bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bovine Complex Milk Lipid Containing Gangliosides for Prevention of Rotavirus Infection and Diarrhoea in Northern Indian Infants
Authors: Poppitt Sally D. , McGregor Robin A. , Wiessing Katy R. , Goyal Vimal K. , Chitkara Amar J. , Gupta Sarika , Palmano Kate , Kuhn‐Sherlock Barbara , McConnell Michelle A. 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACTRotavirus (RV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children younger than 5 years of age, presenting commonly with diarrhoeal symptoms. In a prospective 12‐week double‐blind randomised controlled trial we assessed acceptability and efficacy of a high‐ganglioside complex milk lipid (CML) for prevention of RV infection in 450 infants, ages 8 to 24 months, at 3 sites in northern India. Prevalence of diarrhoea and RV was unseasonably low at baseline (all‐cause diarrhoea [ACD], n = 16; RV diarrhoea [RVD], n = 2; RV infection, RV positive [RV+], n = 20) and throughout the trial, with only 110 total episodes of ACD for 12 weeks (CML, n = 62; control, n = 48) of which 10 were RVD (CML, n = 4; control, n = 6). Mean duration that RVD persisted was lower in the CML group (2.3 ± 0.5 days) than that in the control group (3.8 ± 1.3 days, P = 0.03), but only 3 of 450 end of trial stool samples were identified as RV+ (<1%; CML, n = 2; control, n = 1). This hampered the assessment of efficacy of CML, despite the large a priori determined sample size. During the trial similar numbers of infants reported adverse events (AEs: CML 41%, control 46%), with the majority of events classified as mild and not related to the intervention. In conclusion, further clinical trials against a higher background of seasonal prevalence are necessary to assess efficacy of this nutritional intervention to prevent RVD. More important, however, high‐ganglioside CML was acceptable for long‐term consumption in infants ages 8 to 24 months.
Corporate governance scandal at Satyam Computer Services Ltd
Authors: Vishwanath S.R. , Narapareddy Vijaya L. 
Published: April 2014

Case description
The case highlights a $1.4 billion fraud committed by the founder of a NYSE listed, Information Technology Services firm in India. In response to the crisis, the Indian government appointed an interim board to find a strategic investor in the company. The case traces the events leading to the fall of the company. Students are asked to analyze the governance and intermediation failures, assess the financial position of the company and to estimate the intrinsic value of the company from an acquirer's perspective.
Seacoast University: the IT factor in moving online
Authors: Morris Franklin R. , Timmerman John E. , Lovvorn Al S. 
Published: April 2014

Case description
Dean Adams was given notice to develop an online program with the School of Business Administration as a prototype of online education for the rest of the University. A major task which faced the Dean involved working with University information technology (IT) staff and faculty to choose a learning management system (LMS) to support the online program. After talking with the Chief Information Officer at Seacoast University and appointing a committee made up of IT staff and faculty, the Dean was presented with the committee's recommendation that focussed on two major decisions: first, choosing the LMS product for the University, and second, choosing to locate the LMS product and server either on-campus or off-campus. In the course of considering whether or not to accept the committee's recommendations, Dean Adams weighed the evaluations and justifications as outlined by the committee in the context of Seacoast University's IT situation.
Phloem phytochemistry and aphid responses to elevated CO2, nitrogen fertilization and endophyte infection
Authors: Ryan Geraldine D. , Shukla Kruti , Rasmussen Susanne , Shelp Barry J. , Newman Jonathan A. 
Published: April 2014

