bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determination of the base position and working area for mobile manipulators
Authors: Ren Shunan , Yang Xiangdong , Xu Jing , Wang Guolei , Xie Ying , Chen Ken 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to determine the base position and the largest working area for mobile manipulators. The base position determines the workspace of the mobile manipulator, particularly when the operation mode is intermittent (i.e. the mobile platform stops when the manipulator conducts the task). When the base of the manipulator is in the intersection area of the Base’s Workable Location Spaces (BWLSes), the end effector (EE) can reach all path points. In this study, the intersection line of BWLSes is calculated numerically, and the largest working area is determined using the BWLS concept. The performance of this method is validated with simulations on specific surface segments, such as plane, cylinder and conical surface segments.

Design/methodology/approach
– The BWLS is used to determine the largest working area and the base position in which the mobile manipulator can reach all path points with the objective of reducing off-line planning time.

Findings
– Without considering the orientation of the EE, the base position and the working area for the mobile manipulator are determined using the BWLS. Compared to other methods, the proposed algorithm is beneficial when the planning problem has six dimensions, ensuring the reachability and stability of the EE.

Originality/value
– The algorithm needs no manual configuration, and its performance is investigated for typical surfaces in practical applications.
Estimation of life-cycle costs of buildings: regression vs artificial neural network
Authors: Alqahtani Ayedh , Whyte Andrew 
Published: January 2016

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to compare the performance of regression and artificial-neural-networks (ANNs) methods to estimate the running cost of building projects towards improved accuracy.Design/methodology/approach– A data set of 20 building projects is used to test the performance of these two (ANNs/regression) models in estimating running cost. The concept of cost-significant-items is identified as important in assisting estimation. In addition, a stepwise technique is used to eliminate insignificant factors in regression modelling. A connection weight method is applied to determine the importance of cost factors in the performance of ANNs.Findings– The results illustrate that the value of the coefficient of determination=99.75 per cent for ANNs model(s), with a value of 98.1 per cent utilising multiple regression (MR) model(s); second, the mean percentage error (MPE) for ANNs at a testing stage is 0.179, which is less than that of the MPE gained through MR modelling of 1.28; and third, the average accuracy is 99 per cent for ANNs model(s) and 97 per cent for MR model(s). On the basis of these results, it is concluded that an ANNs model is superior to a MR model when predicting running cost of building projects.Research limitations/implications– A means for continuous improvement for the performance of the models accuracy has been established; this may be further enhanced by future extended sample.Originality/value– This work extends the knowledge base of life-cycle estimation where ANNs method has been found to reduce preparation time consumed and increasing accuracy improvement of the cost estimation.
Stakeholder perceptions on critical success factors for public-private partnership projects in Nigeria
Authors: Babatunde Solomon Olusola , Perera Srinath , Zhou Lei , Udeaja Chika 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to identify and assess the perceptions of stakeholders on critical success factors (CSFs) for Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach
– A comprehensive literature review was conducted to identify the CSFs for PPP projects, which were employed to design a questionnaire survey. In order to capture a broad perception of stakeholders, the questionnaires were administered to five different stakeholder organisations involved in different PPP projects implementation in Nigeria. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics, mean score, Kruskal-Wallis test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and factor analysis.

Findings
– The study revealed the result of mean score ranking, which indicated that all the stakeholders considered the identified 26 CSFs important and crucial for the successful implementation of PPP projects in Nigeria. Thus, the results of Kruskal-Wallis test and ANOVA indicated that except for six (out of 26) identified CSFs, there is no statistically significant difference in the perceptions of the stakeholders on CSFs for PPP projects in Nigeria. The study, through factor analysis, grouped the 26 identified CSFs into six principal factors.

Practical implications
– This research would be of benefit to stakeholders in PPPs to be aware of CSFs that demand utmost consideration. Also the identified CSFs are expected to enhance the success rate of PPP projects.

