bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Semantic relations in the field of retailing
Authors: Dancette Jeanne Eugenie
Published: February 2014

Understanding the semantic relations between terms in specialized texts is of critical importance in translation and terminology, and generally speaking in learning from texts. Our research highlights the advantages of formalizing them in order to build hierarchies and sets of horizontal conceptual relations (i.e. process-oriented relations) for knowledge acquisition. This paper discusses a method for extracting domain-specific semantic relations in specialized texts. Obviously, some texts are more appropriate than others in this regard. ‘Knowledge-rich’ texts such as encyclopaedia and textbooks are considered good materials because of the density and richness of thematic information. Considering them as such, we used the encyclopaedic articles of the Dictionnaire analytique de la distribution/Analytical Dictionary of Retailing. We retrieved over 3000 terms semantically related to all 350 headwords of the Dictionary, and grouped them into 28 classes of relations (paradigmatic, i.e. generic, specific, agent, goal, instrument, recipient, location, etc., and also syntagmatic, such as related verbs and adjectives). This paper discusses in particular the generic, agent and property relations and examines the linguistic markers that permit their retrieval.
Evaluation of terms and term extraction systems
Authors: Vivaldi Jorge , Rodríguez Horacio
Published: February 2014

Term extraction may be defined as a text mining activity whose main purpose is to obtain all the terms included in a text of a given domain. Since the eighties, and mainly due to the rapid scientific advances as well as the evolution of the communication systems, there has been a growing interest in obtaining the terms found in written documents. A number of techniques and strategies have been proposed for satisfying this requirement. At present it seems that term extraction has reached a maturity stage. Nevertheless, many of the systems proposed fail to qualitatively present their results, almost every system evaluates its abilities in an ad hoc manner (if any, many times). Often, the authors do not explain their evaluation methodology; therefore comparisons between different implementations are difficult to draw. In this paper, we review the state-of-the-art of term extraction systems evaluation in the framework of natural language systems evaluation. The main approaches are presented, with a focus on their limitations. As an instantiation of some ideas for overcoming these limitations, the evaluation framework is applied to YATE, a hybrid term extractor.
Summarization of specialized discourse
Authors: da Cunha Iria , Wanner Leo , Cabré Teresa
Published: February 2014

In this article, we present the current state of our work on a linguistically-motivated model for automatic summarization of medical articles in Spanish. The model takes into account the results of an empirical study which reveals that, on the one hand, domain-specific summarization criteria can often be derived from the summaries of domain specialists, and, on the other hand, adequate summarization strategies must be multidimensional, i.e., cover various types of linguistic clues. We take into account the textual, lexical, discursive, syntactic and communicative dimensions. This is novel in the field of summarization. The experiments carried out so far indicate that our model is suitable to provide high quality summarizations.
Terminological investigations into specialized knowledge and texts
Authors: Antia Bassey E.
Published: February 2014

Research has traditionally portrayed language for specialized purposes (LSP) as devoid of idiosyncrasy, indeterminacy, context-specificity, inter-cultural variation, inconsistency of expression and acceptation, among other attributes associated with general or non-specialized discourse. This article suggests that attitudes and practices spawned by an uncritical reading of traditional LSP research could indeed constitute a hindrance to the adequate processing of specialized material by translators, terminologists and by ordinary readers or communication parties. The article shows that there is cultural-epistemic relativity in specialized discourses, and that indeterminacy/inconsistency of concepts and terms is present in specialized discourses just as in non-specialized material. These two theses are shown to have implications for the establishment of concept and term equivalence, such as is called for during translating, compilation of terminological resources, or even during reading/comprehension.
Disambiguation of single noun translations extracted from bilingual comparable corpora
Authors: Nakagawa Hiroshi
Published: February 2014

Bilingual machine readable dictionaries are important and indispensable resources of information for cross-language information retrieval, and machine translation. Recently, these cross-language informational activities have begun to focus on specific academic or technological domains. In this paper, we describe a bilingual dictionary acquisition system which extracts translations from non-parallel but comparable corpora of a specific academic domain and disambiguates the extracted translations. The proposed method is two-fold. At the first stage, candidate terms are extracted from a Japanese and English corpus, respectively, and ranked according to their importance as terms. At the second stage, ambiguous translations are resolved by selecting the target language translation which is the nearest in rank to the source language term. Finally, we evaluate the proposed method in an experiment.
"A crime in another language?" An analysis of the interpreter's role in the yousry case
Authors: Angelelli Claudia V. , Osman Ghada
Published: February 2014