Abstract

Rising atmospheric CO2 has been shown to alter plant nitrogen metabolism, growth and secondary chemistry. We hypothesized that altered aphid performance under elevated CO2 is linked to phloem nitrogen chemistry.
Rhopalosiphum padi performance on endophyte‐infected or uninfected tall fescue was examined under three levels of CO2 (ambient, 800 and 1000 p.p.m.) and high and low nitrogen fertilization. Ethylenediaminetetracetic acid‐facilitated exudation was used to sample phloem sap, followed by quantification of relative amino acid concentrations using reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography.
Aphid abundance was reduced at 800 p.p.m. relative to ambient CO2 but returned to baseline at 1000 p.p.m. The density of aphids was reduced in both the elevated CO2 treatments. Aphids were unsuccessful at colonizing endophyte‐infected plants, possibly as a result of the presence of loline alkaloids.
Multivariate analysis showed that certain groups of phloem amino acids were altered by nitrogen fertilization and CO2. We found that four amino acids (valine, arginine, glutamine and aspartate) were correlated with aphid performance. These findings partially explained the effect of plant nitrogen fertilization and elevated CO2 on aphids.
The present study represents a first step toward providing a mechanistic explanation of the aphid performance changes that may result from rising atmospheric CO2.
Insecticide toxicity and walking response of three pirate bug predators of the tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta
Authors: Pereira Renata R. , Picanço Marcelo C. , Santana Paulo A. , Moreira Suzana S. , Guedes Raul N. C. , Corrêa Alberto S. 
Published: April 2014

Abstract

The tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta is a key pest of the tomato and is of global significance. Insecticide is the primary method for controlling this pest, requiring a search for compounds with a low toxicity to nontarget organisms.
We assessed the toxicity of eight insecticides to T. absoluta and its pirate bug predators Orius tristicolor, Amphiareus constrictus and Blaptostethus pallescens (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Anthocoridae). We also assessed the effect of insecticide synergists on their toxicity to the predators, as well as their walking response to insecticide exposure.
All insecticides, with the exception of methamidophos, exhibited the minimum efficacy threshold required by the Brazilian legislation (80% efficacy) at concentrations lower than the registered label rates. Indoxacarb and chlorantraniliprole exhibited a lower toxicity to the pirate bug predators than to the tomato leaf miner.
The results obtained with the synergized insecticides suggest the involvement of cytochrome P450‐dependent monooxygenases as the primary detoxification enzymes minimizing insecticide toxicity in the pirate bug predators.
The insecticides led to a reduction in predator walking activity, especially abamectin and indoxacarb, which significantly minimized predator exposure.
The results of the present study indicate that novel insecticides, especially chlorantraniliprole, are better suited to sustainable integrated management programmes of the tomato leaf miner.
Eliciting Preferences for Key Attributes of Intrapartum Care in The Netherlands
Authors: van Haaren‐ten Haken Tamar , Pavlova Milena , Hendrix Marijke , Nieuwenhuijze Marianne , de Vries Raymond , Nijhuis Jan 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundAs part of the move toward “patient‐centered care,” women's preferences with regard to maternity services have become increasingly important to policy makers. To realize optimal patient‐centered care, knowledge of patients' preferences is essential. The aim of our study was to assess the strength and relative importance of women's preferences for different aspects of intrapartum care in The Netherlands, where women have easy access to both home and hospital birth.MethodsA discrete choice experiment was conducted at 16 weeks of gestation as part of a Dutch multicenter, prospective cohort study from 2007 to 2011 of low‐risk, nulliparous women. Responses were analyzed per intended place of birth group: midwifery‐led home (n = 191) and hospital birth (n = 152) and obstetric‐led hospital birth (n = 188).ResultsWe analyzed 562 questionnaires. Women in all groups preferred the possibility of influencing decision making and pain‐relief treatment during birth and no co‐payment for childbirth. Women with an intended home birth preferred a home‐like birth setting with the assistance of a midwife and transport during birth in case of complications. Type of birth setting and transport during birth were not considered important to women with an intended midwifery‐ or obstetric‐led hospital birth.ConclusionPolicies aimed at the improvement of maternity care must take into account women's preferences for the possibility of pain‐relief treatment and the fact that all women desire a high level of involvement in decision making. Furthermore, efforts to change maternity care systems must consider how to counter the culturally embedded nature of women's preferences.
Opinions of Maternity Care Professionals About Integration of Care During Labor for “Moderate Risk” Indications: A Delphi Study in The Netherlands
Authors: Perdok Hilde , Mokkink Lidwine , van Dillen Jeroen , Westerneng Myrte , Jans Suze , Mol Ben Willem , de Jonge Ank 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundThe percentage of referrals during labor from primary midwife‐led care to obstetrician‐led care has increased over the past years in The Netherlands. Most women are referred for indications with a moderate increase in risk and are looked after by clinical midwives. This study aims to provide insight into the opinions of maternity care professionals about integration of care and involvement of primary care midwives in the intrapartum care of women with “moderate risk” factors.MethodsA Delphi study consisting of three rounds was conducted. A purposively selected heterogenic panel of 50 professionals, including obstetricians, primary care midwives, clinical midwives, and obstetric nurses, answered questions anonymously.ResultsAlthough primary care midwives would like to expand their responsibilities and tasks with respect to “moderate risk” indications, consensus among panel members was only reached concerning prolonged rupture of membranes for which the primary care midwife could remain the caregiver.ConclusionThis study shows that most participants support more integration of care during labor. The lack of consensus among Dutch maternity care professionals with regard to the distribution of responsibilities and tasks for “moderate risk” indications is a challenge. Further studies should explore how to deal with differences in opinions among professionals when integrating maternity care systems.
Changes in Endocannabinoid Receptors and Enzymes in the Spinal Cord of SOD1G93A Transgenic Mice and Evaluation of a Sativex®‐like Combination of Phytocannabinoids: Interest for Future Therapies in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Moreno‐Martet Miguel , Espejo‐Porras Francisco , Fernández‐Ruiz Javier , de Lago Eva 
Published: April 2014

