bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Childhood obesity treatment: telephone coaching is as good as usual care in maintaining weight loss – a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Bohlin A. , Hagman E. , Klaesson S. , Danielsson P. 
Published: May 2017

SummaryThere is a need for more flexible treatment strategies to help patients reach relevant treatment outcomes and adhere better to treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term efficacy, in terms of patients' weight status, of replacing usual care (UC) physical visits with more frequent but shorter telephone coaching (TC) sessions as part of a structured childhood obesity treatment.In this controlled study, patients aged 5–14 years from the Södertälje outpatient clinic, Sweden were randomized to either UC or TC over an 18‐month period after participating in an initial standard obesity treatment programme. The patients were followed for a mean of 3.7 years.In total, 37 children (UC, n = 18 and TC, n = 19) were included, with a mean (standard deviation, SD) age of 9.5 (2.6) years and a body mass index standard deviation score (BMI SDS) of 2.9 (0.7). The change in BMI SDS did not differ between the groups during the study (P = 0.8). Both groups had similar changes in BMI SDS 3.7 years after the first visit to the clinic, TC = − 0.42 and UC = 0.52 BMI SDS units (P = 0.6 between groups). There were no gender differences. Furthermore, the average time clinicians spent with each patient during the study did not differ between the groups (P = 0.5). No patients were lost to follow‐up during the study.In conclusion, the use of TC may offer greater flexibility in the treatment of paediatric obesity as it was non‐inferior for both treatment efficacy and the time spent on treatment by healthcare personnel.
Combining landscape suitability and habitat connectivity to conserve the last surviving population of cheetah in Asia
Authors: Ahmadi Mohsen , Nezami Balouchi Bagher , Jowkar Houman , Hemami Mahmoud‐Reza , Fadakar Davoud , Malakouti‐Khah Shima , Ostrowski Stéphane 
Published: May 2017

AbstractAimThe Asiatic cheetah, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus, a critically endangered large felid, has disappeared from vast tracks of its historical range across south‐western Asia. It is currently confined to the arid ecosystems of central Iran for which little is known about its distribution and habitat linkages. We proposed the first evaluation of Asiatic cheetah's distribution and developed models of landscape suitability and connectivity to inform future conservation planning.LocationCentral Iran.MethodsWe analysed presence data of a 14‐year‐long cheetah monitoring programme according to environmental and anthropogenic factors, and generated an ensemble model of habitat suitability based on seven species distribution models (SDMs). We then used the concept of circuit theory and landscape connectivity prioritization (LCP) on resultant core habitats and landscape suitability to evaluate potential linkages between core areas.ResultsCore habitats, that is, the areas hosting the largest continuous suitable habitats for Asiatic cheetahs, covered approximately 49,144 km2 (c. 6.3% of the study area). Availability of prey species, avoidance of human‐dominated areas and their infrastructures, and rough landscapes covered with sparse vegetation were the most predictive factors of the core habitats for the last cheetah population in Asia. Although relatively vast, the area of potential core habitats available to cheetahs appeared to be fragmented with limited connectivity between the northern and southern parts of this distribution.Main conclusionsOur approach highlights the importance of distribution models to recognize, at a coarse‐scale level, a spatial population structure and habitat suitability characteristics for a large carnivore surviving at very low density. We have identified specific areas of suitable habitat where developing new landscape protection and adaptive conservation management; and improving the safety of important linkages between core habitats are likely to promote the conservation of the last surviving population of cheetah in Asia.
Age‐related inequalities in health and healthcare: the life stages approach
Authors: Jecker Nancy S. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractHow should healthcare systems prepare to care for growing numbers and proportions of older people? Older people generally suffer worse health than younger people do. Should societies take steps to reduce age‐related health inequalities? Some express concern that doing so would increase age‐related inequalities in healthcare. This paper addresses this debate by (1) presenting an argument in support of three principles for distributing scarce resources between age groups; (2) framing these principles of age group justice in terms of life stages; and (3) indicating policy implications that merit further attention in light of rapidly aging societies.
Variations in Duchenne muscular dystrophy course in a multi‐ethnic UK population: potential influence of socio‐economic factors
Authors: Hufton Margaret , Roper Helen 
Published: May 2017

