bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Community socioeconomic deprivation and obesity trajectories in children using electronic health records
Authors: Nau Claudia , Schwartz Brian S. , Bandeen‐Roche Karen , Liu Anne , Pollak Jonathan , Hirsch Annemarie , Bailey‐Davis Lisa , Glass Thomas A. 
Published: October 2014

ObjectivesLongitudinal studies of the role of community context in childhood obesity are lacking. The objective of this study was to examine associations of community socio economic deprivation (CSD) with trajectories of change in body mass index (BMI) in childhood and adolescence.MethodsData came from electronic health records on 163,473 children aged 3‐18 residing in 1,288 communities in Pennsylvania whose weight and height were measured longitudinally. CSD at the year of birth was measured using six US Census variables and modeled in quartiles. Trajectories of BMI within CSD quartiles were estimated using random effects growth‐curve models accounting for differences by age, sex, and race/ethnicity as well as correcting for non‐constant residual variance across age groups.ResultsCSD was associated with higher BMI at average age (10.7 years) and with more rapid growth of BMI over time. Children born in communities with greater CSD had steeper increases of BMI at younger ages. Those born into the poorest communities displayed sustained accelerated BMI growth. CSD remained associated with BMI trajectories after adjustment for a measure of household socio economic deprivation.ConclusionsHigher CSD may be associated with more obesogenic growth trajectories in early life. Findings suggest that individual‐level interventions that ignore the effect of community context on obesity‐related behaviors may be less efficient.
Using multistate capture–mark–recapture models to quantify effects of predation on age‐specific survival and population growth in black‐tailed deer
Authors: Marescot Lucile , Forrester Tavis D. , Casady David S. , Wittmer Heiko U. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractEffective species management and conservation relies on accurate estimates of vital rates and an understanding of their link to environmental variables. We used multistate capture–mark–recapture models to directly quantify effects of predation on age‐specific survival of black‐tailed deer Odocoileus hemionus columbianus in California, USA. Survival probabilities were derived from individual encounter histories of 136 fawns and 57 adults monitored over 4 years. Based on results from our survival analysis we parameterized a Lefkovitch matrix and used elasticity analyses to investigate contributions of mortality due to predation to changes in population growth. We found strong evidence for age‐specific survival including senescence. Survival of females >1 year old was consistently low (0.56 ± 0.18 for yearlings, 0.77 ± 0.13 for prime‐aged females, and 0.55 ± 0.08 for senescent individuals), primarily due to high puma Puma concolor predation during summer. Predation from black bears Ursus americanus and coyotes Canis latrans was the primary cause for low annual survival of fawns (0.24 ± 0.16). Resulting estimates of population growth rates were indicative of a strongly declining population (λ = 0.82 ± 0.13). Despite high sensitivity to changes in adult survival, results from a lower‐level elasticity analysis suggested that predation on fawns was the most significant individual mortality component affecting population decline. Our results provide a rare, direct link between predation, age‐specific survival and the predicted population decline of a common ungulate species. The magnitude of predation was unexpected and suggests that ungulates in multi‐predator systems struggle to cope with simultaneous reductions in survival probabilities from predators targeting different age classes.
Applying Public Health Screening Criteria: How Does Universal Newborn Screening Compare to Universal Tumor Screening for Lynch Syndrome in Adults with Colorectal Cancer?
Authors: Cragun Deborah , DeBate Rita D. , Pal Tuya 
Published: October 2014

