bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of chronic diseases on health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health among three adult age groups
Authors: Ge Lixia , Ong Reuben , Yap Chun Wei , Heng Bee Hoon 
Published: December 2018

AbstractLittle is known about whether there is any difference in associations of chronic diseases with health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health across age groups. The purpose of the present study was to examine the associations of one specific and multiple chronic diseases with health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health (measured using the 5‐level EQ‐5D version) in three age groups: young (21–44 years), middle‐aged (45–64 years), and older adults (≥65 years). Secondary data analysis of 1932 participants in the Population Health Index Survey was performed. Linear regression results showed that different chronic diseases had a characteristic effect on health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health among different age groups. The presence of a single chronic disease was associated with lower health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health in young adults. Multi‐morbidity was consistently associated with decreased health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health in all age groups. Our findings suggest that although young adults have a lower prevalence of chronic diseases, their impacts on health‐related quality of life and self‐rated health can be as significant as that in middle‐aged and older adults.
Identification and classification of S haplotypes in radish (Raphanus sativus)
Authors: Wang Qingbiao , Zheng Pengjing , Zhang Li 
Published: December 2018

AbstractRadish (Raphanus sativus L.) is a typical cross‐pollinated crop that exhibits obvious heterosis. Self‐incompatibility is an important character for F1 hybrid breeding of radish. Knowledge of the S haplotypes of breeding lines is very important for breeders to avoid cross‐incompatibility of the parental lines. In the present study, the S haplotypes of 63 radish inbred lines, which were independently cultivated by our research group, were identified by PCR amplification, sequencing and BLAST analyses of the SRK and SLG genes. Finally, fifty‐four inbred lines were classified into 15 class I S haplotypes, including three new types, RsS‐38, RsS‐39 and RsS‐40. Additionally, three class II S haplotypes were identified in nine radish inbred lines. Partial SRK or SLG sequences were completed, such as RsS‐11 Lim (SRK‐S), RsS‐26 (SRK‐K), RsS‐5 Lim (SRK‐K and SRK‐S) and RsS‐9 (SRK‐K). The identified S haplotypes were verified with a cross‐pollination test, and RsS‐9 has weaker self‐incompatibility than other S haplotypes. These information will not only contribute to the production of hybrid seeds but also to the development of new self‐compatible inbred lines, which were advantageous of the production of maintain line and male line in CMS breeding system.
Autologous cord blood transplantation in children with acquired severe aplastic anemia
Authors: Sun Yuan , Liu Zhouyang , Xiao Juan , Liu Xiaomei , Jiang Fan , Fan Shifen , Shen Ying 
Published: December 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy of ACBT for acquired SAA in children.MethodsFour patients including three girls and one boy were diagnosed with acquired SAA. Their ages were 5, 3, 1, and 3 years, respectively. Patients received an immunoablative preparative regimen using low‐dose antithymocyte globulin, cyclophosphamide, and fludarabine. The unrelated human umbilical cord MSC were infused before the autologous cord blood was transfused on day 0. The first and second patients were not treated with immunosuppressive agents after transplantation. The third and the fourth patients received cyclosporine A for half a year after transplantation followed by a 6‐month taper.ResultsInitial hematopoietic reconstitution was seen in all the four patients. There was no association between engraftment time and the number of total cells and CD34+ cells. Relapse was seen in the first case about half a year after the transplantation. The other three patients with durable hematopoietic reconstitution are with good quality of life. No GVHD was observed.ConclusionsThree of four patients maintained prolonged hematopoiesis following an immunosuppressive‐based preparative regimen and infusion of autologous cord blood cells. It is recommended that cyclosporine be maintained for 6 months after transplantation. ACBT could be considered for acquired SAA if available.