SummaryAimsCannabinoids afford neuroprotection in SOD1G93A mutant mice, an experimental model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, these mice have been poorly studied to identify alterations in those elements of the endocannabinoid system targeted by these treatments. Moreover, we studied the neuroprotective effect of the phytocannabinoid‐based medicine Sativex® in these mice.MethodsFirst, we analyzed the endocannabinoid receptors and enzymes in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A transgenic mice at a late stage of the disease. Second, 10‐week‐old transgenic mice were daily treated with an equimolecular combination of Δ9‐tetrahydrocannabinol‐ and cannabidiol‐enriched botanical extracts (20 mg/kg for each phytocannabinoid).ResultsWe found a significant increase of CB2 receptors and NAPE‐PLD enzyme in SOD1G93A transgenic males and only CB2 receptors in females. Pharmacological experiments demonstrated that the treatment of these mice with the Sativex®‐like combination of phytocannabinoids only produced weak improvements in the progression of neurological deficits and in the animal survival, particularly in females.ConclusionsOur results demonstrated changes in endocannabinoid signaling, in particular a marked up‐regulation of CB2 receptors, in SOD1G93A transgenic mice, and provide support that Sativex® may serve as a novel disease‐modifying therapy in ALS.
Oligodendrocyte Pathophysiology and Treatment Strategies in Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Mifsud Gabriella , Zammit Christian , Muscat Richard , Di Giovanni Giuseppe , Valentino Mario 
Published: April 2014

SummaryOligodendrocytes (OLs), the myelin‐forming cells of the central nervous system, form a functional unit with axons and play a crucial role in axonal integrity. An episode of hypoxia–ischemia causes rapid and severe damage to these particularly vulnerable cells via multiple pathways such as overactivation of glutamate and ATP receptors, oxidative stress, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The cardinal effect of OL pathology is demyelination and dysmyelination, and this has profound effects on axonal function, transport, structure, metabolism, and survival. The OL is a primary target of ischemia in adult‐onset stroke and especially in periventricular leukomalacia and should be considered as a primary therapeutic target in these conditions. More emphasis is needed on therapeutic strategies that target OLs, myelin, and their receptors, as these have the potential to significantly attenuate white matter injury and to establish functional recovery of white matter after stroke. In this review, we will summarize recent progress on the role of OLs in white matter ischemic injury and the current and emerging principles that form the basis for protective strategies against OL death.
The Centrality of Mitochondria in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Camilleri Angelique , Vassallo Neville 
Published: April 2014

