bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What Determines Foreign Policy in Latin America? Systemic versus Domestic Factors in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico, 1946–2008
Authors: Neto Octavio Amorim , Malamud Andrés 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIs it domestic politics or the international system that more decisively influences foreign policy? This article focuses on Latin America's three largest powers to identify patterns and compare outcomes in their relations with the regional hegemon, the United States. Through a statistical analysis of voting behavior in the UN General Assembly, we examine systemic variables (both realist and liberal) and domestic variables (institutional, ideological, and bureaucratic) to determine their relative weights between 1946 and 2008. The study includes 4,900 votes, the tabulation of 1,500 ministers according to their ideological persuasion, all annual trade entries, and an assessment of the political strength of presidents, cabinets, and parties per year. The findings show that while Argentina's voting behavior has been determined mostly by domestic factors and Mexico's by realist systemic ones, Brazil's has a more complex blend of determinants, but also with a prevalence of realist systemic variables.
Resisting Removal: The Impact of Community Mobilization in Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Donaghy Maureen 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe experiences of communities in Rio de Janeiro under threat of removal through gentrification or mega-event construction present an opportunity to review the process and impact of urban community mobilization. This article assesses the determinants of community strategies, the challenges to implementation, and the impact of mobilization on outcomes for such communities. It reviews the case of Vila Autódromo, detailing the dynamic influence of both rational expectations and the “right to the city” ideology in developing resistance strategies and providing evidence to confirm the importance of social capital and civic capacity for community efficacy. The analysis updates theorizing beyond the politics of clientelism and contributes to understanding how the urban regime approach may apply to the Latin American context, while demonstrating the continued relevance of the political opportunity structure for determining policy outcomes.
Allopatric speciation with little niche divergence is common among alpine Primulaceae
Authors: Boucher Florian C. , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Conti Elena 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimDespite the accumulation of cases describing fast radiations of alpine plants, we still have limited understanding of the drivers of speciation in alpine floras and of the precise the timing of their diversification. Here, we investigated spatial and temporal patterns of speciation in three groups of alpine Primulaceae.LocationMountains of the European Alpine System.MethodsWe built a new phylogeny of Primulaceae including all species in three focal groups: Androsace sect. Aretia, Primula sect. Auricula and Soldanella. Combining phylogenetic information with a detailed climatic data set, we investigated patterns of range and ecological overlap between sister‐species using an approach that takes phylogenetic uncertainty into account. Finally, we investigated temporal trajectories of diversification in the three focal groups.ResultsWe found that a large majority of sister‐species pairs in the three groups are strictly allopatric and show little differences in substrate and climatic preferences, a result that was robust to phylogenetic uncertainty. While rates of diversification have remained constant in Soldanella, both Androsace sect. Aretia and Primula sect. Auricula showed decreased diversification rates in the Pleistocene compared to previous geological epochs.Main conclusionsAllopatric speciation with little niche divergence appears to have been by far the most common mode of speciation across the three groups studied. A few examples, however, suggest that ecological and polyploid speciation might also have played a role in the diversification of these three groups. Finally, extensive diversification likely occurred in the late Miocene and Pliocene coinciding with the later phases of the Alpine uplift, while diversification slowed down during subsequent glacial cycles of the Pleistocene.
Optimal cut‐off levels of obesity indices by different definitions of metabolic syndrome in a southeast rural Chinese population
Authors: Pan Jin , Wang Meng , Ye Zhen , Yu Min , Shen Yuhua , He Qinfang , Cao Naxin , Ning Guang , Bi Yufang , Gong Weiwei , Hu Ruying 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAims/IntroductionThe aim of the present study was to compare the cut‐off values and prediction effect of different obesity indices by different definitions of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Zhejiang Province of China.Materials and MethodsWe carried out a cross‐sectional survey of 10,100 individuals (age 40 years and older) in Jiashan, Zhejiang Province. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to examine discrimination and find optimal cut off values of waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist‐to‐hip ratio (WHR) and waist‐to‐height ratio (WHtR) to predict two or more non‐adipose components of MetS by The National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) definition modified by the Asia–Pacific region criteria, International Diabetes Federation definition for the Chinese population and Chinese Diabetes Society definitions of MetS.ResultsThe age‐standardized prevalence of MetS was 23.78% vs 28.76% vs 19.37% by The National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, And Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol In Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III), International Diabetes Federation and Chinese Diabetes Society definitions, respectively. Cut‐off values of BMI were approximately 24 kg/m2 both in men and women by three definitions; the average cut‐off values of WC, WHR and WHtR were 83 cm in men vs 81 cm in women, 0.89 in men vs 0.86 in women and 0.50 in men vs 0.51 in women, respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of BMI was larger than WC both in men and women (P < 0.05); in women, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve of WHtR was larger than WC, and WHR was smaller.ConclusionsMetS is prevalent in Zhejiang Province of China, especially in the female population. BMI and WHtR might be more useful than WC and WHR for predicting two or more non‐adipose components of MetS.
Evolution, plasticity and evolving plasticity of phenology in the tree species Alnus glutinosa
Authors: De Kort H. , Vander Mijnsbrugge K. , Vandepitte K. , Mergeay J. , Ovaskainen O. , Honnay O. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBoth traits and the plasticity of these traits are subject to evolutionary change and therefore affect the long‐term persistence of populations and their role in local communities. We subjected clones from 12 different populations of Alnus glutinosa, located along a latitudinal gradient, to two different temperature treatments, to disentangle the distribution of genetic variation in timing of bud burst and bud burst plasticity within and among genotypes, populations, and regions. We calculated heritability and evolvability estimates for bud burst and bud burst plasticity and assessed the influence of divergent selection relative to neutral drift. We observed higher levels of heritability and evolvability for bud burst than for its plasticity, whereas the total phenological heritability and evolvability (i.e. combining timing of bud burst and bud burst plasticity) suggest substantial evolutionary potential with respect to phenology. Earlier bud burst was observed for the low‐latitudinal populations than for the populations from higher latitudes, whereas the high‐latitudinal populations did not show the expected delayed bud burst. This countergradient variation can be due to evolution towards increased phenological plasticity at higher latitudes. However, because we found little evidence for adaptive differences in phenological plasticity across the latitudinal gradient, we suggest differential frost tolerance as the most likely explanation for the observed phenological patterns in A. glutinosa.
Dietary Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Are Positively Associated with Risk of Developing Metabolic Syndrome in Middle‐Aged and Elderly Adults
Authors: Juanola‐Falgarona Martí , Salas‐Salvadó Jordi , Buil‐Cosiales Pilar , Corella Dolores , Estruch Ramón , Ros Emili , Fitó Montserrat , Recondo Javier , Gómez‐Gracia Enrique , Fiol Miquel , Lapetra José , Lamuela‐Raventós Rosa M. , Serra‐Majem Lluis , Pintó Xavier , Muñoz Miguel A. , Ruiz‐Gutiérrez Valentina , Alfredo Martínez José , Castro‐Quezada Itandehui , Bulló Mònica 
Published: October 2015

