bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Group Sequential Tests for Delayed Responses (with discussion)
Authors: Hampson Lisa V. , Jennison Christopher 
Published: December 2012

SummaryGroup sequential methods are used routinely to monitor clinical trials and to provide early stopping when there is evidence of a treatment effect, a lack of an effect or concerns about patient safety. In many studies, the response of clinical interest is measured some time after the start of treatment and there are subjects at each interim analysis who have been treated but are yet to respond. We formulate a new form of group sequential test which gives a proper treatment of these ‘pipeline’ subjects; these tests can be applied even when the continued accrual of data after the decision to stop the trial is unexpected. We illustrate our methods through a series of examples. We define error spending versions of these new designs which handle unpredictable group sizes and provide an information monitoring framework that can accommodate nuisance parameters, such as an unknown response variance. By studying optimal versions of our new designs, we show how the benefits of lower expected sample size that are normally achieved by a group sequential test are reduced when there is a delay in response. The loss of efficiency for larger delays can be ameliorated by incorporating data on a correlated short-term end point, fitting a joint model for the two end points but still making inferences on the original, longer-term end point. We derive p-values and confidence intervals on termination of our new tests.
Multiscale Approach to Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Susca Tiziana 
Published: December 2012

SummaryThe urban environment is characterized by multiple interactions between its parts, and any change can determine a modification in its metabolism. Typically life cycle assessment (LCA) takes into account only part of the interactions. The main aim of this study was to present a hybrid analysis for enhancing the spatial resolution of LCA, focusing on surface albedo evaluation.In this article the substitution in New York City, New York, USA, of traditional roofs with a mean albedo of 0.32 with white roofs with an albedo of 0.9 has been hypothesized. A multiscale approach was used to evaluate the impact of variation in urban albedo, since it can influence the urban heat island (UHI), energy use, and atmospheric chemistry, affecting radiative forcings. The impact on global climate has been translated, through the use of a climatological model, into equivalents of carbon dioxide and added to the impact of the white roof. The effect of the summer UHI mitigation on human health has been assessed through the use of a hybrid model. Finally, the environmental burdens of a square meter of roof have been evaluated by considering the elementary flows—excluding the energy use—and added to the results deriving from the evaluation of the effects on human health and on climate change. In time horizons of 50 and 100 years, it shows that the increase in rooftop albedo plays an important role in decreasing the impact of rooftops on the climate‐change and human health impact categories.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Scenario Modeling for Cities Using the PURGE Model
Authors: Mohareb Eugene , Kennedy Christopher 
Published: December 2012

