bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A meta-analysis of the risk for psychotic disorders among first- and second-generation immigrants
Authors: Bourque F. , van der Ven E. , Malla A. 
Published: July 2010

BackgroundThere is increasing acceptance of migration as a risk factor for schizophrenia and related disorders; however, the magnitude of the risk among second-generation immigrants (SGIs) remains unclear. Generational differences in the incidence of psychotic disorders among migrants might improve our understanding of the relationship between migration, ethnicity and psychotic disorders. This meta-analysis aimed at determining the risk of psychotic disorders among SGIs in comparison with non-migrants and first-generation immigrants (FGIs).MethodMedline, EMBASE and PsycINFO databases were searched systematically for population-based studies on migration and psychotic disorders published between 1977 and 2008. We also contacted experts, tracked citations and screened bibliographies. All potential publications were screened by two independent reviewers in a threefold process. Studies were included in the meta-analysis if they reported incidence data, differentiated FGIs from SGIs and provided age-adjusted data. Data extraction and quality assessment were conducted for each study.ResultsTwenty-one studies met all inclusion criteria. A meta-analysis of 61 effect sizes for FGIs and 28 for SGIs yielded mean-weighted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) of 2.3 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0–2.7] for FGIs and 2.1 (95% CI 1.8–2.5) for SGIs. There was no significant risk difference between generations, but there were significant differences according to ethno-racial status and host country.ConclusionsThe increased risk of schizophrenia and related disorders among immigrants clearly persists into the second generation, suggesting that post-migration factors play a more important role than pre-migration factors or migrationper se. The observed variability suggests that the risk is mediated by the social context.
Changes in Parental Assets and Children's Educational Outcomes
Authors: LOKE VERNON , SACCO PAUL 
Published: July 2010

AbstractSeveral countries, including Canada, Singapore and the United Kingdom, have enacted asset-based policies for children in recent years. The premise underlying these policies is that increases in assets lead to improvement in various child outcomes over time. But little existing research examines this premise from a dynamic perspective. Using data from the NLSY79 mother and child datasets, two parallel process latent growth curve models are estimated to examine the effects of parental asset accumulation on changes in children's achievements over six years during middle childhood. Results indicate that the initial level of assets is positively associated with math scores, but not reading scores, while faster asset accumulation is associated with changes in reading scores, but not in math scores. Overall, the results suggest that the relationship between assets and various child outcomes may not be straight-forward. Different dimensions of the asset experience may lead to different outcomes, and the same dimension may also have different effects. Implications for future research and for asset-based policies are discussed.
An Institutional Embeddedness of Welfare Opinions? The Link between Public Opinion and Social Policy in the Netherlands (1970–2004)
Authors: RAVEN JUDITH , ACHTERBERG PETER , VAN DER VEEN ROMKE , YERKES MARA 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA major shortcoming in the existing literature on welfare state legitimacy is that it cannot explain when social policy designs follow public preferences and when public opinion follows existing policy designs and why. Scholars examining the influence of public opinion on welfare policies, as well as scholars investigating institutional influences on individual welfare attitudes, find empirical evidence to support both relationships. While a relationship in both directions is plausible, scholars have yet to thoroughly investigate the mutual relationship between these two. Consequently, we still do not know under which circumstances welfare institutions invoke public approval of welfare policies and under which circumstances public opinion drives welfare policy. Taking a quantitative approach to public opinion and welfare state policies in the Netherlands, this paper addresses this issue in an attempt to increase our understanding of welfare state legitimacy. The results show that individual opinions influence relatively new policies, policies which are not yet fully established and where policy designs are still evolving and developing. Social policy, on the other hand, is found to influence individual opinions on established and highly institutionalised policies, but does not influence individual opinions in relatively new areas of social policy.
Charged particle acceleration by electron Bernstein wave in a plasma channel
Authors: Kumar Asheel , Pandey Binod K. , Tripathi V.K. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractA model of electron acceleration by an electron Bernstein mode in a parabolic density profile is developed. The mode has a Gaussian profile. It could be excited via the mode conversion of an electromagnetic wave or by an electron beam. As it attains a large amplitude, it axially traps electrons moving close to its parallel phase velocity, where parallel refers to the direction of static magnetic field. As the electrons are accelerated and tend to get out of phase with the wave, the transverse field of the mode enhances its energy and relativistic mass, increasing the dephasing length. The scheme can produce electron energies up to a few MeV.
Modelling and control of manipulators with flexible links working on land and underwater environments
Authors: Gümüşel Levent , Özmen Nurhan Gürsel 
Published: July 2010

