bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel management to enhance spider biodiversity in existing grass buffer strips
Authors: Blake Robin J. , Woodcock Ben A. , Westbury Duncan B. , Sutton Peter , Potts Simon G. 
Published: November 2012

Grass buffer strips have been widely sown to mitigate against intensive agricultural management practices that have negatively impacted on invertebrate and plant biodiversity in arable farming systems. Typically, such strips are floristically species poor and are dominated by grasses. In the present study, we developed management practices to enhance the floristic and structural diversity of these existing strips for the benefit of spiders, a key provider of natural pest control in crops.
Across three UK arable farms, we investigated the benefits of: (i) scarification to create germination niches into which wildflower seeds were sown and (ii) the effect of graminicide applications to suppress grass dominance. Spiders were sampled twice per year (July and September) during 2008 and 2009.
The combination of scarification with wildflower seeds, as well as graminicide, resulted in the greatest wildflower cover and lowest grass cover, with a general trend of increased abundance of adult and juvenile spiders. The abundance of Pachygnatha degeeri, Bathyphantes gracilis and juvenile wolf spiders of the genus Pardosa was positively correlated with wildflower cover, probably reflecting increased prey availability. Sward structure was negatively correlated with Erigone atra, Oedothorax fuscus and juvenile Pardosa abundance.
Management that utilizes existing commonly adopted agri‐environment options, such as grass buffer strips, represents a potentially important conservation tool for increasing the quantity and quality of invertebrate habitats. This can maximize opportunities for the provision of multiple ecosystem services, including pest regulation by predators such as spiders. These management practices have the potential to be incorporated into existing U.K. and European agri‐environment schemes.
Elective segmental ureterectomy for transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter: long‐term follow‐up in a series of 73 patients
Authors: Simonato Alchiede , Varca V. , Gregori A. , Benelli A. , Ennas M. , Lissiani A. , Gacci M. , De Stefani S. , Rosso M. , Benvenuto S. , Siena G. , Belgrano E. , Gaboardi F. , Carini M. , Bianchi G. , Carmignani G. 
Published: November 2012

Study Type – Therapy (outcome)Level of Evidence 2bWhat's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Upper Urinary Tract (UUT) Transitional Cell Carcinoma (TCC) is an uncommon disease and represents approximately 5% of all urothelial carcinomas. We report our series on 73 patients treated with Kidney Sparing Surgery for UUT TCC. Good results have been achieved in terms of oncological outcome comparing this conservative approach to the radical nephrourectomy.OBJECTIVES
To report the long‐term oncological outcome in patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter electively treated with kidney‐sparing surgery.
To compare our data with the few series reported in the literature.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
We considered 73 patients with transitional cell carcinoma of the distal ureter treated in five Italian Departments of Urology.
The following surgeries were carried out: 38 reimplantations on psoas hitch bladder (52%), 21 end‐to‐end anastomoses (28.8%), 11 direct ureterocystoneostomies (15.1%) and three reimplantations on Boari flap bladder (4.1%).
The median follow‐up was 87 months.
RESULTS
Tumours were pTa in 42.5% of patients, pT1 in 31.5%, pT2 in 17.8% and pT3 in 8.2%.
Recurrence of bladder urothelial carcinoma was found in 10 patients (13.7%) after a median time of 28 months.
The bladder recurrence‐free survival at 5 years was 82.2%.
The overall survival at 5 years was 85.3% and the cancer‐specific survival rate at 5 years was 94.1%.
CONCLUSION
Our data show that segmental ureterectomy procedures do not result in worse cancer control compared with data in the literature regarding nephroureterectomy.
Inflammatory prognostic markers in clear cell renal cell carcinoma – preoperative C‐reactive protein does not improve predictive accuracy
Authors: Bedke Jens , Chun Felix K.‐H. , Merseburger Axel , Scharpf Marcus , Kasprzyk Kathrin , Schilling David , Sievert Karl‐Dietrich , Stenzl Arnulf , Kruck Stephan 
Published: November 2012

