bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mean stress and ratcheting corrections in fatigue life prediction of metals
Authors: Zhu S. P. , Lei Q. , Wang Q. Y. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractRatcheting occurs easily because of the presence of mean stress during the stress‐control fatigue of engineering components. For ductility exhaustion dominated fatigue failure, a new fatigue life prediction model is developed by introducing the mean ratcheting strain rate to incorporate the effects of ratcheting and mean stress on fatigue life. The prediction accuracy of the proposed model was compared with that of the generalised damage parameter, Xia–Kujawski–Ellyin, Walker and Goswami models. Specifically, the model predictions and tested lives were compared using nine sets of experimental data from the literature. In the statistical analysis of these five models, the proposed model provides the highest accuracy and robust life predictions with the lowest model prediction errors.
Long‐term effects of climate change on carbon storage and tree species composition in a dry deciduous forest
Authors: Fekete István , Lajtha Kate , Kotroczó Zsolt , Várbíró Gábor , Varga Csaba , Tóth János Attila , Demeter Ibolya , Veperdi Gábor , Berki Imre 
Published: February 2017

AbstractForest vegetation and soils have been suggested as potentially important sinks for carbon (C) with appropriate management and thus are implicated as effective tools in stabilizing climate even with increasing anthropogenic release ofCO2. Drought, however, which is often predicted to increase in models of future climate change, may limit net primary productio (NPP) of dry forest types, with unknown effects on soil C storage. We studied C dynamics of a deciduous temperate forest of Hungary that has been subject to significant decreases in precipitation and increases in temperature in recent decades. We resampled plots that were established in 1972 and repeated the full C inventory by analyzing more than 4 decades of data on the number of living trees, biomass of trees and shrubs, and soil C content. Our analyses show that the decline in number and biomass of oaks started around the end of the 1970s with a 71% reduction in the number of sessile oak stems by 2014. Projected growth in this forest, based on the yield table's data for Hungary, was 4.6 kg C/m2. Although new species emerged, this new growth and small increases in oak biomass resulted in only 1.9 kg C/m2increase over 41 years. The death of oaks increased inputs of coarse woody debris to the surface of the soil, much of which is still identifiable, and caused an increase of 15.5%, or 2.6 kg C/m2, in the top 1 m of soil. Stability of this fresh organic matter input to surface soil is unknown, but is likely to be low based on the results of a colocated woody litter decomposition study. The effects of a warmer and drier climate on the C balance of forests in this region will be felt for decades to come as woody litter inputs decay, and forest growth remains impeded.
Population pharmacokinetic characterization of BAY 81‐8973, a full‐length recombinant factor VIII: lessons learned ‒ importance of including samples with factor VIII levels below the quantitation limit
Authors: Garmann D. , McLeay S. , Shah A. , Vis P. , Maas Enriquez M. , Ploeger B.A. 
Published: February 2017

IntroductionThe pharmacokinetics (PK), safety and efficacy of BAY 81‐8973, a full‐length, unmodified, recombinant human factor VIII (FVIII), were evaluated in the LEOPOLD trials.AimThe aim of this study was to develop a population PK model based on pooled data from the LEOPOLD trials and to investigate the importance of including samples with FVIII levels below the limit of quantitation (BLQ) to estimate half‐life.MethodsThe analysis included 1535 PK observations (measured by the chromogenic assay) from 183 male patients with haemophilia A aged 1‒61 years from the 3 LEOPOLD trials. The limit of quantitation was 1.5 IU dL−1 for the majority of samples. Population PK models that included or excluded BLQ samples were used for FVIII half‐life estimations, and simulations were performed using both estimates to explore the influence on the time below a determined FVIII threshold.ResultsIn the data set used, approximately 16.5% of samples were BLQ, which is not uncommon for FVIII PK data sets. The structural model to describe the PK of BAY 81‐8973 was a two‐compartment model similar to that seen for other FVIII products. If BLQ samples were excluded from the model, FVIII half‐life estimations were longer compared with a model that included BLQ samples.ConclusionsIt is essential to assess the importance of BLQ samples when performing population PK estimates of half‐life for any FVIII product. Exclusion of BLQ data from half‐life estimations based on population PK models may result in an overestimation of half‐life and underestimation of time under a predetermined FVIII threshold, resulting in potential underdosing of patients.
Intellectual capital varieties in service‐based companies in Botswana
Authors: Brown Byron A. , Patel Afifa , Ofaletse Veronica 
Published: February 2017

