bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Relationship between survival and yield related traits in Solanum pimpinellifolium under salt stress
Authors: Rao Eguru Sreenivasa , Kadirvel Palchamy , Symonds Rachael C. , Ebert Andreas W. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractA subset of theSolanum pimpinellifoliumcollection maintained by AVRDC—The World Vegetable Center, Taiwan was evaluated to assess effects of salt stress on physiological traits and yield-related traits with the aim of identifying potentialS. pimpinellifoliumaccessions useful for salt tolerance breeding in tomato. We undertook a comparative analysis of yield and plant survival traits under normal and salt stress conditions to obtain a first indication of the crucial traits associated with salt tolerance inS. pimpinellifolium. Although most traits ofS. pimpinellifoliumaccessions showed a similar percent decrease in mean under salt stress compared with the cultivated checks, the former exhibited a wide range for all traits, suggesting great genetic diversity that can be exploited for the identification of salt tolerant genotypes. Genetic variability for yield and survival traits under salt stress was quantitative with low to moderate heritability. Results of correlation and path coefficient analysis revealed no correlation between any of the physiological traits with yield-related traits indicating that the ability to survive and yield under salt stress are two independent sets of traits inS. pimpinellifolium. Results of the path analysis along with heritability and genetic advance showed that shoot dry weight and K/Na ratio are the two most critical component traits for survival, while fruit number is critical for yield per plant. The largeS. pimpinellifoliumpanel evaluated in this study revealed five genotypes possessing better survival traits, seven genotypes with good yield traits, and two genotypes combining both superior survival and yield traits under salt stress.
Dragon Fruit (Hylocereus spp.) Seed Oils: Their Characterization and Stability Under Storage Conditions
Authors: Liaotrakoon Wijitra , De Clercq Nathalie , Van Hoed Vera , Dewettinck Koen 
Published: September 2012

AbstractOil was extracted from the seeds of white‐flesh and red‐flesh dragon fruits (Hylocereus spp.) using a cold extraction process with petroleum ether. The seeds contained significant amounts of oil (32–34 %). The main fatty acids were linoleic acid (C18:2, 45–55 %), oleic acid (C18:1, 19–24 %), palmitic acid (C16:0, 15–18 %) and stearic acid (C18:0, 7–8 %). The seed oils are interesting from a nutritional point of view as they contain a large amount of essential fatty acids, amounting to up to 56 %. In both dragon fruit seed oils, tri‐unsaturated triacylglycerol (TAG) was mainly found while their TAG composition and relative percentage however varied considerably. Therefore, they showed a different melting profile. A significant amount of total tocopherols was observed (407–657 mg/kg) in which the α‐tocopherol was the most abundant (~72 % of total tocopherol content). The impact of storage conditions, cold and room temperatures, on the oxidative stability and behavior of tocopherols was monitored over a 3‐month storage period. During storage, the oxidative profile changed with a favorably low oxidation rate (~1 mequiv O2/week) whilst tocopherols decreased the most at room temperature. After 12 weeks, the total tocopherol content, however, still remained high (65–84 % compared to the initial oils). Hereto, the dragon fruit seed oils can be considered as a potential source of essential fatty acids and tocopherols, with a good oxidative resistance.
Computation of motion direction in the vertebrate retina
Authors: Euler T. , Hausselt S.E. 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
How direction of image motion is detected as early as at the level of the vertebrate eye has been intensively studied in retina research. Although the first direction-selective (DS) ret­inal ganglion cells were already described in the 1960s and have since then been in the fo­cus of many studies, scientists are still puz­zled by the intricacy of the neuronal circuits and computational mechanisms underlying retinal direction selectivity. The fact that the retina can be easily isolated and studied in a Petri dish-by presenting light stimuli while recording from the various cell types in the retinal circuits-in combination with the ex­tensive anatomical, molecular and physiolog­ical knowledge about this part of the brain presents a unique opportunity for studying this intriguing visual circuit in detail. This ar­ticle provides a brief overview of the histo­ry of research on retinal direction selectivi­ty, but then focuses on the past decade and the progress achieved, in particular driven by methodological advances in optical record­ing techniques, molecular genetics approach­es and large-scale ultrastructural reconstruc­tions. As it turns out, retinal direction selec­tivity is a complex, multi-tiered computation, involving dendrite-intrinsic mechanisms as well as several types of network interactions on the basis of highly selective, likely genet­ically predetermined synaptic connectivi­ty. Moreover, DS ganglion cell types appear to be more diverse than previously thought, differing not only in their preferred direction and response polarity, but also in physiology, DS mechanism, dendritic morphology and, importantly, the target area of their projec­tions in the brain.
A Stokesian analysis of a submerged viscous jet impinging on a planar wall
Authors: Davis A. M. J. , Kim J. H. , Ceritoglu C. , Ratnanather J. T. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractThe wall pressure and wall shear stress of a submerged viscous jet impinging on an infinite planar wall are derived. The whole creeping flow of semi-infinite extent is generated via distributions on a cylindrical pipe of tangentially and normally directed Stokeslets which are modified to achieve no-slip at the wall in two stages. First the pressure and vorticity jumps associated with the Poiseuille flow upstream in the pipe are readily forced, and then further distributions, of zero density far upstream but with square-root density singularity at the orifice$z= h$, are added to achieve no-slip on the pipe wall. Thus the adjustment of the interior pipe flow from its upstream parabolic profile to its exit profile is fully included in – and a major feature of – this creeping flow analysis. The maximum plane wall pressure is always located on the axis$r= 0$, and decreases as$h$increases to alleviate the obstruction effect of the wall. The interaction of the inflow with the ambient fluid in the neighbourhood of$z= 0$causes the wall stress to rise rapidly to a maximum and then decay with the radial position of this maximum increasing as$h$increases. This behaviour is discussed in the context of physiological experiments on auditory sensory hair cells that motivated this study.
Cholesterol-lowering efficacy ofLactobacillus plantarumCECT 7527, 7528 and 7529 in hypercholesterolaemic adults
Authors: Fuentes Mari C. , Lajo Teresa , Carrión Juan M. , Cuñé Jordi 
Published: September 2012