Exploring sub‐individual variability: role of ontogeny, abiotic environment and seed‐dispersing birds
Authors: Sobral M. , Guitián J. , Guitián P. , Violle C. , Larrinaga A. R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWithin‐individual trait variation – otherwise known as sub‐individual variation – is an important component of phenotypic variation, with both a genetic and epigenetic basis. We explore its adaptive value and the effects of ontogeny and the environment on sub‐individual variability.We conducted a field study to analyse the effects of tree age, soilpH, soil water content and soil nutrients on sub‐individual variability in fruit size of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) in three sites in northwest Spain. Additionally, we examined how bird‐mediated selection influences average and sub‐individual variation in fruit size.Results show that average and sub‐individual variations in fruit size were related to fitness affecting seed dispersal. Older trees produced larger fruits, but tree age did not affect sub‐individual variation in fruit size. Abiotic environmental factors differently affected sub‐individual variation and average fruit size. Seed‐dispersing birds exerted correlated selection on average and variation in fruit size, favouring trees with larger and less variable fruit size at one site.Our work suggests that the fruit size variation within individual trees, the sub‐individual variation, is modified by abiotic environmental factors and, additionally, is an adaptive trait that responds to natural selection.
An ERP study of cross‐modal rhyming: Influences of phonology and orthography
Authors: Mitra Priya , Coch Donna 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn a cross‐modal rhyming study with visual pseudoword primes and auditory word targets, we found a typical ERP rhyming effect such that nonrhyming targets elicited a larger N400/N450 than rhyming targets. An orthographic effect was also apparent in the same 350‐ to 600‐ms epoch as the phonological effect: The rhyming effect for targets with rime orthography that did not match their primes' (e.g., tain‐“sane”) was smaller over the left hemisphere than the rhyming effect for targets with rime orthography that did match their primes' (e.g., nain‐“gain”), although the spellings of the auditory word targets were never explicitly shown. Our results indicate that this cross‐modal ERP rhyming effect indexes both phonological and orthographic processing—for auditory stimuli for which no orthography is presented in the task. This pattern of findings is consistent with the notion of coactivation of sublexical orthography and phonology in fluent adult readers as they both read and listen.
Governing Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction: The Case of Pennsylvania
Authors: Chalfant Brian Alexander , Corrigan Caitlin C. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractOver the past decade, directional drilling and hydraulic fracturing enabled an unconventional oil and gas extraction (UOGE) boom in many regions of the United States, including parts of Pennsylvania. This revolution has created serious concerns about the capability of existing institutions to govern important societal outcomes associated with UOGE. We present a conceptual framework for assessing key societal outcomes influenced by UOGE governance. In applying this framework to Pennsylvania, we discern certain institutional strengths that have allowed the Commonwealth to reap appreciable short‐term economic growth from rich resource endowments. We also find, however, that several institutional weaknesses have allowed costs externalized to the environment, public health, and community integrity to offset some proportion of those economic benefits. Likewise, we find that governance of UOGE in Pennsylvania has contributed to a bifurcated sociopolitical landscape wherein adversarial coalitions dispute the legitimacy of the industry and its governance.