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?White blood cell count and C‐reactive protein are reliable prognostic RCC Biomarkers.Nevertheless, accepted cut‐offs for risk stratifications are missing.Therefore, both parameters were re‐evaluated and multivariable analyses revealed an optimal CRP breakpoint at 0.25 mg/dL to be best to stratify patients at risk of cancer‐specific mortality. However, this CRP‐based prediction added no additional information compared to a clinico‐pathological based model.Objective
To re‐evaluate the prognostic and predictive significance of the preoperative white blood cell (WBC) count and C‐reactive protein (CRP) that independently predicts patient prognosis and to determine optimal threshold values for CRP.
Patients and Methods
From 1996 to 2005, 327 patients with surgery for clear cell renal cell carcinoma were retrospectively evaluated.
Cox proportional hazard models were used, adjusted for the effects of tumour stage, size, Fuhrman grade and Karnofsky index, to evaluate the prognostic significance of WBC count and CRP and to identify threshold values.
Identified thresholds were correlated with clinicopathological parameters and used to estimate cancer‐specific survival.
To prove any additional predictive accuracy of the identified threshold it was compared with a clinicopathological base model using the Harrell concordance index (c‐index).
Results
In univariable analyses WBC count was a significant prognostic marker at a concentration of 9.5/μL (hazard ratio [HR] 1.83) and 11.0/μL (HR 2.09) and supported CRP values of 0.25 mg/dL (HR 6.47, P < 0.001) and 0.5 mg/dL (HR 7.15, P < 0.001) as potential threshold values.
If adjusted by the multivariable models WBC count showed no clear breakpoint, but a CRP value of 0.25 mg/dL (HR 2.80, P = 0.027) proved to be optimal.
Reduced cancer‐specific survival was proved for CRP 0.25 mg/dL (median 69.9 vs 92.3 months). Median follow‐up was 57.5 months with 72 (22%) tumour‐related deaths.
The final model built by the addition of CRP 0.25 mg/dL did not improve predictive accuracy (c‐index 0.877) compared with the clinicopathological base model (c‐index 0.881) which included TNM stage, grading and Karnofsky index.
Conclusions
Multivariable analyses revealed that an optimal breakpoint of CRP at a value of 0.25 mg/dL was best to stratify patients at risk of cancer‐specific mortality, but CRP 0.25 mg/dL added no additional information in the prediction model.
Therefore we cannot recommend measuring CRP as the traditional parameters of TNM stage, grading and Karnofsky index are already of high predictive accuracy.
The Basic Formal Ontology as a Reference Framework for Modeling the Evolution of Administrative Units
Authors: Gantner Felix , Waldvogel Bettina , Meile Rolf , Laube Patrick 
Published: November 2012

AbstractIn information systems, ontologies promise advantages such as enhanced interoperability, knowledge sharing, and integration of data sources. In this article, we show that the upper ontology Basic Formal Ontology can facilitate the modeling of an evolution of administrative units. This is demonstrated by creating a spatiotemporal ontology for the administrative units of Switzerland. The ontology tackles the problem that the geometric data is typically captured by taking snapshots at regular intervals while the thematic data is continually updated. The ontology presented merges time‐stamped geometries with a formally described history of administrative units, allowing for complex spatiotemporal queries neither standard approach would support. The resulting populated knowledge base was evaluated against a set of spatiotemporal test queries. The evaluation showed that this knowledge base supports a wide range of queries on the evolution of the administrative units of Switzerland between 1960 and 2010.
Improving Representation of Land‐use Maps Derived from Object‐oriented Image Classification
Authors: Gao Wenxiu , Stein Alfred , Yang Li , Wang Ying , Fang Hui 
Published: November 2012

