bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The ultrastructural characters of the mature spermatozoon of Opechona bacillaris (Molin, 1859) (Digenea, Lepocreadiidae) a parasite of Scomber colias Gmelin, 1789 (Scombridae) off the coast of Dakar (Senegal)
Authors: Ndiaye Papa I. , Bakhoum Abdoulaye J. S. , Sène Aminata , Diagne Papa M. , Miquel Jordi 
Published: November 2013

AbstractThis study presents the ultrastructure of the mature spermatozoon of Opechona bacillaris, a digenean belonging to the family Lepocreadiidae. The sperm cell of O. bacillaris exhibits the general pattern described in most of the Lepocreadioidea: two axonemes of the 9 + ‘1’ pattern of the Trepaxonemata, mitochondria, a cortical mitochondrion, a nucleus, electron‐dense material in the anterior extremity of the spermatozoon, external ornamentation of the plasma membrane with associated spinelike bodies, and granules of glycogen. However, particularities of O. bacillaris are the simultaneous presence in the anterior extremity of the spermatozoon of the electron‐dense material, a mitochondrion, and the absence of cortical microtubules. In the Lepocreadiidae, we describe for the first time in O. bacillaris spinelike bodies associated with the external ornamentation of the plasma membrane and two mitochondria. The first mitochondrion is moniliform and composed of a mitochondrial cord with joined mitochondrial bulges. The second mitochondrion shows a regular form. The posterior tip of the spermatozoon has only singlets to owing to the disorganization of the second axoneme and granules of glycogen as occurs in Hypocreadium caputvadum, the other studied species of the family Lepocreadiidae.
Focusing on the bright tomorrow? A longitudinal study of organizational identification and projected continuity in a corporate merger
Authors: Lupina‐Wegener Anna , Drzensky Frank , Ullrich Johannes , van Dick Rolf 
Published: November 2013

Past research provides evidence that organizational identification is a key factor predicting employees' behaviours during mergers and acquisitions. In particular, recent studies demonstrate that members of the subordinate merger partner, in contrast to the dominant group, often find it difficult to transfer their identification to the post‐merger organization. To understand this difference between dominant and subordinate groups, we examined employees' sense of projected continuity in the future. We argue that projected continuity mediates the differential relationships between pre‐merger and post‐merger identification and propose that pre‐merger identification relates positively to projected continuity in the dominant group but negatively in the subordinate group. As a result, the overall relationship between pre‐ and post‐merger identification should be reduced or eliminated in the subordinate compared with the dominant group. We tested our hypotheses in a survey (N = 492) distributed in a merger of two international pharmaceutical companies at the beginning of the post‐merger integration and 15 months later. Results were consistent with our assumptions of a moderated mediation effect. We conclude that a key challenge in merger integration is to support high identifiers in the subordinate group in developing a projected continuity or a focus on ‘the bright tomorrow’.
Determining the cost of obesity and its common comorbidities from a commercial claims database
Authors: Padula W. V. , Allen R. R. , Nair K. V. 
Published: November 2013

Summary
What is already known about this subject
Obesity is highly prevalent and costly in the US.
Obesity often leads to other comorbid conditions, including diabetes and hypertension.
Obesity prevention efforts can reduce healthcare costs.

