bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A prospective, observational study on conversion of Clinically Isolated Syndrome to Multiple Sclerosis during 4-year period (MS NEO study) in Taiwan
Authors: Ro Long-Sun , Yang Chih-Chao , Lyu Rong-Kuo , Lin Kon-Ping , Tsai Tzung-Chang , Lu Shiang-Ru , Chang Kuo-Hsuan , Huang Li-Chieh , Tsai Ching-Piao 
Published: August 2018

AbstractImportanceCIS to MS conversion rates vary depending on population cohorts, initial manifestations, and durations of follow-up.ObjectiveTo investigate conversion rate of patients from CIS to MS and the prognostic significance of demographic and clinical variables in Taiwanese population.DesignNationwide, prospective, multi-centric, observational study from November 2008 to November 2014 with 4 years follow-up.SettingMulti-centre setting at 5 institutions in Taiwan.Participants152 patients having single clinical event potentially suggestive of MS in last 2 years were enrolled as consecutive sample. 33 patients were lost to follow-up and 16 patients did not complete the study.103 patients completed the study.Intervention(s) (for clinical trials) or Exposure(s) (for observational studies)Natural progression from first episode of CIS to MS or NMO was observed.Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s)Variables analysed were ‘proportion of patients converting to MS or NMO after first episode of CIS’, ‘duration between first episode of neurological event and diagnosis of MS’, ‘status of anti-AQP4 IgG’ and ‘length of longest contiguous spinal cord lesion in MS patients’. Association between baseline characteristics and progression to MS from CIS was analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Multivariate time dependent effect of baseline characteristics on progression to MS was plotted.Results14.5% patients with CIS converted to MS after 1.1 ± 1.0 years with greater predisposition (18.8%) in those having syndromes referable to the cerebral hemispheres. Conversion rate from ON to MS was 9.7%. 90.9% patients had benign disease course. 46.7% patients had abnormal MRIs at baseline, with 0.6±0.5 contrast enhanced lesions. ‘Below normal BMI’ and ‘MRI lesion load (≥ 4 lesions)’ were identified as risk indicators for the development of MS. Only 4.5% were positive for anti-AQP4 antibody in MS patients and amongst them, 80% were NMO patients as diagnosed by modern criteria.Conclusions and Relevance‘Below normal BMI’ and ‘number of demyelinating lesions (≥4)’ are significant predictors of conversion from CIS to MS. A low conversion rate to MS in Taiwanese CIS patients and majority of them having a benign course and minimal disability suggest the roles of geographic, genetic and ethnic factors.Trial RegistrationNon-trial observational study.
Competition among Aedes aegypti larvae Kurt Steinwascher
Authors: Steinwascher Kurt 
Published: August 2018

AbstractAdult Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are important vectors of human disease. The size of the adult female affects her success, fitness, and ability to transmit diseases. The size of the adults is determined during the aquatic larval stage. Competition among larvae for food influences the size of the pupa and thus the adult. In these experiments, the food level (mg/larva) and the density (larvae/vial) both affect intraspecific competition, which shows up as the interaction of the two factors. Furthermore, the total food per vial affects the nature of competition among the larvae, also apparent in the interaction of food and density. Male larvae are affected by the percent of males in the vial, but females are not. Seven biologically significant dependent variables were examined, and the data analyzed by multivariate analysis of variance to gain insight into the relationships among the variables and the effects of these factors on the larvae as they grew in small containers. Male and female larvae compete differently from one another for the particulate yeast cells in this experiment; female larvae outcompete males through larger size and by retaining cells within their gut at low total food levels. Under conditions of more intense competition, the pupal masses of both males and females are smaller, so the effect of competition is a reduced apparent food level. The age at pupation is also affected by food and density. Across the twenty treatment combinations of food/larva and larvae/vial, female larvae grew as though there were six different ecological environments while male larvae grew as though there were only four different environments. No interference competition was observed. Eradication efforts aimed at adult populations of this mosquito may inadvertently increase the size and robustness of the next generation of larvae, resulting in a subsequent adult population increase in the second generation.
Using selective lung injury to improve murine models of spatially heterogeneous lung diseases
Authors: Paris Andrew J. , Guo Lei , Dai Ning , Katzen Jeremy B. , Patel Pryal N. , Worthen G. Scott , Brenner Jacob S. 
Published: August 2018

