bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of the interaction of seaweed extracts containing laminarin and fucoidan with zinc oxide on the growth performance, digestibility and faecal characteristics of growing piglets
Authors: O'Shea C. J. , McAlpine P. , Sweeney T. , Varley P. F. , O'Doherty J. V. 
Published: October 2013

Seaweed extracts (SWE) rich in laminarin and fucoidan have shown promise as a supplement for weaned piglets. However, successful application in pig nutrition depends on their bioactivity in the presence of additives such as ZnO. In the present study, a 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of the interaction between SWE and ZnO on the growth performance, digestibility and faecal characteristics of 192 weaned piglets (6·5 kg). The piglets were penned in groups of 4 (n 12 pens). The study consisted of two phases after weaning: a starter diet period from the day of weaning (0 d) to 21 d and a transition diet period from 21 to 40 d. The dietary treatments were as follows: (1) control diet; (2) control diet+ZnO; (3) control diet+SWE; (4) control diet+ZnO+SWE. Diets containing ZnO improved the faecal consistency of the piglets throughout the experimental period (0–40 d). An effect of the interaction between ZnO and SWE on several variable was observed. The diet containing only SWE or ZnO improved the feed conversion efficiency of the piglets during the transition diet period; however, this effect was not observed when the diet containing both ZnO and SWE was fed. The diet containing only SWE increased the N and organic matter digestibility of the piglets; however, this effect was not observed in the presence of ZnO. An interaction between ZnO and SWE was observed, whereby the faecal counts of Escherichia coli were decreased when piglets were fed the diet containing only SWE, but not when fed the diet containing both SWE and ZnO. In summary, SWE and ZnO improve growth performance when given alone, but not when given in combination. The biological effect of SWE on selected digestibility and faecal characteristics was markedly different when compared with that of ZnO.
Waves in a dusty plasma over the illuminated part of the Moon
Authors: POPEL S. I. , MORFILL G. E. , SHUKLA P. K. , THOMAS H. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractWaves in a dusty plasma over the lunar dayside are considered. It is shown that the relative motion of the solar wind with respect to the photoelectrons over the lunar surface leads to the excitation of high-frequency oscillations with frequencies in the range of Langmuir and electromagnetic waves. The dust acoustic wave excitation is possible in the vicinity of the lunar terminator.
Dust shear Alfvén solitary structures in an opposite polarity dust medium
Authors: MAMUN A. A. 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe basic features of dust shear Alfvén (DSA) solitary structures formed in an opposite polarity dust medium (containing positively and negatively charged dust fluids) have been investigated by using the reductive perturbation method. The derivative nonlinear Shrödinger equation and its stationary solitary wave solution are obtained for this investigation. It is shown that the opposite polarity dust medium under consideration supports the compressive DSA solitary structures having new features with new time and length scales. The implications of our results in space environments and laboratory devices are briefly discussed.
A co-invasive microsporidian parasite that reduces the predatory behaviour of its hostDikerogammarus villosus(Crustacea, Amphipoda)
Authors: BACELA-SPYCHALSKA K. , RIGAUD T. , WATTIER R. A. 
Published: October 2013

SUMMARYParasites are known to affect the predatory behaviour or diet of their hosts. In relation to biological invasions, parasites may significantly influence the invasiveness of the host population and/or mediate the relationships between the invader and the invaded community.Dikerogammarus villosus, a recently introduced species, has had a major impact in European rivers. Notably, its high position in trophic web and high predatory behaviour, have both facilitated its invasive success, and affected other macroinvertebrate taxa in colonized habitats. The intracellular parasiteCucumispora dikerogammari, specific toD. villosus, has successfully dispersed together with this amphipod. Data presented here have shown thatD. villosusinfected by this parasite have a reduced predatory behaviour compared with healthy individuals, and are much more active suggesting that the co-invasive parasite may diminish the predatory pressure ofD. villosuson newly colonized communities.
The effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function: a review of human intervention studies
Authors: Hobbs Ditte A. , George Trevor W. , Lovegrove Julie A. 
Published: October 2013