AbstractObject‐oriented (OO) image analysis provides an efficient way to generate vector‐format land‐cover and land‐use maps from remotely sensed images. Such image‐derived vector maps, however, are generally presented with congested and twisted polygons with step‐like boundaries. They include unclassified polygons and polygons with geometric conflicts such as unreadable small areas and narrow corridors. The complex and poorly readable representations usually make such maps not comply well with the Gestalt principle of cartography. This article describes a framework designed to improve the representation by resolving these problematic polygons. It presents a polygon similarity model integrating semantic, geometric and spectral characteristics of the image‐derived polygons to eliminate small and unclassified polygons. In addition, an outward‐inward‐buffering approach is presented to resolve the narrow‐corridor conflicts of a polygon and improve its overall appearance. A case study demonstrates that the implementation of the framework reduces the number of the polygons by 32% and the length of the polygon boundaries by 20%. At the same time, it does not cause distinct changes the distribution of land‐use types (less than 0.05%) and the overall accuracy (decreased only 0.02%) as compared with the original image‐derived land‐use maps. We conclude that the presented framework and models effectively improve the overall representation of image‐derived maps without distinct changes in their semantic characteristics and accuracy.
From Counter‐terrorism to Criminal Justice: Transformation or Business as Usual?
Authors: Tomlinson Mike 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe article explores the extent to which criminal justice in Northern Ireland has been reconstructed over the past 15 years. The focus is on the framework provided in the Good Friday Agreement (1998) and the range of transition processes that followed. Post‐Agreement Inquiries are reviewed and the findings demonstrate the institutional rigidities facing the transformation of criminal justice. While the ideologies and practices of counter‐terrorism no longer dominate the business of criminal justice, the extent of change in terms of social representativeness, scale and expenditure is variable, with the prison service proving the least changed.
Unlocking a Locked‐down Regime: The Role of Penal Policy and Administration in Northern Ireland and the Challenges of Change
Authors: Wahidin Azrini , Moore Linda , Convery Una 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe aim of this article is to examine the impact of the Conflict on the development and character of the prison system in Northern Ireland. It traces the use of imprisonment to repress challenges to the legitimacy of the State, and the ways in which prisoners and communities have resisted oppressive penal policies. Evidence is presented that notwithstanding the peace process and early release of most politically‐motivated prisoners, regimes within the North's three prison establishments remain heavily influenced by the experience of violence, with a prioritisation of security over care and rehabilitation. The establishment, in 2010, of an independent Prison Review led by Dame Anne Owers, has presented an opportunity to address the underlying problems within the prison system. The article concludes by exploring the implications of the Northern Ireland experience for other transitional jurisdictions undergoing penal reform.
‘Soul Murder’1 and ‘The Birth of Intersubjectivity’2 in David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method3
Authors: Heuer Gottfried M. 
Published: November 2012

Translations of Introduction« A Dangerous Method » (2011), le nouveau film dirigé par David Cronenberg, avec un scénario de Christopher Hampton, a fait sensation dans la culture populaire et a été un sujet de controverse dans les cercles jungiens du monde entier. Quatre analystes jungiens proposent leurs critiques et perspectives basées sur la vision du film : deux sont écrites comme des compte‐rendus ; les deux autres sont de brefs essais inspirés par le film. Beverley Zabriskie fait un commentaire sur Cronenberg : « Un scénariste et directeur de film ne peut entrer pleinement dans le cadre des fantasmes intérieurs, la tonalité des dynamiques relationnelles, et le contexte des réalités extérieures. Même quand le dialogue est tiré des paroles écrites par les protagonistes concernés, ils sont marqués par l’évaluation et les intonations de l’interprète. » Dans le même ordre d’idée, Sharn Waldron dit : « Dans A Dangerous Method il s’agit moins de comprendre Jung, Freud, Spielrein et les débuts de la psychanalyse que d’être invité dans les fantasmes personnels de Cronenberg, mis en scène sous couvert d’un moment critique de l’histoire de la psychanalyse. » A l’opposé, Jan Wiener choisit « de ne pas entrer dans l’arène de l’exactitude historique au sujet d’un fait acquis, mais se focalise sur les dynamiques transférentielles et contre transférentielles telles qu’elles sont décrites dans le film. » Et Gottfried Heuer souligne l’importance du moment intersubjectif qui se joue entre Jung et Spielrein et le mouvement vers une psychologie à deux,. Plus loin, il fait remarquer que Spielrein avait été bien plus que seulement « une muse pour ces grands hommes » ; elle a contribué aux débuts de la psychanalyse de l’enfant et continua àécrire et à exercer au‐delà du cadre donné par le temps du film et au‐delà des limites de ses maîtres.
Euroscepticism Re‐galvanized: The Consequences of the 2005 French and Dutch Rejections of the EU Constitution
Authors: STARTIN NICK , KROUWEL ANDRÉ 
Published: November 2012