SummaryCities globally are in the midst of taking action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. After the vital step of emissions quantification, strategies must be developed to detail how emissions reductions targets will be achieved. The Pathways to Urban Reductions in Greenhouse Gas Emissions (PURGE) model allows the estimation of emissions from four pertinent urban sectors: electricity generation, buildings, private transportation, and waste. Additionally, the carbon storage from urban and regional forests is modeled. An emissions scenario is examined for a case study of the greater Toronto, Ontario, Canada, area using data on current technology stocks and government projections for stock change. The scenario presented suggests that even with some aggressive targets for technological adoption (especially in the transportation sector), it will be difficult to achieve the less ambitious 2050 emissions reduction goals of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. This is largely attributable to the long life of the building stock and limitations of current retrofit practices. Additionally, demand reduction (through transportation mode shifting and building occupant behavior) will be an important component of future emissions cuts.
Elevated tropomyosin expression is associated with epithelial–mesenchymal transition of lens epithelial cells
Authors: Kubo Eri , Hasanova Nailia , Fatma Nigar , Sasaki Hiroshi , Singh Dhirendra P. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractInjury to lens epithelial cells (LECs) leads to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) with resultant fibrosis. The tropomyosin (Tpm) family of cytoskeleton proteins is involved in regulating and stabilizing actin microfilaments. Aberrant expression of Tpms leads to abnormal morphological changes with disintegration of epithelial integrity. The EMT of LECs has been proposed as a major cause of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery. Using in vivo rodent PCO and human cataractous LECs, we demonstrated that the aberrant expression of rat Tpm and human Tpm1α/2β suggested their association in remodelling of the actin cytoskeleton during EMT of LECs. Expression analysis from abnormally growing LECs after lens extraction revealed elevated expression of α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA), a marker for EMT. Importantly, these cells displayed increased expression of Tpm1α/2β following EMT/PCO formation. Expression of Tpm1α/2β was up‐regulated in LECs isolated from cataractous lenses of Shumiya Cataract Rats (SCRs), compared with non‐cataractous lenses. Also, LECs from human patients with nuclear cataract and anterior subcapsular fibrosis (ASF) displayed significantly increased expression of Tpm2β mRNA, suggesting that similar signalling invokes the expression of these molecules in LECs of cataractous SCR and human lenses. EMT was observed in LECs overexpressed with Tpm1α/2β, as evidenced by increased expression of α‐SMA. These conditions were correlated with remodelling of actin filaments, possibly leading to EMT/PCO and ASF. The present findings may help clarify the condition of the actin cytoskeleton during morphogenetic EMT, and may contribute to development of Tpm‐based inhibitors for postponing PCO and cataractogenesis.
Enteric neurons show a primary cilium
Authors: Luesma Mª José , Cantarero Irene , Castiella Tomás , Soriano Mario , Garcia–Verdugo José Manuel , Junquera Concepción 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe primary cilium is a non‐motile cilium whose structure is 9+0. It is involved in co‐ordinating cellular signal transduction pathways, developmental processes and tissue homeostasis. Defects in the structure or function of the primary cilium underlie numerous human diseases, collectively termed ciliopathies. The presence of single cilia in the central nervous system (CNS) is well documented, including some choroid plexus cells, neural stem cells, neurons and astrocytes, but the presence of primary cilia in differentiated neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) has not yet been described in mammals to the best of our knowledge. The enteric nervous system closely resembles the central nervous system. In fact, the ultrastructure of the ENS is more similar to the CNS ultrastructure than to the rest of the peripheral nervous system. This research work describes for the first time the ultrastructural characteristics of the single cilium in neurons of rat duodenum myenteric plexus, and reviews the cilium function in the CNS to propose the possible role of cilia in the ENS cells.
Exploring oil price—exchange rate nexus for Nigeria
Authors: Muhammad Zahid , Suleiman Hassan , Kouhy Reza 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThis paper investigates the oil price—exchange rate nexus for Nigeria using daily data over the period 2 January 2007–31 December 2010. The generalised autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) and exponential GARCH models are employed to examine the impact of oil price changes on nominal exchange rate. The outcome of this research indicates that a rise in oil prices leads to a depreciation of the Nigerian Naira vis‐à‐vis the US dollar over the study period.
Energy consumption in Iran with Bayesian approach1
Authors: Abbasinejad Hossein , Gudarzi Farahani Yazdan , Asghari Ghara Ehsan 
Published: December 2012

AbstractEnergy is one of the most important influential factors on economic growth. In recent decades, upward trend of energy consumption has caused many concerns about decrease in energy source and increase in pollution and global warming. Iran as one of the greatest oil and natural gas exporters with high consumption of gas, oil and electricity faces with pollution problems in cities and hence the necessity of a plan to decrease the energy consumption. In this paper, we study demand of energy consumption and predict consumption of diverse kinds of energy during 2010–2018. In this regard, by adopting Bayesian approach and with concern to data of 1970–2009, we forecast the trends of energy consumption. The result showed that during recent years, up to the average growth rate of energy consumption is equal to 1.8 per cent. The slower growth of energy consumption leads to a slower economic growth and in turn, causes a decline in energy consumption due to the structural changes in the Iran economy.
The Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act 2010: an examination of its regulatory framework
Authors: Atsegbua Lawrence Asekome 
Published: December 2012

