bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impairment of skin barrier function via cholinergic signal transduction in a dextran sulphate sodium‐induced colitis mouse model
Authors: Yokoyama Satoshi , Hiramoto Keiichi , Koyama Mayu , Ooi Kazuya 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDry skin has been clinically associated with visceral diseases, including liver disease, as well as for our previously reported small intestinal injury mouse model, which have abnormalities in skin barrier function. To clarify this disease‐induced skin disruption, we used a dextran sulphate sodium (DSS)‐induced colitis mouse model. Following treatment with DSS, damage to the colon and skin was monitored using histological and protein analysis methods as well as the detection of inflammatory mediators in the plasma. Notably, transepidermal water loss was higher, and skin hydration was lower in DSS‐treated mice compared to controls. Tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α), interleukin 6 and levels were also upregulated in the plasma, and a decrease in body weight and colon length was observed in DSS‐treated mice. However, when administered TNF‐α antibody or an iNOS inhibitor, no change in skin condition was observed, indicating that another signalling mechanism is utilized. Interestingly, the number of tryptase‐expressing mast cells, known for their role in immune function via cholinergic signal transduction, was elevated. To evaluate the function of cholinergic signalling in this context, atropine (a muscarinic cholinoceptor antagonist) or hexamethonium (a nicotinic cholinergic ganglion‐blocking agent) was administered to DSS‐treated mice. Our data indicate that muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are the primary receptors functioning in colon‐to‐skin signal transduction, as DSS‐induced skin disruption was suppressed by atropine. Thus, skin disruption is likely associated with DSS‐induced colitis, and the activation of mast cells via mAChRs is critical to this association.
Sustainability guidelines and forest market response: an assessment of European Union pellet demand in the southeastern United States
Authors: Galik Christopher S. , Abt Robert C. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWoody biomass from the southeast United States is expected to play an important role in meeting European Union renewable energy targets. In crafting policies to guide bioenergy development and in guiding investment decisions to meet established policy goals, a firm understanding of the interaction between policy targets and forest biomass markets is necessary, as is the effect that this interaction will have on environmental and economic objectives. This analysis increases our understanding of these interactions by modeling the response of southernUSforest markets to new pellet demand in the presence of sustainability sourcing or harvest criteria. We first assess the influence ofEUrecommended sustainability guidelines on the forest inventory available to supplyEUmarkets, and then model changes in forest composition and extent in response to expected increases in pellet demand. Next, we assess how sustainability guidelines can influence the evolution of forest markets in the region, paying particular attention to changes in land use and forest carbon. Regardless of whether sustainability guidelines are applied, we find increased removals, an increase in forest area, and little change in forest inventory. We also find annual gains in forest carbon in most years of the analysis. The incremental effect of sustainability guideline application on forest carbon and pellet greenhouse gas (GHG) balance is difficult to discern, but results suggest that guidelines could be steering production away from sensitive forest types inherently less responsive to changing market conditions. PelletGHGbalance shows significant annual change and is attributable to the complexity of the underlying forest landscape. The manner by whichGHGbalance is tracked is thus a critical policy decision, reinforcing the importance and relevance of current efforts to develop approaches to accurately account for theGHGimplications of biomass use both in the United States and European Union.
Processing of 0.7BaTiO3–0.3BiScO3 Solid‐Solution Coatings
Authors: Boakye Emmanuel E. , Mogilevsky Pavel , Keller Kristin A. , Lee HeeDong , Godar Trenton , Hay Randall S. 
Published: May 2015

Coatings with the 0.7BaTiO3–0.3BiScO3 solid‐solution composition were formed on palladium and single‐crystal (001) SrTiO3 substrates using a polymeric metal citrate precursor. Solutions of TiOCl2, Ba(NO3)2, Sc(NO3)3, and Bi(NO3)3 were mixed with citric acid and polymerized with ethylene glycol. Stable mixed‐metal citrate solutions were formed at pH > 9 and used for coatings. The phase and composition of powders and coatings were characterized using DTA, TGA, SEM, TEM, and X‐ray diffraction. Single‐phase cubic 0.7BaTiO3–0.3BiScO3 solid solutions formed at 600°C. Coatings on Pd using precursors doped with 5 wt% lithium nitrate were dense after sintering at 950°C/1 h. Coatings without lithium nitrate required 1050°C/50 h to densify. Coatings on SrTiO3 heat‐treated at 1150°C were dense but formed a (Sc,Ti)‐rich second phase.
