bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bristol Stool Form Scale reliability and agreement decreases when determining Rome III stool form designations
Authors: Chumpitazi B. P. , Self M. M. , Czyzewski D. I. , Cejka S. , Swank P. R. , Shulman R. J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundRater reproducibility of the Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS), which categorizes stools into one of seven types, is unknown. We sought to determine reliability and agreement by individual stool type and when responses are categorized by Rome III clinical designation as normal or abnormal (constipation or diarrhea).MethodsThirty‐four gastroenterology providers from three institutions rated 35 stool photographs using the BSFS. Twenty rerated the photographs.Key Results1190 individual stool type ratings were completed. Though only four photographs had absolute agreement (all Type 1 or Type 7), general agreement was high with 1132 (95.1%) of ratings being within one category type of the modal rating. Inter‐rater and intra‐rater reliability of the BSFS by individual stool type was excellent with intraclass correlations of 0.88 (95% CI: 0.86–0.90, p < 0.001) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.86–0.91, p < 0.001), respectively. However, agreement decreased when using Rome III designations with 13 (37%) photographs having significantly diverging classifications (semi‐interquartile range = 0.5). These 13 photographs were rated by the majority of raters as either type 2 vs type 3 or type 5 vs type 6 stools, representing the boundaries of normal vs abnormal stools. Inter‐rater and intra‐rater reliability of the BSFS by Rome III clinical categorization decreased with intraclass correlations of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.69–0.81, p < 0.001) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.49–0.81, p < 0.001), respectively.Conclusions & InferencesThe Bristol Stool Form Scale has excellent reliability and agreement when used to rate individual stool type by raters. However, BSFS reliability and agreement decreases when determining Rome III stool form categories.
Miniscleral lens wear influences corneal curvature and optics
Authors: Vincent Stephen J. , Alonso‐Caneiro David , Collins Michael J. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPurposeTransient changes in corneal topography associated with soft and conventional or reverse geometry rigid contact lens wear have been well documented; however, only a few studies have examined the influence of scleral contact lens wear upon the cornea. Therefore, in this study, we examined the influence of modern miniscleral contact lenses, which land entirely on the sclera and overlying tissues, upon anterior corneal curvature and optics.MethodsAnterior corneal topography and elevation data were acquired using Scheimpflug imaging (www.pentacam.com) immediately prior to and following 8 h of miniscleral contact lens wear in 15 young healthy adults (mean age 22 ± 3 years, eight East Asian, seven Caucasian) with normal corneae. Corneal diurnal variations were accounted for using data collected on a dedicated measurement day without contact lens wear. Corneal clearance was quantified using an optical coherence tomographer (RS‐3000, www.nidek.com) following lens insertion and after 8 h of lens wear.ResultsAlthough corneal clearance was maintained throughout the 8‐h lens wear period, significant corneal flattening (up to 0.08 ± 0.04 mm) was observed, primarily in the superior mid‐peripheral cornea, which resulted in a slight increase in against‐the‐rule corneal astigmatism (mean +0.02/−0.15 × 94 for an 8 mm diameter). Higher order aberration terms of horizontal coma, vertical coma and spherical aberration all underwent significant changes for an 8 mm corneal diameter (p ≤ 0.01), which typically resulted in a decrease in RMS error values (mean change in total higher order RMS −0.035 ± 0.046 μm for an 8 mm diameter). There was no association between the magnitude of change in central or mid‐peripheral corneal clearance during lens wear and the observed changes in corneal curvature (p > 0.05). However, East Asian participants displayed a significantly greater reduction in corneal clearance (p = 0.04) and greater superior‐nasal corneal flattening compared to Caucasians (p = 0.048).ConclusionsMiniscleral contact lenses that vault the cornea induce significant changes in anterior corneal surface topography and higher order aberrations following 8 h of lens wear. The region of greatest corneal flattening was observed in the superior‐nasal mid‐periphery, more so in East Asian participants. Practitioners should be aware that corneal measurements obtained following miniscleral lens removal may mask underlying corneal steepening.
How can we better align private security with the public interest? Towards a civilizing model of regulation
Authors: Loader Ian , White Adam 
Published: December 2015

