bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor‐I in preterm infants with chorioamnionitis
Authors: Sato Miho , Nishimaki Shigeru , An Hiromi , Shima Yoshio , Naruto Takuya , Sugai Toshiyuki , Iwasaki Shiho , Seki Kazuo , Imagawa Tomoyuki , Mori Masaaki , Yokota Shumpei 
Published: November 2008

AbstractAim:  The aim of our study was (i) to determine whether chorioamnionitis (CAM) is associated with an elevated soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNFR‐I) level and (ii) to examine the time course of the concentration of sTNFR‐I in preterm infants after birth.Methods:  We measured sTNFR‐I levels in the cord blood of 112 preterm infants (gestational age ≤34 weeks), and those in peripheral blood of 30 preterm infants on days 7, 14, 21 and 28.Results:  The median value for the sTNFR‐I was significantly elevated in 33 infants with CAM at stage 3 (4618 pg/mL) compared with the 52 infants without CAM (2866 pg/mL), or the 13 infants with CAM at stage 1 (3638 pg/mL) and the 14 infants at stage 2 (3242 pg/mL). The severity of CAM is an independent factor for the elevation of cord blood sTNFR‐I. The sTNFR‐I level on day 0 was significantly higher in eight infants with CAM at stage 3 than in the 22 infants without CAM or with CAM at stage 1 and 2; however there were no significant differences on days 7, 14, 21 and 28. The serum level of sTNFR‐I showed a significant gradual decline with time.Conclusions:  We suggest that there is an association between elevated sTNFR‐I levels in cord blood and maternal CAM, and this elevation may reflect the fetal inflammation. However the elevation of sTNFR‐I could not persist postnatally for a long time.
Short‐term quality‐of‐life assessed after robot‐assisted radical cystectomy: a prospective analysis
Authors: Yuh Bertram , Butt Zubair , Fazili Anees , Piacente Pamela , Tan Wei , Wilding Gregory , Mohler James , Guru Khurshid 
Published: November 2008

OBJECTIVETo prospectively determine the effect of robot‐assisted radical cystectomy (RARC) on quality of life (QoL) after surgery.PATIENTS AND METHODSIn all, 34 patients who had RARC for bladder cancer between January 2006 and December 2007 at one institution were prospectively enrolled in a study of QoL. All patients had RARC with extracorporeal urinary diversion by one surgeon. As part of the routine follow‐up, QoL was assessed at intervals. Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Bladder (FACT‐BL) questionnaires were administered before and then over a 6‐month period after RARC. Patients undergoing chemotherapy were not excluded. Follow‐up FACT‐BL and individual domain scores for physical, social, emotional and functional well‐being were compared with those obtained before RARC.RESULTSThe mean age of all patients was 65 years, 88% were men, and 13 (38%) had adjuvant chemotherapy. The mean time after RARC for the 1‐, 3‐ and 6‐month assessments was 29, 90 and 193 days, respectively; 19 patients completed three follow‐up questionnaires. Initially, there were significant decreases in the physical and functional domains, with improvements in the emotional domain (P < 0.001). Total FACT‐General and FACT‐BL scores decreased in the initial period after RARC and then progressively improved. There was no statistically significant difference in total scores at 3 months after surgery; at the 6‐month follow‐up the total FACT‐BL scores exceeded those before RARC (P = 0.048).CONCLUSIONSQoL appears to return promptly to, or exceed, baseline levels by 6 months after RARC. The improvement in the short term might allow for more contented patients and quicker initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy.
Threshold response of Madagascar's littoral forest to sea‐level rise
Authors: Virah‐Sawmy Malika , Willis Katherine J. , Gillson Lindsey 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTAim  Coastal biodiversity hotspots are globally threatened by sea‐level rise. As such it is important to understand how ecosystems resist, respond and adapt to sea‐level rise. Using pollen, geochemistry, charcoal and diatom records in conjunction with previously published palaeoclimatic records, we investigated the mechanism, interactions and ecosystem response and resilience of Madagascar's littoral forest to late Holocene sea‐level rise.Location  Sediment sequences were collected along the south‐east coast of Madagascar in two adjacent habitats in Mandena; the highly diverse littoral forest fragment and species‐poor Erica‐matrix.Methods  We used a multi‐proxy approach to investigate the relative influence of environmental changes on the littoral ecosystem. We reconstructed past vegetation and fire dynamics over the past 6500 years at two sites in the littoral forest using fossil pollen and macrofossil charcoal contained in sedimentary sequences. Alongside these records we reconstructed past marine transgressions from the same sedimentary sequences using geochemical analyses, and a salinity and drought index through the analysis of fossil diatoms.Results  Our findings indicated that it was the synergistic effect of sea‐level rise coupled with rainfall deficits that triggered a threshold event with a switch from two types of littoral forest (an open Uapaca forest and a closed littoral forest fragment) to an Erica–Myrica heath/grassland occurring in approximately less than 100 years. Resilience to sea‐level rise differed in the two adjacent habitats, suggesting that the littoral forest fragment was more resilient to the impacts of sea‐level change and aridity than the open Uapaca woodland.Conclusions  We demonstrated that the littoral ecosystem was influenced by late Holocene sea‐level rise and climatic desiccation. While climate change‐integrated conservation strategies address the effects of climate change on species distribution and dispersal, our work suggests that more attention should be paid to the impacts of interactive climatic variables that affect ecosystem thresholds.
INCREASING OUR COMPASSION FOOTPRINT: THE ANIMALS' MANIFESTO
Authors: Bekoff Marc 
Published: November 2008