AbstractInstitutions have increasingly begun to adopt universal tumor screening (UTS) programs whereby tumors from all newly diagnosed patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) are screened to identify who should be offered germline testing for Lynch syndrome (the most common cause of hereditary CRC). Given limited information about the impact of universal screening programs to detect hereditary disease in adults, we apply criteria used to evaluate public health screening programs and compare and contrast UTS with universal newborn screening (NBS) for the purpose of examining ethical implications and anticipating potential outcomes of UTS. Both UTS and a core set of NBS conditions clearly meet most of the Wilson and Jungner screening criteria. However, many state NBS panels include additional conditions that do not meet several of these criteria, and there is currently insufficient data to confirm that UTS meets some of these criteria. Comparing UTS and NBS with regard to newer screening criteria raises additional issues that require attention for both UTS and NBS. Comparisons also highlight the importance of evaluating the implementation of genomic tests to ensure or improve their effectiveness at reducing morbidity and mortality while minimizing potential harms.
Entropy conditions for scalar conservation laws with discontinuous flux revisited
Authors: Mitrović Darko , Andreianov Boris 
Published: October 2014

We propose new entropy admissibility conditions for multidimensional hyperbolic scalar conservation laws with discontinuous flux which generalize one-dimensional Karlsen–Risebro–Towers entropy conditions. These new conditions are designed, in particular, in order to characterize the limit of vanishing viscosity approximations. On the one hand, they comply quite naturally with a certain class of physical and numerical modeling assumptions; on the other hand, their mathematical assessment turns out to be intricate.
The generalization we propose is not only with respect to the space dimension, but mainly in the sense that the “crossing condition” of Karlsen, Risebro, and Towers (2003) [31] is not mandatory for proving uniqueness with the new definition. We prove uniqueness of solutions and give tools to justify their existence via the vanishing viscosity method, for the multi-dimensional spatially inhomogeneous case with a finite number of Lipschitz regular hypersurfaces of discontinuity for the flux function.
Assessment of benefits and risks in development of targeted therapies for cancer — The view of regulatory authorities
Authors: Pignatti Francesco , Jonsson Bertil , Blumenthal Gideon , Justice Robert 
Published: October 2014

Drug licensing and approval decisions involve the balancing of benefits against the risks (harms) in the presence of uncertainty. Typically, the benefits are estimated from primary efficacy endpoints from confirmatory (phase III) clinical trials although exceptions where promising early data from single‐arm studies have led to accelerated approvals are not uncommon, particularly for cancer drugs.The challenge for regulators is to balance early evidence of efficacy that might support approval versus the need to establish clinical benefit based on conclusive evidence. Targeted agents offer the promise that knowledge about the mechanism of the disease will help identify patients with tumors likely to respond, resulting in higher efficacy and less toxicity, and earlier regulatory decisions based on convincing evidence of clinical benefit.In this paper, we describe methods and examples of benefit‐risk assessment of targeted drugs, recent initiatives from EMA and FDA on improving communication about benefits and risks, and discuss future steps.
Resource use by the two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) differs in a shade-grown agro-ecosystem
Authors: Mendoza Jorge E. , Peery M. Zachariah , Gutiérrez Gustavo A. , Herrera Geovanny , Pauli Jonathan N. 
Published: October 2014