AbstractIn the spring of 2005, the European Union was plunged into a state of crisis when two of the Union's founding members (France and the Netherlands) rejected the proposed EU Constitution in two separate referendums. In this article, it is argued that the ‘no’ votes in both countries, despite the support of mainstream political elites and the bulk of the media, should not be viewed with surprise. The article begins by examining the background debate to the referendums in both countries before considering the major issues that dominated the ‘no’ campaigns as well as the issues that motivated the two countries' electorates in their decisions to reject the EU Constitution. From here, the article examines the significance of the 2005 ‘no’ votes in the current context within France and the Netherlands and argues that the clear polarization of the ‘no’ vote among those from socio‐economically less well‐off backgrounds is not only the sign of a further widening of the gap between mainstream political elites and their supporters with regard to European integration, but that in turn it is also having a significant impact at a party level in terms of the galvanization of Eurosceptic political parties – particularly the radical right. The article concludes with the argument that 2005 has contributed to the growing salience of Euroscepticism within both countries, which in the context of the crisis in the eurozone is likely to lead to further re‐evaluation of the European project among political elites.
Mutation detection in Croatian patients with Familial Hypercholesterolemia
Authors: Pećin Ivan , Whittall Ros , Futema Marta , Sertić Jadranka , Reiner Željko , Leigh Sarah E. A. , Humphries Steve E. 
Published: November 2012

SummaryFamilial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is caused by mutations in the genes for LDLR, APOB or PCSK9, and identification of the causative mutation provides definitive diagnosis so that the patient can be treated, their relatives tested and, therefore, premature heart disease prevented.DNA of eight unrelated individuals with clinically diagnosed FH were analyzed using a High‐Resolution Melting method (HRM) for the LDLR gene (coding region, promoter and intron/exon boundaries), the APOB gene (part exon 26) and the PCSK9 gene (exon7). Variations found were sequenced and the effect on function of confirmed variants examined using predictive algorithms. Gross deletions and insertions were analysed using MLPA.Three novel LDLR variants were found, p.(S470C), p.(C698R) and c.2312–2A>C. All were predicted to be pathogenic using predictive algorithms. Three previously reported disease‐causing mutations were identified (p.(G20R), p.(N272T) and p.(S286R); the latter was also carried by a hypercholesterolaemic relative. One patient carried the pathogenic APOB variant p.(R3527Q). No large LDLR deletions nor insertions were found, neither were any PCSK9 variants identified.HRM is a sensitive method for screening for mutations. While the causative mutation has been identified in 88% of these clinically defined FH patients, there appears to be a high degree of allelic heterogeneity in Croatian patients.
Effects of authority: voicescapes in children's beliefs about the learning of English
Authors: Aro Mari 
Published: November 2012

This paper examines learner beliefs from a dialogical point of view. Drawing on the writings of the Bakhtin circle, it sees beliefs as shared and recycled viewpoints that are multivoiced: they echo the voices of others as well as the voice of the speaker. A longitudinal interview study was conducted among a group of young Finnish learners of English. The analysis of the data focused on the voicework present in the learners' answers: how they, on the one hand, echoed or even repeated the voices of authority, and, on the other hand, brought forward their own insights. The results indicate that the authoritative voices strongly influence how the individual viewpoints are formed and presented and may consequently also influence learner actions.Artikkelissa tarkastellaan oppijoiden käsityksiä dialogisesta näkökulmasta. Dialogisuus perustuu ns. Bahtinin piirin kirjoituksiin, ja sen valossa käsitykset nähdään jaettuina ja kierrätettyinä näkökulmina, jotka ovat moniäänisiä: niissä kaikuvat sekä toisilta haltuunotetut äänet että puhujan oma ääni. Artikkelissa esiteltävässä pitkittäisessä haastattelututkimuksessa tarkasteltiin suomalaisten englannin oppijoiden käsityksiä. Analyysissä keskityttiin oppijoiden vastauksissa kaikuviin ääniin: sekä kaiutettaviin tai toistettaviin autoritäärisiin ääniin että oppijoiden omalla äänellään esittämiin näkemyksiin. Tulokset osoittavat, että autoritääristen äänien edustamat näkökulmat vaikuttavat vahvasti siihen, miten omat näkemykset muodostetaan ja esitetään, ja niillä saattaa näin olla vaikutusta myös oppijoiden toimintaan.
A variationist study of compliment responses in Chinese
Authors: Guo Hong‐jie , Zhou Qin‐qin , Chow Daryl 
Published: November 2012

