bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Osteocalcin, glucose metabolism, lipid profile and chronic low‐grade inflammation in middle‐aged and elderly Chinese
Authors: Chen L. , Li Q. , Yang Z. , Ye Z. , Huang Y. , He M. , Wen J. , Wang X. , Lu B. , Hu J. , Liu C. , Ling C. , Qu S. , Hu R. 
Published: August 2012

Diabet. Med. 30, 309–317 (2013)AbstractAim  To assess the relationship between serum total osteocalcin and measurements of adiposity, glucose tolerance, lipid profile, adipokine and chronic low‐grade inflammation in middle‐aged and elderly Chinese subjects.Methods  We performed a cross‐sectional community‐based study in central Shanghai. Serum total osteocalcin was measured by radioimmunoassay in 783 men and 946 post‐menopausal women. Their associations with measurements of adiposity, glucose tolerance, lipid profile and chronic low‐grade inflammation were examined.Results  Serum total osteocalcin levels revealed a sexual dimorphism, with post‐menopausal women having significantly higher levels than men (P < 0.001). Serum osteocalcin levels of participants with self‐reported cardiovascular disease were significantly lower (P = 0.044) than those without. In men, serum osteocalcin levels of participants with the metabolic syndrome were significantly lower than those without the metabolic syndrome (P = 0.036). Serum osteocalcin correlated negatively with fasting serum insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, alanine aminotransferase, triglycerides and total cholesterol, and positively with homeostasis model assessment of β‐cell function in both men and post‐menopausal women (all P < 0.05). In men, serum osteocalcin correlated negatively with BMI, diastolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose and 2‐h oral glucose tolerance test glucose after adjustment for age (all P < 0.05). In post‐menopausal women, serum osteocalcin correlated negatively with waist–hip ratio, LDL cholesterol and C‐reactive protein, and positively with adiponectin (all P < 0.05). Serum osteocalcin was not associated with CXC chemokine ligand 5 level (P > 0.05). Alanine aminotransferase was an independent predictor of serum osteocalcin in both men and post‐menopausal women (both P < 0.001). Adiponectin was an independent predictor of serum osteocalcin in post‐menopausal women (P = 0.011). Serum osteocalcin was an independent predictor of homeostasis model assessment of β‐cell function in both genders (both P < 0.05).Conclusions  Serum total osteocalcin was closely associated with glucose and lipid metabolism in both Chinese men and post‐menopausal women.
A probabilistic model for analysing species co‐occurrence
Authors: Veech Joseph A. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractAimTo develop a new probabilistic model that can be used to test for statistically significant pair‐wise patterns of species co‐occurrence. The model gives the probability that two species would co‐occur at a frequency less than (or greater than) the observed frequency if the two species were distributed independently of one another among a set of sites. The model can be used to classify species associations as negative, positive or random.InnovationHistorically, the analysis of species co‐occurrence has involved the use of data randomization. An observed species presence–absence matrix is compared with randomized matrices to determine if the observed matrix has structure, either an excess or deficit of species positively or negatively associated with each other. The computer algorithms used to randomize matrices can sometimes produce Type I and Type II errors (when the randomization algorithm produces a biased set of all possible matrices) due to the randomization process itself. The probabilistic model does not rely on any data randomization, hence it has a very low Type I error rate and is powerful having a low Type II error rate.Main conclusionsWhen applied to 10 different data sets the probabilistic model revealed significant positive and negative species associations in most of the data sets. Compared with previous analyses the model tended to find fewer significant associations; this may indicate a generally low rate of Type I error in the model. The model is easy to implement and requires no special software. The model could potentially transform the way that ecologists test for species co‐occurrence in a wide range of ecological studies.
