bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Les pratiques de fonctionnaires canadiens et québécois au chapitre des innovations du travail
Authors: Harrisson Denis , Maltais Daniel , Rinfret Natalie 
Published: March 2013

SommaireCette recherche porte sur l'évolution et la transformation de l'organisation du travail et des relations du travail dans la fonction publique québécoise et canadienne. Nous cherchons à connaître la nature des innovations et le niveau de participation des employés dans le processus d'innovation. Une enquête par questionnaire a été effectuée auprès de 2 308 fonctionnaires de six ministères et organismes de la fonction publique québécoise et canadienne. Les résultats montrent que l'autonomie des employés, leur participation et le partage des responsabilités au regard du développement d'innovations, indiquent une transformation importante du milieu de travail. La vigueur de ces innovations est variable en fonction des ministères et organismes où elles sont implantées. Par ailleurs, nos résultats ne nous permettent pas d'analyser le niveau de transformation de la structure organisationnelle découlant des innovations du travail. Enfin, nous montrons que les employés et les gestionnaires sont des acteurs de premier plan dans le processus d'innovation.
Who gets help for pre‐school communication problems? Data from a prospective community study
Authors: Skeat J. , Wake M. , Ukoumunne O. C. , Eadie P. , Bretherton L. , Reilly S. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractObjectivePre‐school communication problems are common, with implications for school readiness and educational achievement. Help is available from a variety of community healthcare providers. This study examined the extent to which help is received, and the predictors of service receipt.Design and settingProspective community study, in Melbourne, Victoria.Participants and methodAt age 4 years, we assessed the speech, receptive and expressive language and fluency of 1607 children and gave feedback to their parents. At age 5 years, 983 families provided data on service use for communication problems between and 4 and 5 years. We compared service use between participants with and without impairment, and used logistic regression to estimate the strength of association between potential predictors (gender, socio‐economic status, maternal education, English‐speaking background status, family history of speech and language problems and parent concern) and service use (binary outcome).ResultsData were available for both communication status and service use for 753 children. Only 44.9% of the 196 children with communication impairment received help from a professional. Furthermore, 7% of the 557 that did not meet criteria for communication impairment nevertheless received help from a professional. Parent concern was the strongest predictor of service use (adjusted odds ratio = 9.0; 95% CI: 5.6–14.8).ConclusionsBoth over‐ and under‐servicing for communication problems were evident. This study shows that accessing help for communication problems requires more than simply informing parents about the problem and having services available; there is a need for systematic support to get the right children to services.
Red to Green or Fast to Slow? Infants' Visual Working Memory for “Just Salient Differences”
Authors: Kaldy Zsuzsa , Blaser Erik 
Published: March 2013

In this study, 6‐month‐old infants' visual working memory for a static feature (color) and a dynamic feature (rotational motion) was compared. Comparing infants' use of different features can only be done properly if experimental manipulations to those features are equally salient (Kaldy & Blaser, 2009; Kaldy, Blaser, & Leslie, 2006). The interdimensional salience mapping method was used to find two objects that each were one Just Salient Difference from a common baseline object (N = 16). These calibrated stimuli were then used in a subsequent two‐alternative forced‐choice preferential looking memory test (N = 28). Results showed that infants noted the color change, but not the equally salient change in rotation speed.
The economics of dentistry: a neglected concern
Authors: Shariati Batoul , MacEntee Michael I. , Yazdizadeh Maryam 
Published: March 2013

