bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Special Interests, Regulatory Quality, and the Pesticides Overload
Authors: Marcoux Christopher , Urpelainen Johannes 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPesticides overuse is a serious threat to ecosystems and wildlife, human health, and agricultural sustainability. So far, however, social scientists have not produced systematic evidence on the political–economic determinants of pesticides overuse. We argue that the agrochemical industry, as a profit‐motivated interest group, will only mobilize politically to avoid reductions in pesticides use when regulatory institutions are potentially capable of correcting a market failure. If regulatory institutions are weakened by corruption or other factors, pesticides overuse occurs with or without the influence of the agrochemical industry. We test this interactive theory systematically against quantitative data on pesticides use in 24 Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development countries, 1991–2003. Using corruption and other indicators to capture bureaucratic quality, we find substantively large and statistically robust interactive effects. The agrochemical industry is a crucial determinant of pesticides use in nations with low corruption, whereas the agrochemical industry has no effect on pesticides use under corrupt regulatory institutions. Troublingly, these results imply that reduced corruption may not improve actual regulatory effectiveness unless political institutions can somehow constrain the influence of special interests.
Psychological and Behavioral Traits Associated with Eating Disorders and Pregnancy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Broussard Brenda 
Published: November 2011

Introduction: The aims of this pilot study were to determine the feasibility of conducting a large‐scale study exploring the extent to which self‐report psychological and behavioral traits associated with eating disorders occur during pregnancy, to test the design, and to gather preliminary data on the magnitude of the problem. Although eating disorders are estimated to affect 5.9% of women of childbearing age, little is known about pregnancy in women who have an undocumented history of disordered eating behavior in the United States. Understanding and identifying eating disorders is important because optimal maternal nutrition contributes to favorable pregnancy and neonatal outcomes.Methods: In our study using a retrospective descriptive design, a convenience sample of 54 postpartum women aged 19 to 43 years voluntarily completed a demographic questionnaire and the Eating Disorder Inventory‐3 (EDI‐3) before discharge from the hospital. Medical records were reviewed for documented eating disorders.Results: Fifteen women (27.8%) had scores on the EDI‐3 indicating that they had psychological and behavioral traits associated with eating disorders. One (1.85%) of the 54 participants’ medical records listed a history of an eating disorder.Discussion: Exploration of self‐report symptoms associated with eating disorders during pregnancy warrants further investigation. Health professionals providing care to pregnant women should assess all clients for eating disorders throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period, regardless of history.
Effects of L‐ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate magnesium salt on the properties of human gingival fibroblasts
Authors: Tsutsumi K. , Fujikawa H. , Kajikawa T. , Takedachi M. , Yamamoto T. , Murakami S. 
Published: November 2011

Tsutsumi K, Fujikawa H, Kajikawa T, Takedachi M, Yamamoto T, Murakami S. Effects of L‐ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate magnesium salt on the properties of human gingival fibroblasts. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 263–271. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/SBackground and Objective:  l‐Ascorbic acid 2‐phosphate magnesium salt (APM) is an l‐ascorbic acid (AsA) derivative developed to improve AsA stability and display effective biochemical characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the effects of APM on the functions and properties of human gingival fibroblasts with respect to the prevention of periodontal disease in comparison with those of AsA.Material and Methods:  Human gingival fibroblasts were incubated in the presence or absence of APM or l‐ascorbic acid sodium salt (AsANa). Intracellular AsA was analysed by HPLC. Collagen synthesis was measured by ELISA and real‐time RT‐PCR. Intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were quantified using a fluorescence reagent, and cell damage was estimated with calcein acetoxymethyl ester. Furthermore, intracellular ROS induced by tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) were quantified, and expression of TNF‐α‐induced interleukin‐8 expression, which increases due to inflammatory reactions, was measured by ELISA and real‐time RT‐PCR.Results:  APM remarkably and continuously enhanced intracellular AsA and promoted type 1 collagen synthesis and mRNA expression. Furthermore, APM decreased cell damage through the suppression of H2O2‐induced intracellular ROS and inhibited interleukin‐8 production through the suppression of TNF‐α‐induced intracellular ROS. These effects of APM were superior to those of AsANa.Conclusion:  These results suggest that APM is more effective than AsANa in terms of intake, collagen synthesis, decreasing cell damage and inhibiting interleukin‐8 expression in human gingival fibroblasts. This suggests that local application of APM can help to prevent periodontal disease.
The antimicrobial peptide LL‐37 is anti‐inflammatory and proapoptotic in human periodontal ligament cells
Authors: Jönsson D. , Nilsson B.‐O. 
Published: November 2011

