bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mothers with intellectual disability and their babies: a population warranting special consideration
Authors: LLEWELLYN GWYNNYTH 
Published: December 2012

AbstractBiological factors and/or the mothers’ social‐environmental situation may be responsible for the much higher relative risk for pregnant intellectually disabled women and their newborns reported in articles by Höglund et al. in this issue. This population has increased exposure to key social determinants of health such as poverty and social exclusion. This is compounded by institutional discriminatory beliefs and practices. People with intellectual disability may also struggle to communicate their needs effectively and to be heard and understood by health professionals. Further research is warranted to understand the reasons for two stand‐out findings: why rates of stillbirth and perinatal death are significantly higher in this group and whether varying obstetric practices are responsible for the significantly lower use of pain relief during childbirth. Quality health care requires that due attention is given to meeting the specific needs of this vulnerable group of mothers and their newborns.
Morphine administration modulates expression of Argonaute 2 and dopamine‐related transcription factors involved in midbrain dopaminergic neurons function
Authors: García‐Pérez D , Sáez‐Belmonte F , Laorden ML , Núñez C , Milanés MV 
Published: December 2012

Background and PurposeAlterations in transcription factors that regulate the development and maintenance of dopamine (DA) neurons (such as Nurr1 and Pitx3) play an important role in the pathogenesis of addiction diseases. We have examined the effects of acute and chronic morphine and morphine withdrawal on TH expression and activity as well as expression of Nurr1, Pitx3 and Ago2 in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) of the rat.Experimental ApproachRats were injected acutely with morphine and decapitated 1 or 2 h later. Another set of rats were made dependent on morphine by implantation of two morphine pellets. Precipitated withdrawal was induced by injection of naloxone. Ago2, Pitx3, Nurr1, total TH (tTH), TH phosphorylated at Ser31 and at Ser40, and 3,4‐Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, and DA determination in the VTA and/or NAc were measured using immunoblotting, HPLC and immunofluorescence.Key ResultsAcute morphine produced a marked increase in TH activity and DA turnover in the NAc, concomitantly with increased Nurr1 and Pitx3 expression in the VTA. In contrast, precipitated morphine withdrawal decreased TH activation, TH expression and did not increase DA turnover in the NAc. These effects paralleled decreases in Ago2 expression, which was accompanied by increased Nurr1 and Pitx3, TH activity and normalized TH protein levels in the VTA.Conclusions and ImplicationsThe combined decrease in Ago2 and increases in Nurr1 and Pitx3 might represent some of the mechanisms that served to protect against accumbal TH regulation observed in morphine withdrawn rats, which may be critical for DA bioavailability to influence behaviour.
Microscopical and microbiologic characterization of customized titanium abutments after different cleaning procedures
Authors: Canullo Luigi , Micarelli Costanza , Lembo‐Fazio Luigi , Iannello Giuliano , Clementini Marco 
Published: December 2012

AbstractAimTo assess and characterize pollution micro‐particles and bacterial growth on customized titanium abutments after steaming, ultrasonic and plasma cleaning treatments.Materials and methodsThirty commercially available implant abutments, after customization, were randomly divided into 3 groups of 10 and cleansed by steam (considered as control group), ultrasonic cleaning (test group 1) and plasma of Argon (test group 2). For all specimens, SEM analysis and EDAX microanalysis were performed to count and characterize pollution micro‐particles, both on the abutment surface and implant–abutment connection. For the control and test groups, mean values and standard deviations were calculated for number and density of micro‐particles. Statistical differences were determined by one‐way ANOVA with Scheffe multiple comparison test. The level of statistical significance was set at P ≤ 0.05. Additional microbiologic analysis was performed to detect bacterial contamination on the abutment surface.ResultsIn the control group, the number of micro‐particles on average was 117.5, and 14.1, respectively, on the abutment surface and connection. In the test groups, no pollution was revealed on the abutment (average of 1.09 and 1.13 spots, respectively, in test group 1 and test group 2) and connection (1.28 and 1.41, respectively, in test group 1 and test group 2). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed a statistically significant difference for all the variables examined. For each variable, at least one of the groups differs from the others. Scheffe multiple comparison test showed that all comparisons for every variables between the control group and both groups are significant, while there were some comparisons between test group 1 and test group 2 that were not significant. EDAX microanalysis identified micro‐particles as residual of lubricant mixed with traces of Titanium and other metals. Microbiologic analysis demonstrated the presence of bacterial growth on the abutment surface only in the control group (111.5 ± 11.43 CFU/ml/implant–abutment as mean value). In the test groups, absence of growing microorganisms was found.ConclusionsThis study confirmed that both plasma and ultrasonic treatments can be beneficially adopted for abutment cleaning process after laboratory technical stages, to supposedly favor soft tissue healing and implant–prosthetic connection stability.
Burden of influenza in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Savy Vilma , Ciapponi Agustín , Bardach Ariel , Glujovsky Demián , Aruj Patricia , Mazzoni Agustina , Gibbons Luz , Ortega‐Barría Eduardo , Colindres Rómulo E. 
Published: December 2012

