bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative Analysis of Outcome Measures Used in Examining Neurodevelopmental Effects of Early Childhood Anesthesia Exposure
Authors: Ing Caleb H. , DiMaggio Charles J. , Malacova Eva , Whitehouse Andrew J. , Hegarty Mary K. , Feng Tianshu , Brady Joanne E. , von Ungern-Sternberg Britta S. , Davidson Andrew J. , Wall Melanie M. , Wood Alastair J. J. , Li Guohua , Sun Lena S.
Published: April 2014

Introduction:

Immature animals exposed to anesthesia display apoptotic neurodegeneration and neurobehavioral deficits. The safety of anesthetic agents in children has been evaluated using a variety of neurodevelopmental outcome measures with varied results.

Methods:

The authors used data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study to examine the association between exposure to anesthesia in children younger than 3 yr of age and three types of outcomes at age of 10 yr: neuropsychological testing, International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification–coded clinical disorders, and academic achievement. The authors’ primary analysis was restricted to children with data for all outcomes and covariates from the total cohort of 2,868 children born from 1989 to 1992. The authors used a modified multivariable Poisson regression model to determine the adjusted association of anesthesia exposure with outcomes.

Results:

Of 781 children studied, 112 had anesthesia exposure. The incidence of deficit ranged from 5.1 to 7.8% in neuropsychological tests, 14.6 to 29.5% in International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification–coded outcomes, and 4.2 to 11.8% in academic achievement tests. Compared with unexposed peers, exposed children had an increased risk of deficit in neuropsychological language assessments (Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Total Score: adjusted risk ratio, 2.47; 95% CI, 1.41 to 4.33, Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Receptive Language Score: adjusted risk ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.19 to 4.18, and Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Expressive Language Score: adjusted risk ratio, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.08 to 3.68) and International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification–coded language and cognitive disorders (adjusted risk ratio, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.18 to 2.10), but not academic achievement scores.

Conclusions:

When assessing cognition in children with early exposure to anesthesia, the results may depend on the outcome measure used. Neuropsychological and International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification–coded clinical outcomes showed an increased risk of deficit in exposed children compared with that in unexposed children, whereas academic achievement scores did not. This may explain some of the variation in the literature and underscores the importance of the outcome measures when interpreting studies of cognitive function.
Dispersing hemipteran vectors have reduced arbovirus prevalence
Authors: Moore Amy T. , Brown Charles R.
Published: April 2014

A challenge in managing vector-borne zoonotic diseases in human and wildlife populations is predicting where epidemics or epizootics are likely to occur, and this requires knowing in part the likelihood of infected insect vectors dispersing pathogens from existing infection foci to novel areas. We measured prevalence of an arbovirus, Buggy Creek virus, in dispersing and resident individuals of its exclusive vector, the ectoparasitic swallow bug (
Oeciacus vicarius
), that occupies cliff swallow (
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
) colonies in western Nebraska. Bugs colonizing new colony sites and immigrating into established colonies by clinging to the swallows’ legs and feet had significantly lower virus prevalence than bugs in established colonies and those that were clustering in established colonies before dispersing. The reduced likelihood of infected bugs dispersing to new colony sites indicates that even heavily infected sites may not always export virus to nearby foci at a high rate. Infected arthropods should not be assumed to exhibit the same dispersal or movement behaviour as uninfected individuals, and these differences in dispersal should perhaps be considered in the epidemiology of vector-borne pathogens such as arboviruses.
Evaluation of inversion approaches for guided wave thickness mapping
Authors: Huthwaite P.
Published: April 2014

Accurate inversion is vital for quantitative imaging, including ultrasonic guided wave tomography, where thickness maps of plate-like structures are reconstructed to quantify corrosion damage. The dispersive properties of guided waves are often exploited to enable thickness maps to be produced from wave speed reconstructions. Ray tomography, diffraction tomography and a hybrid algorithm combining their features were investigated to reconstruct wave speed. Test data produced from simple defects of different sizes using a realistic full elastic guided wave model and the equivalent idealized acoustic model were passed to the imaging algorithms, generating wave speed maps, and, from these, thickness maps. For both datasets, ray tomography exhibited poor resolution. Diffraction tomography performed better, but was limited to shallow, small defects. The hybrid algorithm achieved the best results, giving a resolution around 1.5–2 wavelengths from the realistic test data compared to half wavelength from the idealized case. These results were validated with experimental data, and also extended to a realistic corrosion patch confirming the trends demonstrated with simple defects. The resolution loss with realistic data compared with idealized data indicates the acoustic model cannot accurately capture guided wave scattering and an alternative approach is necessary for better resolution reconstructions.
Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia
Authors: Spengler Robert , Frachetti Michael , Doumani Paula , Rouse Lynne , Cerasetti Barbara , Bullion Elissa , Mar'yashev Alexei
Published: April 2014

