bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Detection of Clarithromycin‐Resistant Helicobacter pylori by Stool PCR in Children: A Comprehensive Review of Literature
Authors: Xiong Li jing , Tong Yu , Wang Zhiling , Mao Meng 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackgroundHelicobacter pylori infection is acquired mainly during childhood. To eradicate H. pylori, clarithromycin‐based triple therapy has been recommended in children and adults by the latest Maastricht Consensus. However, the prevalence of clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori was higher in children than that in adults. Therefore, rapid, reliable and noninvasive methods for detecting clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori strains should be developed for children.Materials and MethodsStudies on evaluating stool PCR in detecting clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori and epidemiological surveys of the prevalence of clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori in children were searched in PubMed (from 1966 to December, 2011) for reviewing.ResultsThe average rates of primary clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori ranged from less than 10% to more than 40% in different regions. The rates of secondary resistance to clarithromycin were higher than primary resistance in the same population. In H. pylori isolated from children, the frequent point mutations that are responsible for the clarithromycin resistance included A2143G, A2142G, A2142C and A2144G, and they varied geographically. Comparing with culture‐based susceptibility tests, stool PCR performed excellently for their rapidity, independence of bacterial growth, reproducibility and easy standardization. However, stool PCR showed lower sensitivity but perfect specificity in detection of clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori in children. Methodology and mixed infections of resistant H. pylori strains might contribute to the considerable discrepancies of stool PCR results.ConclusionDetection of clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori by stool PCR for children are reliable, rapid, noninvasive methods that are worthy of further clinical promotion. However, more evaluations of stool PCR in detection of clarithromycin‐resistant H. pylori in children need to be conducted.
The effect of intravenous lidocaine on laryngeal and respiratory reflex responses in anaesthetised children*
Authors: Erb T. O. , von Ungern‐Sternberg B. S. , Keller K. , Frei F. J. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryWe studied the effect of intravenous lidocaine on laryngeal and respiratory reflex responses in children anaesthetised with sevoflurane. We tested the hypothesis that the incidence of laryngospasm evoked by laryngeal stimulation is temporarily diminished after the administration of lidocaine. Forty children, aged between 25 and 84 months, were anaesthetised with sevoflurane and breathed spontaneously through a laryngeal mask airway. Respiratory reflex responses were elicited by spraying distilled water onto the laryngeal mucosa at three time intervals: (i) before lidocaine was administered (baseline); (ii) at 2 min and (iii) at 10 min following the intravenous administration of a bolus of lidocaine 2 mg.kg−1. A blinded reviewer assessed the evoked responses. The incidence of laryngospasm was reduced from 38% at baseline to 15% 2 min after lidocaine administration (p < 0.02) and 18% 10 min after lidocaine administration (p = 0.10). We conclude that intravenous lidocaine significantly reduced the incidence of laryngospasm but that the effect was short‐lived.
Long‐term effects of warming and nutrients on microbes and other plankton in mesocosms
Authors: ÖZEN ARDA , ŠORF MICHAL , TROCHINE CAROLINA , LIBORIUSSEN LONE , BEKLIOGLU MERYEM , SØNDERGAARD MARTIN , LAURIDSEN TORBEN L. , JOHANSSON LISELOTTE S. , JEPPESEN ERIK 
Published: October 2012

Summary1. We followed microbial and other planktonic communities during a 4‐month period (February–May) in 12 outdoor flow‐through mesocosms designed to elucidate the effect of global warming and nutrient enrichment. The mesocosms were established in 2003.2. Warming had a smaller effect than nutrients on the biomass of the microbial and planktonic communities, and warming and nutrients together exhibited complex interactions.3. We did not find direct effects of warming on the biomass of bacterioplankton or ciliates; however, warming significantly added to the positive effect of nutrients on these organisms and on heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNF). No warming effects on any of the other planktonic groups analysed were detected.4. The zooplankton: phytoplankton biomass ratio was lowest, and the HNF: bacteria and rotifer: bacteria biomass ratios highest in the heated, nutrient‐rich mesocosms. We attribute this to higher fish predation on large‐bodied zooplankton, releasing the predation on HNF and competition for rotifers.5. The proportion of phytoplankton to the total plankton biomass increased with nutrients, but decreased with warming. The opposite pattern was observed for the proportion of phytoplankton to the total microbial biomass.6. As climate warming may lead to eutrophication, major changes may occur in the pelagic food web and the microbial community due to changes in trophic state and in combination with warming.