AbstractMany lung diseases, such as acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), display significant regional heterogeneity, with patches of severely injured tissue adjacent to apparently healthy tissue. Current mouse models that aim to mimic ARDS generally produce diffuse injuries that cannot reproducibly generate ARDS’s regional heterogeneity. This deficiency prevents the evaluation of how well therapeutic agents reach the most injured regions, and precludes many regenerative medicine studies, since it is not possible to know which apparently healing regions suffered severe injury initially. Finally, these diffuse injury models must be mild to allow for survival, as their diffuse nature does not allow for residual healthy lung to keep an animal alive long enough for many drug and regenerative medicine studies. To solve all of these deficiencies of current animal models, we have created a simple and reproducible technique to selectively induce lung injury in specific areas of the lung. Our technique, catheter-in-catheter selective lung injury (CICSLI), involves guiding an inner catheter to a particular area of the lung and delivering an injurious agent mixed with nanoparticles (fluorescently and/or radioactively labeled) that can be used to track the location and extent of where the initial injury was, days later. Further, we demonstrate that CICSLI can produce a more severe injury than diffuse models, yet has much higher survival since CICSLI intentionally leaves undamaged lung regions. Collectively, these attributes of CICSLI will allow better study of how drugs act within heterogeneous lung pathologies and how regeneration occurs in severely damaged lung tissue, thereby aiding the development of new therapies for ARDS and other lung diseases.
Morphometric Identification of Stem BorersDiatraea saccharalisandDiatraea busckella(Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Sugarcane Crops (Saccharum officinarum) in Caldas Department, Colombia
Authors: Valencia Arbeláez Julián Andrés , Giraldo Alberto Soto , Castaño Villa Gabriel Jaime , Espinosa Luis Fernando Vallejo , Guitierrez Melba Ruth Salazar 
Published: August 2018

AbstractThe sugarcane (Saccharumsp.), of great importance for being one of the most traditional rural agroindustries in Latin America and the Caribbean, as part of the agricultural systems, is vulnerable to increases or reductions in the incidence of pests associated with extreme events of climate change, such as prolonged droughts, hurricanes, heavy and out of season rains, among others, contributing to the increase losses in agricultural production, which forces farmers to make excessive expenditures on pesticides that generally fail to solve the issue. (Vázquez, 2011). The main pest belongs to theDiatraeacomplex (Vargas et al., 2013; Gallegoet al.,1996), a larval stage perforator habit. Different field evaluations have revealed the presence of a species that had not been reported in sugarcane crops,Diatraea busckella, and to corroborate the finding, a method of identification was needed whose advantage was to be quick and also low cost, in this sense, geometric morphometry is a mathematical tool with biological basis (Bookstein, 1991), which allows to decompose the variation resulting from the physiology of individuals of the most stable individuals of the population, product of the genetic component. CLIC (Collecting Landmarks for Identification and Characterization) was used for identification, with reference to the previous right wing (De La Rivaet al., 2001; Belenet al., 2004; Schachter-Broideet al., 2004; Dvoraket al., 2006; Soto Vivaset al.,2007). Wing morphometry was performed using generalized Procrustes analysis (Rohlf and Marcus, 1993). The analysis clearly differentiated betweenD. busckellaandD. saccharalis, eliminating the environmental factors that could generate some level of error, being considered a support tool that validates the molecular biology processes for the identification of organisms.
Carbon starvation-induced lipoprotein Slp directs the synthesis of catalase and expression of OxyR regulator to protect against hydrogen peroxide stress in Escherichia coli
Authors: Li Xiaoxia , Xie Yuanhong , Jin Junhua , Liu Hui , Gao Xiuzhi , Xiong Lixia , Zhang Hongxing 
Published: August 2018

