bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Connecting micro dynamics and population distributions in system dynamics models
Authors: Fallah‐Fini Saeideh , Rahmandad Hazhir , Chen Hsin‐Jen , Xue Hong , Wang Youfa 
Published: April 2014

AbstractResearchers use system dynamics models to capture the mean behavior of groups of indistinguishable population elements (e.g. people) aggregated in stock variables. Yet many modeling problems require capturing the heterogeneity across elements with respect to some attribute(s) (e.g. body weight). This paper presents a new method to connect the micro‐level dynamics associated with elements in a population with the macro‐level population distribution along an attribute of interest without the need to explicitly model every element. We apply the proposed method to model the distribution of body mass index and its changes over time in a sample population of American women obtained from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Comparing the results with those obtained from an individual‐based model that captures the same phenomena shows that our proposed method delivers accurate results with less computation than the individual‐based model. Copyright © 2014 System Dynamics Society
Feral wild boar distribution and perceptions of risk on the central Canadian prairies
Authors: Brook Ryan K. , van Beest Floris M. 
Published: April 2014

ABSTRACTFeral wild boar (Sus scrofa) are rapidly expanding their distribution and abundance globally and causing considerable socio‐economic impacts. Prior to this study, the spatial distribution of feral boar on the Canada prairies was largely unknown. We surveyed all 296 rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, Canada, to determine the distribution of feral boar in the province and characterize community leader perceptions of risk. Of the respondents, over the past 3 years 48% never saw feral boar, 48% saw them at least occasionally, and 3% responded “I don't know,” indicating a few respondents were not confident in saying feral boar were present or absent. Feral boar were observed across a range of habitats, in all months, and at all times of day. Variables that best predicted the distribution of feral boar included % farmland (β = 6.46), % flaxseed crop (β = −8.63), density of paved roads (β = −1.92), % deciduous forest (β = 5.93), and % mustard seed crop (β = −12.63). Mapping the resource selection probability function (RSPF) across the landscape of rural Saskatchewan predicted 70% of municipalities had RSPF >0.7 (high probability of boar presence) and 12% had RSPF <0.3 (low probability of boar presence). At the scale of the individual municipalities, responses about management actions were positively associated with frequency of feral boar observations, whereas questions about the province as a whole were consistently positive regardless of frequency of feral boar observations. Control efforts in Canada are sporadic and limited in scope and scale, but the current distribution of feral boar in Saskatchewan, in combination with the life‐history strategy of the species, indicates that aggressive and coordinated action is required. © 2014 The Wildlife Society.
Local Venous Thrombotic Risk of an Expanding Haemostatic Agent Used During Liver Resection
Authors: Cauchy Francois , Gaujoux Sébastien , Ronot Maxime , Fuks David , Dokmak Safi , Sauvanet Alain , Belghiti Jacques 
Published: April 2014

AbstractBackgroundFor patients undergoing liver resection that leaves an empty intraparenchymal cavity, traditional topical agents might be inadequate to achieve additional hemostasis. A new hemostatic expanding topical foam (BioFoam®) has been designed to provide a mechanical seal. The objective of this study was to report our preliminary results regarding the safety and the efficacy using this foam.MethodsBetween 2009 and 2011, BioFoam® was used to fill a three‐dimensional defect following liver resection in 14 patients. The operative results and postoperative course of these patients were compared to those of 14 matched controls who underwent liver resection but did not receive BioFoam®.ResultsThe two groups were similar in terms of demographics, indications for liver resection, type of surgical procedure, and type and duration of clamping. BioFoam® patients experienced significantly less operative blood loss (275 vs. 630 ml, p = 0.032) but similar operative transfusion rates (28.6 vs. 35.7 %, p = 0.686) compared to no‐BioFoam® patients. The postoperative mortality was nil and no patient developed postoperative hemorrhage. While the two groups shared similar overall (64.3 vs. 57.1 %, p = 0.599) and major (28.6 vs. 14.3 %, p = 0.357) complications rates, BioFoam® patients experienced significantly higher major vascular thrombosis compared to no‐BioFoam® patients (29 vs. 0 %, p = 0.04). In the BioFoam® group, major vascular thrombosis was associated with exposure of the vessel along the transection plane.ConclusionWhile the clinical benefit of BioFoam® in high‐risk liver resections leaving a deep parenchymal defect remains to be proven, the associated risk of vascular thrombosis should preclude its use in contact with major veins.
Measuring Relational and Intrapersonal Empowerment: Testing Instrument Validity in a Former Soviet Country with a Secular Muslim Culture
Authors: Cheryomukhin Alexander , Peterson N. Andrew 
Published: April 2014

