bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A novel four quadrant laser sphincterotomy for idiopathic severe anal stenosis
Authors: Porwal Ashwin , Gandhi Paresh , Kulkarni Deepak 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAnal stricture or stenosis, though uncommon, is disabling condition. It affects the quality of life due to pain, bleeding and difficulty in defecation, incontinence or increased frequency. It occurs when the normally pliable anoderm is replaced with fibrotic connective tissue, leading to an abnormally tight and inelastic anal canal. Mostly it occurs secondary to trauma, iatrogeny, inflammatory diseases, radiation or neoplasia. The treatment of anal stricture is generally considered to be difficult and various methods of treatment have been suggested. It is often unresponsive to conservative medical management. The surgical procedures such as dilatations and anoplasty are associated with significant complications which make it a difficult treatment challenge. Several good treatment options are available currently. Through this case, we report and explore a new medical treatment for anal strictures with four quadrant laser sphincterotomy.
Penile Rehabilitation Therapy Following Radical Prostatectomy: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liu Chunhui , Lopez David S. , Chen Ming , Wang Run 
Published: November 2017

Abstract

Background
Penile rehabilitation, defined as the use of any drug or device at or after radical prostatectomy to maximize erectile function recovery, is commonly used for post-prostatectomy erectile dysfunction; however, conflicting results based on each study make it difficult to give a recommendation for clinical practice.

Aim
To clarify the effect of oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5is), vacuum erection devices, intracorporeal injection therapy, and the combination of these treatments on penile rehabilitation.

Methods
A comprehensive publication search was done through the PubMed and Embase databases up to February 8, 2017. The reference lists of the retrieved studies also were investigated. Data were analyzed using STATA 12.0. A fixed- or random-effects model was used to calculate the overall combined odds ratio (OR) or standard mean differences (SMDs). Publication bias was assessed using the Begg and Egger tests.

Outcomes
Change in sexual function before and after treatment.

Results
After screening, 11 randomized controlled trials and 5 case-control studies were included. The overall meta-analysis showed that penile rehabilitation with PDE5is, vacuum erection devices, and intracorporeal injection significantly increased the number of patients with erectile function improvement (OR = 2.800, 95% CI = 1.932–4.059, P = .000) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) score (SMD = 5.896, 95% CI = 4.032–7.760, P = .000). In subgroup analysis based on study design, randomized controlled trials and case-control studies showed that penile rehabilitation increased the number of patients with erectile function improvement (randomized controlled trials: OR = 2.154, 95% CI = 1.600–2.895, P = .000; case-control studies: OR = 2.800, 95% CI = 1.932–4.059, P = .000). Subgroup analysis for PDE5i treatment also only demonstrated an increased patient response rate (OR = 2.161, 95% CI = 1.675–2.788, P = .000) and IIEF scores (SMD = 0.922, 95% CI = 0.545–1.300, P = .000). However, after PDE5i washout, there was no improvement of spontaneous erectile function (OR = 1.027, 95% CI = 0.713–1.478, P = .610).

Clinical Translation
This study provides information about the efficacy of penile rehabilitation that can help clinicians decide treatment strategies.

Strengths and Limitations
This meta-analysis has higher statistical power than each study. Preoperative patient characteristics, various treatment methods, and different follow-up times might bring bias to pooled effects.

