bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association of a microRNA‐323b polymorphism with the persistence of hepatitis B virus infection by the enhancement of viral replication
Authors: Yu S. J. , Kim J.‐W. , Lee J.‐H. , Yoon J.‐H. , Lee H.‐S. , Cheong J. Y. , Cho S. W. , Shin H. D. , Kim Y. J. 
Published: December 2013

SummaryRecent studies have shown that some mammalian microRNAs (miRNAs) play a role in antiviral defence. However, little is known about the role of miRNA‐323b in hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐host interaction. We explored whether single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of miRNA‐323b affects HBV replication in a Korean HBV cohort. Genotyping was performed in a total of 1439 subjects composed of 404 spontaneously recovered (SR) subjects as normal controls and 1035 chronic carriers (CC) of HBV who were further classified into 313 patients with chronic hepatitis, 305 patients with liver cirrhosis and 417 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. To confirm the effect of SNP of miRNA‐323b on HBV replication in vitro, HepAD38 cells were transfected with miRNA‐323b wild type or miRNA‐323b SNP plasmid vectors, and HBV replication was induced for 5 days. HBV DNA was isolated and quantified using real‐time PCR. The polymorphism rs56103835C>T in the pre‐miRNA region of miRNA‐323b revealed significant minor allele frequency (0.273). rs56103835C>T SNP showed significantly affect persistence of HBV in CC group compared with SR group (OR = 1.29, P = 0.009 in a codominant model; OR = 1.29, P = 0.03 in a dominant model; and OR = 1.78, P = 0.03 in a recessive model). In vitro, the total intracellular HBV DNA content was significantly reduced by miRNA‐323b wild‐type plasmid vector transfection (P = 0.014). The polymorphism of miRNA‐323b was significantly associated with persistence of HBV by the enhancement of HBV replication (P = 0.021). Our findings provide a novel perspective on the role SNP of miRNAs in host–virus interactions in HBV infection.
Comparative spatial metal concentrations and partitioning in bottom sediments of two tropical freshwater lake basins, Kenya
Authors: Mwamburi Job 
Published: December 2013