What this study adds
Obesity combined with other comorbidities significantly increases healthcare costs per patient visit.
The combination of obesity and depression exacerbates costs.
The most expensive series of chronic conditions in this study included obesity, diabetes, hypertension and depression.
Our objectives were to determine payments made by commercial healthcare providers in the US for adults diagnosed with obesity, and those comorbid with any combination of selected chronic conditions. Using a commercial claims and encounters database (n = 3 562 717), we evaluated an adult study population that had at least one in‐patient visit, outpatient visit or emergency department visit, and received a primary or secondary diagnosis of obesity. Persons were categorized by one or more comorbid diagnoses for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, depression or congestive heart failure. We adjusted for age and gender, and calculated the mean total net expenditures (in 2012, $US) for each combination of comorbid conditions based on individual visits to an in‐patient, outpatient or emergency department setting. Among 50 717 claims with diagnosis of obesity, the mean net expenditure for in‐patient and outpatient services was $ 1907 per patient per visit. Persons diagnosed with obesity and other comorbidities observed an increase in total net expenditures. Obesity and congestive heart failure observed the highest increase among single comorbidities at $ 5275. For persons with obesity and two other comorbidities, diabetes mellitus and depression was the highest at $ 15 226. The most expensive condition was obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension and depression at $ 15 733. Compared with average medical claims, persons diagnosed with obesity and other common chronic conditions experience significant increases in medical costs. These costs are often driven higher by time spent as in‐patients. By controlling and reducing the prevalence of obesity, we may see significant decreases in medical expenditures.
Two‐stage fatigue life evaluation of an aircraft fuselage panel with a bulging circumferential crack and a broken stringer
Authors: Sayar B. , Kayran A. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACTThe article presents two‐stage fatigue life evaluation of a stiffened aluminium aircraft fuselage panel, subject to ground–air–ground pressure cycles, with a bulging circumferential crack and a broken stringer. As a worst‐case scenario, it is assumed that double cracks start at the edge of a rivet hole both in the skin and in the stringer simultaneously. In the first stage, fatigue crack growth analysis is performed until the stringer is completely broken with the crack on the fuselage skin propagating. After the stringer is completely broken, the effect of bulging crack on the fatigue life of the panel is investigated utilizing the stress intensity factors determined by the three‐dimensional finite element analyses of the fuselage panel with the broken stringer. It is concluded that bulging of the skin due to the internal pressure can have significant effect on the stress intensity factor, resulting in fast crack propagation after the stringer is completely broken.
Comparative field study evaluating the activity of recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein in plasma samples at clinical haemostasis laboratories
Authors: Sommer J. M. , Moore N. , McGuffie‐Valentine B. , Bardan S. , Buyue Y. , Kamphaus G. D. , Konkle B. A. , Pierce G. F. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryDiscrepancies exist for some of the modified coagulation factors when assayed with different one‐stage clotting and chromogenic substrate assay reagents. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of a recombinant factor VIII Fc fusion protein (rFVIIIFc), currently in clinical development for the treatment of severe haemophilia A, in a variety of one‐stage clotting and chromogenic substrate assays in clinical haemostasis laboratories. Haemophilic plasma samples spiked with rFVIIIFc or Advate® at 0.05, 0.20 or 0.80 IU mL−1 were tested by 30 laboratories using their routine procedures and plasma standards. Data were evaluated for intra‐ and inter‐laboratory variation, accuracy and possible rFVIIIFc‐specific assay discrepancies. For the one‐stage assay, mean recovery was 95% to 100% of expected for both Advate® and rFVIIIFc at 0.8 IU mL−1. Intra‐laboratory percent coefficient of variance (CV) ranged from 6.3% to 7.8% for Advate®, and 6.0% to 10.3% for rFVIIIFc. Inter‐laboratory CV ranged from 10% for Advate® and 16% for rFVIIIFc at 0.8 IU mL−1, to over 30% at 0.05 IU mL−1 for both products. For the chromogenic substrate assay, the average FVIII recovery was 107% ± 5% and 124% ± 8% of label potency across the three concentrations of Advate® and rFVIIIFc, respectively. Plasma rFVIIIFc levels can be monitored by either the one‐stage or the chromogenic substrate assay routinely performed in clinical laboratories without the need for a product‐specific rFVIIIFc laboratory standard. Accuracy by the one‐stage assay was comparable to that of Advate®, while marginally higher results may be observed for rFVIIIFc when using the chromogenic assay.
A study of prospective surveillance for inhibitors among persons with haemophilia in the United States
Authors: Soucie J. M. , Miller C. H. , Kelly F. M. , Payne A. B. , Creary M. , Bockenstedt P. L. , Kempton C. L. , Manco‐Johnson M. J. , Neff A. T. ,   the Haemophilia Inhibitor Research Study Investigators
Published: November 2013