SUMMARYIn this study, modelling and control of a two-link robot manipulator whose first link is rigid and the second one is flexible is considered for both land and underwater conditions. Governing equations of the systems are derived from Hamilton's Principle and differential eigenvalue problem. A computer program is developed to solve non-linear ordinary differential equations defining the system dynamics by using Runge–Kutta algorithm. The response of the system is evaluated and compared by applying classical control methods; proportional control and proportional + derivative (PD) control and an intelligent technique; integral augmented fuzzy control method. Modelling of drag torques applied to the manipulators moving horizontally under the water is presented. The study confirmed the success of the proposed integral augmented fuzzy control laws as well as classical control methods to drive flexible robots in a wide range of working envelope without overshoot compared to the classical controls.
A numerical control algorithm for navigation of an operator-driven snake-like robot with 4WD-4WS segments
Authors: Percy Andrew , Spark Ian , Ibrahim Yousef , Hardy Leon 
Published: July 2010

SUMMARYThis paper presents a new algorithm for the control of a snake-like robot with passive joints and active wheels. Each segment has four autonomously driven and steered wheels. The algorithm approximates the ideal solution in which all wheels on a segment have the same centre of curvature with wheel speeds, providing cooperative redundancy. Each hitch point joining segments traverses the same path, which is determined by an operator, prescribing the path curvature and front hitch speed. The numerical algorithm developed in this paper is simulation tested against a previously derived analytical solution for a predetermined path. Further simulations are carried out to show the effects of changing curvature and front hitch speed on hitch path, wheel angles and wheel speeds for a one, two and three segment robot.
Omega-3 fatty acids, cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Phillips MA 
Published: July 2010

SummaryThe continued imbalance of fatty acids in western diets has led to concerns about the effect this may be having on physical and mental wellbeing. Diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids, mainly docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosahexanoic acid (EPA), are argued to help with cardiovascular health as well as cognition. The mechanisms by which this happens are complex and not well understood. However, results from research in this area speculate that individuals with cognitive difficulties may benefit from increasing their omega-3 fatty acid intake, especially if they already show depleted levels of omega-3 fatty acids. This review examines mechanistic reasons behind why low intake of omega-3 fatty acids may affect physical and cognitive health, as well as evidence suggesting diets high in omega-3 fatty acids fend off cognitive disorders. It will also discuss the small body of evidence indicating that omega-3 fatty acids are depleted in those with already manifest cognitive disorders and the possibility that elevating omega-3 fatty acid status in such individuals may benefit their cognition.
Sperm head binding to epithelium of the oviduct isthmus is not an essential preliminary to mammalian fertilization - review
Authors: Hunter R. H. F. 
Published: July 2010

SummaryIn endeavouring to understand the nature of sperm–oviduct interactions in mammals, attention was focused on experimental models in which fertilization can occur without a preliminary phase of sperm head binding to the isthmus epithelium. The ovarian endocrine milieu imposed on the oviduct tissues plays an important role in the binding phenomenon, although less so after the time of ovulation. Nonetheless, a sperm suspension introduced into the peritoneal cavity or surgical insemination directly into the oviduct ampulla before ovulation can result in fertilization, as can a surgical model in which the isthmus has been resected and the remaining portions of the duct reanastomosed. Mating or artificial insemination after ovulation in pigs permits rapid sperm transport to the site of fertilization, and the frequency of polyspermic penetration increases with the post-ovulatory age of eggs.Strategies underlying sperm binding were considered, especially in terms of preovulatory sperm storage and suppression of full membranous maturation. These, in turn, raised the problem of how sperm bindingin vitroto oviduct cells from prepuberal animals or to cells harvested during the luteal phase of the estrous cycle, or to cells from the ampulla or even the tracheal epithelium, can act to regulate sperm storage and maturation with precision. In an evolutionary perspective, preovulatory binding of diverse populations of cells to the endosalpinx may have developed as a form of fine tuning to assist in sperm selection, to synchronize completion of capacitation with the events of ovulation, and to promote monospermic fertilization by a controlled release of competent gametes.
Reactive-site mutants of N-TIMP-3 that selectively inhibit ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5: biological and structural implications
Authors: Lim Ngee H. , Kashiwagi Masahide , Visse Robert , Jones Jonathan , Enghild Jan J. , Brew Keith , Nagase Hideaki 
Published: July 2010