ObjectivesTo evaluate how glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) are associated with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its features in middle‐aged and elderly adults at high cardiovascular risk.DesignProspective, longitudinal, population‐based cohort.SettingPREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea study.ParticipantsMen and women (N = 6,606) divided into three age groups (<65, 65–74, ≥75).MeasurementsEnergy and nutrient intake was evaluated using a validated 137‐item food frequency questionnaire. MetS and its features were defined in accordance with the criteria of the American Heart Association and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.ResultsA positive association was observed between GI and MetS prevalence in the youngest and middle age groups for participants without diabetes mellitus, but no relationship was found for those with diabetes mellitus. During the median follow‐up of 4.8 years, higher GI and GL were related to greater risk of MetS in the middle age group, independent of the presence of diabetes mellitus. Changes in dietary GI were associated with risk of developing the high fasting glucose component of the MetS in the oldest age category, and changes in dietary GL were associated with risk of developing abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, low high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high blood pressure in the youngest age category.ConclusionDietary GI and GL have a potential role in the development of MetS and associated clinical features, with particular age‐dependent considerations.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) and pro‐NGF increase low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors in neuronal cells partly by different mechanisms: role of LDL in neurite outgrowth
Authors: Do Hai Thi , Bruelle Céline , Pham Dan Duc , Jauhiainen Matti , Eriksson Ove , Korhonen Laura T. , Lindholm Dan 
Published: October 2015