AbstractThe passage into law of the Nigerian local content bill is one of the significant developments for domesticating the oil and gas industry through local value additions to the local economy. The bill received presidential assent on 22 April 2010 and created a law to provide for the development of indigenous content in the Nigerian oil and gas industry. The law also establishes the Nigerian Content Monitoring Board (board), which is charged with the responsibility to manage the coordination, monitoring and implementation of the local content law. Previous acts of the government had made feeble attempts at developing a local content framework for the industry and the fanfare associated with the recent enactment into law of the Nigerian local content bill very understandable. Nigeria is the world's eighth biggest oil exporter and relies on crude as its main foreign exchange earner. The industry accounts for over 40 per cent of Nigeria's gross domestic product and is associated with over a billion dollars worth of investments annually. There is a marked absence of indigenous players involved in these transactions, where about 90 per cent of goods and services used in the industry are imported from overseas. The local content law seeks to increase indigenous participation by prescribing minimum thresholds for the use of local services and to promote the employment of Nigerian staff in the industry. In this article, the writer makes a succinct analysis of the provisions of the Nigerian Local Content Act and argues that an antidote has been found for local participation in the vibrant Nigerian oil and gas sector. The writer concludes that, similar to Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kuwait, the local content law will go a long way in empowering indigenous oil and gas companies and assist Nigeria in developing the technical capacity for the industry.
Open‐water integrated multi‐trophic aquaculture: environmental biomitigation and economic diversification of fed aquaculture by extractive aquaculture
Authors: Chopin Thierry , Cooper John Andrew , Reid Gregor , Cross Stephen , Moore Christine 
Published: December 2012

AbstractIntegrated multi‐trophic aquaculture (IMTA) seeks to biodiversify fed aquaculture (e.g. finfish or shrimps) with extractive aquaculture, recapturing the inorganic (e.g. seaweeds) and organic (e.g. suspension‐ and deposit‐feeders) nutrients from fed aquaculture for their growth. The combination fed/extractive aquaculture aims to engineer food production systems providing both biomitigative services to the ecosystem and improved economic farm output through the co‐cultivation of complementary species. Major rethinking is needed regarding the definition of an ‘aquaculture farm’ and how it works within an ecosystem. The economic values of the environmental/societal services of extractive species should be recognized and accounted for in the evaluation of the full value of these IMTA components. Seaweeds and invertebrates produced in IMTA systems should be considered as candidates for nutrient/carbon trading credits. While organic loading from aquaculture has been associated with localized benthic impacts, there have also been occurrences of increased biodiversity and abundance of wild species in response to moderate nutrient enrichment and the use of infrastructures as substrates. To develop efficient food production systems, it will be important to understand and use the duality of nutrients (essential when limiting/polluting when in excess) to engineer systems producing them in moderation so that they can be partially recaptured while maintaining their concentrations optimal for healthy and productive ecosystems. Measures of species diversity, colonization rates, abundance, growth and ecosystem functions with respect to nutrient partitioning and recycling, species interactions and control of diseases could represent valid indicators for the development of robust performance metrics.
Megalocytivirus infection in fish
Authors: Subramaniam Kuttichantran , Shariff Mohamed , Omar Abdul Rahman , Hair‐Bejo Mohd 
Published: December 2012

AbstractMegalocytivirus is a newly discovered DNA‐virus from the Iridoviridae family that possesses icosahedral symmetry and has a size range of 140–200 nm diameter. Based on genetic differences, Megalocytivirus is divided into three major groups; infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus which is reported to cause disease in numerous marine and freshwater fish species, red sea bream iridovirus that mainly infects red sea bream [Pagrus major (Temminck & Schlegel 1843)] and turbot reddish body iridovirus that is reported to infect Asian flounder species. Megalocytivirus has not been studied as extensively as other genera in the Iridoviridae family until recently; these viruses have received the most attention in research due to the wider host range and cause significant mortality and economic losses in the aquaculture industry. This review provides information on taxonomy, viral properties, epizootic, pathology and diagnostics of Megalocytivirus infection in fish.
VALIDATION OF A DUTCH SELF‐EFFICACY SCALE FOR ADHERENCE TO FLUID ALLOWANCE AMONG PATIENTS ON HAEMODIALYSIS
Authors: Winters A. Marian , Lindberg Magnus , Sol Berna G.M. 
Published: December 2012