Please cite this paper as: Savy et al. (2012) Burden of influenza in Latin America and the Caribbean: a systematic review and meta‐analysis. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses DOI: 10.1111/irv.12036.Objective  Influenza causes severe morbidity and mortality. This systematic review aimed to assess the incidence, etiology, and resource usage for influenza in Latin America and the Caribbean.Design  Meta‐analytic systematic review. Arcsine transformations and DerSimonian Laird random effects model were used for meta‐analyses.Setting  A literature search from 1980 to 2008 in MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, LILACS, Ministries of Health, PAHO, proceedings, reference lists, and consulting experts.Sample  We identified 1092 references, of which 31 were finally included, in addition to influenza surveillance reports. We also used information from the 10 reports from the collaborative group for epidemiological surveillance of influenza and other respiratory virus (GROG), and information retrieved from the WHO global flu database FLUNET.Main outcome measures  Incidence, percentage of influenza specimens out of the total received by influenza centers and resource‐use outcomes.Results  A total of 483 130 specimens of patients with influenza were analyzed. Meta‐analysis showed an annual rate of 36 080 (95%CI 28 550 43 610) influenza‐like illness per 100 000 persons‐years. The percentage of influenza out of total specimens received by influenza centers ranged between 4.66% and 15.42%, with type A the most prevalent, and A subtype H3 predominating. The mean length of stay at hospital due to influenza ranged between 5.8 12.9 days, total workdays lost due to influenza‐like illnesses were 17 150 days, and the mean direct cost of hospitalization was US$575 per laboratory‐confirmed influenza case.Conclusions  Our data show that seasonal influenza imposes a high morbidity and economic burden to the region. However, the vaccine‐uptake rate has been low in this region. Population‐based cohort studies are required to improve the knowledge about incidence and resource utilization, which would inform healthcare authorities for decision making.
Cap‐assisted water immersion for minimal sedation colonoscopy: Prospective, randomized, single‐center trial
Authors: Falt Přemysl , Šmajstrla Vít , Fojtík Petr , Liberda Martin , Kliment Martin , Tvrdík Josef , Urban Ondřej 
Published: December 2012