AbstractResearch and evaluation studies measuring the construct of empowerment within international community development and human rights initiatives are rare due to a lack of validated measures appropriate for the cultural context. This study represents an initial effort to develop and test the Brief Azerbaijani Empowerment Scale (BAES), an instrument designed to assess relational and intrapersonal components of psychological empowerment among adult community residents (n = 350) in Azerbaijan, a former Soviet country with a predominantly Muslim culture. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the underlying dimensionality of the BAES, and path analysis was used to examine relationships between subscales of the BAES and a set of conceptually relevant variables (i.e., alienation, sense of community, and involvement in community organizations). Findings supported the reliability and validity of the BAES, which may be useful to future efforts to develop more comprehensive measures of intrapersonal and relational empowerment. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Effects of Sorbitan Monostearate and Monooleate on the Crystallization and Consistency Behaviors of Cocoa Butter
Authors: Masuchi Monise Helen , Grimaldi Renato , Kieckbusch Theo Guenter 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe crystallization behavior of cocoa butter (CB) is the essential structuration issue in the development of chocolate products. An alternative to modify and control the crystallization patterns of CB in chocolate production is the incorporation of specific emulsifiers in their formulations. In this work, the effects of sorbitan monostearate (SMS) and sorbitan monooleate (SMO) in the crystallization and consistency behaviors as well as on the microstructure of CB were evaluated. CB samples at three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 % w/w) of SMS and SMO were prepared and their main physical–chemical attributes determined. CB added with 1.5 % of SMS showed the largest effects with a sharp increase in the onset of the crystallization temperature (from 19.3 to 23.8 °C) and doubling the yield value (consistency) of pure cocoa butter. The classic two‐step isothermal crystallization behavior and morphology of CB were also modified with the addition of SMS. A possible explanation based on the solubility of SMS in an organic medium and its ability of self‐assembling was suggested as a mechanism for SMS performance in CB. SMS was considered as a potential crystal modifier for CB by changing its crystal structure and enhancing its thermal resistance—factors that favor the use of this emulsifier in the production of improved thermally stable chocolates.
Psychosocial impact of cancer cachexia
Authors: Hopkinson Jane B. 
Published: April 2014

BackgroundCancer cachexia has impact on patients and their family members. Patients experience loss of weight often accompanied by anorexia and other debilitating symptoms that have clinical impact and impact everyday life. The importance of understanding this impact lies in (1) the alleviation of cachexia‐related suffering and (2) its implications for treating cachexia.ReviewTwo decades of exploratory investigation of the manifestations, meaning and management of cancer cachexia reveal emotional and social impacts for both patients and their carers. Patients can describe change in appearance and loss of physical strength often accompanied by change in eating habits (amount, type and pattern of food intake). The psychosocial effects can include loss of independence, sense of failure, sense of helplessness, conflict with family members over food, social isolation and thoughts of death. They are effects that can distress. Conversely, weight loss, especially early in its course and for those who are obese, can be perceived as beneficial, which inhibits self‐management of diet and physical activity.ConclusionModels of the psychosocial effects of cancer cachexia have been developed, leading to, as yet unproven, propositions of how negative patient and family impacts can be addressed. This literature overlooks the potential importance of psychosocial intervention to emerging multimodal treatments for the multicausal syndrome. Psychosocial intervention in cachexia should be tested for potential to help people affected by cancer cachexia feel better but also for potential to make people better by aiding uptake and compliance with multimodal therapy.
Identifying recreational physical activities associated with muscle quality in men and women aged 50 years and over
Authors: Barbat-Artigas Sébastien , Dupontgand Sophie , Pion Charlotte H. , Feiter-Murphy Yannick , Aubertin-Leheudre Mylène 
Published: April 2014