Abstract.Our relationships with animals are wide‐ranging. When people tell me that they love animals and then harm or kill them I tell them I'm glad they don't love me. Many individuals, including scientists, ignore their responsibility when they interact with animals and fail to recognize that doing something in the name of science, which usually means in the name of humans, is not an adequate reason for intentionally causing suffering, pain, or death. “Good welfare” usually is not “good enough”. Existing regulations allow animals to be treated in regrettable ways that demean us as a species. Compassion is the key for bettering both animal and human lives. A good way to make the world a more compassionate place for animals is to increase our compassion footprint. We could begin by deciding that we will not intrude on animals' lives unless our actions are in the best interests of the animals irrespective of our desires. It is simple to make more compassionate choices about what we eat and wear and how we educate students, conduct research, and entertain ourselves at the expense of animals. The time to make these changes is long overdue.
KENŌSIS, ANAMNĒSIS, AND OUR PLACE IN HISTORY: A NEUROPHENOMENOLOGICAL ACCOUNT
Authors: Karo Roland , Friedenthal Meelis 
Published: November 2008

Abstract.We assess St. Paul's account of kenōsis in Philippians 2:5–8 from a neurophenomenological horizon. We argue that kenōsis is not primarily a unique event but belongs to a class of experiences that could be called kenotic and are, at least in principle, to some degree accessible to all human beings. These experiences can be well analyzed, making use of both a phenomenological approach and the cognitive neuroscience of altered states of consciousness. We argue that kenotic experiences are ecstatic, in that they involve—both phenomenologically and neurologically—one's “stepping out of” his/her self and history. This seemingly impossible task of stepping out has led to the understanding of kenōsis as a unique event. We conclude that kenotic experiences are continuous with common, everyday experiences of the self's intimate communion with everything that exists. This means that kenotic Christology does not necessarily have to rest solely on the scriptures but can also be arrived at by way of the worldly experiences of actual, living persons.
IMPLICATIONS OF INTERPERSONAL NEUROBIOLOGY FOR A SPIRITUALITY OF COMPASSION
Authors: Hollingsworth Andrea 
Published: November 2008

Abstract.Interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB) is a burgeoning interdisciplinary field that focuses on ways in which relationships shape and transform the architecture and functioning of the human brain. IPNB points to four specific conditions that appear to encourage the emergence of empathy. Further, these conditions, when gathered together, may constitute the core components of a spirituality of compassion. Following definitions and a discussion of interdisciplinary method, this essay delineates IPNB's main tenets and demonstrates ways in which IPNB sheds light on important aspects of human empathy and compassion. Drawing on this analysis, it introduces the four conditions that encourage the emergence of empathy in individuals and groups and shows why they may be central elements of a spirituality of compassion. A case study, in which the Native American Ojibwe practice of the talking circle is described and assessed through the lens of the IPNB‐derived spirituality of compassion, demonstrates the evaluative usefulness of this set of conditions.
ANTHROPOLOGY, POLANYI, AND AFROPENTECOSTAL RITUAL: A SCIENTIFIC AND THEOLOGICAL EPISTEMOLOGY OF PARTICIPATION
Authors: Scandrett‐Leatherman Craig 
Published: November 2008

Abstract.The 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis sponsored both an International Congress of Arts and Sciences aimed at unity of knowledge and an anthropology exhibit of diverse peoples. Jointly these represented a quest for unifying knowledge in a diverse world that was fractured by isolated specializations and segregated peoples. In historical perspective, the Congress's quest for knowledge is overshadowed by Ota Benga who was part of the anthropology exhibit. The 1904 World's Fair can be viewed as a Euro‐American ritual, a global pilgrimage, which sought to celebrate the advances and resolve the challenges of modernity and human diversity. Three years later Afropentecostalism dealt with these same issues with different methods and rituals. This ritual system became the most culturally diverse and fastest growing religious movement of the twentieth century. I suggest that the anthropological method of Frank Hamilton Cushing, the postcritical epistemology of Michael Polanyi, and the Afropente‐costal ritual movement initiated by William J. Seymour are all attempts to develop a postmodern epistemology that is simultaneously constructive, focused on discerning reality, and broad enough to allow for human consciousness and diverse human communities. I explore this confluence of scientific and participatory epistemology through six theses.
Climate change and freshwater biodiversity: detected patterns, future trends and adaptations in northern regions
Authors: Heino Jani , Virkkala Raimo , Toivonen Heikki 
Published: November 2008