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC.
The effect of fast and slow motor unit activation on whole-muscle mechanical performance: the size principle may not pose a mechanical paradox
Authors: Holt N. C. , Wakeling J. M. , Biewener A. A.
Published: April 2014

The output of skeletal muscle can be varied by selectively recruiting different motor units. However, our knowledge of muscle function is largely derived from muscle in which all motor units are activated. This discrepancy may limit our understanding ofin vivomuscle function. Hence, this study aimed to characterize the mechanical properties of muscle with different motor unit activation. We determined the isometric properties and isotonic force–velocity relationship of rat plantaris musclesin situwith all of the muscle active, 30% of the muscle containing predominately slower motor units active or 20% of the muscle containing predominately faster motor units active. There was a significant effect of active motor unit type on isometric force rise time (p< 0.001) and the force–velocity relationship (p< 0.001). Surprisingly, force rise time was longer and maximum shortening velocity higher when all motor units were active than when either fast or slow motor units were selectively activated. We propose this is due to the greater relative effects of factors such as series compliance and muscle resistance to shortening during sub-maximal contractions. The findings presented here suggest that recruitment according to the size principle, where slow motor units are activated first and faster ones recruited as demand increases, may not pose a mechanical paradox, as has been previously suggested.
CTCF regulates the human p53 gene through direct interaction with its natural antisense transcript, Wrap53
Authors: Saldaña-Meyer Ricardo , González-Buendía Edgar , Guerrero Georgina , Narendra Varun , Bonasio Roberto , Recillas-Targa Félix , Reinberg Danny
Published: April 2014

The multifunctional CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) protein exhibits a broad range of functions, including that of insulator and higher-order chromatin organizer. We found that CTCF comprises a previously unrecognized region that is necessary and sufficient to bind RNA (RNA-binding region [RBR]) and is distinct from its DNA-binding domain. Depletion of cellular CTCF led to a decrease in not only levels of p53 mRNA, as expected, but also those of Wrap53 RNA, an antisense transcript originated from the p53 locus. PAR-CLIP-seq (photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation [PAR-CLIP] combined with deep sequencing) analyses indicate that CTCF binds a multitude of transcripts genome-wide as well as to Wrap53 RNA. Apart from its established role at the p53 promoter, CTCF regulates p53 expression through its physical interaction with Wrap53 RNA. Cells harboring a CTCF mutant in its RBR exhibit a defective p53 response to DNA damage. Moreover, the RBR facilitates CTCF multimerization in an RNA-dependent manner, which may bear directly on its role in establishing higher-order chromatin structures in vivo.
A comparison of Korean and US continuous improvement projects
Authors: Woong Jin Hyun , L. Doolen Toni
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Quality Circles and Kaizen Events have resulted in productivity and quality improvements for organizations. There is limited empirical research comparing these two approaches. This research study was designed to understand the similarities and differences in the structure and outcomes of these two popular continuous improvement approaches in Korea and the USA. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– A logic model was used to structure a comparative analysis of Quality Circles and Kaizen Events undertaken in six different organizations in Korea and the USA. A logic model framework consisting of four areas (resources, activities, outputs and outcomes) was used to assess the key components of these six improvement projects. Data for three different comparative case study project pairs were collected. Projects were matched on both manufacturer-level and project-level characteristics. Matched projects were similar in size and type of product produced.

Findings

– Similarities between Quality Circles and Kaizen Events were identified in every component of the logic model. Both mechanisms were effective in driving improvements in performance and in motivating employees, even though significant differences in the project size, type, and industrial sector existed across the six different projects.

Originality/value

– There was no evidence to support the conclusion that one continuous improvement approach is more or less effective than the other. Both approaches produced improvements in both technical and social system outcomes. Overall, it appears based on this study, that both Quality Circles and Kaizen Events can be successfully deployed in an organization's continuous improvement journey.
Roles of interactivity and usage experience in e-learning acceptance: a longitudinal study
Authors: Cheng Yung-Ming
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– This study's purposes were to longitudinally examine how interactivity factors as the antecedents to learner beliefs affected learners' intention to use the e-learning system and explore whether the effects on learners' usage intention of the e-learning system would change over time with increasing learners' usage experience of the system.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study gathered sample data from students at a comprehensive university in Taiwan. The sample data were collected in a two-stage survey and were analyzed by using the longitudinal methodology. A total of 252 students agreed to participate in this study, and 225 students effectively participated in both data collections, with a usable response rate of 89.29 percent. Data were analyzed by using structural equation modelling and multiple group analysis.