AbstractMetal concentrations in the water, sediments and biota in alkaline, near neutral water tropical freshwater lake basins were determined and a comparative analysis made on the spatial and accumulated trace metal concentrations, and geochemical partitioning of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), nickel (Ni), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in bottom lake sediments. Variable accumulated levels were found in the analysed sediments and aquatic biological tissues. Metal partitioning data in the present study from the two areas exhibits similar trends in magnitude. The residual fractions retained relatively higher amounts of metals. Relatively higher contents of Pb, Cr and Cu were found in Lake Victoria sediments. Cd, Ni, Mn and Pb are of concern because a higher percentage of these metals were retained in the more bioavailable fractions in Lake Naivasha. Total levels of sediment mercury were comparable for the two lake basins. Metals were found in significant levels in the tissues of aquatic organisms, highlighting the potential risks to other levels within the aquatic food chain. Although the exposure risk was not evaluated, it is important to continue monitoring these elements in fish, as sediments were found to contain considerable quantities of the metals. Numerous sediment extraction techniques data applied for evaluating metal partitioning in sediments cannot be compared because of the use of different methods. Nevertheless, the information is still useful in differentiating and understanding pollution loads from natural versus anthropogenic sources and their associated risks.
Limnological characterization of interdune ponds of Curupu Island, Raposa – MA, Brazil
Authors: Sena Ana C. S. , Cavalcante Paulo R. S. , Silva Maria R. C. , Barbieri Ricardo , Castillo Francisca A. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThis study was conducted on four freshwater interdune ponds (Jacaré; Grande; Duna; Banho) located on Curupu Island within the municipality of Raposa (Maranhão State, Brazil). It focused on a diagnosis of the physical and chemical characteristics of the water and sediment in these water bodies, while at the same time obtaining basic data and information that could support the adoption of conservation strategies for the rational use of these ecosystems. Seasonal sampling of water from these ponds was conducted during the months of August, September and November 2008 and 2009 (dry period) and February, May, July 2009 and 2010 (rainy period), for the purpose of obtaining data on temperature, pH, electrical conductivity and dissolved oxygen, ammonium (NH4), nitrite (NO2), nitrate (NO3) and phosphate ion (PO4) concentrations in the pond water. Sediment sampling also was carried out to determine particle size, carbon, organic matter and phosphorus content. A large variation in most variables, especially the ammonia (NH4), nitrate (NO3) and phosphate (PO4) concentrations, was observed during the study period. The pH values indicated the water in the ponds was mostly alkaline. Based on the average nitrate concentrations (137 μg L−1 during the dry period; 123 μg L−1 during the rainy period), the ponds exhibited primarily eutrophic conditions. The sediment samples exhibited a predominance of fine sand with low carbon and organic matter content, able to be classified by their mineral nature. Due to the fragile nature of the studied ecosystems, disciplinary control of grazing activities and tourism in the area is highly recommended, along with adoption of a basic sanitation infrastructure in the community for the purpose of rational and sustainable use of this ecosystem.
Eutrophication as a ‘wicked’ problem
Authors: Thornton Jeffrey A. , Harding William R. , Dent Mark , Hart Rob C. , Lin Hebin , Rast Claudia L. , Rast Walter , Ryding Sven‐Olof , Slawski Thomas M. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractEutrophication, or the enrichment of lakes and reservoirs with plant nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, is an ongoing concern facing human societies around the world. Once thought to have been resolved using engineering approaches such as municipal wastewater treatment and storm water management, the problem of nutrient enrichment not only persists, but even continues to increase, being manifested in harmful algal blooms, limitations on access to safe drinking water supplies, and related concerns associated with fresh water in lakes and reservoirs. The continuing concern surrounding eutrophication fulfils the many attributes of a ‘wicked’ or complex problem facing society. This report reviews seriatim the ten attributes of a wicked problem, and the implications of these attributes for lake and reservoir management are discussed. Recognition of eutrophication as a wicked problem requires site‐specific approaches, based on specific knowledge of individual water bodies, as well as an ongoing commitment to lake and reservoir management to respond to new manifestations of the problems of nutrient enrichment as they continue to be revealed over time.
Dynamics of the Chinese diet and the role of urbanicity, 1991–2011
Authors: Zhai F. Y. , Du S. F. , Wang Z. H. , Zhang J. G. , Du W. W. , Popkin B. M. 
Published: December 2013

SummaryChina's food consumption patterns and eating and cooking behaviours changed dramatically between 1991 and 2011. Macronutrient composition has shifted towards fats, and protein and sodium intakes remain high and potassium intake low. The rapid decline in intake of coarse grains and, later, of refined grains and increases in intake of edible oils and animal‐source foods accompanied by major eating and cooking behaviour shifts are leading to what might be characterized as an unhealthy Western type of diet, often based on traditional recipes with major additions and changes. The most popular animal‐source food is pork, and consumption of poultry and eggs is increasing. The changes in cooking and eating styles include a decrease in the proportion of food steamed, baked, or boiled, and an increase in snacking and eating away from home. Prior to the last decade, there was essentially no snacking in China except for hot water or green tea. Most recently, the intake of foods high in added sugar has increased. The dietary shifts are affected greatly by the country's urbanization. The future, as exemplified by the diet of the three mega cities, promises major growth in consumption of processed foods and beverages.
Necrotising sialometaplasia – an unusual cause
Authors: Tanna N. , Brown J. , Beneng K. , Sproat C. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractNecrotising sialometaplasia is a rare, non‐neoplastic disease caused by the inflammation of salivary glands. Diagnosis is made by incisional biopsy, and lesions are self‐limiting and resolve spontaneously. The precise aetiology of necrotising sialometaplasia is unknown, but it is thought that necrosis of salivary glands occurs due to trauma that leads to disruption of blood supply and ischaemia of the salivary lobules. Examples of trauma include local anaesthetic administration, intubation and ill‐fitting dentures.This case demonstrates an extensive bilateral presentation of necrotising sialometaplasia as a result of traumatic autoextraction (self‐removal) of three maxillary teeth and highlights the need to consider a diagnosis of self‐mutilation when faced with atypical ulceration of the palate. Although uncommon, cases of oral self‐mutilation can present initially to dental practitioners and we must be aware of this aetiology in order to help in the prevention of further damaging behaviour.
Prevalence of Detectable Venous Pressure Drops Expected with Venous Needle Dislodgement
Authors: Ribitsch Werner , Schilcher Gernot , Hafner‐Giessauf Hildegard , Krisper Peter , Horina Jörg H. , Rosenkranz Alexander R. , Schneditz Daniel 
Published: December 2013

