bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Species-specific biomass allometric models and expansion factors for indigenous and planted forests of the Mozambique highlands
Authors: Magalhães Tarquinio Mateus , Cossa Victoria Norberto , Guedes Benard Soares , Fanheiro Amélia Saraiva Monguela 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSecondary Miombo woodlands and forest plantations occupy increasing areas in Mozambique, the former due to anthropogenic activities. Plantations, mainly species ofEucalyptusandPinus, are being established on sites previously covered by secondary Miombo woodlands. This affects the evolution, cycle and spatiotemporal patterns of carbon (C) storage and stocks in forest ecosystems. The estimation of C storage, which is indispensable for formulating climate change policies on sequestrating CO2, requires tools such as biomass models and biomass conversion and expansion factors (BCEF). In Mozambique, these tools are needed for both indigenous forests and plantations. The objective of this study is to fit species-specific allometric biomass models and BCEF for exotic and indigenous tree species. To incorporate efficient inter-species variability, biomass equations were fitted using nonlinear mixed-effects models. All tree component biomass models had good predictability; however, better predictive accuracy and ability was observed for the 2-predictors biomass model with tree height as a second predictor. The majority of the variability in BCEF was explained by the variation in tree species. Miombo species had larger crown biomass per unit of stem diameter and stored larger amounts of biomass per stem volume. However, due to relatively rapid growth, larger stem diameters, heights, and stand density, the plantations stored more biomass per tree and per unit area.
Diffusion and the choice of democratic government system at the time of democratisation
Authors: Åberg Jenny , Denk Thomas 
Published: May 2020

AbstractWhile significant research has been conducted on both the diffusion of democracy and the various democratic government systems (parliamentary, presidential and semi-presidential), the diffusion of individual democratic government systems has rarely been addressed. Therefore, this article examines whether diffusion explains why countries have established different types of government systems at the time of democratisation. Previous studies on democratic regime types have found that the establishment of democratic government systems is spatially and temporally clustered, which could indicate that democratic regime types are diffused. Inspired by diffusion studies, we test the hypothesis that the density of a particular democratic government system in a network positively affects the probability that a country in that network established the same form of democratic government system at the time of democratisation. We test this assumption through empirical analysis, using 121 cases of democratisation in which a democratic system of government was established at the time of independence or after a period of autocracy. Using logistic regression, this paper explores the connection between the choice of government system at the time of democratisation and the composition of democratic government systems in seven networks of countries: geographic neighbourhood, regional, continental, global, cultural, post-colonial and post-autocratic. The results indicate empirical support for our hypothesis; therefore, we conclude that the choice of government system at the time of democratisation is influenced by conditions in other countries.
Meta-analysis of nutrient budgets in organic farms across Europe
Authors: Reimer Marie , Möller Kurt , Hartmann Tobias Edward 
Published: May 2020

AbstractNutrient supply to organic farms is a highly discussed topic in Europe, due to the restricted availability of external fertilizer resources and the use of contentious inputs. To optimize the flow of nutrients throughout the organic farming system, it is firstly necessary to obtain valid data on the nutrient status of organic farms. Nutrient budgets are a valid tool to investigate the nutrient demand or surplus of a system. However, there is currently no comprehensive overview of nutrient budgets of European organic farms. We therefore carried out a meta-analysis on 56 individual studies that reported either farm-gate or soil surface budgets. The analysis showed an imbalance between nutrients, a general surplus of nitrogen (45 kg N ha−1 year−1 [95% confidence interval (CI) 30, 61]), magnesium (16 kg Mg ha−1 year−1 [− 9, 40]) and sulfur (45 kg S ha−1 year−1 [− 29, 118]), a balanced phosphorus budget (0 kg P ha−1 year−1 [− 2, 2]), and a deficit for potassium (− 12 kg K ha−1 year−1 [− 21, − 3]). We observed large differences between farms that could be partly explained by farm type and budgeting method. Arable and mixed farms showed lower nitrogen, phosphor, magnesium, and sulfur budgets than dairy/beef farms or even vegetable farms, while all farm types besides dairy/beef farms showed deficits for K budgets. Further, farm-gate budget studies yielded higher budgets than soil surface budgets. Variations between studied countries could also be detected, but the coverage and comparability are low due to differences in studied farm types and budgeting method.