AbstractEscherichia colican induce a group of stress-response proteins, including carbon starvation-induced lipoprotein (Slp), which is an outer membrane lipoprotein expressed in response to stressful environments. In this paper,slpnull mutantE. coliwere constructed by insertion of the group II intron, and then the growth sensitivity of theslpmutant strain was measured under 0.6% (vol/vol) hydrogen peroxide. The changes in resistance to hydrogen peroxide stress were investigated by detecting antioxidant activity and gene expression in theslpmutant strain. The results showed that deletion of theslpgene increased the sensitivity ofE. coliunder 0.6% (vol/vol) hydrogen peroxide oxidative stress. Analysis of the unique mapping rates from the transcriptome libraries revealed that four of thirteen remarkably up/down-regulated genes inE. coliwere involved in antioxidant enzymes after mutation of theslpgene. Mutation of theslpgene caused a significant increase in catalase activity, which contributed to an increase in glutathione peroxidase activity. ThekatGgene was activated by the OxyR regulator, which was activated directly by 0.6% (vol/vol) hydrogen peroxide, and HPI encoded bykatGwas induced against oxidative stress. Therefore, the carbon starvation-induced lipoprotein Slp regulates the expression of antioxidant enzymes and the transcriptional activator OxyR in response to the hydrogen peroxide environment, ensuring that cells are protected from hydrogen peroxide oxidative stress at the level of enzyme activity and gene expression.
Impact of Microbial Iron Oxide Reduction on the Transport of Diffusible Tracers and Non-diffusible Nanoparticles in Soils
Authors: Liang Xiaolong , Radosevich Mark , Löffler Frank , Schaeffer Sean M. , Zhuang Jie 
Published: August 2018