Conclusion
Our meta-analysis confirmed that administration of PDE5is, vacuum erection devices, and intracorporeal injection after radical prostatectomy can increase erection function during treatments. However, current evidence does not support that penile rehabilitation with PDE5is can improve recovery of spontaneous erectile function. Further studies with adequate follow-up and larger samples should be conducted to generate a comprehensive conclusion.
Disaster Risk Reduction in Myanmar: A Need for Focus on Community Preparedness and Improved Evaluation of Initiatives
Authors: Smith Andrew D. , Chan Emily Y. Y. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractMyanmar is a country in political and economic transition. Facing a wide-variety of natural hazards and ongoing conflict, the country’s under-developed infrastructure has resulted in high disaster risk. Following the devastation of Cyclone Nargis in 2008 and increased global focus on disaster management and risk reduction, Myanmar has begun development of national disaster policies. Myanmar’s Action Plan for Disaster Risk Reduction addressed multiple stages of disaster development and has made progress towards national projects, however, has struggled to implement community-based preparedness and response initiatives. This article analyses Myanmar’s disaster strategy, though the use of a disaster development framework and suggests areas for possible improvement. In particular, the article aims to generate discussion regarding methods of supporting objective evaluation of risk reduction initiatives in developing countries. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:422–426)
Difference in First Aid Activity During Mass Casualty Training Based on Having Taken an Educational Course
Authors: Yanagawa Youichi , Omori Kazuhiko , Ishikawa Kouhei , Takeuchi Ikuto , Jitsuiki Kei , Yoshizawa Toshihiko , Sato Jun , Matsumoto Hideyuki , Tsuchiya Masaru , Osaka Hiromichi 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe Japanese Association for Disaster Medicine developed a mass casualty life support (MCLS) course to improve cooperation among medical practitioners during a disaster, which is essential for reducing the rates of preventable disaster death. We investigated whether there was difference in first aid activity among members of the ambulance service during mass casualty training based on having taken the MCLS course.MethodsMass casualty training was held at the fire department of Numazu City. Twenty-one ambulance service parties participated in this training. They first evaluated the mass casualty situation, performed the appropriate services at the scene during the initial period, and then provided START triage for mock wounded patients. Throughout the training, 5 examiners evaluated their performance.ResultsRegarding the difference in first aid activity based on MCLS course attendance among the ambulance service members, the cooperative management (scored on a scale of 1 to 5) among the members who had taken the MCLS course was significantly better than that among those who had not taken the course (median [interquartile range]: 5 [0.5] vs. 4 [1.75], P<0.05).ConclusionAttending an MCLS course may help to improve outcomes in the face of an actual mass casualty incident. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:437–440)
“Advertisements of Every Kind to Bring Their Brand into Notoriety”: Branding and “Brandolatry” in the Nineteenth-Century Champagne Trade in Britain
Authors: Harding Graham 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis paper examines the branding and marketing techniques used to develop the British champagne market in the nineteenth century. It draws upon the archives of the major French champagne houses and the extensive collection of price lists and marketing material in the scattered archives of W. & A. Gilbey, the dominant wine distributor in nineteenth-century Britain, to focus on the period from 1850 to the early 1900s. This period saw the creation of a powerful marketing template centered on a group of premium brands that endured for well over a century and influenced champagne marketing worldwide. Contemporary commentators saw a “cult” of famous brands, which disadvantaged consumers and merchants. Looking back at this period through the lens of a century of marketing history, we can clearly see a different picture: one of astute marketing (although that term was not then in use) that exploited selective distribution and created the concept of vintage-dated wine (what we would today call “limited-edition” product lines), making the champagne houses and their agents early exponents of Jean-Noël Kapferer's twenty-first-century “anti-laws” of luxury marketing. (JEL Classification: M3)
Efficient detection of communities with significant overlaps in networks: Partial community merger algorithm
Authors: XU ELVIS H. W. , HUI PAK MING 
Published: November 2017

