bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Demographic differences in Down syndrome livebirths in the US from 1989 to 2006
Authors: Egan James F. X. , Smith Kathleen , Timms Diane , Bolnick Jay M. , Campbell Winston A. , Benn Peter A. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractObjectiveTo explore demographic differences in Down syndrome livebirths in the United States.MethodsUsing National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) birth certificate data from 1989 to 2006 we analyzed Down syndrome livebirths after correcting for under‐reporting. We created six subsets based on maternal age (15–34 and 35–49 years old); US regions, that is, Northeast, Midwest, South and West; marital status, (married, unmarried); education, ( ≤ 12 years, ≥ 13 years); race, (white, black); and Hispanic ethnicity, (non‐Hispanic, Hispanic). We estimated expected Down syndrome livebirths assuming no change in birth certificate reporting. The percentage of expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born was calculated by year.ResultsThere were 72 613 424 livebirths from 1989 to 2006. There were 122 519 Down syndrome livebirths expected and 65 492 were actually born. The Midwest had the most expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born (67.6%); the West was lowest (44.4%). More expected Down syndrome livebirths were born to women who were 15 to 34 years old (61 vs 43.8%) and to those with ≤ 12 years education (60.4 vs 46.9%), white race (56.6 vs 37%), unmarried (56.0 vs 52.5%), and of Hispanic ethnicity (55.0 vs 53.3%).ConclusionThe percentage of expected Down syndrome livebirths actually born varies by demographics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DWSB for heterotic flux compactifications
Authors: Held J. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractWe investigate the construction of non‐supersymmetric vacua in compactifications of heterotic string theory with intrinsic torsion and background fluxes. We do this by using the technique of domain‐wall supersymmetry breaking (DWSB) that was developed in the context of type II compactifications. By means of a scalar potential we derive conditions on the compactification manifold that must hold in order to satisfy the equations of motion up to order α′.
Symplectic gaugings and the field‐antifield formalism
Authors: Coomans F. , De Rydt J. , Van Proeyen A. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractWe give an example of how conventional gauging methods obstruct a systematic analysis of gauged supergravities. We discuss how the embedding tensor formalism deals with these problems and argue that the gauge algebra related to the embedding tensor formalism is soft, open and reducible. We connect the embedding tensor formalism to the field‐antifield (or Batalin‐Vilkovisky) formalism, which is the most general formulation known for gauge theories.
Using an autonomous robot to maintain privacy in assistive environments
Authors: Armbrust Christopher , Mehdi Syed Atif , Reichardt Max , Koch Jan , Berns Karsten 
Published: February 2011