Physicochemical and microorganism analysis of some hand pump water in Pelengana, Segou, Mali
Authors: Toure Amadou , Wenbiao Duan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractGroundwater from hand pump could be a principal supply of potable in the large part of rural areas of Mali. Indeed, it was found that this source was the safest to meet water request in remote areas (i.e., rural) of the low-income countries like Mali. However, groundwater quality is changed once external substances are available to contact with the water table. An evaluation of physicochemical and microbial qualities of hand pump water in the rural commune of Pelengana, Mali, was performed. The parameters analyzed include: physical (temperature, pH, and turbidity), chemical (nitrate, and phosphate) and microbiological (both fecal and total coliform bacteria), using standard procedures of analysis. Moreover, API 20E test was used to determine the identities of isolates. Findings have been compared with the WHO drinking water guidelines (or other) values. All physicochemical parameters in hand pump water samples were within the limit recommended by the WHO guideline (or other) values except to turbidity, and nitrate, whereas microbial concentrations during the rainy season were above the WHO acceptable limits. The presence of species such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella and Klebsiella in hand pump waters suggests that water from these sources constitute a threat to public health and is inappropriate for drinking without treatment.
A Delphi-AHP study on STCW leadership competence in the age of autonomous maritime operations
Authors: Kim Tae-eun , Mallam Steven 
Published: May 2020

AbstractAccelerating technological advancement in the maritime industry is gradually increasing the range of functions once performed by humans to become automated. In the era of autonomous shipping, where the autonomous operating system takes the lead and data flows define decision-making, how the ship and its leaders can successfully navigate these new ways of working have important implications for safety, efficiency and reliability of future ship operations. It is critical that the non-technical skills requirements, in particular the leadership competencies, be re-evaluated as new operational paradigms of shipping systems emerge and evolve. This study extends the current research of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) by using a Delphi consensus survey and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) with a panel of 36 experts to (1) bridge a knowledge gap, i.e., the lack of an understanding regarding the leadership implication of autonomous shipping; (2) evaluate the applicability of current STCW leadership requirements for MASS operations; (3) identify and prioritize the leadership competences that should be accrued by the personnel involved in future ship operations. The results have shown that the current STCW framework is not fully relevant for MASS. The redefined leadership competence and the constructed hierarchy of criticality generated from this study can be valuable input for revision of the STCW and maritime education and training practices, contributing to successful ship operations of the future.
Optically Transparent Focused Transducers for Combined Photoacoustic and Ultrasound Microscopy
Authors: Park Sunghun , Kang Sungwoo , Chang Jin Ho 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Photoacoustic (PA) microscopy has emerged as a useful tool in biomedical imaging applications such as visualization of microvasculature and hemoglobin oxygen saturation, single-cell, and label-free imaging of organs including cancer. Since the ultrasound transducers used for PA signal detection are not optically transparent, the integration of optical and acoustic modules for coaxial alignment of laser and acoustic beam fields in PA microscopy is complex and costly.

Methods
Here, we report a recently developed optically transparent focused transducer for combined PA and ultrasound (US) microscopy. All the acoustic layers including the acoustic lens are optically transparent, enabling simple integration of optical and acoustic modules for both imaging modalities.

Results
The mean light transmittance of the transducer’s backing layer and acoustic lens and of the transducer itself were measured at 92%, 83%, and 66%, respectively. Results from in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated the transducer to be suitable for both US and PA imaging.

Conclusions
The results of this study represent a step toward efficient construction of probes for combined PA and US microscopy.