Abstract:Although resource specialization occurs along a continuum, species are often defined as either specialists or generalists. In general, specialists are more prone to extinction than generalists and, thus, are often the first species to be lost when habitats are modified. The two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and the three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) are arboreal herbivores distributed across the Neotropics. The two-toed sloth is considered a generalist while the three-toed sloth is more specialized. Both species inhabit shade-grown agro-ecosystems but, at least at one study site, only the two-toed sloth was viable. To quantify specialization in sloth species and explore how it influences population viability, we characterized the resource use for 68 adult and 12 subadult sloths across 3 y. The two-toed sloth used 14 tree species relatively uniformly across habitats, while the three-toed sloth largely depended on only two species of tree regardless of habitat type. Both species selected for patches of intact tropical forest, strongly avoided monocultures regardless of spatial scale and generally used cocoa similarly in proportion to availability. However, the sloth species differed in their use of cattle pastures, with the two-toed sloth selecting for pastures and the three-toed sloth avoiding them. Overall, the two-toed sloth exhibited greater plasticity in tree and habitat use, which is likely contributing to its enhanced resilience within this modified agro-ecosystem.
The influence of collecting date, temperature and moisture regimes on the germination of epiphytic bromeliads
Authors: Correa Siouxsie , Zotz Gerhard 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe understanding that many aspects of the spatial and temporal patterns of epiphyte communities may be explained by the comportment of early life stages has given rise to a considerable number of germination studies in recent years. Unfortunately, protocols frequently use unproven assumptions and arbitrary experimental conditions. To make future studies as ecologically meaningful as possible we address a number of potential pitfalls with a series of experiments with seeds from a total of 16 species. We show that it is safe to collect capsules for experiments before natural dehiscence – there is afterripening even in the case of very early collections. The application of fluctuating temperatures is not imperative, because there is no consistent difference in the germination response under constant versus fluctuating temperatures. The effects of different osmotic potentials and intermittent drought of varying intensity on germination are qualitatively, but not quantitatively, comparable. Due to the greater ecological realism, we encourage the use of the latter. However, care must be taken to use realistic temperatures – the impact of intermittent drought on germination is modulated by temperature. This highlights the need for data on thein situtemperature regimes during germination as an important prerequisite towards more realistic experiments in the field of germination ecology of vascular epiphytes.
Institutions, rules, and equilibria: a unified theory
Authors: HINDRIKS FRANK , GUALA FRANCESCO 
Published: October 2014

AbstractWe propose a new framework to unify three conceptions of institutions that play a prominent role in the philosophical and scientific literature: the equilibria account, the regulative rules account, and the constitutive rules account. We argue that equilibrium-based and rule-based accounts are individually inadequate, but that jointly they provide a satisfactory conception of institutions as rules-in-equilibrium. In the second part of the paper we show that constitutive rules can be derived from regulative rules via the introduction of theoretical terms. We argue that the constitutive rules theory is reducible to the rules-in equilibrium theory, and that it accounts for the way in which we assign names to social institutions.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESAT-6 is a leukocidin causing Ca2+ influx, necrosis and neutrophil extracellular trap formation
Authors: Francis R J , Butler R E , Stewart G R 
Published: October 2014

AbstractMycobacterium tuberculosis infection generates pulmonary granulomas that consist of a caseous, necrotic core surrounded by an ordered arrangement of macrophages, neutrophils and T cells. This inflammatory pathology is essential for disease transmission and M. tuberculosis has evolved to stimulate inflammatory granuloma development while simultaneously avoiding destruction by the attracted phagocytes. The most abundant phagocyte in active necrotic granulomas is the neutrophil. Here we show that the ESAT-6 protein secreted by the ESX-1 type VII secretion system causes necrosis of the neutrophils. ESAT-6 induced an intracellular Ca2+ overload followed by necrosis of phosphatidylserine externalised neutrophils. This necrosis was dependent upon the Ca2+ activated protease calpain, as pharmacologic inhibition prevented this secondary necrosis. We also observed that the ESAT-6 induced increase in intracellular Ca2+, stimulated the production of neutrophil extracellular traps characterised by extruded DNA and myeloperoxidase. Thus we conclude that ESAT-6 has a leukocidin function, which may facilitate bacterial avoidance of the antimicrobial action of the neutrophil while contributing to the maintenance of inflammation and necrotic pathology necessary for granuloma formation and TB transmission.
A novel antagonist to the inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) potentiates cell death in EGFR-overexpressing non-small-cell lung cancer cells
Authors: Lee S-H , Lee J-Y , Jung C L , Bae I H , Suh K H , Ahn Y G , Jin D-H , Kim T W , Suh Y-A , Jang S J 
Published: October 2014