Background and AimWater immersion insertion is able to reduce discomfort and need for sedation during colonoscopy. A cap attached to the colonoscope tip may improve insertion during air insufflation colonoscopy. According to several reports, both techniques alone may result in higher detection of neoplastic lesions. Our study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of cap‐assisted water immersion compared to water immersion colonoscopy in minimally sedated patients.MethodsA total of 208 consecutive outpatients were randomized to either cap‐assisted water immersion (Cap Water) or water immersion colonoscopy (Water). The primary endpoint was cecal intubation time.ResultsCecal intubation time was 6.9 ± 2.9 min in Cap Water and 7.4 ± 4.2 min in the Water arm (P = 0.73). Success rate of minimal sedation colonoscopy was equal in both groups (92.9%, P = 1.00). From the endoscopist's point of view, there were non‐significant trends towards lower discomfort (P = 0.06), less need for abdominal compression (P = 0.06) and lower difficulty score (P = 0.05) during Cap Water colonoscopy. Adenoma detection rate was similar in both arms (44% in Cap Water vs 45% in the Water group, P = 0.88). There were no complications recorded in the present study.ConclusionsIn comparison with water immersion without cap, cap‐assisted water immersion colonoscopy was not able to shorten the cecal intubation time. However, it has the possibility of reducing patient discomfort and difficulty of colonoscope insertion. Potential impact on improved detection of neoplastic lesions has to be evaluated by further studies.
Kennedy Axis V: Clinimetric properties assessed by mental health nurses
Authors: Faay Margo D. M. , van de Sande Roland , Gooskens Floor , Hafsteinsdóttir Thóra B. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe Kennedy Axis V is a routine outcome measurement instrument which can assist the assessment of the short‐term risk for violence and other adverse patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interrater reliability and clinical utility of the instrument when used by mental health nurses in daily care of patients with mental illness. This cross‐sectional study was conducted in inpatient and outpatient adult psychiatric care units and in one adolescent inpatient unit at a university hospital in the Netherlands. Interrater reliability was measured based on the independent scores of two different nurses for the same patients. The clinical utility of the instrument was evaluated by means of a clinical utility questionnaire. To gain a deeper understanding of rating difficulties at the adolescent unit, additional data were collected in two focus group interviews. The overall results revealed a substantial level of agreement between nurses (intraclass correlation coefficient and Pearson 0.79). Some rating challenges were identified, including difficulties with scoring the instrument and using tailor‐made interventions related to the scores. These challenges can be resolved using refined training and implementation strategies. When the Kennedy Axis V is accompanied by a solid implementation strategy in adult mental health care, the instrument can be used for short‐term risk assessment and thereby contribute in efforts to reduce violence, suicide, self‐harm, severe self‐neglect, and enhanced objectivity in clinical decision‐making.
Selecting the Select Few: The Discuss List and the U.S. Supreme Court's Agenda‐Setting Process
Authors: Black Ryan C. , Boyd Christina L. 
Published: December 2012

ObjectiveWe investigate whether informational cues differentially affect a petition for review at each stage of the U.S. Supreme Court's agenda‐setting process. We specifically test how the cost of identifying a cue and the degree of information provided within it affect the cue's impact.MethodsWe use a random sample of archival data obtained from the private papers of Justice Harry A. Blackmun to jointly analyze the Court's discuss list and final outcome decisions.ResultsConfirming our expectations, we find that both positive cues and negative cues play different roles across the two stages of the Court's agenda‐setting process.ConclusionsThese findings are noteworthy since they suggest that the impact of some commonly studied case attributes differs between when a case is selected for the initial level of review versus when it is added to the Court's plenary docket.
The Nature and Bases of Environmental Concern among Chinese Citizens
Authors: Xiao Chenyang , Dunlap Riley E. , Hong Dayong 
Published: December 2012

ObjectivesDespite growing efforts to assess the views of Chinese citizens toward environmental issues, a crucial question remains unanswered: Do Chinese have a coherent system of environmental attitudes and beliefs as has been found among North Americans, making it appropriate to speak of “environmental concern” or “environmental consciousness” in China? To answer this question we use the belief system perspective and examine the degree of constraint among various environmental attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors reported by Chinese citizens, and also examine the social bases of their environmental concern.MethodsWe use data from a 2003 nation‐wide survey in China and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test a relatively comprehensive model of environmental concern. Then we construct a structural equation model (SEM) to examine the social bases of such concern.ResultsThe CFA results suggest that Chinese citizens have a reasonably coherent sense of generalized environmental concern, and the SEM results show that the higher educated, males, government employees, residents of large cities, and those affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party are more environmentally concerned than their counterparts.ConclusionThe general public in China possesses a relatively coherent environmental belief system, similar to that found among North Americans, and education is a powerful predictor of environmental concern among the Chinese.
What is Important? The Impact of Interpersonal Political Discussion on Public Agendas
Authors: van Doorn Bas W. 
Published: December 2012

