Super PAC funding and its impact on voting behavior in the U.S. House of Representatives

In light of the increasing levels of polarization in terms of voting behavior among members of the U.S. House of Representatives over the 112th, 113th, and 114th Congresses, coupled with the recent Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commision 558 U.S. 310 (2010), which authorized the use of unlimited fundraising and expenditure by outside groups in elections, the question was raised whether or not there was a correlation between these two occurrences. Specifically, this paper asks “what role does Super PAC funding play in the roll call vote choices of House Members of the 114th Congress?” To answer this, a chi-square test of independence is conducted between the dependent variable of vote choice and the independent variable of Super PAC funding across several different issue strata. I find that Super PAC funding is correlated strongly to House of Representatives members’ roll call vote choice

A promising new ELISA diagnostic test for cattle babesiosis based on Babesia bigemina Apical Membrane Antigen-1.

Babesiosis due to Babesia bigemina is a relevant tick‑borne disease, affecting cattle worldwide. Many surface proteins of the pathogen including the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA‑1) ‑ have been analysed for vaccine and diagnostic purposes. This study focused on B. bigemina AMA‑1 and on its use for the assessment of diagnostic tests. After bioinformatic analyses, AMA‑1 codifying region was amplified and cloned into an expression vector used to induce protein synthesis in Escherichia coli cells. AMA‑1 was purified by affinity chromatography and used to set up the best condition for an ELISA protocol. Bovine field sera positive to B. bigemina were used to evaluate the presence of anti‑AMA‑1 antibodies. In order to verify the assay specificity, sera positive to Babesia bovis or to the piroplasm Theileria annulata were also included. Significant differences were obtained between sera negative to both B. bigemina and B. bovis and samples positive to B. bigemina, to B. bovis or to both pathogens. No significant reaction was observed with T. annulata positive sera. The results showed that AMA‑1 protein is suitable to be used as antigen in diagnostic assays for babesiosis diagnosis in cattle, as it does not show any cross reaction with anti-T. annulata antibodies

Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase concentrations are less variable than those of parathyroid hormone in stable hemodialysis patients

Abnormalities of bone mineral metabolism and vascular calcification are prevalent in patients with kidney failure. Clinical management is based on biochemical targets, in particular parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations, but this has many limitations including high biological variation. A possible alternative is bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP); therefore, we evaluated the biological variation of this marker in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Bone ALP was measured in non-fasting serum samples taken twice a week over a 6-week period in 22 stable hemodialysis patients and 12 healthy volunteers. The within-individual coefficients of variance were calculated and used to derive the critical difference required to be certain that an observed change was significant. The coefficient of variance for bone ALP was significantly higher in hemodialysis patients compared to healthy individuals. Seven samples were required to estimate the homeostatic set point of bone ALP, within 10%, in a hemodialysis patient. The concentration of serial bone ALP measurements would need to change by 36% between any two measurements before it can be considered a significant change. Since the biological variation of bone ALP is less than half that reported for PTH, our study provides further support for the use of bone ALP as an alternative marker of bone mineral metabolism in the setting of chronic kidney disease–mineral and bone disorder

OliveCan: a process-based model of development, growth and yield of olive orchards

Original ResearchSeveral simulation models of the olive crop have been formulated so far, but none of them is capable of analyzing the impact of environmental conditions and management practices on water relations, growth and productivity under both wellirrigated and water-limiting irrigation strategies. This paper presents and tests OliveCan, a process-oriented model conceived for those purposes. In short, OliveCan is composed of three main model components simulating the principal elements of the water and carbon balances of olive orchards and the impacts of some management operations. To assess its predictive power, OliveCan was tested against independent data collected in two 3-year field experiments conducted in Córdoba, Spain, each of them applying different irrigation treatments. An acceptable level of agreement was found between measured and simulated values of seasonal evapotranspiration (ET, range 393 to 1016 mm year1; RMSE of 89 mm year1), daily transpiration (Ep, range 0.14–3.63 mm d1; RMSE of 0.32 mm d1) and oil yield (Yoil, range 13–357 g m2; RMSE of 63 g m2). Finally, knowledge gaps identified during the formulation of the model and further testing needs are discussed, highlighting that there is additional room for improving its robustness. It is concluded that OliveCan has a strong potential as a simulation platform for a variety of research applicationsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidence-based guidelines for the use of biochemical markers of bone turnover in the selection and monitoring of bisphosphonate treatment in osteoporosis: a consensus document of the Belgian Bone Club

OBJECTIVES: To review the clinical value of bone turnover markers (BTM), to initiate and/or monitor anti-resorptive treatment for osteoporosis compared with bone mineral density (BMD) and to evaluate suitable BTM and changes in BTM levels for significance of treatment efficiency. METHODOLOGY: Consensus meeting generating guidelines for clinical practice after review and discussion of the randomised controlled trials or meta-analyses on the management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. RESULTS: Although the correlation between BMD and BTM is statistically significant, BTM cannot be used as predictive markers of BMD in an individual patient. Both are independent predictors of fracture risk, but BTM can only be used as an additional risk factor in the decision to treat. Current data do not support the use of BTM to select the optimal treatment. However, they can be used to monitor treatment efficiency before BMD changes can be evaluated. Early changes in BTM can be used to measure the clinical efficacy of an anti-resorptive treatment and to reinforce patient compliance. DISCUSSION: Determining a threshold of BTM reflecting an optimal long-term effect is not obvious. The objective should be the return to the premenopausal range and/or a decrease at least equal to the least significant change (30%). Preanalytical and analytical variability of BTM is an important limitation to their use. Serum C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), procollagen 1 N terminal extension peptide and bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BSALP) appear to be the most suitable. Conclusion: Consensus regarding the use of BTM resulted in guidelines for clinical practice. BMD determines the indication to treat osteoporosis. BTM reflect treatment efficiency and can be used to motivate patients to persist with their medication.Consensus Development ConferenceJournal ArticlePractice GuidelineResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tReviewSCOPUS: cp.jFLWOAinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Sequences of Regressions Distinguish Nonmechanical from Mechanical Associations between Metabolic Factors, Body Composition, and Bone in Healthy Postmenopausal Women

