bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Geographic Distribution and Characterisation of EU Arable Land Affected by the ‘Greening’ of the Common Agricultural Policy
Authors: Bertaglia Marco , Angileri Vincenzo , Fasbender Dominique 
Published: April 2016

SummaryThe reformed Common Agricultural Policy includes a mandatory ‘greening’ component for direct payments, implementation of which has started in 2015. Two of the measures introduced (crop diversification and ecological focus area) will not be applied in holdings with AL below specific thresholds (10, 15 and 30 ha). This article uses statistical data on different territories and agricultural systems in order to assess the possible impacts of these exclusions. It investigates if and in which regions this exemption may generate a theoretical loss of environmental protection, depending on farming systems and current level of semi‐natural vegetation. The analysis sketches a complex picture and highlights the regions where the exclusion from these two measures may generate greater issues. Noticeably, considering those regions where there is a major prevalence of specialist cereals farming systems, these greening measures concern 97 per cent of all AL. Regions with current low values of semi‐natural vegetation where more than half of AL is exempt from greening are relatively few. Member States may consider adopting specific targeted policy in these regions. Applying a set of decision thresholds to fine‐tune the analysis, the GIS created could be used as a decision support tool by national and regional authorities.
Feed handling of lactating crossbred cows maintained in a semi‐arid region during the hot season: physiological parameters, ingestive behavior and performance
Authors: de Paula Xavier de Andrade Rafael , de Andrade Ferreira Marcelo , de Azevedo Marcílio , da Silva Emmanuelle Cordeiro , Urbano Stela Antas , da Conceição Maria Gabriela , de Lima Silva Janaina 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe effects of time of feed delivery (14.00 hours; 14.00 and 20.00 hours; 16.00 and 18.00 hours) on the physiological parameters, ingestive behavior, nutrient intake and production of lactating cows maintained in a semi‐arid region during the hot season were evaluated. Regardless of treatment, all animals received the first feeding supply at 06.00 hours. Eight cows with an average body weight of 600 kg, average milk yield of 20 kg/day and 80 days in milk were utilized. The rectal temperature, respiratory rate and sweating rate were not affected (P > 0.05), with average values of 38.5°C, 53.8 movements/min and 104 g/m2/h respectively. There was no effect (P > 0.05) on the eating time (314 min/day), ruminating time (564 min/day), drinking time (61 min/day) and idle time (502 min/day). Similarly, the intake of nutrients and performance of lactating cows were not affected (P > 0.05), with average dry matter intake of 19.8 kg/day, 4% fat‐corrected milk of 20.6 kg/day and milk fat concentration of 4.03 g/100 g. Since the behavior and performance have not altered, any times of feed delivery evaluated could be used to crossbred Holstein × Zebu cows maintained on a feedlot in semi‐arid regions during the hot season.
Education scholars’ evolving uses of twitter as a conference backchannel and social commentary platform
Authors: Kimmons Royce , Veletsianos George 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe scholarly community faces a lack of large‐scale research examining how students and professors use social media in authentic contexts and how such use changes over time. This study uses data mining methods to better understand academic Twitter use during, around, and between the 2014 and 2015 American Educational Research Association annual conferences both as a conference backchannel and as a general means of participating online. Descriptive and inferential analysis is used to explore Twitter use for 1421 academics and the more than 360 000 tweets they posted. Results demonstrate the complicated participation patterns of how Twitter is used “on the ground.” In particular, we show that tweets during conferences differed significantly from tweets outside conferences. Further, students and professors used the conference backchannel somewhat equally, but students used some hashtags more frequently, while professors used other hashtags more frequently. Academics comprised the minority of participants in these backchannels, but participated at a much higher rate than their non‐academic counterparts. While the number of participants in the backchannel increased between 2014 and 2015, only a small number of authors were present during both years, and the number of tweets declined from year to year. Various hashtags were used throughout the time period during which this study occurred, and some were ongoing (ie, those which tended to be stable across weeks) while others were event‐based (ie, those which spiked in a particular week). Professors used event‐based hashtags more often than students and students used ongoing hashtags more often than professors. Ongoing hashtags tended to exhibit positive sentiment, while event‐based hashtags tended to exhibit more ambiguous or conflicting sentiments. These findings suggest that professors and students exhibit similarities and differences in how they use Twitter and backchannels and indicate the need for further research to better understand the ways that social technologies and online networks are integrated in scholars’ lives.
Social augmented reality: Enhancing context‐dependent communication and informal learning at work
Authors: Pejoska Jana , Bauters Merja , Purma Jukka , Leinonen Teemu 
Published: April 2016