SUMMARYMany haemodialysis patients have problems limiting their fluid intake, and this might be influenced by their self‐efficacy. Thus interventions to improve patients’ self‐efficacy might lead to an improvement in their adherence to fluid restriction. The fluid intake appraisal inventory (FIAI) evaluates patients’ self‐efficacy with regard to fluid intake. The aim of this study was to translate and validate the FIAI for use in the Netherlands. Four translators, seven experts, and four haemodialysis patients participated in the translation part of the study. Thirty‐three patients from one dialysis centre in the Netherlands completed the Dutch FIAI. The instrument had good content validity (interdialytic weight gain was found to be negatively correlated with self‐efficacy), internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.982), and stability (Spearman's rho = 0.823). These findings indicate that the Dutch FIAI can be used in clinical practice as a self‐efficacy screening instrument for adult haemodialysis patients on fluid restriction.
Single and Interactive Effects of Temperature and Light Quality on Four Canola Cultivars
Authors: Slauenwhite K. L. I. , Qaderi M. M. 
Published: December 2012

AbstractCombined effects of temperature and light quality on plants have received little attention. We investigated the single and interactive effects of temperature and light quality on growth and physiological characteristics of four canola (Brassica napus) cultivars – Clearfield 46A76 (cv1), Clearfield 45H72 (cv2), Roundup Ready 45H24 (cv3) and Roundup Ready 45H21 (cv4). Plants were grown under lower (24°/20 °C) and higher (30°/26 °C) temperature regimes at low red/far‐red (R/FR), normal R/FR and high R/FR light ratios in environment‐controlled growth chambers (16 h light/8 h dark). Higher temperature reduced stem height and diameter; leaf number and area; dry matter of all plant parts; and specific leaf weight, but increased leaf area ratio; and chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence (Y). Low R/FR increased stem height; Y; and ethylene, but decreased stem diameter; Fv/Fm; Chl a; Chl b; and carotenoids. Among cultivars, plants from cv4 were tallest with thickest stems and greatest dry matter. None of the main factors affected gas exchange. Higher temperature at high R/FR caused cv3 to be shortest, whereas lower temperature at low R/FR caused cv4 to be tallest. We conclude that heat and other stress factors will adversely affect sensitive crops, but tolerant genotypes should perform well under future climate.
Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels1
Authors: Carleton James N. , Mohamoud Yusuf M. 
Published: December 2012

Carleton, James N. and Yusuf M. Mohamoud, 2012. Effect of Flow Depth and Velocity on Nitrate Loss Rates in Natural Channels. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 1‐12. DOI: 10.1111/jawr.12007Abstract:  Loss rates of nitrate from streams and rivers are governed by movement of the ion from water column to anoxic bed sediments. Quantitative representations of nitrate in streams and rivers have often treated such losses as governed by first‐order mechanisms that are invariant with respect to potential modulating factors other than temperature. Results of studies in recent years, however, suggest that rates of water column‐sediment mass transfer are influenced by stream geometry and associated hydraulics. We develop expressions for the instream nitrate loss rate coefficient, k, as a function of water velocity and depth, using hydraulic geometry to empirically relate velocity to depth for two cases: (1) variability in mean conditions among reaches; and (2) temporal variability in conditions at a single reach, under changing flow. The result is expressions for k as functions of water column depth. Measured stream k values reported in the literature are shown to be well represented by expressions developed for the first case, and the potential for application to probabilistic analysis is briefly examined. We explore the latter case using the Hydrologic Simulation Program – FORTRAN (HSPF) model, modified to incorporate the dependence of k on instantaneous stream depth. In example simulations of two nitrate‐exporting watersheds, the incorporation of depth‐dependence of k produces improvement in the model’s ability to match observed stream nitrate concentrations.
Symptom Burden in Chronically Ill Homebound Individuals
Authors: Wajnberg Ania , Ornstein Katherine , Zhang Meng , Smith Kristofer L. , Soriano Theresa 
Published: December 2012

