bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Covariate-adjusted Spearman's Rank Correlation with Probability-scale Residuals
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Chun , Wanga Valentine , Shepherd Bryan E. 
Published: November 2017

SummaryIt is desirable to adjust Spearman's rank correlation for covariates, yet existing approaches have limitations. For example, the traditionally defined partial Spearman's correlation does not have a sensible population parameter, and the conditional Spearman's correlation defined with copulas cannot be easily generalized to discrete variables. We define population parameters for both partial and conditional Spearman's correlation through concordance–discordance probabilities. The definitions are natural extensions of Spearman's rank correlation in the presence of covariates and are general for any orderable random variables. We show that they can be neatly expressed using probability-scale residuals (PSRs). This connection allows us to derive simple estimators. Our partial estimator for Spearman's correlation between X and Y adjusted for Z is the correlation of PSRs from models of X on Z and of Y on Z, which is analogous to the partial Pearson's correlation derived as the correlation of observed-minus-expected residuals. Our conditional estimator is the conditional correlation of PSRs. We describe estimation and inference, and highlight the use of semiparametric cumulative probability models, which allow preservation of the rank-based nature of Spearman's correlation. We conduct simulations to evaluate the performance of our estimators and compare them with other popular measures of association, demonstrating their robustness and efficiency. We illustrate our method in two applications, a biomarker study and a large survey.
Canadian inflation targeting
Authors: Beaudry Paul , Ruge‐Murcia Francisco 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis paper examines the intellectual environment in Canada that led to the adoption of inflation targets starting in 1991, reviews some of the Canadian contributions to the vast literature on inflation targeting and presents evidence in support of the view that the implementation of inflation targeting in Canada has been particularly successful when compared with the experiences of other inflation‐targeting countries and the US.
Models of Chinese Reading: Review and Analysis
Authors: Reichle Erik D. , Yu Lili 
Published: November 2017

AbstractOur understanding of the cognitive processes involved in reading has been advanced by computational models that simulate those processes (e.g., see Reichle, 2015). Unfortunately, most of these models have been developed to explain the reading of English and other alphabetic languages, with relatively fewer efforts to examine whether or not the assumptions of these models also explain what has been learned from other languages and, in particular, non‐alphabetic writing systems like Chinese (e.g., see Li, Zang, Liversedge, & Pollatsek, 2015). In this article, we will review those computational models that have been developed to explain the reading of Chinese, with the goal of comparing their theoretical assumptions to those of models that explain the reading of English. Our analysis indicates that there are both points of convergence and divergence between the theoretical assumptions of Chinese versus English models, suggesting that the cognitive systems supporting reading may be differentially influenced by features of the languages and/or writing systems, or that certain theoretical assumptions developed to explain the reading of one language might be adapted to explain the reading of others.
Electoral Pluralism, Social Division and the 2016 Parliamentary Elections in Jordan
Authors: Köprülü Nur 
Published: November 2017