AbstractOur design proposal of social augmented reality (SoAR) grows from the observed difficulties of practical applications of augmented reality (AR) in workplace learning. In our research we investigated construction workers doing physical work in the field and analyzed the data using qualitative methods in various workshops. The challenges related to learning in the construction sites were: sharing of specific situation processes or details, need of direct communication channel over distance and support for social appraisal. The second result of the study is a prototype. SoAR is a design solution, an application for smart phones. The primary target for the SoAR design builds on the discoveries and idea that current AR developments in the area should focus on enhancing human‐to‐human interactions: messages, gestures, words and other small elements of communication. We present the current SoAR prototype that enhances video calls with overlaid drawings therefor SoAR is a tool for asking and providing guidance in context‐reliant work situations. Our guiding theoretical framework is drawing from phenomenological discussion dealing with embodied interaction expanded by a process of research‐based design.
Design principles for authentic learning of English as a foreign language
Authors: Ozverir Ildeniz , Herrington Jan , Osam Ulker Vanci 
Published: April 2016

AbstractKnowledge obtained in higher education through de‐contextualised tasks and activities often remains “inert” and learners cannot readily transfer understanding to novel contexts. Nowhere is this more evident than in learning a foreign language. Typical language interaction exercises in class do not mirror real‐life language use and such activities may have negative effects on students’ development of robust knowledge. This article describes a design‐based research study that investigated the use of an authentic e‐learning environment in a course of English language at a university preparatory school. The findings suggest that the use of critical elements of authentic activities is the key to achieving authentic learning in these contexts. An important outcome of the research was the development of a framework for the design of authentic activities to be used in the teaching of foreign languages, in the form of 11 design principles. These principles contribute both theoretically and practically to understanding of how students learn languages in meaningful contexts.
Adolescent and young adult non‐Hodgkin lymphoma
Authors: Hochberg Jessica , El‐Mallawany Nader Kim , Abla Oussama 
Published: April 2016

SummaryNon‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a heterogeneous group of lymphoid malignancies accounting for a significant portion of cancers occurring in children, adolescents and young adults with an increasing incidence with age. The adolescent and young adult (AYA) population presents a specific set of characteristics and challenges. The most common diseases occurring in adolescents and young adults include Burkitt lymphoma, lymphoblastic lymphoma, diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma, anaplastic large cell lymphoma and primary mediastinal B‐cell lymphoma. There is also a higher incidence of primary central nervous system lymphoma in AYA patients. Cure rates largely depend on risk‐stratification, and are generally superior to outcomes in comparison to older adult data but less than in younger children. Here, we review the unique clinical and biological characteristics of NHL occurring in the AYA population with a focus on how to achieve similar curative outcomes in AYA that have been established in younger cohorts.
Outcomes of MYC‐associated lymphomas after R‐CHOP with and without consolidative autologous stem cell transplant: subset analysis of randomized trial intergroup SWOG S9704
Authors: Puvvada Soham D. , Stiff Patrick J. , Leblanc Michael , Cook James R. , Couban Stephen , Leonard John P. , Kahl Brad , Marcellus Deborah , Shea Thomas C. , Winter Jane N. , Li Hongli , Rimsza Lisa M. , Friedberg Jonathan W. , Smith Sonali M. 
Published: April 2016