Findings

– Interactivity factors (controllability, responsiveness, two-way communication, and personalization) indirectly affected students' intention to use the e-learning system via the extrinsic motivators (perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU)) and intrinsic motivator (perceived enjoyment (PE)). Besides, students' experience in using the e-learning system moderated the effects of PU, PEOU, and PE on intention to use the system.

Originality/value

– Based on the extended technology acceptance model, the empirical evidence on capturing both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators for completely explaining interactivity antecedents of learners' e-learning acceptance is well documented in this study. Besides, it should be noted that this study contributes significantly to the body of research on evaluating whether the effects of learners' beliefs on their usage intention of the e-learning system may change over time with increasing experience in using the system.
Being “in” assessment: the ontological layer(ing) of assessment practice
Authors: Giles David , Earl Kerry
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Current discourses on educational assessment focus on the priority of learning. While this intent is invariably played out in classroom practice, a consideration of the ontological nature of assessment practice opens understandings which show the experiential nature of “being in assessment”. The purpose of this paper is to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– Using interpretive and hermeneutic analyses within a phenomenological inquiry, experiential accounts of the nature of assessment are worked for their emergent and ontological themes.

Findings

– These stories show the ontological nature of assessment as a matter of being in assessment in an embodied and holistic way.

Originality/value

– Importantly, the nature of a teacher's way-of-being matters to assessment practices. Implications exist for teacher educators and teacher education programmes in relation to the priority of experiential stories for understanding assessment practice, the need for re-balancing a concern for professional knowledge and practice with a students’ way of being in assessment, and the pedagogical implications of evoking sensitivities in assessment.
The impact of university students’ commitment on in- and extra-role performance
Authors: Felfe Jörg , Schyns Birgit , Tymon Alex
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Research has shown that employee commitment is an important factor in performance. Research into student commitment in the university context is less common and only few studies explore the different components and foci of commitment. The purpose of this paper is to examine the meaning of students’ commitment in the university context.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on a survey of 530 students, the results confirmed that, similar to the work context, different components and foci of commitment exist.

Findings

– Commitment to the university is primarily positively related to extra-role performance. Commitment to the study subject is positively related to both in-role and extra-role performance. Affective commitment to the university shows the strongest relationship with extra-role performance. However, there is a potential conflict between the two types of performance. The relationship between affective commitment to the university and extra-role performance decreases for students with a high intention to study efficiently as an indicator of in-role performance.

Practical implications

– The paper concludes that universities should strive to improve their students’ commitment, especially affective commitment to encourage a balance of both in-role and extra-role performance.

Originality/value

– This study looks into different foci and components of commitment and the potential for conflict for students between in-role and extra-role performance. The study has shown that commitment to the university and to the study subject likely enhances students’ in-role and extra-role performance; both of which are important to numerous stakeholders in the education context. As in other contexts, affective commitment has been shown to be the most powerful predictor of performance. This knowledge can help universities target their resources when trying to foster student commitment. However, because students might feel that extra-role performance is in conflict with in-role performance, universities might want to emphasize the benefits of both types of performance.
The impact of multiple textbook format availability in business education
Authors: Chulkov Dmitriy , VanAlstine Jason
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– Technology is changing the use of textbooks in higher education. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of offering multiple textbook formats in the same economics course using textbooks that provided multiple options including new and used printed books, as well as electronic books.

Design/methodology/approach

– The study is based on a survey conducted in nine sections of introductory economics classes at a public US university. The study took place within the confines of undergraduate courses that offered textbooks with multiple available formats. A survey collected information about the format each student selected, the factors that students considered when choosing the format, and their overall attitudes about their selection at the end of the semester. Demographic information was also recorded.

Findings

– The paper finds that students selected a variety of textbook options and identified the factors of cost, ease of use, and learning style as most important to their textbook format decision. Students overwhelmingly support the value of offering choice in textbook formats. In examining student selections further, the paper finds that among students that select an electronic textbook, cost is the dominant factor, while students selecting a new printed textbook mention their learning style and ease of use more often. Students that selected a used printed textbook identified cost, ease of use, and the ability to keep the textbook as factors important to them.

Originality/value

– This study provides evidence on the impact of having multiple textbook format options within the same course. Overall, the results suggest that the student population has diverse preferences and any uniform policy on textbook format selection may not satisfy the needs of all student groups. Furthermore, students themselves recognize the diversity in learning styles and see value in having options in textbook format selection.
The study of affecting factors on faculty members’ psychological empowerment
Authors: Gholifar Ehsan , Gholami Hesamedin
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the affecting factors on faculty members’ psychological empowerment of agricultural colleges in Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

– A sample of 404 faculty members from 12 agricultural colleges participated in this survey study. Based on the literature a conceptual model of factors affecting psychological empowerment of agricultural faculty members was proposed. Regression analysis was used to determine the effect of proposed affecting factors.