ObjectivesTo document the degree of symptom burden in an urban homebound population.DesignCross‐sectional survey.SettingThe Mount Sinai Visiting Doctors (MSVD) program.ParticipantsAll individuals newly enrolled in the MSVD.MeasurementsEdmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS), which consists of 10 visual analogue scales scored from 0 to 10; symptoms include pain, tiredness, nausea, depression, anxiety, drowsiness, appetite, well‐being, shortness of breath, and other.ResultsESAS scores were completed for 318 participants. Most participants were aged 80 and older (68%) and female (75%); 36% were white, 22% black, and 32% Hispanic. Forty‐three percent had Medicaid, and 32% lived alone. Ninety‐one percent required assistance with one or more activities of daily living, 45% had a Karnofsky Performance Scale score between 0 and 40 (unable to care for self), and 43% reported severe burden on one or more symptoms. The most commonly reported symptoms were loss of appetite, lack of well‐being, tiredness, and pain; the symptoms with the highest scores were depression, pain, appetite, and shortness of breath. Participants were more likely to have severe symptom burden if they self‐reported their ESAS, had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or diabetes mellitus with end organ damage, or had a Charlson Comorbidity Index greater than 3 and less likely to have severe burden if they had dementia.ConclusionIn chronically ill homebound adults, symptom burden is a serious problem that needs to be addressed alongside primary and specialty care needs.
Influence of a Transitional Care Clinic on Subsequent 30‐Day Hospitalizations and Emergency Department Visits in Individuals Discharged from a Skilled Nursing Facility
Authors: Park Hae K. , Branch Laurence G. , Bulat Tatjana , Vyas Bavna B. , Roever Cynthia P. 
Published: December 2012

ObjectivesTo evaluate an intervention to improve care transitions at the time of skilled nursing facility (SNF) discharge.DesignNatural experiment using a pre–post design.SettingVeterans Affairs hospital, community SNF, and outpatient clinic.ParticipantsThe pre‐intervention group comprised 134 individuals discharged to the community from posthospitalization SNF care, and the intervention group was 217 individuals who received a postdischarge clinic (PDC) intervention at SNF discharge after receiving posthospitalization care at the SNF.InterventionThis study is a natural experiment using a pre–post design. The intervention was a one‐time visit to a PDC before SNF discharge, where an advanced nurse practitioner conducted medication reconciliation, ordered medical supplies and equipment and home health services if needed, provided individual and caregiver education, and communicated the information to the individual's primary outpatient care provider through electronic medical records.MeasurementsThe pre‐PDC and PDC intervention groups were compared on various measures of hospital utilization within 30 days of the SNF discharge (number of rehospitalizations, acute care inpatient days, and emergency department (ED) visits).ResultsAlthough there was a 23% rehospitalization rate in the pre‐PDC group, participants in the PDC intervention group had a 14% rehospitalization rate within 30 days of SNF discharge (P = .02). Those who received the PDC intervention had significantly fewer acute care inpatient days during the 30‐day follow‐up (P < .001). Although the difference in the number of ED visits between the two groups was not statistically significant, the number of ED visits per 1,000 patient follow‐up days during the 30‐day interval was significantly lower in the PDC intervention group (P = .03).ConclusionComprehensive care coordination at the time of SNF discharge can reduce postdischarge hospital use in settings with shared electronic records.
Small Ubiquitin‐Like Modifier Conjugating Enzyme with Active Site Mutation Acts as Dominant Negative Inhibitor of SUMO Conjugation in ArabidopsisF
Authors: Tomanov Konstantin , Hardtke Christian , Budhiraja Ruchika , Hermkes Rebecca , Coupland George , Bachmair Andreas 
Published: December 2012

AbstractSmall ubiquitin‐like modifier (SUMO) conjugation affects a broad range of processes in plants, including growth, flower initiation, pathogen defense, and responses to abiotic stress. Here, we investigate in vivo and in vitro a SUMO conjugating enzyme with a Cys to Ser change in the active site, and show that it has a dominant negative effect. In planta expression significantly perturbs normal development, leading to growth retardation, early flowering and gene expression changes. We suggest that the mutant protein can serve as a probe to investigate sumoylation, also in plants for which poor genetic infrastructure precludes analysis via loss‐of‐function mutants.