Jönsson D, Nilsson B‐O. The antimicrobial peptide LL‐37 is anti‐inflammatory and proapoptotic in human periodontal ligament cells. J Periodont Res 2012; 47: 330–335. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/SBackground and Objective:  The antimicrobial peptide LL‐37 is expressed in periodontal tissue, and variations in LL‐37 levels have been associated with periodontal disease. The effects of LL‐37 on periodontal ligament cell function have not been described before. Here, we assess anti‐inflammatory properties of LL‐37 and investigate the effects of LL‐37 on cell differentiation, cell proliferation and apoptosis in human periodontal ligament cells.Material and Methods:  Periodontal ligament cells were obtained from teeth extracted for orthodontic reasons. Cytokine (interleukin‐6) and chemokine (monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1) expression was determined by quantitative PCR, cell differentiation by alkaline phosphatase activity, cell proliferation by counting cells in a Bürker chamber, DNA synthesis by incorporation of radiolabeled thymidine and apoptosis by cell morphology and activated caspase 3 quantities.Results:  Treatment with 0.1 and 1 μm of LL‐37 totally reversed lipopolysaccharide‐induced monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 expression and suppressed lipopolysaccharide‐induced interleukin‐6 expression by 50–70%. LL‐37 had no effect on alkaline phosphatase activity. Incubation with 8 μm LL‐37 strongly reduced cell number. DNA synthesis was attenuated by about 90% in response to 8 μm LL‐37, confirming its antiproliferative effect. Cell morphology was altered in an apoptosis‐like fashion in cells treated with 8 μm LL‐37. Furthermore, the quantity of activated caspase 3 was increased in cells treated with 1 and 8 μm of LL‐37, suggesting apoptosis.Conclusion:  LL‐37 strongly attenuates lipopolysaccharide‐induced cytokine and chemokine expression and, in high concentrations, reduces cell proliferation through inhibition of DNA synthesis and by promoting apoptosis in human periodontal ligament cells.
Species traits weakly involved in plant responses to landscape properties in Mediterranean grasslands
Authors: Bagaria Guillem , Pino Joan , Rodà Ferran , Guardiola Moisès 
Published: November 2011

