bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental stress increases body mass index trajectory in pre‐adolescents
Authors: Shankardass K. , McConnell R. , Jerrett M. , Lam C. , Wolch J. , Milam J. , Gilliland F. , Berhane K. 
Published: December 2013

SummaryWhat is already known about this subject
Rates of childhood obesity have increased since the mid‐1970s.
Research into behavioural determinants has focused on physical inactivity and unhealthy diets.
Cross‐sectional studies indicate an association between psychological stress experienced by parents and obesity in pre‐adolescents.
What this study adds
We provide evidence of a prospective association between parental psychological stress and increased weight gain in pre‐adolescents.
Family‐level support for those experiencing chronic stress might help promote healthy diet and exercise behaviours in children.
ObjectiveWe examined the impact of parental psychological stress on body mass index (BMI) in pre‐adolescent children over 4 years of follow‐up.MethodsWe included 4078 children aged 5–10 years (90% were between 5.5 and 7.5 years) at study entry (2002–2003) in the Children's Health Study, a prospective cohort study in southern California. A multi‐level linear model simultaneously examined the effect of parental stress at study entry on the attained BMI at age 10 and the slope of change across annual measures of BMI during follow‐up, controlled for the child's age and sex. BMI was calculated based on objective measurements of height and weight by trained technicians following a standardized procedure.ResultsA two standard deviation increase in parental stress at study entry was associated with an increase in predicted BMI attained by age 10 of 0.287 kg m−2 (95% confidence interval 0.016–0.558; a 2% increase at this age for a participant of average attained BMI). The same increase in parental stress was also associated with an increased trajectory of weight gain over follow‐up, with the slope of change in BMI increased by 0.054 kg m−2 (95% confidence interval 0.007–0.100; a 7% increase in the slope of change for a participant of average BMI trajectory).ConclusionsWe prospectively demonstrated a small effect of parental stress on BMI at age 10 and weight gain earlier in life than reported previously. Interventions to address the burden of childhood obesity should address the role of parental stress in children.
Within‐ and across‐breed imputation of high‐density genotypes in dairy and beef cattle from medium‐ and low‐density genotypes
Authors: Berry D.P. , McClure M.C. , Mullen M.P. 
Published: December 2013

SummaryThe objective of this study was to evaluate, using three different genotype density panels, the accuracy of imputation from lower‐ to higher‐density genotypes in dairy and beef cattle. High‐density genotypes consisting of 777 962 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were available on 3122 animals comprised of 269, 196, 710, 234, 719, 730 and 264 Angus, Belgian Blue, Charolais, Hereford, Holstein‐Friesian, Limousin and Simmental bulls, respectively. Three different genotype densities were generated: low density (LD; 6501 autosomal SNPs), medium density (50K; 47 770 autosomal SNPs) and high density (HD; 735 151 autosomal SNPs). Imputation from lower‐ to higher‐density genotype platforms was undertaken within and across breeds exploiting population‐wide linkage disequilibrium. The mean allele concordance rate per breed from LD to HD when undertaken using a single breed or multiple breed reference population varied from 0.956 to 0.974 and from 0.947 to 0.967, respectively. The mean allele concordance rate per breed from 50K to HD when undertaken using a single breed or multiple breed reference population varied from 0.987 to 0.994 and from 0.987 to 0.993, respectively. The accuracy of imputation was generally greater when the reference population was solely comprised of the breed to be imputed compared to when the reference population comprised of multiple breeds, although the impact was less when imputing from 50K to HD compared to imputing from LD.
Long handling times of Praon unicum by Harmonia axyridis result in protection from predation
Authors: Simon F. W. , Gillespie D. R. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe intraguild predator Harmonia axyridis has a longer handling time of Praon unicum mummies in contrast to Aphidius matricariae mummies and the pest aphid Myzus persicae. In addition, the rejection rate of P. unicum is higher as compared to the A. matricariae and M. persicae. Harmonia Axyridis also has a shorter residence times when foraging in P. unicum patches. The longer handling time may provide P. unicum with a refuge from intraguild predation by H. axyridis. Thus, Praon unicum could be a better biocontrol agent than A. matricariae in the presence of intraguild predation, as it will face lower predation rates.
