bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Is self‐rated health associated with ideal cardiovascular health? The Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Authors: Osibogun Olatokunbo , Ogunmoroti Oluseye , Spatz Erica S. , Burke Gregory L. , Michos Erin D. 
Published: June 2018

BackgroundSelf‐rated health (SRH) is an indicator of health status—a determinant of health‐promoting behaviors and a predictor of morbidity/mortality. Little is known about the association between SRH and ideal cardiovascular health (CVH), as measured by the AHA Life's Simple 7 (LS7) metrics, or whether the relationship between SRH and CVH differs by race/ethnicity.HypothesisFavorable SRH is associated with better CVH.MethodsWe conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of 6457 men and women (4 race/ethnicities) who participated in the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. SRH was measured on a 5‐point Likert scale (excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor). CVH was assessed using the LS7 metrics, each scored from 0 to 2, with a total score of 0 to 14. Scores of 0 to 8 indicate inadequate, 9 to 10, average, and 11 to 14, optimal CVH. ORs and 95% CIs were calculated for associations between SRH and CVH scores using multinomial logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, income, marital status, health insurance, and chronic diseases.ResultsMean age of participants was 62 ± 10 years; 53% were female. Odds of ideal CVH increased as SRH improved. Compared with poor–fair SRH, adjusted ORs and 95% CIs for optimal CVH by SRH status were excellent, 4.9 (3.4–7.0); very good, 2.2 (1.6–3.1); and good, 1.5 (1.1–2.1). Results were similar by race/ethnicity, sex, and age groups.ConclusionsMore favorable SRH was associated with better CVH, irrespective of sex, race/ethnicity, or age. Further research could explore whether optimization of SRH predicts CVH.
Is corporate social responsibility pursuing pristine business goals for sustainable development?
Authors: Hoque Nazamul , Rahman Abdul Rahim Abdul , Molla Rafiqul Islam , Noman Abu Hanifa Md. , Bhuiyan Mohammad Zahid Hossain 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThere is a continuing academic debate on corporate social responsibility (CSR), its goals and practices, and its impact on business and society. Following this debate, this study has made a critical investigation of CSR practices of business enterprises with a view to examining their spirit, intentions and roles in terms of pristine business goals. After analyzing the contents of pertinent literature (126 articles, of which 89 are empirical) in both developed and developing country contexts, the study finds that corporate managers are still less concerned about the meaning and essence of pristine business goals and the true goals and role of CSR. They practice CSR largely in a voluntary philanthropic fashion to build public image and primarily enhance business profit, not necessarily for social wellbeing. Their CSR practices have been found to be more of a cosmetic and face‐saving marketing strategy, undermining the social wellbeing goal for sustainable development. The CSR movement, therefore, needs reformation.
Measuring corporate social responsibility: A critical review of survey instruments
Authors: Latif Khawaja Fawad , Sajjad Aymen 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to identify and review survey instruments used to evaluate stakeholders' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this article, the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database was used to search for relevant articles. A systematic review of published studies from 1990 to 2017 identified apposite survey instruments employed to measure the stakeholders' perceptions of CSR. Articles were analyzed for descriptive information and psychometric validity. A total of 43 survey instruments were found that measured stakeholders' CSR perception. Of those, 20 articles included all psychometric properties. In addition, the analysis suggested economic, legal, ethical, discretionary/philanthropic, social, and environmental responsibilities as common dimensions. This study contributes to CSR literature by providing several suggestions regarding the development of survey instruments to measure the stakeholders' perceptions of CSR.
