bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of attendance in a daycare centre on depression among elderly in rural Puducherry
Authors: Sarkar Sonali , Kattimani Shivanand , Premarajan K.C. , Roy Gautam 
Published: March 2018

Background & objectives:
Depression is higher in the elderly and in the rural areas in India. There is a need for interventions to reduce depression among the elderly and improve their quality of life (QOL). This study was conducted to assess the impact of attendance at a community-based daycare centre in rural Puducherry, India, on depression, cognitive impairment (CI) and QOL of the elderly.

Methods:
This was a before and after intervention study with a daycare centre set up in the village Thondamanatham in Puducherry, India, between January 2013 and January 2014. Socializing activities were held at the centre with psychological counselling. Depression was measured using Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS, short form), CI using the Hindi Mini-Mental Status Examination and QOL using WHO QOL BREF.

Results:
There were 99 males and 164 females; of whom 42.2 per cent attended the daycare centre at least once a month. Significantly higher proportions of elderly had depression among those with lower frequency of attendance at the daycare centre. Irrespective of the pre-intervention status, attendance at the daycare centre reduced the probability of depression by about 51 per cent. There was an improvement in the WHO QOL scores in the social domain among those who attended more than once a month.

Interpretation & conclusions:
GDS scores decreased and WHO QOL scores increased with increasing attendance at the daycare centre. Thus, the intervention was found to be effective in reducing depression and improving QOL of the elderly.
Impact of varying lidar measurement and data processing techniques in evaluating cirrus cloud and aerosol direct radiative effects
Authors: Lolli Simone , Madonna Fabio , Rosoldi Marco , Campbell James R. , Welton Ellsworth J. , Lewis Jasper R. , Gu Yu , Pappalardo Gelsomina 
Published: March 2018

Abstract. In the past 2 decades, ground-based lidar networks have drastically
increased in scope and relevance, thanks primarily to the advent of lidar
observations from space and their need for validation. Lidar observations of
aerosol and cloud geometrical, optical and microphysical atmospheric
properties are subsequently used to evaluate their direct radiative effects
on climate. However, the retrievals are strongly dependent on the lidar
instrument measurement technique and subsequent data processing
methodologies. In this paper, we evaluate the discrepancies between the use
of Raman and elastic lidar measurement techniques and corresponding data
processing methods for two aerosol layers in the free troposphere and for
two cirrus clouds with different optical depths. Results show that the
different lidar techniques are responsible for discrepancies in the
model-derived direct radiative effects for biomass burning (0.05 W m−2
at surface and 0.007 W m−2 at top of the atmosphere) and dust aerosol
layers (0.7 W m−2 at surface and 0.85 W m−2 at top of the
atmosphere). Data processing is further responsible for discrepancies in both thin
(0.55 W m−2 at surface and 2.7 W m−2 at top of the atmosphere)
and opaque (7.7 W m−2 at surface and 11.8 W m−2 at top of the
atmosphere) cirrus clouds. Direct radiative effect discrepancies can be
attributed to the larger variability of the lidar ratio for aerosols
(20–150 sr) than for clouds (20–35 sr). For this reason,
the influence of the applied lidar technique plays a more fundamental role in
aerosol monitoring because the lidar ratio must be retrieved with relatively
high accuracy. In contrast, for cirrus clouds, with the lidar ratio being much
less variable, the data processing is critical because smoothing it modifies
the aerosol and cloud vertically resolved extinction profile that is used as
input to compute direct radiative effect calculations.
Carbon dioxide emissions from the flat bottom and shallow Nam Theun 2 Reservoir: drawdown area as a neglected pathway to the atmosphere
Authors: Deshmukh Chandrashekhar , Guérin Frédéric , Vongkhamsao Axay , Pighini Sylvie , Oudone Phetdala , Sopraseuth Saysoulinthone , Godon Arnaud , Rode Wanidaporn , Guédant Pierre , Oliva Priscia , Audry Stéphane , Zouiten Cyril , Galy-Lacaux Corinne , Robain Henri , Ribolzi Olivier , Kansal Arun , Chanudet Vincent , Descloux Stéphane , Serça Dominique 
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Freshwater reservoirs are a significant source of CO2 to the atmosphere.
CO2 is known to be emitted at the reservoir surface by diffusion at the
air–water interface and downstream of dams or powerhouses by degassing and
along the river course. In this study, we quantified total CO2 emissions
from the Nam Theun 2 Reservoir (Lao PDR) in the Mekong River watershed. The
study started in May 2009, less than a year after flooding and just a few
months after the maximum level was first reached and lasted until the end of
2013. We tested the hypothesis that soils from the drawdown area would be a
significant contributor to the total CO2 emissions. Total inorganic carbon, dissolved and particulate organic carbon and
CO2 concentrations were measured in 4 pristine rivers of the Nam Theun
watershed, at 9 stations in the reservoir (vertical profiles) and at 16
stations downstream of the monomictic reservoir on a weekly to monthly
basis. CO2 bubbling was estimated during five field campaigns between
2009 and 2011 and on a weekly monitoring, covering water depths ranging from
0.4 to 16 m and various types of flooded ecosystems in 2012 and 2013. Three
field campaigns in 2010, 2011 and 2013 were dedicated to the soils
description in 21 plots and the quantification of soil CO2 emissions
from the drawdown area. On this basis, we calculated total CO2
emissions from the reservoir and carbon inputs from the tributaries. We
confirm the importance of the flooded stock of organic matter as a source of
carbon (C) fuelling emissions. We show that the drawdown area contributes, depending
on the year, from 40 to 75 % of total annual gross emissions in this
flat and shallow reservoir. Since the CO2 emissions from the drawdown
zone are almost constant throughout the years, the large interannual
variations result from the significant decrease in diffusive fluxes and
downstream emissions between 2010 and 2013. This overlooked pathway in terms
of gross emissions would require an in-depth evaluation for the soil organic matter and
vegetation dynamics to evaluate the actual contribution of this area in
terms of net modification of gas exchange in the footprint of the reservoir,
and how it could evolve in the future.
Application of a Monte Carlo procedure for probabilistic fatigue design of floating offshore wind turbines
Authors: Müller Kolja , Cheng Po Wen 
Published: March 2018