Application of synthetic photostable retinoids induces novel limb and facial phenotypes during chick embryogenesis in vivo
Authors: Lopez‐Real R. E. , Budge J. J. R. , Marder T. B. , Whiting A. , Hunt P. N. , Przyborski S. A. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractWe have recently developed a range of synthetic retinoid analogues which include the compounds EC23 and EC19. They are stable on exposure to light and are predicted to be resistant to the normal metabolic processes involved in the inactivation of retinoids in vivo. Based on the position of the terminal carboxylic acid groups in the compounds we suggest that EC23 is a structural analogue of all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA), and EC19 is an analogue of 13‐cis retinoic acid. Their effects on the differentiation of pluripotent stem cells has been previously described in vitro and are consistent with this hypothesis. We present herein the first description of the effects of these molecules in vivo. Retinoids were applied to the anterior limb buds of chicken embryos in ovo via ion‐exchange beads. We found that retinoid EC23 produces effects on the wing digits similar to ATRA, but does so at two orders of magnitude lower concentration. When larger quantities of EC23 are applied, a novel phenotype is obtained involving production of multiple digit 1s on the anterior limb. This corresponds to differential effects of ATRA and EC23 on sonic hedgehog (shh) expression in the developing limb bud. With EC23 application we also find digit 1 phenotypes similar to thumb duplications described in the clinical literature. EC23 and ATRA are shown to have effects on the entire proximal–distal axis of the limb, including hitherto undescribed effects on the scapula. This includes suppression of expression of the scapula marker Pax1. EC23 also produces effects similar to those of ATRA on the developing face, producing reductions of the upper beak at concentrations two orders of magnitude lower than ATRA. In contrast, EC19, which is structurally very similar to EC23, has novel, less severe effects on the face and rarely alters limb development. EC19 and ATRA are effective at similar concentrations. These results further demonstrate the ability of retinoids to influence embryonic development. Moreover, EC23 represents a useful new tool to investigate developmental processes and probe the mechanisms underlying congenital abnormalities in vertebrates including man.
Is Happiness Good for Your Personality? Concurrent and Prospective Relations of the Big Five With Subjective Well‐Being
Authors: Soto Christopher J. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe present research examined longitudinal relations of the Big Five personality traits with three core aspects of subjective well‐being: life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect. Latent growth models and autoregressive models were used to analyze data from a large, nationally representative sample of 16,367 Australian residents. Concurrent and change correlations indicated that higher levels of subjective well‐being were associated with higher levels of Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, and with lower levels of Neuroticism. Moreover, personality traits prospectively predicted change in well‐being, and well‐being levels prospectively predicted personality change. Specifically, prospective trait effects indicated that individuals who were initially extraverted, agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable subsequently increased in well‐being. Prospective well‐being effects indicated that individuals with high initial levels of well‐being subsequently became more agreeable, conscientious, emotionally stable, and introverted. These findings challenge the common assumption that associations of personality traits with subjective well‐being are entirely, or almost entirely, due to trait influences on well‐being. They support the alternative hypothesis that personality traits and well‐being aspects reciprocally influence each other over time.
Destructive Effects of a Mycoparasite Trichoderma atroviride SS003 on Aeciospores of Cronartium ribicola
Authors: Li Jing , Yang Yan‐Hong , Zhou Li , Cheng Li‐Jun , Chen Yu‐Hui 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe white pine blister rust caused by Cronartium ribicola is one of the most severe diseases of Pinus armandii Franch in Yunnan Province, China, and controlling the disease is very difficult. A mycoparasite (Trichoderma atroviride P. Karsten SS003) we isolated can effectively destroy aeciospores. Microscopic analysis showed that aeciospore warts started to fall off 3 days after SS003 inoculation, and the outer wall of the aeciospores was deformed and completely broken 5 days after treatment. SS003 treatment indoors and in the field was effective against C. ribicola. SS003 mycelium grew well on aeciospore piles, and the outer walls of most aeciospores were broken when examined by microscope. The average efficacy of SS003 against Armandii pine blister rust reached 71.85% after continuous treatment for 1.5 years in the field. Additionally, safety tests showed that P. armandii seedlings experienced no side effects when they were inoculated with either conidial suspensions or mycelium solution of SS003. Our results suggest that T. atroviride SS003 is a promising mycoparasite for controlling Armandii pine blister rust.