Findings

– Results showed that professional skills, organizational culture and management-organizational factors, respectively, had the most positive significant effect on psychological empowerment of agricultural faculty members.

Research limitations/implications

– The measuring of professional skills, one of the effective factors on faculty members’ psychological empowerment, by asking their colleagues or students may lead to more accurate data while in this study was evaluated through self-assessment.

Practical implications

– The relative weakness/strength of agricultural colleges in different dimensions of faculty members’ psychological empowerment and also factors affecting them can be used as a basis for planning for improving agricultural faculty members’ psychological empowerment.

Originality/value

– The proposed conceptual model provided a framework for investigating the factors affecting psychological empowerment of agricultural faculty members and was empirically tested.
Applied Intellectual Capital Management
Authors: Whyte Merryl , Zyngier Suzanne
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to describe outcomes from a trial of the Danish Intellectual Capital Statement (ICS) within the Australian public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

– Two work teams within the Department of Primary Industries, Farm Services Victoria (FSV) participated in the trial over a six-month period. Data were collected and triangulated from structured focus groups, researcher guided workshops and individual project record journals kept by participants and observers.

Findings

– This trial has tested and confirmed existing European Intellectual Capital Management (ICM) theory in a new context, confirmed the strategic management and communication utility of the Danish ICS. It also revealed the utility of this method: to assist the organisation articulate its knowledge-related needs; in developing knowledge management (KM) strategy, in planning and reviewing KM initiatives, in developing clarity and shared context and in navigating change.

Research limitations/implications

– This research focuses on a single in-depth case study and concurrent organisational restructuring impacted on team focus.

Practical implications

– The strategic management and communication utility of the Danish ICS was confirmed. The paper demonstrates new insights for practitioners using this ICM method as a useful tool to assist an organisation to articulate KM needs.

Originality/value

– The primary research gap in the ICM field is examination of the practical application of methods in a real-life context (particularly outside Europe). This work has tested and confirmed existing theory in a new and different context – the Australian public sector.
Intellectual capital in tangible intensive firms: the case of Brazilian real estate companies
Authors: Pitelli Britto Daniel , Monetti Eliane , da Rocha Lima Jr Joao
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to clarify whether value created by real estate (RE) companies (tangible intensive firms) can be evaluated better using intellectual capital (IC) elements (human, structural and physical assets) or traditional accounting measures of efficiency (ROIC and profit margins).

Design/methodology/approach

– Correlations and cross-sectional OLS regressions with robust standard errors were used to find relationships between variables explaining value creation. Data were collected from 2007 to 2011 for Brazilian RE firms. To measure market risk, the authors used a new approach to deal with low liquidity. VAIC andIjratios were used as IC proxies even though both have limitations.

Findings

– IC has a significant inverse relationship with market value. The more valuable companies showed lower levels of IC except for CEE which explains value as much as ROIC. Also, IC does not influence market risk caused by size and leverage and does not explain ROIC.

Research limitations/implications

– The limitations of this study result from time and proxy variables. IC was measured by a VAIC model using data from a period of intense volatility. To increase the robustness of the conclusions, other variables should be used as proxies for IC and the results compared. The VAIC model has certain deficiencies in measuring IC.

Practical implications

– Managers and investors in the RE sector need to change the way they create value and measure value creation. The low level of HC explaining either ROIC or market value is a signal of low innovation which, combined with high CEE, induces a short-term outlook.

Originality/value

– This study opens discussion of IC in the Brazilian RE sector. A new methodology for identifying value creation is necessary for better evaluation and determining the fair value of firms.
Intellectual capital, strategy and financial crisis from a SMEs perspective
Authors: Cohen Sandra , Naoum Vassilios-Christos , Vlismas Orestes
Published: April 2014

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship of intellectual capital (IC) with the strategy of small-medium enterprises (SMEs) and their executive decisions regarding the strategy of their IC portfolio during a financial crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

– The analysis is informed by the responses of 162 Greek SMEs on a structured questionnaire. Greek SMEs constitute an appropriate research setting since they operate within an environment of economic recession, financial turbulence and operational uncertainty.

Findings

– Initial analysis indicates that SMEs’ strategic position seems to affect the composition of their IC portfolio, especially when a SME is strategically classified as Analytic according to Miles and Snow's (1978) typology. Moreover, Greek SMEs do not seem to follow the suggested by literature executive decisions for the strategic management of their IC portfolio. They apply on their IC components strategies that could be classified as “Act” or “Analyse” under Wissenzbilanz's typology (Bornemann and Alwert, 2007) regardless of the prospects for improvement expected for these IC components. Therefore, while SMEs seem to care about their IC, they do not manage it in a coherent and strategically beneficial way.