AbstractIn situbioremediation to achieve immobilization of toxic metals and radionuclides or detoxification of chlorinated solvents relies on electron donor additions. This practice promotes microbial Fe(III)-oxide mineral reduction that could change soil pore structure, release soil colloids, alter matrix surface properties, and cause the formation of secondary (i.e., reduced) Fe-mineral phases. These processes in turn may impact rates of bioremediation, groundwater quality, and ultimately contaminant fate. Continuous flow columns packed with water-stable soil aggregates high in Fe-oxides were infused with artificial groundwater containing acetate as electron donor and operated for 20 or 60 days inside an anoxic chamber. Soluble Fe(II) and soil colloids were detected in the effluent within one week after initiation of the acetate addition, demonstrating Fe(III)-bioreduction and colloid formation. Br-, 2,6-difluorobenzoate (DFBA), and silica-shelled silver nanoparticles (SSSNP) were selected as diffusible tracer, low-diffusible tracer, and non-diffusible nanoparticles, respectively, to perform transport experiments before and after the active 20-day bioreduction phase, with an aim of assessing the changes in soil structure and surface chemical properties resulting from Fe(III)-bioreduction. The transport of diffusible Br-was not influenced by the Fe(III)-bioreduction as evidenced by identical breakthrough curves before and after the introduction of acetate. Low-diffusible DFBA showed earlier breakthrough and less tailing after the bioreduction, suggesting alterations in flow paths and surface chemical properties of the soils. Similarly, non-diffusible SSSNP exhibited early breakthrough and enhanced transport after the bioreduction phase. Unexpectedly, the bioreduction caused complete retention of SSSNP in the soil columns when the acetate injection was extended from 20 days to 60 days, though no changes were observed for Br-and DFBA during the extended bioreduction period. The large change in the transport of SSSNP was attributed to the enhancement of soil aggregate breakdown and soil colloid release causing mechanical straining of SSSNP and the exposure of iron oxide surfaces previously unavailable within aggregate interiors favorable to the attachment of SSSNP. These results demonstrate that microbial activity can affect soil properties and transport behaviors of diffusivity-varying solutes and colloids in a time dependent fashion, a finding with implication for interpreting the data generated from soil column experiments under continuous flow.HighlightsFe(III)-bioreduction causes time-dependent aggregate breakdown and colloid release.Short-term bioreduction alters soil aggregate surface chemistry and tracer transport.Electron donor amendment enhances transport of nanoparticle tracer.
The association between internal audit department characteristics and IFRS compliance
Authors: Alzeban Abdulaziz 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze whether internal audit (IA) influences the successful implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). From January 2017, listed companies in Saudi Arabia have been mandated to adopt the IFRS. Conducted in the 2014–2016 years before this deadline, the study investigates the readiness of IA departments in the Kingdom to adopt the IFRS in their totality, as required, by January 2017.Design/methodology/approachData were collected for the period 2014 and 2016, two years after the announcement of the intended adoption of the standards, and hence, two years into the five-year preparation period. Data obtained from 78 chief internal auditors from listed companies in Saudi Arabia, and the extraction of information from companies’ annual reports.FindingsResults of regression analysis show a significant association between the readiness for IFRS adoption and IA size and IA staff training. In firms that adopted the IFRS in the period before the mandatory implementation, IA is weak in the role of monitoring. In this connection, it is demonstrated that the adoption and implementation of the IFRS are likely to be more effective when IA reports directly to the audit committee rather than to management. Further, the results reveal that the Hausman test is not significant for the IA characteristics. Hence, there is implication that the measurement instruments used in the study are exogenous and do not associate with the error term.Originality/valueThe new insights into the impact of IA on IFRS adoption, gained from studying this issue within the oil-based Saudi Arabian economy, represent a contribution to the IA literature. The results of this study provide new insights to several stakeholders. First, to academia, which can benefit from new IA knowledge and understanding in the specific context of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), which can be representative of the Gulf region and the wider Arab World. Second, to policy-makers and practitioners in the KSA and other Middle-Eastern, Asian and developing countries that share similar cultural predispositions, socio-economic institutions and/or general socio-economic environments. Additionally, it offers insights for small- to medium-sized companies that have not thus far, adopted the IFRS.
Comparative static analysis of provincial agricultural science and technology level based on grey clustering
Authors: Dong Fenyi , Qi Bing , Jie Yuyang 
Published: August 2018

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to cluster and analyse the level of agricultural science and technology in China’s provinces by using grey clustering model, to have an overall understanding of the current situation of agricultural science and technology development in these provinces, and to offer a reference for decision-making departments to draw up agricultural science and technology development plans.

Design/methodology/approach
First of all, the grey clustering assessment is used to evaluate the clustering of agricultural science and technology level in China’s provinces in 2011, 2013 and 2015. Also a comparative static analysis is made. Then, based on the prediction data of GM (1,1) model, the provincial agricultural science and technology levels in 2017 and 2019 are analysed by grey clustering. Finally, some suggestions are put forward, such as adjusting the allocation of agricultural science and technology resources and providing policy preferences to backward areas, so as to promote the coordinated development of agricultural science and technology in China.

Findings
The development of agricultural science and technology in various provinces and regions of the authors’ country is unbalanced, with a big gap of agricultural and technology level between different provinces. What’s more, the level of agricultural science and technology in remote areas has been developing slowly, but it has been lagging behind. Through the grey clustering analysis of the provincial agricultural science and technology level in 2017 and 2019, it is concluded that the level of agricultural science and technology will be promoted as a whole, but the gap of agricultural science and technology level between different provinces and cities will be enlarged.

Research limitations/implications
This paper comprehensively studies the current situation and future development trends of agricultural science and technology in China’s provinces in recent years, and preliminarily analyses the reasons for the transformation of agricultural science and technology level, however, with no further inspection. Related research should be made for further study.

