bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of overdispersed count data: application to the Human Papillomavirus Infection in Men (HIM) Study
Authors: LEE J.-H. , HAN G. , FULP W. J. , GIULIANO A. R. 
Published: August 2011

SUMMARYThe Poisson model can be applied to the count of events occurring within a specific time period. The main feature of the Poisson model is the assumption that the mean and variance of the count data are equal. However, this equal mean-variance relationship rarely occurs in observational data. In most cases, the observed variance is larger than the assumed variance, which is called overdispersion. Further, when the observed data involve excessive zero counts, the problem of overdispersion results in underestimating the variance of the estimated parameter, and thus produces a misleading conclusion. We illustrated the use of four models for overdispersed count data that may be attributed to excessive zeros. These are Poisson, negative binomial, zero-inflated Poisson and zero-inflated negative binomial models. The example data in this article deal with the number of incidents involving human papillomavirus infection. The four models resulted in differing statistical inferences. The Poisson model, which is widely used in epidemiology research, underestimated the standard errors and overstated the significance of some covariates.
Rule of law and the size of government
Authors: HOLCOMBE RANDALL G. , RODET CORTNEY S. 
Published: August 2011

Abstract:If those with political power benefit from corrupt institutions, rulers might not adopt the rule of law so the ruling class can command a larger share of a smaller pie. An empirical analysis reveals that the size of government is larger in those countries that enforce the rule of law. If government expenditures provide some measure of the ability of the ruling class to command resources, this suggests that those with political power could benefit from imposing a fairer and more objective legal structure. Another conjecture is that those in power maintain corrupt governments to pay off their supporters and enhance their ability to remain in power. However, the rule of law is also positively associated with political stability, so better enforcement of the rule of law also enhances the ability of incumbent governments to remain in power.
Förderung sozial-emotionaler Kompetenz im Kindergarten
Authors: Wadepohl Heike , Koglin Ute , Vonderlin Eva , Petermann Franz 
Published: August 2011

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Wirksamkeit eines präventiven Verhaltenstrainings zur Förderung sozial-emotionaler Kompetenz. 127 Kindergartenkinder nahmen am Verhaltenstraining teil und wurden mit einer Kontrollgruppe (n = 129) vor und nach dem Training anhand der Erzieherinnenurteile verglichen. Anschließend wurden die differenziellen Trainingseffekte für eine Risikokindergruppe mit auffälligem Sozialverhalten untersucht. Für die Gesamtgruppe konnten positive Effekte für den Aufbau der sozial-emotionalen Kompetenz erzielt werden. Deutlich geringer war die Wirkung des Trainings auf die Verhaltensprobleme der Kinder. Für die Risikokinder konnten jedoch gute Effekte im Bezug auf beide Bereiche festgestellt werden. Aufgrund der gut integrierbaren und kostengünstigen Durchführbarkeit sowie den Ergebnissen im Bereich der Kompetenzförderung kann das hier evaluierte Training als universelles Präventionsprogramm empfohlen werden.
Study of the Impact of a Gastroplasty on the Self-Image Through the Rorschach
Authors: Marsden Eric , Michel Aude , Mormont Christian 
Published: August 2011