Sublacustrine hydrothermal seeps and silicification of microbial bioherms in the Ediacaran Oued Dar'a caldera, Anti‐Atlas, Morocco
Authors: Álvaro J. Javier , González‐Acebrón Laura 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis paper presents a case study of the sublacustrine precipitation of hydrothermal silica ± TiO2 in the Ediacaran Mançour Group of the Saghro inlier, Anti‐Atlas, Morocco. Lacustrine carbonates containing stromatolitic mats and bioherms occur in ephemeral ponds developed within the Oued Da'ra caldera. Its syn‐eruptive infill consists of pyroclastites, ashflow tuffs, and subsidiary lava flows and sills, whereas inter‐eruptive deposition is mainly represented by slope‐related debris‐flow breccias and landslides, alluvial fans and fluvial channels. Carbonate production took place in a mosaic of differentially subsiding, fault‐bounded intra‐caldera blocks controlled by episodic collapse‐induced drowning, pyroclastic blanketing and migration of alluvial/fluvial environments. After microbial carbonate production, the carbonates recorded several early‐diagenetic processes, punctuated by polyphase fissuring (controlling secondary permeability) locally linked to hydrothermal influx. Three generations of carbonate cements are recognisable: (i) fibrous, botryoidal and blocky/drusy mosaics of calcite; (ii) idiotopic mosaics of dolomite caused by flushing of hypersaline Mg‐rich brines; and (iii) euhedral to drusy calcite via dedolomitization. The δ13C and δ18O values from carbonate cements broadly become successively isotopically lighter, as a result of meteoric and hydrothermal influence, and were probably overprinted by the Panafrican‐3 phase that affected the top of the Mançour Group. Two mechanisms of silicification are involved: (i) early‐diagenetic occlusion of interparticle pores at the sediment/water interface of pyroclastic substrates and reefal core and flanks; and (ii) hydrothermal precipitation of silica ± TiO2 lining fissures and vuggy porosity encased in the host rock. Silica conduits cross‐cutting lacustrine mats and bioherms exhibit high potential of preservation in collapsed volcanic calderas. Primary fluid inclusions of hydrothermal silica contain brine relics with NaCl/CaCl2 ratios of 2·1 to 4·4, representing minimum entrapment temperatures of about 142 to 204°C, and abiotic hydrocarbons (heavy alkanes) related to serpentinization of the volcanic and volcanosedimentary basement of the Oued Dar'a caldera.
Deposition and early diagenesis of microbial mud in the Florida Everglades
Authors: Pederson Chelsea L. , Klaus James S. , Swart Peter K. , Mcneill Donald F. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractMicrobial carbonate mud in the modern (<4 kyr) palustrine environment of the Florida Everglades is surprisingly susceptible to early diagenetic alteration. The low‐Mg calcite crystals show an open, trellis‐like crystal structure that yields a high surface area to volume ratio. This textural complexity, likely to be a result of organic influence, leads to abundant reaction sites vulnerable to both dissolution and subsequent precipitation. Rapid degradation of organics is attributed to both aerobic and anaerobic metabolisms. Geochemical signatures suggest increased denitrification within the freshwater environment and increased sulphate reduction at the (slightly) brackish mangrove transition zone. A transition from a freshwater to brackish depositional environment is likely to follow the Holocene sea‐level transgression. The textural complexity in these microbial carbonates causes an unexpectedly low preservation potential of original textural and geochemical signatures, even in low‐Mg calcite. Given the potential for early diagenesis of palustrine and perhaps other microbial carbonates, they should be used cautiously as archives for palaeoenvironmental proxies.
Does a bounding exercise program prevent hamstring injuries in adult male soccer players? – A cluster‐RCT
Authors: van de Hoef Peter Alexander , Brink Michel S. , Huisstede Bionka M. A. , van Smeden Maarten , de Vries Niels , Goedhart Edwin A. , Gouttebarge Vincent , Backx Frank J. G. 
Published: December 2018

BackgroundAlthough the Nordic Hamstring Exercise (NHE) prevents hamstring injury in soccer players effectively, the annual incidence of these injuries still increases. This may be because of poor long‐term compliance with the program. Furthermore, the timing and amplitude of gluteal and core muscle activation seem to play an important role in hamstring injury prevention, the NHE program was not designed to improve activation of these muscles. Therefore, we propose plyometric training as an alternative to reduce hamstring injuries in soccer players.PurposeTo determine the preventive effect of the Bounding Exercise Program (BEP) on hamstring injury incidence and severity in adult male amateur soccer players.Study designA cluster‐Randomized Controlled Trial.MethodsThirty‐two soccer teams competing in the first‐class amateur league were cluster‐randomized into the intervention or control group. Both groups were instructed to perform their regular training program, and the intervention group additionally performed BEP. Information about player characteristics was gathered at baseline and exposure, hamstring injuries and BEP compliance were weekly registered during one season (2016‐2017).ResultsThe data of 400 players were analyzed. In total, 57 players sustained 65 hamstring injuries. The injury incidence was 1.12/1000 hours in the intervention group and 1.39/1000 hours in the control group. There were no statistically significant differences in hamstring injury incidence (OR = 0.89, 95% CI 0.46‐1.75) or severity between the groups (P > 0.48).ConclusionIn this large cluster‐randomized controlled trial, no evidence was found for plyometric training in its current form to reduce hamstring injuries in amateur soccer players.
