bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do Liberalising Reforms Harm the Environment? Evidence from the Post‐Communist Transition
Authors: Bjørnskov Christian 
Published: February 2018

AbstractWhether or not economic freedom and capitalism are associated with better or worse environmental performance gives rise to a heated political debate. This article sheds empirical light on the debate by examining the association between economic and political freedom on the one hand and environmental performance on the other. Estimating the effects of economic freedom and democracy on four environmental measures since 1993 across 27 formerly communist countries shows that liberalising the size of the public sector is associated with less environmental damage, although only in autocracies. The consequences of regulatory activity, market openness and the rule of law are more mixed.
The effect of ferrite phases on the micromechanical response and crack initiation in the intercritical heat‐affected zone of a welded 9Cr martensitic steel
Authors: Li M. , Sun F. , Li D.F. , O'Donoghue P.E. , Leen S.B. , O'Dowd N.P. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThis paper presents a crystal plasticity model to predict the tensile response and crack initiation in a mixed ferrite‐martensite material with a low volume fraction of pro‐eutectoid ferrite, representative of a welding‐induced intercritical heat‐affected zone. It is shown that small volume fractions of ferrite can have a significant effect on material strength and ductility depending on the ferrite grain orientation. For relatively “soft” ferrite grains, microcracks can grow across interferrite ligaments with damage accumulating in the ferrite, leading to a reduction in strength and strain hardening, but with little influence on ductility; in contrast, relatively “hard” ferrite grains act to accelerate microcrack initiation, leading to reduced ductility, with negligible influence on strain hardening up to the maximum load.
A review about the effects of structural and operational factors on the gigacycle fatigue of steels
Authors: Jeddi D. , Palin‐Luc T. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIt is well‐known that the high cycle fatigue (HCF) strength of steel components is influenced by a lot of factors depending on both material, loading (including environment), specimen or component geometry (design), and manufacturing process. Based on a literature review of a lot of experimental data, a synthesis is proposed in this paper to discuss the effect of the structural and operational factors on the very high cycle fatigue (VHCF) characteristics of steels. HCF and VHCF regimes are distinguished in terms of failure mechanisms and S‐N curve shapes for high and low strength steels. Then, the effect of the microstructural and mechanical features on the VHCF resistance is debated as different parameters (microstructure, inclusion size type and depth, hydrogen, environment, maximum tensile strength, and residual stresses). Next, the influence of the loading conditions is addressed by taking into account both the frequency effect, the highly stressed volume, the loading type, and loading ratio. Finally, the influence of the testing techniques used in VHCF experiments is discussed.
Leaf litter traits drive community structure and functioning in a natural aquatic microcosm
Authors: Migliorini Gustavo H. , Srivastava Diane S. , Romero Gustavo Q. 
Published: February 2018

Abstract

Leaf litter fuels secondary production in many aquatic ecosystems. Although the identity and species richness of leaf litter have been shown to influence ecosystem functioning and food‐web composition, it has been challenging to relate such patterns to mechanisms based on litter traits.

Here, we investigate how six different leaf litter species, and their mixture, affect litter decomposition, as well as the colonisation and survival of associated aquatic invertebrates in natural microecosystems (tank bromeliads). We then ask whether these effects of litter composition are explained by chemical and structural traits of the litter.

Litter composition affected decomposition rates, assembly of aquatic macroinvertebrates in bromeliads and survival of some detritivores (e.g. Chironomidae). In general, most of this effect of litter composition was due to differences between litter species, not between single‐species and six‐species mixtures, and could be explained in terms of two dominant axes in litter traits.

Decomposition was fastest in litters with high specific leaf area (SLA), N:P ratios and N and P contents, and slowest in litters with high lignin content and C:N ratios. Chironomid survival was also greatest on high N, N:P and SLA litters.

