bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RAD‐Seq derived markers flank the shell colour and banding loci of the Cepaea nemoralis supergene
Authors: Richards Paul M. , Liu M. Maureen , Lowe Natalie , Davey John W. , Blaxter Mark L. , Davison Angus 
Published: March 2013

AbstractStudies on the classic shell colour and banding polymorphism of the land snail Cepaea played a crucial role in establishing the importance of natural selection in maintaining morphological variation. Cepaea is also a pre‐eminent model for ecological genetics because the outward colour and banding phenotype is entirely genetically determined, primarily by a ‘supergene’ of at least five loci. Unfortunately, progress in understanding the evolution and maintenance of the Cepaea polymorphism stalled, partly because of a lack of genetic markers. With a view to re‐establish Cepaea as a prominent model of molecular ecology, we made six laboratory crosses of Cepaea nemoralis, five of which segregated for shell ground colour (C) and the presence or absence of bands (B). First, scoring of colour and banding in 323 individuals found no recombination between the C and B loci of the supergene. Second, using restriction site–associated DNA sequencing (RAD‐Seq) of two parents and 22 offspring, we identified 44 anonymous markers putatively linked to the colour (C) and banding (B) loci. The genotype of eleven of the most promising RAD‐Seq markers was independently validated in the same 22 offspring, then up to a further 146 offspring were genotyped. The closest RAD‐Seq markers scored are within ~0.6 centimorgan (cM) of the C‐B supergene linkage group, with the combined loci together forming a 35.8 cM linkage map of markers that flank both sides of the Cepaea C‐B supergene.
Summarizing Social Disparities in Health
Authors: ASADA YUKIKO , YOSHIDA YOKO , WHIPP ALYCE M. 
Published: March 2013

ContextReporting on health disparities is fundamental for meeting the goal of reducing health disparities. One often overlooked challenge is determining the best way to report those disparities associated with multiple attributes such as income, education, sex, and race/ethnicity. This article proposes an analytical approach to summarizing social disparities in health, and we demonstrate its empirical application by comparing the degrees and patterns of health disparities in all fifty states and the District of Columbia (DC).MethodsWe used the 2009 American Community Survey, and our measure of health was functional limitation. For each state and DC, we calculated the overall disparity and attribute‐specific disparities for income, education, sex, and race/ethnicity in functional limitation. Along with the state rankings of these health disparities, we developed health disparity profiles according to the attribute making the largest contribution to overall disparity in each state.FindingsOur results show a general lack of consistency in the rankings of overall and attribute‐specific disparities in functional limitation across the states. Wyoming has the smallest overall disparity and West Virginia the largest. In each of the four attribute‐specific health disparity rankings, however, most of the best‐ and worst‐performing states in regard to overall health disparity are not consistently good or bad. Our analysis suggests the following three disparity profiles across states: (1) the largest contribution from race/ethnicity (thirty‐four states), (2) roughly equal contributions of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic factor(s) (ten states), and (3) the largest contribution from socioeconomic factor(s) (seven states).ConclusionsOur proposed approach offers policy‐relevant health disparity information in a comparable and interpretable manner, and currently publicly available data support its application. We hope this approach will spark discussion regarding how best to systematically track health disparities across communities or within a community over time in relation to the health disparity goal ofHealthy People 2020.
Making Sense of “Consumer Engagement” Initiatives to Improve Health and Health Care: A Conceptual Framework to Guide Policy and Practice
Authors: MITTLER JESSICA N. , MARTSOLF GRANT R. , TELENKO SHANNON J. , SCANLON DENNIS P. 
Published: March 2013