SummaryInhibitors are a rare but serious complication of treatment of patients with haemophilia. Phase III clinical trials enrol too few patients to adequately assess new product inhibitor risk. This project explores the feasibility of using a public health surveillance system to conduct national surveillance for inhibitors. Staff at 17 U.S. haemophilia treatment centres (HTC) enrolled patients with haemophilia A and B into this prospective study. HTC staff provided detailed historic data on product use and inhibitors at baseline, and postenrolment patients provided monthly detailed infusion logs. A central laboratory performed inhibitor tests on blood specimens that were collected at baseline, annually, prior to any planned product switch or when clinically indicated. The central laboratory also performed genotyping of all enrolled patients. From January 2006 through June 2012, 1163 patients were enrolled and followed up for 3329 person‐years. A total of 3048 inhibitor tests were performed and 23 new factor VIII inhibitors were identified, 61% of which were not clinically apparent. Infusion logs were submitted for 113 205 exposure days. Genotyping revealed 431 distinct mutations causing haemophilia, 151 of which had not previously been reported elsewhere in the world. This study provided critical information about the practical issues that must be addressed to successfully implement national inhibitor surveillance. Centralized testing with routine monitoring and confirmation of locally identified inhibitors will provide valid and representative data with which to evaluate inhibitor incidence and prevalence, monitor trends in occurrence rates and identify potential inhibitor outbreaks associated with products.
Blaming the Kids: Children's Agency and Diminished Responsibility
Authors: Tiboris Michael 
Published: November 2013

AbstractChildren are less blameworthy for their beliefs and actions because they are young. But the relationship between development and responsibility is complex. What exactly grounds the excuses we rightly give to young agents? This article presents three distinct arguments for children's diminished responsibility. Drawing on significant resources from developmental psychology, it rejects views which base the normative adult/child distinction on children's inability to participate in certain kinds of moral communication or to form principled self‐conceptions which guide their actions. The article then argues that children's responsibility ought to be diminished because (and to the degree that) they are less competent at using features of their moral agency to meet social demands. This ‘normative competence’ view is philosophically defensible, supported by research in developmental psychology, and provides us with a method to evaluate whether things like peer pressure are relevant to responsibility.
Is Humility a Virtue in the Context of Sport?
Authors: Austin Michael W. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractI define humility as a virtue that includes both proper self‐assessment and a self‐lowering other‐centeredness. I then argue that humility, so understood, is a virtue in the context of sport, for several reasons. Humility is a component of sportspersonship, deters egoism in sport, fuels athletic aspiration and risk‐taking, fosters athletic forms of self‐knowledge, decreases the likelihood of an athlete seeking to strongly humiliate her opponents or be weakly humiliated by them, and can motivate an athlete to achieve greater levels of excellence in her sport. In the context of team sports, humility can contribute to an athlete being a better teammate, foster unity amidst diversity within a team, and contribute to the overall moral and athletic excellence of a team. I also argue that an individual who is truly the world's greatest athlete can know and communicate this truth, while remaining humble.
Acute Phase Peyronie's Disease Management with Traction Device: A Nonrandomized Prospective Controlled Trial with Ultrasound Correlation
Authors: Martínez-Salamanca Juan I. , Egui Alejandra , Moncada Ignacio , Minaya Javier , Ballesteros Claudio Martínez , del Portillo Luis , Sola Ignacio , Carballido Joaquín 
Published: November 2013

Abstract

Introduction
Outcome data of penile traction therapy (PTT) for the acute phase (AP) of Peyronie's disease (PD) have not been specifically studied.

Aim
The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a penile extender device for the treatment of patients with AP of PD.

Methods
A total of 55 patients underwent PTT for 6 months and were compared with 41 patients with AP of PD who did not receive active treatment (“no intervention group” [NIG]).

Main Outcomes Measures
Pre- and posttreatment variables included degree of curvature, penile length and girth, pain by 0–10 cm visual analog scale (VAS), erectile function (EF) domain of the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire, Erection Hardness Scale, Sexual Encounter Profile 2 question, and penile sonographic evaluation (only patients in the intervention group).

