bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Altered NMDA receptor function in primary cultures of hippocampal neurons from mice lacking the Homer2 gene
Authors: Smothers C. Thetford , Szumlinski Karen K. , Worley Paul F. , Woodward John J. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTN‐Methyl‐D‐Aspartate (NMDA) receptors are inhibited during acute exposure to ethanol and are involved in changes in neuronal plasticity following repeated ethanol exposure. The postsynaptic scaffolding protein Homer2 can regulate the cell surface expression of NMDA receptors in vivo, and mice with a null mutation of the Homer2 gene exhibit an alcohol‐avoiding and ‐intolerant phenotype that is accompanied by a lack of ethanol‐induced glutamate sensitization. Thus, Homer2 deletion may perturb the function or acute ethanol sensitivity of the NMDA receptor. In this study, the function and ethanol sensitivity of glutamate receptors in cultured hippocampal neurons from wild‐type (WT) and Homer2 knock‐out (KO) mice were examined at 7 and 14 days in vitro (DIV) using standard whole‐cell voltage‐clamp electrophysiology. As compared with wild‐type controls, NMDA receptor current density was reduced in cultured hippocampal neurons from Homer2 KO mice at 14 DIV, but not at 7 DIV. There were no genotype‐dependent changes in whole‐cell capacitance or in currents evoked by kainic acid. The GluN2B‐selective antagonist ifenprodil inhibited NMDA‐evoked currents to a similar extent in both wild‐type and Homer2 KO neurons and inhibition was greater at 7 versus 14 DIV. NMDA receptor currents from both WT and KO mice were inhibited by ethanol (10–100 mM) and the degree of inhibition did not differ as a function of genotype. In conclusion, NMDA receptor function, but not ethanol sensitivity, is reduced in hippocampal neurons lacking the Homer2 gene. Synapse 70:33–39, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Splicing noncoding RNAs from the inside out
Authors: Yang Li 
Published: October 2015

Eukaryotic precursor‐messenger RNAs (pre‐mRNAs) undergo splicing to remove intragenic regions (introns) and ligate expressed regions (exons) together. Unlike exons in the mature messenger RNAs (mRNAs) that are used for translation, introns that are spliced out of pre‐mRNAs were generally believed to lack function and to be degraded. However, recent studies have revealed that a large group of spliced introns can escape complete degradation and are processed to generate noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), including different types of small RNAs, long‐noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs. Strikingly, exonic sequences can be also back‐spliced from pre‐mRNAs to form stable circular RNAs. Together, the findings that ncRNAs can be spliced out of mRNA precursors not only expand the ever‐growing repertoire of ncRNAs that originate from different genomic regions, but also reveal the unexpected transcriptomic complexity and functional capacity of eukaryotic genomes. WIREs RNA 2015, 6:651–660. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1307This article is categorized under:

RNA Evolution and Genomics > Computational Analyses of RNA
RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing
Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs
The Need for a Step-up in Postoperative Medical Care is Predictable in Orthopedic Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery
Authors: Urban Michael K. , Mangini-Vendel Michele , Lyman Stephen , Pan Ting Jung , Magid Steven K. 
Published: October 2015

Background The goal of elective orthopedic surgery is to return patients to their expected level of activity without an increased incidence of postoperative complications. The first step is identifying patient and/or surgical characteristics responsible for these complications. Questions/Purposes This study sought to identify predictors of a step-up in medical care after non-ambulatory elective orthopedic surgery. Methods At a single specialty orthopedic hospital, we identified all in-hospital postoperative patients who were transferred to a higher level of medical care ((PACU) post-anesthesia care unit). The characteristics of both transferred and non-transferred patients were compared. A model was built which incorporated predictors of return to a higher level of care. Results During a 1-year period, 155 of 7967 patients (1.95%) required transfer to the PACU within 5 days of surgery. Cardiac complications were the major reason for transfer (50.3%), followed by pulmonary (11.0%) and neurological complications (9.7%). Patients who returned to the PACU were older, had more Exlihauser comorbidities, and had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In a model adjusting for all patient characteristics: age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status, congestive heart failure (CHF), the Charlson comorbidity index and OSA predicted return to the PACU. Conclusions In an elderly population with multiple comorbidities undergoing elective common major orthopedic procedures, approximately 2% of patients required readmission to the PACU. The most common problems requiring this step-up in care were cardiac and pulmonary, which resulted in an increased length of hospital stay. Patients with OSA and multiple comorbidities undergoing total knee arthroplasty carry an increased risk for postoperative complications.
Humeral Tray-Taper Failure in Modular Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: McDonald Lucas S. , Dines Joshua S. , Chin Christopher , Warren Russell F. , Dines David M. 
Published: October 2015