Originality/value
– The findings would be useful for PPP stakeholders in making decisions and in implementing PPP projects towards achieving value for money. This research will also be of interest to other academic researchers intending to investigate CSFs for PPP projects in other locations.
Using automatic storage for ILL – experiences from the National Repository Library in Norway
Authors: Sakrihei Helen 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to share the Norwegian Repository Library (RL)’s experiences with an automatic storage for interlibrary lending (ILL).

Design/methodology/approach
– This paper describes how the RL uses the automatic storage to deliver ILL services to Norwegian libraries. Chaos storage is the main principle for storage.

Findings
– Using automatic storage for ILL is efficient, cost-effective and safe.

Originality/value
– The RL has used automatic storage since 2003, and it is one of a few libraries using this technology.
ILL and collection management in Norwegian Public Libraries
Authors: Undhjem Cathrine , Tveikra Arnhild 
Published: January 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss the results from a survey on interlibrary loan (ILL) in Norwegian public libraries. Work processes within ILL have changed significantly in Norway in recent years, and new challenges have emerged. County libraries, public libraries and The Norwegian Library Association’s Special Interest Group saw the need for a survey to understand how these changes were affecting ILL-work in the public libraries in Norway. The library community as a whole needed updated information to respond to the present challenges in ILL.

Design/methodology/approach
– In March 2014, Sentio Research Norway conducted a survey on ILL among Norwegian public libraries. The survey was commissioned by the county libraries in Norway. In total, 425 questionnaires were sent to all the main libraries. There are 428 main public libraries, but three of them were without staff at the time of the survey. Further, 336 answers provided a response rate of 79 per cent. The survey had 48 questions.

Findings
– An interesting result from the survey is that 53 per cent of the public libraries want no restrictions on what to borrow, while 45 per cent believed there should be some restrictions on lending. This shows a difference in the attitudes to lending compared to borrowing library material. However, 58 per cent of the libraries have not implemented restrictions on what to lend on interlibrary loan. One of four had restrictions on lending new literature. The public libraries were, in general, highly interested in better access to curriculum literature from universities and colleges. To some extent, they wanted better access to new literature, e-books and nonfiction (the category was named “special subjects and topics” in the survey). The survey shows that most libraries still prefer to order interlibrary loans for their users rather than encourage users to order themselves.

Originality/value
– This study is the first systematic survey of ILL in Norwegian public libraries.
Caramel as a Model System for Evaluating the Roles of Mechanical Properties and Oral Processing on Sensory Perception of Texture
Authors: Wagoner Ty B. , Luck Paige J. , Foegeding E. Allen 
Published: January 2016

