bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transfer of Perceptual Expertise: The Case of Simplified and Traditional Chinese Character Recognition
Authors: Liu Tianyin , Chuk Tin Yim , Yeh Su‐Ling , Hsiao Janet H. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractExpertise in Chinese character recognition is marked by reduced holistic processing (HP), which depends mainly on writing rather than reading experience. Here we show that, while simplified and traditional Chinese readers demonstrated a similar level of HP when processing characters shared between the simplified and traditional scripts, simplified Chinese readers were less holistic than traditional Chinese readers in perceiving simplified characters; this effect depended mainly on their writing rather than reading performance. However, the two groups did not differ in HP of traditional characters, regardless of their difference in reading and writing performances. Our image analysis showed high visual similarity between the two character types, with a larger variance among simplified characters; this may allow simplified Chinese readers to interpolate and generalize their skills to traditional characters. Thus, transfer of perceptual expertise may be constrained by both the similarity in feature and the difference in exemplar variance between the categories.
Pneumocystis pneumonia in non‐HIV children: a 10‐year retrospective study
Authors: Ling Chen , Qian Suyun , Wang Quan , Zeng Jiansheng , Jia Xinlei , Liu Jun , Li Zheng 
Published: February 2016

AbstractBackgroundPneumocytis pneumonia (PCP) is a life‐threatening disease in non‐HIV infected children. However, there have been few studies that have examined the clinical characteristics associated with PCP and outcomes for these pediatric patients.ObjectivesA retrospective review was performed over a 10‐year period to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcome of non‐HIV children diagnosed with PCP at Beijing Children's Hospital in China.ResultsA total of 60 non‐HIV children diagnosed with PCP were included in the study. The overall mortality was 41.7% (25/60). Underlying diseases included connective tissue disease (n = 23; 38.3%), hematological disease (n = 14; 23.3%), nephrotic disease (n = 8; 13.3%) and immunodeficiency disease (n = 10; 16.7%). In all, 26/40 (65.0%) children developed PCP after receiving a follow‐up large dose of glucocorticoid because of recurrent disease. Median time from beginning glucocorticoid medication to PCP diagnosis was 245.9 days (range: 14–2100 days). The area under the ROC curve of CD4/CD8 T cell levels for the diagnosis of PCP was 0.902 (95% confidence interval, 0.849–0.955). The analysis rendered an optimum cut‐off value of 0.715 corresponding to 89.2% sensitivity and 80.4% specificity. Using a multivariate logistic regression model, three parameters were identified as significantly associated with mortality: LDH level, mechanical ventilation and co‐infection.ConclusionThe outcome of PCP in non‐HIV children remains poor. A critical stage for PCP development is administration of follow‐up glucocorticoid without prophylaxis. CD4/CD8 ratio is a suitable biomarker for predicting PCP and diagnostic of PCP in non‐HIV children. Poor prognostic factors include LDH level, need for mechanical ventilation and co‐infection.
Helicobacter pylori‐negative and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs‐negative idiopathic peptic ulcers show refractoriness and high recurrence incidence: Multicenter follow‐up study of peptic ulcers in Japan
Authors: Kanno Takeshi , Iijima Katsunori , Abe Yasuhiko , Yagi Makoto , Asonuma Sho , Ohyauchi Motoki , Ito Hirotaka , Koike Tomoyuki , Shimosegawa Tooru 
Published: February 2016

