bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of derivational morphological awareness in anglophone learners of Spanish: A relational knowledge study
Authors: Sánchez‐Gutiérrez Claudia H. , Hernández Muñoz Natividad 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThis article investigated the development of morphological awareness (MA) across three groups of students of Spanish as a second language (SSL) with different levels of proficiency. Four morphological assessment tasks on relational knowledge were designed in a simultaneous cross‐sectional study that differed in two dimensions: complexity level (low vs. high) and type (detection vs. production). The results demonstrate that MA in Anglophone students of SSL shows an early development but that detection tasks improve faster than production tasks. Only productive tasks that are procedurally easy to perform improve over time, whereas more difficult productive tasks do not show better results across three consecutive years of Spanish courses. Limitations in the development of MA in SSL are therefore related to the use of morphological knowledge in difficult productive tasks but not in detection tasks or easier productive tasks. Results have implications for MA pedagogy and MA research
Personal oral hygiene and dental caries: A systematic review of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Hujoel Philippe Pierre , Hujoel Margaux Louise A. , Kotsakis Georgios A. 
Published: May 2018

ObjectiveTo conduct a systematic review of randomised trials assessing the association between personal oral hygiene and dental caries in the absence of the confounding effects of fluoride.BackgroundDental caries continues to affect close to 100% of the global population. There is a century‐old conflict on whether dental caries is caused by poor oral hygiene or poorly formed teeth (ie, teeth with dental defects). Resolving this conflict is of significant public health importance as these two hypotheses on dental caries aetiology can lead to different prevention strategies.MethodsA systematic search for randomised trials was conducted using predefined criteria in 3 databases. The impact of personal oral hygiene interventions on coronal dental caries incidence was evaluated using random‐effects models.ResultsThree randomised studies involving a total of 743 participants were included. Personal oral hygiene interventions failed to influence the incidence of dental caries (Δ Decayed, Missing and Filled Surfaces (DFMS) = −0.11; 95% confidence interval: (−0.91, 0.69; P‐value < .79)) despite meticulous deplaquing of teeth. There was no significant heterogeneity in the trial results (heterogeneity chi‐squared = 1.88, P = .39). The findings were robust to sensitivity analyses, including consideration of the results of nonrandomised studies.ConclusionPersonal oral hygiene in the absence of fluorides has failed to show a benefit in terms of reducing the incidence of dental caries.
Education and wage inequality in the informal sector: The case of Cameroon
Authors: ATANGANA ONDOA Henri 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThis article analyses the effects of education on wage inequality in the informal sector in Cameroon. The author uses quantile regression on data from the Second survey on employment and the informal sector in Cameroon (EESI 2) of 2010. The results indicate that both wages and wage inequality increase with education in the informal sector, with tertiary education creating greatest inequality. These findings point to a number of policy recommendations for a transition to formality, such as the creation of more jobs for a skilled workforce, the development of sites adapted to informal sector activities and the creation of more vocational schools.
Is the Neonatal Tongue Screening Test a valid and reliable tool for detecting ankyloglossia in newborns?
Authors: Brandão Clarissa de Almeida , de Marsillac Mirian de Waele Souchois , Barja‐Fidalgo Fernanda , Oliveira Branca Heloisa 
Published: May 2018

BackgroundAlthough there is a lack of strong evidence for the association between ankyloglossia in newborns and impaired breastfeeding, screening for ankyloglossia using the Neonatal Tongue Screening Test (NTST) is mandated by law in Brazilian maternities.AimTo assess the reliability and validity of the NTST.Designcohort study; baseline sample comprised 268 mother‐newborn dyads. At follow‐up, 169 mothers were contacted by telephone. Interviews with the mothers for data collection were performed up to 48 h and at 1–3 months after childbirth. Trained and calibrated personnel performed the oral examinations of the newborns. Thirty newborns were examined for inter‐reproducibility assessment.ResultsOf the 268 newborns included, 212 had a lingual frenulum that could be visually inspected and their NTST scores ranged from zero to nine (mean = 2.0, ±2.0). Interexaminer reproducibility was acceptable (Intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.77). Internal consistency of the NTST was poor (Cronbach's alpha = 0.28). Construct validity was investigated through the association between NTST scores and difficulties in breastfeeding at baseline and follow‐up, and infants’ weight gain at follow‐up (mean age 32 ± 6.7 days). No statistically significant associations were found.ConclusionNTST is neither reliable nor valid for detecting ankyloglossia that may interfere with breastfeeding in newborns.