SummaryParkinson's disease (PD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder leading to progressive motor impairment and for which there is no cure. From the first postmortem account describing a lack of mitochondrial complex I in the substantia nigra of PD sufferers, the direct association between mitochondrial dysfunction and death of dopaminergic neurons has ever since been consistently corroborated. In this review, we outline common pathways shared by both sporadic and familial PD that remarkably and consistently converge at the level of mitochondrial integrity. Furthermore, such knowledge has incontrovertibly established mitochondria as a valid therapeutic target in neurodegeneration. We discuss several mitochondria‐directed therapies that promote the preservation, rescue, or restoration of dopaminergic neurons and which have been identified in the laboratory and in preclinical studies. Some of these have progressed to clinical trials, albeit the identification of an unequivocal disease‐modifying neurotherapeutic is still elusive. The challenge is therefore to improve further, not least by more research on the molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological consequences of mitochondrial dysfunction in PD.
Visual motherese? Signal‐to‐noise ratios in toddler‐directed television
Authors: Wass Sam V. , Smith Tim J. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractYounger brains are noisier information processing systems; this means that information for younger individuals has to allow clearer differentiation between those aspects that are required for the processing task in hand (the ‘signal’) and those that are not (the ‘noise’). We compared toddler‐directed and adult‐directed TV programmes (TotTV/ATV). We examined how low‐level visual features (that previous research has suggested influence gaze allocation) relate to semantic information, namely the location of the character speaking in each frame. We show that this relationship differs between TotTV and ATV. First, we conducted Receiver Operator Characteristics analyses and found that feature congestion predicted speaking character location in TotTV but not ATV. Second, we used multiple analytical strategies to show that luminance differentials (flicker) predict face location more strongly in TotTV than ATV. Our results suggest that TotTV designers have intuited techniques for controlling toddler attention using low‐level visual cues. The implications of these findings for structuring childhood learning experiences away from a screen are discussed.
Are bilingual children better at ignoring perceptually misleading information? A novel test
Authors: Goldman Meghan C. , Negen James , Sarnecka Barbara W. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractDoes speaking more than one language help a child perform better on certain types of cognitive tasks? One possibility is that bilingualism confers either specific or general cognitive advantages on tasks that require selective attention to one dimension over another (e.g. Bialystok, ; Hilchey & Klein, ). Other studies have looked for such an advantage but found none (e.g. Morton & Harper, ; Paap & Greenberg, ). The present study compared monolingual and bilingual children's performance on a numerical discrimination task, which required children to ignore area and attend to number. Ninety‐two children, ages 3 to 6 years, were asked which of two arrays of dots had ‘more dots’. Half of the trials were congruent, where the numerically greater array was also larger in total area, and half were incongruent, where the numerically greater array was smaller in total area. All children performed better on congruent than on incongruent trials. Older children were more successful than younger children at ignoring area in favor of number. Bilingual children did not perform differently from monolingual children either in number discrimination itself (i.e. identifying which array had more dots) or at selectively attending to number. The present study thus finds no evidence of a bilingual advantage on this task for children of this age.
The Quality Function Measure: reliability and discriminant validity of a new measure of quality of gross motor movement in ambulatory children with cerebral palsy
Authors: Wright F Virginia , Rosenbaum Peter , Fehlings Darcy , Mesterman Ronit , Breuer Ute , Kim Marie 
Published: April 2014