Genetic diversity of Histoplasma capsulatum strains isolated from Argentina based on nucleotide sequence variations in the internal transcribed spacer regions of rDNA
Authors: Landaburu Fernanda , Cuestas María Luján , Rubio Andrea , Elías Nahuel Alejandro , Daneri Gabriela Lopez , Veciño Cecilia , Iovannitti Cristina A. , Mujica María Teresa 
Published: December 2013

SummaryThe internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of rDNA genes of 49 Histoplasma capsulatum (48 from clinical samples and one from soil) isolates were examined. Nucleotide sequence heterogeneity within this region was useful for phylogenetic classification of H. capsulatum and species identification. Thus, in 45 of 49 isolates we observed higher percentages of identity in the nucleotide sequences of ITS regions when the isolates studied herein were compared with those reported in our country in the South America B clade. Phylogenetic analyses of rDNA sequences corresponding to the 537 bp of the ITS region obtained from H. capsulatum isolates assigned South America type B clade (45 isolates), North America type 1 and Asia clade (2 isolates each one). H. capsulatum strains isolated from soil and from patients living in Argentina (45 of 49) clustered together with the H. capsulatum isolates of the South America B clade. The high level of genetic similarity among our isolates suggests that almost one genetic population is present in the microenvironment. Isolates described as H. capsulatum var. capsulatum or var. farciminosum (2 isolates) did not form a monophyletic group and were found in the Asia clade. Subsequent studies are needed to properly identify these isolates.
N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine protects against cadmium‐induced neuronal apoptosis by inhibiting ROS‐dependent activation of Akt/mTOR pathway in mouse brain
Authors: Chen Sujuan , Ren Qian , Zhang Jinfei , Ye Yangjing , Zhang Zhen , Xu Yijiao , Guo Min , Ji Haiyan , Xu Chong , Gu Chenjian , Gao Wei , Huang Shile , Chen Long 
Published: December 2013

AimsThis study explores the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine (NAC) in mice exposed to cadmium (Cd).MethodsNAC (150 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to mice exposed to Cd (10–50 mg/L) in drinking water for 6 weeks. The changes of cell damage and death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzymes, as well as Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway in brain neurones were assessed. To verify the role of mTOR activation in Cd‐induced neurotoxicity, mice also received a subacute regimen of intraperitoneally administered Cd (1 mg/kg) with/without rapamycin (7.5 mg/kg) for 11 days.ResultsChronic exposure of mice to Cd induced brain damage or neuronal cell death, due to ROS induction. Co‐administration of NAC significantly reduced Cd levels in the plasma and brain of the animals. NAC prevented Cd‐induced ROS and significantly attenuated Cd‐induced brain damage or neuronal cell death. The protective effect of NAC was mediated, at least partially, by elevating the activities of Cu/Zn‐superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, as well as the level of glutathione in the brain. Furthermore, Cd‐induced activation of Akt/mTOR pathway in the brain was also inhibited by NAC. Rapamycin in vitro and in vivo protected against Cd‐induced neurotoxicity.ConclusionsNAC protects against Cd‐induced neuronal apoptosis in mouse brain partially by inhibiting ROS‐dependent activation of Akt/mTOR pathway. The findings highlight that NAC may be exploited for prevention and treatment of Cd‐induced neurodegenerative diseases.