Our results highlight the importance of considering leaf litter traits on the structure and functioning of freshwater ecosystems in future studies. More broadly, these results add to a growing consensus that functional traits of resource species, rather than the number of resource species, are essential to predicting resource–consumer interactions in food webs.
Vulnerability of the Great Barrier Reef to climate change and local pressures
Authors: Wolff Nicholas H. , Mumby Peter J. , Devlin Michelle , Anthony Kenneth R. N. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractAustralia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is under pressure from a suite of stressors including cyclones, crown‐of‐thorns starfish (COTS), nutrients from river run‐off and warming events that drive mass coral bleaching. Two key questions are: how vulnerable will the GBR be to future environmental scenarios, and to what extent can local management actions lower vulnerability in the face of climate change? To address these questions, we use a simple empirical and mechanistic coral model to explore six scenarios that represent plausible combinations of climate change projections (from four Representative Concentration Pathways, RCPs), cyclones and local stressors. Projections (2017–2050) indicate significant potential for coral recovery in the near‐term, relative to current state, followed by climate‐driven decline. Under a scenario of unmitigated emissions (RCP8.5) and business‐as‐usual management of local stressors, mean coral cover on the GBR is predicted to recover over the next decade and then rapidly decline to only 3% by year 2050. In contrast, a scenario of strong carbon mitigation (RCP2.6) and improved water quality, predicts significant coral recovery over the next two decades, followed by a relatively modest climate‐driven decline that sustained coral cover above 26% by 2050. In an analysis of the impacts of cumulative stressors on coral cover relative to potential coral cover in the absence of such impacts, we found that GBR‐wide reef performance will decline 27%–74% depending on the scenario. Up to 66% of performance loss is attributable to local stressors. The potential for management to reduce vulnerability, measured here as the mean number of years coral cover can be kept above 30%, is spatially variable. Management strategies that alleviate cumulative impacts have the potential to reduce the vulnerability of some midshelf reefs in the central GBR by 83%, but only if combined with strong mitigation of carbon emissions.
Global environmental costs of China's thirst for milk
Authors: Bai Zhaohai , Lee Michael R. F. , Ma Lin , Ledgard Stewart , Oenema Oene , Velthof Gerard L. , Ma Wenqi , Guo Mengchu , Zhao Zhanqing , Wei Sha , Li Shengli , Liu Xia , Havlík Petr , Luo Jiafa , Hu Chunsheng , Zhang Fusuo 
Published: February 2018