Background Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) provides reconstructive options in patients previously not candidates for total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or who have failed previous anatomic TSA. Revision from anatomic TSA to RTSA previously required removal of all components, a difficult and extensive procedure. Modular humeral components permit conversion from anatomic TSA to RTSA without removal of well-fixed humeral components. Questions/Purposes Our purpose is to present a case series of patients treated for the unique and not previously reported complication of humeral tray-taper failure following modular RTSA. Challenges in diagnosis and treatment are described, including the use of dynamic fluoroscopy and manufacturer-specific instruments for component revision. Methods Five patients with a total of six humeral tray-taper failures were identified from 300 patients with first-generation (titanium) humeral trays over a 7-year period. Dynamic fluoroscopic evaluation aided in diagnosis in a majority of the cases. All cases have been revised to second-generation (cobalt chrome) humeral trays. Results Average follow-up was 22 ± 23 months (range 3–60 months). One individual required a second revision for the same complication, but otherwise, no additional procedures were required. Symptom relief was obtained in all patients. Conclusions This case series illustrates a previously unpublished complication of humeral tray-taper junction failure following modular RTSA. Clinical and radiographic diagnosis is challenging; however, dynamic fluoroscopic evaluation permits identification of the component failure, and revision surgery results in good outcomes. We must, however, continue to evaluate what activities are recommend for patients following shoulder arthroplasty, specifically reverse total shoulder arthroplasty.
Structural Analysis of Partial and Total Esters of Glycerol Undecenoate and Diglycerol Undecenoate
Authors: Boussambe Gildas Nyame Mendendy , Valentin Romain , Mouloungui Zéphirin 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe direct esterification reaction between glycerol and undecylenic acid or between diglycerol and undecylenic acid generates all the possible types of glycerol or diglycerol esters. Purification by silica gel chromatography resulted in the isolation of each of these types of ester in a pure form. The molecular structures of the compounds isolated were characterized and identified by mass spectrometry, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and DEPT‐135. We then studied the composition of esters of undecylenic acid formed with glycerol or diglycerol as a function of their reaction conditions, which constitute a highly complex system. We purified undecylenic acid esters from each polyol family to allow the structural identification of each ester of glycerol and each ester of diglycerol with undecylenic acid. We found that the polarity of these non‐ionic amphiphilic esters directly affected their affinity for organic and inorganic solvents and that these esters behaved very differently from anionic amphiphilic molecules, such as undecylenic acid.
Beyond the end-consumer: how would improvements in residential energy efficiency affect the power sector in Saudi Arabia?
Authors: Matar Walid 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Energy efficiency in buildings has garnered significant attention in Saudi Arabia. This paper outlines the potential effects of higher residential efficiency on electricity load profiles in the Kingdom. It further presents the associated benefits that could have been realized by the local utilities in 2011. To perform the analysis, we designed an integrated methodology in which an engineering-based residential electricity demand model is used within an economic equilibrium framework. The modeling approach allows us to capture the physical interactions arising from higher efficiency and the structural changes that could occur in the economy beyond the end-consumers. Raising the average air-conditioner energy efficiency ratio (EER) to 11 British thermal unit (BTU)/(Wh) from its 2011 average would have saved 225,000 barrels/day of crude oil in electricity generation. Alternatively, increasing the share of insulated homes from 27 to 64 % would have allowed the power sector to lower its use of the fuel by 158,000 barrels/day. Combining both measures in a single simulation yields incremental yet not additive reductions. All alternative scenarios reduce costs to the utilities and improve the average thermal efficiency for the electricity generated. The studied efficiency options shift the load curve downward during the peak load segment when the least efficient turbines would be used. We additionally show how efficiency improvements in end-uses can affect the decisions of other sectors in the economy.
Mental health disabilities and human rights protections
Authors: Szmukler G. , Bach M. 
Published: October 2015