BackgroundSeveral studies conducted in a laboratory‐related environment have shown that exercise is associated with increased muscle quality in older adults. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether recreational exercise may also be associated with muscle quality in men and women aged 50 years and over.MethodsData are from 312 individuals (215 women) aged 50 years and older. Body composition (dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry) and knee extension strength (KES) of the right leg (one repetition maximum) were assessed. Muscle quality (MQ) (KES/right lower limb lean mass) was calculated. Recreational exercises (duration and weekly amount) were determined by structured interview.ResultsThe duration of the period during which participants practiced resistance activities was the only predictor of MQ (p = 0.018) and explained an additional 1.6 % of the variance in MQ, after controlling for age and gender. Furthermore, the weekly amount of practice of aerobic activities significantly interacted with age (p < 0.001) to determine MQ.ConclusionsFindings suggest that long‐term engagement in resistance exercise is beneficial for muscle quality and should be encouraged. Furthermore, beyond 60 years, aerobic activities also seem to be positively associated with muscle quality.
OPG and PgR show similar cohort specific effects as prognostic factors in ER positive breast cancer
Authors: Sänger Nicole , Ruckhäberle Eugen , Bianchini Giampaolo , Heinrich Tomas , Milde-Langosch Karin , Müller Volkmar , Rody Achim , Solomayer Erich Franz , Fehm Tanja , Holtrich Uwe , Becker Sven , Karn Thomas 
Published: April 2014

The RANK/RANKL/OPG pathway is well known for bone destruction in skeletal metastases but has also been implicated in osteoclast‐independent roles in tumorigenesis and de novo metastasis. Experimental data suggest contribution of progesterone to tumorigenesis may be mediated by RANKL. Importantly, modulation of this pathway became possible through the availability of denosumab, an artificial counterpart of OPG, but significant gaps remain in the translation of preclinical findings on the pathway. We analyzed gene expression of RANK, RANKL and OPG from 40 Affymetrix datasets encompassing 4467 primary breast cancers and focused on ER positive disease.We did not observe a significant prognostic value of RANK and RANKL mRNA expression. In contrast, OPG was associated with a better prognosis among 1941 ER positive cancers (HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.53–0.77; P < 0.0001) using a cutoff from its highly bimodal expression. We detected considerable heterogeneity regarding the prognostic value of OPG between different datasets. This heterogeneity could neither be attributed to technical reasons nor to differences in standard clinical parameters or treatments of the cohorts. Interestingly, the prognostic value of the progesterone receptor and of OPG showed similar cohort specific effects. Still both factors were no surrogates for each other but contributed independent prognostic value in multivariate analyses.Thus, both OPG and PgR are independently associated with good prognosis in ER positive breast cancer. However both markers share common cohort specific differences in contrast to proliferation markers as Ki67 which may be based on the underlying biology.
Risk Communication Recommendations and Implementation During Emerging Infectious Diseases: A Case Study of the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic
Authors: Gesser-Edelsburg Anat , Mordini Emilio , James James J. , Greco Donato , Green Manfred S. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo examine their implementation, we analyzed World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines from 2005 to 2008 for risk communication during an emerging infectious disease outbreak, WHO and CDC reports on implementing the guidelines worldwide after the 2009 H1N1 pandemic; and a case study of a member state.MethodsA qualitative study compared WHO and CDC guidelines from 2005 to 2008 with WHO and CDC reports from 2009 to 2011, documenting their implementation during the H1N1 outbreak and assessed how these guidelines were implemented, based on the reports and Israeli stakeholders (n=70).ResultsEight risk communication subthemes were identified: trust, empowerment, uncertainty, communicating the vaccine, inclusion, identification of subpopulations and at-risk groups, segmentation, and 2-way communication. The reports and case study disclosed a gap between international guidelines and their local-level implementation. The guidelines were mostly top-down communications, with little consideration for individual member-state implementation. The WHO and CDC recommendations were not always based on formative evaluation studies, which undermined their validity.ConclusionsIn formulating effective communication strategies, the first step is to define the goal of a vaccination program. We recommend implementing conceptual elements from the most current theoretical literature when planning communication strategies and increasing organizational involvement in implementing guidelines in future health crises. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2014;0:1–12)
The expression of caused motion by adult Chinese learners of English
Authors: JI YINGLIN , HOHENSTEIN JILL 
Published: April 2014