AbstractChina has an ever‐increasing thirst for milk, with a predicted 3.2‐fold increase in demand by 2050 compared to the production level in 2010. What are the environmental implications of meeting this demand, and what is the preferred pathway? We addressed these questions by using a nexus approach, to examine the interdependencies of increasing milk consumption in China by 2050 and its global impacts, under different scenarios of domestic milk production and importation. Meeting China's milk demand in a business as usual scenario will increase global dairy‐related (China and the leading milk exporting regions) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 35% (from 565 to 764 Tg CO2eq) and land use for dairy feed production by 32% (from 84 to 111 million ha) compared to 2010, while reactive nitrogen losses from the dairy sector will increase by 48% (from 3.6 to 5.4 Tg nitrogen). Producing all additional milk in China with current technology will greatly increase animal feed import; from 1.9 to 8.5 Tg for concentrates and from 1.0 to 6.2 Tg for forage (alfalfa). In addition, it will increase domestic dairy related GHG emissions by 2.2 times compared to 2010 levels. Importing the extra milk will transfer the environmental burden from China to milk exporting countries; current dairy exporting countries may be unable to produce all additional milk due to physical limitations or environmental preferences/legislation. For example, the farmland area for cattle‐feed production in New Zealand would have to increase by more than 57% (1.3 million ha) and that in Europe by more than 39% (15 million ha), while GHG emissions and nitrogen losses would increase roughly proportionally with the increase of farmland in both regions. We propose that a more sustainable dairy future will rely on high milk demanding regions (such as China) improving their domestic milk and feed production efficiencies up to the level of leading milk producing countries. This will decrease the global dairy related GHG emissions and land use by 12% (90 Tg CO2eq reduction) and 30% (34 million ha land reduction) compared to the business as usual scenario, respectively. However, this still represents an increase in total GHG emissions of 19% whereas land use will decrease by 8% when compared with 2010 levels, respectively.
A New Solution for Confined‐Unconfined Flow Toward a Fully Penetrating Well in a Confined Aquifer
Authors: Xiao Liang , Ye Ming , Xu Yongxin 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTransient confined‐unconfined flow conversion caused by pumping in a confined aquifer (i.e., piezometric head drops below the top confined layer) is complicated, partly due to different hydraulic properties between confined and unconfined regions. For understanding mechanism of the transient confined‐unconfined conversion, this paper develops a new analytical solution for the transient confined‐unconfined flow toward a fully penetrating well in a confined aquifer. The analytical solution is used to investigate the impacts on drawdown simulation by differences of hydraulic properties, including transmissivity, storativity, and diffusivity defined as a ratio of transmissivity and storativity, between the confined and unconfined regions. It is found that neglecting the transmissivity difference may give an overestimation of drawdown. Instead, neglecting the diffusivity difference may lead to an underestimation of drawdown. The shape of drawdown‐time curve is sensitive to the change of storativity ratio, S/Sy, between the confined and unconfined regions. With a series of drawdown data from pumping tests, the analytical solution can also be used to inversely estimate following parameters related to the transient confined‐unconfined conversion: radial distance of conversion interface, diffusivity, and specific yield of the unconfined region. It is concluded that using constant transmissivity and diffusivity in theory can result in biased estimates of radial distance of the conversion interface and specific yield of the unconfined region in practice. The analytical solution is useful to gain insight about various factors related to the transient confined‐unconfined conversion and can be used for the design of mine drainage and groundwater management in the mining area.
Male gender, school attendance and sports participation are positively associated with health‐related quality of life in children and adolescents with congenital bleeding disorders
Authors: Limperg P. F. , Joosten M. M. H. , Fijnvandraat K. , Peters M. , Grootenhuis M. A. , Haverman L. 
Published: February 2018