Nicorandil‐induced ulcerations: a 10‐year observational study of all cases spontaneously reported to the French pharmacovigilance network
Authors: Babic Valérie , Petitpain Nadine , Guy Claire , Trechot Philippe , Bursztejn Anne Claire , Faillie Jean Luc , Vial Thierry , Schmutz Jean Luc , Gillet Pierre 
Published: May 2018

AbstractNicorandil‐induced ulcers remain often poorly recognised, with a late diagnosis and an inadequate management. We aimed to provide a clinical overview of the 148 spontaneously reported cases of nicorandil‐induced ulcers to the French pharmacovigilance network between 2005 and 2014 and to complete this picture with worldwide published cases over the same period.Spontaneously reported nicorandil‐induced ulcers were mainly mucosal (oral and anal) with a previous trauma in 23·0% of patients, revealed by a severe complication in 12·8% of cases. The mean cumulative dose of nicorandil was higher in serious cases. The median delay between the start of nicorandil use and the onset of the ulcer was 23·4 months, and after the ulcer was diagnosed, the median time to incriminate nicorandil was still 3·3 months, being shorter for mucosal ulcerations than for cutaneous ulcerations (5·2 versus 14·0 months, P = 0·001). The anatomic distribution in the 199 published cases differed slightly, but delays were similar. The hypothesis of mechanism becomes more precise, leaving no doubt about the necessity to discontinue the treatment.Practitioners need to be aware that nicorandil‐induced ulcers can occur in many locations, possibly multiple and complicated, and should be simply managed by discontinuing treatment with no further reintroduction of nicorandil.
Nondestructive identification of green tea varieties based on hyperspectral imaging technology
Authors: Sun Jun , Tang Kai , Wu Xiaohong , Dai Chunxia , Chen Yong , Shen Jifeng 
Published: May 2018

AbstractA new method for rapid detection of green tea varieties by hyperspectral imaging technology was proposed in this article. In this experiment, five different varieties of green tea were taken as the research object, and the hyperspectral images of five different varieties of green tea were collected. In order to reduce the impact of noise and spectral scattering, the spectral data were preprocessed using Savitzky–Golay (SG) and multiple scattering correction (MSC) preprocessing. Then iteratively retaining informative variables (IRIV) and variable iterative space shrinkage approach (VISSA) variable selection method were used to make variable selection on the pre‐processed spectral data to select the best variable combination. Since the randomness of support vector machine (SVM) parameters has a certain influence on the model, the firefly algorithm (FA) was used to optimize the parameters of SVM. Finally, the SVM green tea varieties identification models were established based on the total spectral data and the spectral data selected by variables selection, and the different modeling results were compared and analyzed. The results show that the VISSA‐FA‐SVM model has the best identification effect, and the classification accuracies of the calibration set and the prediction set are 100 and 96%, respectively.Practical applicationsThe practical application of this article is to identify the different varieties of green tea by using hyperspectral imaging technology. Compared with traditional methods, hyperspectral imaging technology can be used to identify different varieties of green tea quickly, nondestructive and accurately. Optimizing the parameters of the model in appropriate can improve the performance of the model. In this article, firefly algorithm was used to optimize SVM parameters to get the optimal parameters for modeling. In addition, the selection of preferred variables by variables selection can provide a theoretical basis for the identification of portable green tea varieties.
