bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Brucella suis infection in domestic pigs in Sardinia (Italy)
Authors: PILO C. , TEDDE M. T. , ORRÙ G. , ADDIS G. , LICIARDI M. 
Published: December 2014

SUMMARYDuring a 4-year (2007–2010) survey, the presence of Brucella suis infection in domestic pigs in Sardinia was investigated. Serum samples were collected from breeding pigs located on 108 commercial farms with documented reproductive problems and analysed using the Rose Bengal (RBT) and complement fixation (CFT) tests for screening and confirmation of Brucella, respectively. Of the 1251 serum samples analysed by RBT, 406 sera, originating from 36 farms, were positive for B. suis. CFT was positive in 292/748 sera analysed, confirming positivity in all 36 pig herds. Pigs with international complement fixation test units per ml (ICFTU/ml) values ⩾160 were slaughtered, and their organs collected for bacteriological examination and testing by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Brucella spp. strains were isolated in culture from 13/502 organs analysed, and subsequently identified as B. suis biovar 2. PCR detected positivity to Brucella spp. in 19/285 organs analysed. These results confirm the presence and emergence of B. suis infection in domestic pigs in Sardinia.
Computer-mediated communication (CMC) in L2 oral proficiency development: A meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Huifen 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe ever growing interest in the development of foreign or second (L2) oral proficiency in a computer-mediated communication (CMC) classroom has resulted in a large body of studies looking at both the direct and indirect effects of CMC interventions on the acquisition of oral competences. The present study employed a quantitative meta-analytic approach to investigate such effects by synthesizing (quasi)experimental studies that provide empirical quantitative data for effect size calculation. A literature search located 25 relevant studies for the final analysis. Each study was independently coded for learner, design and publication characteristics. The averaged effect size was estimated from the included studies. The results of the meta-analysis reveal that communication mediated by computer/technologies produced a moderate positive effect on L2 learners’ oral proficiency compared to face-to-face (F2F) communication or no interaction. Furthermore, CMC has roughly similar effect on pronunciation, lexical and syntactic level of oral production; however, it might have a negative impact on fluency and accuracy. This meta-analysis also found that the effect of CMC on oral proficiency depends on several methodological factors such as task type, outcome measurement, treatment length, and assessment task. Major findings of the current meta-analysis include: (1) studies relying on elicited data are superior to those utilizing naturalistic data; (2) reading aloud seems to be the task that could elicit the best oral performance from students; (3) surprisingly, CMC appeared to be harmful for accuracy and fluency; (4) studies that employed decision-making generated the largest effect size, followed by studies that used more than one task type; (5) among the four tasks, jigsaw actually generated a negative effect on oral performance; and (6) as the most popular task employed by primary researchers, opinion-exchange studies produced the smallest effect size. These findings need to be interpreted as exploratory rather than confirmatory since each of them became less trustworthy after taking into consideration numerous other factors such as CMC task and the particular CMC tool used, etc. Future research suggestions are provided and the limitations of this meta-analysis are addressed.
The impact of front-of-pack nutrition labels on consumer product evaluation and choice: an experimental study
Authors: Hamlin Robert P , McNeill Lisa S , Moore Vanessa 
Published: December 2014

