bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The influence of physical strain on esophageal motility in healthy volunteers studied with gas‐perfusion manometry
Authors: Hoehne S. , Schneider A. , Hesse V. , Brosig U. , Finke R. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe influence of physical strain on the esophageal motility has already been examined in a number of studies. It was found that high physical strain compromises the sufficient contractility of the esophagus. However, it needs more examinations to verify these findings.MethodsTo validate these results healthy volunteers were examined using gas‐perfusion manometrie. Bicycle ergometry was performed to generate an exactly defined physical exercise. After a pilot study, the changing of the contraction amplitude was determined as the main variable to evaluate the esophageal motility, and the sample size was calculated. Eight subjects without esophageal diseases or symptoms were examined by simultaneous gas‐perfusion esophageal manometry and bicycle ergometry.Key ResultsThe results showed that high physical strain during bicycle ergometry can induce a significant decrease of the contraction amplitude (α = 5%, β = 10%). The 95% confidence interval of the quotient of contraction amplitude at rest and under physical strain is (1.074; 1.576). This effect is more pronounced in liquid acts of swallowing than in dry and is also more obvious at the middle measuring point (7.8 cm above the lower esophageal sphincter) than at the distal and proximal point (2.8 and 12.8 cm). Furthermore, a decreasing tendency of the contraction duration could be found.Conclusions & InterferencesGas‐perfusion manometry is an inexpensive examination method, which enables the evaluation of the esophageal motility in moving test subjects under conditions of physical strain. It could be proved that physical strain negatively influences the esophageal motility by a decrease of the contraction amplitude.
Effect of retinal image defocus on the thickness of the human choroid
Authors: Chiang Samuel T‐H. , Phillips John R. , Backhouse Simon 
Published: May 2015

AbstractPurposeTo describe the time‐course and amplitude of changes to sub‐foveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) induced by imposed hyperopic and myopic retinal defocus and to compare the responses in emmetropic and myopic subjects.MethodsTwelve East Asian subjects (age: 18–34 years; six were emmetropic and six had myopia between −2.00 and −5.00 dioptres (D)) viewed a distant target (video movie at 6 m) for 60 min on two separate occasions while optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of the choroid were taken in both eyes every 5 min to monitor SFCT. On each occasion, one eye was optimally corrected for distance with a contact lens while the other eye wore a contact lens imposing either 2.00 D hyperopic or 2.00 D myopic retinal defocus.ResultsBaseline SFCT in myopic eyes (mean ± S.D.): 256 ± 42 μm was significantly less than in emmetropic eyes (423 ± 62 μm; p < 0.01) and was correlated with magnitude of myopia (−39 μm per dioptre of myopia, R2 = 0.67: p < 0.01). Repeated measures anova (General Linear Model) analysis revealed that in both subject groups, 2.00 D of myopic defocus caused a rapid increase in SFCT in the defocussed eye (significant by 10 min, increasing to approximately 20 μm within 60 min: p < 0.01), with little change in the control eye. In contrast, 2.00 D of hyperopic defocus caused a decrease in SFCT in the experimental eye (significant by 20–35 min. SFCT decreased by approximately 20 μm within 60 min: p < 0.01) with little change in the control eye.ConclusionsSmall but significant changes in SFCT (5–8%) were caused by retinal defocus. SFCT increased within 10 min of exposure to 2.00 D of monocular myopic defocus, but decreased more slowly in response to 2.00 D of monocular hyperopic defocus. In our relatively small sample we could detect no difference in the magnitude of changes to SFCT caused by defocus in myopic eyes compared to emmetropic eyes.
Fine mapping of the genetic locus L1 conferring black pods using a chromosome segment substitution line population of soybean
Authors: He Qingyuan , Yang Hongyan , Xiang Shihua , Tian Dong , Wang Wubin , Zhao Tuanjie , Gai Junyi 
Published: May 2015