Evidence has accumulated in recent years that suggests that nitrate from the diet, particularly vegetables, is capable of producing bioactive NO in the vasculature, following bioconversion to nitrite by oral bacteria. The aim of the present review was to consider the current body of evidence for potential beneficial effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function, with emphasis on evidence from acute and chronic human intervention studies. The studies to date suggest that dietary nitrate acutely lowers blood pressure in healthy humans. An inverse relationship was seen between dose of nitrate consumed and corresponding systolic blood pressure reduction, with doses of nitrate as low as 3 mmol of nitrate reducing systolic blood pressure by 3 mmHg. Moreover, the current studies provide some promising evidence on the beneficial effects of dietary nitrate on endothelial function.In vitrostudies suggest a number of potential mechanisms by which dietary nitrate and its sequential reduction to NO may reduce blood pressure and improve endothelial function, such as: acting as a substrate for endothelial NO synthase; increasing vasodilation; inhibiting mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production and platelet aggregation. In conclusion, the evidence for beneficial effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function is promising. Further long-term randomised controlled human intervention studies assessing the potential effects of dietary nitrate on blood pressure and endothelial function are needed, particularly in individuals with hypertension and at risk of CVD.
Sarcopenia: a clinical review
Authors: Cruz-Jentoft AJ 
Published: October 2013

SummaryAlthough sarcopenia has been used to define muscle mass loss in older subjects, muscle mass is not directly linked to muscle function. Recent definitions consider sarcopenia as a syndrome characterized by progressive and generalized loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength with a risk of adverse outcomes, such as physical disability, poor quality of life, and death. It is closely linked with physical frailty, and also with other muscle wasting disorders, including cachexia and malnutrition. This review focuses on the incorporation of sarcopenia into clinical practice, reviews case finding and diagnosis of sarcopenia, proposes a syndromic approach for the diagnostic work-up of sarcopenic patients, and looks at intervention trials with physical exercise and nutrition, as drugs to treat this condition are not expected to be available in the near future.
Corruption and the Bureaucratic Elite in Pakistan: The 1960s and 1970s Revisited
Authors: NIAZ ILHAN 
Published: October 2013

AbstractThe present paper examines the growth of corruption in Pakistan in the 1960s and 1970s with particular emphasis on the factors that influenced changes in the behavioural norms of the officer cadres or higher bureaucracy of Pakistan. The main argument is that during the 1960s increases in development spending and the manipulation of local governments by civil servants to help the Ayub Khan military regime secure legitimacy led to a substantial increase in the level of corruption. However, while the increase was alarming, the higher bureaucracy was still fairly clean and, given leadership, training and resources, in a position to contain the spread of corruption. In the 1970s the first Pakistan People's Party government enacted a number of reforms aimed at asserting political control over the civilian bureaucracy while pursuing a socialistic development model that justified nationalisation of industrial and commercial assets. These substantially undermined the ability of the higher bureaucracy to fight back against corruption while dramatically increasing state penetration of society and the economy, thus making opportunities for corruption more abundant. After General Zia-ul Haq's military coup in July 1977, the new regime, though it received plenty of good advice, was not interested in enhancing the autonomy and prestige of the services as that would diminish Zia's personal power over the state apparatus.
Species matter: the role of competition in the assembly of congeneric bacteria
Authors: Koeppel Alexander F , Wu Martin 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Interspecific competition is an important driver of community assembly in plants and animals, but phylogenetic evidence for interspecific competition in bacterial communities has been elusive. This could indicate that other processes such as habitat filtering or neutral processes are more important in bacterial community assembly. Alternatively, this could be a consequence of the lack of a consistent and meaningful species definition in bacteria. We hypothesize that competition in bacterial community assembly has gone undetected at least partly because overly broad measures of bacterial diversity units were used in previous studies. First, we tested our hypothesis in a simulation where we showed that how species are defined can dramatically affect whether phylogenetic overdispersion (a signal consistent with competitive exclusion) will be detected. Second, we demonstrated that using finer-scale Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) (with more stringent 16S rRNA sequence identity cutoffs or based on fast-evolving protein coding genes) in natural populations revealed previously undetected overdispersion. Finally, we argue that bacterial ecotypes, diversity units incorporating ecological and evolutionary theory, are superior to OTUs for the purpose of studying community assembly.
gCMAP: user-friendly connectivity mapping with R
Authors: Sandmann Thomas , Kummerfeld Sarah K. , Gentleman Robert , Bourgon Richard 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
Connections between disease phenotypes and drug effects can be made by identifying commonalities in the associated patterns of differential gene expression. Searchable databases that record the impacts of chemical or genetic perturbations on the transcriptome—here referred to as ‘connectivity maps’—permit discovery of such commonalities. We describe two R packages, gCMAP and gCMAPWeb, which provide a complete framework to construct and query connectivity maps assembled from user-defined collections of differential gene expression data. Microarray or RNAseq data are processed in a standardized way, and results can be interrogated using various well-established gene set enrichment methods. The packages also feature an easy-to-deploy web application that facilitates reproducible research through automatic generation of graphical and tabular reports.
Availability and implementation: The gCMAP and gCMAPWeb R packages are freely available for UNIX, Windows and Mac OS X operating systems at Bioconductor (http://www.bioconductor.org).
Contact: bourgon.richard@gene.com
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The ionized nebula surrounding the red supergiant W26 in Westerlund 1
Authors: Wright Nicholas J. , Wesson Roger , Drew Janet E. , Barentsen Geert , Barlow Michael J. , Walsh Jeremy R. , Zijlstra Albert , Drake Jeremy J. , Eislöffel Jochen , Farnhill Hywel J. 
Published: October 2013

