bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ageing‐related corpora veno‐occlusive dysfunction in the rat is ameliorated by pioglitazone
Authors: Kovanecz Istvan , Ferrini Monica G. , Vernet Dolores , Nolazco Gaby , Rajfer Jacob , Gonzalez‐Cadavid Nestor F. 
Published: July 2007

OBJECTIVETo determine whether ageing‐related changes in the penile corpora cavernosa, namely corporal veno‐occlusive dysfunction (CVOD), loss of smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and excessive collagen deposition, can be ameliorated by the peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) agonist pioglitazone, in a rat model of ageing as we have shown in a rat model of type 2 diabetes.MATERIALS AND METHODSMale Fischer 344 rats (16–18 months old) were fed chow containing 0%, 0.001% or 0.02% pioglitazone for 2 or 4.5 months, using 5 month old rats as ‘young’ controls. Functional changes were determined by dynamic‐infusion cavernosometry (DIC). Histological changes were assessed by histochemistry and immunohistochemistry followed by quantitative image analysis and/or quantitative Western blot. Reactive oxygen species were estimated in blood.RESULTSPioglitazone at both doses reduced the high DIC ‘drop rate’ present in the untreated aged groups to the level seen in the young rats. The papaverine response was increased to young control levels by short‐term high‐dose pioglitazone and the long‐term low‐dose treatment, but not by the short‐term low‐dose treatment. Pioglitazone at all doses and durations of treatment failed to reverse the decreased corporal SMC/collagen ratio and SMC content, oxidative stress, or the elevated contents of collagen, or transforming growth factor β1, seen in the aged penis, but did reduce the collagen III/I ratio, and at a high dose increased apoptosis. Both treatments inhibited the Rho‐kinase system, by increasing Src homology region 2‐containing protein tyrosine phosphatase and reducing Vav. PPARγ were detected in corporal SMCs.CONCLUSIONSPioglitazone ameliorated ageing‐related CVOD, possibly by a PPARγ‐mediated inhibition of Rho‐kinase and not by a protective effect on the corporal smooth muscle.
Predicting outcome in minimally invasive (T1a and T1b) urothelial bladder carcinoma using a panel of biomarkers: a high throughput tissue microarray analysis
Authors: Mhawech‐Fauceglia Paulette , Fischer Gabor , Alvarez Victor , Ahmed Arsalan , Herrmann François R. 
Published: July 2007

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the protein expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor‐3 (FGFR3), hamartin, 14‐3‐3σ, Aurora‐A, and E‐cadherin using immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a series of human bladder carcinomas and to evaluate their value in distinguishing T1a from T1b tumours and in predicting their behaviour, as T1 urothelial bladder tumours present great diagnostic and therapeutic challenges to pathologists and clinicians.PATIENTS, MATERIALS AND METHODSTissue microarrays were constructed from 94 patients (Ta 20, T1a 31, T1b 14, and T2 29 patients) using tissue obtained at first disease presentation.RESULTSFGFR3 and 14‐3‐3σ were the only markers that were significantly associated with tumour grade and 14‐3‐3σ was significantly associated with tumour stage. Furthermore, none of these markers could help in distinguishing T1a from T1b tumours. After adjusting for the E‐cadherin expression, FGFR3 expression was a significant factor in predicting the time to recurrence in T1a/T1b. Furthermore, among all the clinical variables, grade and depth of invasion were the only ones that had a significant value in predicting T1a/T1b tumour progression.CONCLUSIONSEven though the staging of T1 to T1a/T1b is not a common practice and it is not included in the Tumour‐Node‐Metastasis classification, our data clearly confirmed the importance of a proper sub‐staging of T1 tumours whenever feasible.
The effect of α‐blocker and 5α‐reductase inhibitor intake on sexual health in men with lower urinary tract symptoms
Authors: Barqawi Al Baha , Myers Jeremy B. , O’Donnell Colin , Crawford E. David 
Published: July 2007