AbstractAlthough service‐based companies in developed nations have been valuing and utilising their intellectual capital to gain competitive advantages, many service‐oriented companies in developing states in Africa such as Botswana have not done the same. But the situation is changing because service‐oriented companies in Botswana are being encouraged by the government to contribute more to the economy – a decision triggered by changes in the external environment such as a decline in the country's mineral resources and government‐led efforts to diversify the economy. Many service‐based companies in Botswana are not capitalising on their intellectual capital to gain competitive advantage and to diversify their business because they have a weak understanding of it. This study investigated the varieties of intellectual capital disclosed by five service‐based companies operating in the Botswana context. Using an interpretive approach, with documents as data sources, we found all three varieties of intellectual capital disclosed: human, structural, and relational. The motives for disclosing these assets were linked to factors inside and others outside the companies. Even though intellectual capital was disclosed, reporting was sporadic and managers’ rhetoric on intellectual capital did not match what they practised. Various implications are discussed.
Progress towards flowering of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is more than photothermal
Authors: Lizarazo C. I. , Isotalo J. , Lindfors A. V. , Stoddard F. L. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractPredicting and understanding the progress towards flowering in faba bean are important to achieve the adaptation and high productivity of the crop under varying environmental conditions. Traditional controlled‐environment experiments showed that the rate of progress towards flowering was dependent mainly on photoperiod and temperature. Here, we highlight the need to include measures of solar radiation and water deficit in order to achieve an adequate model for field conditions. The improved model was assessed in two steps: first with a “basic” model across all 20 cultivars and then with an “extended” model that included terms to fit exceptional cultivars. The two new parameters were necessary to achieve an acceptable fit of progress towards flowering and clearly separated two cultivars, “Kontu” and “Witkiem Manita,” that were significantly quicker to flower than the other 18, which fit a single line. As the regression coefficients of the two exceptional cultivars differed only in intercept, not slope, we conclude that flowering responses to day length, temperature, solar radiation and drought stresses were consistent in this set of germplasm and that the two cultivars differed in earliness “per se.” Growth‐chamber experiments added information about differing ceiling temperatures for progress to flowering in four cultivars and different sensitivities to supraoptimal temperatures.
Solid solution synthesis of tantalum carbide‐hafnium carbide by spark plasma sintering
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Gupta Ankur , Seal Sudipta , Boesl Benjamin , Agarwal Arvind 
Published: February 2017

AbstractSolid solutions of Tantalum carbide (TaC) and Hafnium carbide (HfC) were synthesized by spark plasma sintering. Five different compositions (pure HfC, HfC‐20 vol% TaC, HfC‐ 50 vol% TaC, HfC‐ 80 vol% TaC, and pure TaC) were sintered at 1850°C, 60 MPa pressure and a holding time of 10 min without any sintering aids. Near‐full density was achieved for all samples, especially in the HfC‐contained samples. The porosity in pure TaC samples was caused by the oxygen contamination (Ta2O5) on the starting powder surface. The addition of HfC increased the overall densification by transferring the oxygen contamination from TaC surface and forming ultrafine HfO2 and Hf‐O‐C grains. With the increasing HfC concentration, the overall grain size was reduced by 50% from HfC‐ 80 vol% TaC to HfC‐20 vol% TaC sample. The solid solution formation required extra energy, which restricted the grain growth. The lattice parameters for the solid solution samples were obtained using X‐ray diffraction which had an excellent match with the theoretical values computed using Vegard's Law. The mechanical properties of the solid solution samples outperformed the pure TaC and HfC carbides samples due to the increased densification and smaller grain size.
Follower moral reasoning influences perceptions of transformational leadership behavior
Authors: Naber Andrew M. , Moffett Richard G. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractTransformational leadership reflects charismatic, but ethical, influence on followers. However, leadership ultimately occurs through the perceptual and attribution processes within followers. Accordingly, the perception and evaluation of transformational leadership is likely to be influenced by followers' moral reasoning, which is the ability that allows individuals to identify and interpret ethically‐salient issues in social environments. As predicted by social‐cognitive principles of self‐schemas, observers' moral reasoning positively related to the perception and positive evaluation of transformational leadership behavior, but not to positive affective reactions towards that behavior. These same relationships did not occur for the perception and evaluation of transactional leadership behavior. Implications for whistle‐blowing behavior, organizational ethics, and the measurement of transformational leadership are discussed.
Genetic trends for fertility, udder health and protein yield in Swedish red cattle estimated with different models
Authors: Eriksson S. , Johansson K. , Hansen Axelsson H. , Fikse W.F. 
Published: February 2017

