bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of xerosis, eczema, and hair and nail abnormalities in PLWHA in Cotonou, Benin
Authors: Atadokpede F. , Adegbidi H. , Sehonou J. J. , Koudoukpo C. , Houenassi D. M. , Yedomon H. G. , Do Ango‐Padonou F. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractBackground  The objective of this investigation was to study the prevalence of xerosis, eczema, and hair and nail abnormalities in PLWHA in Cotonou.Patients and methods  A retrospective study was performed on the records of PLWHA in Cotonou. All PLWHA with xerosis, eczema, or abnormal appendages were included.Results  Forty‐seven patients had xerosis or eczema. Their mean age was 38 years; the sex ratio 0.51 and the mean CD4 count 89 cells/mm3. Twenty‐three patients had xerosis, which affected the whole body (n = 20), lower limb (n = 2), limbs and trunk (n = 1), without gender difference. Twenty‐four patients had eczema of which eight had both eczema and xerosis. Forty‐two patients had abnormalities of the hair or nails. Their sex ratio was 0.80 and the mean CD4 count 110 cells/mm3. Nineteen patients had abnormalities of the hair and scalp: straight hair (n = 16), squamous lesions (n = 2), and folliculitis abscess (n = 1) with a male predominance. Twenty‐three patients had nail dermatophytosis (n = 15), candidiasis (n = 7), and ingrowing nails (n = 1). These conditions affected more often women (74%) than men (26%).Conclusion  The prevalence of eczema and xerosis is low in our patients. Onychomycosis was the most frequent nail abnormality.
Prévalence de l’eczéma, de la xérose et des anomalies phanériennes chez les patients infectés par le HIV à Cotonou, Bénin
Authors: Atadokpede Félix , Yedomon HG , Adegbidi H , Sehonou JJ , Koudoukpo C , Houenassi DM , Do Ango‐Padonou F 
Published: December 2012

RésuméIntroduction L’objectif de cette enquête était d’étudier la prévalence de la xérose, de l’eczéma et des anomalies des phanères chez les PVVIH à Cotonou.Patients et méthode Une étude rétrospective a été réalisée sur les dossiers de PVVIH, à Cotonou. Toutes les PVVIH présentant une xérose, un eczéma ou une anomalie des phanères ont été incluses.Résultats 47 patients présentaient une xérose cutanée ou un l’eczéma. Leur âge moyen était de 38 ans, le sex‐ratio de 0.51 et le taux moyen de lymphocytes CD4 de 89 cellules/mm3. Chez 23 patients, la xérose cutanée touchait tout le corps (n = 20), ou les membres inférieurs seulement (n = 2), ou les membres et le tronc (n = 1), sans différence entre les sexes. 24 patients avaient de l’eczéma dont 8 avaient à la fois de l’eczéma et de la xérose cutanée. 42 patients avaient des anomalies des cheveux ou des ongles avec un sex‐ratio de 0.80 et un taux moyen de lymphocytes CD4 de 110 cellules/mm3. 19 patients présentaient des anomalies des cheveux et du cuir chevelu : cheveux décrépis (n = 16), lésions squameuses (n = 2), folliculites abcédées (n = 1) avec une prédominance masculine. 23 patients avaient des anomalies des ongles : dermatophytoses (n = 15), candidose (n = 7), ongle incarné (n = 1). Ces affections touchaient plus souvent les femmes (74%) que les hommes (26%).Conclusions La prévalence de l’eczéma et de la xérose est faible chez nos patients. Les onychomycoses sont les affections des ongles les plus fréquentes.
In the name of poverty alleviation: Experiments with oil palm smallholders and customary land in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Majid Cooke Fadzilah 
Published: December 2012

