bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fishing for the facts: river dolphin bycatch in a small‐scale freshwater fishery in Bangladesh
Authors: Dewhurst‐Richman N. I. , Jones J. P. G. , Northridge S. , Ahmed B. , Brook S. , Freeman R. , Jepson P. , Mahood S. P. , Turvey S. T. 
Published: August 2019

AbstractFisheries bycatch is a primary driver of cetacean declines, especially for threatened freshwater cetaceans. However, information on the factors influencing cetacean susceptibility to bycatch in small‐scale fisheries is limited, impeding development of evidence‐based conservation strategies. We conducted 663 interviews with fishers from southern Bangladesh to investigate the influence of net and set characteristics on seasonal bycatch rates of Ganges River dolphins Platanista gangetica gangetica and assess the sustainability of annual mortality levels. Between October 2010–October 2011, 170 bycatch events (and a minimum of 14 mortalities) were reported, 89% of which occurred in gillnets. The probability of bycatch increased as water depth declined, and as net mesh size increased. While the number of recorded bycatch incidents was higher in gillnets, risk of mortality was greater in set bagnets. Our mortality estimate indicates that fisheries‐related bycatch currently exceeds the sustainable limit recommended by the International Whaling Commission by 3.5 times. Numerous regulations have been developed to improve the productivity of commercially important fisheries, and if regulations were effectively enforced, these may also reduce river dolphin bycatch.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy in patients with malignant melanoma: analysis of post‐operative complications
Authors: Solari Nicola , Bertoglio Sergio , Boscaneanu Alexandru , Minuto Michele , Reina Simona , Palombo Denise , Bruzzi Paolo , Cafiero Ferdinando 
Published: August 2019

BackgroundThis study investigates the incidence of post‐operative complications and risk factors of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in melanoma patients.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted at a single cancer institution on 408 consecutive SLNBs.ResultsFifty‐five post‐operative complications occurred in 39 (9.5%) patients and included: wound infection in 24 (5.9%), seroma and lymphorrhea in 15 (3.7%), wound dehiscence in seven (1.7%), lymphocele in six (1.5%) and others in three (0.7%). Univariate analysis failed to identify possible risk factors (i.e. gender, age, lymph node region, number of excised lymph nodes, Breslow index, pT levels, comorbidities, length of surgery and hospital stay). Metastatic sentinel nodes occurred in four of 135 (3%) patients with thin melanoma (Breslow <1 mm) and in 68 of 262 (25.9%) patients with Breslow >1 mm.ConclusionFor patients with thin melanoma in whom the incidence of lymph node metastasis is low, the reported post‐operative morbidity of almost 10% of SLNB highlights the need for careful patient selection.
Clinical measurements of normative subjective cyclotorsion and cyclofusion in a healthy adult population
Authors: Flodin Sara , Pansell Tony , Rydberg Agneta , Andersson Grönlund Marita 
Published: July 2019