Results
The mean curvature decreased from 33° at baseline to 15° at 6 months and 13° at 9 months with a mean decrease 20° (P &lt; 0.05) in the PTT group. VAS score for pain decreased from 5.5 to 2.5 after 6 months (P &lt; 0.05). EF and erection hardness also improved significantly. The percentage of patients who were not able to achieve penetration decreased from 62% to 20% (P &lt; 0.03). In the NIG, deformity increased significantly, stretched flaccid penile length decreased, VAS score for pain increased, and EF and erection hardness worsened. PTT was associated with the disappearance of sonographic plaques in 48% of patients. Furthermore, the need for surgery was reduced in 40% of patients who would otherwise have been candidates for surgery and simplified the complexity of the surgical procedure (from grafting to plication) in one out of every three patients.

Conclusions
PTT seems an effective treatment for the AP of PD in terms of pain reduction, penile curvature decrease, and improvement in sexual function.
Ghrelin increases vagally mediated gastric activity by central sites of action
Authors: Swartz E. M. , Browning K. N. , A. Travagli R. , Holmes G. M. 
Published: November 2013

AbstractBackgroundVagally dependent gastric reflexes are mediated through vagal afferent fibers synapsing upon neurons of the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) which, in turn modulate the preganglionic parasympathetic dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) neurons within the medullary dorsal vagal complex (DVC). The expression and transport of ghrelin receptors has been documented for the afferent vagus nerve, and functional studies have confirmed that vagal pathways are integral to ghrelin‐induced stimulation of gastric motility. However, the central actions of ghrelin within the DVC have not been explored fully.MethodsWe assessed the responses to ghrelin in fasted rats using: (i) in vivo measurements of gastric tone and motility following IVth ventricle application or unilateral microinjection of ghrelin into the DVC and (ii) whole cell recordings from gastric‐projecting neurons of the DMV.Key Results(i) IVth ventricle application or unilateral microinjection of ghrelin into the DVC‐elicited contractions of the gastric corpus via excitation of a vagal cholinergic efferent pathway and (ii) ghrelin facilitates excitatory, but not inhibitory, presynaptic transmission to DMV neurons.Conclusions & InferencesOur data indicate that ghrelin acts centrally by activating excitatory synaptic inputs onto DMV neurons, resulting in increased cholinergic drive by way of vagal motor innervation to the stomach.
Precise excision of plastid DNA by the large serine recombinase Bxb1
Authors: Shao Min , Kumar Shashi , Thomson James G. 
Published: November 2013

SummaryMarker genes are essential for the selection and identification of rarely occurring transformation events generated in biotechnology. This includes plastid transformation, which requires that multiple copies of the modified chloroplast genome be present to obtain genetically stable transplastomic plants. However, the marker gene becomes dispensable when homoplastomic plants are obtained. Here, we demonstrate the precise excision of attP‐ and attB‐flanked DNA from the plastid genome mediated by the large serine recombinase Bxb1. We transformed the tobacco plastid genome with the pTCH‐PB vector containing a stuffer fragment of DNA flanked by directly oriented nonhomologous attP and attB recombinase recognition sites. In the absence of the Bxb1 recombinase, the transformed plastid genomes were stable and heritable. Nuclear‐transformed transgenic tobacco plants expressing a plastid‐targeted Bxb1 recombinase were crossed with transplastomic pTCH‐PB plants, and the T1 hybrids exhibited efficient excision of the target sequence. The Bxb1–att system should prove to be a useful tool for site‐specifically manipulating the plastid genome and generating marker‐free transplastomic plants.
Skeletal myopathy in heart failure: effects of aerobic exercise training
Authors: Brum P. C. , Bacurau A. V. , Cunha T. F. , Bechara L. R. G. , Moreira J. B. N. 
Published: November 2013