Temperature distributions of electron beam‐irradiated samples by scanning electron microscopy
Authors: TOKUNAGA T. , NARUSHIMA T. , YONEZAWA T. , SUDO T. , OKUBO S. , KOMATSUBARA S. , SASAKI K. , YAMAMOTO TAKAHISA 
Published: October 2012

SummaryAn electron beam (EB) generated by a scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to irradiate two samples having different thermal conductivities, and the resulting temperatures of the EB‐irradiated areas as well as the temperature distributions within the samples were then measured using a thermal camera. These measurements showed overall increases in sample temperatures, as well as revealed temperature rises at the EB‐irradiated areas that had little difference with one of the theoretical predictions. Differences between the actual and the predicted temperature measurements were analysed in terms of the accuracy with which parameters could be estimated. The temperature distributions of the samples were measured and, On the basis of the results, it was hypothesized that the temperature differential over an irradiated sample will be inversely correlated with its thermal conductivity.
Second harmonic generation imaging of the deep shade plant Selaginella erythropus using multifunctional two‐photon laser scanning microscopy
Authors: RESHAK A.H. , SHEUE C.‐R. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryBackground: Multifunctional two‐photon laser scanning microscopy provides attractive advantages over conventional two‐photon laser scanning microscopy. For the first time, simultaneous measurement of the second harmonic generation (SHG) signals in the forward and backward directions and two photon excitation fluorescence were achieved from the deep shade plant Selaginella erythropus.Results: These measurements show that the S. erythropus leaves produce high SHG signals in both directions and the SHG signals strongly depend on the laser's status of polarization and the orientation of the dipole moment in the molecules that interact with the laser light. The novelty of this work is (1) uncovering the unusual structure of S. erythropus leaves, including diverse chloroplasts, various cell types and micromophology, which are consistent with observations from general electron microscopy; and (2) using the multifunctional two‐photon laser scanning microscopy by combining three platforms of laser scanning microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, harmonic generation microscopy and polarizing microscopy for detecting the SHG signals in the forward and backward directions, as well as two photon excitation fluorescence.Conclusions: With the multifunctional two‐photon laser scanning microscopy, one can use noninvasive SHG imaging to reveal the true architecture of the sample, without photodamage or photobleaching, by utilizing the fact that the SHG is known to leave no energy deposition on the interacting matter because of the SHG virtual energy conservation characteristic.
What paths do advantageous alleles take during short‐term evolutionary change?
Authors: Burke Molly K. , Long Anthony D. 
Published: October 2012

Combining experimental evolution with whole‐genome resequencing is a promising new strategy for investigating the dynamics of evolutionary change. Published studies that have resequenced laboratory‐selected populations of sexual organisms have typically focused on populations sampled at the end of an evolution experiment. These studies have attempted to associate particular alleles with phenotypic change and attempted to distinguish between different theoretical models of adaptation. However, neither the population used to initiate the experiment nor multiple time points sampled during the evolutionary trajectory are generally available for examination. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Orozco‐terWengel et al. (2012) take a significant step forward by estimating genome‐wide allele frequencies at the start, 15 generations into and at the end of a 37‐generation Drosophila experimental evolution study. The authors identify regions of the genome that have responded to laboratory selection and describe the temporal dynamics of allele frequency change. They identify two common trajectories for putatively adaptive alleles: alleles either gradually increase in frequency throughout the entire 37 generations or alleles plateau at a new frequency by generation 15. The identification of complex trajectories of alleles under selection contributes to a growing body of literature suggesting that simple models of adaptation, whereby beneficial alleles arise and increase in frequency unimpeded until they become fixed, may not adequately describe short‐term response to selection.