AbstractLow‐density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs) mediate the uptake of lipoprotein particles into cells, as studied mainly in peripheral tissues. Here, we show that nerve growth factor (NGF) increases LDLR levels in PC6.3 cells and in cultured septal neurons from embryonic rat brain. Study of the mechanisms showed that NGF enhanced transcription of the LDLR gene, acting mainly via Tropomyosin receptor kinase A receptors. Simvastatin, a cholesterol‐lowering drug, also increased the LDLR expression in PC6.3 cells. In addition, pro‐NGF and pro‐brain‐derived neurotrophic factor, acting via the p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) also increased LDLRs. We further observed that Myosin Regulatory Light Chain‐Interacting Protein/Inducible Degrader of the LDLR (Mylip/Idol) was down‐regulated by pro‐NGF, whereas the other LDLR regulator, proprotein convertase subtilisin kexin 9 (PCSK9) was not significantly changed. On the functional side, NGF and pro‐NGF increased lipoprotein uptake by neuronal cells as shown using diacetyl‐labeled LDL. The addition of serum‐derived lipoprotein particles in conjunction with NGF or simvastatin enhanced neurite outgrowth. Collectively, these results show that NGF and simvastatin are able to stimulate lipoprotein uptake by neurons with a positive effect on neurite outgrowth. Increases in LDLRs and lipoprotein particles in neurons could play a functional role during brain development, in neuroregeneration and after brain injuries.
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Nerve growth factor (NGF) and pro‐NGF induce the expression of low‐density lipoprotein receptors (LDLRs) in neuronal cells leading to increased LDLR levels. Pro‐NGF also down‐regulated myosin regulatory light chain‐interacting protein/inducible degrader of the LDLR (Mylip/Idol) that is involved in the degradation of LDLRs. NGF acts mainly via Tropomyosin receptor kinase A (TrkA) receptors, whereas pro‐NGF stimulates p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR). Elevated LDLRs upon NGF and pro‐NGF treatments enhanced lipoprotein uptake by neurons. Addition of LDL particles further led to the stimulation of neurite outgrowth in PC6.3 cells after NGF or simvastatin treatments, suggesting a stimulatory role of lipoproteins on neuronal differentiation. In contrast, pro‐NGF had no effect on neurite outgrowth either in the absence or presence of LDL particles. The precise mechanisms by which increased lipoproteins uptake can affect neurite outgrowth warrant further studies.
Vaginoplasty in Male-to-Female Transsexual Surgery: A Training Concept Incorporating Dissection Room Experience to Optimize Functional and Cosmetic Results
Authors: Leclère F. M. , Casoli V. , Weigert R. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Learning a new technique, even for an established surgeon, requires a learning curve; however, in transsexual surgery especially, there is a lack of professional and public tolerance for suboptimal aesthetic and functional results due to a learning curve.

Aims
In this context, we have tried to build a learning concept for vaginoplasty that includes four steps: (i) formal identification of the surgical steps in order to provide both measure of surgical process and measures of outcomes; (ii) training on cadavers with expert assistance; (iii) performing the live surgery with assistance from expert; and (iv) performing the surgery alone. Herein, we emphasize the second step of our learning concept.

Material and Methods
Between September 2013 and December 2013, 15 cadavers were operated on by an established surgeon learning vaginoplasty under assistance from two expert practitioners. Mean global time and mean time necessary to perform each step of the operation were recorded by the experts. Intraoperative complications were systematically registered. The final depth and diameter of the neaovaginal cavity were precisely measured. For each cadaver, the aesthetic results were assessed by one of the experts.