AbstractPurposeTo investigate normative subjective cyclotorsion values and cyclofusion ranges in a healthy adult population.MethodsA cross‐sectional investigation was performed in 120 healthy, non‐strabismic adults, 60 men and 60 women in the age range of 18–69 years. All subjects were assessed for cyclotorsion using the synoptophore and the single Maddox rod (SMR) methods. Cyclofusion was investigated with the synoptophore in 60 of the subjects.ResultsAll age groups showed low values of subjective torsion, mainly excyclotorsion with mean values of −1 degree for both methods. Reference ranges of cyclotorsion were between −0.7 and −1.5 degrees for the SMR method and between −0.7 and −1.4 degrees using the synoptophore method. There were no significant differences between gender (p = 0.48), but the effect of age was significant for both methods (p = 0.026) demonstrating a slight increase in excyclotorsion with age. Cyclofusion showed a total mean amplitude of 16 degrees, the fusion range was +7 degrees of incyclotorsion to −9 degrees of excyclotorsion.ConclusionsSubjective reference ranges for cyclotorsion and cyclofusion reveal that low values of torsion are to be expected upon clinical investigation in non‐strabismic adult individuals. Values outside of the reference range may be indicators of possible binocular abnormalities or physiological variations. The cyclotorsional measurements and prevalence in this adult population group can be regarded as normative data in clinical settings.
A Meta‐Analysis of the Relationship Between Experiential Learning and Learning Outcomes
Authors: Burch Gerald F. , Giambatista Robert , Batchelor John H. , Burch Jana J. , Hoover J. Duane , Heller Nathan A. 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACTExperiential learning activities have been used for over 40 years with the hope that they increase students learning. However, a definitive study that showed their overall effectiveness has not been produced. The purpose of this study is to address this gap in the literature. This meta‐analysis examined a 43‐year span and identified 13,626 journal articles, dissertations, thesis articles, and conference proceedings written about experiential learning and found only 89 of these studies contained empirical data with both a treatment and control group. Meta‐analysis of these studies show that students experienced superior learning outcomes when experiential pedagogies were employed. Further, learning outcomes were almost a half standard deviation higher (d = .43) in classes employing experiential learning pedagogies versus traditional learning environments. This review definitively, and quantitatively, shows the importance of experiential learning activities. We use these results to discuss future research areas that need to be addressed based on our analysis of potential moderators and provide recommendations on how to best employ experiential learning pedagogies.
Text analytics for big data using rough–fuzzy soft computing techniques
Authors: Al‐Maitah Mohammed 
Published: July 2019

AbstractText mining or analytics is important for various applications such as market analysis and biomedical purposes because it enables the efficient retrieval of information from large datasets. During the analysis, increasing the dimensionality of the data reduces the performance of an entire system because doing so may retrieve irrelevant text, which creates errors. Therefore, this paper introduces big data and data mining techniques to analyse large volumes of information while mining texts, emails, blogs, online forums, news, and call centre documents. Initially, the data are collected from various sources that contain noise, which is removed by applying normalization techniques. Data mining techniques eliminate the irrelevant information and noise, and the relevant features are selected using the rough set‐based particle swarm optimization algorithm. The selected features are formed as a cluster using a fuzzy set with the particle swarm optimization algorithm, which improves the efficiency of the mining process. Then, the efficiency of the system is evaluated using the University of California Irvine Machine Learning Repository knowledge process mining database, along with the sum of the intra cluster distances, the mean squared error rate, and the accuracy.
Understandings of disease among Pacific peoples with diabetes and end‐stage renal disease in New Zealand
Authors: Schmidt‐Busby Jacqueline , Wiles Janine , Exeter Daniel , Kenealy Timothy 
Published: August 2019

AbstractBackgroundCompared with New Zealand Europeans, Pacific peoples in New Zealand develop type 2 diabetes at a higher rate and a younger age, and have 3.8 times higher incidence of end‐stage renal disease (ESRD).ObjectiveTo investigate contextual factors that shape understandings of disease for Pacific peoples with diabetes and ESRD.MethodsFocussed ethnography. In‐depth interviews were conducted with 16 Pacific people on haemodialysis for diabetic ESRD, in Auckland, New Zealand. Study participants aged between 30 and 69 years old were of Samoan, Cook Islander, Tongan, Niuean or Tokelauan ethnicity. Thematic analysis was used to code and identify themes.ResultsParticipants were embedded in a multigenerational legacy of diabetes. The limited diabetes‐related education of earlier generations influenced how future generations behaved and understood diabetes. Perceptions were compounded by additional factors including the invisibility of early‐stage diabetes; misunderstandings of health risks during communication with health providers; and misunderstandings of multiple conditions’ symptoms and management. Participants had limited engagement with health services until their diagnosis of ESRD acted as a trigger to change this behaviour. However, this trigger was not effective in itself—rather, it was in combination with relevant education delivered in a way that made sense to participants, given their current understandings.ConclusionsIllness representations drive choices and behaviours with respect to self‐management of diabetes and engagement with health services. Diabetes is often present in multiple generations of Pacific people; therefore, illness representations are developed and shared within a family. Changing illness representations requires engagement with the individual within a family context.
Chemical composition and antimicrobial activity against food‐related microorganisms of different essential oils from Lebanon
Authors: Fancello Francesco , El Beyrouthy Marc , Iriti Marcello , El Khoury Madona , Bou Zeidan Marc , Zara Severino 
Published: August 2019