SummaryDouble hit lymphoma (DHL) and double protein‐expressing (MYC, BCL2) lymphomas (DPL) fare poorly with R‐CHOP (rituximab + cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone); consolidative autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) may improve outcomes. S9704, a phase III randomized study of CHOP +/−R with or without ASCT enabled evaluation of intensive consolidation. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) identified 27 of 198 patients (13·6%) with MYC overexpression; 20 (74%) harboured concurrent BCL2 overexpression. Four had DHL and 16 had DPL only. With median 127 months follow‐up, there is a trend favouring outcomes after ASCT in DPL and MYC protein overexpressing patients, whereas all DHL patients have died irrespective of ASCT.
Demethylation of SFRP2 by histone demethylase KDM2A regulated osteo‐/dentinogenic differentiation of stem cells of the apical papilla
Authors: Yu Guoxia , Wang Jinsong , Lin Xiao , Diao Shu , Cao Yu , Dong Rui , Wang Liping , Wang Songlin , Fan Zhipeng 
Published: April 2016

AbstractObjectivesDental mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are easily obtained; however, mechanisms underlying directed differentiation of these cells remains unclear. Wnt/β‐catenin signalling is essential for mesenchymal cell commitment and differentiation, and Wnt inhibition is linked to stem cell maintenance and function. Secreted frizzled‐related protein 2 (SFRP2) competes with the Frizzled receptor for direct binding to Wnt and blocks activation of Wnt signalling. Here, we used stem cells derived from apical papillae (SCAPs) to study the functions of SFRP2.Materials and methodsSCAPs were isolated from apical papillae of immature third molars. The cells were analysed using alkaline phosphatase activity assays, Alizarin red staining and quantitative calcium measurements. In addition, we evaluated expression profile of genes associated with osteogenesis and dentinogenesis (osteo‐/dentinogenesis), and conducted in vivo transplantation experiments to determine osteo‐/dentinogenic differentiation potential of SCAPs. ChIP assays were used to detect histone methylation at the SFRP2 promoter.ResultsWe found that SFRP2 enhanced osteo‐/dentinogenic differentiation via Osterix, a key transcription factor in SCAPs. Furthermore, silencing SFRP2 induced SCAP cell death in osteogenic‐inducing medium, indicating that SFRP2 is a key factor in maintaining SCAP survival following osteo‐/dentinogenic commitment. Moreover, we found that silencing KDM2A, a histone demethylase and BCL6 co‐repressor, de‐repressed SFRP2 transcription by increasing histone H3K4 and H3K36 methylation at the SFRP2 promoter.ConclusionsOur results have identified a new function of SFRP2 and shed new light on the molecular mechanism underlying directed differentiation of stem cells of dental origin.
Migratory behaviour shapes spatial genetic structure of cyprinid fishes within the Lake Malawi catchment
Authors: Sungani Harold , Ngatunga Benjamin P. , Genner Martin J. 
Published: April 2016

Summary

Genetic differences among freshwater fish populations are dependent on life‐history characteristics of the species, including the range of adult dispersal and the extent of homing to natal breeding grounds. However, the effects of variation in such characteristics on population genetic connectivity are rarely studied comparatively among closely related species.

We studied population genetic structure within three congeneric cyprinid species from the Lake Malawi catchment that differ substantially in life‐history traits and conservation status, using a combination of microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA markers. Mpasa (Opsaridium microlepis) is a large (70 cm total length) migratory species that spawns in rivers, but as an adult is exclusively known from the main lake body. Sanjika (Opsaridium microcephalum), is a medium size (30 cm total length) species that exists in lake breeding, river‐lake migratory and apparently landlocked populations. Dwarf sanjika (Opsaridium tweddleorum) is a small non‐migratory species (15 cm total length) that persists in small tributaries surrounding the main lake and adjoining rivers.

The results revealed striking differences among the three species in spatial genetic structuring. The river‐lake migratory mpasa showed only weak yet significant population genetic structure within the main Lake Malawi catchment, suggesting that there is no strong natal homing. The habitat‐generalist sanjika showed only weak spatial genetic differentiation at microsatellite loci within the Lake Malawi catchment, but moderate structure in mitochondrial DNA, potentially reflecting male‐biased dispersal. The river‐restricted dwarf sanjika showed strong genetic structure in both microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA, suggesting strictly limited dispersal at both adult and juvenile stages.