Previous studies have indicated that supplementation with probiotic bacteria may improve lipid metabolism. The present study was aimed at investigating the effects of a mixture of three strains ofLactobacillus plantarum(CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529) on cholesterol-lowering efficacy in hypercholesterolaemic patients. A total of sixty volunteers (thirty participants in the placebo group and thirty counterparts in theL. plantarumgroup), aged 18–65 years old, participated in a controlled, randomised, double-blind trial. The study group received one capsule daily containing 1·2 × 109colony-forming units ofLactobacillusstrains in a unique dose; the placebo group consumed the same product without bacteria for 12 weeks. A significant reduction of 13·6 % in plasma total cholesterol (TC) levels was observed after 12 weeks of consumption in theL. plantarumgroup when compared with the placebo group. The lipidic outcomes were also analysed based on TC values at baseline: low initial values (LIV, 2000–2500 mg/l)v. high initial values (HIV, 2510–3000 mg/l). In the HIV group, theL. plantarumtreatment showed a reduction after 12 weeks of consumption compared with the placebo group in TC, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and oxidised LDL-C (17·4, 17·6 and 15·6 %, respectively). In the LIV, theL. plantarumtreatment only showed a reduction after 12 weeks of consumption when compared with the placebo group in TC (9·4 %). The present results showed that the biofunctionality ofL. plantarum(CECT 7527, CECT 7528 and CECT 7529) is proportional to the cardiovascular risk of the patient, having a better effect in patients with higher levels of cholesterol.
GEOGRAPHIC CLUSTERING OF THE SECONDARY SEX RATIO IN JAPAN: ASSOCIATION WITH DEMOGRAPHIC ATTRIBUTES
Authors: INOUE YOSUKE , UMEZAKI MASAHIRO , WATANABE CHIHO 
Published: September 2012