AbstractBackgroundDemand for economic evaluations in health care is growing with expectations that they will help to develop regional and national policies on health and social programmes. We present here the scope, quality and content of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses relating to the economics of dentistry published over the last 15 years.ObjectivesTo review the quality and outcome of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses relating to the economics of dental treatments, preventions and services.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in 14 electronic databases for systematic reviews and meta‐analyses published betweenJanuary 1997 andJuly 2011 on the economics of oral disorders and oral health care. Review papers were extracted by two independent investigators to identify the characteristics, results and quality of the reviews and to highlight gaps in knowledge about the economics of dentistry.ResultsFrom 3150 unique references, we found 73 systematic reviews or meta‐analyses of dental economics as primary or secondary outcomes. The focus of 12 of them was on the cost or cost‐effectiveness of dental prevention, 54 on treatment, five on prevention and treatment and two on delivery of dental services. However, only 12 of the systematic reviews drew conclusions from economic data, and four of them constructed an economic model from synthesized data. Overall, the quality was good in the 12 systematic reviews but poor in the original studies.ConclusionsThere is very little helpful data published on the economics of dentistry.
Total thyroidectomy vs bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy in patients with Graves’ diseases: a meta‐analysis of randomized clinical trials
Authors: Guo Zhenying , Yu Peng , Liu Zhenjie , Si Yi , Jin Mingjuan 
Published: March 2013

SummaryBackgroundConducting total thyroidectomy (TT) or subtotal thyroidectomy (ST) in patients with Graves' disease remains controversial. We performed a meta‐analysis based on the published randomized controlled trials to evaluate the complications of TT vs ST.MethodsWe searched multiple electronic databases for prospective, randomized, controlled trials related to safety and effectiveness of TT vs ST. Relative risk (RR) was estimated with 95% confidence interval (CI) based on an intention‐to‐treat analysis. We considered the following outcomes: recurrent hyperthyroidism, ophthalmopathy progression, temporary and permanent hypoparathyroidism, temporary and permanent recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy (RLNP) and post‐operative bleeding.ResultsFour trials with 674 patients (342 with TT, 332 with ST) were analysed. Although the overall rates of ophthalmopathy progression were similar between TT and ST (RR 0·92, 95% CI = 0·50–1·71; P = 0·80), TT was associated with a significant reduction in recurrent hyperthyroidism (RR 0·14, 95% CI = 0·05–0·41; P < 0·01). The pooled RR of post‐operative bleeding for TT was similar to that for ST (RR 0·32, 95% CI = 0·05–1·96; P = 0·22). However, comparing with ST, the RR of temporary hypoparathyroidism was significantly higher for TT (RR 2·66, 95% CI = 1·89–3·73; P < 0·01). There was no significant difference in permanent hypoparathyroidism (RR 2·30, 95% CI = 0·78–6·76; P = 0·13), temporary (RR 1·08, 95% CI = 0·47–2·48; P = 0·85) and permanent RLNP (RR 1·54, 95% CI = 0·41–5·73; P = 0·52) between the two groups.ConclusionsWith regard to ophthalmopathy progression, post‐operative bleeding, permanent hypoparathyroidism, temporary and permanent RLNP, TT is consistent with ST in patients with Graves' disease. However, TT is associated with a reduced incidence of recurrent hyperthyroidism and results in an increase in temporary hypoparathyroidism. Therefore, TT should be proposed for the treatment of Graves' disease.
Using Population Viability Criteria to Assess Strategies to Minimize Disease Threats for an Endangered Carnivore
Authors: DOAK DANIEL F. , BAKKER VICTORIA J. , VICKERS WINSTON 
Published: March 2013

