bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin II contractile effects in mouse colon: role for pre‐ and post‐junctional AT1A receptors
Authors: Mastropaolo M. , Zizzo M. G. , Mulè F. , Serio R. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractAimThis study investigates whether a local renin–angiotensin system (RAS) exists in mouse colon and whether angiotensin II (Ang II) may play a role in the regulation of the contractile activity.MethodsIsometric recordings were performed in vitro on the longitudinal muscle of mouse proximal and distal colon. Transcripts encoding for RAS components were investigated by RT‐PCR.ResultsAng II caused, in both preparations, a concentration‐dependent contractile effect, antagonized by losartan, AT1 receptor antagonist, but not by PD123319, AT2 receptor antagonist. The combination of losartan plus PD123319 caused no change on the Ang II‐induced contraction than losartan alone. Tetrodotoxin, neural blocker, reduced the contractile response to Ang II in the proximal colon, whilst the response was abolished in the distal colon. In both preparations, atropine, muscarinic receptor antagonist, or SR140333, NK1 receptor antagonist, reduced the Ang II responses. Ondansetron, 5‐HT3 receptor antagonist, SR48968, NK2 receptor antagonist, or hexamethonium, nicotinic receptor antagonist, were ineffective. The joint application of atropine and SR140333 produced no additive effect. Atropine reduced NK1‐induced contraction. Transcripts encoding RAS components were detected in the colon samples. However, just AT1A mRNA was expressed in both preparations, and AT2 mRNA was expressed only in the distal colon.ConclusionIn the murine colon, local RAS may play a significant role in the control of contractile activity. Ang II positively modulates the spontaneous contractile activity via activation of post‐junctional and pre‐junctional AT1A receptors, the latter located on the enteric neurones, modulating the release of tachykinins and acetylcholine.
Transnational Industrial Relations as Multi‐Level Governance: Interdependencies in European Social Dialogue
Authors: Keune Maarten , Marginson Paul 
Published: November 2012

AbstractProcesses of transnationalization of industrial relations have been redrawing and increasing the complexity of the industrial relations map, adding new levels, actors and institutions, and creating new horizontal and vertical relationships and interdependencies. To capture these changes, we propose a multi‐governance perspective enriched by due attention to power relations. We then apply this perspective to analyse the evolution of European social dialogue (ESD), showing that the conventional reading of ESD moving from dependency to autonomy is a false one: negotiated regulation emanating from the ESD rests on two‐directional relations, between the European and national levels involving autonomy and dependency at the same time. It also involves differing forms of horizontal interdependency between private actors and the public authorities. To show its wider applicability, we also briefly relate this approach to International Framework Agreements and European Works Council agreements.
Restoration of endodontically treated teeth with major hard tissue loss – bond strength of conventionally and adhesively luted fiber‐reinforced composite posts
Authors: Binus Stefanie , Koch Andreas , Petschelt Anselm , Berthold Christine 
Published: November 2012

AbstractAimTo evaluate the influence of the luting system on the pull‐out bond strength of conventionally and adhesively luted fiber‐reinforced composite posts (FRCPs).Material and methodsOne hundred extracted bovine teeth (Di 3) were endodontically treated and randomly assigned to nine test groups and one control group (n = 10) according to luting system. After preparing the post cavities (8 mm), the custom‐made FRCPs were inserted using conventional glass‐ionomer cement (Ketac Cem), resin‐reinforced glass‐ionomer cement (Meron Plus and Fuji Plus), self‐adhesive resin cement (RelyX Unicem and BisCem), self‐conditioning adhesive and resin cement [Multilink Primer + Multilink and AdheSE + DC Activator + MultiCore Flow, or etch‐and‐rinse adhesive and resin cement (SealBond Ultima + CoreCem, and LuxaBond + LuxaCore Z). As a control, custom‐made titanium posts were inserted with Ketac Cem. After water storage (37°C, 24 h, dark), the pull‐out test was performed, followed by failure mode evaluation. The data were statistically analyzed (α = 0.05) using analysis of variance and the Dunnett T3 post hoc test.ResultsLuting system type and identity significantly influenced bond strength (P < 0.001); the bond strengths of all luting systems except Ketac Cem, MeronPlus, and BisCem were significantly higher than the control (4.4 ± 1.1 MPa). RelyX Unicem (12.0 ± 3.0 MPa) and LB + LCZ (14.8 ± 2.3 MPa) generated the highest bond strengths. The clinical application was demonstrated by restoring a traumatized tooth with extensive coronal destruction and thin root canal walls, using a FRCP combined with direct composite build‐up.ConclusionLuting system selection significantly influenced the bond strength of conventionally and adhesively luted FRCPs to bovine root canal dentin.
Translocation of cave fish (Poecilia mexicana) within and between natural habitats along a toxicity gradient
Authors: Schlupp Ingo , Colston Timothy J. , Joachim Brandon L. , Riesch Rüdiger 
Published: November 2012