We have reported previously that reactive-site mutants of N-TIMP-3 [N-terminal inhibitory domain of TIMP-3 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 3)] modified at the N-terminus, selectively inhibited ADAM17 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17) over the MMPs (matrix metalloproteinases). The primary aggrecanases ADAMTS (ADAM with thrombospondin motifs) -4 and -5 are ADAM17-related metalloproteinases which are similarly inhibited by TIMP-3, but are poorly inhibited by other TIMPs. Using a newly developed recombinant protein substrate based on the IGD (interglobular domain) of aggrecan, gst-IGD-flag, these reactive-site mutants were found to similarly inhibit ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5. Further mutations of N-TIMP-3 indicated that up to two extra alanine residues can be attached to the N-terminus before the Ki (app) for ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 increased to over 100 nM. No other residues tested at the [−1] position produced inhibitors as potent as the alanine mutant. The mutants N-TIMP-3(T2G), [−1A]N-TIMP-3 and [−2A]N-TIMP-3 were effective inhibitors of aggrecan degradation, but not of collagen degradation in both IL-1α (interleukin-1α)-stimulated porcine articular cartilage explants and IL-1α with oncostatin M-stimulated human cartilage explants. Molecular modelling studies indicated that the [−1A]N-TIMP-3 mutant has additional stabilizing interactions with the catalytic domains of ADAM17, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 that are absent from complexes with MMPs. These observations suggest that further mutation of the residues of N-TIMP-3 which make unique contacts with these metalloproteinases may allow discrimination between them.
Representativeness of the Surveillance Data in the Intensive Care Unit Component of the German Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System
Authors: Zuschneid Irina , Rücker Gerta , Schoop Rotraut , Beyersmann Jan , Schumacher Martin , Geffers Christine , Rüden Henning , Gastmeier Petra 
Published: July 2010

