bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antagonistic effects of biological invasion and temperature change on body size of island ectotherms
Authors: Treasure Anne M. , Chown Steven L. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAimDespite their potentially profound consequences, little is known about the impacts of interactions among environmental change drivers on indigenous species. For biological invasions, much theoretical prominence has been given to additive or synergistic interactions with temperature change. However, empirical investigations are sparse. Here, we investigate the outcomes of interactions between temperature change and biological invasions on ectotherm body size in a temperate system.LocationThe sub‐Antarctic Prince Edward Island group (46°54′ S, 37°45′ E).MethodsWe use long‐term (24 years) body size data on weevil species from Marion and Prince Edward Islands. Invasive house mice, which prey on four of the five weevil species, are present on Marion Island, while the neighbouring Prince Edward Island is mouse free. Theory predicts that with higher temperatures, body size should decline across all species, and previous work suggests that size‐selective predation by mice should enhance this effect on the invaded island. Generalized linear models were used to determine the relative effects of sex, island, altitude and mean annual temperature on body size for each of the species.ResultsTemperature change and biological invasions interact to affect body size in an antagonistic fashion. In weevil species not preyed on by invasive house mice, body size and declining size with increasing temperature are consistent across adjacent invaded and non‐invaded islands. By contrast, species preyed on by mice are smaller on the invaded island and show opposite size‐temperature relationships on the invaded and mouse‐free islands.Main conclusionsSize declines on the non‐invaded island are in keeping with theoretical expectations of declining size with increasing temperatures. By contrast, this expectation is not met on the island invaded by mice, largely owing to what appears to be increased energetic demand of predators in colder years. These results emphasize that interactions among change drivers will take a range of forms, and that humans may have substantial influences on fundamental ecological patterns.
Catheter‐free method is sufficient for preparation for transnasal endoscopy: Randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lee Yong Sub , Bang Chang Seok , Suk Ki Tae , Lee Yoon Hyeong , Ham Young Lim , Sung Hotaik , Ko Ji Soo , Kim Won Woo , Kim Jung Hyun , Kim Hyun Soo , Park Hong Jun , Kim Min Sang 
Published: November 2013

Background and AimAlthough transnasal endoscopy (TNE) is generally a comfortable and safe procedure, it has some disadvantages, such as complicated preprocessing and occasional repulsion reaction during catheterization. In an attempt to simplify the preprocessing method, the efficacy of a catheter‐free method in which a catheter is not inserted into the nasal cavity was assessed.MethodsThe present study was a prospective, open‐label, single‐center, randomized controlled study with parallel assignment allocation 1:1. Between March 2009 and August 2009, a total of 93 TNE‐naïve patients were enrolled and randomized. Patients were prospectively randomized into two groups (catheter‐free vs catheter‐insertion method). Patients who prepared according to the catheter‐free method and who were unsuccessful underwent the catheter‐insertion method. Clinical characteristics, success rate, complications, vital signs, acceptability, and tolerability were assessed and compared.ResultsSuccess rates of the catheter‐free and catheter‐insertion methods were 88% (n = 44) and 88% (n = 38) (P > 0.05), respectively. Causes of failure in the catheter‐free method included severe rhinalgia (n = 1, 2%) and narrowing of the nasal cavity (n = 5, 10%). Causes of failure in the catheter‐insertion method included narrowing of the nasal cavity (n = 5, 11%). Six patients whose TNE failed with the catheter‐free method also experienced failed TNE with the catheter‐insertion method. There were no statistical differences in vital signs, acceptability, and tolerability.ConclusionThe catheter‐free method is sufficient for preparation for TNE. The success rate of TNE depends more on the structure of the nasal cavity than the preprocessing method.