The authors of this study apply discourse analysis to the Arabic<>English interpretation performed by Mohamed Yousry for Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman and his lawyer, Lynn Stewart. The article begins with a review of the latest research in the field that highlights the interpreter’s role as co-participant in the communicative event, debunking the traditional notion of the interpreter as conduit. On the basis of transcripts of videotaped interviews between Abdel-Rahman and Stewart with Yousry acting as interpreter, the authors analyze the particular ways in which Yousry exercised his agency as a co-participant. By creating an Arabic-centered discourse, Yousry effectively marginalized Stewart while placing Abdel-Rahman in a discursive position of authority. This study is an example of the research necessary to develop best practices for interpreters that acknowledge their agency in the interpreted communicative event.
The development of British sinology and changes in translation practice
Authors: St. André James
Published: February 2014

This study sets out to demonstrate that both foreignizing and domestication translation strategies may be used for the purpose of organizing, controlling, and disseminating knowledge of a foreign country in ways that do not necessarily "respect" the foreign. Analysis of early 19th century translations from Chinese into English and contemporary reviews reveals that a split in translation practice emerges between 1815 and 1830, whereby translators produced both foreignizing and domesticating translations for different audiences. Coupled with changing attitudes toward the Chinese on the part of the British, both types of translations fostered an orientalist discourse in the emergent discipline of sinology and had a negative impact on the image of China in the British imagination.
Translating Fatima Gallaire's Les co-épouses as House of wives: Lessons from a francophone text
Authors: Shread Carolyn
Published: February 2014

This retrospective account of the process of translating Algerian playwright Fatima Gallaire’s Les co-épouses (1990) from French into English problematizes the recent assimilation of Francophone literature into the French canon. Pointing to the ways in which translating revealed cultural lacuna in a French reading, I also explain how it challenged many assumptions about traditional approaches to translation. For instance, although we began translating with a predilection for the resistant translation advocated by Lawrence Venuti, we became progressively aware of areas of resistance in Gallaire’s text, that is, in the source text, even prior to translation. This resistance was the result of the Arab cultural fabric woven into the French text, as well as a layer of Arabic that modulated and disrupted the French in which the play is written. Ultimately, the experience of translating a text by a Francophone author led me to review assumptions regarding the accessibility or transparency of Francophone texts as they are increasingly adopted by a French literary canon in search of revitalization.
Kana digraphs and morea
Authors: Honda Keisuke
Published: February 2014

The Japanese kana script represents morae by assigning either graphs or digraphs. Kana digraphs are characteristic in that they each comprise two mora-bearing graphs and yet correspond to single morae. This paper develops a structural analysis of kana digraphs, in which the monomoraic value of every digraph is consistently derived from the bimoraic value of a two-graph string. It is argued that the derivational process involves two events, namely cancellation of moraicity in the first mora and amalgamation of all relevant segments into the resultant single mora. This accounts for the observed fact that each constituent of a kana digraph regularly corresponds to one portion of a single mora. The validity of the analysis is supported by evidence drawn from two orthographic phenomena, namely positioning of diacritics and use of a common constituent in digraphs denoting partially isomorphic morae.
Asymmetrical phoneme–grapheme mapping of coronal plosives in Dutch
Authors: Neijt Anneke , Schreuder Robert
Published: February 2014

The distinction between deep and shallow orthographies is a central issue in studies of alphabetic writing. This paper aims to contribute to the debate on the relative merits of these by investigating how the coronal plosives [d] and [t] map onto the corresponding letters d and t. It turns out that an interesting asymmetry exists in word medial position in Dutch: both experienced users and children learning to write Dutch prefer ds over ts. Several mutually not always exclusive alternative explanations are provided. The fact that the d-preference is sensitive to phonological and morphological distinctions and may be influenced by speech rate, suggests that a deep orthographic representation might be the better option.
The typological and historical variation of punctuation systems
Authors: Primus Beatrice
Published: February 2014

In the literature on punctuation we find a broad typological and historical distinction between prosodically and grammatically determined punctuation. The mainstream historical assumption is that the prosodic system changed into to a grammatical system in some languages. We will show that this view is confronted with serious empirical and conceptual problems. Our assumption is that the typological and historical variation at issue is motivated syntactically in all punctuation systems. The different punctuation systems are mainly distinguished by the comma, which is, therefore, the main topic of the present paper. The major use of the comma will be explained by four constraints, whose interaction may be congenially formulated in optimality-theoretic terms. The close relationship of the comma to prosody arises indirectly from the fact that syntactic structures are marked prosodically in many instances. The stylistic freedom of the comma, that is traditionally assumed for some languages and contexts of use, is a reflex of syntactic optionality.
Traveling through the lexicon
Authors: Voeste Anja
Published: February 2014

Between the 15th and 17th centuries, German spelling underwent essential changes. Although most writers and typesetters were well acquainted with the high degree of formalization of Latin grammar and orthography, the changes were not brought about by principles planned ex ante or by application of spelling rules. Instead, these innovations spread through the lexicon, affecting the paradigms one by one in a continuous process of diffusion. The spelling changes occurred, as it were, behind the backs of the writers, who were apparently unwilling or unable to draw general rules from individual cases. But even without an existing norm-consciousness, innovations may in the end lead to rules and norms.
Deciphering kinase–substrate relationships by analysis of domain-specific phosphorylation network
Authors: Damle Nikhil Prakash , Mohanty Debasisa
Published: February 2014

Motivation:  In silico prediction of site-specific kinase–substrate relationships (ssKSRs) is crucial for deciphering phosphorylation networks by linking kinomes to phosphoproteomes. However, currently available predictors for ssKSRs give rise to a large number of false-positive results because they use only a short sequence stretch around phosphosite as determinants of kinase specificity and do not consider the biological context of kinase–substrate recognition.