Quality of the antimalarial medicine artemether – lumefantrine in 8 cities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Mufusama Jean‐Pierre , Ndjoko Ioset Karine , Feineis Doris , Hoellein Ludwig , Holzgrabe Ulrike , Bringmann Gerhard 
Published: June 2018

AbstractIn the context of post‐marketing surveillance supporting public‐health authorities to take evidence‐based decisions to fight the spread of poor‐quality medicines, the quality of antimalarial artemether‐lumefantrine (AL) medicines was assessed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). A total of 150 samples of AL‐containing products was collected from private pharmaceutical outlets in 8 main cities: Goma, Kikwit, Kinshasa, Kisangani, Lubumbashi, Matadi, Mbandaka, and Mbuji‐Mayi. All drug samples were successively analyzed by visual inspection, thin‐layer chromatography (TLC), and high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) following The International Pharmacopoeia. Of the 150 collected drug samples, 3 (2%) failed the visual inspection as they had shelf lives different from those of other samples with the same brand name. Four samples (2.7%) did not pass the TLC test as they contained only 1 or even none of the 2 declared active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). HPLC assays showed that 46 (30.7%) samples had artemether contents below 90% and 17 (11.3%) above 110% of the content claimed on the label. For lumefantrine, 32 (21.7%) samples had contents below 90%, and 8 (5.3%) had contents above 110%. This survey in DRC gives evidence that poor‐quality antimalarial medicines are widely present. Based on 3 detection techniques, the study shows the necessity to equip developing countries with modern techniques such as HPLC, which, if combined with affordable techniques like TLC, could provide a pertinent analytical strategy to combat drug counterfeiting and poor manufacturing.
Estimating infection prevalence: Best practices and their theoretical underpinnings
Authors: Miller Ian F. , Schneider‐Crease India , Nunn Charles L. , Muehlenbein Michael P. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAccurately estimating infection prevalence is fundamental to the study of population health, disease dynamics, and infection risk factors. Prevalence is estimated as the proportion of infected individuals (“individual‐based estimation”), but is also estimated as the proportion of samples in which evidence of infection is detected (“anonymous estimation”). The latter method is often used when researchers lack information on individual host identity, which can occur during noninvasive sampling of wild populations or when the individual that produced a fecal sample is unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate biases in individual‐based versus anonymous prevalence estimation theoretically and to test whether mathematically derived predictions are evident in a comparative dataset of gastrointestinal helminth infections in nonhuman primates. Using a mathematical model, we predict that anonymous estimates of prevalence will be lower than individual‐based estimates when (a) samples from infected individuals do not always contain evidence of infection and/or (b) when false negatives occur. The mathematical model further predicts that no difference in bias should exist between anonymous estimation and individual‐based estimation when one sample is collected from each individual. Using data on helminth parasites of primates, we find that anonymous estimates of prevalence are significantly and substantially (12.17%) lower than individual‐based estimates of prevalence. We also observed that individual‐based estimates of prevalence from studies employing single sampling are on average 6.4% higher than anonymous estimates, suggesting a bias toward sampling infected individuals. We recommend that researchers use individual‐based study designs with repeated sampling of individuals to obtain the most accurate estimate of infection prevalence. Moreover, to ensure accurate interpretation of their results and to allow for prevalence estimates to be compared among studies, it is essential that authors explicitly describe their sampling designs and prevalence calculations in publications.
Transitioning western U.S. dry forests to limited committed warming with bet‐hedging and natural disturbances
Authors: Baker William L. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractHistorical evidence suggests natural disturbances could allow more forest persistence, than expected from models, over 40 yr of transition to the net‐zero emissions needed to limit warming to <2.0°C (e.g., Paris Agreement). Forests must ultimately equilibrate with committed warming from accumulated emissions. Historical dry‐forest landscapes were heterogeneous from large, infrequent disturbances (LIDs) that reduced tree density and basal area, followed by slow, variable tree regeneration and recovery for 1–3 centuries. These together effectively provided bet‐hedging through stand‐ and landscape‐level heterogeneity that enhanced resistance and resilience to a diversity of unpredictable subsequent disturbances. Recent disturbances have not yet exceeded historical variability in rates and patterns, but could cause mortality of ∼26–51% of dry‐forest area in the transition. This also means 1/2 to 3/4 of dry‐forest area could escape most mortality and the mortality area could also have substantial forest persistence. Projections are unavailable for droughts or beetle outbreaks, but they recently caused about 3–4 times as much tree mortality as did moderate‐ to high‐severity fires. Mortality could reduce forest area if new trees do not regenerate, but 24 studies showed recent regeneration after high‐severity fires was slow, but indistinct from historical variability. Survival of smaller trees provided regeneration after beetle outbreaks and droughts. Regeneration in general was projected by 2060 to decline by ∼10% in one study and increase by 50% in another. If openings from disturbances increased, some grasslands and shrublands could be restored, increasing landscape heterogeneity and resistance to disturbance spread. Given these trends and our limited ability to preventLIDs, I suggest (1) refocusing restoration to increase bet‐hedging resilience to droughts and beetle outbreaks by retaining small trees and diverse tree species, (2) expanding development of fire‐safe landscapes to protect people and infrastructure from unavoidable increased fire, (3) enabling more managed fire to restore and enhance stand‐ and landscape‐scale bet‐hedging, and (4) accepting thatLIDs will revise resistance, resilience, and adaptation, which enhance forest persistence, particularly if post‐disturbance survivors are not logged and trees are not planted. Natural disturbance and slow recovery, if bet‐hedged to increase resistance and resilience, could enable substantial forest persistence.