Short‐Term Dynamics in Issue Ownership and Electoral Choice Formation
Authors: Petitpas Adrien , Sciarini Pascal 
Published: December 2018

AbstractIn light of the increased volatility in party preference and alleged importance of issue voting, the scarce knowledge about how short‐term stability and change in issue ownership perceptions influence stability and change of party choice is puzzling. This paper fills a gap by examining whether and to what extent the three pathways of electoral choice formation (activation, conversion and reinforcement) occur in line with the dynamics of issue competence evaluations. Our analysis of panel data from the 2015 Swiss election study shows that the stability and change in issue ownership perceptions is highly consequential. Citizens who change or maintain their competence attribution in favor of a party during the electoral campaign are more likely to activate, convert or reinforce their vote for that party. The results regarding the conditional effects of issue salience are more mixed, but not less interesting.
National Sovereignty vs. International Cooperation: Policy Choices in Trade‐Off Situations
Authors: Emmenegger Patrick , Häusermann Silja , Walter Stefanie 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe trade‐off between international cooperation gains and national sovereignty has become increasingly salient in recent years. This paper examines how voters assess this trade‐off in Switzerland, focusing on the choice between the economic benefits of EU integration versus sovereign immigration control. Using survey data, we identify voters for whom this choice is not clear, either because they are cross‐pressured (favouring Swiss‐EU bilateral treaties, while opposing increased immigration) or because they do not have clear preferences. We show that these are sizeable groups within the Swiss electorate and that in particular the potentially cross‐pressured mainly consist of politically mobilized, high‐income voters, supportive of right‐wing parties. Among the potentially cross‐pressured and voters with indistinct preferences, leaning towards the SVP strongly predicts a preference for immigration control over sustaining cooperation with the EU. Beyond this, our findings suggest that political variables have stronger explanatory power than individual‐level economic vulnerabilities in predicting choice.
Supply and Demand of Populism: A Quantitative Text Analysis of Cantonal SVP Manifestos
Authors: Storz Anna , Bernauer Julian 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis article studies the heterogeneity of cantonal SVP branches in terms of populism and relates it to individual populist attitudes around the 2015 National Council elections. Quantitative text analysis of party manifestos delivers measures of populism for 24 cantonal branches of the SVP. These estimates are related to individual‐level 2015 Selects survey data. The results indicate that there is still a variety of populism between the different cantonal branches of the SVP, even after the split into two parties (BDP and SVP). Evidence for general correspondence between contextual populism (supply side) and individual‐level populist attitudes (demand side) is limited, but some patterns related to the existence of the BDP emerge.
National Election Studies: Valuable Data Machineries and their Challenges
Authors: Kritzinger Sylvia 
Published: December 2018

AbstractNational election studies have become important data machineries for social science research in general and for electoral research in particular. In this note I will focus on the aims, consequences and challenges of national election studies by considering recent methodological developments with regards to both the data collection efforts and the type of data that is collected. I will then consider some of the institutional constraints national elections studies face to date and its repercussions on funding opportunities. I will do so by highlighting the Swiss national election study (Selects) and the Austrian National Election Study (AUTNES) – two election studies that collect comprehensive data on elections, provide a wide selection of data points that are freely available and can be used for single country as well as comparative research projects.
