bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analyzing the impact of duration of ventilation, hospitalization, and ventilation episodes on the risk of pneumonia
Authors: Wolkewitz Martin , Palomar-Martinez Mercedes , Alvarez-Lerma Francisco , Olaechea-Astigarraga Pedro , Schumacher Martin 
Published: February 2019

AbstractObjective:To study the impact of duration of mechanical ventilation, hospitalization and multiple ventilation episodes on the development of pneumonia while accounting for extubation as a competing event.Design:A multicenter data base from a Spanish surveillance network was used to conduct a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected intensive care patients followed from admission to discharge.Setting:Spanish intensive care units (ICUs).Patients:Mechanically ventilated adult patients from 158 ICUs with 45,486 admissions, 48,705 ventilation episodes, and 314,196 ventilator days.Methods:Competing-risk models were applied to account for extubation plus 48 hours as a competing event for acquiring ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).Results:Time in the ICU before mechanical ventilation was associated with an increased VAP hazard rate and with longer intubation time. This indirect prolongation of intubation increased the cumulative risk to eventually acquire VAP. For instance, comparing 3–4 versus 0 days, the adjusted VAP hazard ratio was 1.40 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19–1.64) and the adjusted extubation hazard ratio was 0.64 (95% CI, 0.61–0.68), which leads to an adjusted VAP subdistribution hazard ratio (sHR) of 2.13 (95% CI, 1.83–2.50). Similarly, due to prolonged intubation, multiple ventilation episodes increase the risk for VAP; the adjusted sHR is 1.52 (95% CI, 1.35–1.72) for the second episode compared to the first episode, and the adjusted sHR is 1.54 (95% CI, 1.03–2.30) for the third episode compared to the first episode. The Kaplan-Meier method produced an upward biased estimated cumulative risk for VAP.Conclusions:A competing-risk analysis is necessary to receive unbiased risk estimates and to quantify the indirect effect of intubation time on the cumulative VAP risk. Our findings may guide physicians to improve medical decisions related to the harms and benefits of the duration of ventilation.
Ecology and paleoenvironmental application of testate amoebae in peatlands of the high-elevation Colombian páramo
Authors: Liu Bing , Booth Robert K. , Escobar Jaime , Wei Zhiqiang , Bird Broxton W. , Pardo Andres , Curtis Jason H. , Ouyang Jun 
Published: February 2019

AbstractWe investigated the ecology and paleoecology of testate amoebae in peatlands of the Colombian páramo to assess the use of testate amoebae as paleoenvironmental indicators. Objectives were to (1) identify environmental controls on testate amoebae, (2) develop transfer functions for paleoenvironmental inference, and (3) examine testate amoebae in a Holocene peat core and compare our findings with other proxy records. Results from 96 modern samples indicate that testate amoebae are sensitive to pH and surface moisture, and cross-validation of transfer functions indicates potential for paleoenvironmental applications. Testate amoebae from the Triunfo Peatland in the Central Cordillera provided a proxy record of pH and water-table depth for the late Holocene, and inferred changes were correlated with peat C/N measurements during most of the record. Comparison with a lake-level reconstruction suggests that at least the major testate amoeba–inferred changes were driven by climate. Our work indicates that testate amoebae are useful paleoenvironmental indicators in high-elevation tropical peatlands.
Molecular detection of natural infection ofLymnaea(Pseudosuccinea)columella(Gastropoda: Lymnaeidae) withFasciola gigantica(Digenea: Fasciolidae) from two provinces of South Africa
Authors: Malatji M.P. , Mukaratirwa S. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe main intermediate host ofFasciola giganticain sub-Saharan Africa isLymnaea(Radix)natalensis.Lymnaea(Pseudosuccinea)columellais capable of transmitting bothF. giganticaandF. hepaticaand has been reported to be present in South Africa. To date, no natural infection withF. giganticahas been reported despite the wide distribution of the snail. The aim of this study was to confirm whetherL.(P.)columellawas transmittingF. giganticaand/orF. hepaticain selected locations of KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa.Lymnaea(Pseudosuccinea)columellasnails were collected from two locations in two provinces of South Africa and screened for cercariae shedding. This was followed by humanely sacrificing the screened snails, and whole tissue of each individual snail was homogenized and amplified using primers designed to amplify the ITS-1 region ofFasciolaspp. No cercariae were shed from the screened snails and molecular analysis showed that snails from the two locations were infected withF. gigantica. This study confirms natural infection ofL.(P.)columellawithF. giganticain South Africa, whereF. giganticaandF. hepaticahave already been reported to coexist. AlthoughL.(P.)columellais able to transmit the two species, surprisingly no infection withF. hepaticawas detected from the screened snails. The natural intermediate host ofF. giganticain southern Africa, including South Africa, isLymnaea(Radix)natalensisand comparative studies are needed to determine the competence of the two snail species in the transmission ofF. gigantica.
Chronic maxillary atelectasis (including silent sinus syndrome) can present bilaterally
Authors: Ho J P K , Wong E , Gunaratne D A , Singh N 
Published: February 2019