AbstractFood formulation can have a significant impact on texture perception during oral processing. We hypothesized that slight modifications to caramel formulations would significantly alter mechanical and masticatory parameters, which can be used to explain differences in texture perception. A multidisciplinary approach was applied by evaluating relationships among mechanical properties, sensory texture, and oral processing. Caramels were utilized as a highly adhesive and cohesive model system and the formulation was adjusted to generate distinct differences in sensory hardness and adhesiveness. Descriptive analysis was used to determine sensory texture, and mechanical properties were evaluated by oscillatory rheology, creep recovery, and pressure sensitive tack measurements. Oral processing was measured by determining activity of anterior temporalis and masseter muscles via electromyography and tracking jaw movement during chewing. The substitution of agar or gelatin for corn syrup at 0.6% w/w of the total formulation resulted in increased sensory hardness and decreased adhesiveness. Creep recovery and pressure sensitive tack testing were more effective at differentiating among treatments than oscillatory rheology. Hardness correlated inversely with creep compliance, and both stickiness and tooth adhesiveness correlated with pressure sensitive adhesive force. Harder samples, despite being less adhesive, were associated with increased muscle activity and jaw movement during mastication. Tooth packing, not linked with any mechanical property, correlated with altered jaw movement. The combination of material properties and oral processing parameters were able to explain all sensory texture differences in a highly adhesive food.
Risk for Opioid Misuse Among Emergency Department Cancer Patients
Authors: Reyes‐Gibby Cielito C. , Anderson Karen O. , Todd Knox H. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractObjectivesOne of the most challenging areas of emergency medicine practice is the management and treatment of severe and persistent pain, including cancer‐related pain. Emergency departments (EDs) in the United States frequently provide care for patients with cancer and an increasing concern is the potential for opioid misuse in this patient group. The authors determined the risk for opioid misuse among ED cancer patients with pain and assessed demographic and clinical factors associated with increased misuse risk. The Texas state prescription monitoring program was also queried for evidence of multiple opioid prescriptions for comparing low‐ and high‐risk groups.MethodsThe Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain–Revised (SOAPP‐R) was administered to assess risk for opioid misuse among cancer patients presenting to the ED of a comprehensive cancer center in the United States. Eligibility criteria included: 1) presentation for treatment of chronic cancer‐related pain while taking a prescribed schedule II opioid for analgesia, 2) age of 18 years or older, 3) ability to speak English, and 4) ability to understand the study and give written informed consent.ResultsOf 934 ED patients screened for the study, 290 were eligible and 209 participated (72% response rate). On the basis of the recommended SOAPP‐R cutoff score of 18, a total of 71 of the 209 patients (34%) were categorized as having a high risk of misuse. Of note, 15% and 4% of all patients reported past or current use of illicit substances, respectively. The total number of annual opioid prescriptions (17.8 vs. 12.6; p = 0.023) differed between the high‐ versus low‐risk groups. Multivariable analyses showed that depression (odds ratio [OR] = 3.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.45 to 6.48; p = 0.003), poor coping (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.13; p = 0.001), and illicit substance use (OR = 28.30, 95% CI = 2.97 to 269.24; p = 0.029) were significantly associated with high risk of opioid misuse.ConclusionsThe risk of opioid misuse among cancer patients is substantial. Screening for opioid misuse in the ED is feasible.
Developing a core outcome measurement set for clinical trials in acute diarrhoea
Authors: Karas Jacek , Ashkenazi Shai , Guarino Alfredo , Lo Vecchio Andrea , Shamir Raanan , Vandenplas Yvan , Szajewska Hania ,   the Consensus Group on Outcome Measures Made in Paediatric Enteral Nutrition Clinical Trials (COMMENT)
Published: January 2016

AbstractAimThe Working Group on Acute Diarrhoea, part of The Consensus Group on Outcome Measures Made in Paediatric Enteral Nutrition Clinical Trials, previously developed a core outcome set for clinical trials on acute diarrhoea. This study aimed to create a core outcome measurement set to complement it.MethodsThe study had three phases. The first identified how the literature defined core outcome measures in clinical trials on acute diarrhoea and measured outcomes. The second phase used a questionnaire to seek the views of 109 leading researchers and clinicians in this specialist field. The third phase achieved a consensus on the core outcome measurement set.ResultsFirst, we identified 52 different measurement instruments or definitions. A questionnaire was then used to ask our experts what they thought were the most valid core outcome measurement instruments or definitions for each measure and 53 (49%) responded. Core outcome measurement instruments were then developed, including definitions of diarrhoea and acute gastroenteritis, diarrhoea duration, dehydration, the need for hospitalisation, discharge criteria and duration of hospitalisation.ConclusionThe outcome measurement set can be used to evaluate therapeutic or preventive strategies and can be recommended for use in future acute diarrhoea trials.
A Log-Rank-Type Test to Compare Net Survival Distributions
Authors: Grafféo Nathalie , Castell Fabienne , Belot Aurélien , Giorgi Roch 
Published: January 2016

Summary
In population-based cancer studies, it is often interesting to compare cancer survival between different populations. However, in such studies, the exact causes of death are often unavailable or unreliable. Net survival methods were developed to overcome this difficulty. Net survival is the survival that would be observed if the disease under study was the only possible cause of death. The Pohar-Perme estimator (PPE) is a nonparametric consistent estimator of net survival. In this article, we present a log-rank-type test for comparing net survival functions (as estimated by PPE) between several groups. We put the test within the counting process framework to introduce the inverse probability weighting procedure as required by the PPE. We built a stratified version to control for categorical covariates that affect the outcome. We performed simulation studies to evaluate the performance of this test and worked an application on real data.
A Three-Groups Model for High-Throughput Survival Screens
Authors: Shaby Benjamin A. , Skibinski Gaia , Ando Michael , LaDow Eva S. , Finkbeiner Steven 
Published: January 2016

SummaryAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the progressive deterioration of motor neurons in the cortex and spinal cord. Using an automated robotic microscope platform that enables the longitudinal tracking of thousands of single neurons, we examine the effects a large library of compounds on modulating the survival of primary neurons expressing a mutation known to cause ALS. The goal of our analysis is to identify the few potentially beneficial compounds among the many assayed, the vast majority of which do not extend neuronal survival. This resembles the large-scale simultaneous inference scenario familiar from microarray analysis, but transferred to the survival analysis setting due to the novel experimental setup. We apply a three-component mixture model to censored survival times of thousands of individual neurons subjected to hundreds of different compounds. The shrinkage induced by our model significantly improves performance in simulations relative to performing treatment-wise survival analysis and subsequent multiple testing adjustment. Our analysis identified compounds that provide insight into potential novel therapeutic strategies for ALS.
Testosterone modulates endothelial progenitor cells in rat corpus cavernosum
Authors: Hwang Insang , Lee Hyun‐Suk , Yu Ho Song , Kim Mi Eun , Lee Jun Sik , Park Kwangsung 
Published: January 2016

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of testosterone on cavernosal endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in a castrated rat model.Materials and methodsIn all, 45 male Sprague–Dawley rats (12‐weeks old) were divided into control, surgical castration, and castration with testosterone replacement groups. The rats were castrated under ketamine anaesthesia, and testosterone was administered by daily subcutaneous injection of 3 mg/kg testosterone propionate. The corpus cavernosum was obtained after perfusion with 10 mL saline via the abdominal aorta 4 weeks later. The expression of EPC‐specific markers [cluster of differentiation 34 (CD34), fetal liver kinase 1 (Flk1), and vascular endothelial (VE)‐cadherin] was evaluated by flow cytometry analysis and immunofluorescence staining.ResultsCD34+/Flk1+ and CD34+/VE‐cadherin+ cells were detected in the cavernosal sinusoidal endothelial space. Flow cytometry analysis showed that CD34 and Flk1 double positive cells (EPCs) comprised ≈3.79% of the corpus cavernosum in normal rats. The percentage of EPC marker‐positive cells decreased significantly in the castration group (2.8%; P < 0.05) and was restored to 3.56% after testosterone supplementation. Confocal microscopy revealed that the numbers of CD34+/Flk1+ and CD34+/VE‐cadherin+ cells decreased in castrated rats compared with controls, but were similar to control levels in rats receiving testosterone replacement.ConclusionsThe EPC markers were expressed in the cavernosal sinusoidal endothelial space, and the numbers of resident EPCs were regulated by testosterone. These results suggest that testosterone replacement therapy may improve erectile function by modulating EPCs in patients with hypogonadism.
The impact of the 2005 International Society of Urological Pathology consensus guidelines on Gleason grading – a matched‐pair analysis
Authors: Berg Kasper D. , Thomsen Frederik B. , Nerstrøm Camilla , Røder Martin A. , Iversen Peter , Toft Birgitte G. , Vainer Ben , Brasso Klaus 
Published: January 2016