Building upon the foundation of variationist sociolinguistics and politeness theory, this paper examines the norms and patterns of compliment responses in Mandarin Chinese, and explores the constraints of sociolinguistic variables on the pragmatic variation of this speech act. This study is built on a corpus of 1,190 naturally occurring compliment exchanges collected in the speech community of Shanghai, in conjunction with the interlocutors' ethnographic information. Variable rule analysis is used to identify the factors that contribute to compliment response patterns. The most striking diachronic change revealed by this study lies in the fact that Chinese speakers considerably tend towards the acceptance of compliments while strategies of non‐acceptance are on the decline, as exhibited by the Shanghai speech community. The study also suggests that Chinese speakers appear to be situated in a transitional period from the modesty maxim to the agreement maxim. In addition, the results demonstrated that the pragmatic variable of compliment response varies systematically with social variables such as gender, age, social status, education, social class, social distance, and the use of English.本篇文章基于社会语言学的变异观和和礼貌理论，探讨汉语恭维回应语的模式和准则，并分析了多个社会语言学变量对其语用变异的制约作用。本研究共收集上海言语社区1,190个自然语言状态下的恭维语及恭维回应语用例，同时还收集了有关语言使用者的相关社会背景信息。研究采用变项规则分析法来分析不同语境因素对汉语恭维回应语的影响。研究结果揭示，恭维回应语模式的历时性显著变化是接受型模式越来越普遍，而不接受型模式则使用得越来越少，这是上海言语社区的一个真实写照。研究表明，中国人的礼貌准则正在经历一个由谦虚准则到一致准则过渡的阶段。研究结果还发现，恭维语回应语受到各种社会因素，如年龄、性别、社会地位、教育程度、社会阶层、社会关系、英语熟练程度等因素的制约，而且呈现出一定的系统性。
‘World English’ or ‘World Englishes’? Does it make any difference?
Authors: Rajagopalan Kanavillil 
Published: November 2012

As the English language spreads across the world like wildfire, many scholars find themselves speculating about its future. Many have claimed that the language is destined to undergo significant changes even to the point of becoming unrecognizable. Just what to call it from now on is however a matter of dispute. At first blush, it might appear that this is matter of splitting hairs, since the name itself is believed to be not all that important. This paper, however, defends the idea that the name does matter a lot. This is so because the appellation we choose often carries with it associations and implications that have major consequences for the way we approach the very phenomenon. It even predisposes us in one way or another.Na medida em que a língua inglesa se espalha com rapidez ao redor do mundo, muitos estudiosos especulam sobre seu futuro. Muitos argumentam que a língua está fadada a passar por mudanças significativas ao ponto de se tornar irreconhecível. Exatamente como denominá‐la daqui em diante é, contudo, uma questão aberta a disputas. À primeira vista, pode parecer que se trata de uma questão de se fazer distinções demasiado sutis, já que se supõe que o nome em si não é tão importante assim. Este trabalho, todavia, defende a idéia de que o nome importa, sim, e muito. Isso porque o nome que escolhemos frequentemente carrega consigo associações e implicações que têm conseqüências maiores para a forma como abordamos o próprio fenômeno. Ele até nos predispõe em uma direção ou outra.