Associate EditorMichael G. WyllieEditorial BoardIan Eardley, UKJean Fourcroy, USASidney Glina, BrazilJulia Heiman, USAChris McMahon, AustraliaBob Millar, UKAlvaro Morales, CanadaMichael Perelman, USAMarcel Waldinger, NetherlandsOBJECTIVETo assess the effect of tamsulosin on the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) score in men diagnosed with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).PATIENTS AND METHODSAnalysis from the national database of a programme of the Prostate Cancer Educational Council identified 7974 men who completed the American Urologic Association Symptom Score (AUA‐SS) and SHIM questionnaires. The patients were divided into three groups; group 1, men taking tamsulosin; group 2, men on other prescription medications for treating BPH symptoms; and group 3, men not currently taking any BPH medications. Linear regression was used to assess the association of tamsulosin and other α‐blocker prescriptions for treating BPH symptoms with the decline in SHIM score. The interaction terms between AUA and the intake of tamsulosin was also adjusted for in the final analysis.RESULTSThe median age of the men was 60 years. In groups 1, 2 and 3, (234, 291 and 7449 men, respectively) the mean (sd) AUA‐SS was 13.0 (7.2), 12.1 (7.2) and 6.9 (5.8), and the mean SHIM scores 11.7 (6.8), 12.7 (6.5) and 15.9 (6.0), respectively. Adjusting for the AUA‐SS, men in group 1 on tamsulosin had a significantly higher SHIM score with increasing AUA‐SS score than men on other medications (P < 0.01), offsetting the negative correlation between the AUA‐SS and SHIM (P < 0.01). Moreover, men in group 1 were more likely to have a higher AUA‐SS and lower SHIM score than men in the other two groups, suggesting more severe symptoms in these men.CONCLUSIONSMen taking tamsulosin to treat LUTS appear to be at an advantage over men taking other α‐blockers when the effect of LUTS on sexual health is considered. Furthermore, this effect was more profound in patients with more severe LUTS than those with mild and moderate symptoms. Future prospective trials are warranted to confirm this effect.
Aid and Growth Accelerations: An Alternative Approach to Assessing the Effectiveness of Aid
Authors: Dovern Jonas , Nunnenkamp Peter 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARYThe paper applies an alternative approach to assess whether foreign aid promotes economic growth in developing countries, based on the concept of temporary growth accelerations suggested by Hausmann, Pritchett and Rodrik. In addition to aggregate aid, we differentiate between major aid categories, including grants, loans and so‐called short‐impact aid. It turns out that aid flows have a small but significantly positive effect on the conditional probability of growth accelerations. This result holds across different estimation methods. However, the significance of results crucially depends on the criteria applied to identify growth accelerations.
Are Inventories a Buffer Against Weak Legal Systems?
Authors: Raja Angara V. , Schaefer Hans‐Bernd 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARYWeak legal enforcement of contracts leads to inefficient breach and an overall increase in breaches for firms and individuals. We suggest that firms use inventory holdings as a means to counteract weak contract enforcement. We test the hypothesis that firms operating in weak legal environments have a higher ratio of inventories to net sales than firms operating in strong legal environments. Empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis using data from over three hundred comparable firms from fourteen product groups across thirty‐nine countries is presented.
The development of attention regulation in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task
Authors: Somsen Riek J.M. 
Published: July 2007