AbstractDuring ecological speciation, diverging taxa have the potential to remain in close spatial proximity (i.e., sympatry or micro‐allopatry) theoretically allowing for continued contact and gene flow. In a system where incipient speciation of populations of the Atlantic molly (Poecilia mexicana) appears to be driven by abiotic factors, we investigated whether one of these factors, hydrogen sulphide (H2S) toxicity, also constitutes an effective barrier to slow migration within and between habitats. We addressed this experimentally by translocating individuals from high toxicity to lower toxicity within a toxic cave and by translocating individuals from the toxic cave to a nontoxic surface habitat. Using a stepwise‐backwards Cox regression, we found that overall mortality was low, but statistically significant mortality occurred when individuals were transferred from higher toxicity to lower toxicity. In addition, only males were negatively affected by being transferred from low levels of toxicity to nontoxic, surface waters. This indicates that in addition to abiotic factors, other mechanisms, like predation and sexual selection, must be important in maintaining population separation.
Graduate orthodontic education in Turkey: the residents' perspective
Authors: Usumez S. , Noble J. , Yagci A. , Uysal T. , Wiltshire W. A. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to explore residents' perceptions of their educational and clinical treatment experiences including the number of clinical cases undertaken, patient completion rates, techniques utilised and the scientific component of Turkish graduate orthodontic programmes. Residents recorded in the list of Turkish Orthodontic Society were sent an e‐mail to participate in a survey containing 46 multiple‐choice questions and ten one‐line answers. An e‐mail with a personalised online link was sent to a total of 227 residents throughout the Turkey. Data were categorised, and basic statistics including chi‐square comparative analyses were performed. A total of 136 (response rate of 59.91%) residents completed the survey. The majority of residents (58.08%) were either ‘very satisfied’ or ‘satisfied’ with their programme. Respondents said they have just the right amount of formal didactic teaching sessions or dedicated and protected academic time. Most residents (69.11%) indicated their programme offers training in numerous philosophies; whilst 97.79% said they have sufficient clinically based training and 42.64% said they have sufficient research‐based training. Overall, residents in the Turkey are satisfied with their orthodontic programme. They receive comprehensive training with the opportunity to start and complete a significant number of their patients. The survey findings suggest that orthodontic programmes in Turkey are deficient in providing care to underserviced populations and disabled patients. Programmes could improve the opportunity for residents to treat patients requiring interdisciplinary treatment.
Independent Discretion or Democratic Legitimisation? The Relations between National Regulatory Authorities and National Parliaments under EU Regulatory Framework for Network‐Bound Sectors
Authors: Szydło Marek 
Published: November 2012