AbstractOutbreaks of infectious disease represent serious threats to the viability of many vertebrate populations, but few studies have included quantitative evaluations of alternative approaches to the management of disease. The most prevalent management approach is monitoring for and rapid response to an epizootic. An alternative is vaccination of a subset of the free‐living population (i.e., a “vaccinated core”) such that some individuals are partially or fully immune in the event of an epizootic. We developed a simulation model describing epizootic dynamics, which we then embedded in a demographic simulation to assess these alternative approaches to managing rabies epizootics in the island fox (Urocyon littoralis), a species composed of only 6 small populations on the California Channel Islands. Although the monitor and respond approach was superior to the vaccinated‐core approach for some transmission models and parameter values, this type of reactive management did not protect the population from rabies under many disease‐transmission assumptions. In contrast, a logistically feasible program of prophylactic vaccination for part of the wild population yielded low extinction probabilities across all likely disease‐transmission scenarios, even with recurrent disease introductions. Our use of a single metric of successful management—probability of extreme endangerment (i.e., quasi extinction)—to compare very different management approaches allowed an objective assessment of alternative strategies for controlling the threats posed by infectious disease outbreaks.Utilización de Criterios de Viabilidad Poblacional para Evaluar Estrategias para Minimizar Amenazas de Enfermedades para un Carnívoro en Peligro
Assessing the Risk of Ships Striking Large Whales in Marine Spatial Planning
Authors: REDFERN J. V. , MCKENNA M. F. , MOORE T. J. , CALAMBOKIDIS J. , DEANGELIS M. L. , BECKER E. A. , BARLOW J. , FORNEY K. A. , FIEDLER P. C. , CHIVERS S. J. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractMarine spatial planning provides a comprehensive framework for managing multiple uses of the marine environment and has the potential to minimize environmental impacts and reduce conflicts among users. Spatially explicit assessments of the risks to key marine species from human activities are a requirement of marine spatial planning. We assessed the risk of ships striking humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), blue (Balaenoptera musculus), and fin (Balaenoptera physalus) whales in alternative shipping routes derived from patterns of shipping traffic off Southern California (U.S.A.). Specifically, we developed whale‐habitat models and assumed ship‐strike risk for the alternative shipping routes was proportional to the number of whales predicted by the models to occur within each route. This definition of risk assumes all ships travel within a single route. We also calculated risk assuming ships travel via multiple routes. We estimated the potential for conflict between shipping and other uses (military training and fishing) due to overlap with the routes. We also estimated the overlap between shipping routes and protected areas. The route with the lowest risk for humpback whales had the highest risk for fin whales and vice versa. Risk to both species may be ameliorated by creating a new route south of the northern Channel Islands and spreading traffic between this new route and the existing route in the Santa Barbara Channel. Creating a longer route may reduce the overlap between shipping and other uses by concentrating shipping traffic. Blue whales are distributed more evenly across our study area than humpback and fin whales; thus, risk could not be ameliorated by concentrating shipping traffic in any of the routes we considered. Reducing ship‐strike risk for blue whales may be necessary because our estimate of the potential number of strikes suggests that they are likely to exceed allowable levels of anthropogenic impacts established under U.S. laws.Evaluación del Riesgo de Colisiones de Barcos y Ballenas en la Planificación Marina Espacial
Understanding Characteristics that Define the Feasibility of Conservation Actions in a Common Pool Marine Resource Governance System
Authors: Mills Morena , Pressey Robert L. , Ban Natalie C. , Foale Simon , Aswani Shankar , Knight Andrew T. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractEffective conservation requires people to make choices about how they interact with the environment. Social characteristics influence the likelihood of establishing conservation actions with strong compliance (hereafter “feasibility”), but are rarely considered in conservation planning. Our study makes two contributions to understand feasibility. First, we explicitly test the associations between social characteristics and the presence and form of resource management. Second, we compare the ability of different types of data to elucidate feasibility. We use Ostrom's (2007) thinking on social–ecological systems and literature on resource management in Melanesia to create a context‐specific framework to identify social characteristics that influence feasibility for conservation management. We then apply this framework and test for associations between the presence and form of management on one hand and social characteristics on the other, using data collected at different resolutions. We found that conservation feasibility was associated with characteristics of the governance system, users, and the social, economic, and political setting. Villages with different forms of management were more similar to each other socially than to villages without management. Social data collected at the resolution of households accounted for over double the variation in the form and presence of management compared to data at the resolution of villages. Our methods can be adapted to conservation planning initiatives in other socioeconomic settings.
The importance of water‐retaining features for biodiversity on artificial intertidal coastal defence structures
Authors: Firth Louise B. , Thompson Richard C. , White Freya J. , Schofield Meredith , Skov Martin W. , Hoggart Simon P. G. , Jackson Juliette , Knights Antony M. , Hawkins Stephen J. 
Published: March 2013