Homepages of German dental schools – a target group‐oriented evaluation
Authors: Wehlers A. , Schäfer I. , Sehner S. , Kahl‐Nieke B. , Kuhnigk O. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractIntroductionThe Internet represents the central communication medium in higher education. University applicants, students, teachers and scientists use the Internet when seeking information on medicine. The homepages of dental schools are not just sources of information, but also a means of presenting the school. No comparative studies have been undertaken concerning the content and extent of their Internet sites so far.MethodsBased on the literature and assessments of medical school websites, 136 criteria were defined within the setting of a Delphi procedure and drawn upon for a standardised evaluation of the websites of all 30 German dental schools. Structure and extent of the content of the websites were evaluated. Possible influencing factors, such as financial resources and number of applicants, were investigated.ResultsThe results yielded by the homepages varied considerably. The best Internet site received 84% of the possible points, the poorest 38%. On average, 62% of the criteria were fulfilled. Influencing factors, such as the amount of funding by the particular state government, could not be detected. Two‐thirds of the dental schools addressed students, three‐fourth teachers and scientists as target groups. More than 50% did not address applicants. Specific requirements regarding barrier‐free accessibility of information were hardly met.ConclusionsIndividual faculties already have homepages of a high quality; for others, there is a need for improvement. General recommendations for university websites should be discussed at the European level to ensure a uniform standard of quality. The criteria presented here offer faculties the possibility to reflect upon their own Internet sites.
Measuring risk‐taking in mice: balancing the risk between seeking reward and danger
Authors: Dent Claire L. , Isles Anthony R. , Humby Trevor 
Published: November 2013

AbstractAssessing risk is an essential part of human behaviour and may be disrupted in a number of psychiatric conditions. Currently, in many animal experimental designs the basis of the potential ‘risk’ is loss or attenuation of reward, which fail to capture ‘real‐life’ risky situations where there is a trade‐off between a separate cost and reward. The development of rodent tasks where two separate and conflicting factors are traded against each other has begun to address this discrepancy. Here, we discuss the merits of these risk‐taking tasks and describe the development of a novel test for mice – the ‘predator‐odour risk‐taking’ task. This paradigm encapsulates a naturalistic approach to measuring risk‐taking behaviour where mice have to balance the benefit of gaining a food reward with the cost of exposure to a predator odour using a range of different odours (rat, cat and fox). We show that the ‘predator‐odour risk‐taking’ task was sensitive to the trade‐off between cost and benefit by demonstrating reduced motivation to collect food reward in the presence of these different predator odours in two strains of mice and, also, if the value of the food reward was reduced. The ‘predator‐odour risk‐taking’ task therefore provides a strong platform for the investigation of the genetic substrates of risk‐taking behaviour using mouse models, and adds a further dimension to other recently developed rodent tests.
Learning to rank academic experts in the DBLP dataset
Authors: Moreira Catarina , Calado Pável , Martins Bruno 
Published: November 2013

AbstractExpert finding is an information retrieval task that is concerned with the search for the most knowledgeable people with respect to a specific topic, and the search is based on documents that describe people's activities. The task involves taking a user query as input and returning a list of people who are sorted by their level of expertise with respect to the user query. Despite recent interest in the area, the current state‐of‐the‐art techniques lack in principled approaches for optimally combining different sources of evidence. This article proposes two frameworks for combining multiple estimators of expertise. These estimators are derived from textual contents, from graph‐structure of the citation patterns for the community of experts and from profile information about the experts. More specifically, this article explores the use of supervised learning to rank methods, as well as rank aggregation approaches, for combining all of the estimators of expertise. Several supervised learning algorithms, which are representative of the pointwise, pairwise and listwise approaches, were tested, and various state‐of‐the‐art data fusion techniques were also explored for the rank aggregation framework. Experiments that were performed on a dataset of academic publications from the Computer Science domain attest the adequacy of the proposed approaches.