The prevention and removal of biofilm formation ofStaphylococcus aureusstrains isolated from raw milk samples by citric acid treatments
Authors: Akbas Meltem Yesilcimen , Kokumer Tugba 
Published: May 2015

SummaryIn this study, the antibiofilm activity of citric acid treatment onStaphylococcus aureusstrains isolated from raw milk samples was evaluated. For this purpose, the prevention and removal of biofilm formation ofS. aureusstrains by citric acid treatments (2% and 10%) for 20 min were investigated for comparison with peracetic acid treatment (0.3%) on both microtitration plate and stainless steel coupons. The results indicated that the prevention and removal of biofilm formation and the numbers of prevented or removedS. aureusstrains using citric acid treatments were observed to be higher than those using peracetic acid treatment on both surfaces. The prevention and removal of biofilm formation were substantially higher when the concentration of citric acid treatment increased from 2% to 10% and the stainless coupons were used. The results show that citric acid can be used as an alternative disinfectant in controlling biofilm formation in the dairy industry.
Sex‐specific reproductive investment of summer spawners of Illex argentinus in the southwest Atlantic
Authors: Lin Dongming , Chen Xinjun , Chen Yong , Fang Zhou 
Published: May 2015

AbstractEnergy investment in reproduction and somatic growth was investigated for summer spawners of the Argentinean shortfin squid Illex argentinus in the southwest Atlantic Ocean. Sampled squids were examined for morphometry and intensity of feeding behavior associated with reproductive maturation. Residuals generated from length‐weight relationships were analyzed to determine patterns of energy allocation between somatic and reproductive growth. Both females and males showed similar rates of increase for eviscerated body mass and digestive gland mass relative to mantle length, but the rate of increase for total reproductive organ weight relative to mantle length in females was three times that of males. For females, condition of somatic tissues deteriorated until the mature stage, but somatic condition improved after the onset of maturity. In males, there was no correlation between somatic condition and phases of reproductive maturity. Reproductive investment decreased as sexual maturation progressed for both females and males, with the lowest investment occurring at the functionally mature stage. Residual analysis indicated that female reproductive development was at the expense of body muscle growth during the immature and maturing stages, but energy invested in reproduction after onset of maturity was probably met by food intake. However, in males both reproductive maturation and somatic growth proceeded concurrently so that energy allocated to reproduction was related to food intake throughout the process of maturation. For both males and females, there was little evidence of trade‐offs between the digestive gland and reproductive growth, as no significant correlation was found between dorsal mantle length‐digestive gland weight residuals. The role of the digestive gland as an energy reserve for gonadal growth should be reconsidered. Additionally, feeding intensity by both males and females decreased after the onset of sexual maturity, but feeding never stopped completely, even during spawning.
The Information Processing Representation of Institutionalised Social Action
Authors: Axten Nick , Fararo Thomas J. 
Published: May 2015

The general idea proposed in this paper is that the fundamental properties of institutionalised social action may be understood in terms of the modelling of real systems of social action as information processing systems—systems whose activity is controlled by symbolic processes. A key property of the models is their generative character: from a given model, with appropriate inputs, it is possible to derive explicitly the sequence of activity of the system. In this way the model is not a merely static description of a system, nor a history of its activity, but shows the activity flowing from the proposed structure of the system. Within this framework the paper explores the issue of the theoretical justification and generalisation of possible models, and proposes an approach based on the interrelationships among the patterns of activity characteristic of various institutions. We discuss the idea of a generative theory in section 1, followed in section 2 by an explication of the formalism we employ based on the outstanding work of Newell and Simon in information processing theory. In section 3, we apply this formalism to the problem of representing the institutional aspects of a social action system, using a familiar institution—the restaurant—as a case study. In section 4 we discuss further aspects of the theory and method involved in this type of representation.
