bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A mixed‐method synthesis of knowledge, experiences and attitudes of health professionals to Female Genital Mutilation
Authors: Reig‐Alcaraz María , Siles‐González José , Solano‐Ruiz Carmen 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAimTo synthesize knowledge, attitudes and experiences of health professionals about Female Genital Mutilation.BackgroundDespite the World Health Organization campaigning to stop FGM, and it being illegal in many countries, the practice remains common in some countries and cultures. Migration has contributed to the growth of this practice in countries where it was not previously carried out.DesignMixed‐method synthesis.Data sourcesSearch of ten electronic databases: 2006–2014. Manual scanning of reference lists and summary feeds from international organizations such as WHO, UN and UNICEF.Review methodsThematic synthesis comparing country of origin where the practice was common with country of residence where migrant women affected by the practice reside. 17 included descriptive, quantitative, qualitative studies and grey literature studies in English or Spanish.ResultsSeven themes were developed: Ignorance of FGM practice and its consequences; Lack of adherence to FGM protocols and guidelines; Socially constructed acceptance of FGM; Ignorance of legislation and legal status of FGM; Condoning, sanctioning or supporting FGM; Lack of information and training; Nurses and Midwives as key to protecting and supporting girls and womenConclusionsAlthough some nurses and midwives are in the forefront of eradicating FGM this is counterbalanced by health professionals (including nurses and midwives) who condone, sanction or support the practice with some calling for medicalization of FGM as a legitimate procedure. Girls at risk need better protection and women affected need more competent and cultural care from health professionals. Health and legal systems, professional regulation and governance, and professional training require strengthening to eradicate FGM, prevent the medicalization of FGM as an acceptable procedure, and to better manage the lifelong consequences for affected girls and women.
Effect of two different healing times on the mineralization of newly formed bone using a bovine bone substitute in sinus floor augmentation: a randomized, controlled, clinical and histological investigation
Authors: Kohal Ralf Joachim , Gubik Sonja , Strohl Christine , Stampf Susanne , Bächle Maria , Hurrle Adrian Alexander , Patzelt Sebastian Berthold Maximilian 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the amount of the mineralization of a bovine bone substitute material in sinus floor augmentation after healing times of 3 and 6 months.Materials and MethodsFifty‐one patients were randomized into two healing time groups and received sinus floor augmentations with a bovine bone material. After 3 or 6 months of healing, trephine bone biopsies were retrieved. The biopsies were processed for histological and histomorphometric evaluations to primarily investigate the amount of mineralized bone in the augmented area and secondarily compare the amount of mineralized bone in the augmented area and in the pristine bone. Statistical tests were performed to analyse the fraction of the mineralized bone (p < 0.05).ResultsThe biopsies of both groups showed remnants of the well‐integrated bone substitute material. The histology revealed osteoblasts, osteocytes with osteoid, and osteoclasts. The mean percentage of mineralized bone in the augmented area was 23.8% (3 months group) and 23.6% (6 months group; p = 0.9246); the amount of remaining bone substitute material was 35% (3 months group) and 33.9% (6 months group; p = 0.6325).ConclusionIt can be concluded that the bone maturation in the augmented sinus using the bovine bone material is similar after 3 and 6 months. Thus, implant installation after 3 months following a lateral window sinus floor augmentation approach using a bovine bone material seems to be clinically acceptable.