AbstractObjectiveChronic maxillary atelectasis is a rare and underdiagnosed condition in which there is a persistent and progressive decrease in maxillary sinus volume secondary to inward bowing of the antral walls. Chronic maxillary atelectasis is typically unilateral. Simultaneous bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis is extremely uncommon.MethodsA retrospective review was performed of patient data collected by the senior clinician over a three-year period (2015–2018). A comprehensive literature search was conducted to locate all documented cases of chronic maxillary atelectasis in English-language literature. Abstracts and full-text articles were reviewed.ResultsThree patients presented with sinonasal symptoms. Imaging findings were consistent with bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis. The literature review revealed at least nine other cases of bilateral chronic maxillary atelectasis. Management is typically via endoscopic middle meatus antrostomy.ConclusionChronic maxillary atelectasis was initially defined as a unilateral disorder, but this description has been challenged by reports of bilateral cases. Further investigation is required to determine the aetiology and pathophysiology of the disease.
Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus) in a proposed Marine Protected Area off east Lewis (Scotland, UK), 2010–2017
Authors: Weir Caroline R. , Hodgins Nicola K. , Dolman Sarah J. , Walters Alice E. M. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe coastal waters of east Lewis from the Butt of Lewis to Loch Erisort are a proposed Marine Protected Area (MPA) for Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus). A total of 100.4 h (2006.4 km) of active search effort (Beaufort sea states ≤3) was collected during 72 dedicated boat surveys between 2010 and 2017 (primarily in August and September) in the southern part of the MPA and south to the Shiant Isles. Forty Risso's dolphin sightings and 24.1 h of encounter effort were recorded, predominantly along the southern and eastern Eye Peninsula in 20–40 m water depths and at distances <1 km from shore. Group size ranged from one to 50 animals (mean = 11.8 dolphins) and calves occurred in 37.5% of sightings. A total of 2404 shore-based scans (Beaufort sea states ≤3) carried out from Tiumpan Head between September 2011 and December 2017 resulted in 271 (11.3%) ‘dolphin-present’ scans. Dolphins were present year-round, with a seasonal increase between May and October. ‘Calf-present’ scans only occurred between April and October. Photo-identification images from 28 boat surveys produced a minimum population size of 117 animals. There was evidence of high inter- and intra-annual site fidelity, with individual dolphins photographically captured in up to six of the eight survey years, and between two and seven capture dates being recorded for over 45% of individuals within most years. The combined datasets support the importance of east Lewis for Risso's dolphins, and recommendations are made for ongoing monitoring of dolphin occurrence throughout the wider MPA.
A new species of pea crab from south-western Europe (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura): species description, geographic distribution and population structure with an identification key to European Pinnotheridae
Authors: Cuesta Jose A. , García Raso J. E. , Abelló Pere , Marco-Herrero Elena , Silva Luis , Drake Pilar 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAfter the recent detection, by both morphology and DNA barcodes, of the larval stages of an unknown species of pea crab (Pinnotheres sp.) in European waters, adults of this crab are herein reported and described as a new species. The current known geographic distribution of the species comprises the Gulf of Cádiz in the eastern Atlantic and the adjacent Mediterranean waters of the south of the Iberian Peninsula (Alboran Sea), where this crab is well-established inside the anomiid bivalve Anomia ephippium. In the Gulf of Cádiz, the species displayed a relatively high prevalence: on average, 55.6–77.7%, in A. ephippium samples. The dominant demographic categories of the new species were soft females (61.8–77.0%) with fewer males (17.7–21.10%). Most of the host bivalves carried only one crab; in bivalves harbouring two crabs, heterosexual pairs were collected more frequently than expected by chance, which suggests that they could be mated pairs. A strong correlation between host size and soft female size was found (r = 0.73, P < 0.01) indicating that space availability within hosts seems to be relevant in determining the size of the sedentary phase of the new crab species.
Protein O- and C-Glycosylation pathways in Toxoplasma gondii and Plasmodium falciparum
Authors: Bandini Giulia , Albuquerque-Wendt Andreia , Hegermann Jan , Samuelson John , Routier Françoise H. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractApicomplexan parasites are amongst the most prevalent and morbidity-causing pathogens worldwide. They are responsible for severe diseases in humans and livestock and are thus of great public health and economic importance. Until the sequencing of apicomplexan genomes at the beginning of this century, the occurrence of N- and O-glycoproteins in these parasites was much debated. The synthesis of rudimentary and divergent N-glycans due to lineage-specific gene loss is now well established and has been recently reviewed. Here, we will focus on recent studies that clarified classical O-glycosylation pathways and described new nucleocytosolic glycosylations in Toxoplasma gondii, the causative agents of toxoplasmosis. We will also review the glycosylation of proteins containing thrombospondin type 1 repeats by O-fucosylation and C-mannosylation, newly discovered in Toxoplasma and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. The functional significance of these post-translational modifications has only started to emerge, but the evidence points towards roles for these protein glycosylation pathways in tissue cyst wall rigidity and persistence in the host, oxygen sensing, and stability of proteins involved in host invasion.
Principle of Force Analysis of Overconstrained Parallel Mechanisms Considering Link Weight
Authors: Xu Yundou , Lu Ling , Liu Wenlan , Guo Jinwei , Yao Jiantao , Zhao Yongsheng 
Published: February 2019