Background and AimHelicobacter pylori‐negative and non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)‐negative idiopathic peptic ulcers (IPU) have attracted attention in Japan and other developed countries. The aim of the present study was to clarify the healing rate of IPU and the risk of recurrence.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective follow‐up study of patients with peptic ulcer disease (PUD) who were diagnosed in our previous multicenter‐prospective study. Three hundred and eighty‐two patients from four institutions in the Tohoku district were enrolled. Enrolled subjects were divided into four groups according to H. pylori infection and intake of NSAIDs. In these patients, we checked treatment course, healing rate during 3 months, and recurrence rate.ResultsHealing rates in the: (i) simple H. pylori group; (ii) H. pylori (+)/ NSAIDs (+) group, (iii) simple NSAIDs group; and (iv) IPU group, were 95.0%, 94.9%, 73.3%, and 77.4%, respectively. The healing rate of the IPU group was significantly lower than that of both the simple H. pylori group and the H. pylori (+)/ NSAIDs (+) group (P < 0.01). The recurrence rate of 13.9% in the IPU group was much higher than the 2.1% in the simple H. pylori group (P < 0.01). Additionally, the cumulative recurrence rates by the Kaplan–Meier method in the IPU group were significantly higher than those of the simple H. pylori group (P = 0.015).ConclusionWe demonstrated that the clinical course of peptic ulcers is considerably different depending on the cause. IPU could be refractory to treatment and prone to recur compared with simple H. pylori ulcers.
Parietal hyper‐connectivity, aberrant brain organization, and circuit‐based biomarkers in children with mathematical disabilities
Authors: Jolles Dietsje , Ashkenazi Sarit , Kochalka John , Evans Tanya , Richardson Jennifer , Rosenberg‐Lee Miriam , Zhao Hui , Supekar Kaustubh , Chen Tianwen , Menon Vinod 
Published: February 2016

AbstractMathematical disabilities (MD) have a negative life‐long impact on professional success, employment, and health outcomes. Yet little is known about the intrinsic functional brain organization that contributes to poor math skills in affected children. It is now increasingly recognized that math cognition requires coordinated interaction within a large‐scale fronto‐parietal network anchored in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Here we characterize intrinsic functional connectivity within this IPS‐network in children with MD, relative to a group of typically developing (TD) children who were matched on age, gender, IQ, working memory, and reading abilities. Compared to TD children, children with MD showed hyper‐connectivity of the IPS with a bilateral fronto‐parietal network. Importantly, aberrant IPS connectivity patterns accurately discriminated children with MD and TD children, highlighting the possibility for using IPS connectivity as a brain‐based biomarker of MD. To further investigate regional abnormalities contributing to network‐level deficits in children with MD, we performed whole‐brain analyses of intrinsic low‐frequency fluctuations. Notably, children with MD showed higher low‐frequency fluctuations in multiple fronto‐parietal areas that overlapped with brain regions that exhibited hyper‐connectivity with the IPS. Taken together, our findings suggest that MD in children is characterized by robust network‐level aberrations, and is not an isolated dysfunction of the IPS. We hypothesize that intrinsic hyper‐connectivity and enhanced low‐frequency fluctuations may limit flexible resource allocation, and contribute to aberrant recruitment of task‐related brain regions during numerical problem solving in children with MD.
The Effects of Form‐Focused Instruction on the Acquisition of Subject‐Verb Inversion in German
Authors: Lindseth Martina 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study examines the effects of form‐focused instruction (FFI) on the acquisition of subject‐verb inversion word order in declarative sentences in German. A group of U.S. college students who participated in a semester‐long study abroad program in Germany and were comparable in terms of preprogram oral proficiency levels and accuracy scores in the use of the target structure in spontaneous production was split into experimental and control groups. During one‐hour sessions outside of the regular, content‐based courses, all students engaged in incidental FFI. The experimental group also received short treatments of instructor‐planned FFI on inversion during these extra sessions. Official ACTFL Oral Proficiency Interviews were used to obtain spontaneous speech samples before and after the program, and data on frequency and accuracy in the use of the target structure were extracted from these samples. The experimental group had significantly higher accuracy scores than the control group at the end of the program. The findings suggest that isolated FFI provided in intensive, planned lesson modules targeting a specific structure may help learners progress faster toward accurate use of this structure in spontaneous speech.
Instructional Decision Making and IPAs: Assessing the Modes of Communication
Authors: Kissau Scott , Adams Mary Jo 
Published: February 2016