Background: There is increasing recognition of complex interrelations between the endocrine functions of bone and fat tissues or organs.  Objective: The objective was to describe nonmechanical and mechanical links between metabolic factors, body composition, and bone with the use of graphical Markov models.  Methods: Seventy postmenopausal women with a mean ± SD age of 62.3 ± 3.7 y and body mass index (in kg/m2) of 24.9 ± 3.8 were recruited. Bone outcomes were peripheral quantitative computed tomography measures of the distal and diaphyseal tibia, cross-sectional area (CSA), volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), and cortical CSA. Biomarkers of osteoblast and adipocyte function were plasma concentrations of leptin, adiponectin, osteocalcin, undercarboxylated osteocalcin (UCOC), and phylloquinone. Body composition measurements were lean and percent fat mass, which were derived with the use of a 4-compartment model. Sequences of Regressions, a subclass of graphical Markov models, were used to describe the direct (nonmechanical) and indirect (mechanical) interrelations between metabolic factors and bone by simultaneously modeling multiple bone outcomes and their relation with biomarker outcomes with lean mass, percent fat mass, and height as intermediate explanatory variables.  Results: The graphical Markov models showed both direct and indirect associations linking plasma leptin and adiponectin concentrations with CSA and vBMD. At the distal tibia, lean mass, height, and adiponectin-UCOC interaction were directly explanatory of CSA (R2 = 0.45); at the diaphysis, lean mass, percent fat mass, leptin, osteocalcin, and age-adiponectin interaction were directly explanatory of CSA (R2 = 0.49). The regression models exploring direct associations for vBMD were much weaker, with R2 = 0.15 and 0.18 at the distal and diaphyseal sites, respectively. Lean mass and UCOC were associated, and the global Markov property of the graph indicated that this association was explained by osteocalcin.  Conclusions: This study, to our knowledge, offers a novel approach to the description of the complex physiological interrelations between adiponectin, leptin, and osteocalcin and the musculoskeletal system. There may be benefits to jointly targeting both systems to improve bone health

Bone turnover in elderly men: relationships to change in bone mineral density

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether bone turnover markers can be used to make inference regarding changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in untreated healthy elderly men. The present study was designed to address three specific questions: (i) is there a relationship between bone turnover markers and femoral neck BMD within an individual; (ii) is there a relationship between baseline measurements of bone turnover markers and subsequent change in BMD; and (iii) is there a relationship between changes in bone turnover markers and changes in femoral neck BMD? METHODS: The present study was part of the on-going Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study, which was designed as a prospective investigation. Men who had had at least 3 sequential visits with serum samples available during follow-up were selected from the study population. Serum C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (sICTP), N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (sPINP) and femoral neck BMD were measured by competitive radioimmunoassays. Femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by a densitometer (GE Lunar Corp, Madison, WI). Various mixed-effects models were used to assess the association between the markers and changes in BMD. RESULTS: One hundred and one men aged 70 ± 4.1 years (mean ± SD) met the criteria of selection for analysis. On average, sPINP decreased by 0.7% per year (p = 0.026), sICTP increased by 1.7% per year (p = 0.0002), and femoral neck BMD decreased by 0.4% per year (p < 0.01). Within-subject analysis indicated that changes in BMD were significantly associated with changes in sPINP (p = 0.022), but not with changes in sICTP (p = 0.84). However, neither baseline sPINP (p = 0.50) nor baseline sICTP (p = 0.63) was associated with subsequent changes in BMD. Moreover, changes in BMD were not significantly associated with previous changes in sPINP (p = 0.13) or sICTP (p = 0.95). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that in elderly men of Caucasian background, changes in sPINP were inversely related to changes in BMD within an individual. However, neither sPINP nor sICTP was sufficiently sensitive to predict the rate of change in BMD for a group of individuals or for an individual

Bone turnover is adequately suppressed in osteoporotic patients treated with bisphosphonates in daily practice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Monitoring osteoporosis therapy by measurement of bone turnover markers (BTMs) might detect non-compliance in an earlier stage of anti-osteoporosis treatment and improve persistence.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>BTMs were measured in two groups. The first group consisted of patients newly diagnosed with osteoporosis and starting treatment. We observed which proportion of patients had a decrease of serum levels of procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and C-terminal crosslinking telopeptide (CTX) greater than the least significant change (LSC) after 3 months of treatment. Secondly, we determined which proportion of patients who were treated with bisphosphonates for ≥ 3 months reached the biological goal of therapy, BTMs in the lower half of the normal premenopausal range. P1NP and CTX were also measured in a reference population of 34 healthy premenopausal women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the first group 31 patients were included, in 25 patients (81%) levels of both markers decreased with ≥ LSC, in the other patients a possible explanation was found.</p> <p>In the second group 95 patients were included, in 95% the serum P1NP levels and CTX levels were in the lower half of the premenopausal range. In 6 of the 7 patients with a level above the premenopausal range a possible explanation was found.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>A decrease in bone turnover ≥ LSC can be observed in the majority of newly treated patients. In chronically treated patients, 95% have a bone turnover in the premenopausal range. In most patients with inadequate suppression of BTMs during bisphosphonate treatment, an explanation was found. Monitoring treatment effect with BTMs in daily practice is feasible, and might be an additive tool in improving therapy compliance.</p