Daylight photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate cream is effective and nearly painless in treating actinic keratoses: a randomised, investigator‐blinded, controlled, phase III study throughout Europe
Authors: Lacour J‐P. , Ulrich C. , Gilaberte Y. , Von Felbert V. , Basset‐Seguin N. , Dreno B. , Girard C. , Redondo P. , Serra‐Guillen C. , Synnerstad I. , Tarstedt M. , Tsianakas A. , Venema A.W. , Kelleners‐Smeets N. , Adamski H. , Perez‐Garcia B. , Gerritsen M.J. , Leclerc S. , Kerrouche N. , Szeimies R‐M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackgroundUnmet needs exist in actinic keratosis (AK) treatment. Daylight photodynamic therapy (DL‐PDT) has shown good efficacy and safety results compared to conventional PDT (c‐PDT) in a recent Phase III multi‐centre randomised controlled trial in Australia among 100 subjects with AKs.ObjectivesDemonstrate non‐inferior efficacy and superior safety of DL‐PDT compared to c‐PDT in treating multiple mild and/or moderate facial/scalp AKs.MethodsPhase III, 12 week, multi‐centre, randomised, investigator‐blinded, controlled, intra‐individual study conducted at different latitudes in Europe. AKs of adult subjects were treated once with methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) DL‐PDT on one side of the face and MAL c‐PDT contralaterally. Endpoints for DL‐PDT concerned efficacy (non‐inferiority regarding complete lesion response at week 12) and safety (superiority regarding subject's assessment of pain after treatment, on an 11‐point numeric rating scale). Safety evaluation also included incidence of adverse events. Subject satisfaction was described using a questionnaire at baseline and last visit.ResultsAt week 12, the total lesion complete response rate with DL‐PDT was similar (non‐inferior) to c‐PDT (70% vs. 74%, respectively; 95% CI [−9.5; 2.4] in PP analysis, confirmed in ITT analysis). In addition, efficacy of DL‐PDT was demonstrated regardless of weather conditions (sunny or cloudy). DL‐PDT was nearly painless compared to c‐PDT (0.7 vs. 4.4, respectively; P < 0.001), better tolerated and resulted in higher subject satisfaction.ConclusionDL‐PDT in comparison with c‐PDT was as effective, better tolerated and nearly painless with high patient satisfaction, and may be considered a treatment of choice to meet needs of patients with mild or moderate facial/scalp AKs.
“Retronychia – clinical and pathophysiological aspects”
Authors: Ventura F. , Correia O. , Duarte A.F. , Barros A.M. , Haneke E. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractRetronychia represents proximal ingrowth of the nail that occurs when the nail embeds backwards into the proximal nail fold. It is suspected when there is a persistent paronychia, particularly in the setting of trauma. Important clinical criteria for diagnosis are inflammation of the proximal nail fold, granulation tissue emerging from under the nail fold, thickening of the proximal portion of the nail plate and interruption of nail growth. The condition is rarely diagnosed and often misinterpreted, and is therefore unnecessarily treated with systemic antibiotics and antifungals. Avulsion of the nail confirms the diagnosis and it is the curative treatment. Conservative treatment with an adhesive technique is a valid option in early cases. We report 20 cases of retronychia diagnosed in our department between 2010 and 2013.
Influence of Stimulus Properties and Sensory Task Instructions on Oral Processing Behavior of Liquid Stimuli
Authors: Derks J.A.M. , De Wijk R.A. , De Graaf C. , Stieger M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis study determined the influence of texture properties and sensory task instructions on oral processing behavior of liquid stimuli. Oral processing of one sip of water, skimmed milk, thickened skimmed milk, cream and cream with poppy seeds was quantified using Surface Electromyography. Oral behavior was determined while subjects performed or did not perform sensory evaluation. Oral clearance time and time after the second swallow differed between liquid stimuli displaying large differences in texture properties, probably due to subjects attempting to remove oral coatings from the tongue surface during the oral clearance phase. Time to swallow decreased and total muscle activity increased when liquid stimuli were orally processed without performing a sensory evaluation. No differences in oral processing behavior of liquid stimuli were observed between different types of sensory evaluations (assessment of different sensory attributes). We suggest that some texture attributes of liquid foods might be perceived without requiring additional oral processing. We conclude that performing sensory evaluation influences oral processing behavior of liquid stimuli compared to not performing sensory evaluation.Practical ApplicationsStudying oral processing behavior helps to better understand food sensations and can thereby support food industry in product development. This study demonstrates that consumers adapt their oral processing behavior of liquids only when the differences in texture properties between the liquids are large mainly by prolonging the oral clearance time after the first swallow and the total drinking time. By engineering the texture properties of beverages the oral processing behavior could be influenced to increase drinking time of a sip of beverage. An increase in drinking time probably leads to prolonged sensory sensations. We hypothesize that increasing drinking time and oral sensory exposure might lead to a decrease in drink intake when multiple sips are consumed.