Depuis plus de cinquante ans, différentes études ont révélé que les personnes souffrant d’obésité morbide possédaient une image du corps et une image de soi dépréciée. L’objectif de notre recherche est d’observer l’évolution de cette image de soi chez des personnes perdant rapidement du poids suite à une gastroplastie en analysant les sept différentes variables qui constituent le cluster perception de soi du Système Intégré d’Exner. Pour ce faire, nous avons administré le Rorschach à trois reprises auprès de patients sollicitant une gastroplastie: le premier testing a eu lieu lors de leur hospitalisation, la veille de leur opération; les deuxièmes et troisièmes testings ont eu lieu après une période de trois et dix mois, le plus souvent au domicile du patient ou lors d’une visite de contrôle chez le chirurgien. Notre population se compose de 30 patients âgés de 20 à 54 ans (avec une moyenne de 33 ans et 6 mois) et dont le poids variait de 94 à 144 kilogrammes (avec une moyenne de 115,7 kilogrammes) avant leur opération. L’échantillon observé présente un nombre élevé et grandissant d’ambiéquaux (passant de 56% à 73%) et un faible pourcentage d’extratensifs (1%) disparaissant en 10 mois. De plus 4 sujets au style indéterminé (M = 0) se révèlent être des ambiéquaux en perdant du poids comme si leur activité idéationnelle se trouvait “débloquée” un fois que l’obésité tend à disparaître. Le pourcentage de personnes présentant un DEPI positif passe de 10% à 23% en dix mois. L’hypothèse est que l’obésité possédait une valeur défensive qui disparaît parallèlement à la perte de poids expliquant cette augmentation de sujets au DEPI positif. Enfin, 60% de la population présentent un CDI positif toujours après dix mois d’amaigrissement. L’hypothèse est que des difficultés sociales peuvent entraîner une obésité par un processus de régression orale. Lorsque l’obésité et les comportements de nourrissage disparaissent, les difficultés sociales restent présentes. La centration sur soi est négative avant l’opération. La qualité de cet intérêt pour soi peut être améliorée selon certains facteurs: l’histoire de leur obésité, le type d’opération et le suivi postopératoire. (a) Plus l’obésité est ancienne, plus l’image de soi s’en trouve affectée; par ailleurs, les sujets ayant développé une obésité réactionnelle présente une composante narcissique importante. (b) La cicatrice que laisse l’opération V.B.G. (vertical banded gastroplasty) est un pôle de centration sur soi qui permet au sujet de se focaliser sur son corps. (c) L’accompagnement postopératoire facilite l’assimilation de la métamorphose corporelle et valorise l’image de soi. Il semble que l’on puisse retenir l’hypothèse selon laquelle la gastroplastie entraîne des modification de l’image du corps et de l’image de soi chez des personnes sévèrement obèses.
The development of a simple basal area increment model
Authors: Kindermann Georg Erich 
Published: August 2011

AbstractIn most cases forest practice in Austria use yield tables to predict the growth of their forests. Common yield tables show the increment of pure even-aged stands which are treated in a way the table developer recommends. The usage of these tables in stands which are either uneven-aged, mixed or treated in another way, may lead to inaccurate predictions. To avoid these problems, forest growth models have been developed. Until now they are not widely used in Austria. One reason may be, that most of the models need some input parameters which are usually not gathered by companies. In this work a basal area increment per hectare model has been developed which is based on the input parameters: diameter at breast height, height to diameter ratio, top height at age 100 years and a selection out of several simple competition indices (growing space, basal area of larger trees, competing basal area, crown cross sectional area, crown competition factor, d/dg, d-dg, basal area and stand density index) which are distance independent. The model parametrization was done with seven different statistical methods (linear regression, linear mixed effect model, resistant linear regression, local polynomial regression, lazy learning model, random forest model and neural network model). By using only few input-parameters it should be possible to parametrize this model for many local areas by using inventory data sets of the specific region. The model works in pure and mixed stands of spruce and beech at the Rosaliengebirge. The observed average diameter increment per 5 years is 18.1 mm for spruce and 21.1 mm for beech. The average difference of the predicted and observed diameter-increment on a validation data-set is 0.3 mm for spruce and -0.3 mm for beech within 5 years and the estimated additional spread caused by the model is +-4.5 mm/5 years for spruce and +-4.0 mm/5 years for beech.
Correlation of in situ mechanosensitive responses of the
Moraxella catarrhalis
adhesin UspA1 with fibronectin and receptor CEACAM1 binding
Authors: Agnew Christopher , Borodina Elena , Zaccai Nathan R. , Conners Rebecca , Burton Nicholas M. , Vicary James A. , Cole David K. , Antognozzi Massimo , Virji Mumtaz , Brady R. Leo 
Published: August 2011