Abstract. Fatigue load assessment of floating offshore wind turbines poses new challenges on the feasibility of numerical procedures. Due to the increased sensitivity of the considered system with respect to the environmental conditions from wind and ocean, the application of common procedures used for fixed-bottom structures results in either inaccurate simulation results or hard-to-quantify conservatism in the system design. Monte Carlo-based sampling procedures provide a more realistic approach to deal with the large variation in the environmental conditions, although basic randomization has shown slow convergence. Specialized sampling methods allow efficient coverage of the complete design space, resulting in faster convergence and hence a reduced number of required simulations. In this study, a quasi-random sampling approach based on Sobol sequences is applied to select representative events for the determination of the lifetime damage. This is calculated applying Monte Carlo integration, using subsets of a resulting total of 16 200 coupled time–domain simulations performed with the simulation code FAST. The considered system is the Danmarks Tekniske Universitet (DTU) 10 MW reference turbine installed on the LIFES50+ OO-Star Wind Floater Semi 10 MW floating platform. Statistical properties of the considered environmental parameters (i.e., wind speed, wave height and wave period) are determined based on the measurement data from the Gulf of Maine, USA. Convergence analyses show that it is sufficient to perform around 200 simulations in order to reach less than 10 % uncertainty of lifetime fatigue damage-equivalent loading. Complementary in-depth investigation is performed, focusing on the load sensitivity and the impact of outliers (i.e., values far away from the mean). Recommendations for the implementation of the proposed methodology in the design process are also provided.
Reviewer Acknowledgements for Vol. 6, No. 1, March 2018
Authors: Williams Richard 
Published: March 2018