AbstractEssential oils (EOs) have long been recognized for their medicinal properties. Application of EOs in food preservation has gained recent interest as natural alternatives to conventional chemicals. Even though the properties of EOs are extensively documented, their effect on several food‐related microorganisms is yet to be explored. In this study, six EOs were extracted by hydrodistillation and analyzed using GC/MS techniques, and then antimicrobial activity was tested against microorganisms of food interests through minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) techniques. Both Coridothymus capitatus and Origanum syriacum EOs showed an antifungal activity (MIC ≤ 0.625 μL/mL). Interestingly all foodborne pathogens tested were sensitive to C. capitatus EO and two of them, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes, to O. syriacum EO (MIC ≤ 1.25 μL/mL) while the beneficial food‐related bacteria (Lactobacillus sp.) were not affected (MIC ± 10 μL/mL). Finally, Cinnamomum zeylanicum EO showed a broader antimicrobial activity on all microorganisms analyzed.Practical ApplicationsEssential oils from Lebanese plants could be used to selectively control foodborne pathogens, including fungi and bacteria. These essential oils could represents an alternative to conventional anti microbials as they did not affect benefiacial food‐related bacteria.
Cytological differentiation between benign and malignant perianal gland proliferative lesions in dogs: a preliminary study
Authors: Sabattini S. , Renzi A. , Rigillo A. , Scarpa F. , Capitani O. , Tinto D. , Brenda A. , Bettini G. 
Published: August 2019

ObjectivesTo evaluate the diagnostic utility of individual cytological criteria and their best combination to differentiate benign from malignant perianal gland proliferative lesions in dogs.Materials and MethodsRetrospective study of cytological samples of canine perianal gland proliferative lesions that had subsequent histopathological confirmation.
ResultsSeventy‐seven perianal gland nodules from 56 dogs were included. Histologically, lesions were diagnosed as hyperplasia (n=2), adenoma (n=53), epithelioma (n=6) and carcinoma (n=16). Of the 28 cytological criteria assessed, 13 showed promise for distinguishing benign from malignant lesions. A diagnostic algorithm with an 87% accuracy (sensitivity, 90.9%; specificity, 85.4%) was developed from these data.Clinical SignificanceCytological evaluation can provide useful information for presurgical differentiation between benign and malignant hepatoid gland proliferative lesions. The proposed algorithm must be validated and tested for reproducibility in further, preferably larger, series of cases.
Does insomnia predict a high risk of cancer? A systematic review and meta‐analysis of cohort studies
Authors: Shi Tingting , Min Min , Sun Chenyu , Zhang Yun , Liang Mingming , Sun Yehuan 
Published: July 2019