SummaryThe secondary sex ratio (SSR) has been suggested to decrease with adverse physical and psychological environments. Previous studies have focused on reduced SSR under adverse conditions, such as war, terrorism attack and earthquake, but few studies have investigated fluctuations in SSR in moderately adverse environments. This study analysed municipality-level vital statistics records in Japan collected between 1998 and 2002 to identify high-SSR clusters and low-SSR clusters with spatial-scan statistics. In 999 runs of simulation, high- and low-SSR clusters were detected but fewer than 950 times, indicating that SSR was not geographically clustered in Japan if type I error of 5% was adopted. Explorative analyses comparing demographic attributes between high-SSR clusters and low-SSR clusters that were detected more than 500 times in 999 runs of simulation, showed that rate of spontaneous abortion, rate of artificial abortion and divorce rate were higher in low-SSR clusters, while male life expectancy, female life expectancy and total fertility rate were higher in a high-SSR cluster.
OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY IN RURAL GIRLS FROM POLAND: CHANGES BETWEEN 1987 AND 2001
Authors: CHRZANOWSKA MARIA , ŁASKA-MIERZEJEWSKA TERESA , SUDER AGNIESZKA 
Published: September 2012

SummarySeveral studies have documented increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in inhabitants of rural regions, but determinants of their prevalence are complex and not always in one direction. The aim of this study was to estimate both the prevalence and extent of overweight and obesity among rural girls in Poland between 1987 and 2001, as well as to assess differentiation of the phenomenon between regions of different social structures. The data come from two series of cross-sectional studies; the first in 1987 included 7764 girls, and the second in 2001 included 9431 girls aged 9–18. Body mass index (according to the International Obesity Task Force, IOTF) and the EOW index (extent of overweight), which shows by what mean BMI value the overweight boundaries are exceeded, were calculated. Overweight and obesity prevalences in the whole sample, were, respectively, 14.9% and 2.7% in 1987 and 15.5% and 2.5% in 2001, but significant differentiation in the direction of the changes was observed between the examined regions. In one of them, characterized by sudden, mass and long-term unemployment, there was a considerable decrease in overweight and obesity prevalence, whereas in a relatively wealthier region no changes were observed during the 14-year period. Two other regions with a relatively low standard of living and low incomes and education status presented a significant increase in overweight and obesity prevalence. The EOW index increased from 1.9 to 2.1 in the whole examined sample, and it also confirmed significant differences in expansion of overweight and obesity between the examined regions. The complex character of political and socioeconomic changes in Poland during the 1990s has resulted in two-directional changes in biological measures of living conditions. The analysis of the whole sample led to different results in comparison to separate analyses of each of the examined regions.
Reliability of Shear Wave Ultrasound Elastography for Neck Lesions Identified in Routine Clinical Practice
Authors: Bhatia K. , Tong C. S. L. , Cho C. C. M. , Yuen E. H. Y. , Lee J. , Ahuja A. T. 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the reliability of shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWE) in the neck.
Materials and Methods: 176 neck lesions (40 thy roid, 56 lymph nodes, 46 salivary, 34 miscella neous) identified in a routine US clinic underwent SWE by one or two blinded radiologists. For this study, SWE required the operator to acquire three 10 second dynamic colour-coded SWE cineloops per lesion, select one static image per cineloop, and place circular regions-of-interest within the entire lesion and stiffest part to generate 3 SWE measurements per static image. For logistical rea sons, one radiologist evaluated all 176 lesions and the other evaluated 58 lesions. Both radiologists also reviewed 27 archived cineloops independ ently to assess SWE excluding practical technique. Reliability was assessed using intraclass correla tion coefficients (ICCs) concordance correlation coefficients (CCCs) and coefficients of repeatabil ity (CORs).
Results: Test-retest ICCs for the radiologist evalu ating 176 lesions were 0.78–0.85 (fair-excellent agreement), CCCs were 0.85–0.88 (substantial agreement), and CORs were 14.9–36.1 kPa. For both radiologists evaluating 58 lesions, intra-rater and inter-rater ICCs were 0.65–0.78 and 0.72–0.77 respectively. For SWE excluding practical technique, inter-rater ICCs were 0.97–0.98 (ex cellent agreement). ICCs differed according to tis sue, being higher in thyroid lesions than lymph nodes (p < 0.001), and higher in benign than ma lignant lesions (p values < 0.001).
Conclusion: Intra- and inter-rater reliability of SWE is fair to excellent according to ICCs. SWE re liability is influenced appreciably by acquisition technique. Nevertheless, CORs for SWE are not negligible. To determine whether these results are acceptable clinically, further research is re quired to establish SWE stiffness values of normal and pathological tissues in the neck.
‘Just to get it off my chest’: Patients' views on psychotherapy in inflammatory bowel disease
Authors: Mikocka-Walus Antonina A. , Gordon Andrea L. , Stewart Benjamin J. , Andrews Jane M. 
Published: September 2012