ContextPolicymakers and practitioners continue to pursue initiatives designed to engage individuals in their health and health care despite discordant views and mixed evidence regarding the ability to cultivate greater individual engagement that improves Americans’ health and well‐being and helps manage health care costs. There is limited and mixed evidence regarding the value of different interventions.MethodsBased on our involvement in evaluating various community‐based consumer engagement initiatives and a targeted literature review of models of behavior change, we identified the need for a framework to classify the universe of consumer engagement initiatives toward advancing policymakers' and practitioners' knowledge of their value and fit in various contexts. We developed a framework that expanded our conceptualization of consumer engagement, building on elements of two common models, the individually focused transtheoretical model of behavior and the broader, multilevel social ecological model. Finally, we applied this framework to one community's existing consumer engagement program.FindingsConsumer engagement in health and health care refers to the performance of specific behaviors (“engaged behaviors”) and/or an individual's capacity and motivation to perform these behaviors (“activation”). These two dimensions are related but distinct and thus should be differentiated. The framework creates four classification schemas, by (1) targeted behavior types (self‐management, health care encounter, shopping, and health behaviors) and by (2) individual, (3) group, and (4) community dimensions. Our example illustrates that the framework can systematically classify a variety of consumer engagement programs, and that this exercise and resulting characterization can provide a structured way to consider the program and how its components fit program goals both individually and collectively.ConclusionsApplying the framework could help advance the field by making policymakers and practitioners aware of the wide range of approaches, providing a structured way to organize and characterize interventions retrospectively, and helping them consider how they can meet the program's goals both individually and collectively.
Health Systems’ “Surge Capacity”: State of the Art and Priorities for Future Research
Authors: WATSON SAMANTHA K. , RUDGE JAMES W. , COKER RICHARD 
Published: March 2013

ContextOver the past decade, a number of high‐impact natural hazard events, together with the increased recognition of pandemic risks, have intensified interest in health systems’ ability to prepare for, and cope with, “surges” (sudden large‐scale escalations) in treatment needs. In this article, we identify key concepts and components associated with this emerging research theme. We consider the requirements for a standardized conceptual framework for future research capable of informing policy to reduce the morbidity and mortality impacts of such incidents. Here our objective is to appraise the consistency and utility of existing conceptualizations of health systems’ surge capacity and their components, with a view to standardizing concepts and measurements to enable future research to generate a cumulative knowledge base for policy and practice.MethodsA systematic review of the literature on concepts of health systems’ surge capacity, with a narrative summary of key concepts relevant to public health.FindingsThe academic literature on surge capacity demonstrates considerable variation in its conceptualization, terms, definitions, and applications. This, together with an absence of detailed and comparable data, has hampered efforts to develop standardized conceptual models, measurements, and metrics. Some degree of consensus is evident for the components of surge capacity, but more work is needed to integrate them. The overwhelming concentration in the United States complicates the generalizability of existing approaches and findings.ConclusionsThe concept of surge capacity is a useful addition to the study of health systems’ disaster and/or pandemic planning, mitigation, and response, and it has far‐reaching policy implications. Even though research in this area has grown quickly, it has yet to fulfill its potential to generate knowledge to inform policy. Work is needed to generate robust conceptual and analytical frameworks, along with innovations in data collection and methodological approaches that enhance health systems’ readiness for, and response to, unpredictable high‐consequence surges in demand.
Federalizing Medical Campaigns against Alcoholism and Drug Abuse
Authors: METLAY GRISCHA 
Published: March 2013

ContextThe formation of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Special Action Office for Drug Abuse Prevention (SAODAP) in the early 1970s dramatically expanded scientific and medical efforts to control alcoholism and drug abuse in the United States.MethodsDrawing on a variety of primary, secondary, and archival sources, this article describes the creation and early years of these agencies.FindingsI show that while the agencies appeared at roughly the same time, their creation involved separate sets of issues and actors. In addition, I show that SAODAP received more money and resources, even though advocates for alcoholics mobilized a stronger lobbying campaign.ConclusionsTwo factors explain this discrepancy in money and resources: (1) alcoholism was framed as a public health problem, whereas drug abuse was drawn into broader debates about crime and social decline; and (2) alcohol programs relied on congressional support, whereas drug programs found champions at high levels of the Nixon administration. These political and cultural factors help explain why current programs for illegal drugs receive more federal support, despite alcohol's greater public health burden.
In vivo phosphorylation dynamics of the Bordetella pertussis virulence‐controlling response regulator BvgA
Authors: Boulanger Alice , Chen Qing , Hinton Deborah M. , Stibitz Scott 
Published: March 2013