Objective.To assess the representativeness of the data in the Krankenhaus Infektions Surveillance System (KISS), which is a nosocomial infections surveillance system for intensive care units (ICUs) in Germany.Design.Prospective and retrospective surveillance study.Setting.Medical-surgical ICUs in Germany.Methods.A sample of medical-surgical ICUs from all over Germany, stratified according to hospital size, was randomly selected. Surveillance personnel from the hospitals were trained in surveillance of nosocomial infections, and they subsequently conducted a 2-month surveillance in their ICUs. Data were compared with KISS data for medical-surgical ICUs.Results.During the period from 2004 through 2005, a total of 50 medical-surgical ICUs agreed to participate in our study: 21,832 patient-days were surveyed, and 262 cases of nosocomial infection were registered, 176 of which were cases of device-associated nosocomial infection (100 cases of lower respiratory tract infection, 47 cases of urinary tract infection, and 29 cases of bloodstream infection). The overall incidence density of all types of nosocomial infections was estimated to be 10.65 cases per 1,000 patient-days. Device utilization rates in the study ICUs and in the KISS medical-surgical ICUs were similar. The pooled mean device-associated infection rates were higher in the study ICUs than in the KISS medical-surgical ICUs (10.2 vs 5.1 cases of pneumonia; 2.0 vs 1.2 cases of bloodstream infection; and 2.7 vs 1.2 cases of urinary tract infection), but the pooled mean device-associated infection rates in the study ICUs were comparable to those of the KISS ICUs during their first year of participation in KISS. The incidence density for nosocomial infections in the study ICUs varied according hospital size, with ICUs in larger hospitals having a higher incidence density than those in smaller hospitals.Conclusions.KISS ICUs started with nosocomial infection rates comparable to those found in our study ICUs. Over the years of participation, however, a decrease in nosocomial infections is seen. Thus, rates of nosocomial infection from KISS should be used as benchmarks, but estimations for Germany that are based on KISS data may underestimate the real burden of nosocomial infections.
Understanding the Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Wheat Starch in Various Foods
Authors: Maningat Clodualdo C. , Seib Paul A. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTThis report highlights the structure and myriad properties of wheat starch in various food systems. Granule shape, size, and color, plus the proportion of A‐ and B‐granules, amylose content, and molecular structure largely determine its functionality in food. The role of wheat starch is portrayed in three categories of flour‐based foods that differ in water content. Wheat starch influences the appearance, cooking characteristics, eating quality, and texture of pasta and noodles, and its role is more than a filler in yeast‐leavened bread products. Recent developments in the properties and applications of commercially important wheat pyrodextrins and RS4‐type resistant wheat starches are reported, along with their use to produce fiber‐fortified foods. Gluten‐free foods are also discussed.
REVIEW: Cereal Carbohydrates and Colon Health
Authors: Zhang Genyi , Hamaker Bruce R. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTProviding balanced energy and nutrients for microbiota growth is essential for the maintenance of the colon ecosystem, and dietary fiber (DF) fermentation, particularly butyrogenic fermentation, augments colon health. Cereal DF, which are the complex carbohydrates of cereal grains that escape small intestine digestion and function either as substrate for colonic fermentation or as bulking material, are a dietary measure to mitigate the occurrence of certain colonic diseases, and perhaps to some degree act as therapeutic agents. In developed Western countries, as well as in many developing countries, colon cancer is one of the major causes for premature death and disability, and inflammatory bowel disease and other colonic disorders have become serious health issues. The function of DF in colon health is mediated through its physicochemical properties (e.g., water‐holding for laxative effect) or effect on colon microbiota (e.g., leading to immune regulation), as well as through colonic fermentation products, principally the short chain fatty acids (SCFA) of acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Due to the chemical diversity and complexity of DF and because not all DF materials function equally, new developments in DF fermentation behavior (pattern and end product profile) will be reviewed from a structure‐function viewpoint. The effect of cereal DF, mainly nonstarch cereal polysaccharides and resistant starch on colonic microbiota, fermentation products of SCFA, microbiota modulation, as well as on colon health will be summarized.
In Vitro Method for Predicting Glycemic Index of Foods Using Simulated Digestion and an Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Magaletta Robert L. , DiCataldo Suzanne N. , Liu Dong , Li Hong Laura , Borwankar Rajendra P. , Martini Margaret C. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTThe glycemic index (GI) is an indicator of the relative human glycemic response to dietary carbohydrates in a food. It is determined using a costly and time‐consuming in vivo method. We describe an in vitro analytical method that allows the accurate prediction of the GI of a food product. The method involves digestion of the food product using HCl and enzymes, followed by HPLC analysis of sugars and sugar alcohols. Data from the HPLC analysis combined with the product's compositional information are treated using an artificial neural network to produce a predicted value for the GI of the food product. For the sample set examined (n = 72) consisting of a variety of food types, r2 = 0.93 and the root mean square error of correlation (RMSEC) = 5 GI units. Twenty‐fold cross‐validation yields CVR2 = 0.89, indicating good predictive ability for samples outside the calibration set. The relative standard deviation of the method is 6.6%. This method is rapid and low cost relative to in vivo testing. Due to good ability to predict in vivo GI, it may be a valuable screening tool for determining the relative effect of food ingredients on the glycemic index of a food product.
Variations in Content and Molecular Structure of Barley Nonstarch Polysaccharides Associated with Genotypic and Cellular Origin
Authors: Izydorczyk Marta S. 
Published: July 2010

