bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Who Would Marry a Strong Woman? A Short Story by Bhagvaticharan Varma
Authors: DAMSTEEGT THEO 
Published: July 2007

AbstractIn Varma's story ‘Pata-banethi’, a robust young man refuses to marry a female student when he finds out that she is trained in defensive violence, as a virangana. At first sight, the story appears to draw attention to the difficulties women trained like men in fighting will have in getting married and finding a place in society. An analysis of characterisation, however, suggests that Varma's story goes against such a stereotypic male evaluation of strong women, and actually underlines the social and political value of violence controlled by mental strength, a value that can be recognised by both men and women.
Resource depletion inAedes aegyptimosquitoes infected by the microsporidiaVavraia culicis
Authors: RIVERO A. , AGNEW P. , BEDHOMME S. , SIDOBRE C. , MICHALAKIS Y. 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARYParasitic infection is often associated with changes in host life-history traits, such as host development. Many of these life-history changes are ultimately thought to be the result of a depletion or reallocation of the host's resources driven either by the host (to minimize the effects of infection) or by the parasite (to maximize its growth rate). In this paper we investigate the energetic budget ofAedes aegyptimosquito larvae infected byVavraia culicis, a microsporidian parasite that transmits horizontally between larvae, and which has been previously shown to reduce the probability of pupation of its host. Our results show that infected larvae have significantly less lipids, sugars and glycogen than uninfected larvae. These differences in resources were not due to differences in larval energy intake (feeding rate) or expenditure (metabolic rate). We conclude that the lower energetic resources of infected mosquitoes are the result of the high metabolic demands that microsporidian parasites impose on their hosts. Given the fitness advantages for the parasite of maintaining the host in a larval stage, we discuss whether resource depletion may also be a parasite mechanism to prevent the pupation of the larvae and thus maximize its own transmission.
Heading for Retirement? National Insurance, State Pensions, and the Future of the Contributory Principle in the UK
Authors: HILLS JOHN 
Published: July 2007

This article discusses the implications of the decline of National Insurance in Britain, witnessed by its declining share of social security spending and steady dilution of the ‘contributory principle’ on which it was originally based. This decline is not accidental: under governments of the Left, arguments for inclusion have predominated, non-contributory benefits expanded and contribution conditions softened; under those of the Right, limited resources have been focused on the poorest through means-testing. From this starting point, the strong arguments in principle for social insurance look much weaker. However, there are also reasons why the system has not been swept away, notably the way in which most of it concerns already accrued state pension rights.The effect of current plans for state pensions is to restore something closer to a flat rate state pension, but with significant complexity. The article suggests a way in which a more transparent system could guarantee a total state pension at a fixed percentage of average earnings. Other National Insurance benefits could either be separated from pensions and absorbed within other working age social security, or the scope of National Insurance could be maintained, but based on a test of participation, not past contributions.
Two-year-olds use primary sentence accent to learn new words
Authors: GRASSMANN SUSANNE , TOMASELLO MICHAEL 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTGerman children aged 2 ; 1 heard a sentence containing a nonce noun and a nonce verb (Der Feks miekt). Either the noun or the verb was prosodically highlighted by increased pitch, duration and loudness. Independently, either the object or the action in the ongoing referential scene was the new element in the situation. Children learned the nonce noun only when it was both highlighted prosodically and the object in the scene was referentially new. They did not learn the nonce verb in any condition. These results suggest that from early in linguistic development, young children understand that prosodic salience in a sentence indicates referential newness.
How children process over-regularizations: Evidence from event-related brain potentials
Authors: CLAHSEN HARALD , LÜCK MONIKA , HAHNE ANJA 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThis study examines the mental processes involved in children's on-line recognition of inflected word forms using event-related potentials (ERPs). Sixty children in three age groups (20 six- to seven-year-olds, 20 eight- to nine-year-olds, 20 eleven- to twelve-year-olds) and 23 adults (tested in a previous study) listened to sentences containing correct or incorrect German noun plural forms. In the two older child groups, as well as in the adult group, over-regularized plural forms elicited brain responses that are characteristic of combinatorial (grammatical) violations. We also found that ERP components associated with language processing change from child to adult with respect to their onsets and their topography. The ERP violation effects obtained for over-regularizations suggest that children (aged eight years and above) and adults employ morphological computation for processing purposes, consistent with dual-mechanism models of inflection. The observed differences between children's and adults' ERP responses are argued to result from children's smaller lexicons and from slower and less efficient processing.
Characterizing communicative development in children referred for Autism Spectrum Disorders using the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI)
Authors: LUYSTER RHIANNON , LOPEZ KRISTINA , LORD CATHERINE 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTCharacterizing early communicative development in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) is valuable for understanding profiles of ability in this population. The current investigation was modeled on Charman, Drew, Baird & Baird (2003b). Analyses explored parent report of early vocabulary, non-verbal communication, functional object use and play skills on the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) in 93 children with ASD, 31 children with developmental delay (DD) and 29 typically developing children. Results were generally consistent with those of Charman and colleagues (2003b), suggesting that skills improve with increasing non-verbal mental age and chronological age but that most children with ASD are delayed in receptive and expressive vocabulary and non-verbal communication, functional object use and play skills. Vocabulary profiles in the ASD sample were similar to those in the comparison samples, as was the developmental pattern of gesture and vocabulary mastery. However, when compared to published norms, children with ASD may show less of a discrepancy between their receptive and expressive vocabulary.
Social contacts of school children and the transmission of respiratory-spread pathogens
Authors: MIKOLAJCZYK R. T. , AKMATOV M. K. , RASTIN S. , KRETZSCHMAR M. 
Published: July 2007