Labor Unions and Forms of Corporate Liquidity
Authors: Tong Zhenxu 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWe examine how the presence of labor unions affects a firm's choice of corporate liquidity between bank lines of credit and corporate cash holdings. We find that firms in industries with higher unionization rates hold a higher fraction of corporate liquidity in the form of bank lines of credit. We divide the firms into sub‐groups and find that this positive relationship holds for firms that are not in a state with right‐to‐work legislation and for firms that are financially constrained. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that a firm chooses the forms of corporate liquidity to take advantage of the bargaining benefits associated with bank lines of credit.
Proximal caries lesion detection using the Canary Caries Detection System: an in vitro study
Authors: Jan Janja , Wan Bakar Wan Zaripah , Mathews Sapna M. , Okoye Linda O. , Ehler Benjamin R. , Louden Christopher , Amaechi Bennett T. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractObjectiveThis study investigated the accuracy of the Canary System (CS) to detect proximal caries lesions in vitro, and compared it with conventional methods: International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) II and bitewing radiography (BW).MethodsVisible proximal surfaces of extracted human teeth were assessed by ICDAS‐II before setting them in five manikin mouth models. Then contacting proximal surfaces in mouth models were assessed by BW and CS. Histological validation with polarized‐light microscopy served as a gold standard. Pairwise comparisons were performed on area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of the three methods, and corrected using Bonferroni's method. Sensitivities and specificities were compared using a test of proportions and AUC values were compared using DeLong's method.ResultsThe CS presented significantly higher sensitivity (0.933) than ICDAS‐II (0.733, P = 0.01) and BW (0.267, P < 0.001), and ICDAS‐II higher sensitivity than BW (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between their specificity values: 0.825 (CS), 0.65 (ICDAS‐II), and 0.875 (BW). The AUC of CS (0.862) was significantly higher than of ICDAS‐II (0.681, P < 0.001) and BW (0.577, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe CS demonstrated greater accuracy in detecting proximal lesions than ICDAS‐II and BW, although without significantly higher specificity.
National survey of fibrinogen concentrate usage for post‐partum hemorrhage in Japan: Investigated by the Perinatology Committee, Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Authors: Makino Shintaro , Takeda Satoru , Kobayashi Takao , Murakami Maki , Kubo Takahiko , Hata Toshiyuki , Masuzaki Hideaki 
Published: May 2015

AbstractAimThe aim of this study was to provide basic documents applicable to studying the usefulness of administering fibrinogen concentrate to patients with massive post‐partum hemorrhage. We investigated the usage of fibrinogen concentrate at training institutions for specialist physicians of the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.Material and MethodsThe subjects were women who required fibrinogen concentrate for hemostasis of post‐partum hemorrhage during the period between April 2008 and March 2013. The underlying diseases, obstetric disseminated intravascular coagulation scores, blood loss, amount of blood transfusion, dose of fibrinogen concentrate administered, and plasma fibrinogen levels before and after the administration of fibrinogen concentrate were retrospectively investigated.ResultsNinety‐nine (98.0%) patients survived and two died after taking fibrinogen concentrate. Of the surviving 99 cases, the average amount of blood loss at the time of initial fibrinogen administration and total blood loss was 3559 ± 2103 mL and 4562 ± 3198 mL, respectively. The dose per administration was 3 g, and the plasma fibrinogen level before the initial administration of fibrinogen concentrate was 70.5 mg/dL, thereafter increasing to 187.0 mg/dL. The increase in the fibrinogen level was 32.9 mg/dL/g of fibrinogen concentrate. It was less than 150 mg/dL after the first administration of fibrinogen concentrate only in patients with amniotic fluid embolism and patients with atonic bleeding showed the smallest increase in fibrinogen per gram of fibrinogen concentrate. No adverse events, including thromboembolism, were reported.ConclusionThe results indicated the increase in blood fibrinogen levels to, on occasion, be insufficient even with fibrinogen concentrate use; however, this survey may support the safety and usefulness of fibrinogen concentrate for PPH.