Specialists leave fewer descendants within a region than generalists
Authors: Ozinga Wim A. , Colles Audrey , Bartish Igor V. , Hennion Françoise , Hennekens Stephan M. , Pavoine Sandrine , Poschlod Peter , Hermant Marie , Schaminée Joop H. J. , Prinzing Andreas 
Published: August 2012

AbstractAimCurrent conservation biology suggests that across ecological time‐scales specialist species existing in the recent past have left on average fewer descendant populations today than generalist species. Conversely, the speciation literature suggests that on an evolutionary time‐scale specialists leave as many or more descendant lineages as generalists, i.e. they have high rates of global diversification. This begs the question: which of these two processes has more influence on the regional scale, i.e. do specialists leave more or fewer descendants than generalists within a region?LocationThe flora of the Netherlands.MethodsWe quantified niche volume of 707 plant species from coexistence data and ecological indicator values and used sister taxon comparisons to compare specialist and generalist sister taxa for the relative numbers of descendants across three temporal scales: ecological, microevolutionary and macroevolutionary.ResultsWe show, first, that specialist species are more likely to be currently declining, i.e. to leave only few descendant populations. Second, specialists are less likely to be currently diversifying into intra‐specific taxa. Finally, most specialist clades left fewer descendant species within a region than their generalist sister clades. These results were consistent across sublineages, unbiased by geographic sampling of lineages and environments, and held after accounting for species life histories. Differences between specialist and generalist sister clades increased with clade age, suggesting that they reflect differences in rates at which specialists left descendants (rather than differences in ecological limits to the numbers of specialists and generalists).Main conclusionsSpecialists left only few descendants within a region (i.e. the Netherlands), both at ecological, microevolutionary and macroevolutionary scales. While specialists may leave numerous evolutionary descendants at a global scale, these might be absent from most regions. Humans, by threatening specialist species, may hence further accelerate biotic homogenization with descendants of generalist lineages proliferating within regions while specialist lineages disappear.
Social Movement Theory, Collective Action Frames and Union Theory: A Critique and Extension
Authors: Gahan Peter , Pekarek Andreas 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe publication of John Kelly's Rethinking Industrial Relations in 1998 spawned a growing interest among researchers in exploring how social movement (SM) theory can be used to inform union research, particularly in the context of revitalization/renewal debates. Our starting proposition is that this approach can be extended through an engagement with the larger corpus of SM theory. We focus in particular on the ‘collective action frame’ concept. Drawing on examples used by SM scholars, we illustrate how these concepts can be used to extend and enrich union theory and pose new questions concerning the role of unions.
Georelief Transfiguration in Areas Affected by Open‐cast Mining
Authors: Pacina Jan , Novák Kamil , Popelka Jan 
Published: August 2012

AbstractOpen‐cast mining activity causes the largest georelief transfigurations all over the world. Large localities in north‐west Bohemia (the Czech Republic) are affected. In this area, we focus on a very significant case: the royal town Most, which has been turned into a lake. The main aim of this article is the reconstruction of the original georelief in different time periods together with analysis showing the process of landscape devastation. The workflow and analysis is based on precise elevation data obtained from aerial photographs and old maps. The georelief development is reconstructed using the digitized contour lines contained in Derived state‐map 1:5,000 (SMO5) from the years 1953, 1972, and 1980; maps of the 3rd Military Survey (year 1936); and digital surface models (DSM) extracted, using the pixel correlation method, from aerial images (year 1953 and 2008). The most important results of the analysis are digital terrain models showing the evolution of the landscape which may be used for many purposes in landscape development analysis, historical applications, visualization or landscape reclamation.
Testing the Political Replacement Effect: A Panel Data Analysis*
Authors: Leonida Leone , Patti Dario Maimone Ansaldo , Navarra Pietro 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis article tests for the existence of the political replacement effect, as suggested by Acemoglu and Robinson: [American Political Science Review, Vol. 100, pp. 115–131]. They argue that the implementation of market‐oriented reform is crucially driven by the political calculus of incumbent governments: they implement economic policy change if such a choice is not expected to reduce their chances to retain power. This implies a non‐monotonic relationship between the level of political competition and the extent of economic reform. We test this hypothesis using data for 102 countries over the period 1980 to 2005. Our results strongly support the theory.