Research limitations/implications

– The study applies a novel methodology. By properly adapting the Wissenzbilanz's typology for IC executive decisions, it provides a research approach for collecting cross sectional firm data for IC executive decisions. A possible limitation but also an area for future research is to examine the implications of the relations between SMEs’ strategy and IC portfolio on SMEs’ financial performance.

Practical implications

– The practical implications of this study are twofold. First, managers should take into consideration that IC seems to be a strategic enabler even in periods of financial crisis and, thus, decisions regarding IC investments should not be abandoned. Second, SMEs tend to follow different than the recommended by literature executive decisions for the components of their IC portfolio. This might reduce the potential returns on IC investment. Therefore randomly investing in IC will not result in the expected benefits.

Originality/value

– The contribution of this study is that explores the relations of SMEs’ executive decisions in relation to the strategic management of their IC components as well as the influence that the strategic position of SMEs exerts on the composition of their IC portfolio during a financial crisis.
Plant traits predict inter‐ and intraspecific variation in susceptibility to herbivory in a hyperdiverse Neotropical rain forest tree community
Authors: Cárdenas Rafael E. , Valencia Renato , Kraft Nathan J. B. , Argoti Adriana , Dangles Olivier
Published: April 2014

A key issue in plant/herbivore interaction research is to understand which plant traits drive differences in herbivore damage. Variation in chemical, physical or phenological traits of plants may all modulate the degree of herbivore damage among species and individuals, yet the relative importance of these factors is still subject to debate, particularly in species‐rich systems such as tropical rain forests.

To address this issue, we quantified leaf herbivore damage in 28 common tree species of the Yasuní forest dynamic plot (YFDP) in the Ecuadorian Amazon over 11 months. Census data from the YFDP allowed us to quantify several aspects of tree ecology potentially affecting herbivory including leaf turnover and spatial distribution patterns. We measured six chemical, eight physical and four ecological traits of the focal species. Using a combination of multivariate analyses and phylogenetic generalized linear regression model (PGLS), we assessed trade‐offs between physical and chemical traits and the relative effect of all these traits on leaf herbivore damage.

Herbivore damage was highly variable among species and individuals, with leaves on average displaying damage over 13.4% (2.5–29.5%) of their area. We found no significant trade‐off between physical and chemical defences for the 28 studied tree species. Overall, leaf size, shearing resistance, cellulose, ash content and leaf size × ash were the best predictors of herbivore damage. Surprisingly, condensed tannins and latex did not significantly correlate with herbivore damage. In addition, we found no relationships between herbivory and local tree density. However, we did find a weak effect of tree clustering and strong effect of tree leaf turnover rates on herbivore damage.

Synthesis. In the western Amazon, leaves are defended against herbivores through a combination of physical (toughness), chemical (toughness‐related elements), and phenological (rapid leaf replacement) characteristics that do not appear to be subject to obvious trade‐offs. Conventional strategies, such as condensed tannins or latex, do not seem to be strongly involved as a defence against herbivores in this community.
Effectiveness of Calcium Chloride and Calcium Lactate on Maintenance of Textural and Sensory Qualities of Fresh‐Cut Mangos
Authors: Ngamchuachit Panita , Sivertsen Hanne K. , Mitcham Elizabeth J. , Barrett Diane M.
Published: April 2014

The effects of calcium chloride (CaCl2) and calcium lactate on maintaining textural and sensory quality of fresh‐cut “Kent” and “Tommy Atkins” mangos and determination of treatments preferred by consumers were investigated. Mango cubes (1.5×1.5×1.5 cm) were subjected to different CaCl2 and calcium lactate concentrations (0 M, 0.068 M, 0.136 M, 0.204 M) and dip times (0, 1, 2.5, 5 min). Instrumental quality parameters (firmness, color, soluble solids, titratable acidity) were analyzed periodically during 9 d of storage at 5 °C. Tommy Atkins mango cubes became more orange, but also had more browning than Kent mango cubes during storage at 5 °C. Firmness retention during storage was greater with mangos cubes treated with CaCl2 than with calcium lactate, therefore we focused our instrumental analysis only on CaCl2‐treated cubes. The firmness of Tommy Atkins mango cubes was higher than Kent. Soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), and SSC/TA were higher in fresh‐cut Kent mango cubes. Mangos treated with CaCl2 showed retarded softening during storage, and the retardation was greater at higher calcium concentrations. A consumer test was conducted to cluster consumers based on mango preference in order to correlate consumer liking and calcium treatments, as well as to uncover consumer intentions for in‐store fresh‐cut mango purchases. Treatment at 10 °C with 0.136 M CaCl2 for 2.5 min for Tommy Atkins mangos and 1 min for Kent mangos was effective in retaining firmness during storage at 5 °C and was also not disliked by consumers. A cluster analysis divided consumers into 2 preference groups, with Kent mangos significantly preferred over Tommy Atkins.