AimTo explore variation in clinical course and steroid treatment in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) by ethnic origin and socio‐economic status.MethodIn this longitudinal cohort study, clinical outcome was defined as age at loss of ambulation (LOA). Ages are presented as months for accurate calculation. Steroid use was reviewed against national guidelines. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to determine probabilities over time of LOA. Log‐rank test was used to evaluate comparisons between ethnic and socio‐economic groups.ResultsFrom 2005 to 2014, 71 children were newly diagnosed with DMD. Complete data were available on 69, including 33 of white British heritage and 23 of South Asian heritage. Mean age at diagnosis (without known family history) was 45.7 months; white British ethnicity 42.1 months (range 14–86mo), South Asian ethnicity 50.2 months (range 5–98mo). Twenty‐four males lost ambulation. Those of South Asian heritage lost ambulation earlier (mean LOA 105.8mo [8y 10mo]) than those of white British heritage (mean LOA 117.8mo [9y 10mo]): log‐rank test score 0.012 (p<0.05). Those most deprived did worse: mean age at LOA 130.0 months (10y 10mo) for the top 20 per cent and 102.5 months (8y 6mo) in the lower 20 per cent: log‐rank test score 0.035 (p<0.05). The most socially deprived were diagnosed earlier and started steroids earlier. Of those of South Asian heritage, 18 per cent declined steroids, compared with 9 per cent of white British heritage. Also, 44 per cent of those of South Asian heritage stopped steroids compared with 17 per cent of those of white British heritage.InterpretationPatients from South Asian and deprived backgrounds had earlier LOA. Genetic disease modifiers are likely to be implicated, but social and cultural factors influence access to treatment.
The midbrain‐to‐pons ratio distinguishes progressive supranuclear palsy from non‐fluent primary progressive aphasias
Authors: Silsby M. , Tweedie‐Cullen R. Y. , Murray C. R. , Halliday G. M. , Hodges J. R. , Burrell J. R. 
Published: May 2017

Background and purposeTo determine the clinical utility of the midbrain‐to‐pons (M/P) ratio as a clinical biomarker of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) in patients with non‐fluent primary progressive aphasia syndromes.MethodsPatients with PSP, progressive non‐fluent aphasia (PNFA) and logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA) were recruited. Patients were diagnosed clinically, but pathological confirmation was available in a proportion of patients. Midbrain and pons areas were measured using Osirix Lite, a free DICOM viewer. The M/P ratio and Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index were calculated and their diagnostic utility compared.ResultsA total of 72 participants were included (16 PSP, 18 PNFA, 16 LPA and 22 controls). Patients with PSP had motor features typical of the syndrome. Both the M/P ratio and Magnetic Resonance Parkinsonism Index differed significantly in PSP compared with controls. The M/P ratio was disproportionately reduced in PSP compared with PNFA and LPA (PSP, 0.182 ± 0.043; PNFA, 0.255 ± 0.034; LPA, 0.258 ± 0.033; controls, 0.292 ± 0.031; P < 0.001). An M/P ratio of ≤0.215 produced a positive predictive value of 77.8% for the diagnosis of PSP syndrome. Pathological examination revealed Alzheimer's disease in three cases (all LPA), pathological PSP in two cases (one clinical PSP and one PNFA) and corticobasal degeneration in one case (PNFA). The M/P ratio was ≤0.215 in both pathological cases of PSP.ConclusionsThe M/P ratio was disproportionately reduced in PSP, suggesting its potential as a clinical marker of the PSP syndrome. Larger studies of pathologically confirmed cases are needed to establish the M/P ratio as a biomarker of PSP pathology.
Chronic kidney disease: A likely underestimated component of multimorbidity in older patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Corsonello Andrea , Aucella Filippo , Pedone Claudio , Antonelli‐Incalzi Raffaele 
Published: May 2017