AbstractObjectiveThe present research was an experimental test that aimed to quantify the impact of two dominant front-of-pack (FOP) nutritional label formats on consumer evaluations of food products that carried them. The two FOP label types tested were the traffic light label and the Percentage Daily Intake.DesignA 4×5 partially replicated Latin square design was used that allowed the impact of the FOP labels to be isolated from the effects of the product and the consumers who were performing the evaluations.SettingThe experiment was conducted on campus at the University of Otago, New Zealand.SubjectsThe participants were 250 university students selected at random who met qualifying criteria of independent living and regular purchase of the products used in the research. They were not aware of the purpose of the research.ResultsThe presence of FOP labels led to significant and positive changes in consumer purchase intentions towards the products that carried them. These changes were not affected by the nature of FOP labels used, their size or the product nutritional status (good/bad) that they were reporting.ConclusionsThe result is consistent with the participants paying attention to the FOP label and then using it as an adimensional cue indicating product desirability. As such, it represents a complete functional failure of both of these FOP label types in this specific instance. This result supports calls for further research on the performance of these FOP labels before any move to compulsory deployment is made.
Word Association Norms in Mexican Spanish
Authors: Barrón-Martínez Julia B. , Arias-Trejo Natalia 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe aim of this research is to present a Spanish Word Association Norms (WAN) database of concrete nouns. The database includes 234 stimulus words (SWs) and 67,622 response words (RWs) provided by 478 young Mexican adults. Eight different measures were calculated to quantitatively analyze word-word relationships: 1) Associative strength of the first associate, 2) Associative strength of the second associate, 3) Sum of associative strength of first two associates, 4) Difference in associative strength between first two associates, 5) Number of different associates, 6) Blank responses, 7) Idiosyncratic responses, and 8) Cue validity of the first associate. The resulting database is an important contribution given that there are no published word association norms for Mexican Spanish. The results of this study are an important resource for future research regarding lexical networks, priming effects, semantic memory, among others.
A reanalysis dataset of the South China Sea
Authors: Zeng Xuezhi , Peng Shiqiu , Li Zhijin , Qi Yiquan , Chen Rongyu 
Published: December 2014

AbstractOcean reanalysis provides a temporally continuous and spatially gridded four-dimensional estimate of the ocean state for a better understanding of the ocean dynamics and its spatial/temporal variability. Here we present a 19-year (1992–2010) high-resolution ocean reanalysis dataset of the upper ocean in the South China Sea (SCS) produced from an ocean data assimilation system. A wide variety of observations, including in-situ temperature/salinity profiles, ship-measured and satellite-derived sea surface temperatures, and sea surface height anomalies from satellite altimetry, are assimilated into the outputs of an ocean general circulation model using a multi-scale incremental three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme, yielding a daily high-resolution reanalysis dataset of the SCS. Comparisons between the reanalysis and independent observations support the reliability of the dataset. The presented dataset provides the research community of the SCS an important data source for studying the thermodynamic processes of the ocean circulation and meso-scale features in the SCS, including their spatial and temporal variability.
Atomic scale dynamics of a solid state chemical reaction directly determined by annular dark-field electron microscopy
Authors: Pennycook Timothy J. , Jones Lewys , Pettersson Henrik , Coelho João , Canavan Megan , Mendoza-Sanchez Beatriz , Nicolosi Valeria , Nellist Peter D. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractDynamic processes, such as solid-state chemical reactions and phase changes, are ubiquitous in materials science and developing a capability to observe the mechanisms of such processes on the atomic scale can offer new insights across a wide range of materials systems. Aberration correction in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has enabled atomic resolution imaging at significantly reduced beam energies and electron doses. It has also made possible the quantitative determination of the composition and occupancy of atomic columns using the atomic number (Z)-contrast annular dark-field (ADF) imaging available in STEM. Here we combine these benefits to record the motions and quantitative changes in the occupancy of individual atomic columns during a solid-state chemical reaction in manganese oxides. These oxides are of great interest for energy-storage applications such as for electrode materials in pseudocapacitors. We employ rapid scanning in STEM to both drive and directly observe the atomic scale dynamics behind the transformation of Mn3O4 into MnO. The results demonstrate we now have the experimental capability to understand the complex atomic mechanisms involved in phase changes and solid state chemical reactions.
Extensive Deep Venous Thrombosis Resulting from Anterior Lumbar Spine Surgery in a Patient with Iliac Vein Compression Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Reddy Deepak , Mikhael Mark M. , Shapiro Gary S. , Farrell Tony 
Published: December 2014