AbstractDetecting communities in large-scale social networks is a challenging task where each vertex may belong to multiple communities. Such behavior of vertices and the implied strong overlaps among communities render many detection algorithms invalid. We develop a Partial Community Merger Algorithm (PCMA) for detecting communities with significant overlaps as well as slightly overlapping and disjoint ones. It is a bottom-up approach based on properly reassembling partial information of communities revealed in ego networks of vertices to reconstruct complete communities. We propose a novel similarity measure of communities and an efficient merger process to address the two key issues—noise control and merger order—in implementing this approach. PCMA is tested against two benchmarks and overall it outperforms all compared algorithms in both accuracy and efficiency. It is applied to two huge online social networks, Friendster and Sina Weibo. Millions of communities are detected and they are of higher qualities than the corresponding metadata groups. We find that the latter should not be regarded as the ground-truth of structural communities. The significant overlapping pattern found in the detected communities confirms the need of new algorithms, such as PCMA, to handle multiple memberships of vertices in social networks.
KOI-256’s Magnetic Activity Under the Influence of the White Dwarf
Authors: Yoldaş Ezgi , Dal Hasan Ali 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWe present the findings about chromospheric activity nature of KOI-256 obtained from the Kepler Mission data. First, it was found that there are some sinusoidal variations out-of-eclipses due to cool spot activity. The sinusoidal variations modelled by the spotmodel program indicate that the active component has two different active regions. Their longitudinal variation revealed that one of them has a migration period of 3.95 yrs, while the other has a migration period of 8.37 yrs. Second, 225 flares were detected from the short cadence data in total. The parameters, such as increase (Tr) and decay (Td) times, total flare time (Tt), equivalent durations (P), were calculated for each flare. The distribution of equivalent durations versus total flare times in logarithmic scale is modelled to find flare activity level. The Plateau value known as the saturation level of the active component was calculated to be 2.3121 ± 0.0964 s, and the Half-life value, which is required flare total time to reach the saturation, was computed to be 2233.6 s. In addition, the frequency of N1, which is the number of flares per an hour in the system, was found to be 0.05087 h−1, while the flare frequency N2 that the flare-equivalent duration emitting per an hour was found to be 0.00051. Contrary to the spot activity, it has been found that the flares are in tends to appear at specific phases due to the white dwarf component.
Methods for Summarizing Radiocarbon Datasets
Authors: Ramsey Christopher Bronk 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBayesian models have proved very powerful in analyzing large datasets of radiocarbon (14C) measurements from specific sites and in regional cultural or political models. These models require the prior for the underlying processes that are being described to be defined, including the distribution of underlying events. Chronological information is also incorporated into Bayesian models used in DNA research, with the use of Skyline plots to show demographic trends. Despite these advances, there remain difficulties in assessing whether data conform to the assumed underlying models, and in dealing with the type of artifacts seen in Sum plots. In addition, existing methods are not applicable for situations where it is not possible to quantify the underlying process, or where sample selection is thought to have filtered the data in a way that masks the original event distribution. In this paper three different approaches are compared: “Sum” distributions, postulated undated events, and kernel density approaches. Their implementation in the OxCal program is described and their suitability for visualizing the results from chronological and geographic analyses considered for cases with and without useful prior information. The conclusion is that kernel density analysis is a powerful method that could be much more widely applied in a wide range of dating applications.
Mono- and diglycerides improve lutein absorption in healthy adults: a randomised, double-blind, cross-over, single-dose study
Authors: Marriage Barbara J. , Williams Jennifer A. , Choe Yong S. , Maki Kevin C. , Vurma Mustafa , DeMichele Stephen J. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWith the association between increased carotenoid intake and lower risk of chronic diseases, the absorption of lutein from the diet becomes an important factor in its delivery and physiological action. The primary objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how a new formulation technology (mixture of mono- and diglycerides (MDG)), affected lutein absorption. Subjects (n24) were randomised in a cross-over, double-blind study to receive a single dose of 6 mg lutein (FloraGLO 20 %) provided as capsules containing either high-oleic safflower (SAF) oil or a MDG oil. Subjects receiving a single dose of lutein in MDG showed a significantly greater change from baseline (0 h) to 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 336 h (P<0·05) and baseline adjusted AUC for plasma lutein at 48 and 336 h (P<0·001) as compared with subjects given lutein in SAF. Analysis of the 48 h absorption kinetics of lutein showed that the time to peak level of lutein (12 h) was the same for SAF and MDG groups, but the change in plasma lutein at 12 and 48 h were 129 and 320 % higher, respectively, for MDG compared with SAF. This difference continued as the adjusted AUC 0–48 and 0–336 h for the MDG group was 232 and 900 % higher, respectively, v. SAF. The study data show that by changing the lipid that is combined with a lutein supplement results in significant increases in lutein absorption in healthy adults.
Civil War as State-Making: Strategic Governance in Civil War
Authors: Stewart Megan A. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractWhy do some rebel groups provide governance inclusively while most others do not? Some insurgencies divert critical financial and personnel resources to provide benefits to anyone, including nonsupporters (Karen National Union, Eritrean People's Liberation Front). Other groups offer no services or limit their service provision to only those people who support, or are likely to support, the insurgency. The existing literature examines how insurgencies incentivize recruitment by offering selective social services, yet no research addresses why insurgencies provide goods inclusively. I argue that inclusive provision of services legitimates insurgents’ claim of sovereignty to domestic and international audiences, and thus is a strategic tool secessionist rebels use to achieve their long-term goal of independence. With new and original data, I use a large-Nanalysis to test this hypothesis. The results of the analysis support the hypothesis, underscoring the importance insurgent nonviolent behavior and addressing key issues such as sovereignty and governance.
Ingestive behaviour and forage intake responses of young and mature steers to the vertical differentiation of sugarcane in pen and grazing studies
Authors: BENVENUTTI M. A. , PAVETTI D. R. , POPPI D. P. , MAYER D. G. , GORDON I. J. 
Published: November 2017