AbstractThe colour of plant organs is a useful trait in crop breeding. The pod colours of soybeans primarily include black, brown and tan types, which are controlled by two classical genetic loci, L1 and L2. Most wild soybeans have black pods, which reflect a possible role in adaptation to the natural environment. Here, an improved chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) population SojaCSSLP3 was established to identify the L1 gene. The segment on the 19th chromosome represented by the SSR marker Satt313 was found to link with locus L1. The region was further delimited three times with increased SSR and InDel markers using a population derived from a heterozygous plant of CSSL124 from SojaCSSLP3. The L1 gene was finally located in a 184.43‐kb region between SSR_19p09 and Indel_19P7. Thirteen putative genes in this region were analysed with qRT‐PCR. The expression level of Glyma19 g27460, which is a member of the SANT superfamily with a MYB DNA‐binding domain, was significantly upregulated in black pods and was recognized to be the most likely candidate for the L1 gene.
Concordance of DSM‐5 and DSM‐IV‐TR classifications for autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Ohashi Kei , Mizuno Yoshifumi , Miyachi Taishi , Asai Tomoko , Imaeda Masayuki , Saitoh Shinji 
Published: May 2015

AbstractBackgroundThe fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM‐5) was published in May 2013. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been structured for the three subtypes of pervasive developmental disorder (PDD), but the number of impairment in social and communication dimension is not stated.MethodsThe subjects were 68 children who visited the Department of Psychology and Development at Nagoya City University Hospital for the first time between the ages of 6 and 15 years old. We retrospectively re‐examined the subjects using DSM‐IV‐TR criteria and DSM‐5 criteria with two rules (two of three and one of three on the social and communication dimension) and examined the concordance rate.ResultsForty subjects were diagnosed with PDD, and 28 were not. The mean PDD subject age was 9.4 years, and mean IQ was 84.0 on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children III or 62.7 on the Tanaka–Binet test. Twenty‐seven (68%) of the PDD subjects were classified with ASD using DSM‐5 criteria when the two of three rule was applied, while 32 (80%) were classified with ASD when the one of three rule was applied. All subjects without PDD were not diagnosed with ASD on DSM‐5 criteria.ConclusionDSM‐5 criteria may exclude high functioning and older subjects from ASD because they tend to be atypical. The diagnostic procedure for DSM‐5 criteria is ambiguous, especially in high functioning subjects and those diagnosed at an older age.
Is Dispositional Causation Just Mutual Manifestation?
Authors: Austin Christopher J. 
Published: May 2015

AbstractDispositional properties are often referred to as ‘causal powers’, but what does dispositional causation amount to? Any viable theory must account for two fundamental aspects of the metaphysics of causation – the causal complexity and context sensitivity of causal interactions. The theory of mutual manifestations attempts to do so by locating the complexity and context sensitivity within the nature of dispositions themselves. But is this theory an acceptable first step towards a viable theory of dispositional causation? This paper argues that the reconceptualization that the theory entails comes at too high a price, and is an unnecessary step in the wrong direction: these two central aspects concerning the metaphysics of causation can and should be accounted for in a dispositional account of causation without it.
The ADH gene cluster SNP rs1789891 and temperamental dimensions in patients with alcohol dependence and affective disorders
Authors: Oniszczenko Włodzimierz , Rybakowski Janusz K. , Dragan Wojciech Ł. , Grzywacz Anna , Samochowiec Jerzy 
Published: May 2015