AbstractCurrent rates of climate change are unprecedented, and biological responses to these changes have also been rapid at the levels of ecosystems, communities, and species. Most research on climate change effects on biodiversity has concentrated on the terrestrial realm, and considerable changes in terrestrial biodiversity and species’ distributions have already been detected in response to climate change. The studies that have considered organisms in the freshwater realm have also shown that freshwater biodiversity is highly vulnerable to climate change, with extinction rates and extirpations of freshwater species matching or exceeding those suggested for better‐known terrestrial taxa. There is some evidence that freshwater species have exhibited range shifts in response to climate change in the last millennia, centuries, and decades. However, the effects are typically species‐specific, with cold‐water organisms being generally negatively affected and warm‐water organisms positively affected. However, detected range shifts are based on findings from a relatively low number of taxonomic groups, samples from few freshwater ecosystems, and few regions. The lack of a wider knowledge hinders predictions of the responses of much of freshwater biodiversity to climate change and other major anthropogenic stressors. Due to the lack of detailed distributional information for most freshwater taxonomic groups and the absence of distribution‐climate models, future studies should aim at furthering our knowledge about these aspects of the ecology of freshwater organisms. Such information is not only important with regard to the basic ecological issue of predicting the responses of freshwater species to climate variables, but also when assessing the applied issue of the capacity of protected areas to accommodate future changes in the distributions of freshwater species. This is a huge challenge, because most current protected areas have not been delineated based on the requirements of freshwater organisms. Thus, the requirements of freshwater organisms should be taken into account in the future delineation of protected areas and in the estimation of the degree to which protected areas accommodate freshwater biodiversity in the changing climate and associated environmental changes.
Aggregate formation and toxicity by wild‐type and R621C synphilin‐1 in the nigrostriatal system of mice using adenoviral vectors
Authors: Krenz Antje , Falkenburger Björn H. , Gerhardt Ellen , Drinkut Anja , Schulz Jörg B. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractSynphilin‐1 was described as a protein interacting with α‐synuclein and is commonly found in Lewy bodies, the pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Our group has previously described and characterized in vitro a mutation in the synphilin‐1 gene (R621C) in PD patients. Providing the first characterization of synphilin‐1 expression in an animal model, we here used adenoviral gene transfer to study the effects of wild‐type (WT) and R621C synphilin‐1 in dopaminergic neurons in mouse brain. As synphilin‐1 is commonly used to trigger aggregation of α‐synuclein in cell culture, we investigated not only non‐transgenic C57Bl/6 mice but also A30P‐α‐synuclein transgenic animals. Both WT synphilin‐1 and R621C synphilin‐1 led to the formation of Thioflavine‐S positive inclusions in C57Bl/6 mice and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. R621C synphilin‐1 induced more aggregate formation than WT synphilin‐1 in A30P‐α‐synuclein transgenic mice, consistent with the role of the R621C mutation as a susceptibility factor for PD. Synphilin‐1 expression may be used to improve current mouse models of PD, as it induced both the formation of aggregates and degeneration of dopaminergic neurons, two core characteristics of PD that have not been well reproduced with expression of α‐synuclein.
Human land use, agriculture, pesticides and losses of imperiled species
Authors: Gibbs Katherine E. , Mackey Robin L. , Currie David J. 
Published: November 2008

ABSTRACTAim  Anthropogenic habitat loss is usually cited as the most important cause of recent species’ extinctions. We ask whether species losses are in fact more closely related to habitat loss than to any other aspect of human activity such as use of agricultural pesticides, or human population density (which reflects urbanization).Location  Canada.Methods  We statistically compared areas in Canada where imperiled species currently occur, versus areas where they have been lost. Using multiple regressions, we relate the numbers of species that had suffered range reductions in an ecoregion to variables that represent present habitat loss, pesticide use and human population density.Results  We find high losses of imperiled species in regions with high proportions of agricultural land cover. However, losses of imperiled species are significantly more strongly related to the proportion of the region treated with agricultural pesticides. The relationship between species losses and area treated with pesticides remains significant after controlling for area in agriculture.Main conclusions  Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that agricultural pesticide use, or something strongly collinear with it (perhaps intensive agriculture more generally), has contributed significantly to the decline of imperiled species in Canada. Habitat conversion per se may be a less important cause of species declines than how that converted habitat is used.
Trade Creation and Diversion Effects of Preferential Trade Associations on Agricultural and Food Trade
Authors: Lambert David , McKoy Shahera 
Published: November 2008