AbstractThe coexistence of chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, two age‐related conditions, has important clinical and prognostic implications. Respiratory failure is associated with important changes in glomerular and tubulointerstitial function. In contrast, renal failure can affect lung function, mainly by adding a restrictive component or causing complications, such as uremic pulmonary edema and pleural effusion. The effect of age on renal and pulmonary function adds to the complexity of the interplay between the kidney and the lung in these patients. Chronic kidney disease also represents an important risk factor for adverse drug reactions in older chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in which multimorbidity and polypharmacy are highly prevalent. Finally, an additive effect of chronic kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease might also contribute to the pathophysiology of sarcopenia. Nevertheless, several gaps in our knowledge of the lung–kidney interplay still exist, thus suggesting further basic and clinical research on this topic. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 1770–1788.
In between leaving and being left behind: mediating the mobilities and immobilities of Indonesian non‐migrants
Authors: CHAN CAROL 
Published: May 2017

AbstractIn this article, I consider how and why some non‐migrants partially inhabit migrant subjectivities. Based on ethnographic fieldwork conducted in Central Java, Indonesia, I describe the experiences of those who embarked on pre‐departure migration processes, but failed to leave the country. Men were often victims of fraud; women typically ran away from the confines of training centres. When redirected away from the border spaces of airports and recruitment centres, they typically identify themselves and are perceived by kin and neighbours as ‘former’ transnational migrants. I analyse how migration infrastructure – intersecting institutions, agents and technologies – produces such subjectivities in‐between conventional migrant and non‐migrant categories. These positions in between leaving and staying illuminate the infrastructural conditions that enable, constrain and mediate transnational mobilities. These cases of non‐departure show the expansive social and spatial effects of migration infrastructure beyond the facilitation of transnational movement. Such less considered (im)mobilities of non‐migrants point to the diverse ways in which migration institutions and agents mediate the circulation of persons between and within national borders.
Dephosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain modulates actin–myosin interaction adverse to meat tenderness
Authors: Gao Xing , Li Xin , Li Zheng , Du Manting , Zhang Dequan 
Published: May 2017

SummaryThe objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between the dephosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain and actin–myosin interaction after muscle homogenate was treated with alkaline phosphatase and phosphatase inhibitor. The myosin regulatory light chain was significantly dephosphorylated by alkaline phosphatase after incubation. Among different groups, dephosphorylated myosin regulatory light chain to a much greater extent leads to a lower actomyosin dissociation degree, thereby raising the actomyosin ATPase activity, whereas it exhibits a higher actomyosin dissociation degree and a lower actomyosin ATPase activity when the myosin regulatory light chain was in a low dephosphorylated state. The data suggest that the dephosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chain modulates actomyosin dissociation (the number of myosin interact with actin) negatively and has a positive influence on actomyosin ATPase activity (the interacting force between myosin and actin).
Characterisation of microemulsion nanofilms based on Tilapia fish skin gelatine and ZnO nanoparticles incorporated with ginger essential oil: meat packaging application
Authors: Zhang Le , Liu Anjun , Wang Wenhang , Ye Ran , Liu Yaowei , Xiao Jindong , Wang Kun 
Published: May 2017