State‐Dependent Threshold Smooth Transition Autoregressive Models*
Authors: Dueker Michael J. , Psaradakis Zacharias , Sola Martin , Spagnolo Fabio 
Published: August 2012

AbstractIn this article, we consider extensions of smooth transition autoregressive (STAR) models to situations where the threshold is a function of variables that affect the separation of regimes of the time series under consideration. Our specification is motivated by the observation that unusually high/low values for an economic variable may sometimes be best thought of in relative terms. State‐dependent contemporaneous‐threshold STAR and logistic STAR models are introduced and discussed. These models are also used to investigate the dynamics of US short‐term interest rates, where the threshold is allowed to be a function of past output growth and inflation.
Monetary Policy Announcements and Short‐Term Interest Rate Futures Volatility: Evidence from the Mexican Market
Authors: Herrerías Renata , Gurrola Pedro 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe relationship between monetary policy and the behaviour of financial markets is commonly examined to assess the effectiveness of the actions of central banks. Our study explores, for the case of Mexico, the reaction of short‐term interest rate futures to monetary policy announcements, and to what extent the change to the operational targeting of interest rates implemented by the central bank in 2004 led to changes in this reaction. The results show that in a market dominated by institutional investors trading solely for hedging purposes, the actions of the central bank are not fully incorporated into prices in advance. As a result, interest rate futures prices are adjusted on announcement dates. Furthermore, the change to an interest rate operational target modified the trading behaviour so that the changes in the volatility, volume and prices of the futures contracts on the announcement dates are now more evident.
Validation of a clinical evaluation score for irritative dermatitis: SCOREPI
Authors: Le Maître M. , Crickx B. , Lacour J.P. , Bagot M. , Chevallier J.‐M. , Cribier B. , Doutre M.‐S. , Giordano‐Labadie F. , Guillot B. , Joly P. , Schmutz J.‐L. , Vabres P. , Bensimon D. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractBackground  Most dermatological conditions can be evaluated using validate clinical scores, no such tool is available for irritant contact dermatitis (ICD).Objective  To create and validate a grid‐based ICD severity score.Methods  Three dermatologists developed the SCOre de REparation de l’EPIderme (SCOREPI) grid. Two studies were conducted to validate the SCOREPI. A cross‐sectional study assessed the intra‐ and inter‐observer error associated with using the SCOREPI. Each investigator received 15 min of training on proper use of the SCOREPI. A computer displayed a series of 20 photos of ICD, each of which were repeated three times in a randomized order. The prospective study assessed the correlation between SCOREPI with the severity of clinical symptoms as well as the sensitivity of the score to changes in ICD in response to topical treatment.Results  The SCOREPI took an average of 35 ± 5 s to be completed and was characterized by an excellent intra‐observer and moderate inter‐observer reproducibility (intra‐class correlation coefficient = 0.93 and 0.74, respectively). Significant divergence was observed between the physicians’ assessment of estimated surface (P = 0.04), the presence of erythema (P < 0.0001) and the number of deep cracks (P = 0.0008). In the prospective analysis of patients, SCOREPI was correlated with tightness (r = 0.45; P < 0.0001), pain (r = 0.45; P < 0.0001), burning (r = 0.42; P < 0.0001), and pruritus (r = 0.28; P = 0.0055). SCOREPI decreased considerably during follow‐up from 10.45 ± 4.61 to 4.82 ± 4.15 (P < 0.0001).Conclusion  The SCOREPI is easy to use, sensitive to change, and characterized by high intra‐ and moderate inter‐observer reliability.