Abstract Agricultural market distortions remain a major focus of contention in world trade negotiations. Estimates of the effects of liberalising current agricultural trade restrictions indicate an approximately $385 billion increase in global welfare, with the disproportionate share of the benefit being enjoyed by developing countries. In response to difficulties in adopting agricultural trade reforms, individual groups of countries have formed multiple bilateral and regional preferential trade agreements (PTA) to enhance trade among members. Few sectoral analyses exist of the effects on agricultural and food product trade of PTAs. This research uses a gravity model to isolate the effects of various PTAs on both intra‐ and extra‐bloc agricultural and food product trade for three time periods: 1995, 2000 and 2004. Findings strongly support PTA benefits in terms of increased intra‐bloc trade in both sectors. The findings also generally support trade creation in agricultural products. PTA membership was also associated with food trade creation in most cases, although diversion was observed for several associations composed primarily of developing countries.
Phosphatidylethanol Mediates its Effects on the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor via HDL Receptor in Endothelial Cells
Authors: Liisanantti Marja Katriina , Savolainen Markku Juhani 
Published: November 2008

Background:  Previous epidemiological studies have shown that light to moderate alcohol consumption has protective effects against coronary heart disease but the mechanisms of the beneficial effect of alcohol are not known. Ethanol may increase high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol concentration, augment the reverse cholesterol transport, or regulate growth factors or adhesion molecules. To study whether qualitative changes in HDL phospholipids mediate part of the beneficial effects of alcohol on atherosclerosis by HDL receptor, we investigated whether phosphatidylethanol (PEth) in HDL particles affects the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by a human scavenger receptor CD36 and LIMPII analog‐I (CLA‐1)‐mediated pathway.Methods:  Human EA.hy 926 endothelial cells were incubated in the presence of native HDL or PEth‐HDL. VEGF concentration and CLA‐1 protein expression were measured. Human CLA‐1 receptor‐mediated mechanisms in endothelial cells were studied using CLA‐1 blocking antibody and protein kinase inhibitors.Results:  Phosphatidylethanol‐containing HDL particles caused a 6‐fold increase in the expression of CLA‐1 in endothelial cells compared with the effect of native HDL. That emergent effect was mediated mainly through protein kinase C and p44/42 mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways. PEth increased the secretion of VEGF and that increase could be abolished by a CLA‐1 blocking antibody.Conclusions:  High density lipoprotein particles containing PEth bind to CLA‐1 receptor and thereby increase the secretion of VEGF from endothelial cells. Ethanol‐induced protective effects against coronary heart disease may be explained, at least partly, by the effects of PEth‐modified HDL particles on VEGF via CLA‐1‐mediated mechanisms in endothelial cells.
Drinking and Alcohol‐Related Harm Among New Zealand University Students: Findings From a National Web‐Based Survey
Authors: Kypri Kypros , Paschall Mallie J. , Langley John , Baxter Joanne , Cashell‐Smith Martine , Bourdeau Beth 
Published: November 2008

Background:  Alcohol‐related harm is pervasive among college students in the United States of America and Canada, where a third to half of undergraduates binge drink at least fortnightly. There have been no national studies outside North America. We estimated the prevalence of binge drinking, related harms, and individual risk factors among undergraduates in New Zealand.Methods:  A web survey was completed by 2,548 undergraduates (63% response) at 5 of New Zealand’s 8 universities. Drinking patterns and alcohol‐related problems in the preceding 4 weeks were measured. Drinking diaries for the preceding 7 days were completed. Multivariate analyses were used to identify individual risk factors.Results:  A total of 81% of both women and men drank in the previous 4 weeks, 37% reported 1 or more binge episodes in the last week, 14% of women and 15% of men reported 2+ binge episodes in the last week, and 68% scored in the hazardous range (4+) on the AUDIT consumption subscale. A mean of 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4, 2.3) distinct alcohol‐related risk behaviors or harmful consequences were reported, e.g., 33% had a blackout, 6% had unprotected sex, and 5% said they were physically aggressive toward someone, in the preceding 4 weeks. Drink‐driving or being the passenger of a drink‐driver in the last 4 weeks was reported by 9% of women and 11% of men. Risk factors for frequent binge drinking included: lower age, earlier age of drinking onset, monthly or more frequent binge drinking in high school, and living in a residential hall or a shared house (relative to living with parents). These correlates were similar to those identified in U.S. and Canadian studies.Conclusions:  Strategies are needed to reduce the availability and promotion of alcohol on and around university campuses in New Zealand. Given the high prevalence of binge drinking in high school and its strong association with later binge drinking, strategies aimed at youth drinking are also a priority. In universities, high‐risk drinkers should be identified and offered intervention early in their undergraduate careers.