AbstractHow can we better align private security with the public interest? This question has met with two answers in the literature on private security regulation, one seeking tocleansethe market of deviant sellers, the other tocommunalizethe market through the empowerment of buyers. Both models of regulation are premised upon a limited neoclassical economic conception of how market transactions map onto the public interest. This article makes the case for a new model of regulation, one that seeks tocivilizethe market. Drawing upon the insights of economic sociology, our model regards the market for security as a moral economy in which commodity and non‐commodity values jostle and collide. On this basis, we propose a regulatory architecture where buyers and sellers are cast not only as economic actors but also as moral actors, revealing new avenues through which to encompass private security within the democratic promise of security.
The politics of resonance: Transnational sustainability governance in Argentina
Authors: Peña Alejandro Milcíades 
Published: December 2015

AbstractWhy do private governance initiatives trigger greater participation in one country than another? This article examines the domestic dimension of transnational regulation through a case study of private sustainability governance in Argentina. Drawing from theories of contentious politics, the argument poses that the resonance of transnational private governance is shaped by the semantic compatibility of “incoming” sustainability programs against national political culture. Analyzing the limited participation of Argentine actors in contemporary sustainability initiatives, the article claims that the validity and relevance of sustainability programs is affected by three dimensions of national political culture accentuated over the last decade: a politicized model of state‐society relations, the low visibility of environmental matters, and a widespread anti‐corporate culture. By examining the ideational fundamentals of the “politics of resonance” in Argentina, the article makes a relevant and original contribution to transnational regulation literature, highlighting the need for theoretical accounts and empirical analyses that address domestic and cultural variables as fundamental pieces in transnational norm diffusion and effectiveness.
Empirical Likelihood Inference for the Rao‐Hartley‐Cochran Sampling Design
Authors: Berger Yves G. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe Hartley‐Rao‐Cochran sampling design is an unequal probability sampling design which can be used to select samples from finite populations. We propose to adjust the empirical likelihood approach for the Hartley‐Rao‐Cochran sampling design. The approach proposed intrinsically incorporates sampling weights, auxiliary information and allows for large sampling fractions. It can be used to construct confidence intervals. In a simulation study, we show that the coverage may be better for the empirical likelihood confidence interval than for standard confidence intervals based on variance estimates. The approach proposed is simple to implement and less computer intensive than bootstrap. The confidence interval proposed does not rely on re‐sampling, linearization, variance estimation, design‐effects or joint inclusion probabilities.
Beyond Coping: Smallholder Intensification in Southern Ukraine
Authors: Kuns Brian 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThis article empirically investigates rural, small‐scale household farming in post‐Soviet southern Ukraine, focusing on a particular group of households that have managed to intensify their production beyond subsistence without help from large farms. Large‐farm support for small‐scale household agricultural production in the former Soviet Union is generally considered necessary for small‐scale household farming, so the absence of this support is noteworthy. The conditions of this intensification are explored and mapped out. Further, this intensification is related to discussions in the peasant study literature on the general viability of intensive smallholder production. While the investigated farms do present some sustainability concerns, this paper concludes that this production is not less viable than large‐scale agricultural production. The main future challenge is how upcoming agrarian reforms will affect smallholders, particularly with respect to formalising informal resource use.
Inequality in Social Insurance Participation and Generosity: Do Firm Characteristics Matter?
Authors: Gao Qin , Rickne Johanna 
Published: December 2015