AimOptimizing movement quality is a common rehabilitation goal for children with cerebral palsy (CP). The new Quality Function Measure (QFM) – a revision of the Gross Motor Performance Measure (GMPM) – evaluates five attributes: Alignment, Co‐ordination, Dissociated movement, Stability, and Weight‐shift, for the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) Stand and Walk/Run/Jump items. This study evaluated the reliability and discriminant validity of the QFM.MethodThirty‐three children with CP (17 females, 16 males; mean age 8y 11mo, SD 3y 1mo; Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I [n=17], II [n=7], III [n=9]) participated in reliability testing. Each did a GMFM Stand/Walk assessment, repeated 2 weeks later. Both GMFM assessments were videotaped. A physiotherapist assessor pair independently scored the QFM from an assigned child's GMFM video. GMFM data from 112 children. That is, (GMFCS I [n=38], II [n=27], III [n=47]) were used for discriminant validity evaluation.ResultsQFM mean scores varied from 45.0% (SD 27.2; Stability) to 56.2% (SD 27.5; Alignment). Reliability was excellent across all attributes: intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) ≥0.97 (95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.95–0.99), interrater ICCs ≥0.89 (95% CI 0.80–0.98), and test–retest ICCs ≥0.90 (95% CI 0.79–0.99). QFM discriminated qualitative attributes of motor function among GMFCS levels (maximum p<0.05).InterpretationThe QFM is reliable and valid, making it possible to assess how well young people with CP move and what areas of function to target to enhance quality of motor control.
Rapid evolution and range expansion of an invasive plant are driven by provenance–environment interactions
Authors: Zenni Rafael D. , Bailey Joseph K. , Simberloff Daniel 
Published: April 2014

AbstractTo improve our ability to prevent and manage biological invasions, we must understand their ecological and evolutionary drivers. We are often able to explain invasions after they happen, but our predictive ability is limited. Here, we show that range expansions of introducedPinus taedaresult from an interaction between genetic provenance and climate and that temperature and precipitation clines predict the invasive performance of particular provenances. Furthermore, we show that genotypes can occupy climate niche spaces different from those observed in their native ranges and, at least in our case, that admixture is not a main driver of invasion. Genotypes respond to climate in distinct ways, and these interactions affect the ability of populations to expand their ranges. While rapid evolution in introduced ranges is a mechanism at later stages of the invasion process, the introduction of adapted genotypes is a key driver of naturalisation of populations of introduced species.
No association between biopsy‐verified celiac disease and subsequent amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a population‐based cohort study
Authors: Ludvigsson J. F. , Mariosa D. , Lebwohl B. , Fang F. 
Published: April 2014

Background and purposeEarlier data suggest an association between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and autoimmune disease, but data on its association with celiac disease (CD) are limited.MethodsThe risk of ALS in 29 093 individuals with CD, according to small intestine biopsy (villous atrophy, Marsh 3) carried out at Sweden's 28 pathology departments in 1969–2008, was compared with that in 144 515 age‐ and sex‐matched reference individuals from the general population. ALS was defined as a hospitalization or outpatient visit with ALS according to the Swedish Patient Register. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for ALS.ResultsDuring follow‐up 12 (3.7/100 000 person‐years) individuals with CD and 56 (3.5/100 000 person‐years) reference individuals had a diagnosis of ALS. This corresponded to an HR of 1.0 (95% CI 0.5–1.8). HRs were significantly higher in the first year of follow‐up (4.1; 1.2–13.4) than 1–5 years after first CD diagnosis (0.8; 0.2–2.7) or after more than 5 years of follow‐up (0.5; 0.2–1.5). Relative risk estimates were similar in men and women but were higher at the end of the study period [HR for ALS in patients diagnosed with CD in year 2000 or later was 2.1 (95% CI 0.9–4.8)].ConclusionsThis study found no association between CD and ALS. Earlier reports of a positive association may be due to surveillance bias just after CD diagnosis or expedited diagnostic work‐up of ALS.