bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alcohol consumption and health status of family members: health impacts without ingestion
Authors: Liang W. , Chikritzhs T. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractBackgroundOver several decades, many cohort studies from the medical epidemiology literature have observed that compared with abstainers, moderate drinkers experience lower risk for a range of diseases. It was very difficult to separate the hypothesised physiological protective effect of moderate drinking from its well‐correlated confounders in observational study settings.AimsTo investigate the association between current alcohol consumption levels of randomly selected family members and the current self‐reported health status of other members living within the same family, using a large‐scale representative general population survey.MethodPoisson regression models of the association between randomly selected key respondent alcohol consumption and health status of cohabiting family members using data from the 2008, 2009 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys. Self‐reported alcohol consumption of randomly selected key participants and self‐reported health status of adult and child (parent reported) family members living in the same household were measured and compared.ResultsAfter controlling for a large range of commonly reported confounders, inverse associations were evident between light and moderate alcohol consumption of key participants and the prevalence of adverse health status among their family members, including children.ConclusionsThe superior health status attributed to family members of light and moderate drinkers is highly likely to be spurious and due to residual confounding rather than physiologically protective effects of alcohol. Unaccounted for confounding is likely to underpin apparent ‘protective effects’ due to moderate drinking commonly reported from observational studies of all‐cause mortality, heart disease, stroke and other chronic diseases.
Specific antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity responses associated with slow progression of HIV infection
Authors: Wren Leia H. , Chung Amy W. , Isitman Gamze , Kelleher Anthony D. , Parsons Matthew S. , Amin Janaki , Cooper David A. ,   ADCC study collaboration investigators, Stratov Ivan , Navis Marjon , Kent Stephen J. 
Published: November 2012

SummaryAntibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) is potentially an effective adaptive immune response to HIV infection. However, little is understood about the role of ADCC in controlling chronic infection in the small number of long‐term slow‐progressors (LTSP) who maintain a relatively normal immunological state for prolonged periods of time. We analysed HIV‐specific ADCC responses in sera from 139 HIV+ subjects not on antiretroviral therapy. Sixty‐five subjects were LTSP, who maintained a CD4 T‐cell count > 500/μl for over 8 years after infection without antiretroviral therapy and 74 were non‐LTSP individuals. The ADCC responses were measured using an natural killer cell activation assay to overlapping HIV peptides that allowed us to map ADCC epitopes. We found that although the magnitude of ADCC responses in the LTSP cohort were not higher and did not correlate with CD4 T‐cell depletion rates, the LTSP cohort had significantly broader ADCC responses compared with the non‐LTSP cohort. Specifically, regulatory/accessory HIV‐1 proteins were targeted more frequently by LTSP. Indeed, three particular ADCC epitopes within the Vpu protein of HIV were recognized only by LTSP individuals. Our study provides evidence that broader ADCC responses may play a role in long‐term control of HIV progression and suggests novel vaccine targets.
Influence of dispersive soil electromagnetic properties on hand‐held time domain electromagnetic sensors
Authors: Cross Guy , Das Yogadhish 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACTAlthough metal detectors remain the workhorses of humanitarian demining, it is well established that the performance of both continuous wave (frequency domain) and pulsed induction (time domain) detectors can be severely compromised by so‐called ‘soil‐effects’. Generally, problem soils reduce the signal‐to‐noise ratio and increase the false‐detection rate. In certain locations, the soil‐effect is so severe as to render the detector practically inoperable. The current study is part of an ongoing international effort to establish and quantify the influence of soil electromagnetic properties on the operation of metal detectors and related sensor technologies. In particular, we examine the relative influence of soil electrical conductivity, magnetic susceptibility and associated frequency dependence on the time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) response of pulsed induction metal detectors and related small‐scale TDEM sensors.
Curvature analysis to differentiate magnetic sources for geologic mapping
Authors: Lee Madeline , Morris William , Leblanc George , Harris Jeff 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACTCurvature of a surface is typically applied in seismic data interpretation; however this work outlines its application to a potential field, specifically aeromagnetic data. The curvature of a magnetic grid (from point data) is calculated by fitting a quadratic surface within a moving window at each grid node. The overall and directional curvatures calculated within this window provide insight into the geometry of the magnetic grid surface and causative sources. Curvature analysis is an in‐depth study of both qualitative (graphically) and quantitative (statistically) approaches. This analysis involved the calculation of full, profile and plan curvatures. The magnitude, sign and relative ratios enable the user to define source location and geometry and also discriminate source type; for example, differentiation between a fault and normal polarity dyke. The reliability of the analysis is refined when a priori geological knowledge is available and basic statistics are considered. By allotting a weighting scheme to various statistical populations (e.g., standard deviation), increased detail is extracted on the different lithologies and structures represented by the data set. Furthermore, the curvature's behaviour is analogous to derivative calculation (vertical, horizontal and tilt) by producing a zero value at the source edge and either a local maxima or minima over the source. Application prior to semi‐automated methods may help identify correct indices necessary for identification of magnetic sources. Curvature analysis is successfully applied to an aeromagnetic data set over the 2.6–1.85 Ga Paleoproterozoic Wopmay orogen, Northwest Territories, Canada. This area has undergone regional and local‐scale faulting and is host to multiple generations of dyke swarms. As the area has been extensively mapped, this data set proved to be an ideal test site.