This study had three objectives: (1) to assess the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1789891 in the alcohol dehydrogenase gene cluster and alcohol dependence and affective disorders; (2) to assess the differences in the Regulative Theory of Temperament (RTT) traits between an alcohol dependent group, an affective disorders group, and a healthy group; and (3) to assess the relationship between rs1789891 and temperament traits in a healthy group, taking into account the interaction of genotype and sex. The SNP rs1789891 was genotyped in a group of 194 alcohol dependent men, aged 21 to 71 years; 137 patients with affective disorders, including 51 males and 86 females, aged 19 to 85 years; and a group of 207 healthy individuals, including 89 males and 118 females, aged 18 to 71 years. Temperament traits (briskness, perseveration, sensory sensitivity, emotional reactivity, endurance, and activity) were assessed in all groups using the Formal Characteristics of Behaviour‐Temperament Inventory. The comparative analysis of genotypic frequencies showed no significant differences between patients with alcoholism or affective disorders and those in the control group. Alcohol dependent men and the affective disorder group were characterised by higher levels of emotional reactivity (p‐value 1.4e‐5 and 9.84e‐7, respectively) and lower levels of briskness, sensory sensitivity, endurance, and activity (p‐value from 3.76e‐8 to 0.012) when compared to the healthy group. The rs1789891 polymorphism was associated with briskness (p = 0.02), sensory sensitivity (p = 0.036), and activity (p = 0.049). None of the results were statistically significant after Bonferroni correction.
A Rejection Principle for Sequential Tests of Multiple Hypotheses Controlling Familywise Error Rates
Authors: Bartroff Jay , Song Jinlin 
Published: May 2015

AbstractWe present a unifying approach to multiple testing procedures for sequential (or streaming) data by giving sufficient conditions for a sequential multiple testing procedure to control the familywise error rate (FWER). Together, we call these conditions a ‘rejection principle for sequential tests’, which we then apply to some existing sequential multiple testing procedures to give simplified understanding of their FWER control. Next, the principle is applied to derive two new sequential multiple testing procedures with provable FWER control, one for testing hypotheses in order and another for closed testing. Examples of these new procedures are given by applying them to a chromosome aberration data set and finding the maximum safe dose of a treatment.
On Nonsmooth Estimating Functions via Jackknife Empirical Likelihood
Authors: Li Zhouping , Xu Jinfeng , Zhou Wang 
Published: May 2015

AbstractIn many applications, the parameters of interest are estimated by solving non‐smooth estimating functions withU‐statistic structure. Because the asymptotic covariances matrix of the estimator generally involves the underlying density function, resampling methods are often used to bypass the difficulty of non‐parametric density estimation. Despite its simplicity, the resultant‐covariance matrix estimator depends on the nature of resampling, and the method can be time‐consuming when the number of replications is large. Furthermore, the inferences are based on the normal approximation that may not be accurate for practical sample sizes. In this paper, we propose a jackknife empirical likelihood‐based inferential procedure for non‐smooth estimating functions. Standard chi‐square distributions are used to calculate thep‐value and to construct confidence intervals. Extensive simulation studies and two real examples are provided to illustrate its practical utilities.
Effects of weed harrowing and undersown clover on weed growth and spring cereal yield
Authors: Stenerud S , Mangerud K , Sjursen H , Torp T , Brandsæter LO 
Published: May 2015

SummaryWeed competition and nutrient scarcity often restrict organic cereal production, especially where the availability of livestock manure is limited. While harrowing of annual weeds and legume cover crops can be used, these methods are both executed in early spring and may hinder each other. Two cycles of a 2‐year crop rotation were carried out in south‐east Norway (60°42′N, 10°51′E, altitude 250 m) with weed harrowing and undersown cover crops (WHCC) at two fertiliser rates (40 and 100 kg nitrogen ha−1). The effect of the WHCC treatments was measured by weed density and species, weed biomass, changes in weed seedbank and grain yield. The weed density depended on the interaction between WHCC, fertiliser and year. On average, pre‐emergence weed harrowing reduced weed density by 32% and weed biomass by 49%, while pre‐ and post‐emergence weed harrowing reduced weed density by 59% and weed biomass by 67% compared with the untreated control. Spergula arvensis became more abundant at low rather than at high fertiliser rates. On average, white clover cover crop sown after pre‐emergence weed harrowing resulted in the highest yields for both oat (+12.1%) and wheat (+16.4%) compared with the untreated control. Despite differences in weed population density and biomass among WHCC treatments within years, the weed biomass, weed density and seedbank increased for all WHCC treatments over the 4‐year period. More research is required into improving the efficacy of mechanical and cultural weed suppression methods that organic systems rely on.
ALGORITHMS FOR TOLERANT TVERBERG PARTITIONS
Authors: MULZER WOLFGANG , STEIN YANNIK 
Published: May 2015

