarifying how putative racial group differences should be elucidated in light of the current orthodoxy that genomic solutions may alleviate racial health disparities.ConclusionsNurse scholars are capable of employing their expertise in concept analysis to elucidate how race is used as a variable in scientific research, and to use knowledge brokering to delineate how race variables that imply human ancestry could be utilized in genomic research pragmatically in the context of health disparities.Clinical RelevanceIn an era of genomic medicine, nurse scholars should recognize and understand the challenges and complexities of genomics and race and their relevance to health care and health disparities.
Do different ADHD‐related etiological risks involve specific neuropsychological pathways? An analysis of mediation processes by inhibitory control and delay aversion
Authors: Pauli‐Pott Ursula , Dalir Silke , Mingebach Tanja , Roller Alisa , Becker Katja 
Published: March 2013

BackgroundInhibitory control (IC) has been regarded as a neuropsychological basic deficit and as an endophenotype of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Implicated here are mediation processes between etiological factors and ADHD symptoms. We thus analyze whether and to what extent executive IC and delay aversion (DA; i.e., reward‐related IC) performance mediate the associations of familial, prenatal, and psychosocial risks with ADHD symptoms.MethodsThe study sample consisted of 130 preschool children (3–6 years; 50% boys), including 20% (n = 26) with a positive family history of ADHD (familial risk). Prenatal risks were mainly taken from medical records. Psychosocial risks were assessed by a structured interview. ADHD symptoms were assessed by structured interviews and questionnaires completed by parents and teachers. A set of neuropsychological tasks on IC and DA was conducted with the children.ResultsFamilial, prenatal, and psychosocial risks were significantly associated with ADHD symptoms. IC and DA also correlated significantly with ADHD symptoms. While the familial risk significantly correlated with IC and DA, psychosocial and prenatal risks were only weakly associated with these measures. The link between the familial risk and ADHD symptoms was partially mediated by IC and DA.ConclusionsThe results indicate different neuropsychological pathways related to ‘positive family history of ADHD’ and prenatal risks. Given a cross‐validation in future studies, the results underscore the endophenotypic character of IC and DA in preschool ages.
Differential characterization of emerging skin diseases of rainbow trout – a standardized approach to capturing disease characteristics and development of case definitions
Authors: Oidtmann B , LaPatra S E , Verner‐Jeffreys D , Pond M , Peeler E J , Noguera P A , Bruno D W , St‐Hilaire S , Schubiger C B , Snekvik K , Crumlish M , Green D M , Metselaar M , Rodger H , Schmidt‐Posthaus H , Galeotti M , Feist S W 
Published: March 2013

AbstractFarmed and wild salmonids are affected by a variety of skin conditions, some of which have significant economic and welfare implications. In many cases, the causes are not well understood, and one example is cold water strawberry disease of rainbow trout, also called red mark syndrome, which has been recorded in the UK since 2003. To date, there are no internationally agreed methods for describing these conditions, which has caused confusion for farmers and health professionals, who are often unclear as to whether they are dealing with a new or a previously described condition. This has resulted, inevitably, in delays to both accurate diagnosis and effective treatment regimes. Here, we provide a standardized methodology for the description of skin conditions of rainbow trout of uncertain aetiology. We demonstrate how the approach can be used to develop case definitions, using coldwater strawberry disease as an example.
Transmission dynamics of pancreas disease (PD) in a Norwegian fjord: aspects of water transport, contact networks and infection pressure among salmon farms
Authors: Stene A , Viljugrein H , Yndestad H , Tavornpanich S , Skjerve E 
Published: March 2013

AbstractPancreas disease (PD) in marine salmon farming is caused by salmon pancreas disease virus (SPDV). Virus survival, infection pressure and contact networks among farms influence the potential of PD to spread. The present study aims to explore contact networks and infection pressure and their ability to explain transmission dynamics of PD in a Norwegian fjord. In this study, we included all records of PD by subtype 3 (SPDV3) in the study population from the first reported in August 2006 to the last reported in November 2009. Using logistic regression analyses, we found that contact network by water transport explained better transmission of PD than contact networks defined by ownership or close distance to infected farms. Hydrodynamic modelling can be a valuable tool to forecast the spread of PD and thereby take actions to reduce the transmission. Knowing the risk of getting infected, it is important to avoid water transport from infected farms when new cohorts are transferred to sea water, and to have conscious control regarding management operations between farms.
A Systems Approach to Sustainable Technical Product Design
Authors: Luthe Tobias , Kägi Thomas , Reger Jan 
Published: March 2013

SummaryMany existing methods for sustainable technical product design focus on environmental efficiency while lacking a framework for a holistic, sustainable design approach that includes combined social, technical, economic, and environmental aspects in the whole product life cycle, and that provides guidance on a technical product development level. This research proposes a framework for sustainable technical product design in the case of skis. We developed a ski under the Grown brand, benchmarked according to social, environmental, economic, and technical targets, following an initial sustainability assessment, and delivered the first environmental life cycle assessment (ELCA) and the first social life cycle assessment (SLCA) of skis. The framework applies a virtual development process as a combination of ELCA to calculate the environmental footprint as carbon equivalents of all materials and processes and a technical computer‐aided design (CAD) and computer‐aided engineering (CAE) simulation and virtual optimization using parameter studies for the nearly prototype‐free development of the benchmarked skis. The feedback loops between life cycle assessment (LCA) and virtual simulation led to the elimination of highly energy intensive materials, to the pioneering use of basalt fibers in skis, to the optimization of the use of natural materials using protective coatings from natural resins, and to the optimization of the production process. From an environmental perspective, a minimum 32% reduction in carbon equivalent emissions of materials in relation to other comparably performing skis has been achieved, as well as a pioneering step forward toward transparent communication of the environmental performance by the individual, comparable, and first published ski carbon footprint per volume unit.