bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Estimating national population sizes: Methodological challenges and applications illustrated in the common nightingale, a declining songbird in the UK
Authors: Hewson Chris M. , Miller Mark , Johnston Alison , Conway Greg J. , Saunders Richard , Marchant John H. , Fuller Robert J. 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Estimation of national population size can be important for setting conservation priorities, but its methodology has received little critical attention. Sites for highly aggregated species are often prioritised if they contain 1% of national or biogeographic populations, but the utility of this approach for other species is unclear.

To make recommendations for study design, we present methods used to estimate the UK population size of the common nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos. We assess the sensitivity of the population estimate to the analytical method used and identify sites of national importance for this territorial songbird.

Survey effort was directed by prior knowledge of the species distribution and the survey design maximised detectability by focussing on the period of greatest song output. We used three different statistical methods to account for detectability, estimating that 55%–65% of the national population was detected during surveys.

Birds in areas not known to contain the species accounted for 13%–23% of the population estimate. Methods to account for these individuals contributed the greatest uncertainty to the results, due to the difficulty of surveying a very large sample of random sites and consequent need to stratify the sample.

The 12 derived estimates ranged between 5,094 and 5,938 territorial males, with the confidence limits ranging from 4,764 to 6,534. Site delimitation, using clustering based on nearest‐neighbour distances, identified one site clearly of national importance and several others potentially nationally important, depending on the population threshold and clustering distance used.

Synthesis and applications. National population estimation is difficult and requires that species‐specific variability in detectability, and individuals present outside surveyed areas are accurately accounted for through survey design and statistical analysis. Accounting for these sources of error will not always be possible and will hamper efforts to assess true population size and consequently to determine whether sites, however defined, exceed critical thresholds of importance. Resources may be better invested in other activities, for example, in generating population trends based on relative indices. The latter are generally easier to produce, potentially more robust and arguably more suitable for many conservation applications.
Degradation of L‐Ascorbic Acid in the Amorphous Solid State
Authors: Sanchez Juan O. , Ismail Yahya , Christina Belinda , Mauer Lisa J. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAscorbic acid degradation in amorphous solid dispersions was compared to its degradation in the crystalline state. Physical blends and lyophiles of ascorbic acid and polymers (pectins and polyvinylpyrrolidone [PVP]) were prepared initially at 50:50 (w/w), with further studies using the polymer that best inhibited ascorbic acid crystallization in the lyophiles in 14 vitamin : PVP ratios. Samples were stored in controlled environments (25 to 60 °C, 0% to 23% RH) for 1 mo and analyzed periodically to track the physical appearance, change in moisture content, physical state (powder x‐ray diffraction and polarized light microscopy), and vitamin loss (high performance liquid chromatography) over time. The glass transition temperatures of select samples were determined using differential scanning calorimetry, and moisture sorption profiles were generated. Ascorbic acid in the amorphous form, even in the glassy amorphous state, was more labile than in the crystalline form in some formulations at the highest storage temperature. Lyophiles stored at 25 and 40 °C and those in which ascorbic acid had crystallized at 60 °C (≥70% ascorbic acid : PVP) had no significant difference in vitamin loss (P > 0.05) relative to physical blend controls, and the length of storage had little effect. At 60 °C, amorphous ascorbic acid lyophiles (≤60% ascorbic acid : PVP) lost significantly more vitamin (P < 0.05) relative to physical blend controls after 1 wk, and vitamin loss significantly increased over time. In these lyophiles, vitamin degradation also significantly increased (P < 0.05) at lower proportions of ascorbic acid, a scenario likely encountered in foods wherein vitamins are naturally present or added at low concentrations and production practices may promote amorphization of the vitamin.Practical ApplicationVitamin C is one of the most unstable vitamins in foods. This study documents that amorphous ascorbic acid is less stable than crystalline ascorbic acid in some environments (for example, higher temperatures within 1 wk), especially when the vitamin is present at low concentrations in a product. These findings increase the understanding of how material science properties influence the stability of vitamin C.
Morphologically ‘invisible’ proinsulin – secreting adenoma detected by Ga‐68 Exendin‐4 (GLP‐1 Receptor) positron emission tomography/CT
Authors: Werner Christoph , Lupp Amelie , Drescher Robert , Freesmeyer Martin , Mireskandari Masoud , Stoykow Christian , Bauschke Astrid , Müller Ulrich A 
Published: February 2018