AbstractRecently, emerging studies on the relationship between insomnia, the most common sleep disorder, and cancer have been published, but with inconsistent results. With the development of society and the accelerated pace of life, more and more people experience insomnia. Therefore, it is important to clarify the association. Relevant literature was obtained through a search of seven databases and supplementary searches. After a strict screening, eight cohort studies (seven prospective and one retrospective) involving 578,809 participants and 7,451 cancer events were incorporated into our analysis. The results demonstrate a modest 24% overall increased risk of cancer for individuals with insomnia in comparison to those without insomnia. The sensitivity analysis shows that the correlation between the two is stable. Subgroup analyses show that the risk of developing cancer was significantly higher in studies conducted in women (HR = 1.24; 95% CI, 1.01–1.53), but not in men (HR = 1.28; 95% CI, 0.90–1.80). Similarly, in terms of specific cancer types, the pooled HR was only significantly higher in thyroid cancer (HR = 1.36; 95% CI, 1.12–1.65) and not in other types of cancer (p > 0.05). Our findings suggest that insomnia may serve as an early warning sign of the onset of cancer and provide an opportunity for early detection and early intervention. Our findings should be treated with caution because of the limited number of included studies and potential bias. More additional studies are warranted to provide more information on the carcinogenic effect of insomnia.
Effects of deep sedation on sleep in critically ill medical patients on mechanical ventilation
Authors: Jean Raymonde , Shah Purav , Yudelevich Eric , Genese Frank , Gershner Katherine , Levendowski Daniel , Martillo Miguel , Ventura Iazsmin , Basu Anirban , Ochieng Pius , Gibson Charlisa D. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractAtypical EEG patterns not consistent with standard sleep staging criteria have been observed in medical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Our aim was to examine the relationship between sleep architecture and sedation in critically ill mechanically ventilated patients pre‐ and post‐extubation. We performed a prospective observational repeated measures study where 50 mechanically ventilated patients with 31 paired analyses were examined at an academic medical centre. The sleep efficiency was 58.3 ± 25.4% for intubated patients and 45.6 ± 25.4% for extubated patients (p = .02). Intubated patients spent 76.33 ± 3.34% of time in non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep compared to 64.66 ± 4.06% of time for extubated patients (p = .02). REM sleep constituted 1.36 ± 0.67% of total sleep time in intubated patients and 2.06 ± 1.09% in extubated patients (p = .58). Relative sleep atypia was higher in intubated patients compared to extubated patients (3.38 ± 0.87 versus 2.79 ± 0.42; p < .001). Eleven patients were sedated with propofol only, 18 patients with fentanyl only, 11 patients with fentanyl and propofol, and 10 patients had no sedation. The mean sleep times on “propofol”, “fentanyl”, “propofol and fentanyl,” and “no sedation” were 6.54 ± 0.64, 4.88 ± 0.75, 6.20 ± 0.75 and 4.02 ± 0.62 hr, respectively. The sigma/alpha values for patients on “propofol”, “fentanyl”, “propofol and fentanyl” and “no sedation” were 0.69 ± 0.04, 0.54 ± 0.01, 0.62 ± 0.02 and 0.57 ± 0.02, respectively. Sedated patients on mechanical ventilation had higher sleep efficiency and more atypia compared to the same patients following extubation. Propofol was associated with higher sleep duration and less disrupted sleep architecture compared to fentanyl, propofol and fentanyl, or no sedation.
Experimental and numerical simulations of the hydraulic flushing of reservoir sedimentation for planning and design of a hydropower project
Authors: Isaac Neena , Eldho T. I. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractHydropower projects located on rivers transporting heavy sediment loads require design and operation criteria based on sediment management as a means of sustaining the project life. Sediment management is achieved by designing projects as a run‐of‐the‐river scheme, with provision for drawdown flushing, noting hydraulic model simulations are essential for optimizing the design of these projects. Sediment deposition levels are generally predicted with long‐term simulations using 1‐D numerical models, as well as experiments with scaled physical models that simulate drawdown flushing. The present study presents experiments with scaled model and 3‐D numerical model simulations conducted for hydraulic flushing of a reservoir. Experiments were conducted for various durations and discharges to finalize the intake alignment and optimize the flushing. The results of the 3‐D numerical model simulations are in agreement with the results of the experimental study (4%–6% variation). The results also indicate a combination of a 1‐D numerical model for sedimentation and a 3‐D numerical model for flushing can be effectively used to simulate the sedimentation and flushing of reservoirs during the planning and design stages.
Restorative Utopias: The Settlers and the Bible
Authors: Gordon Liran Shia , Ohana David 
Published: August 2019