ObjectiveThis article investigates the role of discussion networks in agenda‐setting. More specifically, the focus is on the question whether the partisan composition of people's discussion networks affects what they judge to be the most important problems facing the country.MethodUsing data from the 2000 American National Election Studies (ANES), I employ logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe findings suggest that discussion networks indeed play a significant role in setting the public agenda, even taking into consideration people's media use and several other potentially relevant variables.ConclusionWhile prior research has already linked political discussion to participation and vote choice, this study provides evidence that it also affects what issues people prioritize.
Vascular plant diversity on the roof of the world: Spatial patterns and environmental determinants
Authors: MAO Ling‐Feng , CHEN Sheng‐Bin , ZHANG Jin‐Long , HOU Yan‐Hui , ZHOU Guang‐Sheng , ZHANG Xin‐Shi 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP), known as “the Roof of the World”, is one of the most unique and vulnerable biodiversity regions on Earth. However, the spatial patterns and determinants of vascular plant diversity on the QTP are still poorly documented, despite a number of publications focusing on its flora. Using extensively compiled data gathered from local flora and specimen records, we evaluated the relative importance of water, energy, and habitat heterogeneity‐related variables in shaping the distribution of vascular plant diversity (species, genus, family, herb, woody plants). We found that higher richness always occurred in the south and east of the QTP, especially along the Himalayas, and that habitat heterogeneity, water, and energy variables are important determinants of vascular plant richness patterns on the QTP. The explanatory power of most single predictors was obviously different across life forms, with woody plant richness generally more sensitive to most environmental factors than herb richness. In addition, the explanatory power of habitat heterogeneity models, combined water and energy models, and environmental models increased as the taxonomic level increased from species to family. The results highlight that correlations between plant richness and environmental variables vary with life form and taxonomic scale, and suggest that the explanatory power of variables will change in different spatial scales due to the proportion of life forms and the asymmetric effects of these drivers on life form richness.
Role of endoplasmic reticulum stress in light‐induced photoreceptor degeneration in mice
Authors: Nakanishi Tomohiro , Shimazawa Masamitsu , Sugitani Sou , Kudo Takashi , Imai Shunsuke , Inokuchi Yuta , Tsuruma Kazuhiro , Hara Hideaki 
Published: December 2012

AbstractExposure to excessive levels of light induces photoreceptor apoptosis and can be a causative factor in age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). However, the cellular events that mediate this apoptotic response are poorly understood. Here, we investigated the roles of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in light‐induced cell death in the murine retina and murine photoreceptor cells (661W). Excessive light exposure induced retinal dysfunction, photoreceptor degeneration, and apoptosis. Furthermore, the accumulation of polyubiquitinated proteins and the transcriptional expression of ER stress‐related factors, including 78‐kDa glucose‐regulated protein (GRP78)/immunoglobulin‐binding protein (BiP) and C/EBP‐homologous protein (CHOP), were increased in light‐exposed retinas. Light exposure also induced both cell death and up‐regulation of polyubiquitinated proteins, S‐opsin aggregation, bip and chop mRNAs in 661W cells in vitro. Knock‐down of chop mRNA inhibited photoreceptor cell death induced by light exposure. Furthermore, treatment with BiP inducer X (BIX), an ER stress inhibitor, induced bip mRNA and reduced both chop expression and light‐induced photoreceptor cell death. These data indicate that excessive ER stress may induce photoreceptor cell death in light‐exposed retinas via activation of the CHOP‐dependent apoptotic pathway, suggesting that the ER stress may play a pivotal role in light exposure‐induced retinal damage.
Practice‐based clinical evaluation of metal–ceramic and zirconia molar crowns: 3‐year results
Authors: Rinke S. , Schäfer S. , Lange K. , Gersdorff N. , Roediger M. 
Published: December 2012