Amphibian molecular ecology and how it has informed conservation
Authors: McCartney‐Melstad Evan , Shaffer H. Bradley 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMolecular ecology has become one of the key tools in the modern conservationist's kit. Here we review three areas where molecular ecology has been applied to amphibian conservation: genes on landscapes, within‐population processes, and genes that matter. We summarize relevant analytical methods, recent important studies from the amphibian literature, and conservation implications for each section. Finally, we include five in‐depth examples of how molecular ecology has been successfully applied to specific amphibian systems.
Biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis requires an endoribonuclease‐containing multisubunit complex that controls mRNA levels for the matrix gene repressor SinR
Authors: DeLoughery Aaron , Dengler Vanina , Chai Yunrong , Losick Richard 
Published: October 2015

SummaryBiofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis is largely governed by a circuit in which the response regulator Spo0A turns on the gene for the anti‐repressor SinI. SinI, in turn, binds to and inactivates SinR, a dedicated repressor of genes for matrix production. Mutants of the genes ylbF, ymcA and yaaT are blocked in biofilm formation, but the mechanism by which they act has been mysterious. A recent report attributed their role in biofilm formation to stimulating Spo0A activity. However, we detect no measurable effect on the transcription of sinI. Instead, we find that the block in biofilm formation is caused by an increase in the levels of SinR and of its mRNA. Evidence is presented that YlbF, YmcA and YaaT interact with, and control the activity of, RNase Y, which is known to destabilize sinR mRNA. We also show that the processing of another target of RNase Y, cggR‐gapA mRNA, similarly depends on YlbF and YmcA. Our work suggests that sinR mRNA stability is an additional posttranscriptional control mechanism governing the switch to multicellularity and raises the possibility that YlbF, YmcA and YaaT broadly regulate mRNA stability as part of an RNase Y‐containing, multi‐subunit complex.
Gingipain‐dependent augmentation by Porphyromonas gingivalis of phagocytosis of Tannerella forsythia
Authors: Jung Y.‐J. , Jun H.‐K. , Choi B.‐K. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryIn the pathogenesis of periodontitis, Porphyromonas gingivalis plays a role as a keystone pathogen that manipulates host immune responses leading to dysbiotic oral microbial communities. Arg‐gingipains (RgpA and RgpB) and Lys‐gingipain (Kgp) are responsible for the majority of bacterial proteolytic activity and play essential roles in bacterial virulence. Therefore, gingipains are often considered as therapeutic targets. This study investigated the role of gingipains in the modulation by P. gingivalis of phagocytosis of Tannerella forsythia by macrophages. Phagocytosis of T. forsythia was significantly enhanced by coinfection with P. gingivalis in a multiplicity of infection‐dependent and gingipain‐dependent manner. Mutation of either Kgp or Rgp in the coinfecting P. gingivalis resulted in attenuated enhancement of T. forsythia phagocytosis. Inhibition of coaggregation between the two bacterial species reduced phagocytosis of T. forsythia in mixed infection, and this coaggregation was dependent on gingipains. Inhibition of gingipain protease activities in coinfecting P. gingivalis abated the coaggregation and the enhancement of T. forsythia phagocytosis. However, the direct effect of protease activities of gingipains on T. forsythia seemed to be minimal. Although most of the phagocytosed T. forsythia were cleared in infected macrophages, more T. forsythia remained in cells coinfected with gingipain‐expressing P. gingivalis than in cells coinfected with the gingipain‐null mutant or infected only with T. forsythia at 24 and 48 h post‐infection. Collectively, these results suggest that P. gingivalis, mainly via its gingipains, alters the clearance of T. forsythia, and provide some insights into the role of P. gingivalis as a keystone pathogen.