Macroeconomic Imbalances as Indicators for Debt Crises in Europe*
Authors: KNEDLIK TOBIAS , VON SCHWEINITZ GREGOR 
Published: August 2012

AbstractEuropean authorities and scholars published proposals on which indicators of macroeconomic imbalances might be used to uncover risks for the sustainability of public debt in the European Union. In this article the ability of four proposed sets of indicators to send early warnings of debt crises is tested using a signals approach for the study of indicators and the construction of composite indicators. It is found that a broad composite indicator has the highest predictive power. This fact still holds true if equal weights are used for the construction of the composite indicator in order to reflect the uncertainty about the origin of future crises.
Polity‐Building in the Constitutional Convention: Transnational Party Groups in European Union Institutional Reform*
Authors: VAN HECKE STEVEN 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThe abundant literature on the European Constitution has largely overlooked the role party politics played in the European Convention. This article fills this gap by analyzing transnational party groups: how they were organized and which purposes they served. It shows that they mattered, but in unexpected ways due to the particular set‐up of the Convention. For instance, they helped to bring MEPs and MNPs closer to each other. Overall, the analysis contributes to a better understanding of how parties operate at the transnational level and helps to explain the way in which polity‐building in the European Union's multi‐level system takes place.
Avoidance of roads by large herbivores and its relation to disturbance intensity
Authors: Leblond M. , Dussault C. , Ouellet J. –P. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractAvoidance of roads has been demonstrated for many animal species, but little is known about the relationship between anthropogenic disturbance levels and the degree of avoidance by animals. We investigated the hypothesis that the strength of road‐avoidance behaviour increases with the intensity of the disturbance for a large, disturbance‐sensitive herbivore: the forest‐dwelling caribou Rangifer tarandus caribou. We assessed the behaviour of 53 global positioning system‐collared caribou monitored during the gradual modification of a highway over a 7‐year period, while controlling for potentially confounding factors. We studied caribou movements, resource selection and distribution before, during and after road modifications at multiple scales. We expected that the degree of avoidance would be positively related to road width, traffic density and the presence of active construction sites. The proportion of individuals that excluded the highway from their home range increased as highway modifications progressed. A lower proportion of caribou locations was found in a 5000 m road‐effect zone during and after highway modifications compared with before. Within that zone, caribou avoided habitat types that were selected at the home range scale. Caribou displayed higher movement rates in the vicinity of the highway, especially when traffic density was high. Our data support the hypothesis that avoidance of roads by large herbivores is positively related to disturbance intensity. Our results shed light on the behavioural mechanisms determining avoidance of human infrastructure by large herbivores, and suggest that increased human activity may affect behaviour at multiple scales. Conservation efforts in areas where roads are constructed or modified should be directed towards maintaining access to critical habitat resources, while also restoring habitat quantity and quality.
The effect of challenge and threat states on performance: An examination of potential mechanisms
Authors: Moore Lee J. , Vine Samuel J. , Wilson Mark R. , Freeman Paul 
Published: August 2012

AbstractChallenge and threat states predict future performance; however, no research has examined their immediate effect on motor task performance. The present study examined the effect of challenge and threat states on golf putting performance and several possible mechanisms. One hundred twenty‐seven participants were assigned to a challenge or threat group and performed six putts during which emotions, gaze, putting kinematics, muscle activity, and performance were recorded. Challenge and threat states were successively manipulated via task instructions. The challenge group performed more accurately, reported more favorable emotions, and displayed more effective gaze, putting kinematics, and muscle activity than the threat group. Multiple putting kinematic variables mediated the relationship between group and performance, suggesting that challenge and threat states impact performance at a predominately kinematic level.