New Findings
What is the topic of this review?
This symposium report addresses the effects of aerobic exercise training on skeletal muscle myopathy induced by heart failure (HF), with emphasis on the mechanisms involved in muscle atrophy.
What advances does it highlight?
It highlights the therapeutic effect of aerobic exercise training to combat skeletal myopathy in HF. Our results demonstrated that aerobic exercise training re‐established normal redox balance and prevented increased protein degradation by the ubiquitin–proteasome system, thereby preserving skeletal muscle mass in experimental models of HF. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in skeletal myopathy in HF and the effects of training.
Reduced aerobic capacity, as measured by maximal oxygen uptake, is a hallmark in cardiovascular diseases and strongly predicts poor prognosis and higher mortality rates in heart failure patients. While exercise capacity is poorly correlated with cardiac function in this population, skeletal muscle abnormalities present a striking association with maximal oxygen uptake. This fact draws substantial attention to the clinical relevance of targeting skeletal myopathy in heart failure. Considering that skeletal muscle is highly responsive to aerobic exercise training, we addressed the benefits of aerobic exercise training to combat skeletal myopathy in heart failure, focusing on the mechanisms by which aerobic exercise training counteracts skeletal muscle atrophy.
Inactivation of Escherichia coli by Polychromatic Simulated Sunlight: Evidence for and Implications of a Fenton Mechanism Involving Iron, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Superoxide
Authors: Fisher Michael B. , Nelson Kara L. 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

Sunlight inactivation of
Escherichia coli
has previously been shown to accelerate in the presence of oxygen, exogenously added hydrogen peroxide, and bioavailable forms of exogenously added iron. In this study, mutants unable to effectively scavenge hydrogen peroxide or superoxide were found to be more sensitive to polychromatic simulated sunlight (without UVB wavelengths) than wild-type cells, while wild-type cells grown under low-iron conditions were less sensitive than cells grown in the presence of abundant iron. Furthermore, prior exposure to simulated sunlight was found to sensitize cells to subsequent hydrogen peroxide exposure in the dark, but this effect was attenuated for cells grown with low iron. Mutants deficient in recombination DNA repair were sensitized to simulated sunlight (without UVB wavelengths), but growth in the presence of iron chelators reduced the degree of sensitization conferred by this mutation. These findings support the hypothesis that hydrogen peroxide, superoxide, and intracellular iron all participate in the photoinactivation of
E. coli
and further suggest that the inactivation rate of enteric bacteria in the environment may be strongly dependent on iron availability and growth conditions.
Development of a Novel Selective and Differential Medium for the Isolation of Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Park Sang-Hyun , Chang Pahn-Shick , Ryu Sangryeol , Kang Dong-Hyun 
Published: November 2013

ABSTRACT

A new medium (lecithin and levofloxacin [LL] medium) is described for the isolation of
Listeria monocytogenes
from food samples. LL medium includes lecithin from soybeans for the detection of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) produced by
L. monocytogenes
. Levofloxacin is incorporated to inhibit the growth of microorganisms other than
L. monocytogenes
, especially
Bacillus cereus
, shown to possess PI-PLC and PC-PLC activities.
L. monocyogenes
produced white colonies with a halo on LL medium, whereas
Listeria innocua
appeared as white colonies without a halo. Levofloxacin at 0.20 mg/liter completely inhibited the growth of
B. cereus
, while the growth of
L. monocytogenes
was unaffected. In the second phase of the study, the sensitivity and the specificity of LL medium were compared to those of modified Oxford agar (MOX) and two chromogenic media (Brilliance
Listeria
agar and CHROMagar
Listeria
), using a total of 250 food samples. From 200 unspiked food samples, the specificity of LL medium (96.0%) was superior to that of MOX (72.0%) and similar to the specificities of Brilliance
Listeria
agar (96.5%) and CHROMagar
Listeria
(94.5%). From 50 spiked food samples, LL medium and CHROMagar
Listeria
represented the highest sensitivities (96.0%), followed by Brilliance
Listeria
agar (92.0%) and MOX (54.0%). Also, LL medium showed the highest confirmation rate (98.8%), followed by Brilliance
Listeria
agar (98.7%), CHROMagar
Listeria
(98.3%), and MOX (52.0%). On the basis of its good specificity and cost effectiveness, LL medium is useful for the isolation of
L. monocytogenes
from food samples.