BackgroundThis study assesses health‐related quality of life (HRQOL), and variables associated with HRQOL, in children and adolescents with haemophilia and congenital bleeding disorders (CBD) in the Netherlands.MethodsPatients <18 years with CBD under treatment at the Hemophilia Comprehensive Care Center of the Academic Medical Center were included. Participants completed generic HRQOL questionnaires (TAPQOL 0‐5 years; PedsQL 6‐18 years). Differences and effect sizes in HRQOL compared to healthy peers, and between hemophilia severity groups, were tested using Mann Whitney U‐tests. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to assess variables associated with HRQOL.ResultsData of 145 patients (81%) were analyzed (N = 32 with severe haemophilia). Children (0‐12 years) show no significant impairments in HRQOL compared to healthy peers. Adolescent boys (13‐18 years) with CBD report a slightly higher HRQOL on the total and emotional functioning scales than healthy peers (small‐moderate effect sizes). In contrast, adolescent girls experience lower HRQOL on total, social functioning and psychosocial health scales compared to healthy peers (moderate effect sizes). No differences between severity groups were found in HRQOL, but more problem behaviour was found in young boys (0‐5 years) with severe haemophilia. Male gender, participation in sports and school attendance are positively associated with HRQOL. Parental country of birth, type of treatment and number of bleeds are not associated with HRQOL.ConclusionContinuing monitoring HRQOL in daily clinical practice for children with CBD is important, since possible influencing psychosocial factors can change over time, with special focus on adolescent girls, sports participation and school absence.
The process of incorporating insulin pumps into the everyday lives of people with Type 1 diabetes: A critical interpretive synthesis
Authors: Reidy Claire , Bracher Mike , Foster Claire , Vassilev Ivaylo , Rogers Anne 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundInsulin pump therapy (IPT) is a technological advancement that has been developed to help people manage Type 1 diabetes (T1D). However, ways of managing diabetes requiring the implementation of health technologies bring new complexities and a need to understand the factors which enable people with T1D to incorporate a novel device. This new comprehension could provide an exemplar for people with long‐term conditions to incorporate new technologies more generally.ObjectiveTo determine what influences the incorporation, adaptation and use of IPT into the everyday lives of people living with diabetes.DesignCritical interpretive synthesis (CIS) using systematic searches undertaken in 7 electronic databases of literature, published 2008 onwards.ResultsA total of 4998 titles were identified, 274 abstracts reviewed, 39 full articles retrieved and 22 papers selected for analysis. Three themes emerged which were of relevance to the introduction and use of IPT; Tensions between expectations and experiences in adoption and early adaptation; Negotiation of responsibility and accessing support; Reflexivity, active experimentation and feedback.ConclusionsThis CIS builds on earlier reviews on lived experiences of IPT. Novel insights are offered through examination of the experiences of pump users from children through to adults, their families and health‐care professionals. Expectations of what the device can do to improve self‐management impacts on the early stages of adoption as the reality of the technology requires substantial thought and action. Areas for intervention to improve IPT incorporation include establishing who is responsible for management tasks of the device and enabling navigation to further means of support and resources.
Preparing researchers for patient and public involvement in scientific research: Development of a hands‐on learning approach through action research
Authors: de Wit Maarten , Beurskens Anna , Piškur Barbara , Stoffers Esther , Moser Albine 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundAcquiring the theoretical and practical knowhow of conducting patient and public involvement (PPI) in research is not part of the traditional curriculum of researchers. Zuyd University of Applied Sciences and Huis voor de Zorg, a regional umbrella patient organization, therefore started a 1.5‐year coaching programme.ObjectiveTo establish a community of practice by developing a PPI coaching programme for senior and junior health services researchers of Zuyd University. The context consisted of research projects conducted by the participants.MethodsA participatory action research methodology. Data were collected from reports of thematic group meetings and individual sessions with participants, field notes and regular reflection meetings with the project team. Data were analysed by reflexive deliberation.FindingsThe programme comprised a kick‐off meeting (52 attendees), followed by 7 group meetings with 11 junior and 9 senior researchers. The project team constructed a serious game based on the concept of the participation ladder. Questions and concerns differed for junior and senior researchers, and separate tailored meetings were organized for both groups. Between group meetings, participants received individual assignments. Group meetings were accompanied by individual coaching sessions to provide tailor‐made feedback. The programme concluded with a combined meeting with all stakeholders.ConclusionBuilding a community of PPI practice through action research facilitates the development of a coaching programme that fosters social learning, empowerment and the development of a shared identity concerning PPI. The role and responsibilities of senior researchers should be distinguished from those of junior researchers.
The effect of Al2O3 on the high‐temperature oxidation resistance of Si‐B‐C ceramic under air atmosphere
Authors: Shan Qingliang , Hu Jianbao , Kan Yanmei , Ni Dewei , Gao Le , Chen Xiaowu , Dong Shaoming 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSi‐B‐C ceramics were prepared through reaction sintering, and the influence of Al2O3 addition on the high‐temperature (1100‐1300°C) oxidation behavior of the material under air atmosphere was studied. The erosion behavior and mechanism are determined from the measurement of weigh changes, microstructure observations, and characterization of the generated oxides on postexposure specimens. Results show that Al2O3 is enriched in the oxidized layer, inhibiting the volatilization of B2O3 and impeding the crystallization ability of oxide (cristobalite). Narrower erosion layer and less weigh change are observed with Al2O3. Low‐frequency Raman results reveals that with the increase in Al2O3, the bending vibrations of the BO4 units and B‐O‐B stretching of the metaborate ring relative intensity are enhanced. Furthermore, high‐frequency Raman results shows that the relative proportion of high‐dimensional vibration modes Q3 and Q4 which result in a higher viscosity of melt and a greater resistance of oxygen diffusion are positively correlated with Al2O3.
Treatment efficacy of probiotics on atopic dermatitis, zooming in on infants: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhao Mutong , Shen Chunping , Ma Lin 
Published: February 2018