Abstract
We present Hα images of an ionized nebula surrounding the M2-5Ia red supergiant (RSG) W26 in the massive star cluster Westerlund 1. The nebula consists of a circumstellar shell or ring ∼0.1 pc in diameter and a triangular nebula ∼0.2 pc from the star that in high-resolution Hubble Space Telescope images shows a complex filamentary structure. The excitation mechanism of both regions is unclear since RSGs are too cool to produce ionizing photons and we consider various possibilities. The presence of the nebula, high stellar luminosity and spectral variability suggests that W26 is a highly evolved RSG experiencing extreme levels of mass-loss. As the only known example of an ionized nebula surrounding an RSG W26 deserves further attention to improve our understanding of the final evolutionary stages of massive stars.
Sagittal Alignment of Spine and Spinal Cord for Upper Cervical Irreducible Atlantoaxial Kyphosis in Elderly Patients
Authors: Sasao Yutaka , Kojima Atsushi , Torii Yoshiaki , Morioka Shigeta , Fujii Atsushi , Aoki Haruhito 
Published: October 2013

Study Design:
Retrospective study.

Objective:
To evaluate clinical and radiographic outcome of posterior decompression and occipito-cervical/thoracic (OCT) fusion in patients with irreducible atlantoaxial kyphosis (IAK).

Summary of Background Data:
Posterior OCT fusion is an effective surgical procedure for treating IAK in the elderly. However, it is unclear whether correction can be obtained by the strong corrective force provided by implants, even in patients in whom reduction cannot be obtained preoperatively. There are no reports of improvement in patients in whom correction could not be achieved by a rigid system.

Methods:
Twenty-five patients with IAK with mild vertical subluxation due to rheumatoid arthritis and 3 patients with IAK due to os odontoideum were treated with fossa magnum decompression, C1 laminectomy and OCT fusion.

Results:
Mean follow-up period was 4.2 years. Preoperative and postoperative neurological findings revealed improvement by 1 or more grades in 18 of 28 (64.2%) patients. The parameters of spinal alignment, sagittal spinal cord alignment, and basilar invagination were evaluated on radiographs. No significant difference between preoperative and postoperative status was seen for the clivo-axial angle, occipito-upper cervical angle, atlantodental interval, or occipito-cervical 2 angle, whereas significant improvement was seen in the cervico-medullary and dorsal CM angles (both P<0.05). No significant postoperative change in the vertical direction was seen for any of the parameters. Width of the spinal cord at the C1 level was significantly increased postoperatively, with a significant expansion of the cerebral spinal fluid space at the same level (P<0.05).