Comparison of selected clean and green extraction technologies for biomolecules from apple pomace
Authors: Zhang Zhihang , Poojary Mahesha M. , Choudhary Alka , Rai Dilip K. , Tiwari Brijesh K. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractApple pomace has been considered as a sustainable source for antioxidant phenolic compounds. Previous reports show extraction of total phenolic contents (TPCs) by following various conventional and nonconventional techniques; however, a comparative study has not been reported. In the present work, conventional extraction was compared with several nonconventional extraction methods including ultrasound‐assisted extraction, microwave‐assisted extraction, high‐speed homogenization. Moreover, efficacy of combined treatments, including high‐speed homogenization coupled with microwave‐assisted extraction and ultrasound‐assisted enzymatic extraction, was evaluated for the recovery of TPC. The results revealed that ultrasound‐assisted enzymatic extraction results in the highest TPC (4.62 mg GAE/g); moreover, it simultaneously enabled the recovery of low methoxy pectins with the degree of methylation ranging from 14.03 to 28.85%. The LC‐Q‐TOF analysis revealed the presence of various phenolic acids and flavonoids. The 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging assay showed that the phenolic‐rich extracts had IC50 values ranging from 27.1 to 54.6 mg trolox/L depending on the extraction parameters.
Photovoltaic monitoring system for Auger Muons and Infill for the Ground Array
Authors: Cancio Montbrun Angel , Mancilla Alexis , Maya Javier , García Beatriz , Almela Alejandro , Andrada Belén , Botti Ana M. , Etchegoyen Alberto , Figueira Juan M. , Fuster Alan , González Nicolas , Hampel Matías R. , Holt Ewa , Hulsman Johannes , Jose Bachuili Mariela , Leal Nicolas , Lucero Agustín , Melo Diego , Müller Sarah , Perlin Matías , Platino Manuel , Ravignani Diego , Roncoroni Matias , Sánchez Federico , Sarmiento‐Cano Christian , Schmidt David , Silli Gaia , Suarez Federico , Taboada Alvaro , Wainberg Oscar , Wundheiler Brian , Yelós Diana 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThis study is devoted to characterizing the operation of the entire photovoltaic system installed in one of the Auger Muons and Infill for the Ground Array (AMIGA) stations, a complimentary detector for the Pierre Auger Observatory, the largest cosmic‐ray air shower array in the world, 3000 km2, powered exclusively by solar energy. To understand charge and discharge cycles, the whole system behavior under different climatic conditions and to determine its limitations, the design of a new prototype for monitoring the whole system online is a fundamental part of this contribution. Also, it is demonstrated that the configuration of solar charge controllers in parallel is able to manage panels of different powers and brands and that the monitoring system allows analyzing periods with adverse weather conditions.