Analysis of the Mineral Compositions of Swell-Shrink Clays From Guangxi Province, China
Authors: ZENG ZHAOTIAN , LU HAIBO , ZHAO YANLIN , QIN YINGHONG 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSwell-shrink clays are widely distributed in the Guangxi province of southern China in the form of expansive soils and lateritic clays. They have high particle dispersion, poor permeability, and significant swell-shrink properties. In recent decades, a series of problems closely related to the physical-mechanical properties of the swell-shrink clays have been encountered in various engineering projects. Mineral composition is a critical factor affecting the physical-mechanical properties of these clays. However, determining accurately their mineral compositions is difficult because the analytical methods available are expensive, time consuming, and have a high possibility of errors. Therefore, identifying a method suitable for quantitatively analyzing the mineral composition of the swell-shrink clays is necessary. In the current study several swell-shrink clays, including two expansive soils and four lateritic clays, from the Guangxi region were investigated. Qualitative analytical methods such as differential thermal analysis (DTA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were conducted to identify the mineral composition of the soils. The results indicated that the expansive soils were composed mainly of quartz (Qz), montmorillonite (Mnt), illite (Ilt), and kaolinite (Kln). The Baise specimen also contained a certain amount of calcite (Cal), while the lateritic clays primarily contained Kln and goethite (Gth) as well as lesser amounts of Qz and gibbsite (Gbs). On the basis of the aforementioned results, rough quantitative analyses of the mineral compositions were conducted using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and the Bogue method. The results indicated that the lateritic clay samples from Wuming, Guilin, and Liuzhou contained 70–80% Kln, while the Laibin lateritic clay was 50% Kln. The lateritic clays contained ~10% Gth. The expansive soils were 30–40%, 25–30%, and 10–15% of Ilt, Qz, and Mnt, respectively. Finally, the relationships between the mineral compositions, zeta potentials, and free swelling ratios are discussed briefly. This investigation indicated that the zeta potential was mainly related to the type and content of clay minerals in the soil when neutral water was used as the free solution (pH = 7). The correlation between the swelling index and the zeta potential of the expansive soils was greater than that of the lateritic clays, which indicated that the swelling properties of expansive soils were more affected by the clay mineral composition than those of the lateritic clays. The results provide a systematic method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the mineral composition of swell-shrink clays and primary data for studying how mineral composition affects the physical properties of swell-shrink clays in the study area.
Australian high school students and their Internet use: perceptions of opportunities versus ‘problematic situations’
Authors: gaspard luke 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe Internet has, for varied reasons, emerged as a critical mediating tool in the everyday experience for many young people. Opportunities for access and participation are vast and well-documented. There are, however, risks, or more accurately ‘problematic situations’, associated with these online experiences. From a digital youth’s perspective, real and perceived threats, primarily related to content, contact and conduct, all play to policy agendas, and adult fears of how best to protect youth within virtual space where the boundaries of private and public are easily blurred and compromised. Drawing upon a purposive sample of four high schools, in greater Melbourne, Australia, frequency analysis is performed on questionnaire data from 770 students aged 12–18. Adapting the research taxonomy from the EU Kids Online (2014, EU Kids Online: findings, methods, recommendations (deliverable D1.6)) project, this paper extends that work by developing a more comprehensive coding structure to reflect the complex attitudes high school students of this study exhibit with their online practice. In doing so, this research, via a more nuanced classification, supports the ongoing validity of previous research that points to navigation of the Internet as a continuing contestation between balancing opportunity and risk.
The influence of culture on maternal attachment behaviours: a South African case study
Authors: Zaidman-Mograbi Rachel , le Roux Liana (MP) , Hall Herna 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIt is widely accepted that culture is a contextual factor that can affect mother–infant attachment. Cultural beliefs are translated into child-rearing patterns that influence maternal responsiveness to infant attachment behaviours and could thus affect sensitive caregiving that lies at the heart of secure attachment. This article reports on the findings of a study that explored the influence of culture on maternal caregiving behaviours in the multi-cultural South African context. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews conducted with participants from three study samples to ascertain their perceptions of socio-cultural influences on attachment. Two samples consisted of mothers and mental health professionals, respectively, who represented different South African cultures (Xhosa, Sotho, Zulu, Coloured, Indian and White). The third sample consisted of experts in the field of attachment. The research findings indicate that culture could influence maternal caregiving behaviours. Although all the participants valued good caregiving, some maternal responses to infant attachment behaviours varied among participants from different cultures. The research emphasises the importance of considering local contexts in understanding attachment and maternal sensitivity.