AbstractAimArtificial coastal defence structures are proliferating in response to rising and stormier seas. These structures provide habitat for many species but generally support lower biodiversity than natural habitats. This is primarily due to the absence of environmental heterogeneity and water‐retaining features on artificial structures. We compared the epibiotic communities associated with artificial coastal defence structures and natural habitats to ask the following questions: (1) is species richness on emergent substrata greater in natural than artificial habitats and is the magnitude of this difference greater at mid than upper tidal levels; (2) is species richness greater in rock pools than emergent substrata and is the magnitude of this difference greater in artificial than natural habitats; and (3) in artificial habitats, is species richness in rock pools greater at mid than upper tidal levels?LocationBritish Isles.MethodsStandard non‐destructive random sampling compared the effect of habitat type and tidal height on epibiota on natural rocky shores and artificial coastal defence structures.ResultsNatural emergent substrata supported greater species richness than artificial substrata. Species richness was greater at mid than upper tidal levels, particularly in artificial habitats. Rock pools supported greater species richness than emergent substrata, and this difference was more pronounced in artificial than natural habitats. Rock pools in artificial habitats supported greater species richness at mid than upper tidal levels.Main conclusionsArtificial structures support lower biodiversity than natural habitats. This is primarily due to the lack of habitat heterogeneity in artificial habitats. Artificial structures can be modified to provide rock pools that promote biodiversity. The effect of rock pool creation will be more pronounced at mid than upper tidal levels. The challenge now is to establish at what tidal height the effect of pools becomes negligible and to determine the rock pool dimensions for optimum habitat enhancement.
Working with Community Health Workers as ‘Volunteers’ in a Vaccine Trial: Practical and Ethical Experiences and Implications
Authors: Angwenyi Vibian , Kamuya Dorcas , Mwachiro Dorothy , Marsh Vicki , Njuguna Patricia , Molyneux Sassy 
Published: March 2013

AbstractCommunity engagement is increasingly emphasized in biomedical research, as a right in itself, and to strengthen ethical practice. We draw on interviews and observations to consider the practical and ethical implications of involving Community Health Workers (CHWs) as part of a community engagement strategy for a vaccine trial on the Kenyan Coast. CHWs were initially engaged as an important network to be informed about the trial. However over time, and in response to community advice, they became involved in trial information sharing and identifying potential participants; thereby taking on roles that overlapped with those of employed fieldworkers (FWs). While CHWs involvement was generally perceived as positive and appreciated, there were challenges in their relations with FWs and other community members, partly related to levels and forms of remuneration. Specifically, payment of CHWs was not as high as for FWs and was based on ‘performance’. This extrinsic motivation had the potential to crowd out CHWs intrinsic motivation to perform their pre‐existing community roles. CHWs remuneration potentially also contributed to CHWs distorting trial information to encourage community members to participate; and to researchers encouraging CHWs to utilize their social connections and status to increase the numbers of people who attended information giving sessions. Individual consent processes were protected in this trial through final information sharing and consent being conducted by trained clinical staff who were not embedded in study communities. However, our experiences suggest that roles and remuneration of all front line staff and volunteers involved in trials need careful consideration from the outset, and monitoring and discussion over time.
Winter host exploitation influences fitness traits in a parasitoid
Authors: Andrade Thiago Oliveira , Hervé Maxime , Outreman Yannick , Krespi Liliane , van Baaren Joan 
Published: March 2013