We conclude that contrasting migration life histories have resulted in dramatically different patterns of population genetic structure among these congeneric species. The observed patterns demonstrate how divergent life‐history evolution may strongly influence broader patterns of population genetic connectivity in freshwater fish, with consequences for management and conservation. Specifically the results suggesting gene flow among Lake Malawi populations of mpasa, an IUCN red‐listed ‘Endangered’ species endemic to the lake catchment, imply that conservation initiatives operating at both local and catchment scales are needed to reverse local population decline.
Indian Media in Global Context
Authors: Rajagopal Arvind 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThere is a curious partitioning of media histories of the west from those of other countries. The kind of comparative analysis that would be expected with a set of global technologies and practices is lacking. Although communications media were promoted as a technology of nation building by western powers and received as such by countries such as India, strangely, there is a wide gap between the rhetoric of globality and the literature pertaining to local and national uses of media technologies. My essay situates the history of post‐independence media growth in India within this gap, in a preliminary attempt to bridge it.
Association of telomere length with IL‐6 levels during an obesity treatment in adolescents: interaction with the‐174G/C polymorphism in the IL‐6gene
Authors: García‐Calzón S. , Moleres A. , Gómez‐Martinez S. , Diaz L. E. , Bueno G. , Campoy C. , Martinez J. A. , Marcos A. , Azcona‐Sanjulián M. C. , Zalba G. , Marti A. ,   on behalf of the EVASYON study group
Published: April 2016