SummaryThe fundamental cause for the statically indeterminate problem in the force analysis of overconstrained parallel mechanisms (PMs) is found to be the presence of the linearly dependent overconstrained wrenches. Based on the fundamental cause, a unified expression of the solution for the magnitudes of the constraint wrenches of both the limb stiffness decoupled and limb stiffness coupled overconstrained PMs is derived. When the weight of each link is considered, depending on whether additional component forces are generated along the axes of the overconstrained wrenches, two different situations should be considered. One situation is that no additional component force is generated along the axes of the overconstrained wrenches under the weight of the links in the corresponding limb. In this case, the added constraint wrenches at the limb’s end can be calculated directly, and used as a part of the generalized external wrench. The other situation is that additional component forces are generated. In this case, the elastic deformations in the axes of the overconstrained wrenches generated by those component forces should be considered, and the deformation compatibility equations between the overconstrained wrenches are reformulated.
The Italian Words and Sentences MB-CDI: normative data and concordance between complete and short forms
Authors: RINALDI Pasquale , PASQUALETTI Patrizio , STEFANINI Silvia , BELLO Arianna , CASELLI Maria Cristina 
Published: February 2019

AbstractOne of the most popular and widely used parent report instruments for assessing early language acquisition is the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (MB-CDI). This study compares normative data of the Italian Words and Sentences complete form (WS-CF) and short form (WS-SF). The samples included 752 children for the WS-CF and 816 children for the WS-SF designed for children aged 18–36 months. The concordance between WS-SF and WS-CF is analyzed in a subgroup of 65 children. The results revealed strong correlations between WS-CF and WS-SF in both lexical and grammar skills as well as strong relationship between lexical and grammar skills. There was a high percentage agreement (97%) between the two forms for scores below the 10th percentile, suggesting that the two forms may be used interchangeably in order to describe vocabulary and grammatical development.
Language activities in a minority–majority language context: book-reading at home is more important for Frisian than for Dutch
Authors: BOSMA Evelyn , BLOM Elma 
Published: February 2019

AbstractPrevious research has shown that in a minority–majority language context, the quantity of language input at home is more important for the development of the minority language than for the development of the majority language. In the current study, we examined whether the same holds true for the frequency of specific language activities at home. In a group of five- and six-year-old Frisian–Dutch bilingual children (n= 120), we investigated to what extent vocabulary and morphology knowledge were predicted by reading activities, watching TV, and story-telling activities in both languages. The results showed that reading in Frisian predicted both Frisian vocabulary and morphology, while reading in Dutch only predicted Dutch vocabulary. This shows that reading at home is most important for the development of the minority language. This especially holds true for the acquisition of Frisian morphology, a domain that is known to be vulnerable in language acquisition.
Second language learners develop non-native lexical processing biases
Authors: Wiener Seth 
Published: February 2019

AbstractInfants develop language-specific biases favoring either consonantal or vocalic information. These phonological biases affect various levels of spoken-language recognition in children and adults. This study explored whether adults who speak a second language (L2) apply phonological biases during L2 lexical processing, and whether the biases applied are those of the native language (L1), or those appropriate for the L2. Two word reconstruction experiments were carried out in English and Mandarin Chinese. L1 and L2 speakers of English demonstrated a consonantal bias by changing English vowels faster than consonants. L1 and L2 speakers of Mandarin demonstrated a vocalic bias by changing Mandarin consonants faster than vowels. Even relatively late L2 classroom learners whose L1 triggers a consonantal bias (English) exhibited a vocalic bias in their L2 (Mandarin). Lexically related processing biases are thus determined by the phonological and lexical characteristics of the stimuli being processed and not solely by listeners’ L1.
How does childhood bilingualism and bi-dialectalism affect the interpretation and processing of pragmatic meanings?
Authors: Antoniou Kyriakos , Veenstra Alma , Kissine Mikhail , Katsos Napoleon 
Published: February 2019