AbstractRepresenting one of the most stable regimes in the Middle East, Jordan has been undergoing a process of political liberalization since 1989. Due to the so‐called East Bank‐West Bank cleavage that followed by the influx of Palestinian migrants to Jordan, the country has also come to epitomize a divided society. Within this context, this paper aims to analyze the ongoing prospects for democratization in Jordan through an examination of four persistent debates shaping its electoral pluralism: those over social/identity division, electoral law as a regime‐survival mechanism, the role of the Ikhwan and the IAF's electoral boycotts, and electoral apathy. Finally, the impact of the Arab upheavals/revolts on restructuring the process of political reform — as well as opposition in the kingdom in the post‐2011 era — will be explored with reference to the changing dynamics of Islamist opposition.
Inferring epidemiologic dynamics from viral evolution: 2014–2015 Eurasian/North American highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses exceed transmission threshold, R0 = 1, in wild birds and poultry in North America
Authors: Grear Daniel A. , Hall Jeffrey S. , Dusek Robert J. , Ip Hon S. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHighly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) is a multihost pathogen with lineages that pose health risks for domestic birds, wild birds, and humans. One mechanism of intercontinental HPAIV spread is through wild bird reservoirs, and wild birds were the likely sources of a Eurasian (EA) lineage HPAIV into North America in 2014. The introduction resulted in several reassortment events with North American (NA) lineage low‐pathogenic avian influenza viruses and the reassortant EA/NA H5N2 went on to cause one of the largest HPAIV poultry outbreaks in North America. We evaluated three hypotheses about novel HPAIV introduced into wild and domestic bird hosts: (i) transmission of novel HPAIVs in wild birds was restricted by mechanisms associated with highly pathogenic phenotypes; (ii) the HPAIV poultry outbreak was not self‐sustaining and required viral input from wild birds; and (iii) reassortment of the EA H5N8 generated reassortant EA/NA AIVs with a fitness advantage over fully Eurasian lineages in North American wild birds. We used a time‐rooted phylodynamic model that explicitly incorporated viral population dynamics with evolutionary dynamics to estimate the basic reproductive number (R0) and viral migration among host types in domestic and wild birds, as well as between the EA H5N8 and EA/NA H5N2 in wild birds. We did not find evidence to support hypothesis (i) or (ii) as our estimates of the transmission parameters suggested that the HPAIV outbreak met or exceeded the threshold for persistence in wild birds (R0 > 1) and poultry (R0 ≈ 1) with minimal estimated transmission among host types. There was also no evidence to support hypothesis (iii) because R0 values were similar among EA H5N8 and EA/NA H5N2 in wild birds. Our results suggest that this novel HPAIV and reassortments did not encounter any transmission barriers sufficient to prevent persistence when introduced to wild or domestic birds.
Transgenic characterization of two silkworm tissue‐specific promoters in the haemocyte plasmatocyte cells
Authors: Zhang K. , Li C. , Weng X. , Su J. , Shen L. , Pan G. , Long D. , Zhao A. , Cui H. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractHaemocytes play crucial roles in insect metabolism, metamorphosis, and innate immunity. As a model of lepidopteran insects, the silkworm is a useful model to study the functions of both haematopoiesis and haemocytes. Tissue‐specific promoters are excellent tools for genetic manipulation and are widely used in fundamental biological research. Herein, two haemocyte‐specific genes, Integrin β2 and Integrin β3, were confirmed. Promoter activities of Integrin β2 and Integrin β3 were evaluated by genetic manipulation. Quantitative real‐time PCR and western blotting suggested that both promoters can drive enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) specifically expressed in haemocytes. Further evidence clearly demonstrated that the transgenic silkworm exhibited a high level of EGFP signal in plasmatocytes, but not in other detected haemocyte types. Moreover, EGFP fluorescence signals were observed in the haematopoietic organ of both transgenic strains. Thus, two promoters that enable plasmatocytes to express genes of interest were confirmed in our study. It is expected that the results of this study will facilitate advances in our understanding of insect haematopoiesis and immunity in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.
Setting Standards for Single Respondent Survey Design
Authors: Montabon Frank , Daugherty Patricia J. , Chen Haozhe 
Published: November 2017