AbstractIn the effort to develop an efficient chemotherapy drug for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we analyzed the anti-tumorigenic effects of a novel small molecule targeting the inhibitor of apoptosis (IAPs), HM90822B, on NSCLC cells. HM90822B efficiently decreased IAP expression, especially that of XIAP and survivin, in several NSCLC cells. Interestingly, cells overexpressing epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) due to the mutations were more sensitive to HM90822B, undergoing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis when treated. In xenograft experiments, inoculated EGFR-overexpressing NSCLC cells showed tumor regression when treated with the inhibitor, demonstrating the chemotherapeutic potential of this agent. Mechanistically, decreased levels of EGFR, Akt and phospho-MAPKs were observed in inhibitor-treated PC-9 cells on phosphorylation array and western blotting analysis, indicating that the reagent inhibited cell growth by preventing critical cell survival signaling pathways. In addition, gene-specific knockdown studies against XIAP and/or EGFR further uncovered the involvement of Akt and MAPK pathways in HM90822B-mediated downregulation of NSCLC cell growth. Together, these results support that HM90822B is a promising candidate to be developed as lung tumor chemotherapeutics by targeting oncogenic activities of IAP together with inhibiting cell survival signaling pathways.
Preschoolers Benefit From Visually Salient Speech Cues
Authors: Lalonde Kaylah , Holt Rachael Frush 
Published: October 2014

PurposeThis study explored visual speech influence in preschoolers using 3 developmentally appropriate tasks that vary in perceptual difficulty and task demands. They also examined developmental differences in the ability to use visually salient speech cues and visual phonological knowledge.MethodTwelve adults and 27 typically developing 3- and 4-year-old children completed 3 audiovisual (AV) speech integration tasks: matching, discrimination, and recognition. The authors compared AV benefit for visually salient and less visually salient speech discrimination contrasts and assessed the visual saliency of consonant confusions in auditory-only and AV word recognition.ResultsFour-year-olds and adults demonstrated visual influence on all measures. Three-year-olds demonstrated visual influence on speech discrimination and recognition measures. All groups demonstrated greater AV benefit for the visually salient discrimination contrasts. AV recognition benefit in 4-year-olds and adults depended on the visual saliency of speech sounds.ConclusionsPreschoolers can demonstrate AV speech integration. Their AV benefit results from efficient use of visually salient speech cues. Four-year-olds, but not 3-year-olds, used visual phonological knowledge to take advantage of visually salient speech cues, suggesting possible developmental differences in the mechanisms of AV benefit.
Benefits of Music Training in Mandarin-Speaking Pediatric Cochlear Implant Users
Authors: Fu Qian-Jie , Galvin John J. , Wang Xiaosong , Wu Jiunn-Liang 
Published: October 2014

Purpose
The aims of this study were to assess young (5- to 10-year-old) Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users' musical pitch perception and to assess the benefits of computer-based home training on performance.

Method
Melodic contour identification (MCI) was used to assess musical pitch perception in 14 Mandarin-speaking pediatric CI users; the instrument timbre and the contour length were varied as experimental parameters. Six subjects received subsequent MCI training on their home computer in which auditory and visual feedback were provided.

Results

MCI performance was generally poor (grand mean = 33.3% correct) and highly variable, with scores ranging from 9.3% to 98.1% correct; there was no significant effect of instrument timbre or contour length on performance (
p
> .05). After 4 weeks of training, performance sharply improved. Follow-up measures that were conducted 8 weeks after training was stopped showed no significant decline in MCI performance. For the 6 trained subjects, there was a significant effect of contour length for the training and follow-up measures.

Conclusion
These preliminary data suggest that although baseline MCI performance initially may be poor, training may greatly improve Mandarin-speaking pediatric CI users' melodic pitch perception.
Children's Acquisition of English Onset and Coda /l/: Articulatory Evidence
Authors: Lin Susan , Demuth Katherine 
Published: October 2014

Purpose

The goal of this study was to better understand how and when onset /l/ (
leap
) and coda /l/ (
peel
) are acquired by children by examining both the articulations involved and adults' perceptions of the produced segments.

Method
Twenty-five typically developing Australian English–speaking children aged 3;0 (years;months) to 7;11 participated in an elicited imitation task, during which audio, video, and lingual ultrasound images were collected. Transcribers perceptually rated audio, whereas video and ultrasound images were visually examined for the presence of adult-like articulations.