AbstractIntegrated Performance Assessments (IPAs) provide elementary, secondary, and postsecondary instructors with the opportunity to align standards‐based foreign language instruction with assessment practices. While IPA guidelines make it clear that all three modes of communication are to be assessed, the limited body of research on IPAs provides few insights into the extent to which teachers emphasize and assess each of the modes or to the factors that influence teachers' decision making. Using a mixed methodology, the researchers analyzed teachers' assessments in nine introductory K–12 foreign language classes and interviewed both teachers and students about assessment beliefs and practices. The findings suggest that teachers placed greater emphasis on the assessment of interpretive reading and presentational writing than on interpretive listening and interpersonal speaking. This unbalanced emphasis on the three communicative modes contrasted with teachers' stated beliefs and appeared to be due to a variety of logistical challenges and prior experiences. Recommendations to facilitate greater balance of assessment across all three modes of communication are offered.
A Simple Field Method for Assessing Near‐Surface Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity
Authors: Lewis J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis technical note describes an effective and inexpensive field technique for measuring the saturated hydraulic conductivity of both undisturbed cores and repacked soil samples. The method requires no specialized equipment; everything that is required can be obtained in a hardware store. The method is a straightforward field implementation of the widely used falling‐head laboratory analysis directly derived from Darcy's law. As such, it sidesteps the need for empirical assumptions about soil texture and the relationship between saturated and unsaturated flow components which many permeameter‐based methods rely upon. The method is shown to produce results that are consistent with K values obtained elsewhere in the same homogeneous sand formation. Furthermore, the proposed method is useful for measuring hydraulic conductivity in drill cuttings obtained from direct push or auguring drill techniques, which cannot be done with any other field method. The range of hydraulic conductivity values that this test is appropriate for is on the order of 1E − 7 m/s to 1E − 3 m/s.
Effects of climate change and habitat loss on a forest‐dependent bee species in a tropical fragmented landscape
Authors: Nemésio André , Silva Daniel P. , Nabout João Carlos , Varela Sara 
Published: February 2016

Abstract

Climate change and deforestation are suggested to be the main drivers of decline in pollinators. Forest‐dependent species are expected to be the most affected and Euglossa marianae Nemésio (Hymenoptera: Apidae), an endemic species of the highly fragmented Brazilian Atlantic Forest (AF), is believed to be declining as a consequence of human impact.

Over the last 17 years, we carried out field surveys to unveil its distribution, allowing us to investigate the potential effects of global climate change on this species, from the last glacial maximum into the future, using species distribution models. Our main goals were to: (i) identify populations potentially under risk of extinction given future climate change; (ii) quantify the amount of climatically suitable and climatically stable areas for E. marianae within AF; (iii) evaluate the area that are available as natural habitat and under legal protection, in an attempt to indicate priority areas to preserve this species.

The most stable areas for maintaining populations of E. marianae were located in southern Bahia and northern Espírito Santo states, a region severely affected by deforestation and with several protected areas. Climate change per se does not seem to be the major problem for E. marianae. It may constitute an indirect problem given the limited dispersal abilities of this species, however.

Climatically suitable areas will probably increase southwards in the future, but the extreme fragmentation of AF adds great uncertainty as to whether the species will disperse southwards, to regions such as the ‘Serra do Mar’ in northeastern São Paulo.
Effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (neem) mouthrinse in plaque and gingivitis control: a systematic review
Authors: Dhingra K , Vandana KL 
Published: February 2016