Microbiological survey of field‐grown and retail lettuce in Beijing
Authors: Gao Xiuzhi , Liu Yiqian , Chang Qing , Zhang Zihao , Guo Xu , Yi Xinxin 
Published: May 2018

AbstractAbout 108 retail and 101 field‐grown lettuce samples from across Beijing were examined. These samples were analyzed for their aerobic plate counts, coliform counts, fecal flora counts, and presence of pathogenic bacteria. Samples included retail leaf (n = 56), retail head (n = 52), field‐grown leaf (n = 54), and field‐grown head lettuce (n = 47). The number of aerobic colonies of retail leaf lettuce was significantly higher than that of retail head lettuce throughout the year, with the exception of December. The means of retail leaf lettuce aerobic plate counts varied from 4.87 to 7.03 log10 cfu/g. For retail head lettuce, the mean count of aerobic microbiological populations varied from 4.33 to 6.33 log10 cfu/g. The aerobic microbiological populations of field‐grown lettuce were lower than those of retail lettuce in the same month. The mean count of field‐grown head lettuce was 5.53 log10 cfu/g. The mean count of retail head lettuce was 5.92 log10 cfu/g. The mean of the coliform counts ranged from <0.47 to 2.85 log10cfu/g. Leaf and retail lettuce had significantly higher coliform, fecal flora, and Escherichia coli counts than head and field‐grown lettuce. The detection rate of E. coli was directly proportional to that of fecal flora. No E. coli O157:H7 or Salmonella spp. were detected in these lettuce samples.Practical applicationsIt is generally agreed that microbial contamination of lettuce will arise if there is improper operation in the process of its storage, transportation, and shelves sale. As lettuce is usually eaten raw, microbes can cause people to suffer from illnesses. Therefore, it is of critical importance to monitor the presence of microbes closely. In this study, the number of aerobic plate count in lettuce from different sources was examined. It was found that freshly picked lettuce had fewer microorganisms than retail lettuce had; lettuce harvested in low‐temperature seasons has fewer microorganisms than that in hot seasons. The suggestion is that cold chain transport is the best way for lettuce transportation, especially in summer and aseptic packaging is helpful to reduce contact pollution.
Comparative prevalence and characterization of Vibrio spp. isolated from live and frozen white‐leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in Korean markets
Authors: De Silva B. C. J. , Hossain Sabrina , Dahanayake P. S. , De Zoysa Mahanama , Heo Gang‐Joon 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWe evaluated the prevalence and characteristics of Vibrio spp. in frozen and live samples of white‐leg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) sold in Korea. The mean total bacterial counts of frozen and live white‐leg shrimp meat were approximately 2 ×109 and 1 ×1010 CFU/g, respectively. Eight V. parahaemolyticus isolates were recovered from frozen samples, whereas a total of 40 strains including 30 V. parahaemolyticus, 8 V. alginolyticus, 1 V. harveyi, and 1 V. fluvialis were isolated from live samples. The majority (≥92%) of the Vibrio spp. isolates were positive for six extracellular enzymatic tests, while 50 and 29% of the isolates were positive for hemolysis and slime production, respectively. In virulence gene profile, all V. parahaemolyticus isolates were positive for toxR and tlh genes, but negative for tdh and trh. V. alginolyticus isolates harbored collagenase, toxR, tlh, and VPI genes in 10, 75, 86, and 63%, respectively. Besides, V. fluvialis isolate was positive for toxR, vfh, and hupO genes. Moreover, 100, 91, 50, 45, and 27% of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin, piperacillin, colistin, vancomycin, and amikacin, respectively. These results implied that white‐leg shrimp‐borne Vibrio spp. are indicative of a potential consumer health risk.Practical applicationsVibrio is a well‐known group of seafoodborne pathogenic bacteria. Since white‐leg shrimp is the most preferred shrimp variety in Korea, we sought to evaluate the prevalence and characteristics of Vibrio spp. in both frozen and live white‐leg shrimp from several retail markets. A total of 48 isolates were presumptively identified by biochemical tests. Subsequently, the gyrB gene sequencing and the neighbor‐joining phylogenetic tree confirmed the prevalence of 4 and 1 Vibrio species in live and frozen samples, respectively. Prevalence of Vibrio in frozen samples was much lower than live samples. Putative virulence of the Vibrio spp. was examined by both pathogenicity tests and PCR gene detection. Majority of the isolates were positive for pathogenicity tests and a heterogeneity in virulence gene prevalence was detected among Vibrio spp. Antibiotic susceptibility was examined by disc diffusion test for 25 antibiotics belong to 13 classes. The Vibrio isolates were highly resistant to penicillin group, however, others had different susceptibilities. In addition, we examined the total bacterial count (TBC) of the white‐leg shrimp meat by aerobic plate count method to evaluate their total bacterial prevalence. The obtained TBCs were higher than the recommended value. With regards to the results, it is worth noting that the white‐leg shrimp in Korean markets are indicative of a potential public health risk.