Results
Data from this study establish that for Australian English–learning children, coda /l/s are acquired later than onset /l/s, and older children produce greater proportions of adultlike /l/s in both onset and coda positions, roughly following established norms for American English–speaking children. However, although perceptibility of coda /l/s was correlated with their articulations, onset /l/s were nearly uniformly perceived as adultlike despite substantial variation in the articulations used to produce them.

Conclusions
The disparity in the production and perception of children's singleton onset /l/s is linked to both physiological and phonological development. Suggestions are made for future research to tease these factors apart.
High‐performance electro‐optic polarisation conversion type modulator for short‐wavelength light using periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3
Authors: Inoue T. , Suhara T. 
Published: October 2014

An electro‐optic (EO) polarisation conversion type modulator for short‐wavelength light using periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 is fabricated and the characteristics are evaluated using a tunable GaN laser. High‐quality domain‐inverted gratings with 3.6 μm were obtained over a 1.0 × 1.0 mm2 area. The maximum conversion efficiency, as high as 91%, was obtained. The wavelength bandwidth was 0.7 nm, which was in good agreement with the calculated value, and high wavelength selectivity was obtained.
All‐optical flip‐flop contrast enhancement based on bistable polarisation rotation within Fabry–Perót SOA
Authors: Ippolito C.E. , Paranjpe T. , Permeneva D. , Maywar D.N. 
Published: October 2014

Switching‐contrast enhancement of over 28 dB for all‐optical flip‐flop (AOFF) operation of a Fabry–Perót semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) is experimentally demonstrated. Although the two stable flip‐flop states of such a device are typically distinguished by their optical power, it is demonstrated that each stable state can also exhibit a unique state of polarisation (SOP). This bistable polarisation rotation (BPR) is leveraged to achieve extreme contrast enhancement by aligning the AOFF reset‐state SOP to the blocking axis of a linear polariser, producing a contrast of 36.6 dB. This contrast‐enhancement technique is applicable to other AOFFs based on resonant‐type SOAs (RT‐SOAs) and Kerr‐nonlinear media, substantially improving their applicability to advanced photonic‐switching applications.
Active‐clamping forward converter with non‐linear step‐down conversion
Authors: Lin Jing‐Yuan , Tzeng Weng‐Zeng , Lin Chien‐Yu , Wang Chao‐Fu , Liu Pang‐Jung 
Published: October 2014

This study proposes a forward converter with non‐linear step‐down conversion ratio. In comparison with traditional forward converters, it has a higher duty utilisation ratio. Furthermore, the two output inductors can equally divide the load current, and therefore the current stress of inductors and output diodes can be reduced. Thus, the proposed converter is suitable for high step‐down applications. On the primary side, active‐clamp control can nullify the voltage spike of main switch while also achieving zero voltage switching operation of the main switch and auxiliary switch, hence the switching loss can be reduced. Detailed analysis and design of the proposed converter are described. Experimental results are recorded for a prototype converter with an AC input voltage ranging from 90 to 264 V, an output voltage of 12 V, and an output power of 240 W.
Dynamic architecture of a protein kinase
Authors: McClendon Christopher L. , Kornev Alexandr P. , Gilson Michael K. , Taylor Susan S. 
Published: October 2014

Significance
Protein kinases represent a critically important family of regulatory enzymes. Their activity can be altered by mutations and binding events distant from the active site. To understand the nature of these long-distance effects, we used microsecond-timescale molecular dynamic simulation to subdivide a prototypical kinase, protein kinase A, into contiguous communities that exhibit internally correlated motions. Surprisingly, most of these unconventional structural entities were centered around known protein kinase functions. We thus propose a new framework for analysis of protein kinase structure and function that differs from traditional representations based simply on sequence motifs and secondary structure elements. These results extend our view on the dynamic nature of protein kinases and open a door to understanding of allosteric signaling in these enzymes.