AbstractVenous needle dislodgement (VND) is a potentially fatal complication during hemodialysis (HD) treatment and the venous pressure monitor is the most widely used device for its detection. VND can only be detected by the venous sensor if the resulting pressure drop exceeds the difference between the actual venous pressure and the lower alarm limit. In clinical practice, the lower alarm limit is usually set 30–40 mmHg below the actual venous pressure to avoid a disproportionate high number of nuisance alarms.The aim of this study was to quantify the number of fistulas and grafts in a group of HD patients where venous pressure monitoring can be expected to detect VND. We determined intra‐access pressures in 99 chronic HD patients. Sixty‐five (65.7%) had a fistula and 34 (34.3%) had a prosthetic graft as a vascular access. Mean intra‐access pressure (Pa) in fistulas was 32.6 ± 23.5 mmHg, whereas in grafts mean Pa was 60.9 ± 19.5 mmHg. Nineteen (29.2%) of the fistulas and 32 (94.1%) of the grafts exhibited an intra‐access pressure above 40 mmHg. Therefore, in our study nearly all grafts but only 29% of fistulas would fulfill the requirement for venous pressure monitoring to detect VND.
Shared Education Initiatives in Northern Ireland: A Model for Effective Intergroup Contact in Divided Jurisdictions
Authors: Blaylock Danielle , Hughes Joanne 
Published: December 2013

AbstractAs Northern Ireland transitions from violence to sustainable peace, one area in particular that remains deeply divided is the parallel education system that operates for Catholic and Protestant pupils. Working within the existing system of separate education, and underpinned by contact theory, the Sharing Education Programme (SEP) was launched in 2007 to deliver shared classes for pupils from the different sectors. While SEP is a relatively new initiative, evidence suggests that the programme positively impacts intergroup attitudes and behaviours of participants, and contrary to existing polemic that denounces the separate faith schools as a site for reconciliation in divided societies, the effectiveness of the programme suggests that separate education can be harnessed to promote more positive intergroup relations. Indeed, we argue that the value of the shared education approach lies in the fact that it can balance the aspirations of those who advocate separate education as a fundamental right in liberal democratic societies, and those who see integrated or common education as the only solution to ethnic/racial divisions. This ideological bridging enhances the appeal of the shared education model in other similarly divided jurisdictions – a point taken up in the discussion.
Narratives of Immigration and National Identity: Findings from a Discourse Analysis of German and U.S. Social Studies Textbooks
Authors: Kotowski Jan Michael 
Published: December 2013