AbstractOil palm in Sabah is grown in large plantations or smallholdings, the latter mostly managed by indigenous peoples on untitled customary land. Government development agencies have long focussed on improving the productivity of smallholders for poverty alleviation. For most smallholders, the main issue is tenure insecurity: as long as lands remain untitled they are subject to changes in land allocation and land use at the discretion of the State Government. Indigenous claimants seek recognition of the right to use and occupy ancestral lands via individual Native Titles (NT), as provided for in the Sabah Land Ordinance (SLO). Recent official push for converting such ‘idle’ customary lands by promoting large scale joint ventures between customary landowners and oil palm companies is creating anxiety among many indigenous groups. The joint‐venture approach has been enabled through a crucial amendment to the SLO that promotes the granting of communal titles (CT) with conditions attached. This tenure instrument empowers state‐appointed trustees to make key decisions concerning land use where commercial crops (especially oil palm) are favoured and on the eligibility of descendants (pewaris) to participate in the joint venture or not. The complexity of local concerns and official responses is captured via a case study at Lalampas in the Tongod District of Sabah.
Repetition advantage and disadvantage in perceptual identification tasks
Authors: Kuwana Toshinori 
Published: November 2012

AbstractRepetitive presentation of a stimulus brings not only advantage but also disadvantage when performing perceptual identification tasks. In this study, the conflicting phenomena of the effect of repetition were examined using two Kana character sets (Hiragana and Katakana) as stimuli. Two identical or different stimuli were presented in rapid succession and participants were asked to identify and report them. The stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between the two stimuli was varied from 200 ms to 1200 ms, according to which the suitable temporal conditions for the two distinct effects of repetition were explored. The results indicated that two distinct effects of repetition occurred depending on the informational code shared by the two stimuli. An interference effect of repetition was observed with SOA values of up to 500 ms when the two stimuli were identical in terms of their visual pattern code (Hiragana), whereas a superior effect of repetition was observed with an SOA value of 200 ms when they were identical only in terms of their phonological code (Hiragana and Katakana). From these findings, the author proposes that when two identical stimuli are presented in rapid succession, inhibition and activation mechanisms may function at different levels of processing.
Myometrial immune cells contribute to term parturition, preterm labour and post‐partum involution in mice
Authors: Shynlova Oksana , Nedd‐Roderique Tamara , Li Yunqing , Dorogin Anna , Lye Stephen J. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis study aimed to determine the mechanism of uterine activation during labour, both term (TL) and preterm (PTL). We hypothesized that the peripheral leucocytes are recruited to uterine tissues by locally produced cytokines where they contribute to the initiation of parturition. Mouse uteri were collected (i) during gestation, TL and post‐partum (PP), (ii) during PTL initiated by intrauterine infusion of LPS (125 μg) or (iii) injection of the progesterone receptor antagonist RU486 and analysed for multiple cytokine expression levels by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and 23‐plex Cytokine assay or enzymatically dispersed for assessment of immune cell populations. Markers of myeloid cell differentiation (Gr1, Neu7/4 and F4/80) were evaluated by FACS to define tissue macrophages (Macs), monocytes (M) and neutrophils (N) and by immunohistochemistry to detect tissue Macs and N. Our results indicate that: (1) Macs were elevated in mouse myometrium before TL (P < 0.05) followed by an increase in M and N; these changes were accompanied by an increase in multiple pro‐inflammatory cytokines/chemokines genes. The expression of corresponding proteins increased PP. (2) TL and RU486‐PTL models showed similar gene/protein expression profiles, (3) LPS‐PTL was characterized by strong pro‐inflammatory response and massive influx of N in myometrial tissues showing a pattern different from TL and RU486‐PTL, (4) The PP period appears similar in all three models, with elevated myometrial cytokine levels and high infiltration of immune cells. We concluded that leucocytes infiltrate myometrium around the time of parturition implicating their potential role in labour activation (both term and preterm) and major role in PP uterine involution.
Cardiac telocytes were decreased during myocardial infarction and their therapeutic effects for ischaemic heart in rat
Authors: Zhao Baoyin , Chen Shang , Liu Juanjuan , Yuan Ziqiang , Qi Xufeng , Qin Junwen , Zheng Xin , Shen Xiaotao , Yu Yanhong , Qnin Thomas J. , Chan John Yeuk‐Hon , Cai Dongqing 
Published: December 2012