Microbial genes, brain & behaviour – epigenetic regulation of the gut–brain axis
Authors: Stilling R. M. , Dinan T. G. , Cryan J. F. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractTo date, there is rapidly increasing evidence for host–microbe interaction at virtually all levels of complexity, ranging from direct cell‐to‐cell communication to extensive systemic signalling, and involving various organs and organ systems, including the central nervous system. As such, the discovery that differential microbial composition is associated with alterations in behaviour and cognition has significantly contributed to establishing the microbiota–gut–brain axis as an extension of the well‐accepted gut–brain axis concept. Many efforts have been focused on delineating a role for this axis in health and disease, ranging from stress‐related disorders such as depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome to neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism. There is also a growing appreciation of the role of epigenetic mechanisms in shaping brain and behaviour. However, the role of epigenetics in informing host–microbe interactions has received little attention to date. This is despite the fact that there are many plausible routes of interaction between epigenetic mechanisms and the host‐microbiota dialogue. From this new perspective we put forward novel, yet testable, hypotheses. Firstly, we suggest that gut‐microbial products can affect chromatin plasticity within their host's brain that in turn leads to changes in neuronal transcription and eventually alters host behaviour. Secondly, we argue that the microbiota is an important mediator of gene‐environment interactions. Finally, we reason that the microbiota itself may be viewed as an epigenetic entity. In conclusion, the fields of (neuro)epigenetics and microbiology are converging at many levels and more interdisciplinary studies are necessary to unravel the full range of this interaction.
Detection of bleeding disorders in Lebanon: outcomes of a pilot programme
Authors: Djambas Khayat C. , Samaha H. , Noun P. , Bakhos Asmar J. D. , Taher A. , Adib S. , Inati A. , Sakr S. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryTo promote management and awareness of bleeding disorders in Lebanon, a pilot programme was launched in 2009 by the Lebanese Hemophilia Association assisted by World Federation of Hemophilia. The aim of this study was to diagnose patients with bleeding disorders and to assess the potential challenges in implementing a screening programme. The pilot project was launched in 26 social health centres in the Bekaa valley. The study tools included the evaluation of the Tossetto Bleeding Score and the Pictorial Bleeding Assessment Chart (PBAC) for menstruation. Persons with a bleeding score higher than 2 and PBAC higher than 185 were eligible for further blood tests including the prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, complete blood count, bleeding time and von Willebrand ristocetin cofactor activity. 643 patients were enrolled, of whom 60.6% were women. Overall, 91 persons had an abnormal score. 50 eligible patients were tested: 32 had normal tests, nine new patients with severe Von Willebrand were discovered, 4 had VW:RiCo of 40, 3 prolonged APTT and 2 thrombocytopaenia. There was a clear correlation between the severity of the score and the willingness to perform the tests (P = 0.02). Women were reluctant to participate fully when investigators were men. The probability of adherence to the screening protocol is significantly increased when directed by women health care professional. For patients with milder forms, global screening programmes were neither feasible nor acceptable but those more severely affected have to be identified. Providers are crucial in preselecting patients with blood problems who are not coping well.
In vitro inhibitory effects of cranberry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) extracts on aldose reductase, α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase
Authors: Chiang Yi Chen , Chen Chung Li , Jeng Toong Long , Sung Jih Min 
Published: November 2013

SummaryThe in vitro inhibitory activities of different seed extracts prepared from cranberry bean mutant SA‐05 and its wild‐type variety Hwachia against aldose reductase, α‐glucosidase and α‐amylase were examined. The results indicated that the polyphenolics‐rich extracts obtained using 800 g kg−1 methanol and 500 g kg−1 ethanol demonstrated inhibitory activities against aldose reductase (IC50 of 0.36–0.46 mg mL−1) and α‐glucosidase (IC50 of 1.32–1.94 mg mL−1). The 500 g kg−1 ethanol extracts also showed α‐amylase inhibitory activities (IC50 of 70.11–80.22 μg mL−1). Subsequent extracts, prepared further with NaCl and H2O from precipitates of 800 g kg−1 methanol or 500 g kg−1 ethanol extracts, exhibited potent α‐amylase inhibitory activities (IC50 of 17.68–38.68 μg mL−1). A combination of 500 g kg−1 ethanol extraction plus a subsequent H2O extraction produced highest polyphenolics and α‐amylase inhibitors. The SA‐05 α‐amylase inhibitor extracts showed greater inhibitory activities than that of Hwachia. Thus, cranberry bean mutant SA‐05 is an advantageous choice for producing anti‐hyperglycaemic compounds.