SUMMARYSugarcane is an important forage resource in sub-tropical and tropical areas as it is used during the winter or dry season when the growth rate of pastures is significantly reduced. The current research study assessed the effect of four vertical sections of sugarcane in a pen trial and the level of sugarcane utilization in a grazing trial on the ingestive behaviour and forage intake of two age groups of steers (1 and 2 years old). The pen trial was comprised of two simultaneous 4 × 4 balanced Latin square designs (one for each age group of animals) of four periods, four animals and four feeding treatments, which consisted of four equal vertical sections of sugarcane. Dry matter (DM) and digestible DM (DDM) intake per kilogram of metabolic weight declined gradually from top to bottom of the sugarcane, with no significant differences between the age groups of steers. This difference in intake was associated with a decline in intake of neutral detergent fibre (NDF) as a proportion of the liveweight of the animal and an increase of total chewing time per kilogram of DM or NDF from top to bottom of the sugarcane. It was concluded that the toughness of plant material played a significant role regulating intake, which was higher for the top sections of sugarcane. In the grazing trial, steers of both age groups grazed down sugarcane in three plots over 9 days. Steers grazed up to four distinctive grazing strata. Digestible DM intake (DDM intake) was high at low levels of horizontal utilization of the top grazing stratum but DDM intake started to decline sharply when this stratum was removed in 0·92 of paddock area (i.e. equivalent to 0·08 of the pasture area remaining un-grazed). It was concluded that the proportion of un-grazed area of the pasture can be used as a grazing management strategy to control forage intake for sugarcane.
Nasoseptal flap for palatal reconstruction after hemi-maxillectomy: case report
Authors: Alwashahi M K , Battaglia P , Turri-Zanoni M , Castelnuovo P 
Published: November 2017

AbstractObjective:Palatal reconstruction following maxillectomy is a surgical challenge, and a nasoseptal flap is a feasible approach. This paper reports the first known successful clinical case of a nasoseptal pedicle flap applied for the reconstruction of maxillary bone following hemi-maxillectomy.Case report:This report describes hemi-maxillectomy in a 60-year-old Italian male diagnosed with stage IV squamous cell carcinoma of the left maxilla. Endoscopic transnasal extended medial maxillectomy was performed, followed by a transoral modified midfacial degloving technique for removal of the maxillary bone. The contralateral nasoseptal pedicle flap was used to reconstruct the defect. The case was followed up prospectively for the assessment of flap reception and healing.Conclusion:The locally accessible nasoseptal flap is a viable alternative for palatal reconstruction; therefore, a second surgical procedure with its associated donor site morbidity can be avoided. Large-scale studies may help in establishing the cosmetic and functional outcomes.
Self-similar expansion of adiabatic electronegative dusty plasma
Authors: Shahmansouri M. , Bemooni A. , Mamun A. A. 
Published: November 2017