Conclusions:
Posterior decompression with fusion for the treatment of IAK in the elderly did not produce significant change in spinal alignment, but did significantly improve spinal cord alignment and local spinal cord compression at the C1 level, achieving satisfactory clinical outcomes.
Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Percutaneous Vertebroplasty for Osteoporotic Compression Fractures
Authors: Takura Tomoyuki , Yoshimatsu Misako , Sugimori Hiroki , Takizawa Kenji , Furumatsu Yoshiyuki , Ikeda Hirotaka , Kato Hiroshi , Ogawa Yukihisa , Hamaguchi Shingo , Fujikawa Atsuko , Satoh Toshihiko , Nakajima Yasuo 
Published: October 2013

Study Design:
Single-center, single-arm, prospective time-series study.

Objective:
To assess the cost-effectiveness and improvement in quality of life (QOL) of percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP).

Summary of Background Data:
PVP is known to relieve back pain and increase QOL for osteoporotic compression fractures. However, the economic value of PVP has never been evaluated in Japan where universal health care system is adopted.

Methods:
We prospectively followed up 163 patients with acute vertebral osteoporotic compression fractures, 44 males aged 76.4±6.0 years and 119 females aged 76.8±7.1 years, who underwent PVP. To measure health-related QOL and pain during 52 weeks observation, we used the European Quality of Life–5 Dimensions (EQ-5D), the Rolland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMD), the 8-item Short-Form health survey (SF-8), and visual analogue scale (VAS). Quality-adjusted life years (QALY) were calculated using the change of health utility of EQ-5D. The direct medical cost was calculated by accounting system of the hospital and Japanese health insurance system. Cost-effectiveness was analyzed using incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER): Δ medical cost/Δ QALY.

Results:
After PVP, improvement in EQ-5D, RMD, SF-8, and VAS scores were observed. The gain of QALY until 52 weeks was 0.162. The estimated lifetime gain of QALY reached 1.421. The direct medical cost for PVP was ¥286,740 (about 3061 US dollars). Cost-effectiveness analysis using ICER showed that lifetime medical cost for a gain of 1 QALY was ¥201,748 (about 2154 US dollars). Correlations between changes in EQ-5D scores and other parameters such as RMD, SF-8, and VAS were observed during most of the study period, which might support the reliability and applicability to measure health utilities by EQ-5D for osteoporotic compression fractures in Japan as well.

Conclusions:
PVP may improve QOL and ameliorate pain for acute osteoporotic compression fractures and be cost-effective in Japan.
Restoring Segmental Biomechanics Through Nucleus Augmentation
Authors: Pelletier Matthew H. , Cohen Charles S. , Ducheyne Paul , Walsh William R. 
Published: October 2013

Study Design:
In vitro biomechanical laboratory study.

Objectives:
The purpose of this study is to evaluate a mechanical treatment to create a degenerative motion segment and the ability of nucleus augmentation to restore biomechanics.

Summary of Background:
In cases with an intact annulus fibrosus, the replacement or augmentation of the nucleus pulposus alone may provide a less invasive option to restore normal biomechanics and disk height when compared with spinal fusion or total disk replacement. Laboratory testing allows these changes to be fully characterized. However, without preexisting pathology, nucleus augmentation therapies are difficult to evaluate in vitro.

Methods:
The present study evaluated pure moment bending and compressive biomechanics in 3 states (n=6): (1) intact, (2) after creep loading and nucleus disruption to induce degenerative biomechanical changes, and (3) after nucleus augmentation through an injectable polymer (DiscCell).

Results:
Neutral zone and ROM were increased in all modes of bending after the degenerative treatment. The most sensitive mode of bending was lateral bending, with intact ROM (20.0±2.9 degrees) increased to 22.3±2.6 degrees after degenerative treatment and reduced to 18.4±1.6 degrees after injection of the polymer. All bending ROM and NZ changes induced by the degenerative treatment were reversed by nucleus augmentation.