Results: Based on the analysis of domain-specific kinase–substrate relationships, we have constructed a domain-level phosphorylation network that implicitly incorporates various contextual factors. It reveals preferential phosphorylation of specific domains by certain kinases. These novel correlations have been implemented in PhosNetConstruct, an automated program for predicting target kinases for a substrate protein. PhosNetConstruct distinguishes cognate kinase–substrate pairs from a large number of non-cognate combinations. Benchmarking on independent datasets using various statistical measures demonstrates the superior performance of PhosNetConstruct over ssKSR-based predictors.

Availability and implementation: PhosNetConstruct is freely available at http://www.nii.ac.in/phosnetconstruct.html.

Contact:  deb@nii.res.in

Supplementary information:  Supplementary Data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Population-based Analysis of Treatment and Survival in Women Presenting With Brain Metastasis at Initial Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Wiksyk Bradley , Nguyen David H. , Alexander Cheryl , Truong Pauline T.
Published: February 2014

Purpose:

Brain metastasis at initial breast cancer diagnosis is rare. This study aims to evaluate the clinical characteristics of these patients and identify prognostic and treatment factors associated with improved survival.

Methods:

Subjects were 35 women referred from 1996 to 2005 with newly diagnosed breast cancer with synchronous brain metastasis. Overall survival (OS) and brain progression-free survival were examined using Kaplan-Meier methods and compared between subgroups with different clinicopathologic and treatment characteristics using log-rank tests.

Results:

Median age was 65 years. Whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) alone was used in 25 patients, surgical resection and postoperative WBRT in 5 patients, and no or unknown treatment in 5 patients. Patients who underwent cranial resection were more likely to have solitary brain metastasis (P=0.003) and no visceral involvement (P=0.006). Overall, median OS was 6.8 months and median brain progression-free survival was 6.5 months (range, 0.7 to 54 mo). Median OS were 15 months with surgery and postoperative WBRT, 5 months with WBRT alone, and 3 months with no brain treatment. Longer OS was observed with age below 65 years versus 65 years and above (11 vs. 5 mo, P=0.046), 0 to 1 versus ≥2 sites of extracranial metastasis (10 vs. 3 mo, P=0.047), and diagnosis from 2001 to 2005 versus 1996 to 2000 (10 vs. 3 mo, P=0.018). A trend toward improved OS was observed in patients with no visceral involvement (11 vs. 4 mo, P=0.09).

Conclusions:

In this unique cohort presenting with breast cancer and synchronous brain metastasis, longer survival were observed with young age, limited extracranial metastasis, and no visceral disease. These characteristics may be used to select candidates for more aggressive treatment.
A tug-of-war between driver and passenger mutations in cancer and other adaptive processes
Authors: McFarland Christopher , Mirny Leonid , Korolev Kirill S.
Published: February 2014

Cancer progression is an example of a rapid adaptive process where evolving new traits is essential for survival and requires a high mutation rate. Precancerous cells acquire a few key mutations that drive rapid population growth and carcinogenesis. Cancer genomics demonstrates that these few ‘driver’ mutations occur alongside thousands of random ‘passenger’ mutations—a natural consequence of cancer’s elevated mutation rate. Some passengers can be deleterious to cancer cells, yet have been largely ignored in cancer research. In population genetics, however, the accumulation of mildly deleterious mutations has been shown to cause population meltdown. Here we develop a stochastic population model where beneficial drivers engage in a tug-of-war with frequent mildly deleterious passengers. These passengers present a barrier to cancer progression that is described by a critical population size, below which most lesions fail to progress, and a critical mutation rate, above which cancers meltdown. We find support for the model in cancer age-incidence and cancer genomics data that also allow us to estimate the fitness advantage of drivers and fitness costs of passengers. We identify two regimes of adaptive evolutionary dynamics and use these regimes to rationalize successes and failures of different treatment strategies. We find that a tumor’s load of deleterious passengers can explain previously paradoxical treatment outcomes and suggest that it could potentially serve as a biomarker of response to mutagenic therapies. The collective deleterious effect of passengers is currently an unexploited therapeutic target. We discuss how their effects might be exacerbated by both current and future therapies.
Navigating marine electromagnetic transmitters using dipole field geometry
Authors: Weitemeyer Karen , Constable Steve
Published: February 2014