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of Azadirachta indica (neem)‐based herbal mouthrinse in improving plaque control and gingival health.MethodsLiterature search was accomplished using electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and EMBASE) and manual searching, up to February 2015, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) presenting clinical data for efficacy of neem mouthrinses when used alone or as an adjunct to mechanical oral hygiene as compared to chlorhexidine mouthrinses for controlling plaque and gingival inflammation in patients with gingivitis.ResultsOf the total 206 articles searched, three randomized controlled trials evaluating neem‐based herbal mouthrinses were included. Due to marked heterogeneity observed in study characteristics, meta‐analysis was not performed. These studies reported that neem mouthrinse was as effective as chlorhexidine mouthrinse when used as an adjunct to toothbrushing in reducing plaque and gingival inflammation in gingivitis patients. However, the quality of reporting and evidence along with methods of studies was generally flawed with unclear risk of bias.ConclusionDespite the promising results shown in existing randomized controlled trials, the evidence concerning the clinical use of neem mouthrinses is lacking and needs further reinforcement with high‐quality randomized controlled trials based on the reporting guidelines of herbal CONSORT statement.
Micro‐computed tomography analysis of post space preparation in root canals filled with carrier‐based thermoplasticized gutta‐percha
Authors: Schroeder A. A. , Ford N. L. , Coil J. M. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractAimTo determine whether post space preparation deviated from the root canal preparation in canals filled with Thermafil, GuttaCore or warm vertically compacted gutta‐percha.MethodologyForty‐two extracted human permanent maxillary lateral incisors were decoronated, and their root canals instrumented using a standardized protocol. Samples were divided into three groups and filled with Thermafil (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties, Johnson City, TN, USA), GuttaCore (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties) or warm vertically compacted gutta‐percha, before post space preparation was performed with a GT Post drill (Dentsply Tulsa Dental Specialties). Teeth were scanned using micro‐computed tomography after root filling and again after post space preparation. Scans were examined for number of samples with post space deviation, linear deviation of post space preparation and minimum root thickness before and after post space preparation. Parametric data were analysed with one‐way analysis of variance (anova) or one‐tailed paired Student's t‐tests, whilst nonparametric data were analysed with Fisher's exact test.ResultsDeviation occurred in eight of forty‐two teeth (19%), seven of fourteen from the Thermafil group (50%), one of fourteen from the GuttaCore group (7%), and none from the gutta‐percha group. Deviation occurred significantly more often in the Thermafil group than in each of the other two groups (P < 0.05). Linear deviation of post space preparation was greater in the Thermafil group than in both of the other groups and was significantly greater than that of the gutta‐percha group (P < 0.05). Minimum root thickness before post space preparation was significantly greater than it was after post space preparation for all groups (P < 0.01).ConclusionsThe differences between the Thermafil, GuttaCore and gutta‐percha groups in the number of samples with post space deviation and in linear deviation of post space preparation were associated with the presence or absence of a carrier as well as the different carrier materials.
Compositional analysis of protoporphyrinogen oxidase‐inhibiting herbicide‐tolerant rice and conventional rice
Authors: Nam Kyong‐Hee , Park Kee Woong , Han Sung Min , Kim Shin‐Woo , Lee Jae‐Hak , Kim Chang‐Gi 
Published: February 2016

SummaryProtoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) is a key enzyme of peroxidising herbicides. Transgenic rice event CPPO06, which overexpresses PPO gene derived from soil bacterium, Myxococcus xanthus, showed high resistance to PPO inhibitors. This study was designed to compare the compositional profile of rice event CPPO06 with that of conventional control and commercial cultivars. Field trials were carried out in the three different regions of South Korea during the 2011 and 2012 growing seasons. After harvesting, brown rice samples were analysed for their proximates, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. Over 2‐year field trials, statistical differences between rice event CPPO06 and its control were found for crude protein, aspartic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, copper and potassium. However, all the tested values for these components were both within the 99% tolerance interval for the commercial cultivars and within the literature ranges. It was concluded that rice event CPPO06 is compositionally equivalent to that of the conventional rice.
Stability of fructooligosaccharides, sugars and colour of yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) roots during blanching and drying
Authors: Campos David , Aguilar‐Galvez Ana , Pedreschi Romina 
Published: February 2016

SummaryYacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius) root is an important source of fructooligosaccharides (FOS). This study evaluated the influence of the blanching and drying processes on the sugars, FOS and colour of the obtained flour. Blanching in boiling water of 5 mm slices for 6 min allowed to inactivate 95% of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase activity. Blanching solutions containing ascorbic, citric and lactic acid were detrimental in terms of FOS retention (68.2–87.4%) due to hydrolysis mainly of GF3, GF4 and GF5 FOS, and also important losses of reducing sugars (RS) were observed (69.5–87.4% retention). Blanching treatments that included ascorbic acid/CaCl2 prevented RS and FOS losses and improved colour of the obtained flour. The drying tested temperatures of 50–80 °C did not affect the RS retention and FOS losses associated to hydrolysis and the use of 80 °C rapidly reduced the water content and minimised browning reactions yielding flours with excellent colour characteristics with high FOS content that can be derived to the elaboration of prebiotic containing functional foods or for the extraction and purification of FOS.
The Formation of Transnational Identity among French Immigrants Employed in French‐Speaking Companies in Israel
Authors: Amit Karin , Bar‐Lev Shirly 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study focuses on the formation of a transnational identity among immigrants from France who are employed in French‐speaking companies in Israel (mostly call‐centres). The preliminary qualitative analysis shows that this unique employment pattern contributes to the formation of their transnational identity, which is a combination of their francophone, Jewish and Israeli identity. The findings obtained from a larger‐scale online survey indicated that French immigrants employed in French‐speaking companies are more ethnically, socially and culturally segregated, and less fluent in Hebrew than French immigrants who are not employed in such companies. However, no significant differences were found between these two groups in their Israeli identity and sense of belonging to Israeli society. In general, the French immigrants feel at home in Israel, are satisfied with their life in Israel and plan to remain there. The implications of these findings for policymakers are discussed.
Injuries Reported and Recorded for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities Who Live with Paid Support in Scotland: a Comparison with Scottish Adults in the General Population
Authors: Petropoulou Evangelia , Finlayson Janet , Hay Margaret , Spencer Wendy , Park Richard , Tannock Hugh , Galbraith Erin , Godwin Jon , Skelton Dawn A. 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundProviders of supported living services to adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) in the United Kingdom have procedures in place to monitor injuries; this provides opportunity to learn about the injuries being reported and recorded. The aim was to determine the incidence, causes and types of injuries experienced by 593 adults with intellectual disabilities who live with paid support in a 12‐month period.MethodInjury data, collected via a standard electronic injury monitoring system, were compared with data collected for a matched sample of the general population in the same year.ResultsThe adults with intellectual disabilities experienced a higher rate of injury. Falls were the commonest cause of injury for both samples, but significantly more so for the adults with intellectual disabilities.ConclusionsThe higher rate of injuries, particularly minor injuries, being reported suggests a culture of injury reporting and recording within these supported living services. Electronic injury monitoring is recommended for organizations providing supported living services for adults with intellectual disabilities.
Anticancer efficacy of a nitric oxide‐modified derivative of bifendate against multidrug‐resistant cancer cells
Authors: Ren Zhiguang , Gu Xiaoke , Lu Bin , Chen Yaqiong , Chen Guojiang , Feng Jiannan , Lin Jizhen , Zhang Yihua , Peng Hui 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe development of multidrug resistance (MDR) not only actively transports a wide range of cytotoxic drugs across drug transporters but is also a complex interaction between a number of important cellular signalling pathways. Nitric oxide donors appear to be a new class of anticancer therapeutics for satisfying all the above conditions. Previously, we reported furoxan‐based nitric oxide‐releasing compounds that exhibited selective antitumour activity in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we demonstrate that bifendate (DDB)‐nitric oxide, a synthetic furoxan‐based nitric oxide‐releasing derivative of bifendate, effectively inhibits the both sensitive and MDR tumour cell viability at a comparatively low concentration. Interestingly, the potency of DDB‐nitric oxide is the independent of inhibition of the functions and expressions of three major ABC transporters. The mechanism of DDB‐nitric oxide appears to be in two modes of actions by inducing mitochondrial tyrosine nitration and apoptosis, as well as by down‐regulating HIF‐1α expression and protein kinase B (AKT), extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERK), nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) activation in MDR cells. Moreover, the addition of a typical nitric oxide scavenger significantly attenuated all the effects of DDB‐nitric oxide, indicating that the cytotoxicity of DDB‐nitric oxide is as a result of higher levels of nitric oxide release in MDR cancer cells. Given that acquired MDR to nitric oxide donors is reportedly difficult to achieve and genetically unstable, compound like DDB‐nitric oxide may be a new type of therapeutic agent for the treatment of MDR tumours.