AbstractFollowing the tradition of discourse analysis, this article examines representations of two narratives of immigration in U.S. and German social studies textbooks: the ideas of the United States as a nation of immigrants and of Germany as a (non‐)immigration country. Textbooks are of particular importance in this regard, as they contain one of the few quasi‐official formulations of national self‐understandings. Among the most crucial findings is that in Germany, the country's decade‐old self‐denial of its status as a country of immigration is no longer a tenable official position, but, at the same time, the conscious self‐identification as an immigration country has not yet profoundly reshaped German national identity. In the United States, on the other hand, the clichéd self‐designation as a ‘nation of immigrants’ has not lost its appeal as a rhetorical device and grand narrative of national history, but seems increasingly anachronistic with regard to the country's broader immigration discourse.
OligoneuriaPictet: phylogenetic analysis and description of three new species fromBrazil (Ephemeroptera:Oligoneuriidae)
Authors: SALLES FREDERICO F. , SOARES ELAINE D. G. , MASSARIOL FABIANA C. , FARIA LUIZ R. R. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractFor 150 yearsO. anomalahas been the only known species ofOligoneuria, the type genus of theOligoneuriidae (Ephemeroptera). However, two species have been recently described andOligoneuriahas been proposed as a senior synonym of the genusOligoneurioides. In the present paper, based on material from theAmazon andBrazilianAtlanticForest, three new species are described, including information on all life stages. Given these new species, as well as the lack of cladistic support for the proposed synonymy betweenOligoneuriaandOligoneurioides, a phylogenetic analysis was performed in order to address the relationships between all species and to test the status ofOligoneurioides. Our results show that the status of the genus is uncertain, mainly due to the lack of knowledge of the type species ofO. anomala, known exclusively from a female subimago. Taking into account phylogenetic as well as taxonomic arguments, we propose that the genusOligoneuriashould be divided into three subgenera:Oligoneurias.s., forO. anomala;Oligoneuria(Yawari) new subgenus, forOligoneuria truncatasp.n.; andOligoneuria(Oligoneurioides) for the remaining five species, includingO. amandaesp.n.andO. mitrasp.n.This published work has been registered in ZooBank,http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A2AEE4B7‐FEA8‐4067‐8F3B‐666095EDB997.
Binding Cross‐Border Regions: an Analysis of Cross‐Border Governance in Lille‐Kortrijk‐Tournai Eurometropolis
Authors: Durand Frédéric , Nelles Jen 
Published: December 2013

AbstractWhile the relatively free and frequent flow of traffic across international boundaries is an essential foundation of cross‐border regions, cross‐border public transit systems are the ultimate symbols of metropolitan integration. This paper investigates the governance of the cross‐border transit system in Eurometropolis of Lille‐Kortrijk‐Tournai between France and Belgium. It relies on a qualitative analysis of actors and institutions as well as social network analysis to more precisely fix the positions and roles of actors on either side of the border. The new cross‐border institution, the EGTC agency, is a central actor in public transit policy networks and its function is more complex than the institutional analysis implies. Evaluating these roles in evolving cross‐border public transit policy enables an assessment of the effectiveness of this new governance institution and the challenges faced by general‐purpose cross‐border governance structures in affecting policy areas in which political authority is fragmented.
Perceiving the Ordinary: A Study of Everyday Landscapes in Belgium
Authors: Vanderheyden Vincent , Van der Horst Dan , Van Rompaey Anton , Schmitz Serge 
Published: December 2013

AbstractLandscape researchers have devoted relatively little attention to ordinary or everyday landscapes. This paper investigates differences in opinion about the attractiveness of these landscapes between groups of people according to their linguistic area and other socio‐demographic characteristics. A survey of 1,542 Dutch and French speakers in Belgium using photo‐questionnaires depicted the different types of Belgian rural landscape. Significant differences were observed regarding landscapes containing the same features, allowing to posit, to test, and to validate certain hypotheses. Dutch speakers found chessboard agrarian landscapes more attractive. Less educated participants felt more positive towards anthropogenic landscapes. Women were more attracted by farmed fields. Qualitative data added depth to the analysis, permitting to explore different ways in which people related to the landscape pictures. For a theoretical interpretation, we draw on Gibson's affordances theory and we revisit Larrère & Larrère's ways of looking at landscape theory.
Understanding Mode Choice in the Chinese Context: The Case of Nanjing Metropolitan Area
Authors: Feng Jianxi , Dijst Martin , Wissink Bart , Prillwitz Jan 
Published: December 2013