SUMMARYEmpirical data about contact frequencies of children is needed for estimating parameters in mathematical modelling studies that investigate the effect of targeting influenza intervention to children. A survey about the social contacts of school children was conducted in a primary school in Germany. The distribution of the daily numbers of contacts was stratified by age of the contacted person and by weekday. A negative binomial regression analysis was performed to investigate factors that influence contact behaviour. Using logistic regression analysis we examined the relationship between the numbers of private contacts and having been ill in the last 6 months. We computed effective contact numbers to take the heterogeneity in contact behaviour into account in assessing the contribution of children's contacts to the overall transmission of an infection. The possible effects of intervention measures such as school closure and vaccination on the transmission of respiratory-spread agents to other age groups are discussed.
Familial muscular ventricular septal defects and aneurysms of the muscular interventricular septum
Authors: Nicolae Mugur I. , Summers Kim M. , Radford Dorothy J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractWe describe 3 siblings with muscular ventricular septal defects, two requiring surgical closure. One of their offspring had a rare congenital aneurysm of the muscular ventricular septum, also requiring surgery. Another had a small muscular ventricular septal defect which closed spontaneously. Their father had echocardiographic evidence suggestive of a closed muscular defect. Paternal cousins have had ventricular septal defect, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and tetralogy of Fallot. There was no evidence of 22q11 deletion.Although ventricular septal defects are the most common congenital heart defect, such familial clustering is uncommon. The distribution of cases in this family suggests autosomal dominant inheritance. With echocardiography, and more precise diagnosis of defects which close, a larger genetic component may be revealed in other families.
Impact of placing a conduit from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries as the first stage of further palliation in the Norwood sequence for hypoplasia of the left heart
Authors: Kostolny Martin , Hoerer Juergen , Eicken Andreas , Dietrich Claudia , Schreiber Christian F. , Lange Ruediger 
Published: July 2007