Journal of Agricultural Studies would like to acknowledge the following reviewers for their assistance with peer review of manuscripts for this issue. Many authors, regardless of whether JAS publishes their work, appreciate the helpful feedback provided by the reviewers. Their comments and suggestions were of great help to the authors in improving the quality of their papers. Each of the reviewers listed below returned at least one review for this issueReviewers for Volume 6, Number 1 Gerardo Ojeda, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, ColombiaLuisa Pozzo, "Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology (IBBA) of Pisa, National Research Council", ItalySahar Bahmani, University of Wisconsin at Parkside, USASelmi Houc, University of Jandouba, TunisiaZakaria Fouad Abdallah, National Research Centre, EgyptZhao Chen, Clemson University, US Richard Williams,EditorJournal of Agricultural Studies-------------------------------------------Macrothink Institute5348 Vegas Dr.#825Las Vegas, Nevada 89108United StatesPhone: 1-702-953-1852 ext.521Fax: 1-702-420-2900Email: jas@macrothink.orgURL: http://jas.macrothink.org
Evaluation of the interactions between human serum albumin (HSA) and warfarin or diflunisal by using molecular fluorescence using two approaches
Authors: Amézqueta Susana , Bolioli Anna Bolioli Maria , Beltrán José Luis , Ràfols Clara 
Published: March 2018

<p class="PaperH1">Serum albumin is the main drug transporter of the bloodstream and contains two main binding sites: Sudlow I or acidic drug binding site, and Sudlow II or benzodiazepine binding site. Warfarin, a well-known anticoagulant drug commonly used in the prevention of thrombosis and thromboembolism, binds to Sudlow I site, whereas non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as diflunisal bind preferentially to Sudlow II site. Albumin is a fluorophore that modifies its fluorescence (quenching or enhancement effect) when it is bound to a drug. The application of the double logarithm Stern-Volmer equation allows the calculation of the stoichiometry and the binding constant of the process. This procedure does not consider the possible interferences coming from the fluorescence of the drug though. Another strategy to evaluate the binding constants is to consider the whole spectrum, taking into account all the possible species in equilibrium; in this case we have used an extended version of the STAR program, which can deal with 300 spectra, each containing up to 300 data points. The aim of this work is to compare both approaches to evaluate the interaction between warfarin (Sudlow I) and diflunisal (Sudlow II) and HSA: the double logarithm Stern-Volmer equation and the STAR program.</p>
A Comparison of Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effectiveness Analysis in Practice: Divergent Policy Practices in Sweden
Authors: Svensson Mikael , Hultkrantz Lars 
Published: March 2018

This paper compares the implementation of the two economic evaluation methods Cost-Effectiveness/Utility (CEA/CUA) and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) as tools for allocation of national public funds in the health and transport sector in Sweden, respectively. We compare the recommended values for important economic parameters such as the social discount rate, the marginal cost of public funds, and the explicit and implicit valuation of health, and document a number of substantial and unexplained differences in implementation. Such differences are problematic considering that the increasing use of economic evaluations to guide policy decisions also has implied an overlap of application areas. We conclude with a discussion on the need of a harmonized procedure for economic evaluations in the public sector in order to reduce the risk of inefficient allocations purely due to different applications of the methods. Published: Online February 2017. In print December 2017.
Factors Associated With Osteopathic Primary Care Residency Choice Decisions
Authors: Dogbey Godwin Y. , Collins Karen , Russ Ronald , Brannan Grace D. , Mivsek Matt , Sewell Sarah 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Context
The osteopathic medical profession traditionally emphasized the education of primary care physicians. A common thread for both osteopathic and allopathic residency matches, however, has been an increase in the interest in specialties outside of primary care.

Objective
To determine whether there are critical points in medical school associated with residency selection decision-making, what factors affect residency selection decisions, and whether any identifiable shifts or trends exist.

Methods
This mixed-methods study sequentially used qualitative and quantitative research approaches. The study population was a convenience sample of osteopathic medical students, interns and residents, and practicing physicians from partner medical schools, associated hospitals, and a regional association of osteopathic physicians. In the first phase, interviews and focus group discussions were analyzed for codes, categories, and themes relating to factors that influence residency selection. In the second phase, a survey was created from the results of the first phase and administered to study participants.