We propose that single respondent surveys continue to be a viable supply chain management research tool. However, necessary care must be taken in research design and implementation. Articles published in leading supply chain management journals in the past 10 years were reviewed to identify patterns and trends in the use of single respondent surveys. Based on that analysis, several recommendations such as using multimethod research design, careful informant selection, and better documentation are presented for survey researchers to ensure and enhance the validity of single respondent survey research.
Shelf life characteristics of bread produced from ozonated wheat flour
Authors: Obadi Mohammed , Zhu Ke‐Xue , Peng Wei , Sulieman Abdellatif A. , Mahdi Amer Ali , Mohammed Khalid , Zhou Hui‐Ming 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe objective of this work was to study the effect of ozone treatment on the quality of bread and its shelf life. Flour was treated with ozone gas a rate of 5 L/min for 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 min. Baking studies showed that bread made from flour treated with ozone for 15 min exhibited improved quality properties (in terms of specific volume, bread color, and crumb cell numbers). Exposure to ozone for shorter times did not cause obvious changes in the major volatile compounds of bread. A shelf life tests showed that ozone gas treatment influenced the extent of starch crystallinity. The relative starch crystallinity of bread made from flour treated with ozone for 15 min was lower than the control value, as were the hardness, springiness, and cohesiveness. Microscopic examination of crumb structure revealed remarkable differences between control and treated breads.Practical applicationsAlthough ozone is a naturally occurring substance found in the atmosphere, ozone can also be produced synthetically. Recently, ozone has come to be regarded as a new treatment for flour. Especially in countries where the chlorination is forbidden, ozone treatment may be of a great interest if it were associated with significant and reliable changes in flour. Ozone treatment of wheat flour tends to improve bread shelf life and quality in terms of physiochemical, baking properties, X‐ray diffraction data, volatile compound levels, crumb structure, and textural characteristics. Given such findings, desirable shelf life and bread qualities may be achieved when ozone is used as a flour oxidant prior to bread baking. Analyses of the effects of ozone gas on treatment of flour on bread shelf life and quality would aid the production of high quality and extend the shelf life of bread.
Evaluation of 3 Serological Tests for Early Detection Of Leptospira‐specific Antibodies in Experimentally Infected Dogs
Authors: Lizer J. , Velineni S. , Weber A. , Krecic M. , Meeus P. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundLeptospirosis in dogs is a disease of global importance. Early detection and appropriate therapeutic intervention are necessary to resolve infection and prevent zoonotic transmission. However, its diagnosis is hindered by nonspecific clinical signs and lack of rapid diagnostic tests of early infection. Recently, 2 rapid point‐of‐care tests (WITNESS Lepto [WITNESS Lepto, Zoetis LLC, Kalamazoo, MI, USA] and SNAP Lepto [SNAP Lepto, IDEXX Laboratories, Westbrook, ME, USA]) for detection of Leptospira‐specific antibodies in canine sera were developed.HypothesisImmunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto containing multiple detection antigens can detect Leptospira‐specific antibodies to common leptospiral serovars earlier in the course of infection as compared to microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and SNAP Lepto.AnimalsFour groups of 8 6‐ to 8‐month‐old male Beagle dogs were used.MethodsThirty‐two healthy seronegative dogs were inoculated experimentally with serovars Canicola, Grippotyphosa, Icterohaemorrhagiae, and Pomona (8 dogs/serovar). Acute‐phase sera were collected at regular intervals and monitored for Leptospira‐specific antibodies by WITNESS Lepto, MAT, and SNAP Lepto.ResultsSeroconversion was detected in all dogs by day 10 by WITNESS Lepto and in 30 of 32 dogs by day 14 by MAT. The SNAP Lepto test detected seroconversion in 3 dogs during the 2 weeks postchallenge.ConclusionsImmunoglobulin M‐based WITNESS Lepto detected immune responses specific to multiple leptospiral serovars early in the course of infection and identified seroconversion in all animals earlier than did the gold standard MAT. The SNAP Lepto test displayed considerably lower and inconsistent performance during the study period. At the point‐of‐care, WITNESS Lepto should be the test of choice for rapid and reliable screening of acutely ill dogs suspected to have leptospirosis.
Efficacy of Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Sialocele in Dogs
Authors: Poirier V.J. , Mayer‐Stankeová S. , Buchholz J. , Vail D.M. , Kaser Hotz B. 
Published: November 2017