Mechanisms of change: Effects of repetitive exposure to feared stimuli on the brain's fear network
Authors: Wendt Julia , Schmidt Luise E. , Lotze Martin , Hamm Alfons O. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractRepetitive exposure to feared stimuli is considered as the essential element in therapy with phobic patients. However, the mechanisms mediating symptom reduction and their underlying neurobiological processes are poorly understood. Therefore, we presented the same fear‐relevant and neutral stimuli repeatedly to individuals with high and low fear of animals during fMRI scanning. High‐, but not low‐fearful individuals showed an initial fear‐stimulus‐related potentiation of amygdala and insula activity. Potentiation of the amygdala in the high‐fearful group habituated quickly, but insula activity was still potentiated during later repetition trials. Both groups showed an initial potentiation of the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) that continuously decreased in low‐, but not in high‐fearful participants. Thus, within‐session habituation may occur on an automatic processing level (amygdala), but does not cause lasting neural changes on a higher order cortical level (dmPFC).
Young adults’ attitudes towards credit
Authors: Lachance Marie J. 
Published: August 2012

AbstractThis research project was undertaken to study young adults’ attitudes towards credit in general. A sample of 980 young Canadian adults, ages 18–29, participated in a telephone survey. Results reveal that they recognize both the advantages and the risks associated with credit. Regression analysis shows that attitudes towards credit is positively related to education, the number of credit cards held and knowledge of credit, but negatively related to the number of children. The young adults who reported that their parents and friends are heavy credit users are more likely to have positive attitudes towards credit. No link was found with the participants’ level of debt.
The effects of financial literacy on the borrowing behaviour of Turkish financial consumers
Authors: Sevim Nurdan , Temizel Fatih , Sayılır Özlem 
Published: August 2012

AbstractOur research attempts to measure the effects of financial literacy of Turkish financial consumers on the borrowing behaviour. A questionnaire is administered to a sample of 550 people in the city of Eskisehir. In‐depth interviews are undertaken with 10 financial consumers to support the findings. Findings of the study indicate differences in the borrowing behaviour of consumers with different levels of financial literacy. Considering the relationship between financial literacy and borrowing behaviour, we suggest that attempts to increase financial literacy of financial consumers may have important implications in the prevention of excessive borrowing.
Aβ oligomer toxicity inhibitor protects memory in models of synaptic toxicity
Authors: Scopes DIC , O'Hare E , Jeggo R , Whyment AD , Spanswick D , Kim E‐M , Gannon J , Amijee H , Treherne JM 
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEAmyloid‐β (Aβ) aggregation into synaptotoxic, prefibrillar oligomers is a major pathogenic event underlying the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The pharmacological and neuroprotective properties of a novel Aβ aggregation inhibitor, SEN1269, were investigated on aggregation and cell viability and in test systems relevant to synaptic function and memory, using both synthetic Aβ1‐42 and cell‐derived Aβ oligomers.EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHSurface plasmon resonance studies measured binding of SEN1269 to Aβ1–42. Thioflavin‐T fluorescence and MTT assays were used to measure its ability to block Aβ1–42–induced aggregation and reduction in cell viability. In vitro and in vivo long‐term potentiation (LTP) experiments measured the effect of SEN1269 on deficits induced by synthetic Aβ1–42 and cell‐derived Aβ oligomers. Following i.c.v. administration of the latter, a complex (alternating‐lever cyclic ratio) schedule of operant responding measured effects on memory in freely moving rats.KEY RESULTSSEN1269 demonstrated direct binding to monomeric Aβ1–42, produced a concentration‐related blockade of Aβ1–42 aggregation and protected neuronal cell lines exposed to Aβ1–42. In vitro, SEN1269 alleviated deficits in hippocampal LTP induced by Aβ1–42 and cell‐derived Aβ oligomers. In vivo, SEN1269 reduced the deficits in LTP and memory induced by i.c.v. administration of cell‐derived Aβ oligomers.CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONSSEN1269 protected cells exposed to Aβ1–42, displayed central activity with respect to reducing Aβ‐induced neurotoxicity and was neuroprotective in electrophysiological and behavioural models of memory relevant to Aβ‐induced neurodegeneration. It represents a promising lead for designing inhibitors of Aβ‐mediated synaptic toxicity as potential neuroprotective agents for treating AD.