AbstractProbiotic treatment of atopic dermatitis is widely studied with controversial results. The objective of this study is to review the efficacy of probiotics for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in infants. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases, and reference lists were searched up to July 2017. Double‐blinded randomized clinical trials were included. The primary outcome was the Scoring Atopic Dermatitis index. Subgroups analyses were conducted on probiotic species, treatment duration, participant age, and disease severity. Eight clinical trials (741 infants) were included in the quantitative synthesis. The overall pooled change in Scoring Atopic Dermatitis index (95% CI) in infants was −5.71 (−8.37, −3.04), P < 0.01. Subgroup analysis revealed that the effect was protective in moderate‐to‐severe patients −8.32 (−16.35, −0.28), with preparations containing Lactobacillus −5.76 (−9.21, −2.30). Probiotics for the treatment of infantile atopic dermatitis is beneficial.
Fabrication and properties of in situ reduced graphene oxide‐toughened zirconia composite ceramics
Authors: Zeng Zhaoyubo , Liu Yunzhong , Chen Weiping , Li Xiaoqiang , Zheng Qifan , Li Kaili , Guo Ruiran 
Published: February 2018

AbstractGraphene oxide and zirconia powders were mixed using a colloidal coating route. In situ reduced graphene oxide‐toughened zirconia ceramics were prepared by spark plasma sintering. Their microstructure, mechanical properties, and toughening mechanisms were investigated. The results show that graphene oxide can be easily reduced in situ during sintering and that it disperses homogeneously within the zirconia substrate. Compared with the toughness of 3 mol.% yttria‐stabilized zirconia, the fracture toughness of in situ reduced graphene oxide‐toughened zirconia increased by up to 175% (from ~6.07 to ~10.64MPa·m1/2) at 0.09 wt.% graphene oxide with a small increase in hardness. The improvement is more significant than that of prereduced graphene oxide‐toughened cases, and it is associated with the formation of a C‐O‐Zr bond at the interface in addition to conventional toughening mechanisms.
Variation in the diagnosis and clinical management of lentigo maligna across Europe: a survey study among European Association of Dermatologists and Venereologists members
Authors: Tio D. , Prinsen C.A.C. , Dréno B. , Hoekzema R. , Augustin M. , van Montfrans C. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractBackgroundLentigo maligna (LM), a form of melanoma in situ, is treated to prevent progression to lentigo maligna melanoma (LMM). Surgical treatment is the gold standard. However, treatment guidelines are based on expert opinion, and comparative studies are lacking.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic methods and clinical management of LM patients among European dermatologists and residents.MethodsA survey consisting of 29 questions about diagnostic methods and treatment options used for LM patients was sent to 3308 members of the European Association of Dermatologists and Venereologists (EADV).ResultsMost questions were multiple choice, and multiple answers could be ticked per question.A total of N = 415 (12.5%) completed surveys were included in the analyses. A combination of clinical diagnosis (65.7%), dermatoscopy (83.4%) and histopathology (88.2%) is used by most respondents to diagnose LM. Tissue for histopathological evaluation was collected most often using a single punch biopsy in 61.0%. The most common treatment for LM patients <60 years of age is surgery (97.6%). For LM patients >70 years of age, 66.8% of the respondents preferred surgical treatment. Non‐surgical options such as radiotherapy (17.0%), topical imiquimod (30.6%), watchful waiting (19.6%) or cryotherapy (20.4%) were used in this elderly group. Subanalysis showed that respondents who take into account patient preference used topical imiquimod, radiotherapy and watchful waiting more often.ConclusionIn conclusion, the results of this survey show that there is a variance in the diagnostic methods and treatment modalities used for LM across Europe. Surgery remains the most utilized option. However, non‐surgical options, such as topical imiquimod and radiotherapy, are most often used for elderly patients. We recommend that future studies focus on patient preference and compare surgical to non‐surgical therapy.