Is food addiction a valid and useful concept?
Authors: Ziauddeen H. , Fletcher P. C. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryIn this paper, we consider the concept of food addiction from a clinical and neuroscientific perspective. Food addiction has an established and growing currency in the context of models of overeating and obesity, and its acceptance shapes debate and research. However, we argue that the evidence for its existence in humans is actually rather limited and, in addition, there are fundamental theoretical difficulties that require consideration.We therefore review food addiction as a phenotypic description, one that is based on overlap between certain eating behaviours and substance dependence. To begin, we consider limitations in the general application of this concept to obesity. We share the widely held view that such a broad perspective is not sustainable and consider a more focused view: that it underlies particular eating patterns, notably binge eating. However, even with this more specific focus, there are still problems. Validation of food addiction at the neurobiological level is absolutely critical, but there are inconsistencies in the evidence from humans suggesting that caution should be exercised in accepting food addiction as a valid concept. We argue the current evidence is preliminary and suggest directions for future work that may provide more useful tests of the concept.
European‐American and African‐American Mothers' Emotion Socialization Practices Relate Differently to Their Children's Academic and Social‐emotional Competence
Authors: Nelson Jackie A. , Leerkes Esther M. , Perry Nicole B. , O'Brien Marion , Calkins Susan D. , Marcovitch Stuart 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe current study examines whether the relation between mothers' responses to their children's negative emotions and teachers' reports of children's academic performance and social‐emotional competence are similar or different for European‐American and African‐American families. Two hundred mothers (137 European‐American, 63 African‐American) reported on their responses to their five‐year‐old children's negative emotions and 150 kindergarten teachers reported on these children's current academic standing and skillfulness with peers. Problem‐focused responses to children's negative emotions, which have traditionally been considered a supportive response, were positively associated with children's school competence for European‐American children, but expressive encouragement, another response considered supportive, was negatively associated with children's competence for African‐American children. The findings highlight the need to examine parental socialization practices from a culturally specific lens.
The Irish Economy Today: Albatross or Phoenix?
Authors: FitzGerald John 
Published: October 2012

AbstractWithin EMU, the state of the balance of payments is a crucial signal of possible dangers in an economy. In the case of Ireland, this signal was ignored, and a failure of banking regulation together with wholly inappropriate fiscal policy allowed the current crisis to happen. In the aftermath of the recession, domestic costs have been cut, producing a substantial increase in tradable sector output. This output response will play a crucial role in eventually returning the economy to growth. Tackling the huge government deficit will be necessarily painful and, until completed, will weigh heavily on domestic demand, delaying a full recovery. It will be important that the fiscal adjustment is undertaken in an ‘employment‐friendly’ manner.
ON JOHN RAWLS'S A BRIEF INQUIRY INTO THE MEANING OF SIN AND FAITH
Authors: Weithman Paul 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTThis essay challenges the view that John Rawls's recently published undergraduate thesis A Brief Inquiry into the Meaning of Sin and Faith provides little help in understanding his mature work. Two crucial strands of Rawls's Theory of Justice are its critique of teleology and its claims about our moral nature and its expression. These strands are brought together in a set of arguments late in Theory which are important but have attracted little sustained attention. I argue that the target of Rawls's undergraduate thesis is a form of Christianity which rests on assumptions Rawls later came to think were fundamental to teleological views, and that the thesis defends an alternative form of religiosity that anticipates what Rawls says in Theory about the expression of our nature. Those sections of Theory also provide resources Rawls could have used to respond to a number of prominent and recurrent criticisms of his account of moral motivation. Seeing the continuities between Brief Inquiry and Theory of Justice shows how long Rawls wrestled with problems he took up in the neglected sections of Theory and thereby shows their importance to Rawls's thought.