A New Method for Modulation, Control and Power Boosting in Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Ieropoulos I. A. , You J. , Gajda I. , Greenman J. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMicrobial fuel cells (MFCs) are energy transducers, which through the metabolic reactions of facultative anaerobic microorganisms, transform the energy in organic matter directly into electricity. Extrinsic parameters such as hydraulic retention time, fuel quality (type and concentration) and physicochemical environment of electrodes and biofilms (e.g., temperature, pH, salinity, and redox), can all influence system efficiency. This work proposes that MFCs can be “fine‐tuned” by adjustment of any of the physicochemical conditions including redox potential; in this context, an entirely novel method was investigated as a practical means of tuning, modulating and monitoring the redox potential within the electrode chambers. The method uses additional electrodes – known as 3rd and 4th‐pins for anode and cathode chambers, respectively – which can be used in individual units, modules, cascades or stacks, for optimising the production of a large variety of chemicals, as well as biomass, water and power. The results have shown that the power output modulation resulted in an up to 79% and 33% increase, when connected via 3rd and 4th pins, respectively. Apart from power improvement, this study also demonstrated a method of open circuit potential (OCP) sensing, by using the same additional electrodes to both monitor and control the MFC signal in real time.
A dual geochemical‐phytolith methodology for studying activity areas in ephemeral sites: Insights from an ethnographic case study from Jordan
Authors: Vos Daniella , Jenkins Emma , Palmer Carol 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThis study aims to contribute to the interpretation of ephemeral sites by exploring the efficacy of geochemistry and phytolith analysis to identify activity areas in seasonally occupied ethnographic sites. The application of a portable X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) instrument and phytolith analysis to soil samples from six Bedouin campsites at Wadi Faynan, Jordan, provided insights about anthropogenic enrichment patterns and the effects of short periods of abandonment on these. The compatibility of the two analysis techniques and means to combine the results of both are addressed. The results of this study suggest that soil signatures can be found in ephemeral sites following abandonment, even in dynamic and harsh environments. The efficacy of the geochemical analysis to indicate variance within the data was found to be greater than that of the phytolith analysis in these case studies, while certain trends within the phytolith results were more useful in identifying specific activities. Due to the compatibility of the geochemical and phytolith data, it is proposed that a serial or parallel approach should be taken for their statistical analysis.
Gene–environment interactions in case–control studies with silent disease
Authors: Lobach Iryna , Sampson Joshua , Lobach Siarhei , Zhang Li 
Published: June 2018

ABSTRACTGenome‐wide association studies (GWAS) often measure gene–environment interactions (G × E). We consider the problem of accurately estimating a G × E in a case–control GWAS when a subset of the controls have silent, or undiagnosed, disease and the frequency of the silent disease varies by the environmental variable. We show that using case–control status without accounting for misdiagnosis can lead to biased estimates of the G × E. We further propose a pseudolikelihood approach to remove the bias and accurately estimate how the relationship between the genetic variant and the true disease status varies by the environmental variable. We demonstrate our method in extensive simulations and apply our method to a GWAS of prostate cancer.
A comparative study on cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the hydroxyapatite‐bioactive glass and fluorapatite‐bioactive glass nanocomposite foams as tissue scaffold for bone repair
Authors: Seyedmajidi Seyedali , Seyedmajidi Maryam , Zabihi Ebrahim , Hajian‐Tilaki Karimollah 
Published: June 2018

AbstractConsidering to the possibility of cellular and genetic damage by the implant materials in the patient and the clinician, the safety of the biomaterials should be evaluated. The purpose of this study was to compare the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity induced by two nanocomposites, hydroxyapatite/bioactive glass (HA/BG) and fluorapatite/bioactive glass (FA/BG) in vitro. Biomaterial extracts (BMEX, 100%) were prepared by incubating 100 mg/mL of each biomaterial powder in complete culture medium (RPMI1640 + 10% FBS) for 72 h. Saos‐II cells were exposed to different concentrations of BMEXs for different periods of time and evaluated at the end of each period. According to 3–(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay results, both BMEXs at low concentrations (<25%) has no inhibitory effects on the cells growth. After 24 h of exposure, only HA/BG BMEX at 100% concentration showed significant cytotoxic effect. After 48 and 72 h, both HA/BG and FA/BG BMEXs showed similar cytotoxic effect at concentration higher than 75 and 50%, respectively. The results of the comet assay showed that the tail elongation, and proportionally DNA damage, increased in a dose/time dependently fashion with BMEXs exposure. Based on low and similar cytotoxicity and genotoxicity profiles on the Saos‐II cell line, it could be concluded that FA/BG, like HA/BG, could be a good candidate for further in vivo biocompatibility studies to be used in bone tissue repair. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 106A: 2605–2612, 2018.