The marine controlled source electromagnetic (CSEM) technique has been adopted by the hydrocarbon industry to characterize the resistivity of targets identified from seismic data prior to drilling. Over the years, marine controlled source electromagnetic has matured to the point that four‐dimensional or time lapse surveys and monitoring could be applied to hydrocarbon reservoirs in production, or to monitor the sequestration of carbon dioxide. Marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys have also been used to target shallow resistors such as gas hydrates. These novel uses of the technique require very well constrained transmitter and receiver geometry in order to make meaningful and accurate geologic interpretations of the data. Current navigation in marine controlled source electromagnetic surveys utilize a long base line, or a short base line, acoustic navigation system to locate the transmitter and seafloor receivers. If these systems fail, then rudimentary navigation is possible by assuming the transmitter follows in the ship's track. However, these navigational assumptions are insufficient to capture the detailed orientation and position of the transmitter required for both shallow targets and repeat surveys. In circumstances when acoustic navigation systems fail we propose the use of an inversion algorithm that solves for transmitter geometry. This algorithm utilizes the transmitter's electromagnetic dipole radiation pattern as recorded by stationary, close range (<1000 m), receivers in order to model the geometry of the transmitter. We test the code with a synthetic model and validate it with data from a well navigated controlled source electromagnetic survey over the Scarborough gas field in Australia.
Forest fragments modulate the provision of multiple ecosystem services
Authors: Mitchell Matthew G. E. , Bennett Elena M. , Gonzalez Andrew
Published: February 2014

Agricultural landscapes provide the essential ecosystem service of food to growing human populations; at the same time, agricultural expansion to increase crop production results in forest fragmentation, degrading many other forest‐dependent ecosystem services. However, surprisingly little is known about the role that forest fragments play in the provision of ecosystem services and how fragmentation affects landscape multifunctionality at scales relevant to land management decisions.

We measured the provision of six ecosystem services (crop production, pest regulation, decomposition, carbon storage, soil fertility and water quality regulation) in soya bean fields at different distances from adjacent forest fragments that differed in isolation and size across an agricultural landscape inQuebec,Canada.

We observed significant effects of distance‐from‐forest, fragment isolation and fragment size on crop production, insect pest regulation, and decomposition.

Distance‐from‐forest and fragment isolation had unique influences on service provision for each of the ecosystem services we measured. For example, pest regulation was maximized adjacent to forest fragments, while crop production was maximized at intermediate distances‐from‐forest. As a consequence, landscape multifunctionality depended on landscape heterogeneity: the range of field and forest fragment types present.

We also observed strong negative and positive relationships between ecosystem services that were more prevalent at greater distances‐from‐forest.

Synthesis and applications. Our study is one of the first to empirically measure and model the effects of forest fragments on the simultaneous provision of multiple ecosystem services in an agro‐ecosystem at the landscape and field scales relevant to landowners and managers. Our results demonstrate that forest fragments, irrespective of their size, can affect the provision of multiple ecosystem services in surrounding fields, but that this effect is mediated by fragment isolation across the landscape. Our results also suggest that managing habitat fragmentation and landscape structure will improve our ability to optimize ecosystem service provision and create multifunctional agricultural landscapes.
Shame and the City – ‘Looting’, Emotions and Social Structure
Authors: Ray Larry
Published: February 2014

The sociology of violence is an emerging field but one in which there remains a tension between structural explanations and phenomenological-situational ones that focus on the micro conditions of violence. This article proposes an analytical framework for connecting these levels through a critical appropriation of Scheff's theory of the shame-rage cycle. It argues that while shame is a significant condition for violent action, Scheff does not have a theory of violence in itself but treats the connections between shame-rage and violence as largely self-evident. While emotions such as shame have agental properties, as Scheff and others argue, these need to be situated within structural and cultural conditions that are likely to evoke shame. Moreover, to develop Scheff's approach further, violence needs to be understood as being communicative and invoking normative justifications, which mediate the effects of shame-rage. This analysis is developed with reference to recent instances of collective disorder, especially the English riots in August 2011, which is based on published research and media accounts from participants. The acquisition of consumer goods through ‘looting’ was public performance in spaces where a ‘moral holiday’ permitted a brief revaluation of the social order. Through this example the article shows how an underlying configuration of inequality, exclusion and shame coalesced into events in which the violence was a form of performative communication. This articulated ‘ugly feelings’ that invoked normative justification for participation, at least at the time of the disturbances. The discussion provides an integrated account of structural-emotional conditions for violence combined with the dynamics of situated actions within particular spaces. It aims to do two things –to provide a framework for analysing the structural and affective bases for violence and to offer a nuanced understanding of ‘violence’ with reference to public disorder.
Values beyond value? Is anything beyond the logic of capital?
Authors: Skeggs Bev
Published: February 2014