ABSTRACTIn our societies, the number of senior citizens living on their own is increasing steadily. The lack of permanent attention results in the late detection of emergency situations. Labour‐intensive care is already a high burden for the society; therefore, it seems reasonable to promote technology that helps to detect and react in case of emergency situations that elderly people may encounter.In the last decade, assistive environments have been established by integrating surveillance devices into the living environments giving remote operators access to monitor the senior inhabitant at home for detecting emergency situations. However, due to poor privacy in terms of intrusion into the private life of an elderly person, there will be an unfavourably low acceptance of such systems.This paper introduces a two‐stage strategy and proposes to replace a possibly large number of human‐controlled monitoring devices by a single autonomous mobile system. The first stage will be performed by the autonomous system to detect an emergency situation. The human operator will be obligatory only at the final stage when the system assumes that an emergency has occurred and the final evaluation of the situation is required. The self‐assessment will reduce the human factor related to privacy issues. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
SCN‐SI‐021 achieving privacy and access control in pervasive computing environments
Authors: Magkos Emmanouil , Kotzanikolaou Panayiotis 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThis paper focuses on the inherent trade‐off between privacy and access control in pervasive computing environments (PCEs). On one hand, service providers require user authentication and authorization for the provision of a service, while at the same time end users require untraceability and unlinkability for their transactions. There are also cases where the anonymity of a specific credential must be revoked and a real identity be traced, in order to establish accountability. We analyze privacy and security requirements for PCEs and we show that existing privacy‐preserving access control schemes do not fully satisfy these requirements. Then we propose two approaches towards privacy‐preserving access control in PCEs. Our goal is twofold: (a) to enhance privacy by achieving untraceability and unlinkability even against malicious insiders and (b) to enhance security by achieving conditional traceability of user credentials, and if possible, non‐repudiation of evidence concerning the user's participating in a transaction. Finally, we analyze and compare the proposed schemes against existing schemes. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Engineering, Characterization and Directional Self‐Assembly of Anisotropically Modified Nanocolloids
Authors: Bhaskar Srijanani , Gibson Christopher T. , Yoshida Mutsumi , Nandivada Himabindu , Deng Xiaopei , Voelcker Nicolas H. , Lahann Joerg 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAlong with traditional attributes such as the size, shape, and chemical structure of polymeric micro‐objects, control over material distribution, or selective compartmentalization, appears to be increasingly important for maximizing the functionality and efficacy of biomaterials. The fabrication of tri‐ and tetracompartmental colloids made from biodegradable poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) polymers via electrohydrodynamic co‐jetting is demonstrated. The presence of three compartments is confirmed via flow cytometry. Additional chemical functionality is introduced via the incorporation of acetylene‐functionalized polymers into individual compartments of the particles. Direct visualization of the spatioselective distribution of acetylene groups is demonstrated by confocal Raman microscopy as well as by reaction of the acetylene groups with azide‐biotin via ‘click chemistry’. Biotin–streptavidin binding is then utilized for the controlled assembly and orientation of bicompartmental particles onto functionalized, micropatterned substrates prepared via chemical vapor deposition polymerization.
Affibody‐Functionalized Gold–Silica Nanoparticles for Raman Molecular Imaging of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor
Authors: Jokerst Jesse V. , Miao Zheng , Zavaleta Cristina , Cheng Zhen , Gambhir Sanjiv S. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe affibody functionalization of fluorescent surface‐enhanced Raman scattering gold–silica nanoparticles as multimodal contrast agents for molecular imaging specific to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is reported. This nanoparticle bioconjugate reports EGFR‐positive A431 tumors with a signal nearly 35‐fold higher than EGFR‐negative MDA‐435S tumors. The low‐level EGFR expression in adjacent healthy tissue is 7‐fold lower than in the positive tumors. Validation via competitive inhibition reduces the signal by a factor of six, and independent measurement of EGFR via flow cytometry correlates at R2 = 0.92.
A healthy economy can break your heart
Authors: Ruhm Christopher J. 
Published: February 2011

Abstract
Panel data methods are used to investigate how deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) in the United States vary with macroeconomic conditions. A one-percentage-point reduction in unemployment is predicted to raise CHD mortality by 0.75%, corresponding to almost 3,900 additional fatalities. The increase in relative risk is similar across age groups, implying that senior citizens account for most of the extra deaths. Direct evidence is obtained of a role for decreases in medical interventions treating coronary problems. CHD mortality increases rapidly when the economy strengthens but returns to or near its baseline level within five years for most groups.
Pyridoxal 5'‐phosphate in cerebrospinal fluid; factors affecting concentration
Authors: Footitt Emma J. , Heales Simon J. , Mills Philippa B. , Allen George F. G. , Oppenheim Marcus , Clayton Peter T. 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAnalysis of pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate (PLP) concentration in 256 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients with neurological symptoms showed that the variance is greater than indicated by previous studies. The age‐related lower reference limit has been revised to detect inborn errors of metabolism that lead to PLP depletion without a high false positive rate: <30 days, 26 nmol/L; 30 days to 12 months, 14 nmol/L; 1‐2 years, 11 nmol/L; >3 years, 10 nmol/L. Inborn errors leading to PLP concentrations below these values include pyridoxine‐dependent epilepsy due to antiquitin deficiency, and molybdenum cofactor deficiency that leads to the accumulation of sulfite, a nucleophile capable of reacting with PLP. Low PLP levels were also seen in a group of children with transiently elevated urinary excretion of sulfite and/or sulfocysteine, suggesting that there may be other situations in which sulfite accumulates and inactivates PLP. There was no evidence that seizures or the anticonvulsant drugs prescribed for patients in this study led to significant lowering of CSF PLP. A small proportion of patients receiving L‐dopa therapy were found to have a CSF PLP concentration below the appropriate reference range. This may have implications for monitoring and treatment. A positive correlation was seen between the CSF PLP and 5‐methyl‐tetrahydrofolate (5‐MTHF) and tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) concentrations. All are susceptible to attack by nucleophiles and oxygen‐derived free‐radicals, and CSF has relatively low concentrations of other molecules that can react with these compounds. Further studies of CSF PLP levels in a wide range of neurological diseases might lead to improved understanding of pathogenesis and possibilities for treatment.
A simplified method for conducting ecological studies of land snail communities in urban landscapes
Authors: Clergeau Philippe , Tapko Noélie , Fontaine Benoit 
Published: February 2011