Sea‐bed diffractions and their impact on 4D seismic data
Authors: Grude Sissel , Osdal Bård , Landrø Martin 
Published: November 2012

ABSTRACTA sea‐bed reflection is used to estimate changes in water layer velocities between time‐lapse seismic surveys. Such corrections are crucial in order to obtain high‐quality 4D seismic data. This might be a challenge in areas where rough sea‐bed topography creates sea‐bed diffractions that interfere with the sea‐bed reflection, as in several of the northern fields in the Norwegian Sea. These diffractions and diffracted multiples are difficult to attenuate during data processing and become a source of noise in time‐lapse data.In this work we study how cross‐correlation analysis of time‐lapse seismic data at a sea‐bed reflection may be perturbed by the presence of diffractions. The sea‐bed topography from the Norne field is used in 2D finite difference modelling to explain some of the observed variation in a water layer time‐shift in field data. We find that a rough sea‐bed and the diffracted energy it induces cause residual noise on the 4D data. The variation to the water layer time‐shift increases with sea‐bed complexity and is amplified by interaction with other sources of non‐repeatability like water column variations, mis‐positioning and strength of the ice scours creating the diffracted energy. Time‐shift variations with mis‐positioning and velocity changes between the surveys seem to best explain the observed variation in the time‐shift for time‐lapse seismic field data from Norne.
The roles of female and hermaphroditic flowers in the gynodioecious–gynomonoecious Silene littorea: insights into the phenology of sex expression
Authors: Casimiro‐Soriguer I. , Buide M. L. , Narbona E. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractSome gynodioecious species have intermediate individuals that bear both female and hermaphroditic flowers. This phenomenon is known as a gynodioecious–gynomonoecious sexual system. Gender expression in such species has received little attention in the past, and the phenologies of male and female functions have also yet to be explored. In this study, we examined variations in gender patterns, their effects on female reproductive success and sex expression in depth throughout the flowering period in two populations. The studied populations of Silene littorea contained mostly gynomonoecious plants and the number of pure females was very low. The gynomonoecious plants showed high variability in the total proportion of female flowers. In addition, the proportion of female flowers in each plant varied widely across the flowering season. Although there was a trend towards maleness, our measures of functional gender suggested that most plants transmit their genes via both pollen and ovules. Fruit set and seed set were not significantly different among populations; in contrast, flower production significantly varied between the two populations – and among plants – with consequent variation in total seed production. Conversely, gender and sex expression were similar in both populations. Plants with higher phenotypic femaleness did not have higher fruit set, seed set or total female fecundity. The mating environment fluctuated little across the flowering period, but fluctuations were higher in the population with low flower production. We therefore conclude that the high proportion of gynomonoecious individuals in our studied populations of S. littorea may be advantageous for the species, providing the benefits of both hermaphroditic and female flowers.
Clinical comparison of the Welch Allyn SureSight™ handheld autorefractor vs. streak retinoscopy in dogs
Authors: Groth Allyson D. , Hollingsworth Steven R. , Ofri Ron , Kass Philip H. , Reed Zoe , Murphy Christopher J. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObjective To compare the Welch Allyn SureSight™ wavefront autorefractor with retinoscopy in normal dogs.Animals studied Fifty privately owned dogs (100 eyes) of 20 breeds, free of ocular disease. Mean ± SD age: 5.7 ± 3.25 years (range: 6 months–13 years).Procedures The refractive error was determined in each eye by two experienced retinoscopists using streak retinoscopy as well as by an autorefractor operated by two different examiners. Measurements were performed before and approximately 30–45 min after cycloplegia was induced by cyclopentolate 0.5% and tropicamide 0.5% ophthalmic solutions.Results Mean ± SD noncyclopleged retinoscopy net sphere was −0.55 ± 1.14 (range: −3.75 to 3.5) diopters (D). Mean cyclopleged retinoscopy net sphere was −0.52 ± 1.18 (range: −4.25 to 2) D. Mean ± SD noncyclopleged autorefractor spherical equivalent (SE) was −0.42 ± 1.13 D (range: −3.36 to 2.73) D. Mean cyclopleged autorefractor SE was 0.10 ± 1.47 (range: −5.62 to 3.19) D. Noncyclopleged autorefraction results were not significantly different from streak retinoscopy (whether noncyclopleged or cyclopleged,P = 0.80 andP = 0.26, respectively). Cyclopleged autorefraction results were significantly different from noncyclopleged or cyclopleged streak retinoscopy (P < 0.0001 in both states). There was no significant difference between noncyclopleged and cyclopleged streak retinoscopy (P = 0.97).Conclusions Noncyclopleged autorefraction shows good agreement with streak retinoscopy in dogs and may be a useful clinical technique. Cycloplegia does not significantly affect streak retinoscopy results in dogs.