Midtrimester spontaneous torsion of unruptured gravid rudimentary horn: Presurgical diagnosis on magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Singh Pragya , Gupta Rohini , Das Banashree , Bajaj Sunil Kumar , Misra Ritu 
Published: May 2015

AbstractUnicornuate uterus with rudimentary horn occurs due to failure of complete development and partial fusion of one of the Müllerian ducts. Pregnancy in a non‐communicating rudimentary horn is extremely rare, with a reported incidence of 1 in 76 000–150 000 pregnancies, and usually terminates in rupture during the first or second trimester. Clinical diagnosis of rudimentary horn pregnancy in a woman with history of normal vaginal delivery in prior gestations is difficult. The role of sonography, and more recently, magnetic resonance imaging, in the presurgical diagnosis of rudimentary horn pregnancy is established. We present a case of magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of 20‐week pregnancy in the unruptured non‐communicating rudimentary horn in a patient with previous history of two full‐term normal vaginal deliveries. The novelty of the case lies in the fact that there was associated torsion of the gravid rudimentary horn and ipsilateral ovary, which has not been reported previously.
Accuracy of visual inspection with acetic acid and with Lugol's iodine for cervical cancer screening: Meta‐analysis
Authors: Qiao Liang , Li Bo , Long Mei , Wang Xiao , Wang Anrong , Zhang Guonan 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe aim of this review was to provide an updated summary estimation of the accuracy of visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and with Lugol's iodine (VILI) in detecting cervical cancer and precancer. Studies on VIA/VILI accuracy were eligible in which VIA/VILI was performed on asymptomatic women who all underwent confirmatory testing of histology, combination of colposcopy and histology, or combination of multiple screening tests, colposcopy and histology, to detect cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or worse (CIN2+ or CIN3+). A bivariate model was fitted to estimate the accuracy of VIA/VILI and provide estimates of heterogeneity. Subgroup analysis was used to investigate the source of heterogeneity. A total of 29 studies on VIA and 19 studies on VILI were included finally in the meta‐analysis. The summary sensitivity and specificity of VIA for CIN2+ were 73.2% (95%CI: 66.5–80.0%) and 86.7% (95%CI: 82.9–90.4%), respectively, and those for VILI were 88.1% (95%CI: 81.5–94.7%) and 85.9% (95%CI: 81.7–90.0%), respectively. VIA and VILI were both more sensitive in detecting more severe outcome, although there was a slight loss in specificity. Apparent heterogeneity existed in sensitivity and specificity for both VIA and VILI. High sensitivity of both VIA and VILI for CIN2+ was found when a combination of colposcopy and histology was used as disease confirmation. VIA, VILI, even a combination of them in parallel, could be good options for cervical screening in low‐resource settings. Significant differences in sensitivity between different gold standards might provide a proxy for optimization of ongoing cervical cancer screening programs.
Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) and treatment outcomes: Epistemological Assumptions and Controversies
Authors: Williams C. H. J. 
Published: May 2015

Accessible summary
Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is recommended as a primary treatment choice in England, for anxiety and depression, by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).
It has been argued that CBT has enjoyed political and cultural dominance and this has arguably led to maintained government investment in England for the cognitive and behavioural treatment of mental health problems. The government programme ‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) aims to improve the availability of CBT.
The criticism of the NICE evidence‐based guidelines supporting the IAPT programme, has been the dominance of the gold standard randomized controlled trial methodology, with a focus on numerical outcome data, rather than a focus on a recovery narrative. RCT‐based research is influenced by a philosophical paradigm called positivism.
The IAPT culture is arguably influenced by one research paradigm and such an influence can skew services only towards numerical outcome data as the only truth of ‘recovery’. An interpretative paradigm could assist in shaping service‐based cultures, alter how services are evaluated and improve the richness of CBT research.