AbstractRecently, cardiac telocytes were found in the myocardium. However, the functional role of cardiac telocytes and possible changes in the cardiac telocyte population during myocardial infarction in the myocardium are not known. In this study, the role of the recently identified cardiac telocytes in myocardial infarction (MI) was investigated. Cardiac telocytes were distributed longitudinally and within the cross network of the myocardium, which was impaired during MI. Cardiac telocytes in the infarction zone were undetectable from approximately 4 days to 4 weeks after an experimental coronary occlusion was used to induce MI. Although cardiac telocytes in the non‐ischaemic area of the ischaemic heart experienced cell death, the cell density increased approximately 2 weeks after experimental coronary occlusion. The cell density was then maintained at a level similar to that observed 1–4 days after left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD)‐ligation, but was still lower than normal after 2 weeks. We also found that simultaneous transplantation of cardiac telocytes in the infarcted and border zones of the heart decreased the infarction size and improved myocardial function. These data indicate that cardiac telocytes, their secreted factors and microvesicles, and the microenvironment may be structurally and functionally important for maintenance of the physiological integrity of the myocardium. Rebuilding the cardiac telocyte network in the infarcted zone following MI may be beneficial for functional regeneration of the infarcted myocardium.
Is There a Relationship Between Chronic Periodontitis and Erectile Dysfunction?
Authors: Oğuz Fatih , Eltas Abubekir , Beytur Ali , Akdemir Ender , Uslu Mustafa Özay , Güneş Ali 
Published: December 2012

ABSTRACT

Introduction
Chronic periodontitis (CP) is characterized with inflammation of the gingival tissues, which causes endothelial dysfunction in different organs.

Aim
In this study, we investigated the association of CP with the erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods
The study group included 80 male patients with ED and 82 male patients without ED (control), aged between 30 and 40 years. The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was used to assess male sexual function, particularly the presence or absence of ED.

Main Outcome Measures
The patients in the study and control groups were statistically compared according to their plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BoP), probing depth (PD), and clinical attachment level (CAL).

Results
In the non-ED and the ED groups, the mean age was 35.7 ± 4.8 and 34.9 ± 4.9 years, respectively. Patients' characteristics including body mass index, household income, and education status were similar in both groups (P &gt; 0.05). Nineteen patients (23%) had severe CP in the non-ED group; 42 patients (53%) had severe CP in the ED group. Logistic regression analysis showed a significantly high association between ED and the severity of CP (odds ratio: 3.29, 95% confidence interval: 1.36–9.55, P &lt; 0.01). The mean values of PI, BoP, and the percentages of sites with PD &gt;4 mm and sites with CAL &gt;4 mm were significantly higher in the ED group than in the control group (P &lt; 0.05). The mean values of PD and CAL were not significantly different in the two groups (P &gt; 0.05). The decayed, missing, filled teeth scores were also significantly higher in the ED group than in the non-ED group (P &lt; 0.05).

Conclusion
Our results have suggested that CP had a high association with ED in young adults at 30–40 years. We think that it will be of benefit to consider periodontal disease as a causative clinical condition of ED in such patients.
Characteristics of Cerebral Ischemia in Major Rat Stroke Models of Middle Cerebral Artery Ligation through Craniectomy
Authors: Shmonin Alexey , Melnikova Elena , Galagudza Michael , Vlasov Timur 
Published: December 2012