AbstractObjective: This study aimed to explore patients' experiences and views on psychotherapy in relation to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and Crohn's disease (CD) in particular. Method: This descriptive survey study used semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with open‐ended questions and a qualitative content analysis to summarise responses of 12 CD patients with mental health problems undergoing treatment with antidepressants. Results: Of 12 interviewed CD sufferers, only four received any form of psychotherapy. Two psychotherapy users considered it useful and beneficial. Patients who used psychotherapy with good results reported it improved their disease course, most likely due to improving patients' skills in reducing stress and thus, delaying relapse of the disease. Conclusion: Psychotherapy seems to be under used in IBD patients with mental health problems. Psychotherapy may act as a preventer of disease relapse in some patients and this observation needs to be tested with further quantitative studies. Online therapies may be the answer to limited psychotherapeutic resources in gastroenterology clinics.
Towards anAlloiostrophicRhetoric
Authors: Sutton Jane S. , Mifsud Mari Lee 
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACTThis article describes the need and outlines a strategy for theorizing “alloiostrophic rhetoric” and the practices and possibilities of such a theory. In brief, alloiostrophic rhetoric is one that turns toward difference, diversity, and the other. It explores this rhetoric by asking three questions: Why is alloiostrophic rhetoric needed? What are its primary characteristics? How might alloiostrophic rhetoric be performed?
A comparative study of the mesomorphic properties of fluoro-isothiocyanated and fluorinated terphenyl liquid crystals from birefringence, static dielectric permittivity, splay elastic constant and rotational viscosity measurements
Authors: Das M K , Pramanik A , Das B , Szczuciñski Ł , Dąbrowski R 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
A few recently synthesized fluoro-substituted alkyl terphenyl isothiocyanates as well as three analogous fluoro-substituted terphenyl fluorides were investigated by birefringence, static dielectric permittivity, splay elastic constant and rotational viscosity measurements. The influence of the position of fluoro substituent on the physical properties was investigated. In 3,3′ and 3,5-difluoro substitution, although the fluorine atoms point in the same direction, 3,5 substitution leads to higher values of Δε, ε
∥, ε
⊥, Δn, n
o and n
e than 3,3′-difluoro substitution. The figure of merit values, however, indicate that the 3,5-difluoro substituted isothiocyanated compound is a better component for mixture formulation in comparison with both the 3,3'-difluoro substituted or the 3',3,5-trifluoro substituted compound. Terphenyl isothiocyanated compounds are found to exhibit high birefringence and low rotational viscosity, which are suitable candidates for infrared applications while the fluorinated analogues are for visible applications.
Thin-film transistor behaviour and the associated physical origin of water-annealed In–Ga–Zn oxide semiconductor
Authors: Ahn Byung Du , Lim Jun Hyung , Cho Mann-Ho , Park Jin-Seong , Chung Kwun-Bum 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
A transparent In–Ga–Zn oxide semiconductor was thermally annealed in an ambient atmosphere of water vapour and the associated electrical and physical properties of the film were investigated. After annealing in water vapour, the resulting thin-film transistor (TFT) exhibits n-type behaviour with a field effect mobility of 11.4 cm2 V−1 s−1, and an on/off current ratio of 6.65 × 109. The annealing process in water vapour induces changes in the elemental composition and chemical bonding states of Zn and O. These phenomena affect the changes of band alignment including the band gap and conduction band offset (Δ(E
CB − E
F)) of InGaZnO semiconductors, which is the basis for the improved operation and performance of these TFTs.
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Blocker Eplerenone Reduces Pain Behaviors In Vivo and Decreases Excitability in Small-diameter Sensory Neurons from Local Inflamed Dorsal Root Ganglia In Vitro
Authors: Dong Fei , Xie Wenrui , Strong Judith A. , Zhang Jun-Ming 
Published: September 2012

Background
Inflammation of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) may contribute to low back pain, postherpetic neuralgia, and neuropathic pain. The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) plays a proinflammatory role in many nonrenal tissues, but its role in peripheral pain at the DRG level is not well studied.