We are living in a time when it is frequently assumed that the logic of capital has subsumed every single aspect of our lives, intervening in the organization of our intimate relations as well as the control of our time, including investments in the future (e.g. via debt). The theories that document the incursion of this logic (often through the terms of neoliberalism and/or governmentality) assume that this logic is internalized, works and organizes everything including our subjectivity. These theories performatively reproduce the very conditions they describe, shrinking the domain of values and making it subject to capital's logic. All values are reduced to value. Yet values and value are always dialogic, dependent and co‐constituting. In this paper I chart the history by which value eclipses values and how this shrinks our sociological imagination. By outlining the historical processes that institutionalized different organizations of the population through political economy and the social contract, producing ideas of proper personhood premised on propriety, I detail how forms of raced, gendered and classed personhood was formed. The gaps between the proper and improper generate significant contradictions that offer both opportunities to and limits on capitals' lines of flight. It is the lacks, the residues, and the excess that cannot be captured by capital's mechanisms of valuation that will be explored in order to think beyond the logic of capital and show how values will always haunt value.
Association of mannose binding lectin codon 54 polymorphism with predisposition to Henoch–Schönlein purpura in childhood
Authors: Durmaz Burak , Aykut Ayca , Hursitoglu Gultac , Bak Mustafa , Serdaroglu Erkin , Onay Huseyin , Ozkinay Ferda
Published: February 2014

Aim

Immune and inflammatory response activation is a common feature of systemic vasculitis. There is a protein called mannose binding lectin (MBL) that was reported to play an important role in innate immunity. MBL polymorphisms in the MBL gene cause predisposition to infectious and autoimmune diseases. There is no study in the literature investigating the association between MBL polymorphisms and Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP) to date. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the presence of any association between MBL gene variants and HSP in a child population.

Method

Codon 54 polymorphism in exon 1 of the MBL gene was investigated by polymerase chain reaction – restriction fragment length polymorphism method in 100 children diagnosed as having HSP and 100 age‐matched healthy controls.

Results

The mutant B allele frequency was not significantly higher in the patient group (16%) compared to the control group (14%). AB genotype was found to be 28% and 26% in the patient group and healthy control group, respectively. AA genotype was found in 70% of the children with HSP and 73% of the healthy control group.

Conclusion

These results suggest that codon 54 polymorphism in the MBL gene may hardly play a role in susceptibility to HSP in children, the first time this has been reported in the literature.
Does control‐ownership divergence impair market liquidity in an emerging market? Evidence from China
Authors: Chu Xiaojun , Liu Qigui , Tian Gary Gang
Published: February 2014

This paper examines how institutional characteristics of emerging economies influence the effect of control‐ownership divergence on market liquidity. We find that the divergence is negatively associated with liquidity and that this negative relationship is more pronounced in firms with more severe agency problems and information asymmetry. We argue that in an emerging market, the negative effect of the divergence on liquidity is worsened by state ownership and poorer shareholder protection, both of which result in more severe agency conflicts; we also find, however, that this effect is alleviated by the NTS reform, which aligns the interest of different shareholders.
Extensive protein hydrolysate formula effectively reduces regurgitation in infants with positive and negative challenge tests for cow's milk allergy
Authors: Vandenplas Y. , De Greef E. ,   ALLAR study group
Published: February 2014

Aim

Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA) is treated using an elimination diet with an extensive protein hydrolysate. We explored whether a thickened or nonthickened version was best for infants with suspected CMPA, which commonly causes regurgitation/vomiting.

Methods

Diagnosis of CMPA was based on a positive challenge test. We compared the efficacy of two casein extensive hydrolysates (eCH), a nonthickened version (NT‐eCH) and a thickened version (T‐eCH), using a symptom‐based score covering regurgitation, crying, stool consistency, eczema, urticarial and respiratory symptoms.

Results

A challenge was performed in 52/72 infants with suspected CMPA and was positive in 65.4%. All confirmed CMPA cases tolerated eCH. The symptom‐based score decreased significantly in all infants within a month, and the highest reduction was in those with confirmed CMPA. Regurgitation was reduced in all infants (6.4 ± 3.2–2.8 ± 2.9, p < 0.001), but fell more with the T‐eCH (−4.2 ± 3.2 regurgitations/day vs. −3.0 ± 4.5, ns), especially in infants with a negative challenge (−3.9 ± 4.0 vs. −1.9 ± 3.4, ns).

Conclusion

eCH fulfilled the criteria for a hypoallergenic formula, and the NT‐eCH and T‐eCH formulas both reduced CMPA symptoms. The symptom‐based score is useful for evaluating how effective dietary treatments are for CMPA.
Robotic retroperitoneal partial nephrectomy: a step‐by‐step guide
Authors: Ghani Khurshid R. , Porter James , Menon Mani , Rogers Craig
Published: February 2014

Objective

To describe a step‐by‐step guide for successful implementation of the retroperitoneal approach to robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN)

Patients and Methods

The patient is placed in the flank position and the table fully flexed to increase the space between the 12th rib and iliac crest. Access to the retroperitoneal space is obtained using a balloon‐dilating device. Ports include a 12‐mm camera port, two 8‐mm robotic ports and a 12‐mm assistant port placed in the anterior axillary line cephalad to the anterior superior iliac spine, and 7–8 cm caudal to the ipsilateral robotic port.