AbstractAlthough land snail communities could be a good indicator of soil quality and landscape structure impact, they are seldom analysed in an urban context, probably because of the lack of interest in this ecosystem and because no fast and reliable method of inter‐site comparison seems to exist. The classical method of removing large quantities of soil leads to degradations unsuitable in urban gardens and involves time‐consuming sorting. For the purpose of ecological comparisons, we analysed different methods to assess land snail communities in urban parks in order to set up a simplified strategy. Snail communities were sampled in three parks within the city of Paris (France) using (1) quadrat method (litter and soil removed over a given area, snails sorted later in the laboratory), (2) visual search in situ (hand‐picking snails in the leaf litter), (3) wooden boards placed on the ground and regularly checked, and (4) pitfall traps, usually used for insect sampling. Our results suggest that the wooden board and pitfall trap did not yield enough data to determine community structure and that visual search was not sufficient to sample all dominant species, especially the smallest ones. In order to allow for replication of samples, we suggest a mixed strategy suitable for ecological comparisons, combining visual searches of five 0.5 m2areas (15 min for each area) and litter and soil sampling on two 0.0625 m2quadrats.
Diversity and metabolic impact of intestinalLactobacillusspecies in healthy adults and the elderly
Authors: Štšepetova Jelena , Sepp Epp , Kolk Helgi , Lõivukene Krista , Songisepp Epp , Mikelsaar Marika 
Published: February 2011

The present study aimed at assessing the counts and species distribution of intestinal lactobacilli and exploring if the data are associated with BMI and blood glucose level in healthy adults and elderly persons. The BMI (P < 0·01), the level of fasting blood glucose (P < 0·001) and the total counts of lactobacilli (P < 0·01 by bacteriology;P < 0·001 by real-time PCR) were higher in the elderly. The number of species in adults was lower (P < 0·05), who were more often colonised withLactobacillus acidophilus(P = 0·031) andL. helveticus(P < 0·001). In contrast,L. plantarum(P = 0·035),L. paracasei(P < 0·001) andL. reuteri(P = 0·031) were more prevalent in the elderly.L. rhamnosuswas detected in adults (P < 0·001), but not in any elderly person. BMI was associated with counts of lactobacilli, adjusted for age and sex (P = 0·008). The higher BMI in both groups of persons was associated with the presence of obligate homofermentative lactobacilli andL. sakei, both adjusted for age and sex. Plasma glucose values were positively correlated with BMI and negatively correlated with colonisation withL. paracasei(P = 0·0238) in adults and on the borderline withL. fermentum(P = 0·052) in the elderly. Thus, the species-specific PCR analysis ofLactobacillussp. combined with viable plating data indicates substantial age-related structural differences in the intestinal lactobacilli communities. The higher counts of intestinalLactobacillussp. are associated with higher BMI and blood glucose content, while their specific fermentative groups and species of lactobacilli appear at different glucose levels both in adults and in the elderly.
A whey-based glutathione-enhancing diet decreases allergen-induced airway contraction in a guinea-pig model of asthma
Authors: Kloek J. , Mortaz E. , Van Ark I. , Bloksma N. , Garssen J. , Nijkamp F. P. , Folkerts G. 
Published: February 2011