SummaryWe have used protein electrophoresis through polyacrylamide gels derivatized with the proprietary ligand Phos‐tag™ to separate the response regulator BvgA from its phosphorylated counterpart BvgA∼P. This approach has allowed us to readily ascertain the degree of phosphorylation of BvgA in in vitro reactions, or in crude lysates of Bordetella pertussis grown under varying laboratory conditions. We have used this technique to examine the kinetics of BvgA phosphorylation after shift of B. pertussis cultures from non‐permissive to permissive conditions, or of its dephosphorylation following a shift from permissive to non‐permissive conditions. Our results provide the first direct evidence that levels of BvgA∼P in vivo correspond temporally to the expression of early and late BvgA‐regulated virulence genes. We have also examined a number of other aspects of BvgA function predicted from previous studies and by analogy with other two‐component response regulators. These include the site of BvgA phosphorylation, the exclusive role of the cognate BvgS sensor kinase in its phosphorylation in Bordetella pertussis, and the effect of the T194M mutation on phosphorylation. We also detected the phosphorylation of a small but consistent fraction of BvgA purified after expression in Escherichia coli.
Enterococcus faecalis utilizes maltose by connecting two incompatible metabolic routes via a novel maltose 6′‐phosphate phosphatase (MapP)
Authors: Mokhtari Abdelhamid , Blancato Víctor S. , Repizo Guillermo D. , Henry Céline , Pikis Andreas , Bourand Alexa , de Fátima Álvarez María , Immel Stefan , Mechakra‐Maza Aicha , Hartke Axel , Thompson John , Magni Christian , Deutscher Josef 
Published: March 2013

SummarySimilar to Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecalis transports and phosphorylates maltose via a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):maltose phosphotransferase system (PTS). The maltose‐specific PTS permease is encoded by the malT gene. However, E. faecalis lacks a malA gene encoding a 6‐phospho‐α‐glucosidase, which in B. subtilis hydrolyses maltose 6′‐P into glucose and glucose 6‐P. Instead, an operon encoding a maltose phosphorylase (MalP), a phosphoglucomutase and a mutarotase starts upstream from malT. MalP was suggested to split maltose 6‐P into glucose 1‐P and glucose 6‐P. However, purified MalP phosphorolyses maltose but not maltose 6′‐P. We discovered that the gene downstream from malT encodes a novel enzyme (MapP) that dephosphorylates maltose 6′‐P formed by the PTS. The resulting intracellular maltose is cleaved by MalP into glucose and glucose 1‐P. Slow uptake of maltose probably via a maltodextrin ABC transporter allows poor growth for the mapP but not the malP mutant. Synthesis of MapP in a B. subtilis mutant accumulating maltose 6′‐P restored growth on maltose. MapP catalyses the dephosphorylation of intracellular maltose 6′‐P, and the resulting maltose is converted by the B. subtilis maltose phosphorylase into glucose and glucose 1‐P. MapP therefore connects PTS‐mediated maltose uptake to maltose phosphorylase‐catalysed metabolism. Dephosphorylation assays with a wide variety of phospho‐substrates revealed that MapP preferably dephosphorylates disaccharides containing an O‐α‐glycosyl linkage.
Molecular cloning and characterization of six novel HMW‐GS genes from Aegilops speltoides and Aegilops kotschyi
Authors: Ma Chaoying , Yang Yang , Li Xiaohui , Ge Pei , Guo Guangfang , Subburaj Saminathan , Zeller Friedrich J. , Hsam Sai L. K. , Yan Yueming 
Published: March 2013