Abstract:The European legislator, being supported in that regard by the Court of Justice, confers upon national regulatory authorities (NRAs) the exercise of the most important tasks concerned with the regulation of the network‐bound sectors, while at the same time guarantees NRAs a far‐reaching independence in exercising of their discretionary powers and shielding NRAs against other public authorities, including national parliaments. This, in turn, raises many doubts from the perspective of some essential constitutional principles of the Member States, such as, among others, ‘the domain of the law,’ which reserves the regulation of issues sensitive to the citizens as an exclusive parliament's prerogative. It is submitted in this article that national parliaments should play a much more active role in regulating the network‐bound sectors. The main point is to strengthen the protection of fundamental rights of regulated parties and create the real democratic legitimisation of NRAs, while not undermining those regulatory objectives that are already accorded at the EU level.
Pelagic propagule duration and developmental mode: reassessment of a fading link
Authors: Mercier Annie , Sewell Mary A. , Hamel Jean‐François 
Published: November 2012

AbstractAimAs the main or sole motile stage of many aquatic taxa, propagules play a central role in their population dynamics, macroevolution and biogeography. The premises of studies concerned with dispersal, on issues as diverse as marine protected areas, sustainable fisheries and invasive species, commonly make simplified assumptions linking larval development mode (planktotrophic, lecithotrophic) and pelagic propagule duration (PPD) or pelagic larval duration. Because general empirical tests of these connections have yielded equivocal results, we critically examined the relationship between larval mode and PPD in light of regional and taxon‐specific criteria.LocationOceans world‐wide.MethodsWe collated data from 190 species from the phylum Echinodermata and used two‐way and one‐way ANOVA to compare PPD among larval modes, taxonomic classes, geographic regions and climate zones. We also assessed the contribution of egg size, temperature and other continuous predictors using multiple regressions and ANCOVA, and examined whether geographic range size differed among larval modes.ResultsOur results depart from the common assumption that planktotrophs have longer PPDs than lecithotrophs. Instead, we detected a synergistic influence of phylogeny and climate. No significant difference in PPD between planktotrophs and lecithotrophs occurred in two of the four classes and only four out of nine major ocean basins contained species with significantly different PPDs on the basis of larval mode. Species from colder climates displayed relatively constant PPDs regardless of larval mode, whereas temperate and warm‐water species displayed a clearer dichotomy. PPD did not correlate with geographic range size nor did planktotrophs and lecithotrophs exhibit significantly different range sizes.Main conclusionsOur findings indicate that larval mode is not a reliable predictor of PPD across broad geographic and taxonomic scales. Instead developmental strategies may instigate shorter or longer PPDs in schemes that are influenced by evolutionary and environmental pressures.
Association between functional tooth units and chewing ability in older adults: a systematic review
Authors: Naka Olga , Anastassiadou Vassiliki , Pissiotis Argirios 
Published: November 2012

ObjectivesTo systematically review the current evidence on the relationship between dentition status and chewing ability in older adults, as the latter was subjectively perceived by questionnaires.BackgroundTooth loss is associated with functional impairment regarding chewing ability, depending on the number and the location of the remaining teeth.MethodsA search of the English literature was undertaken using the appropriate electronic databases and keywords in order to answer the question of this review. Independent extraction of the related articles was carried out by two authors using predefined eligibility criteria.ResultsFull‐text analysis was performed for 51 articles of possible relevance. Finally, data were extracted from 18 studies, published in 20 articles that met the inclusion criteria.ConclusionsAlthough there was a conflict between the studies relevant to the number of functional tooth units needed to maintain adequate oral function, it was revealed that chewing ability was closely related to the number and distribution of teeth remaining. Treatment plan should focus on the preservation of the strategic parts of the dental arch that are critical for adequate oral function. Long‐term prospective studies, comprising well‐defined criteria, clinical variables, methods and utilising comprehensive questionnaires, should be preferred to obtain a clearer picture on the association between masticatory ability and functional tooth units.
HIV‐1 co‐receptor expression and epithelial immune cells of the cervix in asymptomatic women attending a genitourinary medicine clinic
Authors: McClure CP , Bowman CA , Geary I , Ryan C , Ball JK , Eley A 
Published: November 2012

ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to qualitatively and semiquantitatively characterize the expression of the principal HIV co‐receptors chemokine (C‐C motif) receptor 5 (CCR5) and chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4) on susceptible CD4 T‐helper cell, monocyte/macrophage and Langerhans dendritic cell populations within the cervical epithelia of asymptomatic women attending a genitourinary medicine clinic.MethodsOf 77 asymptomatic women recruited, 35 were excluded: 21 because they were found to have bacterial vaginosis, eight because they were found to have candida and six for other reasons. Cervical cytobrush samples from 11 women with Chlamydia trachomatis infection and 31 women without any detectable genital infection were stained with fluorescently labelled antibodies specific for cell surface CCR5, CXCR4, CD4, CD3, CD1a and CD19 expression, then analysed by flow cytometry.ResultsCD4/CD3 T‐helper cells (84%), CD1a Langerhans dendritic cells (75%) and CD4/CD14 monocytes/macrophages (59%) were detected in the samples. CCR5 and CXCR4 HIV co‐receptor expression was observed on 46–86% of the above subsets. CD1a cells exhibited significantly higher CCR5 and CXCR4 positivity and median fluorescence than CD4 cells and higher CXCR4 positivity and median fluorescence than CD14 cells (P < 0.05 or less). Increased detection of CCR5 over CXCR4 was seen in CD14 cells (P < 0.05). No significant differences in CCR5 or CXCR4 expression were found in samples from asymptomatic women with or without chlamydial infection.ConclusionsCo‐receptor expression confirms the potential for CD1a Langerhans cells, monocytes/macrophages and T‐helper cells in the cervix as primary targets for HIV infection. Previously observed selective transmission of CCR5‐tropic isolates cannot be accounted for by a lack of CXCR4‐expressing CD4 cervical immune cells. We were unable to identify any specific impact of chlamydial infection on co‐receptor expression in this study.
Extrapolations from field studies and known faunas converge on dramatically increased estimates of global microgastrine parasitoid wasp species richness (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)
Authors: Rodriguez Josephine J. , Fernández‐Triana Jose L. , Smith M. Alex , Janzen Daniel H. , Hallwachs Winnie , Erwin Terry L. , Whitfield James B. 
Published: November 2012

Abstract

We extrapolate a new range of estimates of the species richness of Microgastrinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) wasps, a diverse group of small parasitoids that attack caterpillars of Lepidoptera.

Our estimates, using an array of focal study faunas to provide reasonable bounds for minimum and maximum values, range from 17 000 to 46 000+ species. These calculations make use of a geographically relatively constant proportion of the total number of local caterpillar species to species of Microgastrinae, and extend what is known from better studied areas to those less thoroughly studied.

This new estimate of species richness for Microgastrinae is 8–20 times that of the ∼2000 currently described species, and 2–10 times greater than that of previously published estimates.
A conception of moral sensitivity and everyday consumption practices: insights from the moralizing discourses of pet owners
Authors: McEachern Morven G. , Cheetham Fiona 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe marketing discipline is somewhat under‐theorized regarding the moral meanings that both shape and are shaped by the everyday consumption practices of consumers. Therefore, using the context of pet ownership, this paper aims to develop a conceptual understanding of the moral aspects of consumption by examining the social construction of morality in consumers’ day‐to‐day lives. Using phenomenological interviews and autodriving techniques, the study identifies a number of underlying polemics, linked to the ontology of animals as pets, strands of which weave through participants’ moralizing discourses. The study draws attention to the nuances and contradictory processes within which the moral meanings allied to pet ownership and the pet marketplace are constituted and enacted within consumers’ day‐to‐day lives. The paper concludes with a discussion on the value of adopting a sociological perspective of consumption morality and its implications for future studies of consumption.
CONSERVATION OF ANCESTRAL HAPLOTYPES TELOMERIC OF HLA‐A
Authors: Tay G. K. , Cattley S. K. , Chorney M. J. , Hollingsworth P. N. , Roth M. P. , Dawkins R. L. , Witt C. S. 
Published: November 2012