Abstract The present study examined performance on a computerized version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) in participants between 6 and 18 years. Test trials were presented upon request, without time constraints, and with a direct coupling between the participant's response and the onset of the feedback. The pattern of findings that emerged from the self‐controlled computerized WCST permitted unique insights into the developmental changes in reasoning and attention regulation during childhood and adolescence. The number of WCST categories achieved developed linearly between 6 and 11 years and asymptoted beyond this age, whereas attentional responses continued to develop. More specifically, a decrease in distractive attention to correct feedback predicted performance in the younger group. In contrast, an increase in attention to error feedback predicted the number of WCST categories achieved by the older children. This pattern of findings indicates that, although trial‐by‐trial feedback monitoring is crucial for the successful detection of WCST categories in both younger and older children, the specifics of attention regulation differ greatly between children and adolescents.
Decision‐making in healthy children, adolescents and adults explained by the use of increasingly complex proportional reasoning rules
Authors: Huizenga Hilde M. , Crone Eveline A. , Jansen Brenda J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn the standard Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), participants have to choose repeatedly from four options. Each option is characterized by a constant gain, and by the frequency and amount of a probabilistic loss. Crone and van der Molen (2004) reported that school‐aged children and even adolescents show marked deficits in IGT performance. In this study, we have re‐analyzed the data with a multivariate normal mixture analysis to show that these developmental changes can be explained by a shift from unidimensional to multidimensional proportional reasoning (Siegler, 1981; Jansen & van der Maas, 2002). More specifically, the results show a gradual shift with increasing age from (a) guessing with a slight tendency to consider frequency of loss to (b) focusing on frequency of loss, to (c) considering both frequency and amount of probabilistic loss. In the latter case, participants only considered options with low‐frequency loss and then chose the option with the lowest amount of loss. Performance improved in a reversed task, in which punishment was placed up front and gain was delivered unexpectedly. In this reversed task, young children are guessing with already a slight tendency to consider both the frequency and amount of gain; this strategy becomes more pronounced with age. We argue that these findings have important implications for the interpretation of IGT performance, as well as for methods to analyze this performance.
Nonspecific verbal cues alleviate forgetting by young children
Authors: Morgan Kirstie , Hayne Harlene 
Published: July 2007

AbstractVerbal reminders play a pervasive role in memory retrieval by human adults. In fact, relatively nonspecific verbal information (e.g. ‘Remember the last time we ate at that restaurant?’) will often cue vivid recollections of a past event even when presented outside the original encoding context. Although research has shown that memory retrieval by young children can be initiated by physical cues and by highly specific verbal cues, the effect of less specific verbal cues is not known. Using a Visual Recognition Memory (VRM) procedure, we examined the effect of nonspecific verbal cues on memory retrieval by 4‐year‐old children. Our findings showed that nonspecific verbal cues were as effective as highly specific nonverbal cues in facilitating memory retrieval after a 2‐week delay. We conclude that, at least by 4 years of age, children are able to use nonspecific verbal reminders to cue memory retrieval, and that the VRM paradigm may be particularly valuable in examining the age at which this initially occurs.
The mirror neuron system: grasping others’ actions from birth?
Authors: Lepage Jean‐François , Théoret Hugo 
Published: July 2007

Abstract In the adult human brain, the presence of a system matching the observation and the execution of actions is well established. This mechanism is thought to rely primarily on the contribution of so‐called ‘mirror neurons’, cells that are active when a specific gesture is executed as well as when it is seen or heard. Despite the wealth of evidence detailing the existence of a mirror neuron system (MNS) in the adult brain, little is known about its normal development. Yet, a better understanding of the MNS in infants would be of considerable theoretical and clinical interest, as dysfunctions within the MNS have been demonstrated in neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder. Arguments in favor of an innate, or very early, mechanism underlying action understanding mainly come from studies of neonatal imitation, the existence of which has been questioned by some. Here, we review evidence suggesting the presence of an MNS in the human child, as well as work that suggests, although indirectly, the existence of a mechanism matching the perception and the execution of actions in the human newborn.
Diet Revealed?: Semiparametric Estimation of Nutrient Intake–Age Relationships
Authors: Chesher Andrew 
Published: July 2007

Summary
Smoothed estimates of the complex relationships between age and intakes of energy, fat, calcium and vitamin C are obtained for males and females from British National Food Survey data covering the period 1974–94. Since the data record household food acquisitions during a survey week, not food consumption by individuals, a model is constructed in which average nutrient intakes by sex at each completed year of age are parameters which are estimated by roughness penalized least squares. Income per head and region of residence are controlled for in a non-linear extension of the model. The sensitivity of the estimates to variations in eating out and the incidence of visitors is examined. Age- and sex-specific estimates of the proportion of energy from fat, a key health indicator, are derived and compared across a 21-year period.
Bayesian Analysis of DNA Profiling Data in Forensic Identification Applications
Authors: Foreman Lindsey A. , Smith Adrian F. M. , Evett Ian W. 
Published: July 2007