SummaryThis case report of a young man suffering from recurring hypoglycaemia illustrates a rare condition of a neuroendocrine tumour, predominantly secreting proinsulin and invisible to conventional imaging approaches. Only a GLP‐1 receptor PET/CT using Exendin‐4 visualized the pancreatic lesion and enabled curative therapy, confirming the diagnostic value of this tracer for detection of neuroendocrine tumours. As only few publications on this topic are available, an overview of the available data is also given. The known cut‐off value of 60% for proinsulin level indicating malignancy is critically discussed.
Utility of 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose‐positron emission tomography in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant gynaecological tumours
Authors: Takagi Hiroaki , Sakamoto Jinichi , Osaka Yasuhiro , Shibata Takeo , Fujita Satoko , Sasagawa Toshiyuki 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIntroductionPositron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) involving 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is widely used for systemic cancer and recurrence diagnosis. However, the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant gynaecological tumours according to FDG accumulation is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the intensity of FDG uptake/metabolic activity for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant gynaecological tumours.MethodsThis study included seven patients with physiological phenomena, 34 with benign tumours, 13 with borderline malignant tumours and 119 with malignant tumours who underwent 18F‐FDG PET/CT. We assessed the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) and determined its utility in the diagnosis of benign and malignant tumours using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsAmong the 63 patients with ovarian tumours, the mean SUVmax of 22 patients with benign ovarian tumours was 2.48 and the mean SUVmax of 41 patients with malignant ovarian tumours was 10.98 (P < 0.001). In the ROC curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.977, with a 95% confidence interval of 0.947–1.000. With a cut‐off value of 3.97 for the optimal SUVmax, the sensitivity and specificity were 95.1% and 86.4%, respectively. In addition, the AUC was 0.911 (95% CI: 0.768–1.000) for the assessment of uterine myomas and sarcomas. With a cut‐off value of 10.62 for the optimal SUVmax, the sensitivity and specificity were 91.7% and 86.7% respectively.ConclusionsThe SUVmax value helps differentiate benign and malignant ovarian tumours, as well as uterine myomas and uterine sarcomas.
Polygenic Risk Score Prediction of Alcohol Dependence Symptoms Across Population‐Based and Clinically Ascertained Samples
Authors: Savage Jeanne E. , Salvatore Jessica E. , Aliev Fazil , Edwards Alexis C. , Hickman Matthew , Kendler Kenneth S. , Macleod John , Latvala Antti , Loukola Anu , Kaprio Jaakko , Rose Richard J. , Chan Grace , Hesselbrock Victor , Webb Bradley T. , Adkins Amy , Bigdeli Tim B. , Riley Brien P. , Dick Danielle M. 
Published: February 2018

BackgroundDespite consistent evidence of the heritability of alcohol use disorders (AUDs), few specific genes with an etiological role have been identified. It is likely that AUDs are highly polygenic; however, the etiological pathways and genetic variants involved may differ between populations. The aim of this study was thus to evaluate whether aggregate genetic risk for AUDs differed between clinically ascertained and population‐based epidemiological samples.MethodsFour independent samples were obtained: 2 from unselected birth cohorts (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children [ALSPAC], N = 4,304; FinnTwin12 [FT12], N = 1,135) and 2 from families densely affected with AUDs, identified from treatment‐seeking patients (Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism, N = 2,097; Irish Affected Sib Pair Study of Alcohol Dependence, N = 706). AUD symptoms were assessed with clinical interviews, and participants of European ancestry were genotyped. Genomewide association was conducted separately in each sample, and the resulting association weights were used to create polygenic risk scores in each of the other samples (12 total discovery–validation pairs), and from meta‐analyses within sample type. We then tested how well these aggregate genetic scores predicted AUD outcomes within and across sample types.ResultsPolygenic scores derived from 1 population‐based sample (ALSPAC) significantly predicted AUD symptoms in another population‐based sample (FT12), but not in either clinically ascertained sample. Trend‐level associations (uncorrected p < 0.05) were found for polygenic score predictions within sample types but no or negative predictions across sample types. Polygenic scores accounted for 0 to 1% of the variance in AUD symptoms.ConclusionsThough preliminary, these results provide suggestive evidence of differences in the genetic etiology of AUDs based on sample characteristics such as treatment‐seeking status, which may index other important clinical or demographic factors that moderate genetic influences. Although the variance accounted for by genomewide polygenic scores remains low, future studies could improve gene identification efforts by amassing very large samples, or reducing genetic heterogeneity by informing analyses with other phenotypic information such as sample characteristics. Multiple complementary approaches may be needed to make progress in gene identification for this complex disorder.
Do Family Firms’ Specific Governance Mechanisms Moderate the Cost of Debt?
Authors: Duréndez Antonio , Madrid‐Guijarro Antonia , Hernández‐Cánovas Ginés 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThis study considers whether the specific governance mechanisms of Spanish family firms decrease their debt cost. We explore the idea of reducing debt costs through specific governance mechanisms of family firms, such as the business succession plan, the family council, as well as other traditional mechanisms like the board of directors. Because most corporate governance research has focused on larger firms, more research on smaller privately held family firms is necessary. For this empirical research, we used a sample of 281 small and medium‐sized family firms. The results show that the implementation of a business succession plan not only serves to solve family conflicts and to plan the business succession but also moderates the cost of financing. Our results confirm that credit institutions receive a positive signal when family firms implement business succession plans as governance mechanisms, reducing both family opportunism and asymmetries of information, influencing risk analysts in their decision‐making processes.
Investigation of the effect of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccination on Thoroughbred racing performance
Authors: Schemann K , Annand EJ , Reid PA , Lenz MF , Thomson PC , Dhand NK 
Published: February 2018