BackgroundSialocele is a collection of saliva that has leaked from a damaged salivary gland or duct and is surrounded by granulation tissue. Surgery is the recognized first‐line treatment. Recurrence rate after surgery is 5–14%. Salivary gland tissue is very sensitive to radiation therapy (RT).Hypothesis/ObjectivesRadiation therapy will be useful for the treatment of sialocele. The aims were to characterize response rate and clinical course of dogs with sialocele treated withRTand to determine a starting dose for clinical use.AnimalsEleven dogs with sialocele.MethodsRetrospective study of response and outcome afterRT.ResultsAll dogs had cervical sialocele. Seven dogs (63.6%) were treated with 3 weekly fractions of 4 Gray (Gy); (total dose, 12 Gy). Three dogs (27.3%) received 4 fractions of 4 Gy (16 Gy) and 1 dog received 5 fractions of 4 Gy (20 Gy) on a Monday‐Wednesday‐Friday schedule. Six dogs (54%) achieved a complete response (CR), and 5 dogs (45%) achieved a partial response (PR). Three dogs had progression of their sialocele 2, 3, and 9 months afterRT; all three had received 12 Gy initially and 2 received 2 additional fractions of 4 Gy (cumulative total dose, 20 Gy) and subsequently achieved remission for >2 years.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceRadiation therapy is useful for the treatment of recurrent sialocele refractory to surgical management and a minimum total dose of 16 or 20 Gy in 4 Gy fractions appears effective.
Suboptimal initiation predicts short‐term prognosis and vulnerability among very elderly patients who start haemodialysis
Authors: Kanno Atsuhiro , Nakayama Masaaki , Sanada Satoru , Sato Mitsuhiro , Sato Toshinobu , Taguma Yoshio 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTAimA recent, growing concern regarding haemodialysis in Japan is a sustained increase in the elderly population. Among very elderly people who start haemodialysis, the prognosis is considered to be poor; however, this has not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to discover the short‐term prognosis and related factors in very elderly patients who commence haemodialysis.MethodsBetween January 2008 and December 2013, 122 patients aged ≥85 years at haemodialysis initiation were documented in our hospital. Predictors of 90‐day and 1‐year mortality after haemodialysis initiation were assessed with Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. Selection of covariates for the multivariate model was based on forward stepwise selection using the probability of a likelihood ratio statistics.ResultsThe subjects’ mean age was 87.4 ± 2.5 years, and 48% were female. The most common cause of death was infection (38% of patients) and the leading cause of infectious death was pneumonia. The 90‐day and 1‐year survival rates were 81% and 62%, respectively. Suboptimal initiation was a significant prognostic factor for 90‐day [hazard ratio (HR) 3.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.18–13.43] and 1‐year [HR 3.19, 95% CI 1.51–6.76] mortality after adjusting for confounders in multivariate analysis.ConclusionVery elderly patients who started haemodialysis had a poor prognosis, and suboptimal initiation significantly predicted outcome. Shared decision‐making with patients and their families is needed for initiating haemodialysis on the conditions that appropriate information on the expected prognosis is provided.
Psychometric analysis of subjective sedation scales used for critically ill paediatric patients
Authors: Ge Xiaohua , Zhang Tingting , Zhou Lingling 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACTAimsThis study evaluated the psychometric properties of subjective sedation scales using one psychometric scoring system to identify the appropriate scale that is most suitable for clinical care practice.BackgroundA number of published sedation assessment scales for paediatric patients are currently used to attempt to achieve a moderate depth of sedation to avoid the undesirable effects caused by over‐ or undersedation. However, there has been no systematic review of these scales.Search strategyWe searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, etc., to obtain relevant articles. The quality of the selected studies was evaluated according to the Consensus‐based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments checklist.Inclusion criteriaArticles that had been published or were in press and discussed the psychometric properties of sedation scales were included. The population comprised critically ill infants and non‐verbal children ranging in age from 0 to 18 years who underwent sedation in an intensive care unit.FindingsData were independently extracted by two investigators using a standard data extraction checklist: 43 articles were included in this review, and 13 sedation scales were examined. The quality of the psychometric evidence for the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale was ‘very good’, with the Comfort Scale having a higher quality (total weighted scores, Comfort Scale = 17·3 and Comfort Behaviour Scale = 15·5).ConclusionsWe suggest that the scales be systematically and comprehensively tested in terms of development method, reliability, validation, feasibility and correlation with clinical outcome. The Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale are useful tools for measuring sedation in paediatric patients.Relevance to clinical practiceNursing staff should choose one subjective sedation scale that is suitable for assessing paediatric patients' depth of sedation. We recommend the Comfort Scale and Comfort Behaviour Scale as optimal choices if the clinical environment permits.
A Theory of Bayesian Groups
Authors: Dietrich Franz 
Published: November 2017