Practical Application

Fresh‐cut mangos often develop tissue softening and discoloration during storage. Short dips (1 to 3 min) in either CaCl2 or calcium lactate effectively improve fresh‐cut mango firmness and color retention after cutting. Mango samples treated with CaCl2 had higher liking scores compared to those treated with calcium lactate. “Kent” mango variety is more suitable than “Tommy Atkins” for fresh‐cut processing in terms of less tissue browning and higher consumer liking.
Inter‐ and intra‐seasonal crop acreage response to international food prices and implications of volatility
Authors: Haile Mekbib G. , Kalkuhl Matthias , von Braun Joachim
Published: April 2014

Understanding how producers make decisions to allot acreage among crops and how decisions about land use are affected by changes in prices and their volatility is fundamental for predicting the supply of staple crops and, hence, assessing the global food supply situation. This study makes estimations of monthly (i.e., seasonal) versus annual global acreage response models for the world's principal staple food crops: wheat, corn, soybeans, and rice. Primary emphasis is given to the magnitude and speed of the allocation process. Estimation of intra‐annual acreage elasticity is crucial for expected food supply and for input demand, especially in the light of the recent short‐term volatility in food prices. The econometric results indicate that global crop acreage responds to crop prices and price risks, input costs as well as a time trend. Depending on respective crop, short‐run elasticities are about 0.05 to 0.40; price volatility tends to reduce acreage for some of the crops; comparison of the annual and the monthly acreage response elasticities suggests that acreage adjusts seasonally around the globe to new information and expectations. Given the seasonality of agriculture, time is of an essence for acreage response. The analysis indicates that acreage allocation is more sensitive to prices in the northern hemisphere spring than in winter and the response varies across months.
Electoral Choice, Ideological Conflict, and Political Participation
Authors: Rogowski Jon C.
Published: April 2014

Generations of democratic theorists argue that democratic systems should present citizens with clear and distinct electoral choices. Responsible party theorists further argued that political participation increases with greater ideological conflict between competing electoral options. Empirical evidence on this question, however, remains deeply ambiguous. This article introduces new joint estimates of citizen preferences and the campaign platforms chosen by pairs of candidates in U.S. House and Senate races. The results show that increasing levels of ideological conflictreducevoter turnout, and are robust across a wide range of empirical specifications. Furthermore, the findings provide no support for existing accounts that emphasize how ideology or partisanship explains the relationship between ideological conflict and turnout. Instead, I find that increasing levels of candidate divergence reduce turnout primarily among citizens with lower levels of political sophistication. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date for how mass political behavior is conditioned by electoral choice.
A prospective cohort study to determine the relationship between serum infliximab concentration and efficacy in patients with luminal Crohn's disease
Authors: Levesque B. G. , Greenberg G. R. , Zou G. , Sandborn W. J. , Singh S. , Hauenstein S. , Ohrmund L. , Wong C. J. , Stitt L. W. , Shackelton L. M. , King D. , Lockton S. , Ducharme J. , Feagan B. G.
Published: April 2014

Background

Patients with Crohn's disease (CD) may experience disease relapse on maintenance infliximab. Anti‐drug antibodies likely contribute to loss of response, and serum infliximab levels likely correlate with efficacy.

Aim

To prospectively evaluate the relationship between trough serum infliximab concentration and disease activity.

Methods

Adult patients (N = 327) with a diagnosis of CD who had received at least five consecutive infliximab infusions and who planned to receive at least two additional infusions were enrolled. The Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), serum infliximab, C‐reactive protein (CRP) and antibodies‐to‐infliximab (ATI) were assessed at baseline, week 4 and week 8. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis examined the relationship between infliximab concentrations and disease activity.

Results

The mean CDAI score, which decreased 1.05 points between infusions, did not correlate with the mean change in trough infliximab concentration (+0.39 μg/mL; r = 0.099, P = 0.083), but was associated with the mean change in CRP concentration (r = 0.19, P < 0.001). Trough infliximab concentrations below 2.8–4.6 μg/mL best predicted a ≥ 70 point increase in the CDAI between infusions, and those below 2.7–2.8 μg/mL best predicted CRP >5 mg/mL at the second infusion. ATI at either visit decreased the proportion of patients with therapeutic infliximab trough levels compared with patients who were ATI negative (17.5% vs. 77.3% at visit 1 and 13.8% vs. 75.6% at visit 3; P < 0.001 for both comparisons).