Let P be a d-dimensional n-point set. A partition [Formula: see text] of P is called a Tverberg partition if the convex hulls of all sets in [Formula: see text] intersect in at least one point. We say that [Formula: see text] is t-tolerant if it remains a Tverberg partition after deleting any t points from P. Soberón and Strausz proved that there is always a t-tolerant Tverberg partition with ⌈n/(d + 1)(t + 1)⌉ sets. However, no nontrivial algorithms for computing or approximating such partitions have been presented so far. For d ≤ 2, we show that the Soberón-Strausz bound can be improved, and we show how the corresponding partitions can be found in polynomial time. For d ≥ 3, we give the first polynomial-time approximation algorithm by presenting a reduction to the regular Tverberg problem (with no tolerance). Finally, we show that it is coNP-complete to determine whether a given Tverberg partition is t-tolerant.
Patients with migraine are right about their perception of temperature as a trigger: time series analysis of headache diary data
Authors: Yang Albert C. , Fuh Jong-Ling , Huang Norden E. , Shia Ben-Chang , Wang Shuu-Jiun 
Published: May 2015

Abstract

Background
Researches to date on the association between headache and weather have yielded inconsistent results. Only a limited number of studies have examined the clinical significance of self-reported weather sensitivity. This study aimed to identify the difference in the association of headache with temperature between migraine patients with and without temperature sensitivity.

Methods
66 migraine patients (75.8 % female; mean age 43.3 ± 12.9 years) provided their 1-year headache diaries from 2007 to a headache clinic in Taipei, Taiwan. 34 patients (51.5 %) reported sensitivity to temperature change but 32 (48.5 %) did not. Time series of daily headache incidence was modeled and stratified by temperature sensitivity. Empirical mode decomposition was used to identify temporal weather patterns that were correlated to headache incidence, and regression analysis was used to examine the amount of variance in headache incidence that could be explained by temperature in different seasons.

Results
Among all migraine patients, temperature change accounted for 16.5 % of variance in headache incidence in winter and 9.6 % in summer. In winter, the explained variance increased to 29.2 % among patients with temperature sensitivity, but was not significant among those without temperature sensitivity. Overall, temperature change explained 27.0 % of the variance of the mild headache incidence but only 4.8 % of the incidence of moderate to severe headache during winter.

Conclusions
This diary-based study provides evidence to link the perception of temperature sensitivity and headache incidence in migraine patients. Those who reported temperature sensitivity are more likely to have headache increase during the winter, particular for mild headaches.
Left-behind children and return migration in China
Authors: Démurger Sylvie , Xu Hui 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
This paper examines how left-behind children influence migration duration in China. We first present a simple illustrative model that incorporates economic and non-economic motives to migration duration. Using individual data from a survey carried out in Wuwei county (Anhui province) in 2008, we find that migrant parents of children in primary school tend to delay their return, a result we interpret as illustrating the need for migrant parents to accumulate money for their offspring’s education. In contrast, parental time appears substitutable by coresiding grandparents who contribute to delay the parents’ return, especially mothers, when they have children below the age of 12.

JEL classification: J61, J13, C41, O53
Statin-induced myopathy following the use of a calcium channel blocker in a transplant patient
Authors: Coleman Adrian , Chai Mee Onn 
Published: May 2015