The Legacy and the Tyranny of Time: Exit and Re‐Entry of Sovereigns to International Capital Markets
Authors: AGNELLO LUCA , CASTRO VÍTOR , SOUSA RICARDO M. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWe use a continuous‐time Weibull model (without and) with a change‐point in duration dependence to investigate the duration of the exit and re‐entry of sovereigns to international markets. We find that, as the reputation of debtor countries as good (bad) borrowers solidifies over time, those episodes are more likely to end—the “legacy of time.” Debtor countries take advantage of the “benefit of doubt” of creditors during short exits. When exits are long and the reputation as a bad borrower emerges, no more “complacency” makes it more difficult to borrow again in international markets—the “tyranny of time.”
A congenic line of the C57BL/6J mouse strain that is proficient in melatonin synthesis
Authors: Zhang Zhijing , Silveyra Eduardo , Jin Nange , Ribelayga Christophe P. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe C57BL/6J (B6) is the most common inbred mouse strain used in biomedical research in the United States. Yet, this strain is notoriously known for being deficient in the biosynthesis of melatonin, an important effector of circadian clocks in the brain and in the retina. Melatonin deficiency in this strain results from nonfunctional alleles of the genes coding 2 key enzymes of the melatonin synthesis pathway: arylalkylamine‐N‐acetyltransferase (Aanat) and N‐acetylserotonin‐O‐methyltransferase (Asmt). By introducing functional alleles of the Aanat and Asmt genes from the melatonin‐proficient CBA/CaJ (CBA) mouse strain to B6, we have generated a B6 congenic line that has acquired the capacity of rhythmic melatonin synthesis. In addition, the melatonin‐dependent rhythm of dopamine release in the retina is restored in the B6 congenic line. Finally, we have partially characterized the Aanat and Asmt genes of the CBA strain and have identified multiple differences between CBA and B6 alleles, including single nucleotide polymorphism and deletion/insertion of DNA segments of various sizes. As an improved model organism with functional components of the melatonin synthesis pathway and melatonin‐dependent circadian regulations, the new line will be useful to researchers studying melatonin physiological functions in a variety of fields including, but not limited to, circadian biology and neuroscience. In particular, the congenic line will be useful to speed up introduction of melatonin production capacity into genetically modified mouse lines of interest such as knockout lines, many of which are on B6 or mixed B6 backgrounds. The melatonin‐proficient B6 congenic line will be widely distributed.
Repair of lumbosacral fracture–luxation with bilateral twisted string‐of‐pearls locking plates
Authors: Segal U. , Bar H. , Shani J. 
Published: May 2018

ObjectivesTo describe a surgical technique using bilateral twisted string‐of‐pearls locking plates for lumbosacral fracture–luxation in dogs and cats.Materials and MethodsTwisted string‐of‐pearls locking plates were used to stabilise lumbosacral fracture–luxation between 2013 and 2017. Decompression of thecauda equinawas achieved by dorsal laminectomy through a dorso‐medial approach. Stabilisation was achieved using bilateral string‐of‐pearls plates attached to the lateral aspects of the vertebral body cranial to the fractured vertebra and the iliosacral joints. Reduction of the luxation was assessed under fluoroscopy. Outcome and complications were evaluated 24 hours, 6 weeks and 6 months postoperatively.ResultsSix animals (four dogs and two cats) were included. Five animals were presented with non‐ambulatory paraparesis. Tail anaesthesia and severe lumbosacral pain was evident in all cases but one. Six weeks postoperatively, all animals improved to ambulation, and tail sensation recovered. The long‐term clinical outcome was defined as excellent in five and satisfactory in the remaining case.Clinical SignificanceBilateral twisted string‐of‐pearls locking plates can be associated with a satisfactory result in treating lumbosacral fracture–luxation.