Exposure to home and school environmental triggers and asthma morbidity in Chicago inner‐city children
Authors: Banda Elizabeth , Persky Victoria , Chisum Gay , Damitz Maureen , Williams Rhonda , Turyk Mary 
Published: December 2013

AbstractBackgroundIn children, asthma hospitalization rates are highest among those aged 0–4 yr, indicating more acute and/or severe asthma exacerbations in younger children. We investigated the relationship between indoor exposures and three asthma morbidity measures in children of different age groups (0–4, 5–11, and 12 yr of age or older). Identifying the factors leading to asthma morbidity in specific subgroups may lead to a better understanding of the disease and contribute to the development of effective interventions tailored to subgroups.MethodsChildren between 0 and 18 yr of age with asthma were enrolled in an asthma intervention program. At enrollment, hospitalizations, emergency room visits (ED), asthma night symptoms, and exposure to conditions in the child's home and school/daycare related to indoor allergens were collected using standardized questionnaires. Associations of exposure with the three asthma outcomes were estimated using logistic regression, stratified by age group.ResultsOf 246 children enrolled, the youngest age group had more hospitalizations in the past year, more ED visits in the past year, and more night awakenings in the past month due to asthma than the oldest two age groups (p = 0.02; p < 0.0001; and p = 0.01, respectively). Overall, more associations of exposures to home triggers were found with hospitalization in children aged 0–11 yr, while classroom triggers were more likely to be associated with hospitalizations among the oldest two groups, 5–18 yr of age.ConclusionsExamining the relationship of specific environmental exposures with asthma exacerbations and hospitalizations across age group and in different indoor environments warrants further study.
The association of preterm birth with severe asthma and atopic dermatitis: a national cohort study
Authors: Trønnes Håvard , Wilcox Allen J. , Lie Rolv Terje , Markestad Trond , Moster Dag 
Published: December 2013

AbstractBackgroundAsthma and atopic dermatitis are both regarded as atopic diseases. Being born too early is associated with increased risk of asthma, but some studies have indicated that the opposite might be true for atopic dermatitis. We explored in more detail the associations between preterm birth, asthma, and atopic dermatitis.MethodsWe analyzed data from Norwegian registries with prospectively collected data. All live births in Norway from 1967 through 2001 were followed through 2005 by linking the Medical Birth Registry of Norway to the National Insurance Scheme and to Statistics Norway. Only severe asthma and atopic dermatitis were registered in the National Insurance Scheme.ResultsOf a total of 1,760,821 children, we identified 9,349 cases (0.5%) with severe asthma and 6,930 cases (0.4%) with severe atopic dermatitis. Compared with children born at term (37–41 wk gestation), preterm birth was associated with increased odds for severe asthma (odds ratio (OR) 1.7 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.6–1.8) for 32–36 wk gestation and OR 3.6 (95% CI: 3.1–4.2) for 23–31 wk) and decreased odds for severe atopic dermatitis (OR 0.9 (95% CI: 0.8–1.0) for 32–36 wk gestation and OR 0.7 (95% CI: 0.5–1.0) for 23–31 wk). Adjustment for perinatal and socio‐demographic factors weakened the association between gestational age and severe asthma, while slightly strengthening the association between gestational age and severe atopic dermatitis.ConclusionsPreterm birth was associated with increased risk of severe asthma and decreased risk of severe atopic dermatitis.
Identification of a major QTL for adult plant resistance to coffee leaf rust (Hemileia vastatrix) in the natural Timor hybrid (Coffea arabica x C. canephora)
Authors: Romero Gladys , Vásquez Luisa M. , Lashermes Philippe , Herrera Juan C. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractMost of the commercial varieties of coffee (Coffea arabica L.) derived from the Timor hybrid (TH) have been shown to contain major genes for coffee leaf rust (CLR) resistance. To identify markers tightly linked to such genes, an F2 mapping population derived from a cross between ‘Caturra’ (susceptible variety) and the TH‐derived DI.200 line (highly resistant) was generated. Using expressed sequence information and a bioinformatics approach, both targeted region amplified polymorphism (TRAPs) markers and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were identified. Phenotypic evaluations in the field and under controlled conditions confirmed the existence of one quantitative trait locus for CLR resistance. Four candidate SSR markers were associated with high CLR resistance. They spanning a region of 2.5 cM designated QCLR_4 located within chromosome 4 of the international C. canephora map. The presence of this region was confirmed in a set of elite lines and commercial varieties. The QCLR_4 region corresponds to a new and genetically independent SH locus that could potentially be useful in gene pyramiding with other genes to enhance rust resistance in TH derivatives.