SummaryMicroemulsion nanofilms based on fish skin gelatine (FSG) and 3% (w/w, gelatine) ZnO nanoparticles (ZnONP) incorporated with ginger essential oil (GEO) at different concentration (10%, 20%, 40%, 80%, w/w, gelatine) were developed and characterised. Film thickness and elongation increased, while film tensile strength and gel strength decreased as GEO level increased (P < 0.05). The water vapour permeability was reduced (P < 0.05) by GEO. Microstructural study revealed a dispersion system with GEO lipid droplet embedded into FSG matrix and some aggregation. The developed films showed strong antibacterial activity against food spoilage bacterial of psychrotrophs, mesophiles and lactobacillus spp. (LAB) in situ, and food pathogenic bacteria of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes in vitro. Together with the antioxidant activity towards lipid oxidation, the release of total volatile bases nitrogen (TVB‐N) was subsequently reduced during fresh meat storage. In conclusion, the incorporation of GEO provided the potential to make FSG‐ZnONP films more available for meat storage.
Father's Labour Migration and Children's School Discontinuation in Rural Mozambique
Authors: Yabiku Scott T. , Agadjanian Victor 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe examine how the discontinuation of schooling among left‐behind children is related to multiple dimensions of male labour migration: the accumulation of migration experience, the timing of these migration experiences in the child's life course, and the economic success of the migration. Our setting is rural southern Mozambique, an impoverished area with massive male labour out‐migration. Results show that fathers’ economically successful labour migration is more beneficial for children's schooling than unsuccessful migration or non‐migration. There are large differences, however, by gender: compared with sons of non‐migrants, sons of migrant fathers (regardless of migration success) have lower rates of school discontinuation, while daughters of migrant fathers have rates of school discontinuation like those of daughters of non‐migrants. Furthermore, accumulated labour migration across the child's life course is beneficial for boys’ schooling, but not girls’. Remittances sent in the past year reduce the rate of discontinuation for sons, but not daughters.
The effect of yield rate in a general price‐setting newsvendor model with a yield‐dependent secondary market
Authors: Yu Li , Pei Jun , Liu Xinbao , Fan Wenjuan , Pardalos Panos M. 
Published: May 2017

AbstractWe considered a general price‐setting newsvendor model in which the firm needs to make joint inventory and pricing decisions for short life‐cycle products before the selling season. The firm's production is subject to random yield and the retailer faces uncertain demand. There exists a secondary market for the firm to acquire or dispose of products. We study the effects of yield randomness on optimal decisions and the expected profit in the cost structure, on the condition that the unit prices of the secondary emergency purchase and sale are random functions of the yield. Using the theory of stochastic comparisons, our key findings are as follows. (a) When the unit price of secondary emergency purchase is nonincreasing with the yield realization, a stochastically larger yield rate leads to a higher expected profit for both supply cases. Moreover, for the multiplicative supply case, a stochastically larger yield rate results in a lower optimal sale price, but this is not true in the additive supply case. Numerical examples show that the effect of the yield rate on the optimal order quantity is uncertain for two supply cases. (b) When the unit price of secondary emergency purchase is nonincreasing convexly with the yield realization, a less variable yield rate leads to a higher expected profit for both supply cases. Numerical examples illustrate that the effects of the yield rate on the optimal sale price and the optimal order quantity are also uncertain. (c) Based on graphical comparisons, we find that the effect of yield randomness has a more significant impact on supply chain performance with a yield‐dependent secondary market price than that with a constant secondary market price.
Assessing the efficiency of the accounting industry using multiactivity network DEA: evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Hsiao Bo , Shu LihChyun , Chou Fang‐Yu 
Published: May 2017

AbstractAccounting firms are highly specialized and subject to government recognition through professional licenses. Accordingly, in assessing an accounting firm's performance, the performance measurement system should be generic enough to provide an integrated view of important factors from different perspectives. However, traditional performance measurements are based on several predefined factors that provide a partial view of the system or are limited to a single activity, thereby ignoring their interactions. This study proposes a modified data envelopment analysis model with multiactivity and network techniques on accounting firms. It creates a realistic approach to adequately measure the efficiency of the accounting industry and to suggest possible improvements for accounting firms. To verify the effectiveness of the model, we assessed the performance of 298 Taiwanese accounting firms in 2010 with three parallel‐connected activities and two series‐connected performance management processes. The results show that Taiwanese accounting firms greatly benefit from service processes and taxation activities.
Pedigree‐based estimation of covariance between dominance deviations and additive genetic effects in closed rabbit lines considering inbreeding and using a computationally simpler equivalent model
Authors: Fernández E.N. , Legarra A. , Martínez R. , Sánchez J.P. , Baselga M. 
Published: May 2017