AbstractObjectiveWe describe the experience from a single institution with the Norwood sequence of palliation for hypoplasia of the left heart, emphasizing complications related to placement of a conduit from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries and their management.MethodsBetween November, 2002 and January, 2006, we palliated 32 patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or its variants by placing a conduit from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries. We reviewed retrospectively the charts and angiograms from these patients.ResultsHospital survival after construction of the conduit was 90.6%. There were 3 interstage deaths, of which 2 were likely due severe obstruction of the conduit. Stents were implanted into the proximal or medial portions of the conduits of 3 patients. Early revision of the distal anastomosis, and shortening the conduit, was performed early postoperatively in 2 patients. So far, 24 out 26 survivors of the first stage underwent a bi-directional cavopulmonary anastomosis after a mean interval of 4.3 plus or minus 1.4 months. Of these, 3 required a semi-urgent second stage of palliation because of worsening cyanosis, with one patient dying after the second stage. Completion of the Fontan circulation by insertion of an extracardiac conduit was performed in 8 patients at the mean age of 19.8 plus or minus 2.2 months. We were able to achieve biventricular repair in 1 patient, with aortic atresia, hypoplastic arch and ventricular septal defect, 4.3 months after the initial palliative procedure. Overall survival of the whole cohort of 32 patients was 78.9%, plus or minus 7.8%, at 5 months, and 74.3%, plus or minus 8.6%, up to 25 months.ConclusionsThe introduction of the conduit placed from the right ventricle to the pulmonary arteries has led to an improved outcome in the complex entity of hypoplastic left heart syndrome and its variants. Stenosis of the conduit, nonetheless, may account for significant interstage morbidity, and often requires intervention or early installation of the second stage of palliation.
Adult self‐sufficiency and social adjustment in care leavers from children's homes: a long‐term assessment
Authors: Del Valle Jorge F. , Bravo Amaia , Alvarez Elvira , Fernanz Ana 
Published: July 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper presents a study carried out in Spain that followed up 260 young people, the majority of them adults, who had been in residential care for significant periods. The follow‐up takes place between 1 and 9 years after participants had left residential care, and assesses their level of social and work integration, as well as considering the incidence of problems related to marginalization and social exclusion. Furthermore, it analyses the reasons for the child being taken into care, the socio‐family context, length of stay, changes in placement and other features or incidents in relation to the residential care. The data show that close to 15% have serious problems (drug dependence, delinquency, etc.), 25% receive help from the social services and the rest manage independently to a greater or lesser extent. We discuss the significance of these data, especially the relationship between the final result and the initial and process variables.
MEN1 gene mutations in Hungarian patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1
Authors: Balogh Katalin , Hunyady Laszlo , Patocs Attila , Gergics Peter , Valkusz Zsuzsa , Toth Miklos , Racz Karoly 
Published: July 2007

SummaryObjective  Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an autosomal dominant hereditary disorder associated with mutations of the MEN1 gene. MEN1 may present as a familial or a sporadic disorder, with multiple endocrine tumours including parathyroid adenomas or hyperplasias, and pancreatic endocrine and pituitary gland tumours. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and spectrum of MEN1 gene mutations in Hungarian patients with familial and sporadic MEN1 and in those with a MEN1‐related state.Design  Mutation analysis, using temporal temperature gradient gel electrophoresis and direct sequencing of all coding exons and the corresponding exon–intron boundaries of the MEN1 gene, was performed.Patients and measurements  Peripheral blood DNA was obtained from 32 patients (19 index patients with familial or sporadic MEN1 and 13 index patients with familial or sporadic MEN1‐related state). First degree relatives were also studied.Results  Ten different MEN1 gene mutations were identified in 10 index patients, including four novel mutations (A91V, G28A and E26X all in exon 2, and L301R in exon 6). All but one mutation occurred in index patients with familial or sporadic MEN1; the prevalence of mutation was considerably higher in index patients with familial MEN1 (6/6 patients, 100%) than in those with sporadic MEN1 (3/13 patients, 23%). Of the 13 index patients with a MEN1‐related state, only one patient with recurrent isolated primary hyperparathyroidism had a MEN1 gene mutation. Family screening indicated mutations in six symptomatic and in one asymptomatic first degree relative.Conclusion  These results confirm previous reports on the high prevalence of novel MEN1 gene mutations among patients with MEN1, and support the questionable efficacy of mutation screening in patients with sporadic MEN1‐related states.
Amniotic fluid testosterone: relationship with cortisol and gestational age
Authors: Sarkar P. , Bergman K. , Fisk N. M. , O’Connor T. G. , Glover V. 
Published: July 2007