The self-similar expansion of an adiabatic electronegative dusty plasma (consisting of inertialess adiabatic electrons, inertialess adiabatic ions and inertial adiabatic negatively charged dust fluids) is theoretically investigated by employing the self-similar approach. It is found that the effects of the plasma adiabaticity (represented by the adiabatic index $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FE}$) and dusty plasma parameters (determined by dust temperature and initial dust population) significantly modify the nature of the plasma expansion. The implications of our results are expected to play an important role in understanding the physics of the expansion of space and laboratory electronegative dusty plasmas.
Geodesically Complete Hyperbolic Structures
Authors: BASMAJIAN ARA , ŠARIĆ DRAGOMIR 
Published: November 2017

AbstractIn the first part of this work we explore the geometry of infinite type surfaces and the relationship between its convex core and space of ends. In particular, we give a geometric proof of a Theorem due to Alvarez and Rodriguez that a geodesically complete hyperbolic surface is made up of its convex core with funnels attached along the simple closed geodesic components and half-planes attached along simple open geodesic components. We next consider gluing infinitely many pairs of pants along their cuffs to obtain an infinite hyperbolic surface. We prove that there always exists a choice of twists in the gluings such that the surface is complete regardless of the size of the cuffs. This generalises the examples of Matsuzaki.In the second part we consider complete hyperbolic flute surfaces with rapidly increasing cuff lengths and prove that the corresponding quasiconformal Teichmüller space is incomplete in the length spectrum metric. Moreover, we describe the twist coordinates and convergence in terms of the twist coordinates on the closure of the quasiconformal Teichmüller space.
Resonant averaging for small-amplitude solutions of stochastic nonlinear Schrödinger equations
Authors: Kuksin Sergei , Maiocchi Alberto 
Published: November 2017

We consider the free linear Schrödinger equation on a torus 𝕋d, perturbed by a Hamiltonian nonlinearity, driven by a random force and subject to a linear damping:Here u = u(t, x), x ∈ 𝕋d, 0 < ν ≪ 1, q∗ ∈ ℕ, f is a positive continuous function, ρ is a positive parameter and are standard independent complex Wiener processes. We are interested in limiting, as ν → 0, behaviour of distributions of solutions for this equation and of its stationary measure. Writing the equation in the slow time τ = νt, we prove that the limiting behaviour of them both is described by the effective equationwhere the nonlinearity F(u) is made out of the resonant terms of the monomial |u|2q∗u.
Dysregulation in children: Origins and implications from age 5 to age 28
Authors: McQuillan Maureen E. , Kultur Ebru C. , Bates John E. , O'Reilly Lauren M. , Dodge Kenneth A. , Lansford Jennifer E. , Pettit Gregory S. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractResearch shows that childhood dysregulation is associated with later psychiatric disorders. It does not yet resolve discrepancies in the operationalization of dysregulation. It is also far from settled on the origins and implications of individual differences in dysregulation. This study tested several operational definitions of dysregulation using Achenbach attention, anxious/depressed, and aggression subscales. Individual growth curves of dysregulation were computed, and predictors of growth differences were considered. The study also compared the predictive utility of the dysregulation indexes to standard externalizing and internalizing indexes. Dysregulation was indexed annually for 24 years in a community sample (n = 585). Hierarchical linear models considered changes in dysregulation in relation to possible influences from parenting, family stress, child temperament, language, and peer relations. In a test of the meaning of dysregulation, it was related to functional and psychiatric outcomes in adulthood. Dysregulation predictions were further compared to those of the more standard internalizing and externalizing indexes. Growth curve analyses showed strong stability of dysregulation. Initial levels of dysregulation were predicted by temperamental resistance to control, and change in dysregulation was predicted by poor language ability and peer relations. Dysregulation and externalizing problems were associated with negative adult outcomes to a similar extent.