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effect of Equivac® HeV Hendra virus vaccine on Thoroughbred racing performance.DesignRetrospective pre‐post intervention study.MethodsThoroughbreds with at least one start at one of six major south‐eastern Queensland race tracks between 1 July 2012 and 31 December 2016 and with starts in the 3‐month periods before and after Hendra virus vaccinations were identified. Piecewise linear mixed models compared the trends in ‘Timeform rating’ and ‘margin to winner’ before and after initial Hendra virus vaccination. Generalised linear mixed models similarly compared the odds of ‘winning’, ‘placing’ (1st–3rd) and ‘winning any prize money’. Timeform rating trends were also compared before and after the second and subsequent vaccinations.ResultsAnalysis of data from 4208 race starts by 755 horses revealed no significant difference in performance in the 3 months before versus 3 months after initial Hendra vaccination for Timeform rating (P = 0.32), ‘Margin to winner’ (P = 0.45), prize money won (P = 0.25), wins (P = 0.64) or placings (P = 0.77). Further analysis for Timeform rating for 7844 race starts by 928 horses failed to identify any significant change in Timeform rating trends before versus after the second and subsequent vaccinations (P = 0.16) or any evidence of a cumulative effect for the number of vaccines received (P = 0.22).ConclusionNo evidence of an effect of Hendra virus vaccination on racing performance was found. The findings allow owners, trainers, industry regulators and animal health authorities to make informed decisions about vaccination.
Emotional preferences and goals and emotion dysregulation in children with Asperger's syndrome and typically developing children
Authors: López‐Pérez Belén , Ambrona Tamara , Gummerum Michaela 
Published: February 2018

ObjectivesEmotion goals lie at the heart of emotion regulation, as people have to first decide what emotions they want to feel before engaging in emotion regulation. Given that children with Asperger's syndrome (AS) are characterized by exhibiting difficulties in emotion regulation, studying whether they display similar or different emotion goals compared to typically developing (TD) children may provide insightful information.MethodsThirty AS and 30 TD children (10–12 years) reported about their general (i.e., how they want to feel in general) and contextualized (i.e., how they want to feel when confronting vs. collaborating with someone) emotion goals, and about their difficulties in emotion regulation through questionnaires.ResultsResults showed that both groups did not differ in their general emotional goals and in their contextualized emotion goals for happiness for collaboration and anger for confrontation. AS children only differed from TD children in a higher preference for sadness for collaboration and happiness for confrontation. These emotion goals predicted their difficulties to engage in goal‐directed behaviour.ConclusionsThe obtained results support the need to further study emotion goals as an aspect of emotion dysregulation, namely the difficulties to engage in goal‐directed behaviour when experiencing different emotions.Practitioner points

AS and TD children did not differ in their general emotion goals.

AS and TD children did not vary in their preferences for happiness for collaboration and anger for confrontation.

AS children only differed in a higher preference for sadness for collaboration and happiness for confrontation.