Recent Work on the Meaning of Life and Philosophy of Religion
Authors: Mawson T. J. 
Published: December 2013

Abstract‘The Meaning of Life’ and ‘The Philosophy of Religion’ have meant different things to different people, and so I do well to alert my reader to what these phrases mean to me and thus to the subject area of this review of recent work on their intersection. First, ‘The Meaning of Life’: within the analytic tradition, an idea has gained widespread assent; whatever the vague and enigmatic nature of the phrase ‘the meaningoflife’, we may sensibly speak of meaningfulnessina life as a particular, positive, normative feature that some individuals’ lives may well have, and this feature is to be distinguished from, though closely related to, other positive features – satisfaction, wellbeing, virtue and so forth. There has been much work done on these assumptions in recent years. An excellent summary of this work up to its date of publication is given by Thaddeus Metz (in his2007 a). Many – though by no means all – philosophers retain an instinctive scepticism toward the phrase ‘the meaning of life’ and a reluctance to engage with it, for it seems to connote vague and/or impossible‐to‐fulfil cosmic expectations. (See Thomson, chapter 11 and Seachris 2009 for attempts to engage with it nonetheless.) But philosophers are not generally now so sceptical about talk of meaningfulnessinlife and thus not so sceptical about the phrase ‘the meaning of life’ if it is taken to be referring merely to this. And that is how I shall be taking it. Secondly, ‘The Philosophy of Religion’: in the analytic tradition, this has usually been taken to be philosophical reflection on the rational acceptability or otherwise of classical theism and on what God's existence, should He exist, entails ontologically, metaphysically, metaethically and so forth. Therefore, I shall be talking about recent reflection in the analytic tradition on the relationship between the God of classical theism's existence (or lack of it) and meaningfulness (or lack of it) in human lives.
Old and New Problems in Philosophy of Measurement
Authors: Tal Eran 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe philosophy of measurement studies the conceptual, ontological, epistemic, and technological conditions that make measurement possible and reliable. A new wave of philosophical scholarship has emerged in the last decade that emphasizes the material and historical dimensions of measurement and the relationships between measurement and theoretical modeling. This essay surveys these developments and contrasts them with earlier work on the semantics of quantity terms and the representational character of measurement. The conclusions highlight four characteristics of the emerging research program in philosophy of measurement: it is epistemological, coherentist, practice oriented, and model based.
Non‐Propositional Attitudes
Authors: Grzankowski Alex 
Published: December 2013

AbstractIntentionality, or the power of minds to be about, to represent, or to stand for things, remains central in the philosophy of mind. But the study of intentionality in the analytic tradition has been dominated by discussions of propositional attitudes such as belief, desire, and visual perception. There are, however, intentional states that aren't obviously propositional attitudes. For example, Indiana Jones fears snakes, Antony loves Cleopatra, and Jane hates the monster under her bed. The present paper explores such mental states in an introductory but opinionated way.
The Nature of Financial and Real Business Cycles: The Great Moderation and Banking Sector Pro‐Cyclicality
Authors: Égert Balázs , Sutherland Douglas 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThis study takes a fresh look at the nature of financial and real business cycles in OECD countries using annual data series and shorter quarterly economic indicators. It first analyses whether the last cycle has been different compared to previous cycles in terms of length, amplitude, asymmetry and changes of these parameters during expansions and contractions. We also study the degree of economic and financial cycle synchronization between OECD countries but also of economic and financial variables within a given country and gauge the extent to which cycle synchronization changed over time. We next describe the connection between the great moderation and the last cycle. Finally, the study discusses the synchronization between the real economy and the financial sector and provides some new evidence on the banking sector's pro‐cyclicality by using aggregate and bank level. The main findings show that the amplitude of the real business cycle was becoming smaller during the great moderation, but asset price cycles were becoming more volatile. In part, this was linked to developments in the banking sector which tended to accentuate pro‐cyclical behaviour. Greater synchronization of cycles may help explain the severity of the crisis.