abstractAlthough spatial understanding by human beings tends to be universal, the linguistic system to represent one’s spatial experience varies significantly across languages. This study explores implications of this contrast in the field of second language acquisition by examining how adult Chinese learners of English express caused motion in an experimental situation in which they are asked to describe animation clips showing caused motion with varied types of Manner and Path to an imaginary remote addressee. Our findings showed that across proficiencies, L2 learners acclimated to the target system very rapidly and produced responses that were target-like with respect to the selection of motion components and the syntactic means to organize selected information components over an utterance. These results suggest that the acquisition process of caused motion can be facilitated when L1 and L2 share some typological properties and the target system to be acquired is the simple and unambiguous one of the two typological patterns concerned.
Stratigraphy, composition and provenance of argillaceous marls from the Calcare di Base Formation, Rossano Basin (northeastern Calabria)
Authors: PERRI FRANCESCO , DOMINICI ROCCO , CRITELLI SALVATORE 
Published: April 2014

AbstractThe Calcare di Base Formation is a part of the Rossano Basin characterizing the Foreland Basin System of northeastern Calabria. Messinian argillaceous marls from the Calcare di Base Formation have been studied to characterize the sedimentary evolution of this formation during the post-orogenic phases of the Calabria–Peloritani Arc. The mineralogical assemblage of the argillaceous marls is dominated by phyllosilicates (illite, chlorite, illite/smectite mixed layers and traces of kaolinite), carbonate minerals (calcite, aragonite and dolomite), quartz and traces of feldspars (both K-feldspars and plagioclase), gypsum and celestine. The palaeoweathering index records changes at the source, reflecting variations in the tectonic regime as shown in the A–CN–K plot, where the studied samples describe a trend typical of a source area in which active tectonism allows erosion of all zones within weathering profiles developed on source rocks. The studied samples are derived from an environment in which non-steady-state weathering conditions prevailed. This trend could record deformational events that affected the Mediterranean area during the Miocene. The Th/Sc versus Zr/Sc ratios and Al–Zr–Ti plot suggest that the samples likely record a recycling effect from their basement rocks. The geochemical proxies of these samples suggest a provenance from a mainly felsic source. The Messinian argillaceous marls record that deposition probably occurred in a semi-closed marine environment mainly subject to hypersalinity with local episodes of meteoric water influx, during a period characterized by persistent dry and warm/arid conditions alternating with relatively wet conditions.
Geochronology of the Cambrian: a precise Middle Cambrian U–Pb zircon date from the German margin of West Gondwana
Authors: LANDING ED , GEYER GERD , BUCHWALDT ROBERT , BOWRING SAMUEL A. 
Published: April 2014