Conclusions:
This material was shown to be effective at altering motion segment biomechanics and restoring disk height during time zero tests. This technique may provide a model to examine the time zero performance of a nucleus augmentation device/material.
Feasibility of Percutaneous Posterolateral Spinal Fusion With Recombinant Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (rhBMP-2)
Authors: Chan Chris Yin Wei , Kwan Mun Keong , Saw Lim Beng , Paisal Hussin 
Published: October 2013

Background Context:
The clinical application of recombinant bone morphogenetic protein in spinal surgery has been shown to be safe and effective. However, its use in minimally invasive spine surgery has been limited to anterior interbody fusion procedures. To date, no study has evaluated the feasibility of percutaneous posterolateral fusion in the spine utilizing recombinant bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2).

Purpose:
To evaluate the feasibility of percutaneous posterolateral fusion in the spine utilizing rhBMP-2.

Study Design:
Animal study.

Methods:
This is an animal research model involving 32 New Zealand white rabbits stratified into 4 study groups: control, autogenous iliac crest bone graft (ICBG), demineralized bone matrix (DBM), and rhBMP-2 groups, with 8 study subjects per group. The rhBMP-2 group was subdivided into the open technique (right side) and the percutaneous technique groups (left side). Fusion was graded at 6 weeks and 3 months after plain radiography, computed tomography, and clinical assessment with the following grading system: grade A, no bone formation; grade B, non-bridging bone formation; grade C, fusion; and grade D, fusion with ectopic bone formation.

Results:
No fusion was noted in the placebo and the DBM groups. However, in the DBM group, bone formation occurred in 37.5% of the subjects. The rhBMP-2 group had a higher fusion rate compared with the ICBG group at 6 weeks and 3 months. The fusion rate for the ICBG, the rhBMP-2 (open), and the rhBMP-2 (percutaneous) groups were 37.5%, 87.5%, and 50.0% at 6 weeks and 50.0%, 100.0%, and 62.5% at 3 months, respectively. Ectopic bone formation occurred in 12.5% of the cases in the rhBMP-2 (percutaneous) group and in 25.0% of the cases in the rhBMP-2 (open) group.

Conclusions:
Usage of rhBMP-2 is feasible for percutaneous posterolateral fusion of the lumbar spine in this animal model. However, a more precise delivery system might improve the fusion rate when the percutaneous technique is used. A significant rate of ectopic bone formation occurred when rhBMP-2 was used.
Development and Validation of a Pediatric IBD Knowledge Inventory Device
Authors: Haaland Derek , Day Andrew S. , Otley Anthony 
Published: October 2013

ABSTRACTObjectives:Questionnaires exist to assess inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)–related knowledge of adults. Owing to wording and content concerns, these were believed to be inappropriate for use in pediatric patients. The aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire to assess disease‐related knowledge of pediatric patients with IBD and their parents.Methods:Following a formal process of item generation and reduction, the IBD‐Knowledge Inventory Device was developed and pilot tested. It was administered to 10‐ to 17‐year‐old patients with IBD, and to 1 of each of their parents. To evaluate its discriminatory validity, pediatric residents, nurses, and ward clerks completed the questionnaire.Results:A total of 99 patients (mean 42, Crohn disease 46, age 14(±2) years) and 99 parents completed the IBD‐Knowledge Inventory Device. Parent knowledge scores, 15(±4), were higher than those of patients, 11(±4), P < 0.001. Patient and parent knowledge scores were strongly correlated (r = 0.62, P < 0.001). Patient knowledge score was significantly related to disease type (Crohn disease scored higher than ulcerative colitis, P = 0.004) and to perceived knowledge level (P < 0.001) by regression analysis. Similarly, parent knowledge score was significantly related to sex (girls scored higher, P = 0.014), postsecondary education (P < 0.001), and perceived knowledge level (P = 0.002). The questionnaire scores of 23 were 19, 16, and 10, respectively, for residents, nurses, and ward clerks. Both residents and nurses scored significantly higher than ward clerks (P = 0.001 for both).Conclusions:A valid IBD‐related knowledge assessment questionnaire was developed for use in older children and adolescents with IBD and their parents.