BETWEEN MT. MORIAH AND MT. GOLGOTHA: How Is Christian Ethics Possible?
Authors: Ahn Ilsup 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTIn this paper, I explore a new way of understanding Christian ethics by critically interconnecting the theological meanings of the Aqedah (“binding”) narrative of Mt. Moriah and the Passion story of Mt. Golgotha. Through an in‐depth critical‐theological investigation of the relation between these two biblical events, I argue that Christian ethics is possible not so much as a moralization or as a literalistic divine command theory, but rather as a “covenantal‐existential” response to God's will in the impossible love on Mt. Moriah as well as in the Son's willing embrace of God's will on Mt. Golgotha.
ON HELPING ONE'S NEIGHBOR
Authors: Ranganathan Bharat 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTFew people doubt that severe poverty is a pressing moral issue. But what sorts of obligations, if any, do affluent people have toward the severely poor? If one accepts the idea that one has some obligations to the severely poor there still remains disagreement about the magnitude of this obligation and when it obtains. I consider Peter Singer's influential “shallow pond” argument, which holds that affluent people have greater obligations toward the severely poor than ordinary moral judgments suggest. Critics hold that Singer's view is excessively demanding and therefore untenable. I thus turn to the parable of the Good Samaritan and Christian accounts of neighbor‐love to help attenuate this criticism. Drawing from Christian conversations on neighbor‐love, I attempt to demonstrate that accepting an obligation to assist does not necessarily result in one abandoning one's special relations, abnegating self‐regard, or no longer pursuing other non‐moral strivings.
NON‐VIOLENCE AND NONHUMANS: Foundations for Animal Welfare in the Thought of Mohandas Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer
Authors: McLaughlin Ryan P. 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTThis essay explores how the principles of ahimsa and reverence for life provide a foundation for animal welfare in the thought of Mohandas Gandhi and Albert Schweitzer, respectively. This exploration unfolds through a consideration of the contextual background of both thinkers, the scope of life to which they apply their respective principles, and both the ethical ramifications and limitations of this application. Within this common framework, the author delineates the striking commonalities and the significant disparities between Gandhi and Schweitzer. This comparison opens a common space within which ecologically‐minded Hindus and Christians can dialogue, augmenting each other's positions by drawing on respected thinkers in their traditions. It also provides an opportunity, within the tensions highlighted at the intersection of Gandhi and Schweitzer's thought, to further construct a foundation for animal welfare in contemporary discussions.
SMC2: An Efficient Algorithm for Sequential Analysis of State Space Models
Authors: Chopin N. , Jacob P. E. , Papaspiliopoulos O. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryWe consider the generic problem of performing sequential Bayesian inference in a state space model with observation process y, state process x and fixed parameter θ. An idealized approach would be to apply the iterated batch importance sampling algorithm of Chopin. This is a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm in the θ-dimension, that samples values of θ, reweights iteratively these values by using the likelihood increments pyt∣y1:t−1,θ and rejuvenates the θ-particles through a resampling step and a Markov chain Monte Carlo update step. In state space models these likelihood increments are intractable in most cases, but they may be unbiasedly estimated by a particle filter in the x-dimension, for any fixed θ. This motivates the SMC2 algorithm that is proposed in the paper: a sequential Monte Carlo algorithm, defined in the θ-dimension, which propagates and resamples many particle filters in the x-dimension. The filters in the x-dimension are an example of the random weight particle filter. In contrast, the particle Markov chain Monte Carlo framework that has been developed by Andrieu and colleagues allows us to design appropriate Markov chain Monte Carlo rejuvenation steps. Thus, the θ-particles target the correct posterior distribution at each iteration t, despite the intractability of the likelihood increments. We explore the applicability of our algorithm in both sequential and non-sequential applications and consider various degrees of freedom, as for example increasing dynamically the number of x-particles. We contrast our approach with various competing methods, both conceptually and empirically through a detailed simulation study, and based on particularly challenging examples.