Bacterial cell surfaces are commonly decorated with a layer formed from multiple copies of adhesin proteins whose binding interactions initiate colonization and infection processes. In this study, we investigate the physical deformability of the UspA1 adhesin protein from
Moraxella catarrhalis
, a causative agent of middle-ear infections in humans. UspA1 binds a range of extracellular proteins including fibronectin, and the epithelial cellular receptor carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1). Electron microscopy indicates that unliganded UspA1 is densely packed at, and extends about 800 Å from, the
Moraxella
surface. Using a modified atomic force microscope, we show that the adhesive properties and thickness of the UspA1 layer at the cell surface varies on addition of either fibronectin or CEACAM1. This in situ analysis is then correlated with the molecular structure of UspA1. To provide an overall model for UspA1, we have determined crystal structures for two N-terminal fragments which are then combined with a previous structure of the CEACAM1-binding site. We show that the UspA1–fibronectin complex is formed between UspA1 head region and the 13th type-III domain of fibronectin and, using X-ray scattering, that the complex involves an angular association between these two proteins. In combination with a previous study, which showed that the CEACAM1–UspA1 complex is distinctively bent in solution, we correlate these observations on isolated fragments of UspA1 with its in situ response on the cell surface. This study therefore provides a rare direct demonstration of protein conformational change at the cell surface.
Mechanical regulation of vascular growth and tissue regeneration in vivo
Authors: Boerckel Joel D. , Uhrig Brent A. , Willett Nick J. , Huebsch Nathaniel , Guldberg Robert E. 
Published: August 2011

New vascular network formation is a critical step in the wound healing process and a primary limiting factor in functional tissue regeneration. Like many tissues, neovascular networks have been shown in vitro to be highly sensitive to mechanical conditions; however, the effects of matrix deformations on neovascular network formation and remodeling in engineered tissue regeneration in vivo have not been evaluated. We quantified the effects of early and delayed functional loading on neovascular growth in a rat model of large bone defect regeneration using compliant fixation plates that were unlocked to allow transfer of ambulatory loads to the defect either at the time of implantation (early), or after 4 wk of stiff fixation (delayed). Neovascular growth and bone regeneration were quantitatively evaluated 3 wk after the onset of loading by contrast-enhanced microcomputed tomography and histology. The initial vascular response to bone injury featured robust angiogenesis and collateral vessel formation, increasing parameters such as vascular volume and connectivity while decreasing degree of anisotropy. Application of early mechanical loading significantly inhibited vascular invasion into the defect by 66% and reduced bone formation by 75% in comparison to stiff plate controls. In contrast, delaying the onset of loading by 4 wk significantly enhanced bone formation by 20% and stimulated vascular remodeling by increasing the number of large vessels and decreasing the number of small vessels. Together, these data demonstrate the mechanosensitivity of neovascular networks and highlight the capacity of biomechanical stimulation to modulate postnatal vascular growth and remodeling.
Large collective motions regulate the functional properties of glutamate transporter trimers
Authors: Jiang Jie , Shrivastava Indira H. , Watts Spencer D. , Bahar Ivet , Amara Susan G. 
Published: August 2011

Glutamate transporters clear synaptically released glutamate to maintain precise communication between neurons and limit glutamate neurotoxicity. Although much progress has been made on the topology, structure, and function of these carriers, few studies have addressed large-scale structural motions collectively associated with substrate transport. Here we show that a series of single cysteine substitutions in the helical hairpin HP2 of excitatory amino acid transporter 1 form intersubunit disulfide cross-links within the trimer. After cross-linking, substrate uptake, but not substrate-activated anion conductance, is completely inhibited in these mutants. These disulfide bridges link residue pairs > 40
Å
apart in the outward-facing crystal structure, and can be explained by concerted subunit movements predicted by the anisotropic network model (ANM). The existence of these global motions is further supported by the observation that single cysteine substitutions at the extracellular part of the transmembrane domain 8 can also be cross-linked by copper phenanthroline as predicted by the ANM. Interestingly, the transport domain in the un-cross-linked subunit of the trimer assumes an inward-facing orientation, suggesting that individual subunits potentially undergo separate transitions between outward- and inward-facing forms, rather than an all-or-none transition of the three subunits, a mechanism also supported by ANM-predicted intrinsic dynamics. These results shed light on how large collective motions contribute to the functional dynamics of glutamate transporters.
RNA PROCESSING FACTOR3 Is Crucial for the Accumulation of MatureccmCTranscripts in Mitochondria of Arabidopsis Accession Columbia
Authors: Jonietz Christian , Forner Joachim , Hildebrandt Tatjana , Binder Stefan 
Published: August 2011