Managed Futures for Long‐Term Investors: A DEA Ranking Analysis
Authors: Tokic Damir 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis study proposes an alternative Data Envelopment Analysis ranking model to evaluate the relative performance efficiency of commodity‐trading advisors. I measure the performance efficiency using the decision‐making process quality/trading skills framework and depart from the traditional risk–return framework. The Data Envelopment Analysis rankings produced some interesting results. First, similarly to the previous studies, I successfully isolated two ‘superstar’ commodity‐trading advisors with the highest Sharpe ratios as the Grade A commodity‐trading advisors. However, as an improvement over the similar studies that used the traditional risk–return framework, I also isolated two commodity‐trading advisors with average and below‐average Sharpe ratios as Grade A commodity‐trading advisors.
What Is the Recent Evidence on an Excess Supply of Legal Qualifications in Australia?
Authors: Daly Anne 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis article considers the Australian evidence on whether there has been an excess supply of law graduates. There is evidence of a strong growth in demand for legal services over the past 15 years. It is also shown that the number graduating from Australian universities with a law degree grew by 3.5‐fold between 1989 and 2007. Evidence on employment rates and starting salaries for law graduates does not suggest that the labour market has been unable to absorb this increase in supply. There is, however, some evidence from the 2006 Census of a decline in the median salary of law graduates.
Vega: Non‐Linear FEM Deformable Object Simulator
Authors: Sin F. S. , Schroeder D. , Barbič J. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis practice and experience paper describes a robust C++ implementation of several non‐linear solid three‐dimensional deformable object strategies commonly employed in computer graphics, named the Vega finite element method (FEM) simulation library. Deformable models supported include co‐rotational linear FEM elasticity, Saint–Venant Kirchhoff FEM model, mass–spring system and invertible FEM models: neo‐Hookean, Saint–Venant Kirchhoff and Mooney–Rivlin. We provide several timestepping schemes, including implicit Newmark and backward Euler integrators, and explicit central differences. The implementation of material models is separated from integration, which makes it possible to employ our code not only for simulation, but also for deformable object control and shape modelling. We extensively compare the different material models and timestepping schemes. We provide practical experience and insight gained while using our code in several computer animation and simulation research projects.
A GIS‐Based Site Identification for the Seasonal Storage of Solar Heating: Promises and Pitfalls
Authors: Dolney Timothy J. , Flarend Richard 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis research presents the use of GIS to identify potential locations of the Seasonal Storage of Solar Heating (S3H) within the state of Pennsylvania. The S3H utilizes a large pit to store thermal energy collected during the warm months for later use in the cold months. To maximize its overall efficiency, S3H must be built where several locational parameters occur in unison: abandoned mine lands (AMLs), institutions, soil type, and land use. These parameters were mapped using GIS with potential locations identified through the application of neighborhood statistics. Potential locations were verified through the use of aerial photographs, hillshades, and site visitations. The verification process revealed spatial inaccuracies associated with the AML dataset. As a result, the horizontal positional accuracy of AMLs was tested according to the Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards – National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA). Results indicate larger than expected positional offset for a dataset that is crucial to funding the reclamation of AMLs.
The Market for Corporate Responsibility Reporting in the Americas
Authors: Hamilton Trina , Tschopp Daniel J. 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe largest corporations in the world are increasingly adopting international corporate responsibility (CR) reporting standards from organizations such as the Global Reporting Initiative to meet stakeholder expectations for reliable and comparable social and environmental performance data. At the same time, significant geographic variations in reporting rates remain. The goal of this paper is to explain the diffusion of international CR reporting standards within the Americas. Reporting rates cannot be explained fully by a country's population size or level of economic development. Based on a unique statistical analysis of the relative impact of institutional environments, corporate resources and strategic orientation, stakeholder pressures, and transnational trade and learning networks, this research concludes that the diffusion of CR reporting throughout the Americas to date has been fueled by a rather narrow set of corporations with the capacities necessary to implement CR reporting and the strategic orientation to benefit from it. Moreover, corporations' internal capacities and the external demands for CR reporting have been enhanced in select countries by national and transnational CR advocacy and training organizations. This has led to an uneven development of CR reporting thus far, and this unevenness is expected to continue even as overall reporting rates increase.