Background The refinement of experimental stroke models is important for further development of neuroprotective interventions. Aims and/or hypothesis Our goal was to study the reproducibility of outcomes obtained in five rat models of middle cerebral artery (MCA) ligation in order to identify the optimal model for the preclinical studies. Methods In Part 1 of the experiments, systolic blood flow velocity (sBFV) and cerebral area at risk (AR) were determined immediately after the onset of brain ischemia induced in different ways in Wistar rats. After that, another set of experiments was performed (Part 2 of the experiments), now aimed at the assessment of the delayed outcome of five different models of cerebral ischemia designated as Versions 1–5. The versions were: Version 1 – 40-minute left MCA (LMCA) occlusion with reperfusion; Version 2 – permanent LMCA ligation; Version 3 – permanent ligation of both LMCA and left common carotid artery (CCA); Version 4 – permanent LMCA and bilateral CCA (bCCA) ligation; Version 5 – permanent LMCA ligation and 40-minute bCCA occlusion. The infarct size (IS) was quantified using triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining. The severity of neurological deficit was assessed by the Garcia score. The extent of brain edema was determined by calculating the difference in volumes of affected and contralateral hemispheres. Results Within a relatively big AR, Versions 1 and 2 resulted in a small IS [0·2 (0·0; 0·4)% and 0·3 (0·0; 0·7)%, respectively, P > 0·05]. Unlike that and comparable with AR, Version 3 resulted in a greater, albeit more variable IS [5·9 (2·1; 8·3)%, P < 0·0001 vs. Version 2]. Also comparable with AR, Versions 4 and 5 produced greatest values of IS [14·5 (11·4; 17·9)% and 11·3 (10·1; 14·2)%, respectively]; this parameter was most reproducible in Version 5. A significant decrease in neurological deficit score was found in Versions 4 and 5. Again, the reproducibility of the data on neurological outcome was higher in Version 5 versus Version 4. Conclusions Comparative analysis of several Versions of focal cerebral ischemia within a single study might be helpful in better understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development and aftermath of stroke. Permanent LMCA ligation plus transient bilateral CCA occlusion produced most consistent results and might be recommended for preclinical studies.
Promising‐Part 1
Authors: Heuer Ulrike 
Published: November 2012

AbstractThe explanation of promising is fraught with problems. In particular the problem that promises can be valid even when nothing good comes of keeping the promise (the problem of ‘bare wrongings’), and the bootstrapping problem with explaining how the mere intention to put oneself under an obligation can create such an obligation have been recognized since Hume’s famous discussion of the topic. There are two influential accounts of promising, and promissory obligation, which attempt to solve the problems: The expectation account and the practice account. While those accounts solve both the bootstrapping problem and the problem of bare wrongings, it turns out that they encounter numerous problems of their own.
Ways of Being
Authors: Spencer Joshua 
Published: November 2012

AbstractOntological pluralism is the view that there are ways of being. Ontological pluralism is enjoying a revival in contemporary metaphysics. We want to say that there are numbers, fictional characters, impossible things, and holes. But, we don’t think these things all exist in the same sense as cars and human beings. If they exist or have being at all, then they have different ways of being. Fictional characters exist as objects of make‐believe and holes exist as absences in objects. But, human beings and cars exist in a much more robust sense. What are ways of being? Why should be believe in them and what should we believe about them? This short essay provides an overview of the recent revival of ways of being and explores some of the surrounding issues.
The determinants of current account balance in an oil‐rich exporting country: the case of Nigeria
Authors: Uneze Eberechukwu , Ekor Maxwell 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis paper examines the determinants of current accounts balance in Nigeria with emphasis on oil‐related variables using the Johansen–Julius vector error correction estimation approach, the impulse response function and the variance decomposition analysis. The results showed that oil price, oil balance and oil revenue are positively related with the current account, with only oil wealth having a significant negative impact in the long run. We find that the impact of oil price on the current balance is only significant in the short run. The variance decomposition analysis indicated that the variance in the current account is better explained by shocks to itself followed by shocks to oil price, oil balance and fiscal balance.
Environmental comparison of intensive and integrated agriculture–aquaculture systems for striped catfish production in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam, based on two existing case studies using life cycle assessment
Authors: Kluts Ingeborg N. , Potting José , Bosma Roel H. , Phong Le T. , Udo Henk M. J. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractVietnam is the largest producer for the export of striped catfish. Traditionally striped catfish production in the Mekong Delta took place in integrated agriculture–aquaculture systems, but has shifted recently to intensive systems to meet increasing export demands. A recent study quantified the environmental impact of intensive striped catfish production in Vietnam. Another did the same for integrated systems. Both studies used life cycle assessment, covered similar environmental impact categories, and were roughly matched in the production stages included. However, an environmental comparison of both systems has not been made so far. The objective of this paper is to make a comparative life cycle assessment of striped catfish production in intensive and integrated systems. The comparison was based on existing life cycle assessments on these systems, but their methodological choices and data had to be aligned. The results show that striped catfish production in intensive systems contributes considerably more to seven of the nine assessed impact categories (global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, eutrophication, photochemical oxidation, human toxicity, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine aquatic ecotoxicity, fossil depletion). Only contributions to eutrophication and freshwater ecotoxicity were higher for the integrated systems than for the intensive systems. In both systems, grow‐out fish farming contributes most to eutrophication and freshwater ecotoxicity, whereas feed production contributes most to all other impact categories. The environmental performance of integrated striped catfish production is convincingly better in most impact categories. This raises questions about whether (elements of) these systems can be used to mitigate the environmental impact of intensive striped catfish production.
A general and simple method for obtaining R2 from generalized linear mixed‐effects models
Authors: Nakagawa Shinichi , Schielzeth Holger 
Published: December 2012