ObjectivesTo investigate whether the International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) 2005 revision of the Gleason grading system has influenced the risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) after radical prostatectomy (RP), as the new guideline implies that some prostate cancers previously graded as Gleason score 6 (3 + 3) are now considered as 7 (3 + 4).Patients and methodsA matched‐pair analysis was conducted. In all, 215 patients with Gleason score 6 or 7 (3 + 4) prostate cancer on biopsy who underwent RP before 31 December 2005 (pre‐ISUP group), were matched 1:1 by biopsy Gleason score, clinical tumour category, PSA level, and margin status to patients undergoing RP between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2011 (post‐ISUP group). Patients were followed until BCR defined as a PSA level of ≥0.2 ng/mL. Risk of BCR was analysed in a competing‐risk model.ResultsThe median follow‐up was 9.5 years in the pre‐ISUP group and 4.8 years in the post‐ISUP group. The 5‐year cumulative incidences of BCR were 34.0% and 13.9% in the pre‐ISUP and post‐ISUP groups, respectively (P < 0.001). The difference in cumulative incidence applied to both patients with Gleason score 6 (P < 0.001) and 7 (3 + 4) (P = 0.004). There was no difference in the 5‐year cumulative incidence of BCR between patients with pre‐ISUP Gleason score 6 and post‐ISUP Gleason score 7 (3 + 4) (P = 0.34). In a multiple Cox‐proportional hazard regression model, ISUP 2005 grading was a strong prognostic factor for BCR within 5 years of RP (hazard ratio 0.34; 95% confidence interval 0.22–0.54; P < 0.001).ConclusionThe revision of the Gleason grading system has reduced the risk of BCR after RP in patients with biopsy Gleason score 6 and 7 (3 + 4). This may have consequences when comparing outcomes across studies and historical periods and may affect future treatment recommendations.
Mapping Bushmeat Hunting Pressure in Central Africa
Authors: Ziegler Stefan , Fa John E. , Wohlfart Christian , Streit Bruno , Jacob Stefanie , Wegmann Martin 
Published: January 2016

AbstractHunting and trade of wild animals for their meat (bushmeat), especially mammals, is commonplace in tropical forests worldwide. In West and Central Africa, bushmeat extraction has increased substantially during recent decades. Currently, such levels of hunting pose a major threat to native wildlife. In this paper, we compiled published data on hunting offtake of mammals, from a number of studies conducted between 1990 and 2007 in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Republic of Congo. From these data sources, we estimated annual extraction rates of all hunted species and analyzed the relationship between environmental and anthropogenic variables surrounding each hunting rate and levels of bushmeat extraction. We defined hunting pressure as a function of bushmeat offtake and number of hunted species and confirm that hunting pressure is significantly correlated with road density, distance to protected areas and population density. These correlations are then used to map hunting pressure across the Congo Basin. We show that predicted risk areas show a patchy distribution throughout the study region and that many protected areas are located in high‐risk areas. We suggest that such a map can be used to identify areas of greatest impact of hunting to guide large‐scale conservation planning initiatives for central Africa.
Short‐term Dynamics and the Effects of Biotic and Abiotic Factors on Plant Physiognomic Groups in a Hurricane‐impacted Lower Montane Tropical Forest
Authors: Luke Denneko , McLaren Kurt , Wilson Byron 
Published: January 2016

AbstractWe assessed the short‐term effects of biotic (density, plant size) and abiotic factors (light), on the dynamics of physiognomically different plant groups (palms, tree ferns, lianas, and trees) in a hurricane‐impacted tropical wet montane forest, John Crow Mountains, Jamaica. All plants ≥2 cm (dbh) found within 45, 25 × 25 m permanent sample plots (2.8125 ha), established according to a randomized block design along an elevation gradient, were tagged and measured (dbh) in 2006 and re‐assessed in 2012 after Hurricane Dean (2007). Hemispheric light was measured in 2007 and 2008. Tree and liana size class distributions changed due to high mortality in the smallest size classes and their densities declined; however, palm and tree fern density remained unchanged. The dynamics of trees were only related to tree fern and liana dynamics (e.g., tree mortality was negatively related to liana recruitment etc.). Although pre‐ and posthurricane light was related to palm density and the density of the other plant groups, respectively, there were no significant changes in light. Tree survivorship increased with increasing dbh while posthurricane light and overall density influenced the growth and survivorship of tree species. Species importance value did not change, suggesting that direct regeneration may be the model of forest recovery following this small‐scale disturbance. Over the short term, tree species showed life history trade‐offs that aid species coexistence after this moderate/low disturbance event. Our study highlights that hurricanes with low impacts can have differential short‐ and possibly long‐term effects on different plant groups.