This paper explores the theory of knowledge (epistemology) that underpins the evidence‐based perspective of CBT and how this influences service delivery. The paper argues that the inclusion of service user narrative (qualitative data) can assist the evaluation of CBT from the user's perspective and can understand the context in which people live and how they access services. A qualitative perspective is discussed as a research strategy, capturing the lived experience of under‐represented groups, such as sexual, gender and ethnic minorities.
AbstractCognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) has enjoyed political and cultural dominance within mental healthcare, with renewed government investment in England for the‘Improving Access to Psychological Therapies’ (IAPT) programme. The criticism of the evidence‐based guidelines, published by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which supports the IAPT programme has been the dominance of the gold standard randomized controlled trial methodology. The definition of ‘recovery’ used by IAPT is based on a positivist position, with a focus on numerical outcome data garnered through psychometric measures. An interpretative perspective of recovery, which would include a subjective individual patient/service user narrative and would include a collaborative qualitative dialogue, is arguably absent from the IAPT programme. The challenge inherent in the IAPT programme is the high demand/high turnover culture, and psychometric measures are quick to administer; however, this culture is driven from one research paradigm. An interpretative paradigm may assist in shaping service‐based cultures, alter how services are evaluated, and improve the richness of CBT research.
Long‐term presence and habitat use of Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea
Authors: Arcangeli Antonella , Campana Ilaria , Marini Luca , MacLeod Colin D. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractCuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris, G. Cuvier 1823) is a poorly known species and many international agreements have asked for a better understanding of its biology for conservation purposes. In the present study, systematic cetacean surveys were carried out from ferries along a trans‐regional fixed transect in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea (Civitavecchia, Latium – Golfo Aranci, Sardinia), just outside the southeastern border of the Pelagos Sanctuary. This research provided long‐term, consistent data on Cuvier's beaked whale during two research periods (1990–1992 and 2007–2011). The objective of the research was to compare the presence, distribution and habitat use of Cuvier's beaked whale between the two investigated periods. Summer data (June–September) from the two periods were compared in terms of frequency of sightings, group size and spatial distribution related to the main ecogeographical features. A presence‐absence model (generalized additive modelling) was performed to predict habitat suitability in the two study periods. The results highlight long‐term site fidelity of Cuvier's beaked whale in the Central Tyrrhenian Sea with encounter rates comparable to the ones reported for other key areas. Separate suitability models based on 1990s and 2000s data appeared to work for each individual time period but differences were evident between the two periods, indicating changes in habitat selection over time. Our findings of the study appear to expand the definition of suitable beaked whale habitat and underline how the temporal scale of the analysis can affect the results in habitat studies. Moreover, this research highlights the importance of the Central Tyrrhenian Sea marine region for Cuvier's beaked whale and the ability of continuous monitoring to identify changes in cetacean frequency and distribution, necessary for adaptive conservation management approaches.
Population genomic analyses reveal possible drivers of population divergence
Authors: Skrede Inger , Brandström Durling Mikael 
Published: May 2015

Recent advances in sequencing technology and efficiency enable new and improved methods to investigate how populations diverge and species evolve. Fungi have relatively small and simple genomes and can often be cultured in the laboratory. Fungal populations can thus be sequenced for a relatively low cost, which makes them ideal for population genomic analyses. In several recent population genomic studies, wild populations of fungal model organisms and human pathogens have been analysed, for example Neurospora crassa (Ellison et al. ), Saccharomyces uvarum (Almeida et al. ), Coccidioides spp. (Neafsey et al. ) and Cryptococcus gatti (Engelthaler et al. ). In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Branco et al. () apply population genomic tools to understand population divergence and adaptation in a symbiotic (mycorrhizal) fungus. This study exemplifies the possibilities of diving deeper into the genomic features involved in population divergence and speciation, also for nonmodel organisms, and how molecular and analytical tools will improve our understanding of the patterns and mechanisms that underlie adaptation to habitats, population divergence and dispersal limitation of fungi.