Results
Of the 3450 potential participants, 282 completed the survey. Ninety-one of 209 participants (43.5%) indicated that the third year of medical school was the time they will or did decide what type of residency program to pursue. There were no significant differences in the mean scores between the respondent groups (ie, students, residents, and physicians) when ranking the importance of the 10 influential factors associated with residency selection decision-making (P>.05 for all).

Conclusion
The highest percentage of participants indicated the third year of medical school was the time that they made residency selection decisions regarding what specialty they were interested in entering. No shifts regarding the importance of specific primary care residency choice factors were found between training status of respondents.
Interprofessional Collaborative Practice: Use of Simulated Clinical Experiences in Medical Education
Authors: Carpenter Adriana M. , Hirthler Maureen A. , King Cathy J. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Context
Mastering the art of assessing interprofessional outcomes has been a topic of interest in academic research. Specifically, the Interprofessional Education Collaborative has been publishing thorough bodies of work that aim to strengthen teamwork among health professionals and reinforce competencies that will lead to better patient care.

Objective
To determine osteopathic medical students’ perceived effectiveness of simulated clinical experiences in cultivating interprofessional competencies with nursing students.

Methods
Second-year osteopathic medical students (classes of 2016 and 2017) and nursing students participated in a simulated clinical experience using a simulated patient mannequin. Students were assessed on clinical and humanistic skills using graded evaluations performed by faculty and actors portraying family members and given feedback on their performance. Evaluation grades were not analyzed. Students were asked to complete an anonymous survey that assessed their attitudes toward the collaborative experience.

Results
A total of 743 medical students participated in the study—371 from the class of 2016 and 372 from the class of 2017. Incomplete surveys (1 from the class of 2016 and 3 from the class of 2017) were included in the analysis. Statistically significant differences were found between the 2 classes of medical students in their responses to 2 items. With regard to appropriate patient data collection, the ranked distribution of scores was significantly greater for the class of 2014-2015 than for the class of 2013-2014 (mean rank, 389.3 vs 354.64, respectively; U=75,445.50; P=.017). For the item on effective communication with family members, the ranked distribution of scores was significantly greater for the class of 2014-2015 than for the class of 2013-2014 (mean rank, 390.61 vs 353.34, respectively; U=75,928.50; P=.006). Overall, medical students reported feeling better prepared to care for real patients after the simulation.

Conclusion
Simulated interprofessional experiences during the second year of medical school may help prepare students to collaborate with other health care professionals in a clinical setting, take care of patients, and communicate with patients’ family members.
Assessment Considerations for Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency
Authors: Linsenmeyer Machelle , Wimsatt Leslie , Speicher Mark , Powers James , Miller Stephen , Katsaros Emmanuel 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Context
In the process of analyzing entrustable professional activities (EPAs) for use in medical education, ten Cate and others identified challenges, including the need for valid and reliable EPA assessment strategies.

Objective
To provide osteopathic medical schools with a database of assessment tools compiled from the literature to assist them with the development and implementation of robust, evidence-based assessment methods.

Methods
MEDLINE, ERIC, PubMed, and other relevant databases were searched using MeSH keywords for articles outlining robust, evidence-based assessment tools that could be used in designing assessments for EPAs 1 through 6.

Results
A total of 55 publications were included in content analysis and reporting. All but 2 of the assessment articles were conducted in an undergraduate or graduate medical education setting. The majority of the 55 articles related to assessment of competencies affiliated with EPA 2 (16 articles) and EPA 4 (15 articles). Four articles focused on EPA 3.

Conclusion
Osteopathic medical schools can use this database of assessment tools to support the development of EPA-specific assessment plans that match the unique context and needs of their institution.
Resident and Faculty Attitudes Toward Osteopathic-Focused Education
Authors: Hempstead Laura K. , Rosemergey Beth , Foote Steven , Swade Kelly , Williams Karen B. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Context
The transition period for the single accreditation system for graduate medical education under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) began on July 1, 2015, and will end June 30, 2020. As of February 5, 2018, 82.6% of residency programs accredited by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) have applied for or achieved ACGME accreditation and 160 programs have applied for or achieved osteopathic recognition.