Methods
Local inflammation of the L5 DRG with the immune activator zymosan rapidly leads to mechanical hypersensitivity and increased excitability of sensory neurons. Using this pain model, the authors applied the MR antagonist eplerenone locally to the inflamed DRG. Excitability of small-diameter sensory neurons was examined in acute primary culture by using patch clamp techniques.

Results
Local eplerenone significantly reduced the mechanical hypersensitivity and shortened its duration. The same dose was ineffective systemically. Immunohistochemical studies showed the MR was present in most neurons and rapidly translocated to the nucleus 1 day after local DRG inflammation. Activation of satellite glia (defined by expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein) in the inflamed DRG was also reduced by local eplerenone. Increased excitability of small-diameter sensory neurons 1 day after inflammation could be observed in vitro. Eplerenone applied in vitro (8-12 h) could reverse this increased excitability. Eplerenone had no effect in neurons isolated from normal, uninflamed DRG. The MR agonist aldosterone (10 nM) applied in vitro increased excitability of neurons isolated from normal DRG.

Conclusions
The MR may have a pronociceptive role in the DRG. Some of its effects may be mediated by neuronal MR. The MR may represent a novel therapeutic target in some pain syndromes.
MIGRATION OF INTRAVITREAL DEXAMETHASONE IMPLANT TO ANTERIOR CHAMBER
Authors: Gullapalli Vamsi K. , DiLoreto David A. 
Published: September 2012

Purpose:
To describe two cases of migration of intravitreally injected dexamethasone implant into the anterior chamber.

Methods:
Charts were reviewed of two patients who received sustained-release dexamethasone implant intravitreally for chronic intractable cystoid macular edema.

Results:
Both patients had pseudophakic cystoid macular edema and a complicated clinical course before receiving the implant. Treatments before intravitreal injection of implant included topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sub-Tenon triamcinolone injections, vitrectomy, and, in one case, intravitreal bevacizumab. Both patients responded well to triamcinolone injections but required repeated injections. This led to the decision to inject the implant. Within 2 weeks of injection, the implant was noted in the anterior chamber causing pain and decreased vision from corneal edema. Both patients underwent successful removal of the implant.

Conclusion:
Sustained-release intravitreal injectable implants can migrate freely in vitrectomized pseudophakic or aphakic eyes. Selection of a scleral-fixated steroid implant might be safer in such cases.
Foreign firms, Indian multinationals and spillovers in the Indian pharmaceutical industry
Authors: Iyer Chidambaran G. 
Published: September 2012

PurposeForeign firms and domestic multinationals have certain internal advantages which may spillover to domestic firms. However, due to heterogeneity across multinationals, it is not necessary that the effect of the spillovers generated by the foreign firm and that generated by the domestic multinational be similar. The purpose of this paper is to empirically find out if the spillovers generated are similar or different in nature.Design/methodology/approachThe study's results are based on a panel regression analysis of 578 firms in the Indian pharmaceutical industry from 1995‐2006. Fixed effects as well as the Levinsohn Petrin methodology are used to analyze the research question.FindingsThe paper finds that there are differences in the characteristics of foreign firms and Indian multinationals. It also finds differences in the research and development (R&D) spillover effects from foreign firms and those from Indian multinationals. The knowledge or R&D spillover effect of foreign firms on domestic firms is found to be negative, which is interpreted as movement of labor to foreign firms. Indian multinationals seem to have no spillover effect on domestic firms in the Indian pharmaceutical industry. The study also finds that the presence of foreign firms in the Indian pharmaceutical industry has not had a productivity hampering effect on domestic firms. Finally, the study finds some evidence to believe that spillovers in the Indian pharmaceutical industry may vary with size of the domestic firm.Originality/valueThere are very few papers in literature that empirically try to find similarity or differences between spillover effects due to foreign firms and those due to domestic multinationals. The study also tries to discern if these spillovers vary with respect to the size of the domestic firm.