Conclusions

This prospective study confirms the relationship between trough infliximab concentrations, inflammation and antibodies‐to‐infliximab. Infliximab trough concentrations below 3 μg/mL may increase the likelihood of symptoms and inflammation (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT00676988).
Pattern of accesses over time in an online asynchronous forum and academic achievements
Authors: Canal Luisa , Ghislandi Patrizia , Micciolo Rocco
Published: April 2014

In this study, the participation of 119 students in an online asynchronous forum as part of an academic course on statistical methods was evaluated. The pattern of accesses during the course was analyzed by means of the cumulative mean function. Taking into account the times (hours) at which accesses occurred, it is possible to achieve more accurate and more sensitive assessment of the role of concomitant variables (gender, final mark of the high school attended, examination outcome). As far as academic achievement was concerned, it emerged that graduating probability within 3.5 years from the end of the course was related only to a regular posting activity and not to the overall number of accesses.
Bone morphology changes around two types of bone‐level implants installed in fresh extraction sockets – a histomorphometric study in Beagle dogs
Authors: Alharbi Hend M. , Babay Nadir , Alzoman Hamad , Basudan Sumaya , Anil Sukumaran , Jansen John A.
Published: April 2014

Background

Minimizing crestal bone loss following immediate implant placement is considered the most challenging aspect in implant therapy. Implant surface topography and chemical modifications have been shown to influence the success of Osseointegration. The Straumann® Bone Level implant, featuring SLActive surface, has been introduced with the aim of enhancing bone apposition. Similarly, the OsseoSpeed™ implants from Astra Tech claim to have an enhanced osseointegration. Because of the specific features in the implant design, both companies claim that crestal resorption is minimal with these implants.

Objective

To evaluate the osseointegration and crestal bone level following immediate placement of Straumann® Bone Level implant and OsseoSpeed™ implants in fresh extraction sockets in Beagle dogs.

Method

The distal roots of the second, third and fourth premolars were extracted in both sides of the mandible. The distal roots were removed using a dental elevator. A total of 60 fixtures were installed in 10 Beagle dogs. Two types of implants were used: Straumann® Bone‐Level implants, which were 8 × 3.3 mm in size, and Astra Tech OsseoSpeed™ 3.5 S MicroThread™ implants, which were 8 × 3.5 mm in size. The histomorphometrical evaluation was performed at the end of 4‐ and 12‐week healing. The implant–bone contact and bone volume percentage were assessed.

Results

The bone‐to‐implant contact (BIC) and the bone volume did not show any significant changes for both types of implants. The OsseoSpeed™ implants showed 67.4% and 65.3% BIC, respectively, at 4 and 12 weeks compared with 71.7 and 73.1 for the Straumann® Bone‐Level implants. The bone volume around both types of implants did not differ significantly at both time periods. The crestal bone resorption was observed for both types of implants. The first BIC at buccal side and lingual side of the implants also did not differ significantly for both implant systems.

Conclusions

This study showed that Straumann® Bone Level and OsseoSpeed™ implants induced similar bone response after immediate implantation at 4 and 12 weeks. The immediate implant placement resulted in peri‐implant crestal bone‐level changes for both types of implants.
Screening occupational contact allergy to bisphenol F epoxy resin
Authors: Aalto‐Korte Kristiina , Suuronen Katri , Kuuliala Outi , Henriks‐Eckerman Maj‐Len , Jolanki Riitta
Published: April 2014

Background

Epoxy resins based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol F (DGEBF) are widely used as such in applications requiring chemical resistance, and also together with diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A resin (DGEBA‐R). Concomitant patch test reactions to DGEBA‐R and DGEBF resin (DGEBF‐R) are common. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results on the frequency of independent DGEBF‐R contact allergies.

Objectives

To report the results of over 11 years of screening with DGEBF‐R.

Methods

An in‐house test substance of DGEBF‐R (Epikote® 862) was tested in the baseline patch test series, first at 1% and later at 0.25%. Test files were screened for allergic reactions to DGEBF‐R and DGEBA‐R, and the clinical records of positively reacting patients were analysed for occupation and exposure.

Results

Among 1972 patients, 66 (3.3%) reacted to DGEBF‐R and 96 (4.9%) to DGEBA‐R. Independent DGEBF‐R allergies were seen in 5 patients only, and independent DGEBA‐R allergies in 35. Specific exposure to DGEBF‐R was found in 26 patients. The main occupational fields were the aircraft industry, the electrical and sports equipment industry, boat building, painting/floor coating, tile setting, and pipe relining.