AbstractIncome inequality in China has been much documented and debated. However, one important aspect of income inequality – social insurance inequality – has been largely understudied. We use a large national panel of firm data to examine the possible influence of various firm characteristics on the inequalities in social insurance participation and generosity in the period 2004–07. Our findings reveal substantial ownership sector and regional gaps in social insurance provision by firms, with the private domestic sector and those in the central region lagging behind. Unionized firms, larger firms, and firms with greater market shares also tend to provide better social insurance to their employees. While being an exporting firm is linked with greater social insurance participation and generosity, being a purely exporting firm, however, is associated with reduced social insurance generosity. Lastly, highly educated workers receive substantially better social insurance coverage than their less educated peers. These social insurance inequalities are highly relevant as China pushes forward with establishing a unified social insurance system across urban‐rural boundaries, ownership sectors and industries.
Non-rigid quartic -folds
Authors: Ahmadinezhad Hamid , Kaloghiros Anne-Sophie 
Published: December 2015

Let $X\subset \mathbb{P}^{4}$ be a terminal factorial quartic $3$-fold. If $X$ is non-singular, $X$ is birationally rigid, i.e. the classical minimal model program on any terminal $\mathbb{Q}$-factorial projective variety $Z$ birational to $X$ always terminates with $X$. This no longer holds when $X$ is singular, but very few examples of non-rigid factorial quartics are known. In this article, we first bound the local analytic type of singularities that may occur on a terminal factorial quartic hypersurface $X\subset \mathbb{P}^{4}$. A singular point on such a hypersurface is of type $cA_{n}$ ($n\geqslant 1$), or of type $cD_{m}$ ($m\geqslant 4$) or of type $cE_{6},cE_{7}$ or $cE_{8}$. We first show that if $(P\in X)$ is of type $cA_{n}$, $n$ is at most $7$ and, if $(P\in X)$ is of type $cD_{m}$, $m$ is at most $8$. We then construct examples of non-rigid factorial quartic hypersurfaces whose singular loci consist (a) of a single point of type $cA_{n}$ for $2\leqslant n\leqslant 7$, (b) of a single point of type $cD_{m}$ for $m=4$ or $5$ and (c) of a single point of type $cE_{k}$ for $k=6,7$ or $8$.
Cardiac parasympathetic outflow during dynamic exercise in humans estimated from power spectral analysis of P–P interval variability
Authors: Takahashi Makoto , Nakamoto Tomoko , Matsukawa Kanji , Ishii Kei , Watanabe Tae , Sekikawa Kiyokazu , Hamada Hironobu 
Published: December 2015

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?
Should we use the high‐frequency (HF) component of P–P interval as an index of cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity during moderate exercise?

What is the main finding and its importance?
The HF component of P–P interval variability remained even at a heart rate of 120–140 beats min−1 and was further reduced by atropine, indicating incomplete cardiac vagal withdrawal during moderate exercise. The HF component of R–R interval is invalid as an estimate of cardiac parasympathetic outflow during moderate exercise; instead, the HF component of P–P interval variability should be used.

The high‐frequency (HF) component of R–R interval variability has been widely used as an indirect estimate of cardiac parasympathetic (vagal) outflow to the sino‐atrial node of the heart. However, we have recently found that the variability of the R–R interval becomes much smaller during dynamic exercise than that of the P–P interval above a heart rate (HR) of ∼100 beats min−1. We hypothesized that cardiac parasympathetic outflow during dynamic exercise with a higher intensity may be better estimated using the HF component of P–P interval variability. To test this hypothesis, the HF components of both P–P and R–R interval variability were analysed using a Wavelet transform during dynamic exercise. Twelve subjects performed ergometer exercise to increase HR from the baseline of 69 ± 3 beats min−1 to three different levels of 100, 120 and 140 beats min−1. We also examined the effect of atropine sulfate on the HF components in eight of the 12 subjects during exercise at an HR of 140 beats min−1. The HF component of P–P interval variability was significantly greater than that of R–R interval variability during exercise, especially at the HRs of 120 and 140 beats min−1. The HF component of P–P interval variability was more reduced by atropine than that of R–R interval variability. We conclude that cardiac parasympathetic outflow to the sino‐atrial node can be estimated better by the HF component of P–P interval variability during exercise and that cardiac parasympathetic nerve activity exists during moderate dynamic exercise.
Signalling beyond photon absorption: extracellular retinoids and growth factors modulate rod photoreceptor sensitivity
Authors: McKeown Alex S. , Pitale Priyamvada M. , Kraft Timothy W. 
Published: December 2015