AbstractA group is often construed as one agent with its own probabilistic beliefs (credences), which are obtained by aggregating those of the individuals, for instance through averaging. In their celebrated “Groupthink”, Russell et al. (2015) require group credences to undergo Bayesian revision whenever new information is learnt, i.e., whenever individual credences undergo Bayesian revision based on this information. To obtain a fully Bayesian group, one should often extend this requirement to non‐public or even private
information (learnt by not all or just one individual), or to non‐representable
information (not representable by any event in the domain where credences are held). I propose a taxonomy of six types of ‘group Bayesianism’. They differ in the information for which Bayesian revision of group credences is required: public representable information, private representable information, public non‐representable information, etc. Six corresponding theorems establish how individual credences must (not) be aggregated to ensure group Bayesianism of any type, respectively. Aggregating through standard averaging is never permitted; instead, different forms of geometric averaging must be used. One theorem—that for public representable information—is essentially Russell et al.'s central result (with minor corrections). Another theorem—that for public non‐representable
information—fills a gap in the theory of externally Bayesian opinion pooling.
Leibniz on determinateness and possible worlds
Authors: Harmer Adam 
Published: November 2017

AbstractLeibniz argues that God doesn't create everything possible because not all possible things are compossible, that is, compatible with each other. Much recent debate has focused on Leibniz's conception of compossibility. One important aspect of this debate, which has not been examined directly, is the distinction between possible worlds and possible creations: the notion of possible world is more robust than simply whatever God can create. Many commentators have relied on this distinction without a clear formulation of it.I develop the distinction between possible worlds and possible creations by looking at how Leibniz characterizes what God is capable of creating. I argue that possible creations must be both logically consistent and determinate. Possible creations differ from possible worlds insofar as possible creations fail to be either maximal or harmonious. I conclude, therefore, that focusing on the notion of determinateness offers a new approach to answering the question why doesn't God create everything possible?
Pharmacokinetics and Exposure-Response Analysis of RG7667, a Combination of Two Anticytomegalovirus Monoclonal Antibodies, in a Phase 2a Randomized Trial To Prevent Cytomegalovirus Infection in High-Risk Kidney Transplant Recipients
Authors: Deng Rong , Wang Yehong , Maia Mauricio , Burgess Tracy , McBride Jacqueline M. , Liao X. Charlene , Tavel Jorge A. , Hanley William D. 
Published: November 2017

ABSTRACT

RG7667, a novel combination of two anticytomegalovirus (anti-CMV) monoclonal IgG1 antibodies (MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A), was designed to block CMV entry into host cells. It was developed as a potential therapy for preventing CMV infection and disease in transplant recipients. RG7667 was assessed for preventing CMV infection in a phase 2a trial with CMV-seronegative recipients of kidney transplants from CMV-seropositive donors. The patients received 4 intravenous doses of RG7667 (10 mg/kg of body weight of each antibody,
n
= 60) or placebo (
n
= 60) at the time of the transplant and at 1, 4, and 8 weeks after the transplant. Serum samples were collected for pharmacokinetic (PK) analysis and antidrug antibody (ADA) evaluation. To guide future dose selection, the relationships between RG7667 exposure and pharmacological activity were evaluated. MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A exposures were confirmed in all RG7667-treated patients. Mean clearances for MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A were 2.97 and 2.65 ml/day/kg, respectively, and the terminal half-lives of MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A were 26.9 and 27.4 days, respectively. The ADA incidence was low and was not associated with lower drug exposure. Patients with RG7667 or component antibody exposures greater than the respective median values had a lower incidence of viremia at 12 weeks and 24 weeks after transplantation and a longer delayed time to detectable CMV viremia than patients with exposures less than the median values. MCMV5322A and MCMV3068A exhibited expected IgG1 PK profiles in high-risk kidney transplant recipients, consistent with the earlier PK behavior of RG7667 in healthy subjects. Higher drug exposure was associated with better anti-CMV pharmacological activity. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT01753167.)