SummaryThis practice‐based study evaluates the clinical performance of conventionally luted metal–ceramic and zirconia molar crowns fabricated with pronounced anatomical core design and a prolonged cooling period of the veneering porcelain. Fifty‐three patients were treated from 07/2008 until 07/2009 with either metal–ceramic crowns (MCC) (high‐noble alloy + low‐fusing porcelain) or zirconia crowns (Cercon System, DeguDent, Germany). Forty‐nine patients (30 women/19 men) with 100 restorations (metal–ceramic: 48/zirconia: 52, mean observational period: 36·5 ± 6 months) participated in a clinical follow‐up examination and were included in the study. Time‐dependent survival (in situ criteria), success (event‐free restorations) and chipping rates (defects of the veneering ceramics) were calculated according to the Kaplan–Meier method and analysed in relation to the crown fabrication technique, using a Cox regression model (P < 0·05). Three complete failures (metal–ceramic: 1, zirconia: 2) were recorded (survival rate after 3 years: metal–ceramic: 97·6%, zirconia: 95·2%). Of the metal–ceramic restorations, 90·9% remained event‐free (two ceramic fractures, one endodontic treatment), whereas the success rate for the zirconia was 86·8% (two ceramic fractures, one endodontic treatment, one secondary caries). No significant differences in survival (P = 0·53), success (P = 0·49) and ceramic fracture rates (P = 0·57) were detected. The combination of a pronounced anatomical core design and a modified firing of the veneering porcelain for the fabrication of zirconia molar crowns resulted in a 3‐year survival, success and chipping rate comparable to MCC.
Population genetics of the American eel (Anguilla rostrata): FST = 0 and North Atlantic Oscillation effects on demographic fluctuations of a panmictic species
Authors: Côté Caroline L. , Gagnaire Pierre‐Alexandre , Bourret Vincent , Verreault Guy , Castonguay Martin , Bernatchez Louis 
Published: December 2012

AbstractWe performed population genetic analyses on the American eel (Anguilla rostrata) with three main objectives. First, we conducted the most comprehensive analysis of neutral genetic population structure to date to revisit the null hypothesis of panmixia in this species. Second, we used this data to provide the first estimates of contemporary effective population size (Ne) and to document temporal variation in effective number of breeders (Nb) in American eel. Third, we tested for statistical associations between temporal variation in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the effective number of breeders and two indices of recruit abundance. A total of 2142 eels from 32 sampling locations were genotyped with 18 microsatellite loci. All measures of differentiation were essentially zero, and no evidence for significant spatial or temporal genetic differentiation was found. The panmixia hypothesis should thus be accepted for this species. Nb estimates varied by a factor of 23 among 12 cohorts, from 473 to 10 999. The effective population size Ne was estimated at 10 532 (95% CI, 9312–11 752). This study also showed that genetically based demographic indices, namely Nb and allelic richness (Ar), can be used as surrogates for the abundance of breeders and recruits, which were both shown to be positively influenced by variation during high (positive) NAO phases. Thus, long‐term genetic monitoring of American glass eels at several sites along the North American Atlantic coast would represent a powerful and efficient complement to census monitoring to track demographic fluctuations and better understand their causes.
Marker‐assisted breeding of Pi‐1 and Piz‐5 genes imparting resistance to rice blast in PRR78, restorer line of Pusa RH‐10 Basmati rice hybrid
Authors: Gouda Patil K. , Saikumar Surapaneni , Varma Chejerla M. K. , Nagesh Kancharla , Thippeswamy Sanka , Shenoy Vinay , Ramesha Mugalodim S. , Shashidhar Halagappa E. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractRice blast, caused by fungus Magnaporthe grisea, is a serious disease causing considerable economic damage worldwide. Best way to overcome disease is to breed for disease‐resistant cultivars/parental lines of hybrids. Pusa RH10, first aromatic, fine‐grain rice hybrid released and cultivated extensively in India. Hybrid and its parental lines, Pusa 6A and PRR78, are highly susceptible to blast. CO39 pyramid carrying two dominant, broad‐spectrum blast‐resistance genes, viz. Pi‐1 and Piz‐5, used as a donor parent to introgress these genes into PRR78 using marker‐assisted backcrossing (MABC). Microsatellite markers RM5926 and AP5659‐5 tightly linked to Pi‐1 and Piz‐5 genes, respectively, were used for foreground selection to derive introgression lines. Further, these lines were evaluated for agronomic performance, disease reaction and cooking quality traits along with PRR78. Most of the improved lines were on par with PRR78 for all traits evaluated except gelatinization temperature. Recurrent parent genome percentage (RPG) study also revealed similarity of these lines with PRR78. Hybrids derived using improved PRR78 lines were superior over Pusa RH10 in terms of yield.