AbstractThe attitude to the Bible is a seismograph for scrutinizing the attitude of Zionism, in general, and that of the settlers, in particular, to their ideological and political worldview. To where in the Bible are the settlers returning? To the Land of Canaan, to the land of the Patriarchs, or perhaps to the Kingdom of David? And what is the meaning of this return? It is not only the land that is basic to this question, but the relationship of the Land of Israel to the people of Israel. In this article, we will mainly address the radical theological facets of the settler movement, not the proponents of Greater Israel. Our article will focus on the replication of settler theology from the first stage of Gush Emunim (The Bloc of the Faithful) and the act of settlement, which in the opinion of the settlers is in accord with the continuation and completion of the Zionist project, to a more metaphysical phase, in which the centrality of the act of settlement gives way to Hassidic or kabbalistic thinking. The models which we present make possible a fresh look at the utopian thinking and radical theology that are nourished by the settler movement and reflect a new, non‐homogeneous stage.
Post‐conflict stabilization in Africa
Authors: Hoeffler Anke 
Published: July 2019

AbstractPeace is fragile, about half of all peace episodes break down within the first eight post‐conflict years. In Sub‐Saharan Africa this risk is even higher. Using survival analysis this paper suggests that while it is difficult to find correlates of peace stabilization, there are some policy relevant results. How a conflict ends is important. Negotiated settlements are fragile but the chances of peace surviving can be significantly improved through the deployment ofUNpeacekeeping operations. This also appears to be the case for Sub‐Saharan Africa but case study evidence suggests that peacekeepers face particularly complex situations in the region and should therefore be well resourced in order to increase their chance of success
Unveiling the Endogenous Relationship Between Technical Efficiency and Value Creation in Mergers and Acquisitions in Nigeria
Authors: Akpan Mfon , Wanke Peter , Chen Zhongfei , Antunes Jorge Moreira 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThere is a growing literature on how the beneficial impacts of horizontal mergers and acquisitions (M&A) should be measured. Thus far, however, there have been few studies addressing endogeneity between technical efficiency and value creation: they tend to present a bidirectional and simultaneous relationship. This research contributes to the debate by investigating the impact of voluntary horizontal M&A on these metrics in Nigeria between 1995 and 2012, in light of the individual performance of bidders, targets, and the resulting corporate companies. First, technical efficiency, technology gap ratio, and returns‐to‐scale estimates were computed based on a meta‐frontier DEA approach, together with a set of contextual variables that encompass performance indicators which reflect the value creation process. Then, robust regressions were used to discriminate these efficiency estimates in terms of such business‐related variables, correcting for endogeneity and controlling for industry and trend effects. The results reveal that these contextual variables significantly impact virtual efficiency and returns‐to‐scale levels, and that there is a trade‐off between efficiency and value creation at some point in the merging process. Managerial implications are derived.
Force Barrier for Lipid Sorting in the Formation of Membrane Nanotubes
Authors: Tang Xingyi , Wang Jianxiang , Yi Xin 
Published: August 2019

Abstract
Understanding lipid sorting of multicomponent cell membranes associated with tubular deformation is of essential importance to many cell activities such as filopodial growth and protein-mediated vesiculation. Here, we conduct theoretical analysis to investigate how the membrane tubulation induced by an external pulling force over a finite region is regulated by the coupling between the lipid composition and the membrane bending rigidity and tension. It is shown that the presence of the lipid-disordered phase facilitates the nanotube formation by reducing the force barrier. As the pulling region size and the membrane tension increase, the membrane tubulation becomes discontinuous regardless of the coupling effect. The direct proportional relationships between the maximum pulling force and size of pulling region at different coupling scenarios are identified. Analytical solutions for the linear force-extraction relation and the membrane configurations in the early stage of the membrane extraction are obtained. Our results indicate that in the case of a relatively small pulling region, the coupling between the membrane composition and mechanical properties plays an important role in regulating the membrane extraction, and such an effect due to the phase separation diminishes gradually as the pulling region enlarges and the force barrier becomes dominated by a large pulling region.