Background.Around the world, reports regularly expose persistent and systemic human rights violations of patients in mental health services and facilities, and of those who are unable to access needed supports. A number of factors contribute – political will; the range and quality of services available; public and professional attitudes to mental health; stigma; health professionals’ training and expertise; and available resources.Methods.This paper examines one of the main determinants, the legal framework. This sets the parameters for mental health policies and services and for applicable human rights norms and standards that can be realized in practice.Results.We provide an overview of international human rights instruments in relation to mental health disabilities, and of the major human rights violations in this area. Key implications for mental health law reform are drawn with a particular focus on discrimination and coercive interventions. The major challenges posed by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) are examined. Current mental health laws, to greater or lesser degrees, fail to meet the newly required standards. We discuss reforms based on ‘generic law’ and ‘legal capacity’ principles that seek to meet those standards.Conclusions.We outline some emergent and promising examples of reform. The role of civil society and the importance of the standing of those with mental health disabilities in this process is noted.
Vorticity reconnection during vortex cutting by a blade
Authors: Saunders D. Curtis , Marshall Jeffrey S. 
Published: October 2015

A computational study of vorticity reconnection, associated with the breaking and reconnection of vortex lines, during vortex cutting by a blade is reported. A series of Navier–Stokes simulations of vortex cutting with different values of the vortex strength are described, and the different phases in the vortex cutting process are compared to those of the more traditional vortex tube reconnection process. Each of the three phases of vortex tube reconnection described by Melander & Hussain (Phys. Fluids A, vol. 1(4), 1989, pp. 633–635) are found to have counterparts in the vortex cutting problem, although we also point out numerous differences in the detailed mechanics by which these phases are achieved. Of particular importance in the vortex cutting process is the presence of vorticity generation from the blade surface within the reconnection region and the presence of strong vortex stretching due to the ambient flow about the blade leading edge. A simple exact Navier–Stokes solution is presented that describes the process by which incident vorticity is stretched and carried towards the surface by the ambient flow, and then interacts with and is eventually annihilated by diffusive interaction with vorticity generated at the surface. The model combines a Hiemenz straining flow, a Burgers vortex sheet and a Stokes first problem boundary layer, resulting in a nonlinear ordinary differential equation and a partial differential equation in two scaled time and distance variables that must be solved numerically. The simple model predictions exhibit qualitative agreement with the full numerical simulation results for vorticity annihilation near the leading-edge stagnation point during vortex cutting.
The associations of BMI trajectory and excessive weight gain with demographic and socio-economic factors: the Adolescent Nutritional Assessment Longitudinal Study cohort
Authors: Moreira Naiara Ferraz , Sichieri Rosely , Reichenheim Michael Eduardo , Oliveira Alessandra Silva Dias de , Veiga Gloria Valeria da 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAssessing changes in adolescents’ BMI over brief periods could contribute to detection of acute changes in weight status and prevention of overweight. The objective of this study was to analyse the BMI trajectory and the excessive weight gain of Brazilian adolescents over 3 years and the association with demographic and socio-economic factors. Data regarding the BMI of 1026 students aged between 13 and 19 years were analysed over 3 consecutive years (2010, 2011 and 2012) from the Adolescent Nutritional Assessment Longitudinal Study. Linear mixed effects models were used to assess the BMI trajectory according to the type of school attended (public or private), skin colour, socio-economic status and level of