ABSTRACTBarley cell walls are an excellent source of soluble and insoluble dietary fiber. Despite variations due to genetic and environmental factors within cereal grains, generally the content of total dietary fiber in whole barley grain (17.3%) is higher than in other cereal grains. Arabinoxylans and mixed linkage (1→3)(1→4)‐β‐d‐glucans are the major nonstarch polysaccharides present in various tissues of barley, but other polysaccharides such as cellulose, glucomannans, and arabinogalactans also occur, although in much smaller amounts. Depending on the genotypic or cellular origin, both polymers exhibit variations in molecular features. The molecular structures of β‐glucans and arabinoxylans are important determinants of physicochemical properties and may affect physiological functionality in the gastrointestinal tract. Barley β‐glucans have been associated with lowering plasma cholesterol, reducing glycemic index, and reducing the risk of colon cancer. Furthermore, arabinoxylans offer nutritional benefits of soluble and insoluble fiber and, because of phenolic moieties bound to arabinoxylans, they may also have some antioxidant properties.
Expression ofSHOOT MERISTEMLESS,WUSCHEL, andASYMMETRIC LEAVES1Homologs in the Shoots of Podostemaceae: Implications for the Evolution of Novel Shoot Organogenesis
Authors: Katayama Natsu , Koi Satoshi , Kato Masahiro 
Published: July 2010

AbstractPodostemaceae (the river weeds) are ecologically and morphologically unusual angiosperms. The subfamily Tristichoideae has typical shoot apical meristems (SAMs) that produce leaves, but Podostemoideae is devoid of SAMs and new leaves arise below the base of older leaves. To reveal the genetic basis for the evolution of novel shoot organogenesis in Podostemaceae, we examined the expression patterns of key regulatory genes for shoot development (i.e., SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM), WUSCHEL (WUS), and ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1/ROUGH SHEATH2/PHANTASTICA (ARP) orthologs) in Tristichoideae and Podostemoideae. In the SAM-mediated shoots of Tristichoideae, like in model plants, STM and WUS orthologs were expressed in the SAM. In the SAM-less shoots of Podostemoideae, STM and WUS orthologs were expressed in the initiating leaf/bract primordium. In older leaf/bract primordia, WUS expression disappeared and STM expression became restricted to the basal part, whereas ARP was expressed in the distal part in a complementary pattern to STM expression. In the reproductive shoots of Podostemoideae with a normal mode of flower development, STM and WUS were expressed in the floral meristem, but not in the floral organs, similar to the pattern in model plants. These results suggest that the leaf/bract of Podostemoideae is initiated as a SAM and differentiates into a single apical leaf/bract, resulting in the evolution of novel shoot-leaf mixed organs in Podostemaceae.
A comparative study of major histocompatibility complex antigens in East African and European cattle breeds
Authors: KEMP S. J. , SPOONER R. L. , TEALE A. J. 
Published: July 2010

Summary.An account is given of the serologically defined class I specificities encoded by the bovine MHC (expressed as the BoLA system) in two populations of African cattle and in European breeds.The BoLA typing was performed using alloantisera raised against tissue antigens of both European and African breeds of cattle. All of the specificities agreed in the first two international BoLA workshops were found in the African cattle, although there were significant differences in the frequency of some specificities between the African and European animals. Many of the European antisera, which are operationally monospecific inBos tauruscattle, were multispecific in the African animals.Subgroups of two specificities (w8 and w10) were demonstrated. Five new BoLA‐A locus alleles were detected by means of antisera raised against alloantigens of African cattle. Two of these occurred at an extremely high frequency in the African populations; one being unique to these cattle. Monoclonal antibodies proved to be useful typing reagents, particularly in the elucidation of subgroups.
Preliminary evidence for a fourth allele at the phosphohexose isomerase (Phi) locus of horse erythrocytes
Authors: BOWLING A. T. , WICTUM E. 
Published: July 2010

Summary.A fourth allele at the horse erythrocyte phosphohexose isomerase (Phi) locus was proposed to account for phenotypes observed after starch gel electrophoresis and enzymatic staining of red cell lysates from American Saddlebred and Tennessee Walking Horse breeds. The gene was rare, having an estimated frequency of 0.009 in 949 Saddlebreds tested.