Results
Mean total operating time was 179 ± 34 minutes and decreased from 262 minutes for the first training attempt to 141 minutes for the last one. Intraoperative expert correction included modification of the scrotal triangular flap design and change of position of the urethra: This happened during the first training. No lesion of the urethra or of the anus occurred. The two experts judged the outcomes as excellent in seven cases, very good in four cases, good in two cases, and fair in two cases.

Conclusion
Despite the numerous reports on vaginoplasty in the literature, there is a real lack of published information on the learning curve of this operation. We make the hypothesis that introducing a learning concept with assistance from expert practitioners at the beginning of the surgeon's experience can optimize both the duration of his learning curve and reduce the risk of major complications.
Leishmania donovani‐specific Ub‐related modifier‐1: an early endosome‐associated ubiquitin‐like conjugation in Leishmania donovani
Authors: Sharma Vanila , Sharma Paresh , Selvapandiyan Angamuthu , Salotra Poonam 
Published: October 2015

SummaryProtein modification by ubiquitin (Ub) and Ub‐like molecules (Ubls) is a diverse biological process that regulates the activity of the target proteins. Systematic studies of Ubls in trypanosomatids like Leishmania, the causative organism of potentially fatal visceral leishmaniasis, would yield a better understanding of the disease pathogenesis and identify novel therapeutic targets. The present study is the first to characterize Leishmania donovani‐specific Ub‐related modifier‐1 (LdUrm1) and the associated conjugation pathway. Based on homology modeling, LdUrm1 was found to possess a β‐grasp fold and a C‐terminal di‐glycine motif unique to Ub/Ubls, essential for its conjugation to the target proteins. We identified LdUba4 as the E1 enzyme for LdUrm1 and demonstrated its energy‐dependent enzymatic activity. LdUrm1 was immunolocalized anteriorly near the flagellar reservoir, while LdUba4 was cytoplasmic, both in promastigotes and axenic amastigotes. Expression of nonconjugatable LdUrm1 in L. donovani resulted in depleted parasite growth suggesting its role in the pathogenesis. By mass spectrometry, we identified Rab5, a known mediator of early endosome regulated hemoglobin endocytosis in Leishmania, as a target of LdUrm1. Our data suggest that LdUrm1 conjugation pathway may have a role in early endosome‐mediated heme uptake in Leishmania that may be explored as a drug target.
Simple renal cyst and renal dysfunction: A pilot study using dimercaptosuccinic acid renal Scan
Authors: Kwon Taekmin , Lim Bumjin , You Dalsan , Hong Bumsik , Hong Jun Hyuk , Kim Choung‐Soo , Jeong In Gab 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimLittle is known about the association between renal cyst and renal dysfunction. We evaluated the deterioration of renal function in patients with unilateral, large, simple renal cysts.MethodsFifty patients with unilateral, simple renal cysts measuring ≥ 4 cm (cyst group) and 50 kidney donors (control group) were enrolled. Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scans were performed to calculate split renal function. The differences between split renal function were calculated and compared. Clinical factors affecting decreased renal function in the cyst group were assessed.ResultsThe mean age of the patients in the cyst group was higher than the control group (59.1 vs 39.2 years; P = 0.001). Patients with renal cysts tended to be diagnosed with hypertension (P = 0.001), However, the two groups did not significantly differ in terms of the other characteristics. The median cyst size was 7.2 cm (range, 4.5–14.2), and 31 of the 50 patients (60.2%) in the cyst group demonstrated decreased renal function in the cystic kidney units (median: 5.8%; range, 0.2–33). Although there were no differences in split renal function (50.1% vs 49.9%; P = 0.629) in the control group, the relative renal function of the cystic kidney units were significantly lower than the contralateral kidney units in the cyst group (48.3% vs 51.7%; P = 0.001). The decrease in relative renal function (>8%) in the cystic kidney units was associated with a higher serum uric acid levels and higher RENAL complexity (P = 0.035 and P = 0.007, respectively).ConclusionA significant proportion of unilateral, large, simple renal cysts are associated with decreased relative renal function on DMSA renal scans.
Tobin Tax and Volatility: A Threshold Quantile Autoregressive Regression Framework
Authors: Damette Olivier , Park Beum‐Jo 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFrom an original data set on the euro–dollar and on the won–dollar currency pairs (2008–2010), we conduct a threshold quantile autoregressive model to explain the role of aTobin tax (TT) on the exchange rate volatility, taking into account two types of nonlinearity (regimes and quantiles). We find evidence that the impact of aTTwould not be monotonic. ATTmay be a good instrument to stabilize foreign exchange volatility only in normal times and/or in efficient markets. In contrast, aTTcould be counterproductive in turbulent periods by increasing the volatility. In addition, by comparing a major currency pair (euro/dollar) and a minor currency pair (won/dollar), it appears that the potential stabilizing effect of aTTwould be more clear‐cut in the low volatility regime of a major currency pair, similar to the euro/dollar. Our results do not corroborate the previous studies that derived a monotonic and positive impact of aTTon volatility.
Tariff Liberalization and Trade Integration of Emerging Countries
Authors: Disdier Anne‐Célia , Fontagné Lionel , Mimouni Mondher 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis paper investigates how tariff liberalization has affected exporting at the product‐destination level in emerging countries. We use a highly disaggregated (six‐digit level of the harmonized system—HS—classification) bilateral measure of market access to compare tariffs applied in 1996 and 2006, which includes the timing of the Uruguay Round and episodes of bilateral liberalization. Our econometric estimations consider impacts of tariff cuts on three components of the trade margins: extensive margin of entry (new trade relationships at the product‐destination level), extensive margin of exit (disappearance of existing relationships) and intensive margin of trade (deepening existing relationships). Our main estimates indicate that a reduction of bilateral applied tariffs of 1 percentage point increases the extensive margin of entry by 0.1% and the intensive one by 2.09%, while it reduces the extensive margin of exit by 0.25%.
Creole Hegemony in Caribbean Societies: The Case of Suriname
Authors: Gowricharn Ruben 
Published: October 2015