Summary
The utilization of DNA evidence in cases of forensic identification has become widespread over the last few years. The strength of this evidence against an individual standing trial is typically presented in court in the form of a likelihood ratio (LR) or its reciprocal (the profile match probability). The value of this LR will vary according to the nature of the genetic relationship between the accused and other possible perpetrators of the crime in the population. This paper develops ideas and methods for analysing data and evaluating LRs when the evidence is based on short tandem repeat profiles, with special emphasis placed on a Bayesian approach. These are then applied in the context of a particular quadruplex profiling system used for routine case-work by the UK Forensic Science Service.
Statistical Classification Methods in Consumer Credit Scoring: A Review
Authors: Hand D. J. , Henley W. E. 
Published: July 2007

Summary
Credit scoring is the term used to describe formal statistical methods used for classifying applicants for credit into ‘good’ and ‘bad’ risk classes. Such methods have become increasingly important with the dramatic growth in consumer credit in recent years. A wide range of statistical methods has been applied, though the literature available to the public is limited for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Particular problems arising in the credit scoring context are examined and the statistical methods which have been applied are reviewed.
INTEREST AS AN ARTEFACT OF SELF‐VALIDATING CENTRAL BANK BELIEFS
Authors: Aspromourgos Tony 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThe classical/Sraffian approach to distribution is proposed as a more congenial framework for Keynes's concept of interest as a conventional variable—resulting from the interplay between central bank behaviour and financial market sentiment—because it provides a sounder basis for multiple interest rate equilibria. While either monetary policy or market expectations can be decisive, the capacity of policy to ensure markets acquiesce in the authorities' view remains at least as plausible as Keynes supposed. Interest is a result of ‘history’ plus the beliefs of the monetary authorities, where those beliefs may be illusory but nevertheless validated by actual outcomes.
NON‐LINEAR PRICING AS A COOPERATIVE GAME
Authors: Andersson Tommy 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper characterizes non‐linear outlay schedules that are based on a cooperative surplus‐sharing game with transferable utility. First, the pricing game is shown to be convex and, as a consequence, to have a non‐empty core. This is followed by a description of the necessary and sufficient conditions for the envy‐free core to be non‐empty.
PROLIFERATION OF ACADEMIC JOURNALS: EFFECTS ON RESEARCH QUANTITY AND QUALITY
Authors: Goel Rajeev K. , Faria João Ricardo 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThere have been significant structural changes in research markets in recent years reflected in the increase in the number of academic journals. This paper uses a differential game model of authors and journal editors to examine the effects of an increase in competition among academic journals. Does an increase in the number of academic journals lead to an increase in scholarly articles published? Will an increase in publishing outlets adversely affect research quality? The results show greater competition does not affect research output and in fact enhances research quality. The number of journals and the relative discount rates of authors and editors are crucial determinants of the effects of competition.
Psoralen and ultraviolet A and narrow‐band ultraviolet B in inducing stability in vitiligo, assessed by vitiligo disease activity score: an open prospective comparative study
Authors: Bhatnagar A , Kanwar AJ , Parsad D , De D 
Published: July 2007

AbstractBackground  Vitiligo is a common pigmentary disorder with great cosmetic and psychological morbidity and an unpredictable course. No treatment available is a definitive cure. Systemic psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) has been the mainstay of treatment. Narrow‐band UVB (NBUVB) was later introduced. In this study, we have compared the phototherapy modalities PUVA and NBUVB in inducing stability in vitiligo, assessed by using vitiligo disease activity score (VIDA), for the first time.Aims  To investigate the position of NBUVB vis‐à‐vis PUVA in terms of stability achieved during therapy as indicated by the VIDA scores.Subjects and methods  It was an open, prospective study of 50 patients divided equally in PUVA and NBUVB groups. The study period was from January 2004 to June 2005. This study was done as a part of a larger project to compare the efficacy of mentioned modalities in degree of repigmentation.Results  In the NBUVB group, disease activity was present in 40% patients before commencement of therapy, which was reduced to 16% at the end of therapy (statistically significant, P = 0.049). In the PUVA group, similar figures were 20% and 16%, respectively. In the NBUVB group, 50% of patients whose disease was active prior to commencement of therapy had less than 50% repigmentation, whereas an equal number of patients had repigmentation of more than 50%. Almost an equal number of stable patients had less than and more than 50% repigmentation. In the PUVA group, 4 of the 5 (80%) patients who had active disease had less than 50% repigmentation, whereas only 1 patient (20%) with active disease obtained more than 50% repigmentation. The time to attain stability was 3.6 ± 2.1 months in the NBUVB group and 3.22 ± 3.1 months in the PUVA group. Eight of the 10 (80%) patients with unstable disease in the NBUVB group achieved stability, whereas 2 of the 5 (40%) patients of similar pre‐treatment status in the PUVA group achieved stability.Conclusion  NBUVB was in a more statistically advantageous position vis‐à‐vis PUVA, in respect to stability achieved and efficacy in both active and stable disease in a comparable time period.
The importance of setting the right genetic distance threshold for identification of clones using amplified fragment length polymorphism: a case study with five species in the tropical plant genus Piper
Authors: LASSO E 
Published: July 2007

AbstractAmplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) has been widely used for clone identification, but numerous studies have shown that clonemates do not always present identical AFLP fingerprints. Pairwise AFLP distances that distinguish known clones from nonclones have been used to identify a threshold genetic dissimilarity distance below which samples are considered to represent a single clone. Most studies to date have reported threshold values between 2% and 4%. Here, I determine the consistency of the clonal threshold across five species in the tropical plant genus Piper, and evaluate the sensitivity of genetic diversity indices and estimates of frequency of clonal reproduction to the threshold value selected. I sampled multiple ramets per individual from widely distributed plants for each of the five Piper species to set a threshold at the point where the error rate of clonal assignments was lowest. I then sampled all individuals of each shade‐tolerant species in a 1‐ha plot, and of each light‐demanding species in 25 × 35‐m plot, to estimate the frequency of asexual recruitment in natural populations using a series of different thresholds including the threshold set with the preliminary sampling. Clonal threshold values for the different species ranged from 0% to 5% AFLP genetic dissimilarity distance. To determine the sensitivity of estimates of clonal reproduction, I calculated several clonal diversity indexes for the natural populations of each of the five species guided by the range in clonal threshold values observed across the five Piper species. I show that small changes in the value of the clonal threshold can lead to very different conclusions regarding the level of clonal reproduction in natural populations.
Eighteen trinucleotide microsatellite loci for the solitary vespid wasp Monobia quadridens
Authors: FOUNE CATHERINE L. , BISSETT BOE L. , COWAN DAVID P. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe identified 18 polymorphic, trinucleotide microsatellite loci for the solitary vespid wasp Monobia quadridens. These markers are to be used for parentage assessment and for studying population structure and inbreeding. Forty‐eight diploid females from Southwest Michigan, USA were screened for allelic variation at each locus. Observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.50 to 0.88. The primers were also tested on two other solitary vespid wasps Ancistrocerus adiabatus and Ancistrocerus antilope.
Microsatellite markers for leatherside chubs Lepidomeda aliciae and Lepidomeda copei
Authors: MOCK K. E. , BJERREGAARD L. S. , BELK M. C. , ROWE C. , JOHNSON J. B. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe report the isolation and characterization of eight microsatellite markers in a rare desert cyprinid fish, the leatherside chub. This taxon has recently been divided into two species (Lepidomeda aliciae and Lepidomeda copei) based on genetic, ecological and morphological data, and we explore the utility of these microsatellite loci in both species. All eight loci show promise as highly polymorphic markers in L. aliciae, but only three of the markers appear to be useful in L. copei.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from the hosta species Hosta albomarginata (Liliaceae)
Authors: YAMAMOTO HIDETOSHI , YAMADA TAKAYUKI , MAKI MASAYUKI 
Published: July 2007

AbstractHostas are very popular ornamental plants in gardens in the United States, Europe, and East Asia. We have developed nine microsatellite loci from an enrichment library of genomic DNA in Hosta albomarginata. We characterized these nine microsatellite loci for 20 individuals from a population of H. albomarginata. The primers developed in this study yielded an average of 12.4 alleles per locus (range five to 20) and an average expected heterozygosity of 0.86 (range 0.65 to 0.95). These markers will be powerful tools for breeding programmes of hosta cultivars, studies of population genetics, and the conservation of wild hosta species.