AbstractIn post‐reform China, rapid motorisation causes various problems like traffic congestion, diminishing road safety and air pollution. Adequate policies necessitate an understanding of the forces behind changing mode choices, but the rapidly developing literature is not complete yet. This paper aims to help fill that gap with an analysis of mode choice for commuting and shopping‐leisure trips in Nanjing. Using the Nanjing Residents Travel Survey, we find that models with the same independent variables explain mode choice in Nanjing better than in other cities in the world. Comparatively, members of ‘adult families’ use public transport and walking more often than the private car and bicycle. And inhabitants of danwei neighbourhoods walk more often than residents in commodity housing estates. These conclusions suggest that ongoing socio‐spatial transformations will push mode choice in China further towards private car use.
Treatment outcomes in a cohort of Palestine refugees with diabetes mellitus followed through use of E‐Health over 3 years in Jordan
Authors: Khader Ali , Ballout Ghada , Shahin Yousef , Hababeh Majed , Farajallah Loai , Zeidan Wafaa , Abu‐Zayed Ishtaiwi , Kochi Arata , Harries Anthony D. , Zachariah Rony , Kapur Anil , Shaikh Irshad , Seita Akihiro 
Published: December 2013

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of this study was to use E‐Health to report on 12‐month, 24‐month and 36‐month outcomes and late‐stage complications of a cohort of Palestine refugees with diabetes mellitus (DM) registered in the second quarter of 2010 in a primary healthcare clinic in Amman, Jordan.MethodRetrospective cohort study with treatment outcomes censored at 12‐month time points using E‐Health in UNRWA's Nuzha Primary Health Care Clinic.ResultsOf 119 newly registered DM patients, 61% were female, 90% were aged ≥40 years, 92% had type 2 DM with 73% of those having hypertension and one‐third of patients were newly diagnosed. In the first 3 years of follow‐up, the proportion of clinic attendees decreased from 72% to 64% and then to 61%; the proportion lost to‐follow‐up increased from 9% to 19% and then to 29%. At the three time points of follow‐up, 71–78% had blood glucose ≤180 mg/dl; 63–74% had cholesterol <200 mg/dl; and about 90% had blood pressure <140/90 mmHg. Obesity remained constant at 50%. The proportion of patients with late‐stage complications increased from 1% at baseline to 7% at 1 year, 14% at 2 years and 15% at 3 years.ConclusionNuzha PHC Clinic was able to monitor a cohort of DM patients for 3 years using E‐Health and the principles of cohort analysis. This further endorses the use of cohort analysis for managing patients with DM and other non‐communicable diseases.
Flow cytometric evaluation of ki67 for the determination of malignancy grade in canine lymphoma
Authors: Poggi A. , Miniscalco B. , Morello E. , Comazzi S. , Gelain M. E. , Aresu L. , Riondato F. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractKi67 is a nuclear antigen significantly correlated with degree of malignancy in human non‐Hodgkin lymphomas. We wanted to assess the ability of flow cytometric evaluation of Ki67 index (Ki67I) in differentiating the grade of malignancy in canine lymphomas. Ki67I was determined on lymph node aspirates of 90 immunophenotyped lymphomas classified according to the updated Kiel classification: 80 high grade (HG, 62 B cell and 18 T cell) and 10 low grade (LG, 3 B cell and 7 T cell) lymphomas. HG lymphomas showed significantly higher Ki67I compared with LG lymphomas (P < 0.0001). A significant difference in HG lymphomas was detected between B‐ and T‐immunophenotypes. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve highlighted a high accuracy of Ki67I in recognizing HG lymphomas [area under the curve (AUC) = 99.4] and a cut‐off value of 12.2% was established (sensitivity = 96.3% and specificity = 100%). Thus, we suggest the combination of Ki67I flow cytometric determination and immunophenotype as a reliable tool to classify canine lymphomas.