Conclusions

Independent contact allergies to DGEBF‐R were rare, and screening with it was not found to be useful.
The role of serum albumin in the prediction of malnutrition in patients at least five yr after heart transplantation
Authors: Prenner Günther , Wasler Andrä , Fahrleinter‐Pammer Astrid , Werkgartner Georg , Mischinger Hans Jörg , Koter Stephan , Roller Regina , Wagner Doris
Published: April 2014

Objectives

Malnutrition after heart transplantation (HTX) is related to graft sclerosis. The risk for malnutrition is often underestimated by conventional measurements. We aimed to compare these with objective assessors for malnutrition.

Methods

Recipients at least five yr after HTX were included. Body mass index (BMI), bioimpedance analysis (BIA), serum albumin (SA) and subjective global assessment (SGA) malnutrition, and concomitant diseases were assessed. The BIA was used as gold standard, and a phase difference (PD) <4 was defined as cutoff.

Results

Sixty recipients (47 male, 13 female) were analyzed. The prevalence of malnutrition was according to SGA 6.6% (4/60), BMI 8.3% (5/60), SA 31.6% (19/60), and BIA 48.3% (19/60). PD values did not correlate with BMI (r = 0.118; p = 0.079) or SGA (r = 0.289; p = 0.65), but with SA (r = 0.458; p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis yield SA and sCr as independent predictors for an existing malnutrition. ROC analysis showed an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.606 for SA as compared to 0.515 for the BMI and 0.698 for sCr in the prediction of existing malnutrition as defined by the PD.

Conclusion

The BMI or the SGA did not show as much power in predicting an existing alimentary deficiency for heart recipients as did SA.
Biosimilars in psoriasis: What can we expect?
Authors: Radtke Marc Alexander , Augustin Matthias
Published: April 2014

Biosimilars are biotechnologically processed drugs whose amino acid sequence is identical to the original biopharmaceutical. They are of considerable clinical, economical, and health care interest. As patents for biologicals used to treat psoriasis expire, biosimilars will become more and more important within the field of dermatology. The patents for the two top‐selling drugs (adalimumab and etanercept) will terminate in the next few years. Applications for biosimilars will presumably be submitted to the EMA and the FDA for all patent‐free biologicals. Both regulatory bodies have issued guidelines on the assessment of bioequivalence, as well as the benefits and risks of biosimilars. While the preclinical requirements of the FDA and EMA are largely comparable, the formal requirements for clinical bioequivalence, including clinical efficacy and safety, differ markedly. Therefore, from a medical and health care perspective before biosimilars enter the market, specific evidence‐based regulatory conditions need to be created and fulfilled. Only then biosimilars can be a less expensive option for a large number of patients, providing them with substances of the same value. Adequate, unequivocal proof of their bioequivalence, quality, and related patient safety should have priority over any ostensible economic benefits.
Can site and landscape‐scale environmental attributes buffer bird populations against weather events?
Authors: Newson Stuart E. , Oliver Tom H. , Gillings Simon , Crick Humphrey Q. P. , Morecroft Michael D. , Duffield Simon J. , Macgregor Nicholas A. , Pearce‐Higgins James W.
Published: April 2014

Projected impacts of climate change on the populations and distributions of species pose a challenge for conservationists. In response, a number of adaptation strategies to enable species to persist in a changing climate have been proposed. Management to maximise the quality of habitat at existing sites may reduce the magnitude or frequency of climate‐driven population declines. In addition large‐scale management of landscapes could potentially improve the resilience of populations by facilitating inter‐population movements. A reduction in the obstacles to species’ range expansion, may also allow species to track changing conditions better through shifts to new locations, either regionally or locally. However, despite a strong theoretical base, there is limited empirical evidence to support these management interventions. This makes it difficult for conservationists to decide on the most appropriate strategy for different circumstances. Here extensive data from long‐term monitoring of woodland birds at individual sites are used to examine the two‐way interactions between habitat and both weather and population count in the previous year. This tests the extent to which site‐scale and landscape‐scale habitat attributes may buffer populations against variation in winter weather (a key driver of woodland bird population size) and facilitate subsequent population growth.

Our results provide some support for the prediction that landscape‐scale attributes (patch isolation and area of woodland habitat) may influence the ability of some woodland bird species to withstand weather‐mediated population declines. These effects were most apparent among generalist woodland species. There was also evidence that several, primarily specialist, woodland species are more likely to increase following population decline where there is more woodland at both site and landscape scales. These results provide empirical support for the concept that landscape‐scale conservation efforts may make the populations of some woodland bird species more resilient to climate change. However in isolation, management is unlikely to provide a universal benefit to all species.