Choline Chloride Assisted Synthesis of N and Metal Codoped TiO2 and their Photocatalytic Activity under Visible Light
Authors: Kaur Navneet , Shahi Satwant Kaur , Singh Vasundhara 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA few nanocrystalline N,metal codoped TiO2 (metal = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn) have been synthesized by a simple sol–gel method using choline chloride which is biodegradable, low cost, nontoxic ionic salt both as a structure directing agent and source of nitrogen. The prepared samples were well characterized by XRD, HRTEM, FTIR, DRS, EDX, XPS and BET techniques. The photocatalytic activity of all synthesized N, metal codoped TiO2 has been carried out for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye under visible light irradiation and among them, N, Fe codoped TiO2 was found to be the best for the degradation of Reactive Black 5 dye. The effect of incorporated metals on the photocatalytic activity of the various modified TiO2 has been discussed in detail based on the mechanism involved in the degradation of dye and their physico‐chemical properties which includes surface area, particle size, defect sites, phase, band gap and electron–hole recombination effect.
UV‐inducedDNADamage: The Role of Electronic Excited States
Authors: Markovitsi Dimitra 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe knowledge of the fundamental processes induced by the direct absorption ofUVradiation byDNAallows extrapolating conclusions drawn fromin vitrostudies to thein‐vivoDNAphotoreactivity. In this respect, the characterization of theDNAelectronic excited states plays a key role. For a long time, the mechanisms ofDNAlesion formation were discussed in terms of generic “singlet” and “triplet” excited state reactivity. However, since the beginning of the 21stcentury, both experimental and theoretical studies revealed the existence of “collective” excited states,i.e. excited states delocalized over at least two bases. Two limiting cases are distinguished: Frenkel excitons (delocalized ππ* states) and charge‐transfer states in which positive and negative charges are located on different bases. The importance of collective excited states in photon absorption (in particular in theUVAspectral domain), the redistribution of the excitation energy withinDNA, and the formation of dimeric pyrimidine photoproducts is discussed. The dependence of the behavior of the collective excited states on conformational motions of the nucleic acids is highlighted.
Blood–brain barrier disruption during spontaneous canine visceral leishmaniasis
Authors: Melo G. D. , Grano F. G. , Silva J. E. S. , Kremer B. E. , Lima V. M. F. , Machado G. F. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryVisceral leishmaniasis is a complex disease caused by Leishmania infantum, and in dogs, besides the classical symptoms, there are descriptions of inflammatory alterations in the brain. Brain inflammation is a strictly controlled process, and as the brain counts on the efficiency of the blood–brain barrier (BBB), we aimed to assess BBB integrity in dogs with spontaneous visceral leishmaniasis. Therefore, we evaluated markers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in brain tissue related to BBB disruption and brain inflammation. Elevated albumin quota revealed BBB breakdown, corroborated by increased concentrations of anti‐Leishmania antibodies in the CSF. In the brain, albumin and IgG staining formed halos around blood vessels, a classical indicator of BBB leakage. Soluble IgG was also detected in the choroid plexus and ependyma, and in these structures, IgG stained random resident cells. IgG+ cells and Fcγ‐RI+ cells were identified in the choroid plexus, ependyma and perivascular in the brain parenchyma. The data support the occurrence of BBB disruption in dogs with spontaneous visceral leishmaniasis, and IgG as a key molecule that is capable of initiating and/or maintaining the inflammatory stimuli in the nervous milieu and the CSF as an important disseminator of inflammatory stimuli within the CNS.
Regrowth patterns and rosette attributes contribute to the differential compensatory responses of Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes to apical damage
Authors: Scholes D. R. , Wszalek A. E. , Paige K. N. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractA plant's compensatory performance refers to its ability to maintain or increase its reproductive output following damage. The ability of a plant to compensate depends on numerous factors including the type, severity, frequency and timing of damage, the environmental conditions and the plant's genotype. Upon apical damage, a cascade of hormonal and genetic responses often produces dramatic changes in a plant's growth, development, architecture and physiology. All else being equal, this response is largely dependent on a plant's genotype, with different regrowth patterns displayed by different genotypes of a given species. In this study, we compare the architectural and growth patterns of two Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes following apical damage. Specifically, we characterise regrowth patterns of the genotypes Columbia‐4 and Landsberg erecta, which typically differ in their compensation to apical meristem removal. We report that Landsberg erecta suffered reductions in the number of stems produced, maximum elongation rate, a delay in reaching this rate, lower average rosette quality throughout the growing period, and ultimately, less aboveground dry biomass and seed production when damaged compared to undamaged control plants. Columbia‐4 had no reductions in any of these measures and maintained larger rosette area when clipped relative to when unclipped. Based on the apparent influence of the rosette on these genotypes' compensatory performances, we performed a rosette removal experiment, which confirmed that the rosette contributes to compensatory performance. This study provides a novel characterisation of regrowth patterns following apical damage, with insights into those measures having the largest effect on plant performance.