Results

Positioning and port placement strategies for successful technique include: (i) Docking robot directly over the patient's head parallel to the spine; (ii) incision for camera port ≈1.9 cm (1 fingerbreadth) above the iliac crest, lateral to the triangle of Petit; (iii) Seldinger technique insertion of kidney‐shaped balloon dilator into retroperitoneal space; (iv) Maximising distance between all ports; (v) Ensuring camera arm is placed in the outer part of the ‘sweet spot’.

Conclusion

The retroperitoneal approach to RPN permits direct access to the renal hilum, no need for bowel mobilisation and excellent visualisation of posteriorly located tumours.
Polytomous multilevel testlet models for testlet‐based assessments with complex sampling designs
Authors: Jiao Hong , Zhang Yuan
Published: February 2014

Applications of standard item response theory models assume local independence of items and persons. This paper presents polytomous multilevel testlet models for dual dependence due to item and person clustering in testlet‐based assessments with clustered samples. Simulation and survey data were analysed with a multilevel partial credit testlet model. This model was compared with three alternative models – a testlet partial credit model (PCM), multilevel PCM, and PCM – in terms of model parameter estimation. The results indicated that the deviance information criterion was the fit index that always correctly identified the true multilevel testlet model based on the quantified evidence in model selection, while the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria could not identify the true model. In general, the estimation model and the magnitude of item and person clustering impacted the estimation accuracy of ability parameters, while only the estimation model and the magnitude of item clustering affected the item parameter estimation accuracy. Furthermore, ignoring item clustering effects produced higher total errors in item parameter estimates but did not have much impact on the accuracy of ability parameter estimates, while ignoring person clustering effects yielded higher total errors in ability parameter estimates but did not have much effect on the accuracy of item parameter estimates. When both clustering effects were ignored in the PCM, item and ability parameter estimation accuracy was reduced.
The association of serum 25‐OH vitamin D with atopy, asthma, and lung function in a prospective study of Danish adults
Authors: Thuesen B. H. , Skaaby T. , Husemoen L. L. N. , Fenger M. , Jørgensen T. , Linneberg A.
Published: February 2014

Background

Besides the important skeletal functions, it has been suggested that vitamin D is involved in the pathogenesis of allergy and asthma and related to lung function. However, previous studies are inconclusive.

Objective

The purpose of this study was to investigate associations of serum levels of 25‐hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) with atopy, asthma, and lung function in a prospective study of Danish adults.

Methods

This study included 4999 adults aged 30–60 years in 1999–2001. Three thousand and thirty‐two of those included at baseline also participated at a follow‐up examination 5 years later, and 3727 answered a 10‐year follow‐up questionnaire. Serum levels of (25(OH)D) were measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at baseline. No information on use of vitamin D supplements was available. Specific IgE against four common antigens was measured. Information about doctor‐diagnosed asthma was obtained from questionnaires, and lung function (FEV1 and forced vital capacity) was measured by spirometry.

Results

We found no significant associations of 25(OH)D with atopy and doctor‐diagnosed asthma. However, we found that low levels of 25(OH)D were associated with lower FEV1 percentage predicted (FEV1%pred) in the cross‐sectional analyses. The odds ratio (OR) of FEV1%pred < 80% among participants in the highest quartile of 25(OH)D compared with those in the lowest was 0.66 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49–0.74). In contrast, prospective analyses indicated an association between high levels of 25(OH)D at baseline and adverse changes in lung function. OR (95%CI) of incident FEV1%pred < 80% was 1.73 (1.06–2.82) in the highest quartile of 25(OH)D compared with the lowest.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

Our data indicates that 25(OH)D levels do not influence the development of asthma and allergy among adults. Further, the results did not consistently support that 25(OH)D levels associate with lung function. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further address this issue.
Is routine chestX‐ray after surgical and percutaneous tracheostomy necessary in adults: a systemic review of the current literature
Authors: Yeo W.X. , Phua C.Q. , Lo S.
Published: February 2014

Background

For many years, routine post‐tracheostomy chestX‐ray has been the standard of care for patients in many countries. However, recent evidence suggests that this is unnecessary and cost‐ineffective.

Objective

To review the current literature and examine the role of routine post‐tracheostomy chestX‐ray in adult patients.

Type of review

Systemic review.