Productivity, R&D Spillovers and Educational Attainment*
Authors: Sena Vania , Higon Dolores Anon 
Published: October 2012

AbstractEconomists have long agreed that the local availability of a more qualified workforce generates significant spillovers. This study suggests that these externalities may arise because plants by having access to a more qualified workforce at a regional level, can benefit more from R&D spillovers than those located in areas with less qualified workforce. This hypothesis is tested on a sample of British establishments drawn from the Annual Business Inquiry over the period 1997–2002. The main results are consistent with our expectations that the regional differences in the industry‐level educational attainment of the workforce available to a plant will condition its capability of absorbing R&D spillovers.
Research Review: Psychosocial adjustment and mental health in former child soldiers – a systematic review of the literature and recommendations for future research
Authors: Betancourt Theresa S , Borisova Ivelina , Williams Timothy P , Meyers‐Ohki Sarah E , Rubin‐Smith Julia E , Annan Jeannie , Kohrt Brandon A 
Published: October 2012

Aims and scope:  This article reviews the available quantitative research on psychosocial adjustment and mental health among children (age <18 years) associated with armed forces and armed groups (CAAFAG) – commonly referred to as child soldiers.Methods:  PRISMA standards for systematic reviews were used to search PubMed, PsycInfo, JSTOR, and Sociological Abstracts in February 2012 for all articles on former child soldiers and CAAFAG. Twenty‐one quantitative studies from 10 countries were analyzed for author, year of publication, journal, objectives, design, selection population, setting, instruments, prevalence estimates, and associations with war experiences. Opinion pieces, editorials, and qualitative studies were deemed beyond the scope of this study. Quality of evidence was rated according to the Systematic Assessment of Quality in Observational Research (SAQOR).Findings:  According to SAQOR criteria, among the available published studies, eight studies were of high quality, four were of moderate quality, and the remaining nine were of low quality. Common limitations were lack of validated mental health measures, unclear methodology including undefined sampling approaches, and failure to report missing data. Only five studies included a comparison group of youth not involved with armed forces/armed groups, and only five studies assessed mental health at more than one point in time. Across studies, a number of risk and protective factors were associated with postconflict psychosocial adjustment and social reintegration in CAAFAG. Abduction, age of conscription, exposure to violence, gender, and community stigma were associated with increased internalizing and externalizing mental health problems. Family acceptance, social support, and educational/economic opportunities were associated with improved psychosocial adjustment.Conclusions:  Research on the social reintegration and psychosocial adjustment of former child soldiers is nascent. A number of gaps in the available literature warrant future study. Recommendations to bolster the evidence base on psychosocial adjustment in former child soldiers and other war‐affected youth include more studies comprising longitudinal study designs, and validated cross‐cultural instruments for assessing mental health, as well as more integrated community‐based approaches to study design and research monitoring.
Measurements, composition and behaviour of a large colony of the bat Pipistrellus pipistrellus
Authors: Stebbings R. E. 
Published: October 2012

A study in Dorset, England, of a very large nursing colony of the common bat Pipistrellus pipistrellus provided some much needed basic taxonomic data for this species in the British Isles. Despite the fact that 389 of 429 bats caught were juveniles the measurements were demonstrated to be comparable to adults. The sex ratio of juveniles were shown to be 1:1. No adult males were caught. Amongst the 40 adult females, eight were nulliparous (never having had young) and the remainder had all given birth and were lactating or just post lactating. It appeared that at least some Pipistrellus do not become pregnant in their first year. It was estimated that this colony consumed a minimum of 100 kg of flying insects during July and August.The individuals tend to be 0·5 g heavier one year after weaning and a further 0·5 g heavier the following year.Adult females leave the nursery roost immediately after weaning and it was suggested that this may be to prevent competing for food with the juveniles.Behaviour in roost, upon emergence and in captivity is described.