Since an allergen-induced early asthmatic reaction is likely to be accompanied by oxidative stress and since levels of the endogenous antioxidant glutathione can be enhanced by a whey-based diet (undenatured whey protein concentrate, UWPC), it was investigated whether UWPC could alleviate allergen-induced lung contractions. Guinea pigs were fed water or UWPC twice a day starting at day − 3 up to day 20. The animals were sensitised to ovalbumin or received saline on day 0. Serum samples were taken at several days after sensitisation to measure allergen-specific IgG. On day 20, lungs were isolated and perfused with buffer containing the allergen ovalbumin. Airway contractions were assessed, and mediators and indicators for oxidative stress were measured in the lung effluent. Moreover, glutathione levels were determined in the liver. The indicator of oxidative stress and airway contractile mediator, 8-iso-PGF2α, was increased upon ovalbumin challenge in ovalbumin-sensitised groups. Furthermore, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were increased as well. Sensitisation with ovalbumin increased IgG levels from day 12 up to day 20, which were not influenced by the UWPC diet. In contrast, the UWPC diet significantly enhanced glutathione levels in the liver. Moreover, the UWPC diet significantly reduced the ovalbumin-induced anaphylactic response by 45 % and decreased PGE2 levels by 55 % in the effluent fluid. We show for the first time that during anaphylaxis, there is acute oxidative stress in the respiratory tract. The UWPC diet did not influence the sensitisation response to the allergen but did increase endogenous glutathione levels. The UWPC diet profoundly reduces allergen-induced airway constrictions, which opens new avenues for dietary management of allergic diseases.
Iron absorption in hepcidin1 knockout mice
Authors: Masaratana Patarabutr , Laftah Abas H. , Latunde-Dada Gladys O. , Vaulont Sophie , Simpson Robert J. , McKie Andrew T. 
Published: February 2011

Hepcidin, the Fe-regulatory peptide, has been shown to inhibit Fe absorption and reticuloendothelial Fe recycling. The present study was conducted to explore the mechanism of in vivo Fe regulation through genetic disruption of hepcidin1 and acute effects of hepcidin treatment in hepcidin1 knockout (Hepc1− / − ) and heterozygous mice. Hepcidin1 disruption resulted in significantly increased intestinal Fe uptake. Hepcidin injection inhibited Fe absorption in both genotypes, but the effects were more evident in the knockout mice. Hepcidin administration was also associated with decreased membrane localisation of ferroportin in the duodenum, liver and, most significantly, in the spleen of Hepc1− / − mice. Hypoferraemia was induced in heterozygous mice by hepcidin treatment, but not in Hepc1− / − mice, 4 h after injection. Interestingly, Fe absorption and serum Fe levels in Hepc1− / − and heterozygous mice fed a low-Fe diet were not affected by hepcidin injection. The present study demonstrates that hepcidin deficiency causes increased Fe absorption. The effects of hepcidin were abolished by dietary Fe deficiency, indicating that the response to hepcidin may be influenced by dietary Fe level or Fe status.
Effect of feeding Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) a diet enriched with stearidonic acid from parr to smolt on growth and n-3 long-chain PUFA biosynthesis
Authors: Codabaccus Mohamed B. , Bridle Andrew R. , Nichols Peter D. , Carter Chris G. 
Published: February 2011