AbstractRecent research has reported superior socio-communicative skills in bilingual children. We examined the hypothesis of a bilingual pragmatic advantage by testing bilingual, bi-dialectal and monolingual children on the comprehension and processing of various pragmatic meanings: relevance, scalar, contrastive, manner implicatures, novel metaphors and irony. Pragmatic responses were slower than literal responses to control items. Furthermore, children were least accurate with metaphors and irony. Metaphors and irony were also the most difficult to process; for these meanings, pragmatic responses were slower than literal responses to the same critical items. Finally, pragmatic performance positively correlated with working memory. Despite this variation, we found no bilingual or bi-dialectal advantage over monolinguals in pragmatic responses or speed of pragmatic processing. This was also true despite bilinguals’ and bi-dialectals’ lower vocabularies as measured by formal tests. We conclude that bilingual children exhibit monolingual-like pragmatic interpretation, despite their often-reported weaker language knowledge in the target language.
Development and use of retrotransposons-based markers (IRAP/REMAP) to assess genetic divergence among table grape cultivars
Authors: Strioto Danuza Kelly , Kuhn Betty Cristiane , Nagata William Seiji Lemes , Marinelli Giovana , Oliveira-Collet Sandra Aparecida , Mangolin Claudete A. , Machado Maria de Fátima P. S. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractFor more than four decades after the introduction of cv. Italia (Vitis vinifera L.) in Brazil, several somatic mutations in the genome of cv. Italia and its somatic mutants gave rise to phenotypes which generated at least five new cultivars of fine table grapes. Since no molecular marker proved to be effective in discriminating cv. Italia (V. vinifera L.) and its coloured mutants (Rubi, Benitaka, Brasil, Black Star), primers for the long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences were developed to analyse Inter Retrotransposon Amplified Polymorphism (IRAP) and Retrotransposon-Microsatellite Amplified Polymorphism (REMAP), and investigate how the coloured cultivars derived from clonal propagations of somatic mutations are genetically structured. Primers for LTR sequences of IRAP and REMAP markers were edited from grape sequence databases available at a GenBank. Twenty-four primers, denominated DKS001–DKS024, were edited. Three hundred and forty-nine DNA segments were amplified by individual DKS primers and DKS/ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats) primer combinations, at an average of 13.96 amplicons per primer pair. High genetic divergence between the five cultivars was inferred from polymorphism in retrotransposons IRAP and REMAP. The analysis of polymorphism of IRAP and REMAP retrotransposons was crucial to show that clonal propagation of somatic mutations may lead towards the formation of genetically divergent cultivars by the formation of genetically structured vineyards and show the mixture of genomes within each cultivar.
Attitudes of dining customers towards sustainability-related food values at a public University campus
Authors: Silva Erin , Klink Jenna , McKinney Emily , Price Jessica , Deming Philip , Rivedal Hannah , Colquhoun Jed 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe plethora of alternative food labels emerging in the marketplace reflects consumer interest in informed and sustainable purchasing. However, consumers’ preferences vary with respect to the sustainability metrics represented by labeling programs. The goal of this project was to characterize public university students’ perceptions of product parameters commonly represented by food labels for produce (e.g., cost, taste, certified organic, locally grown). A consumer survey (n = 338) was conducted at two university dining halls, located in close proximity to major residence hall communities which house approximately 2600 students. Culinary, health and cost attributes (taste, nutritional value, price and appearance) were ranked as more influential in determining purchasing decisions than sustainability attributes related to production and sourcing. While sustainability values were not as influential in driving purchasing behaviors as compared with product attributes, they were important to approximately 50% of the survey respondents. By identifying the sustainability values of students and their willingness to pay more for specific types of sustainable food, results from this study can inform efforts to align priorities of campus dining services with the values of their student patrons, as well as identify educational opportunities around agriculture and food production.
Informal, formal institutions and credit: complements or substitutes?
Authors: Cruz-García Paula , Peiró-Palomino Jesús 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis paper analyses the relationship between informal institutions measured by social trust and the provision of private credit. Research on the trust–finance relationship abounds, although most of it is confined to the micro-level, with far fewer contributions from a wide, cross-country perspective. Considering a sample of 119 economies in the period 1993–2015, results suggest that social trust is an important determinant of private credit, and that its effects are transmitted indirectly via some particular aspects of the quality of economic-judicial institutions. In addition, and contrary to previous findings in related areas, substitutive effects for informal and formal institutions are not found. Therefore, informal institutions can improve the quality of the certain types of formal institutions but they are, per se, unable to replace them in the provision of credit. Accordingly, a solid economic-judicial system becomes essential to guarantee credit transactions.