SummaryThe aim of this study was to estimate and compare genetic trends in Swedish Red cattle using a full multiple‐trait (MT) model and trait‐group‐wise models for female fertility, udder health and protein yield. Field data for maiden heifers from 1989 and cows with a first and second lactation between 1990 and 2007 were included. (Co)variance components were estimated prior to prediction of breeding values. The estimated genetic trends were clearly favourable for protein yield and udder conformation, and in most cases neutral to favourable for clinical mastitis and calving to first insemination. In maiden heifers, the trends were neutral for number of inseminations per service period. Unfavourable genetic trends were estimated for number of inseminations in the first two lactations, but the trends seemed less unfavourable from evaluations within trait groups compared with when using the full MT model. Excluding maiden heifer data affected genetic trends less than using trait‐group‐wise analyses instead of a full MT model. Unfavourable genetic trends in functional traits may be missed unless the traits are evaluated in a MT model including traits under strong selection.
Chloroplast phylogeography of New Zealand Sophora trees (Fabaceae): extensive hybridization and widespread Last Glacial Maximum survival
Authors: Shepherd Lara D. , de Lange Peter J. , Perrie Leon R. , Heenan Peter B. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractAimTo date, there have been few studies investigating the phylogeography of forest trees that are widely distributed in New Zealand. Our main objective was to examine the phylogeographic distribution of chloroplast DNA from New Zealand Sophora trees with respect to known biogeographical regions, proposed refugia and species boundaries. A second objective was to investigate the origins of the southern and Chatham Island populations of Sophora chathamica, which have been proposed to derive from Māori translocation.LocationThe New Zealand archipelago coastal and lowland forests.MethodsWe sequenced the chloroplast trnQ5′‐rps16 intergenic spacer from 416 samples of Sophora, representing all of the New Zealand species. A median‐joining network was used to analyse haplotype relationships. Phylogeographic structuring was assessed with GST and NST calculations and spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). Analyses of molecular variance were used to test partitioning schemes including species divisions and proposed biogeographical boundaries.ResultsA total of 22 haplotypes were recovered. Moderate genetic differentiation was detected and it had a phylogeographic component but no higher level groupings were found with a SAMOVA. Very little of the chloroplast variation was partitioned by species boundaries or geography. Haplotype diversity decreased from north to south but was not higher in proposed major lowland forest glacial refugia. Populations of Sophora chathamica suggested to derive from Māori translocations contained a haplotype not detected from the proposed natural range of the species.Main conclusionsSophora survived the Last Glacial Maximum in widespread populations throughout much of the country, although our data did not provide evidence for survival in the southern South Island. Chloroplast sharing among New Zealand Sophora species likely results from hybridization and introgression. Our results indicate that the occurrence of S. chathamica in the southern North Island, northern South Island and Chatham Islands is likely to be natural, although the planting by Māori of some of the individuals in the southern North Island and Chatham Islands cannot be excluded.
‘The best app is the teacher’ Introducing classroom scripts in technology‐enhanced education
Authors: Montrieux H. , Raes A. , Schellens T. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractA quasi‐experimental study was set up in secondary education to study the role of teachers while implementing tablet devices in science education. Three different classroom scripts that guided students and teachers' actions during the intervention on two social planes (group and classroom level) are compared. The main goal was to investigate which classroom script leads to the best results regarding progress in domain‐specific knowledge and inquiry skills. Besides student achievement, students' experiences towards the role of the teacher and students' perceptions towards learning with tablets within the three conditions were investigated.In the first condition, the classroom script included learning activities that were balanced between the group and the classroom level. In the second condition, the learning activities occurred predominantly on the group level. The third condition entailed the classroom script as the control condition in which the learning activities were situated only on the classroom level, with the tablet used in a traditional way or as ‘book behind glass’. Results show that students perform better on domain‐specific knowledge in the conditions where the teacher intervened on the classroom level. Regarding the acquisition of inquiry skills, students performed best in the condition where the learning activities were balanced between the group and the classroom level. Moreover, students who perceived more structure achieved better. These results indicate that the role of the teacher cannot be ignored in technology‐enhanced learning. Moreover, these results seem to suggest that one of the best apps remains the teacher.
Daylight photodynamic therapy vs. Conventional photodynamic therapy as skin cancer preventive treatment in patients with face and scalp cancerization: an intra‐individual comparison study
Authors: Sotiriou E. , Apalla Z. , Vrani F. , Lazaridou E. , Vakirlis E. , Lallas A. , Ioannides D. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractBackgroundIndividuals with medical history of non‐melanoma skin cancers (NMSCs) usually develop multiple and/or recurrent malignant lesions around the site of the primary neoplasm. The latter represents the clinical expression of the ‘field cancerization’ theory; supporting the presence of multiple malignant clones of dysplastic keratinocytes over the entire epithelium that potentially can progress into clinical lesions. Taking into consideration that the burden of NMSCs on public health and health‐care cost is high, adequate control of recurrences and management of field change is challenging.ObjectivesTo compare the safety and efficacy of daylight photodynamic therapy (DL‐PDT) vs. conventional photodynamic therapy (C‐PDT) in the prevention of occurrence of new NMSCs in patients with clinical and histological signs of actinic field damage.MethodsTwenty‐six patients, with personal history of NMSCs on the face or scalp and actinic keratosis (AK) on the same fields, were randomized for DL‐PDT on one side and C‐PDT on the other. For a 12‐month period, individuals were clinically evaluated for development of new NMSCs.ResultsThe total number of new AKs and the mean time of their development did not significantly differ between the treated sides. Local adverse events were more intense with C‐PDT, and patients’ preference was more for DL‐PDT compared to C‐PDT.ConclusionsThe current findings suggest equal preventive potential of DL‐PDT vs. C‐PDT against the formation of new NMSCs in patients exhibiting actinic field damage.
Supporting patients with type 1 diabetes using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy: Difficulties, disconnections, and disarray
Authors: Perry Lin , James Steven , Gallagher Robyn , Dunbabin Janet , Steinbeck Katharine , Lowe Julia 
Published: February 2017