AbstractOrganisms can either evade winter's unfavourable conditions by migrating or diapausing, or endure them and maintain their activities. When it comes to foraging during winter, a period of scarce resources, there is strong selective pressure on resource exploitation strategy. Generalist parasitoids are particularly affected by this environmental constraint, as their fitness is deeply linked to the profitability of the available hosts. In this study, we considered a cereal aphid–parasitoid system and investigated (1) the host–parasitoid community structure, host availability, and parasitism rate in winter, (2) the influence of host quality in terms of species and instars on the fitness of the aphid parasitoid Aphidius rhopalosiphi De Stefani‐Perez (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae), and (3) whether there is a detectable impact of host fidelity on parasitism success of this parasitoid species. Host density was low during winter and the aphid community consisted of the species Rhopalosiphum padi L. and Sitobion avenae Fabricius (both Hemiptera: Aphididae), both parasitized by A. rhopalosiphi at non‐negligible rates. Aphidius rhopalosiphi produced more offspring when parasitizing R. padi compared with S. avenae, whereas bigger offspring were produced when parasitizing S. avenae. Although aphid adults and old larvae were significantly larger hosts than young larvae, the latter resulted in higher emergence rates and larger parasitoids. No impact of host fidelity on emergence rates or offspring size was detected. This study provides some evidence that winter A. rhopalosiphi populations are able to take advantage of an array of host types that vary in profitability, indicating that host selectivity may drop under winter's unfavourable conditions.
Effects of polyacrylamide, biopolymer and biochar on the decomposition of 14C‐labelled maize residues and on their stabilization in soil aggregates
Authors: Awad Y. M. , Blagodatskaya E. , Ok Y. S. , Kuzyakov Y. 
Published: March 2013

SummaryThe efficacy of applying plant residues to agricultural soils as a carbon (C) source for microorganisms and C sequestration is dependent on soil physiochemical properties, which can be improved by aggregation using soil conditioners. However, no attempt has been made to assess the effects of soil conditioners such as biochar (BC), biopolymer (BP) or polyacrylamide (PAM) on plant residue decomposition. We assessed the effects of BC, synthesized BP and anionic PAM on the decomposition of 14C‐labelled maize residues and on their stabilization in aggregate fractions in sandy and sandy loam soils. Polyacrylamide and BP were applied at 400 kg ha−1 and BC was applied at 5000 kg ha−1, and the soils were incubated for 80 days at 22°C. The conditioners improved the physical and biological properties of both soils, as shown by a 24% increase in the 1–2 mm aggregates. Biochar and BP accelerated the decomposition of plant residues as indicated by 14CO2 efflux, and resulted in reduced stabilization of residues in both soils relative to that observed in the control and PAM treatments. The reduction in 14C incorporation and C stabilization in the BC‐ and BP‐treated soils was observed mainly in the < 0.25‐mm aggregates. This was confirmed by reduction of activity of hydrolytic enzymes (β‐cellobiosidase and β‐glucosidase). Decomposition of plant residues in sandy soil was more sensitive to BP and PAM application than that in sandy loam soil. Improved soil structure after applying BC and BP increased aeration and decreased the contact between plant residues and mineral soil particles and consequently accelerated plant residue decomposition and reduced C sequestration.
Simple pedotransfer functions to initialize reactive carbon pools of the RothC model
Authors: Weihermüller L. , Graf A. , Herbst M. , Vereecken H. 
Published: March 2013

SummaryModelling of carbon turnover is a widely used tool to estimate soil carbon stock changes as a response to climate and land‐use change. Carbon turnover models are increasingly used not only at the point scale but also at regional and continental scales, and the Rothamsted carbon model (RothC) is a widely used model because of its simplicity and easy implementation. For the initialization of the RothC model, knowledge about the carbon pool sizes is essential. Pool size characterization can be either obtained from physical fractionation or equilibrium model runs, but both approaches are time consuming and tedious, especially for larger scale simulations. In our study, a pedotransfer function (PTF) for the estimation of all active carbon pools of the RothC model is presented. As independent variables, only total organic carbon (TOC) and clay content, which are easily available at most scales, are necessary. For validation of PTFs the resistant plant material (RPM) stock estimated from physical fractionation of soil of a wide range of types was predicted with a R2 of 0.70. In a second step, associated errors induced by the use of PTFs were analysed by using simulation runs for a 100‐year time period. Thereafter, the model was either initialized by the carbon pools extracted from physical fractionation or the PTF. Maximum relative deviations in TOC content were small (<9%) and declined to <4% after 100 years. Further, absolute errors were within the range of measurement error for soil organic carbon. Therefore, we propose that PTFs can be used to initialize the RothC model whenever physical fractionation is not feasible or equilibrium runs are considered too tedious.