Preparation and Microwave Dielectric Properties of Ultra‐low Temperature Sintering Ceramics in K2O–MoO3 Binary System
Authors: Zhang Gao‐qun , Guo Jing , He Li , Zhou Di , Wang Hong , Koruza Jurij , Kosec Marija 
Published: November 2013

A series of microwave dielectric ceramics in the compositions of K2Mo2O7, K2Mo3O10, and K2Mo4O13 in K2O–MoO3 binary system with ultra low sintering temperatures were prepared using the solid‐state reaction method. Their synthesis, phase composition, compatibility with metal electrodes, microstructures, and microwave dielectric properties were investigated. The K2Mo2O7 ceramic sintered at 460°C with a triclinic structure has a relative permittivity of 7.5, a Q × f value of 22 000 GHz, and a τf value of −63 ppm/°C. The X‐ray diffraction patterns indicate that K2Mo2O7 does not react with Ag and Al electrodes at the co‐fired temperatures. The K2Mo3O10 ceramic can be sintered well at 520°C with a relative permittivity of 5.6, a Q × f value of 35 830 GHz, and a τf value of −92 ppm/°C. It has compatibility with Ag electrode. The K2Mo4O13 ceramic sintered at 540°C possesses good microwave dielectric properties with a relative permittivity of 6.8, a Q × f value of 39 290 GHz and a τf value of −67 ppm/°C and it is compatible with Al electrode. For K2Mo2O7 and K2Mo4O13, it is found that the grain sizes and the number of grain boundaries play an important role in the dielectric loss. From this study, it can be seen that the three ceramics in K2O–MoO3 system have good microwave dielectric properties, ultra‐low sintering temperatures, non‐toxic, and low‐cost characteristics. So they can be potentially applied to ultra‐LTCC devices.
Atomic force microscopic study of the structure of high‐density polyethylene deformed in liquid medium by crazing mechanism
Authors: BAGROV D.V. , YARYSHEVA A.Y. , RUKHLYA E.G. , YARYSHEVA L.M. , VOLYNSKII A.L. , BAKEEV N.F. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryA procedure has been developed for the direct atomic force microscopic (AFM) examination of the native structure of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) deformed in an adsorption‐active liquid medium (AALM) by the crazing mechanism. The AFM investigation has been carried out in the presence of a liquid medium under conditions preventing deformed films from shrinkage. Deformation of HDPE in AALM has been shown to proceed through the delocalized crazing mechanism and result in the development of a fibrillar‐porous structure. The structural parameters of the crazed polymer have been determined. The obtained AFM images demonstrate a nanosized nonuniformity of the deformation and enable one to observe the structural rearrangements that take place in the deformed polymer after removal of the liquid medium and stress relaxation. A structural similarity has been revealed between HDPE deformed in the AALM and hard elastic polymers.
Zinc‐finger BED domain‐containing 3 (Zbed3) is a novel secreted protein associated with insulin resistance in humans
Authors: Jia Y. , Yuan L. , Hu W. , Luo Y. , Suo L. , Yang M. , Chen S. , Wang Y. , Liu H. , Yang G. , Li L. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractObjectivesGenome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have shown that Zbed3 is associated with T2DM. To date, no report has demonstrated a relationship between Zbed3 and insulin resistance in humans, however. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the Zbed3 protein is secreted and identify any associations between Zbed3 and insulin resistance in cross‐sectional and interventional studies.MethodsWe found that Zbed3 protein was secreted in an in vitro secretion study. Plasma Zbed3 levels were determined in an ELISA and were compared with various parameters related to insulin resistance in subjects with NGT, IGT and nT2DM. EHC was performed in healthy subjects. Real‐time PCR and Western blotting were used to assess the mRNA and protein expression of Zbed3.ResultsZbed3 was detected in an analysis of in vitro secretion in both conditioned medium and lysates of HEK‐293T cells transfected with an overexpressed vector. In a clinical study, there were significantly higher levels of circulating Zbed3 in IGT and nT2DM relative to NGT. Zbed3 levels were positively correlated with BMI, WHR, FAT%, blood pressure, FBG, TG, HbA1c, FIns and HOMA‐IR and inversely correlated with HDL‐C. Increasing levels of Zbed3 were independently associated with IGT and T2DM. Zbed3 mRNA and protein in muscle and fat were significantly elevated in both db/db mice and T2DM patients. Moreover, there was a concentration‐dependent effect of glucose on Zbed3 release, whereas insulin exhibited an inhibitory effect on Zbed3 levels. Zbed3 suppressed insulin‐induced IR and Akt phosphorylation.ConclusionsThese results suggest that the Zbed3 protein may be a cytokine associated with insulin resistance in humans that is influenced by glucose and insulin levels.