In vivo biocompatibility and time‐dependent changes in mechanical properties of woven collagen meshes: A comparison to xenograft and synthetic mid‐urethral sling materials
Authors: Chapin Katherine , Khalifa Ahmad , Mbimba Thomas , McClellan Phillip , Anderson James , Novitsky Yuri , Hijaz Adonis , Akkus Ozan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMeshes woven from highly aligned collagen threads crosslinked using either genipin or 1‐ethyl‐3‐(3‐dimethylaminopropyl) carboiimide and N‐hydroxy succinimide (EDC/NHS) were implanted in a subcutaneous rat model to evaluate their biocompatibility (at 2 weeks, 2 months, and 5 months), mechanical properties (at baseline, 2 months, and 5 months) and ultimately their suitability for use as mid‐urethral slings (MUS) for management of stress urinary incontinence. Porcine dermal (Xenmatrix) and monofilament polypropylene (Prolene) meshes were also implanted to provide comparison to clinically used materials. Quantitative histological scoring showed tissue integration in Xenmatrix was almost absent, while the open network of woven collagen and Prolene meshes allowed for cellular and tissue integration. However, strength and stiffness of genipin‐crosslinked collagen (GCC), Prolene, and Xenmatrix meshes were not significantly different from those of native rectus fascia and vaginal tissues of animals at 5 months. EDC/NHS‐crosslinked collagen (ECC) meshes were degraded so extensively at five months that samples could only be used for histological staining. Picrosirius red and Masson's trichrome staining revealed that integrated tissue within GCC meshes was more aligned (p = 0.02) and appeared more concentrated than ECC meshes at 5 months. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining showed that GCC meshes attracted a greater number of cells expressing markers for M2 macrophages, those associated with regeneration, than ECC meshes (p = 0.01 for CD206+ cells, p = 0.001 CD163+ cells) at 5 months. As such, GCC meshes hold promise as a new MUS biomaterial based on favorable induction of fibrous tissue resulting in mechanical stiffness matching that of native tissue. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 107B: 479–489, 2019.
Studies on the relationship between perforating vein insufficiency and iliac compression syndrome
Authors: Lin Lin , Tang JinFeng , Huang Zhihua , Huang Zhiping , Liao Ping , Ye Bo , Liu Lei , Guo Chaoqing 
Published: June 2018

ObjectiveTo study correlation among number(n), diameter (D), and blood reflux time(t) and the left common iliac vein stenosis degree of the expansion of perforating veins, so as to guide the clinical formulation and adjust the treatment plan.MethodsRetrospective analysis of 45 PVs patients with left common iliac vein in different degrees of compression in our hospital from 2010 to 2012 was performed. Left common iliac vein was divided into 50%‐69%, 70%‐99%, 30%‐49% and occlusion of the stenosis to avoid the error of the left iliac vein stenosis. Pearson's correlation analysis among the number, diameter, and blood reflux time of perforating veins and left common iliac vein was performed.ResultsPearson's correlation analysis among the number, diameter, and blood back flow time of perforating veins, and the degree of stenosis was performed, and these results showed that correlation coefficients among the number, diameter, and blood return the PVs between flow time and the degree of stenosis were rp‐n = 0.784, rp‐d = 0.893, rp‐t = 0.845 (P < .001), respectively. The two variables exist positive correlation and correlation was significant.ConclusionWith the increase in left common iliac vein stenosis, the number of perforating veins and the diameter increased, and the time of blood flow were prolonged.