AbstractQuestionsWhat is the role of landscape structure and dynamics, compared with climatic and geographic factors, in determining species frequencies of grassland plant specialists under habitat loss? Do species traits mediate the relationship between plant community composition and environmental variables?LocationTheMediterranean mountain grasslands of southernCatalonia (NE IberianPeninsula), over an area of 100 × 20 km.MethodsUsing redundancy analysis (RDA), we explored the association between frequency of broad plant specialists and both present and past habitat patterns in the landscape (i.e. habitat amount and reduction over the period 1956–2003), after accounting for the effect of geographical location and climate in 29 grassland patches. Then, we constructed a database of biological and ecological plant traits potentially related to population persistence, in order to assess the role of these traits in explaining the found association between species composition and environmental variables. We used a single, three‐table ordination analysis (RLQ) of the species frequencies, environmental variables and species traits to relate species traits to environmental variables, after allowing for phylogenetic dependence of traits.ResultsThe main environmental gradient explaining species frequencies was climatic and geographic. Habitat amount in the current landscape significantly affected species frequencies, while habitat amount in the past landscape did not. A weak but significant association of species traits with environmental variables was detected. Taking into account the phylogenetic signal in plant traits did not change the results.ConclusionsPlant species inMediterranean grasslands seem to respond quickly to landscape change, since no effect of past landscape structure was observed on current species frequencies. Moreover, plant traits did not play a major role in mediating species response to environmental variation in these grasslands. Our findings differ from those obtained in northern and centralEuropean grasslands, probably due to differences in methodology but also to the smaller contrast in environmental conditions between grasslands and the adjacent forests and scrub inMediterranean landscapes.
Antioxidant Activity of Medicinal Plant Extracts in Cookies
Authors: Mišan Aleksandra , Mimica‐Dukić Neda , Sakač Marijana , Mandić Anamarija , Sedej Ivana , Šimurina Olivera , Tumbas Vesna 
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  The antioxidant activity of ethanolic extracts of parsley, buckthorn, mint, caraway, and their mixture “Vitalplant” was evaluated, and the potential of “Vitalplant” mixture extract to retard the process of lipid oxidation in cookies was tested. The antioxidant activity was estimated by 2 direct (ESR) and 4 indirect (spectrophotometric) tests and correlated with the total phenolic and flavonoid content. The potential of “Vitalplant” mixture extract to retard the process of lipid oxidation in cookies was measured by thiobarbituric acid (TBA)‐reactive‐substances assay (TBARS) and DPPH˙ (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl) test. Significantly different (P < 0.05) amounts of total phenolics were found among extracts in the following order: mint > buckthorn > “Vitalplant” > parsley > caraway. Total flavonoid content varied from 0.510% (parsley) to 2.05% (“Vitalplant”). A statistically significant correlation was found between IC50 values on DPPH˙ and total flavonoid content of the samples (r=– 0.94, P < 0.05) and between IC50 values on DPPH˙ and IC50 values on O2·− scavenging activity (r= 0.89, P < 0.05). A correlation between reducing activity and total phenolic content was found to be positive and statistically significant (r= 0.94, P < 0.05). “Vitalplant” mixture exhibited a relatively high antioxidant activity in most of the tests, which can be explained by synergistic effects of the ingredients of which it is composed. Finally, “Vitalplant” extract addition (2%, 4%, and 6%) improved antioxidant activity and oxidative stability of the cookies in dose‐dependent manner.Practical Application:  Supplementation of cookies with a mixture of Petroselini fructus, Frangulae cortex, Mentha piperitae folium, Carvi fructus can retard the process of lipid oxidation and elevate antioxidant activity of the final product.
A Colored Avocado Seed Extract as a Potential Natural Colorant
Authors: Dabas Deepti , Elias Ryan J. , Lambert Joshua D. , Ziegler Gregory R. 
Published: November 2011

Abstract:  There is an increasing consumer demand for and scientific interest in new natural colorants. Avocado (Persea americana) seed when crushed with water develops an orange color (= 480 nm) in a time‐dependent manner. Heat treatment of the seed prevented color development, whereas the addition of exogenous polyphenol oxidase (PPO), but not peroxidase restored color development. Color development was also inhibited by the addition of tropolone, an inhibitor of PPO. Color formation resulted in a decrease in the concentration of polyphenols indicating utilization for color formation. The orange color intensified as the pH was adjusted from 2.0 to 11.0, and these changes were only partially reversible when pH was adjusted from 7.5 to 11.0 in the presence of oxygen, but completely reversible when the pH was changed in the absence of oxygen. The color was found to be stable in solution at −18 °C for 2 mo. These results suggest that the avocado seed may be a potential source of natural colorant, and that color development is PPO‐dependent.Practical Application:  There is growing public and scientific interest in the development of natural alternatives to synthetic colorants in foods. Extracts of turmeric, paprika, and beets are examples of food‐derived natural colorants. Avocado seeds, which represent an under‐utilized waste stream, form a stable orange color when crushed in the presence of air. Our data indicate that avocado seed represents a potential source of new natural colorants for use in foods.
Tropical geometry and the motivic nearby fiber
Authors: Katz Eric , Stapledon Alan 
Published: November 2011