Adrian Coleman and Mee Onn Chai discuss the case of a transplant recipient who developed myopathy as a result of a drug interaction between a calcium channel blocker (CCB) and a common cholesterol-lowering medication. They also describe the use of CCBs in the management of hypertension. Case study Mr SL is a 45-year-old Caucasian man with a body mass index of 24 kg/m2. His primary diagnosis for renal failure is hypertension, but he also has familial hypercholesterolaemia. He received a kidney transplant 6 months ago after spending a year on haemodialysis, and his transplanted kidney was considered a good immunological match, with a low risk of rejection. Mr SL's kidney function was stable with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 45 ml/min/1.73 m2. The aim for his tacrolimus concentrations were between 4–7 mcg/l and his pre-dose level was 6 mcg/l. At his review, it was identified that his average blood pressure (BP) reading was 160/90 mmHg and the transplant consultant added nifedipine modified-release tablets (10 mg, twice-daily) to his BP medications ( Table 1 ). Four weeks later, Mr SL contacted the transplant team when he felt generally unwell with fatigue and muscle pain. Following blood tests, it was identified that his eGFR decreased to 30 ml/min/1.73 m2 and his tacrolimus trough level was 10 mcg/l. His C-reactive protein (CRP) was normal, white blood cell count was not elevated, and viral screen was negative. He did not have a temperature, his BP was 130/85 mmHg, and his creatinine kinase (CK) was elevated at 3000 mmol/l (normal range 40–100 mmol/l). The team's conclusion was that he was suffering with statin-induced myopathy, caused by a combination of interactions between nifedipine, tacrolimus and high-dose simvastatin. Nifedipine and tacrolimus were discontinued and repeat tacrolimus levels were requested for 1 weeks' time along with a review by one of the medical team. At the review, Mr SL claimed the muscle pain was resolving, and following another blood test, his CK reduced to 1300 mmol/l, eGFR returned to his baseline of 45 ml/min/1.73m2 and his tacrolimus level was back to within his normal range. His BP remained high at 155/90 mmHg and so it was decided to start amlodipine 5 mg once-daily. The team agreed to review the need for another cholesterol-lowering agent once the symptoms had completely resolved and his CK was within normal limits.
Rethinking the musical ensemble: A model for collaborative learning in higher education music technology
Authors: Ben-Tal Oded , Salazar Diana 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
Kudac (Kingston University Digital Arts Collective) is an electronic improvisation ensemble that brings staff and students together for weekly musicking with technology – incorporating resources ranging from conventional instruments, to computers, to hacked circuit boards. A central element of the ensemble from its inception has been its democratic approach – staff and students explore the musical possibilities and challenges together and gradually mould their practice through a free exchange. In this article we consider the contribution of this ensemble in several overlapping domains: in relation to the individual students, in the context of a higher education music department, and at the intersection of research and teaching. We first survey the structure and activities of the ensemble, contextualizing this with reference to existing research in the fields of laptop performance, free improvisation and musical identity formation. We use this as a platform for tracing how such an ensemble may aid the social construction and shaping of creative identities at both an individual and collective level. We then examine the opportunities and challenges for a music department hosting such an ensemble before highlighting areas for future study.
Preparing the music technology toolbox: Addressing the education-industry dilemma
Authors: Davis Robert , Parker Steven , Thompson Paul 
Published: May 2015

Abstract
The growth in popularity of Music Technology degree programmes in the United Kingdom has been paralleled by the apparent decline in informal apprenticeship systems that have typically provided a gateway to employment in the recording industry. This article takes a critical approach to the tensions that exist between higher education and the music industries by exploring contemporary and historical approaches of apprenticeship. Drawing on interviews with industry professionals, current students and recent graduates who have achieved some success in the music industries, this article explores some of the perceptions, myths and contradictions of the apprenticeship-training model with changes in the contemporary professional environment. Our findings suggest that training for the music industries is more flexible and open-ended than some of the published narratives on apprenticeship would suggest. In addition, educational frameworks over the past twenty years have often focused on the technical aspects of studio practice at the expense of the social, aesthetic and human skills required by the industry. These formal frameworks often only focus on the transference of knowledge to the individual diminishing or ignoring the important processes of interaction with the participants in the field. Using the metaphor of a professional ‘toolbox’, we argue that there is a need for an approach that reconsiders the industry-education divide and considers the value of the educational process in a much wider, contemporary framework. Some twenty years since the initial development of Music Technology programmes in the United Kingdom, and in the context of the rapidly changing nature of the music industries, it is an appropriate time to reconsider the nature and relevance of Music Technology programmes in higher education.