Vegetable oils (VO) have become the predominant substitute for fish oil (FO) in aquafeeds; however, the resultant lower content of n-3 long-chain ( ≥ C20) PUFA (n-3 LC-PUFA) in fish has put their use under scrutiny. The need to investigate new oil sources exists. The present study tested the hypothesis that in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.), a high intake of stearidonic acid (SDA) from Echium oil (EO) would result in increased n-3 LC-PUFA biosynthesis due to a lower requirement for Δ6 desaturase. Comparisons were made with fish fed on diets containing rapeseed oil (RO) and FO in freshwater for 112 d followed by 96 d in seawater. EO fish had higher whole-carcass SDA and eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA) in freshwater and prolonged feeding on the EO diet in seawater resulted in higher SDA, ETA, EPA and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) compared with RO fish. Fatty acid mass balance of freshwater fish indicated higher biosynthesis of ETA and EPA in EO fish compared with fish fed on the other diets and a twofold increase in n-3 LC-PUFA synthesis compared with RO fish. In seawater, n-3 biosynthetic activity was low, with higher biosynthesis of ETA in EO fish and appearance of all desaturated and elongated products along the n-3 pathway. SDA-enriched VO are more suitable substitutes than conventional VO from a human consumer perspective due to the resulting higher SDA content, higher total n-3 and improved n-3:n-6 ratio obtained in fish, although both VO were not as effective as FO in maintaining EPA and DHA content in Atlantic salmon.
Adherence to a Mediterranean diet and plasma fatty acids: data from the Bordeaux sample of the Three-City study
Authors: Féart Catherine , Torrès Marion J. M. , Samieri Cécilia , Jutand Marthe-Aline , Peuchant Evelyne , Simopoulos Artemis P. , Barberger-Gateau Pascale 
Published: February 2011

Higher adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MeDi) and n-3 PUFA may both contribute to decreased dementia risk, but the association between MeDi adherence and lipid status is unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyse the relationship between plasma fatty acids and MeDi adherence in French elderly community dwellers. The study population (mean age 75·9 years) consisted of 1050 subjects from Bordeaux (France) included in the Three-City cohort. Adherence to the MeDi (scored as 0–9) was computed from a FFQ and 24 h recall. The proportion of each plasma fatty acid was determined. Cross-sectional analysis of the association between plasma fatty acids and MeDi adherence was performed by multi-linear regression. After adjusting for age, sex, energy intake, physical activity, smoking status, BMI, plasma TAG and apoE-ɛ4 genotype, plasma palmitoleic acid was significantly inversely associated with MeDi adherence, whereas plasma DHA, the EPA+DHA index and total n-3 PUFA were positively associated with MeDi adherence. The n-6:n-3 PUFA, arachidonic acid (AA):EPA, AA:DHA and AA:(EPA+DHA) ratios were significantly inversely associated with MeDi adherence. Plasma EPA was positively associated with MeDi adherence only in apoE-ɛ4 non-carriers. There was no association between MeDi adherence and SFA and total MUFA. The present results suggest that the protective effect of the MeDi on cognitive functions might be mediated by higher plasma DHA and lower n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios.
International Politics and the Spread of Quotas for Women in Legislatures
Authors: Bush Sarah Sunn 
Published: February 2011

AbstractQuotas to promote women's representation in the world's legislatures have spread to more than one hundred countries. The diffusion of gender quotas poses a puzzle since they have often been adopted in countries where women have low status. International influence and inducements best explain quota adoption in developing countries. Promoting gender equality, including through gender quotas, has become a key part of international democracy promotion. The international legitimacy of gender quotas leads them to be adopted through two causal pathways: directly, through postconflict peace operations, and indirectly, by encouraging countries, especially those that depend on foreign aid, to signal their commitment to democracy by adopting quotas. An event history analysis, which controls for other relevant factors, shows that the hypothesized relationships exist. Further support comes from a process-tracing analysis of Afghanistan's 2004 quota.
The End of an Era in International Financial Regulation? A Postcrisis Research Agenda
Authors: Helleiner Eric , Pagliari Stefano 
Published: February 2011

AbstractThe global financial crisis that erupted in summer 2007 has made the reform of international prudential financial regulation one of the top priorities of global public policy. Past scholarship has usefully explained the creation and strengthening of international financial standards with reference to three policy arenas: interstate, domestic, and transnational. Despite the accomplishments of this specialist literature, the recent crisis has revealed a number of limitations in the ways scholars have understood interstate power relations, the influence of domestic politics, and the significance of transnational actors within international financial regulatory politics. Taken together, developments in each of these three arenas suggest that researchers may also need to be prepared to shift from explaining the strengthening of official international standards to analyzing their weakening in the postcrisis world. The latter task will require scholars to devote more analytical attention to a wider set of international regulatory outcomes, including “informal regulatory convergence,” “regulatory fragmentation,” and especially “cooperative regulatory decentralization.”