AbstractEvaluating the representation of the East Indian communities in the national political identity of Caribbean countries, and building on the discussion waged in Guyana and especially Trinidad and Tobago, this article elaborates on the example of Suriname. It argues that the Surinamese example differs from that of other countries in the region with respect to the ample opportunity the Indo‐Surinamese community had to change their exclusion from political representation. A second distinguishing feature of Suriname is the uncontested Creole preponderance. Theoretically, the article differentiates the Gramscian concept of hegemony into contested, resisted, and accepted hegemony in order to capture the relations between the Indian communities and the national political identity. The article argues that part of the difference between these Caribbean countries, and more specifically, part of the self‐restraint on the political agency of the Indian community in Suriname, can be attributed to these countries' ideologies and specific demographic and political constellations.
Ergatives Move Too Early: On an Instance of Opacity in Syntax
Authors: Assmann Anke , Georgi Doreen , Heck Fabian , Müller Gereon , Weisser Philipp 
Published: October 2015

AbstractWe examine the ban on Ā‐movement of the external argument of a transitive verb that holds in many morphologically ergative languages. We argue that the prohibition against movement of the ergative subject should not be derived from restrictions on the movement of the ergative DP. Rather, we suggest that movement of the ergative argument is per se unproblematic, but if it applies, it applies too early and thereby creates problems for its absolutive co‐argument, which does not receive structural case. In morphologically accusative languages, no such movement asymmetry arises because arguments move too late to trigger the fatal consequences that moving ergatives cause. We present a co‐argument‐based analysis that implies a strictly derivational syntax in which the order of operations plays an important role in deriving properties of the grammar. The analysis also involves an instance of syntactic opacity that (all things being equal) cannot be captured by representational means, thus lending support to a derivational approach to syntax.