In vitro efficacy of pro‐ and anticoagulant strategies in compensated and acutely ill patients with cirrhosis
Authors: Lisman Ton , Kleiss Simone , Patel Vishal C. , Fisher Caleb , Adelmeijer Jelle , Bos Sarah , Singanayagam Arjuna , Stoy Sidsel H. , Shawcross Debbie L. , Bernal William 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackground & AimsA simultaneous decline in pro‐ and anticoagulant drivers in patients with liver diseases results in a “rebalanced” haemostatic system, even in acutely ill patients. Nevertheless, both bleeding and thrombotic events are common. Here, we explored efficacy of pro‐ and antihaemostatic strategies in compensated and acutely ill cirrhotics which may be unpredictable given the profound haemostatic changes.MethodsWe tested the effects in vitro of the addition of clinically relevant doses of commonly used pro‐ and antihaemostatic strategies in plasma from healthy individuals (n = 30) and patients with compensated (n = 18) and acutely decompensated cirrhosis (n = 18), and acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (n = 10). We used thrombin generation tests and fibrin clot permeability assays to assess potency of various approaches.ResultsFresh frozen plasma and recombinant factor VIIa modestly increased thrombin generation (10%‐20%). Prothrombin complex concentrate increased thrombin generation two‐fold in controls and 2‐4‐fold in patients. Clot permeability decreased after addition of fibrinogen concentrate by 51% in controls and by 50%‐60% in patients. Low molecular weight heparin decreased thrombin generation by 18% in controls and by 23%‐54% in patients. Similarly, dabigatran decreased thrombin generation by 33% in controls and by 47%‐100% in patients. In contrast, rivaroxaban decreased thrombin generation by 55% in controls, but only by 11%‐38% in patients.ConclusionsThese in vitro data suggest little prohaemostatic effect of fresh frozen plasma and recombinant factor VIIa in acutely ill cirrhotics, whereas prothrombin complex concentrate and fibrinogen concentrate clearly improved haemostasis. Furthermore, our data suggest the requirement for dose adjustments of commonly used anticoagulants in these patients.
Sources and spatial distribution of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in saline soils and sediments of Mighan Playa (Iran)
Authors: Safari Sinegani Mahboobeh , Safari Sinegani Ali Akbar , Hadipour Mehrdad 
Published: May 2018

AbstractRapid industrialization has led to an extraordinary increase in environmental pollution in Arak, Iran. This study classified the distribution of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in sediments and soils of Mighan Playa (Iran) and analysed the pollution sources using geostatistical methods. Samples were taken from 250 points and the data analysed by means of SPSS, GS+ and ArcGIS. The soils were moderate to considerable polluted with Pb and high to very high polluted with Cd. The comparison of the maps of EF for Pb and Cd with the maps of their total contents indicated they have two different distributions in the region. Lead was enriched near the pollution sources. However, Cd accumulated at the centre of Mighan Playa apart from the pollution sources, meaning Cd was highly mobile in the studied wet and salty soils.
Optimization for Roads' Construction: Selection, Prioritization, and Scheduling
Authors: Bagloee Saeed Asadi , Sarvi Majid , Patriksson Michael , Asadi Mohsen 
Published: May 2018

AbstractLimited resources (budget, labor, machinery) have a significant toll on the roads' construction. The question of interest is: given variations of resources over a lengthy construction time, what would be the best construction scheduling plan, or how to optimize the Gantt chart while considering two highly challenging features (1) prerequisite conditions and (2) the interdependency of the benefit of the projects’ completions. We formulate it as a bilevel problem where the objective function is to minimize generalized costs and the lower level accounts for the drivers’ route choice. We employ a solution algorithm based on a supervised learning technique (a linear regression model of machine‐learning) and an integer programming problem and it is applied to the datasets of Winnipeg and Chicago. The regression model was found to be a tight approximation which resulted in an efficient algorithm (the CPU time is almost a linear function of the number of iterations). Moreover, the proposed methodology can render promising results (at least locally optimal solutions). This article is the first to formulate the Gantt chart using linear binary constraints and optimize it tailored to real‐life case studies.