“SqueezingR&D”: A Study of Organizational Slack and Knowledge Creation inNPD, Using theSECIModel
Authors: Richtnér Anders , Åhlström Pär , Goffin Keith 
Published: November 2013

During new product development (NPD), functional areas such as marketing,R&D, and manufacturing work together to understand customer needs, create product concepts, and solve technical issues.NPDis dependent on the creation of new knowledge and the interplay between tacit knowledge (knowledge that is difficult to articulate and codify) and explicit knowledge (knowledge that can be codified and documented). Knowledge creation requires time and resources, and the dichotomy facing senior management is how much spare capacity inNPDteams—so‐called organizational slack—is appropriate. Too much organizational slack and precious development resources will be wasted; but when slack is eliminated, there is a danger that knowledge creation will be severely hindered.There have been very few studies of organizational slack at the project level, and so the aim of our research was to examine the impact of changes in organizational slack on knowledge creation inNPDprojects. Six projects were studied at two companies, over a two‐year period. Multiple sources of data were used to determine how changes in organizational slack impacted knowledge creation, which was operationalized usingNonaka's socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization (SECI) model.It was found that the creation of knowledge inNPDprojects is susceptible to changes in organizational slack. A significant finding was that every time there were changes in organizational slack, there was always some impact on knowledge creation. Increased slack enabled knowledge creation; but, importantly, the impacts of decreasing organizational slack were often very negative and disrupted the work ofNPDteams, particularly at the end of projects. Managers who feel that “squeezingR&D” is important should think again—their action might disrupt knowledge creation and compromise innovation.
Adaptive responses of calcium and phosphate homeostasis in goats to low nitrogen intake: renal aspects
Authors: Starke S. , Huber K. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryIn a previous study, in goats, we showed that apart from variations in dietary calcium (Ca) and phosphorus intake, also low dietary nitrogen (N) intake altered plasma concentrations of hormones, which regulate Ca and phosphate (Pi) homeostasis. These hormonal responses in goats were in accordance with findings in monogastric animals and humans with low protein intake. In the aforementioned studies, alterations of electrolyte transport in the kidneys were also observed. However, whether renal electrolyte transport in goats is also involved in the adaptation of Ca and Pi homeostasis to low N intake remains unknown. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate whether in addition to the hormonal changes, as observed in our former study, renal Ca transport and renal Pi transport were also altered by low N intake in goats. Therefore, in kidney samples from the goats used in our former study, the protein expression of Ca and Pi transporters and of related regulatory proteins was examined. Furthermore, the uptake of Pi into isolated brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) was detected. The results showed that the protein amount of the renal sodium‐dependent Pi transporter NaPi IIa was elevated, and concomitantly, protein expression of its upstream regulators, the parathyroid hormone receptor and the extracellular signal‐regulated kinases 1 and 2 was decreased. However, Pi uptake into renal BBMV was not enhanced. Furthermore, protein expression of the renal Ca channel, the transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 5 (TRPV5) and of the vitamin D receptor was not influenced by dietary N reduction. We conclude that regulation of renal Pi transporter expression in goats is involved in the adaptation of electrolyte homeostasis to low N intake.