maternal schooling by sex. Associations between excessive weight gain and socio-economic variables were identified by calculation of OR. Boys attending private schools (βcoefficient: 0·008;P=0·01), those with white skin (βcoefficient: 0·007;P=0·04) and those whose mothers had >8 years of schooling (βcoefficient: 0·009;P=0·02) experienced greater BMI increase than boys and girls in other groups. Boys in private schools also presented higher excessive weight gain compared with boys attending public schools (P=0·03). Boys attending private schools experienced greater BMI increase and excessive weight gain, indicating the need to develop specific policies for the prevention and reduction of overweight in this population.
AFRICANISING APARTHEID: IDENTITY, IDEOLOGY, AND STATE-BUILDING IN POST-INDEPENDENCE AFRICA
Authors: MILLER JAMIE 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBetween 1968 and 1975, the leaders of white South Africa reached out to independent African leaders. Scholars have alternately seen these counterintuitive campaigns as driven by a quest for regional economic hegemony, divide-and-rule realpolitik, or a desire to ingratiate the regime with the West. This article instead argues that the South African government's outreach was intended to energise a top-down recalibration of the ideology of Afrikaner nationalism, as the regime endeavoured to detach its apartheid programme from notions of colonialist racial supremacy, and instead reach across the colour line and lay an equal claim to the power and protection of African nationalism. These diplomatic manoeuvrings, therefore, serve as a prism through which to understand important shifts in state identity, ideological renewal, and the adoption of new state-building models.
‘LUCUMÍ’, ‘TERRANOVA’, AND THE ORIGINS OF THE YORUBA NATION
Authors: LOVEJOY HENRY B. , OJO OLATUNJI 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe etymology of ‘Lucumí’ and ‘Terranova’, ethnonyms used to describe Yoruba-speaking people during the Atlantic slave trade, helps to reconceptualize the origins of a Yoruba nation. While there is general agreement that ‘Lucumí’ refers to the Yoruba in diaspora, the origin of the term remains unclear. We argue ‘Lucumí’ was first used in the Benin kingdom as early as the fifteenth century, as revealed through the presence of Olukumi communities involved in chalk production. The Benin and Portuguese slave trade extended the use of ‘Lucumí’ to the Americas. As this trade deteriorated by 1550, ‘Terranova’ referred to slaves captured west of Benin's area of influence, hence ‘new land’. By the eighteenth century, ‘Nagô’ had replaced ‘Lucumí’, while the ‘Slave Coast’ had substituted ‘Terranova’ as terms of reference. This etymology confirms the collective identification of ‘Yoruba’ and helps trace the evolution of a transnational identity.
THE UNACCOUNTABLE CENSUS: COLONIAL ENUMERATION AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SOMALI PEOPLE OF KENYA
Authors: WEITZBERG KEREN 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn 2010, the Kenyan government annulled national census results due to concerns that Somalis in the country had been over-counted. This article traces the genesis of this recent demographic dispute, which held important implications for the distribution of political power. It shows that African leaders inherited long-standing practices laid down by the colonial state, which was unable to obtain a reliable count of the number of people in Kenya or render its Somali subjects into a countable, traceable population. In regions where expansive Somali networks had long predated British rule, colonial authorities only loosely enforced the concept of a permanent population. By yielding to this reality, colonial officials developed governance techniques that should not be mistakenly portrayed as state ‘failures’. These policies call into question the applicability of James C. Scott's concept of ‘legibility’ to Kenya. They also suggest that recent demographic controversies cannot be reductively blamed on ‘illegal’ immigration.
Altered serotonin transporter binding potential in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder under escitalopram treatment: [11C]DASB PET study
Authors: Kim E. , Howes O. D. , Park J. W. , Kim S. N. , Shin S. A , Kim B.-H. , Turkheimer F. E. , Lee Y.-S. , Kwon J. S. 
Published: October 2015

BackgroundObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic, relapsing mental illness. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors block serotonin transporters (SERTs) and are the mainstay of treatment for OCD. SERT abnormalities are reported in drug-free patients with OCD, but it is not known what happens to SERT levels during treatment. This is important as alterations in SERT levels in patients under treatment could underlie poor response, or relapse during or after treatment. The aim of the present study was first to validate a novel approach to measuring SERT levels in people taking treatment and then to investigate SERT binding potential (BP) using [11C]DASB PET in patients with OCD currently treated with escitalopram in comparison with healthy controls.MethodTwelve patients and age- and sex-matched healthy controls were enrolled. The patients and healthy controls underwent serial PET scans after administration of escitalopram and blood samples for drug concentrations were collected simultaneously with the scans. Drug-free BPs were obtained by using an inhibitory Emax model we developed previously.ResultsThe inhibitory Emax model was able to accurately predict drug-free SERT BP in people taking drug treatment. The drug-free BP in patients with OCD currently treated with escitalopram was significantly different from those in healthy volunteers [Cohen's d = 0.03 (caudate), 1.16 (putamen), 1.46 (thalamus), −5.67 (dorsal raphe nucleus)].ConclusionsThis result extends previous findings showing SERT abnormalities in drug-free patients with OCD by indicating that altered SERT availability is seen in OCD despite treatment. This could account for poor response and the high risk of relapse in OCD.
Fake or Fortune? Art Authentication Rules in the Art Market and at Court
Authors: Bandle Anne Laure 
Published: October 2015

Abstract:This article analyzes the dichotomy between the practices of the art market and of court judges when it comes to the authentication of works of art. While judges very much rely on experts acting in the art market, they may not necessarily pursue the same examination methods and conclusions, which can have serious repercussions on the art object and for its owner. The dichotomy unavoidably leads to the questions of what the correct assessment is and whether court judges should be conducting such examinations.Taking account of the difficulties judges and legislators face in attempting to interfere with established art market practices, it is suggested that courts are not an adequate forum to resolve authenticity disputes. Instead, scholars and art market actors should adopt improved authentication standards and, in the event of a dispute, refer to alternative means of dispute resolution.
Syria and its Regional Neighbors: A Case of Cultural Property Protection Policy Failure?
Authors: Brodie Neil 
Published: October 2015

Abstract:Cultural property protection policy as implemented in Syria since 2011 is structured around standards and practices enshrined within the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (including its First and Second Protocols) and the 1970 UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. Policy emphasis is on thein situprotection of cultural sites and the recovery and return of stolen or looted cultural objects. But policy initiatives have very obviously failed to stop the plunder and illegal trade of cultural objects in Syria, as they have failed before for neighboring countries. This paper describes why policy initiatives aimed at site protection and object recovery have failed and how policy might be improved by a market reduction approach aimed at subduing demand.
Reality and Practicality: Challenges to Effective Cultural Property Policy on the Ground in Latin America
Authors: Yates Donna 
Published: October 2015

Abstract:Although on-the-ground preservation and policing is a major component of our international efforts to prevent the looting and trafficking of antiquities, the expectation placed on source countries may be beyond their capacity. This dependence on developing world infrastructure and policing may challenge our ability to effectively regulate this illicit trade. Using case studies generated from fieldwork in Belize and Bolivia, this paper discusses a number of these challenges to effective policy and offers some suggestions for future regulatory development.
Dealing with UK Museum Collections: Law, Ethics and the Public/Private Divide
Authors: Ulph Janet 
Published: October 2015

Abstract:In the UK, there is a public perception that, if a cultural object is given to a museum, it will remain in its collections forever. But does UK law reflect this? This article analyses UK law and discusses whether a commercial approach is not always well suited to serve the needs of the museum sector and whether there should be more thought given to the public nature of museums. It calls for law reform in order to ensure that UK law and ethical guidance relating to deaccessioning and disposals from collections is sufficient to maintain public trust, so that people continue to visit museums and to offer objects for their collections.