Search strategy

Electronic databases (PubMed,EMBASE, Cochrane) were searched using the keywords ‘chestX‐ray/radiography/radiograph’ and ‘tracheostomy/tracheotomy’ in various permutations. Search period ranged from 1960 to 2012. Inclusion criteria included systematic reviews, meta‐analyses, randomised control trials, prospective and retrospective case series. Paediatric and non‐English articles were excluded. Abstracts and subsequently full text articles were screened by two of the authors independently. References from obtained articles were also examined.

Evaluation method

Specific outcome measures were collated to evaluate the usefulness of post‐tracheostomy chest X‐ray:

Chest X‐ray detected (tracheostomy‐related) complication rates

Proportion of cases requiring significant intervention

Potential predictors of complications

Results

Routine post‐tracheostomy chestX‐ray is of a low yield, and its findings had limited impact on patient management. Complication detection rates for surgical and percutaneous tracheostomy are 2.2% and 3.2%, respectively. Only 0.7% and 1.8% of chestX‐rays performed in surgical and percutaneous tracheostomy cases, respectively, required intervention. Certain groups of patients, however, are at higher risks of complications, and may benefit from post‐tracheostomy chestX‐ray. For surgical tracheostomy, these groups include those with post‐operative signs and symptoms of complications or had emergent or ‘difficult’ tracheostomies. For percutaneous tracheostomy, high‐risk patients include trauma cases (unspecified), patients with post‐procedural signs and symptoms of complications, patients who have high ventilatory requirements, difficult tracheostomy cases or tracheostomy cases performed without bronchoscopic guidance.

Conclusion

The practice of routine post‐tracheostomy chestX‐ray is debatable owing to its low yield and minimal impact on clinical management. However, certain groups of patients appear to be at higher risks of post‐tracheostomy complications; currently, there is insufficient evidence to conclude the absolute need for routine chestX‐ray in these groups of patients, although it may be prudent to do so based on available evidence in the literature and logical clinical reasoning.
Neural specialization for speech in the first months of life
Authors: Shultz Sarah , Vouloumanos Athena , Bennett Randi H. , Pelphrey Kevin
Published: February 2014

How does the brain's response to speech change over the first months of life? Although behavioral findings indicate that neonates' listening biases are sharpened over the first months of life, with a species‐specific preference for speech emerging by 3 months, the neural substrates underlying this developmental change are unknown. We examined neural responses to speech compared with biological non‐speech sounds in 1‐ to 4‐month‐old infants using fMRI. Infants heard speech and biological non‐speech sounds, including heterospecific vocalizations and human non‐speech. We observed a left‐lateralized response in temporal cortex for speech compared to biological non‐speech sounds, indicating that this region is highly selective for speech by the first month of life. Specifically, this brain region becomes increasingly selective for speech over the next 3 months as neural substrates become less responsive to non‐speech sounds. These results reveal specific changes in neural responses during a developmental period characterized by rapid behavioral changes.
Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm: the first report of two cases treated by 5‐Azacytidine
Authors: Laribi Kamel , Denizon Nathalie , Ghnaya Habib , Atlassi Mustapha , Besançon Anne , Pineau‐Vincent Fabienne , Gaulard Philippe , Petrella Tony
Published: February 2014

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematologic malignancy which was first included as an independent cutaneous lymphoma in the 2008 World Health Organisation (WHO) classification (1). BPDCN usually has an extremely poor prognosis, with quick relapses after chemotherapy (2; 3). Here, we report two cases of patients diagnosed in 2011 with BPDCN and myelodysplasia, and who were treated for the first time with 5‐azacytidine (5‐Aza); a drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and mainly used in the treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome (Kaminskas E, et al. 2005 Clin Cancer Res, 11, 3604–8). The first case was an 81‐year‐old man who presented with unusual CD10+, CD56‐ immunohistochemistry and 45X, ‐Y abnormality using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis. The second case was a 78‐year‐old woman who manifested monosomy 13 and chromosome instability due to D13S319 locus deletion in 13q14 as determined by FISH. Both patients showed excellent responses of their skin lesions after one cycle of chemotherapy, and their hematological disease was stabilized; however, pulmonary sepsis set in, followed by neutropenia after the fourth and the fifth cycle of treatment, that is, eight and 9 months postdiagnosis, respectively, leading to patient death.
Diurnal variation of von Willebrand factor in plasma: the Bispebjerg study of diurnal variations
Authors: Timm Annette , Fahrenkrug Jan , Jørgensen Henrik L. , Sennels Henriette P. , Goetze Jens P.
Published: February 2014

Background

Quantitation of von Willebrand factor (VWF) in plasma is a central element in assessing von Willebrand disease (VWD). VWF activity is known to vary, which has partly been ascribed to biological and preanalytical variation. However, a possible diurnal expression of VWF has not been thoroughly tested.

Objectives

We examined whether VWF antigen and VWF activity in plasma display a diurnal profile in healthy young males, and whether such variation is related to changes in release or elimination.