Summary

The use of both linear and generalized linear mixed‐effects models (LMMs and GLMMs) has become popular not only in social and medical sciences, but also in biological sciences, especially in the field of ecology and evolution. Information criteria, such as Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), are usually presented as model comparison tools for mixed‐effects models.

The presentation of ‘variance explained’ (R2) as a relevant summarizing statistic of mixed‐effects models, however, is rare, even though R2 is routinely reported for linear models (LMs) and also generalized linear models (GLMs). R2 has the extremely useful property of providing an absolute value for the goodness‐of‐fit of a model, which cannot be given by the information criteria. As a summary statistic that describes the amount of variance explained, R2 can also be a quantity of biological interest.

One reason for the under‐appreciation of R2 for mixed‐effects models lies in the fact that R2 can be defined in a number of ways. Furthermore, most definitions of R2 for mixed‐effects have theoretical problems (e.g. decreased or negative R2 values in larger models) and/or their use is hindered by practical difficulties (e.g. implementation).

Here, we make a case for the importance of reporting R2 for mixed‐effects models. We first provide the common definitions of R2 for LMs and GLMs and discuss the key problems associated with calculating R2 for mixed‐effects models. We then recommend a general and simple method for calculating two types of R2 (marginal and conditional R2) for both LMMs and GLMMs, which are less susceptible to common problems.

This method is illustrated by examples and can be widely employed by researchers in any fields of research, regardless of software packages used for fitting mixed‐effects models. The proposed method has the potential to facilitate the presentation of R2 for a wide range of circumstances.
Mapping River Bathymetry With a Small Footprint Green LiDAR: Applications and Challenges1
Authors: Kinzel Paul J. , Legleiter Carl J. , Nelson Jonathan M. 
Published: December 2012

Kinzel, Paul J., Carl J. Legleiter, and Jonathan M. Nelson, 2012. Mapping River Bathymetry with a Small Footprint Green LiDAR: Applications and Challenges. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐22. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12008Abstract:  Airborne bathymetric Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) systems designed for coastal and marine surveys are increasingly sought after for high‐resolution mapping of fluvial systems. To evaluate the potential utility of bathymetric LiDAR for applications of this kind, we compared detailed surveys collected using wading and sonar techniques with measurements from the United States Geological Survey’s hybrid topographic/bathymetric Experimental Advanced Airborne Research LiDAR (EAARL). These comparisons, based upon data collected from the Trinity and Klamath Rivers, California, and the Colorado River, Colorado, demonstrated that environmental conditions and postprocessing algorithms can influence the accuracy and utility of these surveys and must be given consideration. These factors can lead to mapping errors that can have a direct bearing on derivative analyses such as hydraulic modeling and habitat assessment. We discuss the water and substrate characteristics of the sites, compare the conventional and remotely sensed river‐bed topographies, and investigate the laser waveforms reflected from submerged targets to provide an evaluation as to the suitability and accuracy of the EAARL system and associated processing algorithms for riverine mapping applications.