Practical implications
This paper will provide overall understanding of the current situation of agricultural science and technology development in China’s provinces and cities, and put forward relevant suggestions for the future development of agricultural science and technology in China’s provinces and cities, and provide references for decision-making departments to draw up agricultural science and technology development plans.

Originality/value
For the first time, the grey clustering method is used to the research of agricultural science and technology level in the province. It analyses and evaluates the past and present situation and predicts the future development trend of provincial agricultural science and technology level by the grey clustering analysis method, which is a complete research.
Exploring the development of library makerspaces in China
Authors: Li Ming , Fan Weiguo , Luo Xiaolan 
Published: August 2018

PurposeIn response to the government’s decision to make “entrepreneurship and innovation for all” a national strategy in its 2015 annual work report, Chinese professionals in the library field have expressed a growing interest in makerspaces. This study aims to provide an overview of their current research studies and attempts in constructing makerspaces.Design/methodology/approachThe authors aggregated research materials on library makerspaces in China from two sources: journal articles from the China National Knowledge Infrastructure Database and online news reports from the search engine Baidu.com. Content analysis was used to extract information regarding visions and perceived values, service models and technology adoption.FindingsWhile a growing number of Chinese academic publications are concerned with library makerspaces, the existing research focuses on foreign cases and offers few empirical studies on domestic application scenarios. Libraries and researchers in China hold a positive and supportive attitude toward makerspaces. 3D printing is the most frequently mentioned technology, and free-to-use, promoting communication and realization of ideas and dreams are the most emphasized values. Libraries should highlight their own unique advantages and tap into their resources and services in mutually beneficial collaborations with other types of makerspaces.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the results of this study cannot fully summarize the development status of makerspaces in Chinese libraries. Second, the research materials used in this study may be biased, especially the news reports.Practical implicationsThis paper presents a semantic, visualized analysis of aggregated online news articles and journal articles on library makerspaces in China in an attempt to summarize their characteristics and guiding values, validate the advantages of library makerspaces and give suggestions on improving their service models.Social implicationsThis paper introduces the development trend of makerspace in Chinese libraries, so that researchers at home and abroad can learn more about the development of Chinese library.Originality/valueThis study comprehensively overviews the development of library makerspaces in China. The results provide suggestions to improve maker services in library.
When more is less
Authors: Pérez-Luño Ana , Bojica Ana Maria , Golapakrishnan Shanthi 
Published: August 2018

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of a specific mechanism for cross-functional integration (CFI) in the relationship between product innovation and firm performance. It takes a contingency perspective, accounting for how these relationships vary depending on the degree of organizational knowledge complexity.Design/methodology/approachHypotheses are tested via regression analysis with interaction effects in a sample of 105 wineries from Spain, using both objective and subjective firm performance data.FindingsThe results obtained confirm the existence of significant triple interaction effect of CFI, knowledge complexity and product innovation on firm performance. CFI has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between product innovation and performance and this effect varies according to the degree of organizational knowledge complexity.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper looks at variables that have been hitherto studied at the project or product level, at the firm level, in an attempt to untangle the relationship between innovation, CFI, knowledge complexity and firm performance. Study’s main limitations lie in the use of a cross-functional design and its focus on a single industry.Practical implicationsFirms dealing with complex organizational knowledge could use this CFI mechanism in the development of new products when their size and resources do not allow the creation of more formal temporal structures, such as cross-functional teams. However, unless the winery has to deal with a high degree of knowledge complexity, involving the oenologist in several functional areas for the purpose of coordination, may detract resources from product innovation effort and lead to a poorer performance.Originality/valueThis study showcases a mechanism of CFI not explored in previous research, but used in practice at many firms, i.e. the cross-pollination of ideas across different functional areas through the participation of the responsible for the product development, and tests its role in the relationship between product innovation and different types of firm performance.