Methods

Plasma from 20 healthy young males was collected at 9 time‐points over 24 h (15 h of light and 9 h of darkness); the plasma concentration of melatonin was used as an internal control to confirm the normal 24‐h rhythms of the individual participants.

Results

The data, analyzed by rhythmometric statistics, revealed a significant variation (P = 0.02) and total amplitude of 22.6% in VWF antigen concentrations over the 24‐h period. A pronounced variation in VWF activity was also observed, although not significant according to the 24‐h statistical model. To examine whether the diurnal pattern was related to changes in elimination or secretion, the ratio between (i) coagulation factor VIII and VWF and (ii) VWF propeptide and VWF was determined. Taken together, the data suggest changes in release and not in clearance.

Conclusions

Diurnal variation in von Willebrand antigen and activity in plasma represents an important aspect of the biological variation. Standardized time‐of‐day plasma sampling for quantitation of VWF in VWD patients seems warranted.
Ground‐dwelling arthropod communities across braided river landscape mosaics: a Mediterranean perspective
Authors: Datry Thibault , Corti Roland , Belletti Barbara , Piégay Herve
Published: February 2014

River floodplains with their constituent biodiversity are among the most endangered ecosystems worldwide. These systems are conceptualised as mosaics of aquatic and terrestrial patches at different successional stages colonised by a wide range of aquatic, semi‐aquatic and terrestrial species.

In three reaches in the active corridor of a French Mediterranean braided river, we tested whether community structure and composition of ground‐dwelling terrestrial arthropods varied across the mosaic of terrestrial patches, and identified some of the underlying mechanisms.

We predicted that arthropod community structure and composition would vary consistently with the age and position of the patches in the mosaic, due to species habitat preferences and dispersal. We also predicted that between‐patch species turnover would contribute to corridor diversity to a greater extent than within‐patch diversity.

The natural flow regime of the Asse River promoted patch diversity in all the reaches considered. Arthropod communities differed according to patch age, indicating that successions had occurred over a decennial timescale. By contrast, the location of patches within the mosaics seemed not to affect communities, suggesting that dispersal was not limited. The contribution of between‐patch diversity to corridor diversity far exceeded that of within‐patch diversity, as predicted by mosaic theory.

These results put the onus on river ecosystem managers to preserve natural flow regimes in braided rivers, so as to foster various types of pioneer and mature habitat patches and maintain associated biodiversity.
A continental risk assessment of West Nile virus under climate change
Authors: Harrigan Ryan J. , Thomassen Henri A. , Buermann Wolfgang , Smith Thomas B.
Published: February 2014

Since first introduced to North America in 1999, West Nile virus (WNV) has spread rapidly across the continent, threatening wildlife populations and posing serious health risks to humans. While WNV incidence has been linked to environmental factors, particularly temperature and rainfall, little is known about how future climate change may affect the spread of the disease. Using available data on WNV infections in vectors and hosts collected from 2003–2011 and using a suite of 10 species distribution models, weighted according to their predictive performance, we modeled the incidence of WNV under current climate conditions at a continental scale. Models were found to accurately predict spatial patterns of WNV that were then used to examine how future climate may affect the spread of the disease. Predictions were accurate for cases of human WNV infection in the following year (2012), with areas reporting infections having significantly higher probability of presence as predicted by our models. Projected geographic distributions of WNV in North America under future climate for 2050 and 2080 show an expansion of suitable climate for the disease, driven by warmer temperatures and lower annual precipitation that will result in the exposure of new and naïve host populations to the virus with potentially serious consequences. Our risk assessment identifies current and future hotspots of West Nile virus where mitigation efforts should be focused and presents an important new approach for monitoring vector‐borne disease under climate change.
Reproductive responses of alpine plants to grassland degradation and artificial restoration in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Dong S. K. , Wang X. X. , Liu S. L. , Li Y. Y. , Su X. K. , Wen L. , Zhu L.
Published: February 2014

Artificial grassland establishment has been implemented in the alpine region of Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in China as a mitigation tool against grassland degradation, one of the major environmental problems in this region. We hypothesized that both grassland degradation and artificial restoration may alter the reproductive modes of the alpine vegetation at the levels of individual species as well as plant functional groups. By investigating a long‐term field study of grassland degradation and artificial restoration experiments, we found that alpine plants can maintain a highly plastic relationship between sexual and asexual reproduction, that is, the alpine plants in degraded grasslands increased their efforts towards sexual reproduction while those in artificially restored grasslands promoted their efforts in vegetative reproduction with in the year after restoration. The high reproductive plasticity of the alpine plants can be regulated through a number of mechanisms, which include changing proportion of clonal species in the plant composition, altering number ratio of sexual and vegetative propagules, shifting biomass allocation for sexual and vegetative reproduction at both individual species and functional group levels. These conclusions demonstrate how crucial it is to consider manipulation of reproductive modes needed to restore the structure and stability of degraded alpine grasslands.