Introduction to the Special Issue “The 2015 Swiss National Elections”
Authors: Giger Nathalie , Rennwald Line , Tresch Anke 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis special issue brings together a large variety of contributions dealing with party choice, political attitudes and the dynamics of electoral campaigns in Switzerland. The introduction places the contributions in the broader framework of current debates in the international literature and highlights substantial and methodological innovations. The articles in this volume address central issues of the literature dealing with the two‐dimensional structure of political competition, take up key questions of the dynamics of election campaigns, and finally echo a large interest for the topic of populism, not only on the side of the parties but also on the side of the voters. The introduction also underlines the new and innovative ways in which the articles link the different datasets together in order to address substantial questions on the complexity of the environment in which voters form their choice and political parties operate during an election campaign.
Prediction of rainfall runoff‐induced sediment load from bare land surfaces by generalized regression neural network and empirical model
Authors: Tayfur Gokmen , Aksoy Hafzullah , Eris Ebru 
Published: December 2018

AbstractBased on three rainfall run‐off‐induced sediment transport data for bare surface experimental plots, the generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and empirical models were developed to predict sediment load. Rainfall intensity, slope, rainfall duration, soil particle median diameter, clay content of the soil, rill density and soil particle mass density constituted the input variables of the models while sediment load was the target output. The GRNN model was trained and tested. The GRNN model was found successful in predicting sediment load. Sensitivity analysis by the GRNN model revealed that slope and rainfall duration were the most sensitive parameters. In addition to the GRNN model, two empirical models were proposed: (1) in the first empirical model, all the input variables were related to the sediment load, and (2) in the second empirical model, only rainfall intensity, slope and rainfall duration were related to the sediment load. The empirical models were calibrated and validated. At the calibration stage, the coefficients and the exponents of the empirical models were obtained using the genetic algorithm optimization method. The validated empirical models were also applied to two more experimental data sets: (1) one data set was from a field experiment, and (2) one set was from a laboratory experiment. The results indicated the success of the empirical models in predicting sediment load from bare land surfaces.
Cultural conceptualizations of Chinese zodiac animals in Chinese English
Authors: Xu Zhichang , Sharifian Farzad 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWorld Englishes as a discipline has developed more than half a century of research and practice. It is closely connected with such other disciplines as applied linguistics, sociolinguistics, and applied cultural linguistics. In this paper, we adopt a holistic analytical framework drawing upon world Englishes and applied cultural linguistics with reference to lexical borrowing, semantic variation, and cultural conceptualizations to unpack the culturally‐embedded meanings underlying the twelve Chinese zodiac animals. In particular, we explore the cultural meanings of creative expressions that use dragon and horse in Chinese English, for example, the dragon horse spirit, by analysing qualitative data collected through semi‐structured interviews.
Ciprofloxacin resistance among Campylobacter jejuni isolates obtained from shelter dogs in Texas
Authors: LaLonde‐Paul Denise , Cummings Kevin J. , Rodriguez‐Rivera Lorraine D. , Wu Jing , Lawhon Sara D. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThere are few epidemiologic studies on the shedding of Campylobacter among dogs in the United States, despite the potential public health implications. Our objectives were to estimate the prevalence of faecal Campylobacter shedding among Texas shelter dogs as detected by culture methods and to characterize the isolates by species and antimicrobial susceptibility. Using a cross‐sectional study design, faecal samples were collected from 185 dogs in six animal shelters throughout Texas between May and December 2014. Four culture methods were used to isolate Campylobacter from samples, and isolates were characterized. The prevalence of Campylobacter shedding was 45.4% (84/185; 95% CI, 38.1%–52.9%). Of 294 isolates from the 84 positive dogs, 26 (8.8%) isolates from seven dogs were identified as Campylobacter jejuni. Two of the isolates from one dog demonstrated resistance to ciprofloxacin and nalidixic acid. Direct plating on mCCDA‐CAT agar without enrichment identified the highest number of positive dogs (62%; 52/84). Incidence of ciprofloxacin‐resistant Campylobacter infections among humans has increased over the last several years. Canine shedding of Campylobacter is a potential source of zoonotic transmission.