Objective
To assess baseline attitudes of osteopathic and allopathic faculty and residents in AOA-accredited and dually accredited residency programs regarding the value of osteopathic-focused educational curricula and mentors.

Methods
A survey was emailed to 60 program directors of AOA-accredited programs and dually accredited residency programs, some of which had obtained ACGME osteopathic recognition. The survey was to be completed by residents and faculty. Items were formulated to obtain baseline measurements regarding the level of awareness of osteopathic principles and practice (OPP), attitudes regarding osteopathic culture, and the weighted importance of aspects of the osteopathic curriculum. Principal components analysis with Varimax rotation was used. Comparison analysis was accomplished by either independent t tests for subscale scores or Mann-Whitney U tests for item-level scores.

Results
A total of 327 people responded to the survey (115 faculty members, 211 residents, and 1 no response). Of the 60 program directors contacted, 53 replied with at least 1 program representative. One hundred twenty-nine of all 211 residents (61.7%), including 107 of 134 osteopathic family medicine residents (79.9%), agreed that they intended to use OMT when in practice. The curricular component item with the lowest total survey score, indicating the highest-ranked level of importance, was the ability to work with osteopathic faculty (mean [SD], 1.98 [0.98]). Of the items measuring osteopathic awareness, statements with the strongest level of agreement from all respondents were “I have seen OMT performed on a patient or a peer” and “I am familiar with the basic tenets of OPP.”

Conclusion
Residents in AOA-accredited programs value osteopathic mentors and OMT, and they generally intend to use OMT when in practice. Respondents from programs with osteopathic recognition had more favorable attitudes toward osteopathic culture and curriculum than did respondents from programs without osteopathic recognition.
Pollination implications of the diverse diet of tropical nectar-feeding bats roosting in an urban cave
Authors: Lim Voon-Ching , Ramli Rosli , Bhassu Subha , Wilson John-James 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundIntense landscaping often alters the plant composition in urban areas. Knowing which plant species that pollinators are visiting in urban areas is necessary for understanding how landscaping impacts biodiversity and associated ecosystem services. The cave nectar bat,Eonycteris spelaea, is an important pollinator for many plants and is often recorded in human-dominated habitats. Previous studies of the diet ofE. spelaearelied on morphological identification of pollen grains found in faeces and on the body of bats and by necessity disregarded other forms of digested plant material present in the faeces (i.e., plant juice and remnants). The main objective of this study was to examine the diet of the nectarivorous bat,E. spelaea,roosting in an urban cave at Batu Caves, Peninsular Malaysia by identifying the plant material present in the faeces of bats using DNA metabarcoding.MethodsFaeces were collected under the roost ofE. spelaeaonce a week from December 2015 to March 2016. Plant DNA was extracted from the faeces, Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplified atITS2andrbcLregions and mass sequenced. The resultant plant operational taxonomic units were searched against NCBI GenBank for identification.ResultsA total of 55 species of plants were detected from faeces ofE. spelaeaincludingArtocarpus heterophyllus, Duabanga grandifloraandMusaspp. which are likely to be important food resources for the cave nectar bat.DiscussionMany native plant species that had not been reported in previous dietary studies ofE. spelaeawere detected in this study includingBauhinia strychnoideaandUrophyllum leucophlaeum, suggesting thatE. spelaearemains a crucial pollinator for these plants even in highly disturbed habitats. The detection of many introduced plant species in the bat faeces indicates thatE. spelaeaare exploiting them, particularlyXanthostemon chrysanthus,as food resources in urban area. Commercial food crops were detected from all of the faecal samples, suggesting thatE. spelaeafeed predominantly on the crops particularly jackfruit and banana and play a significant role in pollination of economically important plants. Ferns and figs were also detected in the faeces ofE. spelaeasuggesting future research avenues to determine whether the ‘specialised nectarivorous’E. spelaeafeed opportunistically on other parts of plants.