SummaryIntroduction  Foetal exposure to testosterone is increasingly implicated in the programming of future reproductive and nonreproductive behaviour. Some outcomes associated with prenatal exposure to testosterone may be predicted from exposure to prenatal stress, suggesting a link between them. The peak serum levels of testosterone in the foetus are thought to be around 14–18 weeks’ gestation, and we explored testosterone levels at different gestations. Although best investigated in foetal plasma, this is now difficult because of the decline in frequency of foetal blood sampling; in this study, we used amniotic fluid as a biomarker to investigate foetal exposure.Aims  To investigate the relationship between amniotic fluid testosterone, amniotic fluid cortisol, foetal gender, and gestational age.Methods  Paired amniotic fluid and maternal plasma samples were collected from 264 pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis between 15 and 37 weeks’ gestation (median 17 weeks [119 days]). Total testosterone and cortisol in amniotic fluid, and total plasma testosterone (maternal) were measured by radioimmunoassay.Results  Amniotic fluid testosterone levels were higher in male than in female foetuses, with a median (interquartile range) of 0·85 nmol/l (0·60–1·17 nmol/l) and 0·28 nmol/l (0·175–0·45 nmol/l), respectively. No relationship between amniotic fluid testosterone and gestational age was detected in either sex. Amniotic fluid testosterone correlated positively with amniotic fluid cortisol in both sexes (r = 0·30 male foetuses, r = 0·33 female foetuses, P < 0·001 for both), and remained significant in multivariate analysis.Conclusion  Testosterone in amniotic fluid did not change with gestation in the second and third trimester, raising questions about the timing of the reported early peak in the male foetus. The positive correlation between cortisol and testosterone in amniotic fluid suggests that increased foetal exposure to cortisol may also be associated with increased exposure to testosterone.
Circulating visfatin level is correlated with inflammation, but not with insulin resistance
Authors: Oki Kenji , Yamane Kiminori , Kamei Nozomu , Nojima Hideki , Kohno Nobuoki 
Published: July 2007

SummaryObjective  Recent studies, both in vitro and in vivo, have indicated that visfatin is one of the inflammatory cytokines, although the relationship between visfatin and insulin resistance remains inconclusive. Accordingly, we assessed the association between visfatin concentrations in serum and those of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and C‐reactive protein (CRP), known as markers of systemic inflammation, and also investigated the relationship between these serum concentrations and insulin resistance.Design and method  A total of 295 Japanese Americans living in Hawaii (126 men and 169 women, mean age 68·7 ± 14·9 years) were enrolled. The serum levels of visfatin, IL‐6 and CRP levels were measured, and homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) was calculated as a marker of insulin resistance.Results  Significant positive correlations were found between serum levels of visfatin and IL‐6 or CRP (r = 0·271, P < 0·001; r = 0·118, P < 0·05, respectively). Multiple regression analysis revealed that correlations between serum levels of visfatin and IL‐6 or CRP remained significant after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, per cent body fat and waist girth. There was no significant trend of the HOMA‐IR for the tertiles of serum concentrations of visfatin. On the other hand, a significant trend towards increase of HOMA‐IR with increasing tertile of serum concentrations, from the lowest to the highest, was observed for both IL‐6 and CRP. The HOMA‐IR in subjects with serum concentration of IL‐6 or CRP in the highest or intermediate tertiles of IL‐6 or CRP were significantly higher than that in subjects in the lowest tertile, even after adjustment for age and sex (IL‐6: P < 0·001 and P < 0·001, respectively; CRP: P < 0·001 and P < 0·01, respectively).Conclusion  Serum visfatin levels were positively correlated with the serum levels of IL‐6 and slightly related with serum levels of CRP, but not with HOMA‐IR, in Japanese Americans. Our results indicate that circulating visfatin may reflect inflammation status.
A novel epithelial sodium channel γ‐subunit de novo frameshift mutation leads to Liddle syndrome
Authors: Wang Yibo , Zheng Yi , Chen Jinxing , Wu Haiying , Zheng Deyu , Hui Rutai 
Published: July 2007