Detecting Subtle Cognitive Impairment in Multiple Sclerosis with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Authors: Charest Kim , Tremblay Alexandra , Langlois Roxane , Roger Élaine , Duquette Pierre , Rouleau Isabelle 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT:Background:Although cognitive deficits are frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS), screening for them with tools such as the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test is usually not performed unless there is a subjective complaint. The Multiple Sclerosis Neuropsychological Questionnaire (MSNQ) is among the instruments most commonly used to assess self-reported subjective complaints in MS. Nonetheless, it does not always accurately reflect cognitive status; many patients with cognitive deficits thus fail to receive appropriate referral for detailed neuropsychological evaluation. The objective of this study was to examine the validity of the MoCA test to detect the presence of objective cognitive deficits among patients with MS without subjective complaints using the Minimal Assessment of Cognitive Function in MS (MACFIMS) as the gold standard.Methods:The sample included 98 patients who were recruited from a university hospital MS clinic. The MSNQ was used to select patients without subjective cognitive complaints who also completed the MACFIMS, MoCA test and MSQOL-54.Results:23.5% of patients without subjective cognitive complaints had evidence of objective cognitive impairment on the MACFIMS (z score < -1.5 on two or more tests). The MoCA had a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 68% for detecting objective cognitive impairment in this patient population using a cut-off score of 27.Conclusion:A significant proportion of patients without self-reported cognitive impairment do have evidence of cognitive deficits on more exhaustive cognitive assessment. The MoCA is a rapid screening test that could be used to target patients for whom a more detailed neuropsychological assessment would be recommended.
Access to Allied Health Care Services in Canadian Interdisciplinary Complex Nerve Injury Programs
Authors: Chapman Kristine M. , Doherty Chris , Bristol Sean G. , O’Connor Russell , Berger Michael J. 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT:Nerve transfer surgery for patients with nerve and spinal cord injuries can result in dramatic functional improvements. As a result, interdisciplinary complex nerve injury programs (CNIPs) have been established in many Canadian centers, providing electrodiagnostic and surgical consultations in a single encounter. We sought to determine which allied health care services are included in Canadian CNIPs, at the 3rd Annual Canadian Peripheral Nerve Symposium. Twenty CNIPs responded to a brief survey and reported access as follows: occupational therapy = 60%, physiotherapy = 40%, social work = 20%, and mental health = 10%. Access to allied health services is variable in CNIPs across Canada, possibly resulting in heterogeneity in patient care.
Relative bifurcation sets and the local dimension of univoque bases
Authors: ALLAART PIETER , KONG DERONG 
Published: May 2020

AbstractFix an alphabet$A=\{0,1,\ldots ,M\}$with$M\in \mathbb{N}$. The univoque set$\mathscr{U}$of bases$q\in (1,M+1)$in which the number$1$has a unique expansion over the alphabet$A$has been well studied. It has Lebesgue measure zero but Hausdorff dimension one. This paper describes how the points in the set$\mathscr{U}$are distributed over the interval$(1,M+1)$by determining the limit$$\begin{eqnarray}f(q):=\lim _{\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}\rightarrow 0}\dim _{\text{H}}(\mathscr{U}\cap (q-\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF},q+\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FF}))\end{eqnarray}$$for all$q\in (1,M+1)$. We show in particular that$f(q)>0$if and only if$q\in \overline{\mathscr{U}}\backslash \mathscr{C}$, where$\mathscr{C}$is an uncountable set of Hausdorff dimension zero, and$f$is continuous at those (and only those) points where it vanishes. Furthermore, we introduce a countable family of pairwise disjoint subsets of$\mathscr{U}$called relative bifurcation sets, and use them to give an explicit expression for the Hausdorff dimension of the intersection of$\mathscr{U}$with any interval, answering a question of Kalleet al [On the bifurcation set of unique expansions. Acta Arith.188(2019), 367–399]. Finally, the methods developed in this paper are used to give a complete answer to a question of the first author [On univoque and strongly univoque sets.Adv. Math.308(2017), 575–598] on strongly univoque sets.