SummaryBackgroundShorter telomeres have been associated with elevated risk for age‐related diseases. However, little is known about the biomarker role of telomere length (TL) for predicting inflammation and glucose alterations.ObjectiveThe objective of this research is to evaluate the association between TL, inflammatory markers and glucose levels after a 2‐month weight‐loss programme in obese adolescents.MethodsTelomere length was measured using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction in 66 obese adolescents aged 12–17 years (51% men) from the EVASYON programme. The adolescents were genotyped for the polymorphism ‐174G/C (rs1800795) in the IL‐6gene, and anthropometric and biochemical markers as well as inflammatory cytokines were analysed.ResultsMultiple‐adjusted models showed that longer telomeres at baseline were associated with a higher reduction in glucose (B = −4.08, 95% confidence interval: −6.66 to −1.50) and IL‐6 (B = −1.03, 95% confidence interval: −2.01 to −0.05) serum levels after 2 months of the weight‐loss treatment. The ‐174G/C polymorphism modulated the association between basal TL and changes in IL‐6 (P interaction = 0.029). Thus, subjects with the GG + GC genotype and with longer telomeres showed a higher decrease in IL‐6 levels than CC homozygotes.ConclusionLonger telomeres are associated with an improvement in glucose tolerance and inflammation after a weight‐loss programme in obese adolescents. Moreover, the ‐174G/C polymorphism may influence the relationship between TL and IL‐6 changes.
Ingenol mebutate in the treatment of ‘Hydroxyurea‐induced Squamous Dysplasia’: a single centre experience
Authors: Grandi V. , Delfino C. , Pimpinelli N. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractBackground‘Hydroxyurea‐induced Squamous Dysplasia’ (HISD) is a cutaneous side‐effect related to chronic oral treatment with Hydroxyurea. Ingenol mebutate gel is a topical drug approved for the treatment of multiple, non‐hypertrophic actinic keratoses (AK) localized within a limited cancerization field. Since HISD may be considered as a drug‐induced variant of classic AK, ingenol mebutate is likely to have therapeutic effects.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety of ingenol mebutate 150 mcg/g and 500 mcg/g, as a treatment of HISD lesions on face/scalp and trunk/extremities respectively.MethodsSeven areas with a mean of lesions of 5.9 ± 1.7 in five patients with HISD were treated. Patients with lesions on face/scalp self‐treated a 25 cm2 skin affected area with ingenol mebutate gel 150 mcg/g, one tube daily for 3 days. Patients with lesions localized on trunk/extremities treated the same size affected area with ingenol mebutate gel 500 mcg/g, one tube daily for 2 days. Clinical assessment and count of HISD lesions has been performed by an experienced dermatologist at day 0, at day 57, and at time of last feasible follow‐up visit (median 337 days). Safety assessment included the report of all SAEs.ResultsAt 57‐day follow‐up, we observed an overall response rate (ORR) – the sum of Complete Responses (CR) + Partial Responses (PR) – of 87.5%, with a 57.1% CR, and a 78.0% total lesions' reduction compared to time 0 (P < 0.01). On a median follow‐up of 337 days, we observed a long‐term ORR of 71.4%, a 57.1% CR ratio and a 65.9% total lesions' reduction compared to time 0 (P = 0.01). No severe (grade 3–4) adverse events have been reported.ConclusionAlthough obtained in a small case series, these encouraging data lead us to propose ingenol mebutate gel as a possible treatment for HISD.
Precipitation of free fatty acids generated by Malassezia – a possible explanation for the positive effects of lithium succinate in seborrhoeic dermatitis
Authors: Mayser P. , Schulz S. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractBackgroundLithium succinate and gluconate are effective alternative options licensed for the topical treatment of seborrhoeic dermatitis (SD).ObjectiveTheir mode of action is not fully elucidated. Minimal inhibitory concentrations against Malassezia (M.) yeasts, which play an important role in SD, are very high.MethodsAn assay based on the hydrolysis of ethyl octanoate enables us to test the hydrolytic activity of reference strains of the species M. globosa, M. sympodialis and M. furfur solely without interference by fungal growth as the free octanoic acid generated has antifungal activity.ResultsIn this assay the presence of alkali salts (lithium, sodium and potassium succinate resp.) in concentrations of 2%, 4% and 8% does not influence hydrolytic activity but the availability of the generated free fatty acid in a dose‐dependent manner which was analysed by means of high‐performance thin layer chromatography and densitometry. This was best effected with the lithium, followed by the sodium and only to a low degree by the potassium salt. As shown by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy the free fatty acid reacted to the respective alkali soap and precipitate from solution. The alkali soaps could not be utilized by the M. spp. as shown in a modified Tween auxanogram and in lack of fungal growth by ethyl oleate in the presence of 8% lithium succinate.ConclusionThe effect of lithium succinate on growth of M. yeasts and presumably in SD can be explained by a precipitation of free fatty acids as alkali soaps limiting their availability for the growth of these lipid‐dependent yeasts.
The gut microbiota and metabolic disease: current understanding and future perspectives
Authors: Arora T. , Bäckhed F. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe human gut microbiota has been studied for more than a century. However, of nonculture‐based techniques exploiting next‐generation sequencing for analysing the microbiota, development has renewed research within the field during the past decade. The observation that the gut microbiota, as an environmental factor, contributes to adiposity has further increased interest in the field. The human microbiota is affected by the diet, and macronutrients serve as substrates for many microbially produced metabolites, such as short‐chain fatty acids and bile acids, that may modulate host metabolism. Obesity predisposes towards type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Recently, it has been established that levels of butyrate‐producing bacteria are reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas levels of Lactobacillus sp. are increased. Recent data suggest that the reduced levels of butyrate‐producing bacteria might be causally linked to type 2 diabetes. Bariatric surgery, which promotes long‐term weight loss and diabetes remission, alters the gut microbiota in both mice and humans. Furthermore, by transferring the microbiota from postbariatric surgery patients to mice, it has been demonstrated that an altered microbiota may contribute to the improved metabolic phenotype following this intervention. Thus, greater understanding of alterations of the gut microbiota, in combination with dietary patterns, may provide insights into how the gut microbiota contributes to disease progression and whether it can be exploited as a novel diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic target.