AbstractRNA PROCESSING FACTOR1 (RPF1) and RPF2 are pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins involved in 5′ processing of different mitochondrial mRNAs in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Both factors are highly similar to RESTORERS OF FERTILITY (RF), which are part of cytoplasmic male sterility/restoration systems in various plant species. These findings suggest a predominant role of RF-like PPR proteins in posttranscriptional 5′ processing. To further explore the functions of this group of proteins, we examined a number of T-DNA lines carrying insertions in the corresponding PPR genes. This screening identified a nearly complete absence of mature ccmC transcripts in an At1g62930 T-DNA insertion line, a phenotype that could be restored by the introduction of the intact At1g62930 gene into the mutant. The insertion in this nuclear gene, which we now call RPF3, also leads to a severe reduction of the CcmC protein in mitochondria. The analysis of C24/rpf3-1 F2 hybrids lacking functional RPF3 genes revealed that this gene has less influence on the generation of the mature ccmC 5′ transcript end derived from a distinct ccmC 5′ upstream configuration found in mitochondrial DNAs from C24 and other accessions. These data show that a particular function of an RF-like protein is required only in connection with a distinct mtDNA configuration. Our new results further substantiate the fundamental role of RF-like PPR proteins in the posttranscriptional generation of plant mitochondrial 5′ transcript termini.
Dispersed Benzoxazinone Gene Cluster: Molecular Characterization and Chromosomal Localization of Glucosyltransferase and Glucosidase Genes in Wheat and Rye
Authors: Sue Masayuki , Nakamura Chihiro , Nomura Taiji 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Benzoxazinones (Bxs) are major defensive secondary metabolites in wheat (Triticum aestivum), rye (Secale cereale), and maize (Zea mays). Here, we identified full sets of homeologous and paralogous genes encoding Bx glucosyltransferase (GT) and Bx-glucoside glucosidase (Glu) in hexaploid wheat (2n = 6x = 42; AABBDD). Four GT loci (TaGTa–TaGTd) were mapped on chromosomes 7A, 7B (two loci), and 7D, whereas four glu1 loci (Taglu1a–Taglu1d) were on chromosomes 2A, 2B (two loci), and 2D. Transcript levels differed greatly among the four loci; B-genome loci of both TaGT and Taglu1 genes were preferentially transcribed. Catalytic properties of the enzyme encoded by each homeolog/paralog also differed despite high levels of identity among amino acid sequences. The predominant contribution of the B genome to GT and Glu reactions was revealed, as observed previously for the five Bx biosynthetic genes, TaBx1 to TaBx5, which are separately located on homeologous groups 4 and 5 chromosomes. In rye, where the ScBx1 to ScBx5 genes are dispersed to chromosomes 7R and 5R, ScGT and Scglu were located separately on chromosomes 4R and 2R, respectively. The dispersal of Bx-pathway loci to four distinct chromosomes in hexaploid wheat and rye suggests that the clustering of Bx-pathway genes, as found in maize, is not essential for coordinated transcription. On the other hand, barley (Hordeum vulgare) was found to lack the orthologous GT and glu loci like the Bx1 to Bx5 loci despite its close phylogenetic relationship with wheat and rye. These results contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary processes that the Bx-pathway loci have undergone in grasses.
Some unlikely intersections beyond André–Oort
Authors: Habegger P. , Pila J. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractAccording to the André–Oort conjecture, an algebraic curve in Y (1)n that is not equal to a special subvariety contains only finitely many points which correspond to ann-tuple of elliptic curves with complex multiplication. Pink’s conjecture generalizes the André–Oort conjecture to the extent that if the curve is not contained in a special subvariety of positive codimension, then it is expected to meet the union of all special subvarieties of codimension two in only finitely many points. We prove this for a large class of curves in Y (1)n. When restricting to special subvarieties of codimension two that are not strongly special we obtain finiteness for all curves defined over $\overline {\mathbb Q}$. Finally, we formulate and prove a variant of the Mordell–Lang conjecture for subvarieties of Y (1)n.
A virtual source model for Kilo‐voltage cone beam CT: Source characteristics and model validation
Authors: Spezi E. , Volken W. , Frei D. , Fix M. K. 
Published: August 2011