AbstractA volcanic tuff 1.0 m above the base of the Triebenreuth Formation in the Franconian Forest provides the first precise and biostratigraphically bracketed date within the traditional Middle Cambrian. The first illustration of fossils from the Triebenreuth Formation in this report and their discussion allow a more highly refined correlation within the Middle Cambrian. A weighted mean206Pb–238U date of 503.14±0.13/0.25/0.59 Ma on zircons from this subaerial pyroclastic tuff was determined by U–Pb chemical abrasion isotope dilution mass spectrometry (CA-TIMS) techniques. Atc. 6.0–7.0 Ma younger than the base of the traditional Middle Cambrian in Avalonia, the new West Gondwanan date from east-central Germany suggests that estimates of 500 Ma for the base of the traditional Upper Cambrian and 497 Ma on the base of the Furongian Series may prove to be too ‘old’. Biostratigraphically well-bracketed dates through most of the Middle Cambrian/Series 3 and below the upper Upper Cambrian/upper Furongian Series do not exist. An earlier determined 494.4±3.8 Ma date from the Southwell Group of Tasmania may actually prove to be a reasonable estimate for the age of the base of the traditional Upper Cambrian. Until high precision dates are determined on the base of the traditional Upper Cambrian and base of the Furongian Series, the rates of biotic replacements and geological developments and the durations of biotic zones in the Middle/Series 3 and Upper Cambrian/Furongian Series remain as ‘best guesses’.
Combined conservation of jack bean and velvet bean with sorghum: evaluation of lab-scale silages and in vitro assessment of their nutritive value
Authors: LIMA-OROZCO R. , VAN DAELE I. , ÁLVAREZ-HERNÁNDEZ U. , FIEVEZ V. 
Published: April 2014

SUMMARYThe potential of ensiled sorghum–soybean as a ruminant feed has already been demonstrated; however, alternatives for soybean should be considered because other legumes such as jack bean (JB; Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC.) and velvet bean (VB; Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC) might produce better yields under tropical conditions. First, the possibility for a qualitative conservation of these legumes in combination with sorghum was studied using lab-scale silages. Furthermore, the potential of additional molasses as a source of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and a microbial inoculant (BIOPRANAL) to improve silage quality were assessed. As sorghum or legume tannins may influence the silage nutritive value, their importance was assessed through the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG), which reduces tannin activity. Therefore, 25 treatments per legume–sorghum combination were created according to a central composite design. An acceptable silage quality was reached when at least half of the fresh biomass consisted of sorghum in combination with at least 15 g of additional WSC/kg fresh material. The nutritive value of mixed silages as well as pure sorghum silage in combination with dry jack beans was determined through in vitro digestibility in the rumen and small intestine. Polyethylene glycol increased the in vitro production of short-chain fatty acids, ammonia (NH3) concentrations and effective rumen dry matter and crude protein degradability for both mixed silages, indicating that tannins reduced rumen degradability. The latter action could be positive as the amount of digestible bypass protein increased when no PEG was added in the silo. Propionate and valerate proportions were increased through PEG addition to sorghum–JB and sorghum–VB silages, respectively, suggesting that the nature of the tannins differ between these legumes.
Investigation of the role of major respiratory viruses in the aetiology of nasal polyps using polymerase chain reaction technique
Authors: Aksoy F , Yenigun A , Dogan R , Yilmaz F , Ozturan O , Yenigun V B 
Published: April 2014

AbstractObjective:We aimed to identify the role of major respiratory viruses in the aetiology of human nasal polyps using polymerase chain reaction technique.Methods:Thirty patients with nasal polyps and a group of 20 healthy patients (control group) were included in this study. Mucosa was obtained from the polyps of patients with nasal polyposis and from the middle turbinate of the control group patients by means of biopsy. The samples were stored at −80 °C until molecular analysis by polymerase chain reaction was carried out.Results:In the control group, the human coronavirus and human rhinovirus were diagnosed in one of the patients and the human respiratory syncytial virus in another. In the group with nasal polyposis, the influenza B virus was identified in one of the patients and the human coronavirus in another.Conclusion:The results did not demonstrate a statistically significant relationship between nasal polyposis and respiratory viruses.