Key points
We propose that the end product of chromophore bleaching in rod photoreceptors, all‐trans retinol, is part of a feedback loop that increases the sensitivity of the phototransduction cascade in rods.
A previously described light‐induced hypersensitivity in rods, termed adaptive potentiation, is reduced by exogenously applied all‐trans retinol but not all‐trans retinal.
This potentiation is produced by insulin‐like growth factor‐1, whose binding proteins are located in the extracellular matrix, even in our isolated retina preparation after removal of the retinal pigmented epithelium.
Simple modelling suggests that the light stimuli used in the present study will produce sufficient all‐trans retinol within the interphotoreceptor matrix to explain the potentiation effect.
AbstractPhotoreceptors translate the absorption of photons into electrical signals for propagation through the visual system. Mammalian photoreceptor signalling has largely been studied in isolated cells, and such studies have necessarily avoided the complex environment of supportive proteins that surround the photoreceptors. The interphotoreceptor matrix (IPM) contains an array of proteins that aid in both structural maintenance and cellular homeostasis, including chromophore turnover. In signalling photon absorption, the chromophore 11‐cis retinal is first isomerized to all‐trans retinal, followed by conversion to all‐trans retinol (ROL) for removal from the photoreceptor. Interphotoreceptor retinoid‐binding protein (IRBP) is the most abundant protein in the IPM, and it promotes the removal of bleached chromophores and recycling in the nearby retinal pigment epithelium. By studying the light responses of isolated mouse retinas, we demonstrate that ROL can act as a feedback signal onto photoreceptors that influences the sensitivity of phototransduction. In addition to IRBP, the IPM also contains insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) and its associated binding proteins, although their functions have not yet been described. We demonstrate that extracellular application of physiological concentrations of IGF‐1 can increase rod photoreceptor sensitivity in mammalian retinas. We also determine that chromophores and growth factors can limit the range of a newly described form of photoreceptor light adaptation. Finally, fluorescent antibodies demonstrate the presence of IRBP and IGFBP‐3 in isolated retinas. A simple model of the formation and release of ROL into the extracellular space quantitatively describes this novel feedback loop.
Relationship of anthropometric measurements to thyroid nodules in a Chinese population
Authors: Xu Weimin , Chen Zexin , Li Na , Liu Hui , Huo Liangliang , Huang Yangmei , Jin Xingyi , Deng Jin , Zhu Sujuan , Zhang Shanchun , Yu Yunxian 
Published: December 2015

ObjectivePrevious studies have found that overweight and obesity are related to numerous diseases, including thyroid cancer and thyroid volume. This study evaluates the relationship between body size and the presence of thyroid nodules in a Chinese population.MethodsA total of 6793 adults and 2410 children who underwent thyroid ultrasonography were recruited in this cross-sectional study in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, from March to October, 2010. Sociodemographic characteristics and potential risk factors of thyroid nodules were collected by questionnaire. Height and weight were measured using standard protocols. Associations of height, weight, body mass index (BMI) and body surface area (BSA) with the presence of thyroid nodules were evaluated using multiple logistic regression models.ResultsAfter adjustment for potential risk factors, an increased risk of thyroid nodule incidence was associated with height (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.30), weight (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.24 to 1.58), BMI (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.11 to 1.42) and BSA (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.62) in all adults, but most obviously in women. In children, similar associations were observed between risk of thyroid nodule incidence and weight, BMI and BSA, but not height. BSA was the measurement most significantly associated with thyroid nodules in both adults and children.ConclusionsThis study identified that the presence of thyroid nodules was positively associated with weight, height, BMI and BSA in both women and girls. It suggests that tall, obese individuals have increased susceptibility to thyroid nodules.Trial registration number:NCT01838629.
Symptom burden, Metabolic profile, Ultrasound findings, Rhythm, neurohormonal activation, haemodynamics and health-related quality of life in patients with atrial Fibrillation (SMURF): a protocol for an observational study with a randomised interventional component
Authors: Charitakis Emmanouil , Walfridsson Ulla , Nyström Fredrik , Nylander Eva , Strömberg Anna , Alehagen Urban , Walfridsson Håkan 
Published: December 2015