Purpose:The purpose of this investigation was to study the source characteristics of a clinical kilo‐voltage cone beam CT unit and to develop and validate a virtual source model that could be used for treatment planning purposes.Methods:We used a previously commissioned full Monte Carlo model and new bespoke software to study the source characteristics of a clinical kilo‐voltage cone beam CT (CBCT) unit. We identified the main particle sources, their spatial, energy and angular distribution for all the image acquisition presets currently used in our clinical practice. This includes a combination of two energies (100 and 120 kVp), two filters (neutral and bowtie), and eight different x‐ray beam apertures. We subsequently built a virtual source model which we validated against full Monte Carlo calculations.Results:We found that the radiation output of the clinical kilo‐voltage cone beam CT unit investigated in this study could be reproduced with a virtual model comprising of two sources (target and filtration cone) or three sources (target, filtration cone and bowtie filter) when additional filtration was used. With this model, we accounted for more than 97% of the photons exiting the unit. Each source in our model was characterised by a origin distribution in both X and Y directions, a fluence map, a single energy spectrum for unfiltered beams and a two dimensional energy spectrum for bowtie filtered beams. The percentage dose difference between full Monte Carlo and virtual source model based dose distributions was well within the statistical uncertainty associated with the calculations ( ± 2%, one standard deviation) in all cases studied.Conclusions:The virtual source that we developed is accurate in calculating the dose delivered from a commercial kilo‐voltage cone beam CT unit operating with routine clinical image acquisition settings. Our data have also shown that target, filtration cone, and bowtie filter sources needed to be all included in the model in order to accurately replicate the dose distribution from the clinical radiation beam.
Ctriporin, a New Anti-Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Peptide from the Venom of the Scorpion Chaerilus tricostatus
Authors: Fan Zheng , Cao Luyang , He Yawen , Hu Jun , Di Zhiyong , Wu Yingliang , Li Wenxin , Cao Zhijian 
Published: August 2011

ABSTRACT

Antibiotic-resistant microbes, such as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
, seriously threaten human health. The outbreak of “superbugs” in recent years emphasizes once again the need for the development of new antimicrobial agents or resources. Antimicrobial peptides have an evident bactericidal effect against multidrug-resistant pathogens. In the present study, a new antimicrobial peptide, ctriporin, was cloned and characterized from the venom of the scorpion
Chaerilus tricostatus
, an animal which has not yet been explored for toxic peptide resources. The MICs of ctriporin against
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Bacillus thuringiensis
,
Bacillus subtilis
,
Micrococcus luteus
, and
Candida albicans
are 5 to 20 μg/ml. Meanwhile, it MIC against clinical antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains is 10 μg/ml. Furthermore, the potential for ctriporin to be used as a topical antibiotic for treating staphylococcal skin infections was investigated. External use of the peptide ctriporin dramatically decreased the bacterial counts and cured skin infections in mice. In addition, ctriporin demonstrates antimicrobial efficacy via the bactericidal mechanism of rapid cell lysis. Together, these results suggest the potential of developing ctriporin as a new topical antibiotic.