Fiscal Uncertainty and Currency Crises
Authors: Gumus Inci 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFiscal deficits have been put forward as the main factor in the occurrence of currency crises by the first‐generation currency crisis models. While most papers within this framework consider a fiscal deficit that occurs with certainty, in reality an increase in the government's fiscal burden may be an uncertain outcome. This paper introduces a model where there is uncertainty about the occurrence of a fiscal deficit for a finite number of periods, and studies the effects of such uncertainty on the evolution of currency crises. If the fiscal deficit materializes, the government has to abandon the fixed exchange rate regime, as in the standard case. However, the paper shows that the peg becomes unsustainable even if the fiscal deficit never materializes. Therefore, a speculative attack occurs and the fixed exchange rate regime collapses with the mere possibility of a deficit, independently of whether this outcome actually occurs or not.
Negotiation over Intellectual Property Rights Protection in a Mixed Market
Authors: Li Jie , Xu Xiaohui , Lu Jing 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis article models a North–South negotiation under a mixed oligopolistic setting where a public firm in the South and a private firm from the North compete in the southern market. The southern firm is a public one whose objective is a weighted sum of the South's social welfare and its own profit, whereas the northern firm is a pure profit maximizer. The North provides a quid pro quo in exchange for the strengthening of the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPR) protection in the South. We show that when the northern and southern firms engage in quantity competition in the southern market, the southern government's optimal choice is either complete protection or complete violation. We show this to depend on the southern government's valuation of the quid pro quo. Moreover, strengthening IPR protection will deepen the privatization process in the South, though it brings about a social welfare loss to the South.
The Role of Foreign Direct Investment on Income Convergence in China after Early 1990s from a Spatial Econometric Perspective
Authors: Ma Jingmei , Jia Hongyu 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThis paper introduces foreign direct investment (FDI) as an endogenous variable based on a neoclassical model of economic growth and investigates the impact of FDI on income convergence in China using provincial panel data from 1991 to 2007. A spatial model is later exploited to further examine the effect of FDI on convergence in China in light of remarkable and positive spatial correlations among neighboring regions. Results of estimates confirm the role of FDI inflow as a significant driving force to promote conditional convergence in China after the early 1990s. They also confirm that the non‐spatial classical model underestimates the impact of FDI on regional economic growth and also underestimates the speed of convergence.
The Role of Agricultural Productivity on Structural Change
Authors: Chen Been‐Lon , Liao Shian‐Yu 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMany authors have estimated and found that the productivity growth in agriculture is higher than that in non‐agriculture in today's richest countries. Several papers suggested that growth in agricultural productivity was essential for today's richest countries to take off early. However, few articles noticed that growth in agricultural productivity is critical in driving structural change in today's richest countries. This paper studies a two‐sector neoclassical growth model with subsistence agricultural consumption and shows that growth in agricultural productivity plays a more important role than growth in non‐agricultural productivity in governing massive structural change in today's richest countries.
Conditional Policies in General Equilibrium
Authors: Krishna Kala 
Published: October 2015

AbstractObtaining lower generalized system of preferences (GSP) tariffs requires meeting costly Rules of Origin (ROOs). Growing coffee in the shade is more costly, but yields a price premium. This paper analyzes the effects of such restrictions in a general equilibrium setting and shows that such policies may have unanticipated effects. It is shown that in a world with capital mobility, the GSP could result in capital outflows rather than inflows and consumer preferences for shade grown coffee end up hurting labor in developing countries. Even small subsidies that are contingent on the use of domestic intermediates can result in specialization in the targeted good. Value added contingent policies can easily lead to multiple equilibria despite the absence of externalities or market imperfections.