Soundscapes in English and Spanish: a corpus investigation of verb constructions
Authors: CABALLERO ROSARIO , PARADIS CARITA 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACTThis corpus study explores howsoundevents are communicated in English and Spanish. The aims are to (i) contribute production data for a better understanding of the couplings of meanings and their realizations, (ii) account for typological differences between the languages, and (iii) further the theoretical discussion of howsoundis conceptualized through the window of language. We found that, while there are significant differences between the languages with respect to howsoundevents are communicated, they are similar with respect to what domains the sound descriptions are instantiated in, namelyperception,motion,manipulation,emotion-reaction,consumption, andcognition. One striking difference has to do with the conflation ofsound for action, e.g.,creak,squeak, andsound for motion, e.g.,slam,crash.This finding supports the received view of English as a language that may lexicalizemannerin those kinds of verbs, while Spanish expressesmannerthrough qualifiers outside the verb. Moreover, both languages employ three different perspectives on the soundscapes: Producer-, Experiencer-, and Phenomenon-based. While English favours the Producer perspective, Spanish features an even distribution between Producer and Experiencer. Phenomenon-based descriptions are relatively few in both languages.
Contrasting responses of land-terminating glaciers to recent climate variations in King George Island, Antarctica
Authors: Rosa Kátia Kellem da , Perondi Cleiva , Veettil Bijeesh Kozhikkodan , Auger Jeffrey D. , Simões Jefferson Cardia 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn this study, we aim to analyse the glacier dynamics of land-terminating glaciers in King George Island (Antarctica) between 1956 and 2018. Glacial fluctuations are estimated using space-borne remote sensing data (SPOT, Landsat, PlanetScope, Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, WorldView-2 and TanDEM-X). The eastern sector of Warszawa Icefield witnessed continuous glacier retreat during 1979–2018 (surface loss of 30%). The decreases in the ice-covered areas of the Tower, Windy, Ecology, Baranowski and Sphinx glaciers were 70%, 31%, 25%, 25% and 21%, respectively, with their accumulation area ratios (AARs) exhibiting negative mass balances. The winter air temperature was cooler during the 1970s with warming trends in the 1980s and early 2000s followed by a cooling trend until the present day. However, the annual time series has shown high interannual variability in air temperature during these periods. We show that the AAR, dimensions, length, frontal elevation, maximum elevation, slope and changes in the terminus position influence the glacier response to climate change at various timescales. Furthermore, three geomorphic activity intensity zones and a complete paraglacial sequence are identified while contrasting the proglacial systems. Overall, subglacial deposits predominate and indicate that meltwater flows on the bed, producing wet-based thermal regimes.
Camouflaging: psychopathological meanings and clinical relevance in autism spectrum conditions
Authors: Dell’Osso Liliana , Lorenzi Primo , Carpita Barbara 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn the last decade, increasing literature focused on camouflaging as a strategy adopted to cope with social environment by patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A better understanding of this phenomenon may shed more light on cognitive mechanisms and coping strategies of patients in the autism continuum, eventually leading to reconsider some previous “dogmas” in this field, such as the gender discrepancy in ASD diagnosis. Moreover, shared features can be observed in the camouflaging strategies adopted among the general population, among patients of the autism spectrum, and among patients with different kinds of psychiatric disorders, further challenging our perspectives. Camouflaging behaviors might be considered as a transdiagnostic element, closely associated with the continuous distribution of the autism spectrum among the general and the clinical population.