AbstractSix novel high molecular weight glutenin subunits (HMW‐GS) from Aegilops speltoides (SS, 2n = 2x = 14) and Aegilops kotschyi (UUSS, 2n = 4x = 28) were identified by SDS‐PAGE and designated as ASy15*, AKx1*, AKx3*, AKx2.3, AKy20* and AKy8*, respectively. Their complete open reading frames (ORFs) were cloned and sequenced by allele‐specific PCR (AS‐PCR). Sequence comparison demonstrated that these novel genes displayed high single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and InDel variations. In particular, AKy8* had an extra cysteine residue at position 140 in the central repetitive domain, while AKx2.3 had an unusually long repetitive domain (816 aa), which might have positive effects on gluten quality. Phylogenetic analysis showed that AKx1* and AKx3* belonged to the 1S genome, AKx2.3 to the 1U genome, and AKy20* and AKy8* most likely to the 1S genome. The divergence between the 6 HMW‐GS genes from the two Aegilops species and those from Triticum species occurred 4.77–23.54 MYA. The authenticity of these isolated endogenous HMW‐GS genes was confirmed through heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and Western blotting.
Liver transplantation in cystic fibrosis: A report from Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Children's Hospital
Authors: Harring Theresa R. , Nguyen N. Thao T. , Liu Hao , Karpen Saul J. , Goss John A. , O'Mahony Christine A. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractCF affects one of 2000 Caucasians, and approximately 25% are found to have CFLD for which OLT may be indicated. Timing of transplantation, contraindications, and survival are still widely debated. We report the outcomes of OLT for pediatric patients with CFLD from the largest children's hospital in the United States. Our records since September 1998 were analyzed for all patients undergoing OLT for CFLD. Nine patients were then compared to similar patients in the UNOS/OPTN database (n = 155). Survivals were calculated with the Kaplan–Meier method and compared using the log‐rank test. All statistics were performed in SPSS 15.0. We performed OLT on nine pediatric patients with CFLD, with age ranging from nine to 17 yr at the time of transplant. Mean survival was 69.2 months; patient and allograft survivals at one and five yr were 88.9%, with one death at day 21 due to Aspergillus fumigatus sepsis. Two patients underwent concurrent multi‐organ transplantation. One patient required double lung transplantation four yr after isolated OLT. Comparison to the UNOS/OPTN database revealed a trend toward improved survival. Patients with CF can achieve favorable outcomes after OLT, as we report excellent survivals for pediatric patients with CFLD.
Multivariate Analyses for Determining the Association of Field Porcine Fertility With Sperm Motion Traits Analysed by Computer‐Assisted Semen Analysis and With Sperm Morphology
Authors: Kummer ABHP , Gaggini TS , Bernardi ML , McManus C , Gonçales EM , Wentz I , Bortolozzo FP 
Published: March 2013

ContentsThis study investigates the association of semen traits with boar fertility. The fertility outcome (farrowing rate – FR and total piglets born – TB) of 14 boars was obtained from a field trial conducted during 10 week of breeding period on a commercial farm using multiparous sows (n = 948) through single‐sire mating with 2 × 109 motile sperm cells per artificial insemination (AI) dose. Sperm motion parameters, evaluated with computer‐assisted semen analysis system in raw and stored semen at 17°C for 240 h, in addition to morphological sperm defects, measured on the collection day, were included in the analysis to determine which semen traits were important to discriminate the fertility potential of ejaculates from these boars. The data underwent multivariate cluster, canonical and discriminant analyses. Four clusters of boars were formed based on fertility outcome. One boar, with the lowest FR and TB values (89.7% and 11.98), and two boars, with the highest FR and TB values (97.8% and 14.16), were placed in different clusters. The other boars were separated in two distinct clusters (four and seven boars), including boars with intermediate TB (12.64 and 13.22) but divergent values for FR (95.9% vs 91.8%). Semen traits with higher discriminatory power included total motility, progressive motility, amplitude of lateral head displacement and cytoplasmatic droplets. Through multivariate discriminant analysis, more than 80% of the 140 ejaculates were correctly classified into their own group, showing that this analysis may be an efficient statistical tool to improve the discrimination of potential fertility of boars. Nevertheless, the validation of the relationship between fertility and semen traits using this statistical approach needs to be performed on a larger number of farms and with a greater number of boars.
Expression Pattern of CD34 at the Maternal–Foetal Interface During Pregnancy in Pigs
Authors: Hong L , Hou C , Li X , Li C , Yu M 
Published: March 2013