Growth of Incumbent Firms and Entrepreneurship in Vietnam
Authors: Santarelli Enrico , Tran Hien Thu 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis paper analyzes the relationship between the performance of incumbent firms and the net entry of new firms by combining various theoretical views of entrepreneurship. Different regression models to treat dynamics and endogeneity issues are applied to test the research hypothesis with regional micro‐data for 61 Vietnamese provinces from 2000 to 2008. The main finding is that net entry is associated with the performance of incumbent firms and the overall performance of the economy. Incumbents' growth and gross domestic product growth induce changes in the existing production system and stimulate the creation of an economic environment more favourable to new firm formation. Consistent with the hypotheses put forward within the “knowledge spillover,” the “error‐correction,” and other approaches, incumbents may generate new entrepreneurial opportunities not only for themselves but also for the whole society.
International trends in health science librarianship: Part 4 – Four Southern European countries
Authors: Lappa Evagelia , Chaleplioglou Artemis , Cognetti Gaetana , Seta Maurella Della , Cheyne Federica Napolitani , Juan‐Quilis Veronica , Muñoz‐Gonzalez Laura , Lopes Sílvia 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThis is the fourth in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in four Southern European countries in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors are from Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal. Future issues will track trends in Latin America and Central Europe.JM
Comparative Cardiovascular Safety of Dementia Medications: A Cross‐National Study
Authors: Fosbøl Emil L. , Peterson Eric D. , Holm Ellen , Gislason Gunnar H. , Zhang Yinghong , Curtis Lesley H. , Køber Lars , Iwata Isao , Torp‐Pedersen Christian , Setoguchi Soko 
Published: November 2012

ObjectivesTo compare the cardiovascular safety of currently marketed dementia medications in new users in the United States and Denmark.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingNationally representative sample of Medicare beneficiaries from 2006 through 2009 and nationwide Danish administrative registries from 1997 through 2007.ParticipantsIndividuals treated with a dementia medication aged 65 and older.MeasurementsHospitalizations for myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure, and syncope or atrioventricular block in both cohorts; fatal or nonfatal MI and cardiac death in the Danish cohort; and all‐cause mortality in sensitivity analyses.ResultsIn 46,737 Medicare beneficiaries and 29,496 Danish participants, donepezil was the most frequently used medication. There were no substantial differences in the risk of MI or heart failure between participants using donepezil and those using other cholinesterase inhibitors (all hazard ratios (HR) crossing 1). In the Danish cohort, memantine was associated with fatal or nonfatal MI (HR = 1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.08–1.63), cardiac death (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.12–1.53), and a trend toward higher rates of hospitalization for MI (HR = 1.31, 95% CI = 0.98–1.76). Memantine was also associated with greater risk of all‐cause mortality in the Medicare (HR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.13–1.28) and Danish (HR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.73–1.94) cohorts, suggesting that sicker individuals were selected for memantine therapy.ConclusionCholinesterase inhibitors have similar cardiovascular risk profiles. Associations between memantine and fatal outcomes in Denmark may be related, in part, to selection of sicker individuals for memantine therapy.
Are keloid and hypertrophic scar different forms of the same disorder? A fibroproliferative skin disorder hypothesis based on keloid findings
Authors: Huang Chenyu , Akaishi Satoshi , Hyakusoku Hiko , Ogawa Rei 
Published: November 2012

AbstractHypertrophic scars (HSs) and keloids are commonly seen as two different diseases by both clinicians and pathologists. However, as supported by histological evidence showing they share increased numbers of fibroblasts and accumulate collagen products, HS and keloid might be different forms of the same pathological entity, rather than separate conditions. To test this hypothesis, keloids from patients who underwent scar excisions (n = 20) in Nippon Medical School from 2005 to 2010 were examined histologically. The proportion and distribution of cellular and matrix collagen components were evaluated at the centre and periphery of each sample. In keloid samples, coexistence of hyalinised collagen, which is the most important pathognomonic characteristic of a keloid and dermal nodules that are considered to be characteristic of HS, was found. Moreover, hyalinised fibres appeared to initiate from the corner of the dermal nodules. Key features of inflammation such as microvessels, fibroblasts and inflammatory cells all decreased gradually from the periphery to the centre of keloids, indicative of reduced inflammation in the centre. Thus, we hypothesise that HS and keloid can be considered as successive stages of the same fibroproliferative skin disorder, with differing degrees of inflammation that might be affected by genetic predisposition.