SummaryObjective  Liddle syndrome is a rare autosomal‐dominant monogenic form of hypertension caused by mutations in the C‐termini of the epithelial sodium channel β‐ or γ‐subunit encoded by SCNN1B and SCNN1G, respectively, and often presenting with a familial history of hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine whether mutations of SCNN1B or SCNN1G were present in a patient clinically suspected to have Liddle syndrome with no familial history of hypertension.Design and patients  We screened the C‐terminus of SCNN1B and SCNN1G in the patient, and also screened for the mutation in his parents, 50 hypertensive patients and 50 controls.Results  In this patient, no mutations were found in the C‐terminus of SCNN1B. However, we found a frameshift mutation caused by an ‘AGCTC’ deletion at the 583 codon in SCNN1G. The frameshift resulted in a new termination site at the 585 codon of the γ‐subunit and the deletion of its PY motif. Neither his parents nor 50 randomly selected patients with hypertension nor 50 controls have the mutation, indicating that this is a de novo mutation and not a common genetic polymorphism.Conclusion  The de novo mutation is the first reported frameshift of the γ‐subunit causing Liddle syndrome. These data imply that a familial history of hypertension is not an essential criterion for the diagnosis of Liddle syndrome.
Replicability of physicochemistry and macroinvertebrate assemblages in stream mesocosms: implications for experimental research
Authors: HARRIS REBECCA M. L. , ARMITAGE PATRICK D. , MILNER ALEXANDER M. , LEDGER MARK E. 
Published: July 2007

Summary1. The replicability of mesocosms is assessed in a case study of artificial streams (4 m2) flanking a lowland chalk river in southern U.K. Among‐mesocosm comparisons of physicochemistry and macroinvertebrate assemblage composition (in drift and benthos) were made during a 2‐year survey of 12 outdoor once‐through linear channels.2. Mesocosm physicochemistry was highly replicable, with statistically significant congruence in temporal variation across the mesocosm series, low spatial variation and no significant blocking or positional effects arising from mesocosm layout. Parallel physicochemistry was attributed to the outdoor stream‐side location and short water residence times.3. Mesocosms were colonized by 127 macroinvertebrate taxa from 15 taxonomic orders. Both benthic and drifting assemblages were comparable among mesocosms, with no significant effect of mesocosm layout. Small differences in taxonomic composition were, however, evident among particular mesocosms, with higher (e.g. Tinodes, Limnius and Elmis) or lower (e.g. Pisidium and Valvata) abundances observed for a minority (5%) of taxa. We conclude that large (4 m2) outdoor flow – through mesocosms can be replicable when located near to the source system and allowed to establish naturally.
Diet‐induced central obesity and insulin resistance in rabbits
Authors: Zhao S. , Chu Y. , Zhang C. , Lin Y. , Xu K. , Yang P. , Fan J. , Liu E. 
Published: July 2007

SummaryThe present study was designed to examine whether rabbits fed a diet containing high fat and sucrose could develop obesity and insulin resistance (IR), the major pathophysiological features of metabolic syndrome. Male Japanese white rabbits were fed either a normal chow diet (control) or high fat and sucrose diet (HFSD) for 36 weeks. Plasma levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), glucose and insulin were measured. To evaluate glucose metabolism, we performed an intravenous glucose tolerance test. In addition, we compared adipose tissue accumulation in HFSD‐fed rabbits with that in normal rabbits. HFSD constantly and significantly led to an increase in body weight of HFSD‐fed rabbits, caused by significantly higher visceral adipose tissue accumulation. Although there were no differences in plasma TG, TC, glucose, insulin levels and blood pressure between the two groups, HFSD‐fed rabbits showed impaired glucose clearance associated with higher levels of insulin secretion compared to control rabbits. Our results showed that HFSD induced IR and increased adipose accumulation in rabbits, suggesting that HFSD‐fed rabbits may become a model for research on human IR and obesity.