AbstractWe construct motivic invariants of a subvariety of an algebraic torus from its tropicalization and initial degenerations. More specifically, we introduce an invariant of a compactification of such a variety called the ‘tropical motivic nearby fiber’. This invariant specializes in the schön case to the Hodge–Deligne polynomial of the limit mixed Hodge structure of a corresponding degeneration. We give purely combinatorial expressions for this Hodge–Deligne polynomial in the cases of schön hypersurfaces and matroidal tropical varieties. We also deduce a formula for the Euler characteristic of a general fiber of the degeneration.
Picard groups of punctured spectra of dimension three local hypersurfaces are torsion-free
Authors: Dao Hailong 
Published: November 2011

AbstractLet (R,m) be a Noetherian local ring and UR=Spec(R)−{m} be the punctured spectrum of R. Gabber conjectured that if R is a complete intersection of dimension three, then the abelian group Pic(UR) is torsion-free. In this note we prove Gabber’s statement for the hypersurface case. We also point out certain connections between Gabber’s conjecture, Van den Bergh’s notion of non-commutative crepant resolutions and some well-studied questions in homological algebra over local rings.
Slodowy slices and universal Poisson deformations
Authors: Lehn M. , Namikawa Y. , Sorger Ch. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractWe classify the nilpotent orbits in a simple Lie algebra for which the restriction of the adjoint quotient map to a Slodowy slice is the universal Poisson deformation of its central fibre. This generalises work of Brieskorn and Slodowy on subregular orbits. In particular, we find in this way new singular symplectic hypersurfaces of dimension four and six.
Barriers to staff adoption of a surgical safety checklist
Authors: Fourcade Aude , Blache Jean-Louis , Grenier Catherine , Bourgain Jean-Louis , Minvielle Etienne 
Published: November 2011

ObjectiveImplementation of a surgical checklist depends on many organisational factors and on socio-cultural patterns. The objective of this study was to identify barriers to effective implementation of a surgical checklist and to develop a best use strategy.Setting18 cancer centres in France.DesignThe authors first assessed use compliance and completeness rates of the surgical checklist on a random sample of 80 surgical procedures performed under general or loco-regional anaesthesia in each of the 18 centres. They then developed a typology of the organisational and cultural barriers to effective checklist implementation and defined each barrier's contents using data from collective and semi-structured individual interviews of key staff, the results of an email questionnaire sent to the 18 centres, and direct observations over 20 h in two centres.ResultsThe study consisted of 1440 surgical procedures, 1299 checklists, and 28 578 items. The mean compliance rate was 90.2% (0, 100). The mean completion rate was 61% (0, 84). 11 barriers to effective checklist implementation were identified. Their incidence varied widely across centres. The main barriers were duplication of items within existing checklists (16/18 centres), poor communication between surgeon and anaesthetist (10/18), time spent completing the checklist for no perceived benefit, and lack of understanding and timing of item checks (9/18), ambiguity (8/18), unaccounted risks (7/18) and a time-honoured hierarchy (6/18).ConclusionsSeveral of the barriers to the successful implementation of the surgical checklist depended on organisational and cultural factors within each centre. The authors propose a strategy for change for checklist design, use and assessment, which could be used to construct a feedback loop for local team organisation and national initiatives.
Getting the message: a quality improvement initiative to reduce pages sent to the wrong physician
Authors: Wong Brian M , Cheung C Mark , Dharamshi Hasan , Dyal Sonia , Kiss Alex , Morra Dante , Quan Sherman , Sivjee Khalil , Etchells Edward E 
Published: November 2011

BackgroundOne in seven pages are sent to the wrong physician and may result in unnecessary delays that potentially threaten patient safety. The authors aimed to implement a new team-based paging process to reduce pages sent to the wrong physician.MethodsThe authors redesigned the paging process on general internal medicine (GIM) wards at a Canadian academic medical centre by implementing a standardised team-based paging process (pages directed to one physician responsible for receiving pages on behalf of the entire physician team) using rapid-cycle change methods. The authors evaluated the intervention using a controlled before–after study design by measuring pages sent to the wrong physician before and after implementation of the redesigned paging process.ResultsPages sent to the wrong physician from the GIM (intervention) wards decreased from 14% to 3% (11% reduction), while pages sent to the wrong physician from control wards fell from 13% to 7% (6% reduction). The difference between the intervention wards and the control wards was significant (5% greater reduction in the intervention group compared with the control group, p=0.008). Nurses were more satisfied with team-based paging than the existing paging process. Team-based paging may, however, introduce changes in communication workflow that lead to increased paging interruptions for certain members of the physician team.ConclusionsThe authors successfully redesigned the hospital's paging process to decrease pages sent to the wrong physician. They recommend that the frequency of pages sent to the wrong physician is measured and changes be implemented to paging processes to reduce this error.
Association between sleep duration and haemoglobin A1cin young adults
Authors: Hancox Robert J , Landhuis C Erik 
Published: November 2011

BackgroundEpidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that inadequate sleep can cause both obesity and impaired glucose tolerance. Short sleep duration in childhood appears to have a greater impact on the risk for adult obesity than adult sleep duration. The long-term effects of childhood sleep on glucose metabolism have not been investigated. The authors assessed the associations between childhood and adult sleep duration and adult glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) levels.MethodsAn unselected cohort of 1037 individuals, born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between 1972 and 1973. Parent reports of times in bed at ages 5, 7, 9 and 11 were used to estimate childhood sleep duration. Adult sleep duration was estimated from self-reported times in bed at age 32. HbA1clevels were measured at age 32. Pregnant women and participants with diabetes were excluded from the analyses.ResultsChildhood sleep duration did not predict adult HbA1c. However, less time spent in bed at age 32 was associated with higher levels of HbA1c(p=0.002) and an increased risk of prediabetes (p=0.015). The inverse association between adult sleep times and HbA1cwas independent of body mass index, smoking, socioeconomic status, shift work and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnoea.ConclusionsShort sleep duration is associated with higher levels of HbA1cand an increased risk of prediabetes in young adults. The findings suggest that inadequate sleep impairs glucose control in the short term and may increase the risk for long-term health problems.
Modeling the Transcriptional Consequences of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Ablation in Ras-Initiated Squamous Cancer
Authors: Wright Lisa Nolan , Ryscavage Andrew , Merlino Glenn , Yuspa Stuart H. 
Published: November 2011

Abstract
Purpose: Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)–targeted therapy is in clinical use to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and other cancers of lining epithelium. RAS mutations in these tumors are a negative prognostic factor for response, and skin inflammation is an adverse reaction to therapy. We investigated transcriptional and biochemical changes that could account for the confounding effects of RAS activation and inflammation in a squamous tissue.
Experimental Design: We carried out gene expression profiling on oncogenic Ras-transformed and wild-type mouse and human keratinocytes with EGFR ablated chronically by genetic deletion or acutely by drug treatment and followed leads provided by pathway analysis with biochemical studies.
Results: We identified a 25-gene signature specific to the Ras–EGFR ablation interaction and a distinct 19-gene EGFR ablation signature on normal keratinocytes. EGFR ablation in the context of wild-type Ras reduces ontologies favoring cell-cycle control and transcription, whereas oncogenic Ras enriches ontologies for ion channels and membrane transporters, particularly focused on calcium homeostasis. Ontologies between chronic EGFR ablation and acute pharmacologic ablation were unique, both with and without Ras activation. p38α is activated in response to abrogation of EGFR signaling under conditions of Ras activation in both mouse and human keratinocytes and in RAS-transformed tumor orthografts of EGFR-ablated mouse keratinocytes. EGFR ablation in the absence of oncogenic Ras revealed Erk and interleukin-1β–related pathways.
Conclusion: These findings reveal unrecognized interactions between Ras and EGFR signaling in squamous tumor cells that could influence the therapeutic response to EGFR ablation therapy. Clin Cancer Res; 18(1); 170–83. ©2011 AACR.
MAGE: The Spell Is Broken
Authors: Rezvani Katayoun 
Published: November 2011

Abstract
The success of immunotherapy in Hodgkin lymphoma is hampered partly by limited expression of tumor-specific antigens in the malignant cells. One strategy to increase tumor immunogenicity may be to enhance the expression of Hodgkin lymphoma–specific antigens such as MAGE-A4 using epigenetic-modifying drugs in combination with cancer testis antigen–specific immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 17(22); 6955–7. ©2011 AACR.