SummaryInbreeding generates covariances between additive and dominance effects (breeding values and dominance deviations). In this work, we developed and applied models for estimation of dominance and additive genetic variances and their covariance, a model that we call “full dominance,” from pedigree and phenotypic data. Estimates with this model such as presented here are very scarce both in livestock and in wild genetics. First, we estimated pedigree‐based condensed probabilities of identity using recursion. Second, we developed an equivalent linear model in which variance components can be estimated using closed‐form algorithms such as REML or Gibbs sampling and existing software. Third, we present a new method to refer the estimated variance components to meaningful parameters in a particular population, i.e., final partially inbred generations as opposed to outbred base populations. We applied these developments to three closed rabbit lines (A, V and H) selected for number of weaned at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. Pedigree and phenotypes are complete and span 43, 39 and 14 generations, respectively. Estimates of broad‐sense heritability are 0.07, 0.07 and 0.05 at the base versus 0.07, 0.07 and 0.09 in the final generations. Narrow‐sense heritability estimates are 0.06, 0.06 and 0.02 at the base versus 0.04, 0.04 and 0.01 at the final generations. There is also a reduction in the genotypic variance due to the negative additive–dominance correlation. Thus, the contribution of dominance variation is fairly large and increases with inbreeding and (over)compensates for the loss in additive variation. In addition, estimates of the additive–dominance correlation are −0.37, −0.31 and 0.00, in agreement with the few published estimates and theoretical considerations.
Genomic variance estimates: With or without disequilibrium covariances?
Authors: Lehermeier C. , de los Campos G. , Wimmer V. , Schön C.‐C. 
Published: May 2017

SummaryWhole‐genome regression methods are often used for estimating genomic heritability: the proportion of phenotypic variance that can be explained by regression on marker genotypes. Recently, there has been an intensive debate on whether and how to account for the contribution of linkage disequilibrium (LD) to genomic variance. Here, we investigate two different methods for genomic variance estimation that differ in their ability to account for LD. By analysing flowering time in a data set on 1,057 fully sequenced Arabidopsis lines with strong evidence for diversifying selection, we observed a large contribution of covariances between quantitative trait loci (QTL) to the genomic variance. The classical estimate of genomic variance that ignores covariances underestimated the genomic variance in the data. The second method accounts for LD explicitly and leads to genomic variance estimates that when added to error variance estimates match the sample variance of phenotypes. This method also allows estimating the covariance between sets of markers when partitioning the genome into subunits. Large covariance estimates between the five Arabidopsis chromosomes indicated that the population structure in the data led to strong LD also between physically unlinked QTL. By consecutively removing population structure from the phenotypic variance using principal component analysis, we show how population structure affects the magnitude of LD contribution and the genomic variance estimates obtained with the two methods.
Accuracy of genomic breeding values revisited: Assessment of two established approaches and a novel one to determine the accuracy in two‐step genomic prediction
Authors: Ni G. , Kipp S. , Simianer H. , Erbe M. 
Published: May 2017

SummarySelection decisions in genomic selection schemes are made based on genomic breeding values (GBV) of candidates. Thus, the accuracy of GBV is a relevant parameter, as it reflects the stability of prediction and the possibility that the GBV might change when more information becomes available. Accuracy of genomic prediction defined as the correlation between GBV and true breeding values (TBV), however, is difficult to assess, considering TBV of the candidates are not available in reality. In previous studies, several methods were proposed to assess the accuracy of GBV including methods using population parameters or parameters inferred from mixed‐model equations. In practice, most approaches tended to overestimate the accuracy of genomic prediction. We thus tested approaches used in previous studies in order to assess the magnitude of bias. Analyses were performed based on simulated data under a variety of scenarios mimicking different livestock breeding programmes. Furthermore, we proposed a novel method and tested it both with simulated data and in a real Holstein data set. The new method provided a better prediction for the accuracy of GBV in the simulated scenarios.