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, with an estimated prevalence of 1.5–2%. It is an independent risk factor for ischaemic stroke and is estimated to cause about 20–25% of all stroke cases. AF has a great impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL); however, one unresolved issue related to AF is the wide variation in its symptoms.Methods and analysisThe symptom burden, metabolic profile, ultrasound findings, rhythm, neurohormonal activation, haemodynamics and HRQoL in patients with AF (Symptom burden, Metabolic profile, Ultrasound findings, Rhythm, neurohormonal activation, haemodynamics and health-related quality of life in patients with atrial Fibrillation, SMURF) study is a prospective observational, cohort study, with a randomised interventional part. The aim of the study is to investigate, in patients with AF, the relationship between symptom burden and metabolic aspects, atrial function and different neurohormones, and the effect of radiofrequency ablation (RFA). The interventional part of the study will give an insight into the neurohormonal and intracardiac pressure changes directly after initiation of AF. Consecutive patients with symptomatic AF accepted for treatment with RFA for the first time at Linköping University Hospital are eligible for participation. The enrolment started in January 2012, and a total of 200 patients are to be included into the study, with 45 of them being enrolled into the interventional study with initiation of AF. The sample size of the interventional study is based on a small pilot study with 5 patients induced to AF while 2 served as controls. The results indicated that, in order to find a statistically significant difference, there was a need to include 28 patients; for safety reasons, 45 patients will be included.Ethics and disseminationThe SMURF study is approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Linköping, Sweden. The results will be presented through peer-review journals and conference presentation.Trial registration numberNCT01553045; Pre-results.
Protocol for a single-centre randomised controlled trial of multimodal periarticular anaesthetic infiltration versus single-agent femoral nerve blockade as analgesia for total knee arthroplasty: Perioperative Analgesia for Knee Arthroplasty (PAKA)
Authors: Wall P D H , Sprowson A P , Parsons N , Parsons H , Achten J , Balasubramanian S , Costa M L 
Published: December 2015

IntroductionTotal knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery causes postoperative pain. The use of perioperative injections around the knee containing local anaesthetic, opiates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs has increased in popularity to manage pain. Theoretical advantages include reduced requirements for analgesia and earlier mobilisation. We propose a single-centre randomised controlled trial of multimodal periarticular anaesthetic infiltration versus femoral nerve anaesthetic blockade as analgesia for TKA. The aim is to determine, in patients undergoing TKA, if there is a difference in patient-reported pain scores on the visual analogue scale (VAS) prior to physiotherapy on day 1 postoperatively between treatment groups.Methods and analysisPatients undergoing a primary unilateral TKA at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire Hospitals will be assessed for eligibility. A total of 264 patients will provide 90% power to detect a difference of 12 mm on the VAS on day 1 postoperatively at the 5% level. The trial will use 1:1 randomisation, stratified by mode of anaesthetic. Primary outcome measure will be the VAS for pain prior to physiotherapy on day 1. Secondary outcome measures include VAS on day 2, total use of opiate analgesia up to 48 h, ordinal pain scores up to 40 min after surgery, independent functional knee physiotherapist assessment on days 1 and 2. Oxford knee Scores (OKS), EuroQol (EQ-5D) and Douleur Neuropathic Pain Scores (DN2) will be recorded at baseline, 6 weeks and 12 months. Adverse events will be recorded up to 12 months. Analysis will investigate differences in VAS on day 1 between the two treatment groups on an intention-to-treat basis. Tests will be two-sided and considered to provide evidence for a significant difference if p values are less than 0.05.Ethics and disseminationNRES Committee West Midlands, 23 September 2013 (ref: 13/WM/0316). The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial registration numbersISRCTN 60611146 and EUDRACT Number 2013-002439-10 (protocol code number PAKA-33601-AS117013); Pre-results.