ContentsThe pig exhibits a non‐invasive, epitheliochorial placentation. Adhesion molecules are indispensable for successful implantation and establishment of placentation. CD34 is an adhesion molecule belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily (IgSF). To take the first step to investigate the role of CD34 in placentation, we examined the expression pattern of CD34 at the maternal–foetal interface in Yorkshire gilts on days 15, 26, 50 or 95 and in Meishan gilts on days 26, 50 or 95 of pregnancy (n = 3 gilts/breed/day of pregnancy) by immunohistochemical technique. The CD34‐positive signals were detected in uterine luminal epithelium and trophectoderm in Yorkshire pigs; the staining for CD34 was located in trophectoderm but barely detectable at the uterine luminal epithelium on day 15 of pregnancy. Then, the expression of CD34 increased dramatically in both the uterine luminal epithelium and trophectoderm by day 26, and weak staining intensity was observed at the maternal–foetal interface on days 50 and 95 of pregnancy. The expression pattern of CD34 in Meishan pigs is similar to that in Yorkshire pigs except that only a few positive signals were observed at the luminal epithelium on day 26 of pregnancy. These results suggest that CD34 may be involved in mediating the cell‐to‐cell adhesion between trophectoderm and the luminal epithelial cells during early pregnancy in pigs.
Radiation Dose Associated with Dialysis Vascular Access Interventional Procedures in the Interventional Nephrology Facility
Authors: Beathard Gerald A. , Urbanes Aris , Litchfield Terry 
Published: March 2013

AbstractThe number of dialysis access procedures performed by interventional nephrologists using a mobile C‐arm fluoroscopy machine in freestanding centers continues to rise. With this activity comes the risk of radiation exposure to patients being treated and staff. This study was conducted to assess the levels of radiation dosage involved with these procedures. Dosimetry information including kerma area product (KAP), reference point air kerma (RPAK) and fluoroscopy time (FT) was collected prospectively. Radiation dosage data were collected from 24 centers in various parts of the United States and reflected cases managed by 69 different interventional nephrologists. The data were tabulated separately for eight procedures – fistula angioplasty and thrombectomy, graft angioplasty and thrombectomy, tunneled catheter placement and exchange, vein mapping and cases in which only angiographic evaluation was performed.The range for all of the measured parameters was large. Additionally there was considerable inter‐operator variability. The dosage levels noted in this series were well below the threshold for deterministic effects. FT for AVF procedures was higher than for other types of access. The highest values were observed for thrombectomies. The highest KAP values were recorded for venous mapping. Thrombectomy procedures were associated with the highest RPAK levels. All dosage metrics were considerably lower than those previously reported.
Having Your Cake and Eating It, Too: Can Regulatory Agencies Be Both Independent and Accountable?
Authors: Maggetti Martino , Ingold Karin , Varone Frédéric 
Published: March 2013

AbstractIndependent regulatory agencies (IRAs) were created in various sectors and on different governmental levels to implement liberalization policies. This paper investigates the link between IRAs' independence, which is said to promote regulatory credibility and the use of technical expertise, and their accountability, which is related to the need for controlling and legitimizing independent regulators. The literature on the regulatory state anticipates a positive relation between the independence and accountability of IRAs, but systematic empirical evidence is still lacking. To tackle this question, this paper measures and compares the independence and the accountability of IRAs in three differentially liberalized sectors in Switzerland (telecommunications, electricity and railways). With the application of Social Network Analysis, this piece of research shows that IRAs can be de facto independent and accountable at the same time, but the two features do not necessarily co‐evolve in the same direction.
Paths towards Consensus: Explaining Decision Making within the Swiss Global Justice Movement
Authors: Giugni Marco , Nai Alessandro 
Published: March 2013

AbstractWe examine the conditions leading social movement organizations to adopt consensus in their internal decision making. To do so, we look at organizations of the Swiss global justice movement, which puts the search for consensus at center stage. Our findings show that the ways in which social movement organizations take decisions and their vision of democracy more generally are not simply a matter of free choice by their leaders and members, but depend on certain organizational characteristics. The most important one is a small organizational size, which is a crucial condition for the adoption of consensus in internal decision making. This condition combines with another one pertaining to the cultural tradition of contention represented by the social movement family to explain consensus. In addition, our findings show that small, transnational organizations following inclusive participatory practices are also more likely to adopt consensus when they make decisions.