Understanding emotion goals might help practitioners to develop better interventions.
Factors that influence behavioral intention to use mobile‐based assessment: A STEM teachers’ perspective
Authors: Nikou Stavros A. , Economides Anastasios A. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTeachers' role can be catalytic in the introduction of innovative digital tools in order to create new learning and assessment opportunities. This study explores science technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) teachers' intention to use mobile‐based assessments in the teaching practice. The study proposes the teachers' acceptance mobile‐based assessment (TAMBA) model which extends the technology acceptance model by introducing individual, social, institutional and instructional design factors. An appropriate questionnaire was developed and answered by 161 STEM teachers from 32 European countries. Their responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The proposed TAMBA model explains about 50% of the variance in teachers' intention to adopt mobile‐based assessment. Perceived Ease of Use was found to be the most important determinant in teachers' intention to use mobile‐based assessment. Facilitating Conditions and Output Quality were the most influential external variables in the model. The study findings revealed that focusing on mobile assessment quality design as well as on institutional support are important factors for STEM teachers in order to accept mobile‐based assessments in schools.
Pharmacological behaviour support for adults with intellectual disabilities: Frequency and predictors in a national cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Mac Giolla Phadraig C. , Griffiths C. , McCallion P. , McCarron M. , Donnelly‐Swift E. , Nunn J. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo report frequency and predictors of reported pharmacological behaviour support use among older adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) accessing dental care in Ireland.MethodsData from a nationally representative cross‐sectional survey of adults with ID over 40 years of age allowed identification of the reported frequency of pharmacological behaviour support use. Predictors of pharmacological support were identified using multiple logistic regression.ResultsMost older adults with ID did not report the use of any pharmacological support to receive dental care: only 0.9% reported use of inhalation sedation; 2.4% intravenous (IV) sedation; 8.6% general anaesthesia (GA); and 16.0% oral sedation. Participants reporting challenging behaviour (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.3‐2.9), significant difficulty speaking (OR = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.8‐4.8) and obvious oral problems (OR = 2.5, 95% CI = 1.6‐4.1) had greater odds of reporting pharmacological, that is, GA or conscious sedation (CS), rather than nonpharmacological supports for dental care, compared to those who were not.ConclusionsPeople with ID report a diverse range of support use, with many using GA or CS, particularly oral sedation, for dental treatment. This highlights a need for training and governance for dentists who provide this care. Patients who present with challenging behaviour, oral problems and, interestingly, difficulty with expressive communication are more likely to report use of pharmacological supports. The above has implications for dental service design and delivery for this population.
Death‐specific rate due to asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Iran
Authors: Varmaghani Mehdi , Kebriaeezadeh Abbas , Sharifi Farshad , Sheidaei Ali , Rashidian Arash , Moradi‐Lakeh Maziar , Naghshin Roozbeh , Moin Mostafa , Mehdipour Parinaz , Heidari Elham , Gohari Kimiya , Rezaei Nazila , Haghshenas Rosa , Kompani Farzad , Farzadfar Farshad 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackground and objectiveAsthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could be considered as a major health problem in industrialized and developing countries. This study was designed to analyze the trends of mortality from asthma and COPD at national and subnational levels in Iran based on National Death Registry, from 2001 to 2015.Materials and methodsWe used Death Registration System (DRS) as the basic source of data. Death Registration System data were available from 1995 to 2010 in Iran's Ministry of Health. Although, Tehran and Isfahan, 2 most populated cities in Iran, had independent death registry systems in their cemeteries, by combining their data we achieved more comprehensive and representative data on death among Iranian people. We addressed incompleteness and misclassification of death registry system using demographic and statistical methods. We also employed spatio‐temporal and Gaussian process regression to extrapolate and interpolate mortality rates for the missing data.ResultsAge‐standardized asthma mortality rate was 7.2 (5.6‐9.2) in females and 8.8 (6.9‐11.1) in males at the national level in 2015. Age‐standardized COPD mortality rates in females and males, respectively, were 8.46 (6.6‐10.9) and 12.38 (9.8‐15.6) during the studied years. A reduction in age‐standardized asthma mortality was observed during the period of study. In addition, the trend of COPD mortality was increasing.ConclusionsIt seems that mortality rate attributable to COPD has risen during the past 15 years in Iran. It could have increased because of increased exposure of people to related risk factors such as air pollution which is a common problem in larger cities and border provinces.
Elevations of metabolic risk factors 20 years or more before diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: Experience from the AMORIS study
Authors: Malmström Håkan , Walldius Göran , Carlsson Sofia , Grill Valdemar , Jungner Ingmar , Gudbjörnsdottir Soffia , Kosiborod Mikhail , Hammar Niklas 
Published: February 2018

AimsTo describe trajectories for metabolic risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D) up to 25 years prior to diagnosis and to estimate the absolute 20‐year risk for T2D based on a simple set of commonly measured key risk factors.MethodsFrom the Swedish AMORIS cohort we included 296 428 individuals with data on fasting glucose obtained in health examinations during 1985–1996 (baseline period). All participants were followed until 2012 for development of incident T2D. The 20‐year T2D risk based on age, sex, body mass index (BMI), fasting glucose and triglycerides was estimated. Trajectories for biomedical risk factors of T2D starting from >20 years before diagnosis and including fasting glucose, triglycerides and BMI were evaluated according to yearly means for cases and controls.ResultsWe identified 28 244 new T2D cases during the study period, with an average 20‐year risk of 8.1%. This risk was substantially increased in overweight and obese participants and those with elevated fasting glucose and triglyceride levels, in both men and women. T2D cases had higher mean BMI and fasting glucose and triglyceride levels compared with controls >20 years before diagnosis and the difference in fasting glucose levels increased over time.ConclusionsDevelopment of T2D is associated with subtle elevations in glucose and lipid levels >20 years before diagnosis. This suggests that diabetogenic processes tied to chronic insulin resistance operate for decades prior to the development of T2D. A simple risk classification can help in early identification of individuals who are at increased risk.