AbstractRationale, aims, and objectivesUse of continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy in type 1 diabetes management is high. However, the incorporation of this technology into self‐care is not without challenges, and the support of an appropriately skilled health care team is recommended. This study aimed to examine the support context for patients using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy from the health care professional perspective, as well as contextual influences for health care professionals and their patients.MethodsThis ethnographic qualitative study was undertaken in New South Wales, Australia. Recruitment occurred using a snowball sampling technique, beginning with members of an established diabetes service group. Data were collected through the use of semistructured interviews undertaken by telephone and analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsData were obtained from 26 interviews with staff from diverse professional backgrounds. An overarching theme of difficulties, disconnections, and disarray emerged, with findings indicating that participants perceived difficulties in relation to shortages of health care professional continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion–related expertise, and disconnected and disarrayed service structures and process, with barriers to access to these devices. Individual health care professionals were left to manage somehow or opted not to engage with related care.ConclusionsFindings provide insights from health care professionals' perspectives into the complexity of providing support for patients using continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy across diverse contexts, and provide a platform for further research and service development. The need for consistent and coordinated care, and the infrastructure to facilitate this, flags an opportunity to drive integration of care and teamworking across as well as within settings and disciplines.
A novel clinical framework: The use of dispositions in clinical practice. A person centred approach
Authors: Low Matthew 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThis paper explores a novel clinical framework that is underpinned by a specific philosophical perspective of causation and its utility in clinical practice. A dispositional theory of causation may overcome challenges that clinicians face in complex clinical presentations including those that are medically unexplained. Dispositionalism identifies causes not as regular events necessitating an effect but rather phenomena, which are highly complex, context‐sensitive, and which tend toward an effect. Diagnostic uncertainty and causal explanation are significant challenges in terms of clinical reasoning, communication, and the overall therapeutic outcome. This novel framework aims to facilitate improved collaborative clinical reasoning, enhanced patient‐practitioner interaction, and supported treatment planning. The paper uses a real case study of a patient with nonspecific spinal pain to demonstrate the clinical framework as used in clinical practice.
Real world evaluation of the smoking cessation services in the Rio de Janeiro municipality, Brazil
Authors: Casado Letícia , Thuler Luiz Claudio Santos 
Published: February 2017

AbstractIntroductionIn recent years, there has been a growing recommendation for process evaluation of the smoking cessation programmes in the world. This study sought to evaluate smoking cessation services, with special attention to the degree to which public health care facilities adhere to governmental standards of practice.MethodsA cross‐sectional study examined smoking cessation services by using a key‐informant approach. All the services that delivered smoking cessation treatment in 2013 at the National Health System of the Rio de Janeiro municipality, Brazil, were included in the study. The treatment consists of group sessions and pharmacotherapy. Compliance with the standards of inputs, activities, and short‐term outcomes was analysed. A descriptive analysis was performed using means and standard deviations for the continuous variables and absolute and relative frequencies for the categorical variables.ResultsOf the 177 services performing smoking cessation treatment in 2013, a total of 81.9% answered the questionnaire. More than 90% of the services met the infrastructure standards. Behavioural approach and pharmacotherapy were available in more than 99% of the services. Of a total of 11 287 patients aged 18 years or older who registered for treatment, 77.6% received tobacco cessation interventions during the first group session. Among those who had access to treatment, 52.8% were not smoking at the fourth group session.ConclusionEven though more than 20% of the patients did not attend the first group session, the access to treatment was high, and it was observed that the success rate of those who attended the fourth group session was more than 50%.