SUMMARYGenes that predispose to haemochromatosis are thought to be located within the several megabases telomeric of HLA‐A. Further recombinant mapping has been used previously to map susceptibility genes for diseases such as insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus, myasthenia gravis and cystic fibrosis, and should be useful in relation to haemochromatosis. However, this method requires the recognition of ancestral haplotypes within the susceptibility region. Using a panel of six microsatellite markers from this region (MOG A, MOG B, MOG C, D6S464, D6S306 and D6S105), we show that ancestral haplotypes extend telomeric of HLA‐A, at least as far as D6S105. Nine of 14 haplotypes carrying HLA‐B7 and HLA‐A3 shared the same microsatellite alleles between HLA‐A and at least D6S105. Similarly, nine of 10 haplotypes sharing HLA‐B8 and HLA‐A1 shared the same microsatellite alleles, although a different set to those with HLA‐B7 and HLA‐A3. Haplotypes representing historical recombination events were also identified. These two findings demonstrate that recombinant mapping may be applicable to the mapping of disease genes in this region.
Blood transfusion safety: a new philosophy
Authors: Franklin I. M. 
Published: November 2012

SUMMARYBlood transfusion safety has had a chequered history, and there are current and future challenges. Internationally, there is no clear consensus for many aspects of the provision of safe blood, although pan‐national legislation does provide a baseline framework in the European Union. Costs are rising, and new safety measures can appear expensive, especially when tested against some other medical interventions, such as cancer treatment and vaccination programmes. In this article, it is proposed that a comprehensive approach is taken to the issue of blood transfusion safety that considers all aspects of the process rather than considering only new measures. The need for an agreed level of safety for specified and unknown risks is also suggested. The importance of providing care and support for those inadvertently injured as a result of transfusion problems is also made. Given that the current blood safety decision process often uses a utilitarian principle for decision making – through the calculation of Quality Adjusted Life Years – an alternative philosophy is proposed. A social contract for blood safety, based on the principles of ‘justice as fairness’ developed by John Rawls, is recommended as a means of providing an agreed level of safety, containing costs and providing support for any adverse outcomes.
To merge or not to merge? The impact of union merger decisions on workers' representation in Germany
Authors: Behrens Martin , Pekarek Andreas 
Published: November 2012

AbstractUnion mergers have been widely studied in a variety of countries; however, little is known about their impact on union effectiveness. This article draws on in‐depth interviews with officials and works councillors from four German unions, as well as on a representative survey of German works councils, to analyse how a union's merger status shapes its effectiveness in three spheres of activity: political lobbying, collective bargaining and establishment‐level interest representation. We compare two cases of merger with two cases of continued organisational independence, finding that merger outcomes for individual unions vary considerably across our three union functions.
Ideal and Non‐ideal Theory and the Problem of Knowledge
Authors: Herzog Lisa 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis article analyses a hitherto neglected problem at the transition from ideal to non‐ideal theory: the problem of knowledge. Ideal theories often make idealising assumptions about the availability of knowledge, for example knowledge of social scientific facts. This can lead to problems when this knowledge turns out not to be available at the non‐ideal level. Knowledge can be unavailable in a number of ways: in principle, for practical reasons, or because there are normative reasons not to use it. This can make it necessary to revise ideal theories, because the principle of ‘ought implies can’ rules out certain theories, at least insofar as they are understood as action‐guiding. I discuss a number of examples and argue that there are two tendencies that will increase the relevance of this problem in the future: the availability of large amounts of sensitive data whose use is problematic from a normative point of view, and the increasing complexity of an interrelated world that makes it harder to predict the effects of institutional changes. To address these issues, philosophers need to cooperate with social scientists and philosophers of the social sciences. Normative theorising can then be understood as one step in a long process that includes thinkers from different disciplines. Ideal theory can respond to many of the charges raised against it if it is understood along these lines and if it takes the problem of knowledge and its implications seriously.