Study Design Case report. Objective Although May-Thurner syndrome or iliac vein compression syndrome is covered in the vascular literature, it remains absent from the orthopedic and neurosurgery literature and has not been previously reported to occur in concordance with spine surgery. We review the salient points of disease presentation, diagnosis, and treatment. Methods A 33-year-old woman was followed postoperatively via clinical and radiographic findings. Her presentation, operative treatment, postoperative extensive deep venous thrombosis (DVT) formation, and management are described. Results We present a unique case of a healthy 33-year-old woman who developed an extensive left iliac vein DVT after anterior lumbar spine fusion. Although she had multiple risk factors for thrombosis, the size of the thrombus was atypical. A subsequent venogram showed compression of the left common iliac vein by the right common iliac artery, consistent with May-Thurner syndrome. Conclusions May-Thurner syndrome or iliac vein compression syndrome is a rare diagnosis that is absent from the spine literature. The condition can predispose patients to extensive iliac vein DVT. The contributing anatomy and subsequent clot often require catheter-directed thrombolysis and stenting to achieve a favorable outcome.
Management performance of ecological indicators in the Georges Bank finfish fishery
Authors: Fay Gavin , Link Jason S. , Large Scott I. , Gamble Robert J. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Successful implementation of Ecosystem-Based Fisheries Management (EBFM) requires appropriate action as informed by reference points in an ecosystem context. Thresholds in the response of ecological indicators to system drivers have been suggested as reference points for EBFM, though the management performance of these indicators and possible values for their reference points have not been widely evaluated. We used Management Strategy Evaluation to test the performance of control rules that used ecological indicators to adjust the advice from single-species stock assessments, using the Georges Bank finfish fishery as a case study. We compare the performance of control rules that used ecological indicators to that of single-species FMSY control rules when the system dynamics were governed by the same multispecies population model. Control rules that used indicator-based reference points were able to perform better against catch and biodiversity objectives than when harvests were based on single-species advice alone. Indicators and values for reference points associated with good performance varied depending on the management objective. We quantified tradeoffs between total catch, biodiversity, and interannual variability in catch, noting that it was possible in some instances to achieve higher than average biodiversity while maintaining high catches using indicator-based control rules. While improved performance was noted using ecological indicators, outcomes were variable, and the gains in performance obtained may be similar to alternative methods of implementing precaution in single-species fishery control rules.
A statistical analysis of current helicity and twist in solar active regions over the phases of the solar cycle using the spectro-polarimeter data of Hinode
Authors: Otsuji Kenichi , Sakurai Takashi , Kuzanyan Kirill 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Current helicity and twist of solar magnetic fields are important in characterizing the dynamo mechanism working in the convection zone of the Sun. We have carried out a statistical study on the current helicity of solar active regions observed with the spectro-polarimeter (SP) of the Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT). We used SOT-SP data of 558 vector magnetograms of a total of 80 active regions obtained during the period from 2006 to 2012. We have applied spatial smoothing and division of data points into weak and strong field ranges to compare the contributions from different scales and field strengths. We found that the current helicity follows the “hemispheric sign rule” when weak magnetic fields (absolute field strength &lt; 300 gauss) are considered and no smoothing is applied. On the other hand, the pattern of current helicity fluctuates and violates the hemispheric sign rule when stronger magnetic fields are considered and smoothing of 2${^{\prime\prime}_{.}}$0 (modeled on ground-based observations) is applied. Furthermore, we found a tendency that weak and inclined fields conform to the hemispheric sign rule and strong and vertical fields violate it. These different properties of helicity through the strong and weak magnetic field components give important clues in understanding the solar dynamo as well as the mechanism of formation and evolution of solar active regions.
The relative importance of biotic and abiotic processes for structuring plant communities through time
Authors: Jeffers Elizabeth S. , Bonsall Michael B. , Froyd Cynthia A. , Brooks Stephen J. , Willis Katherine J. 
Published: December 2014

Summary

The question of the relative importance of biotic interactions versus abiotic drivers for structuring plant communities is highly debated but largely unresolved. Here, we investigate the relative importance of mean July air temperature, nitrogen (N) availability and direct plant interactions in determining the millennial‐scale population dynamics through the Holocene (10 700–5200 cal. years bp) for four temperate tree taxa in the Scottish Highlands.

A variety of dynamic population models were fitted to our palaeoecological time‐series data to determine the mechanism(s) by which each driver affected the population biomass dynamics of Betula (birch), Pinus (pine), Alnus (alder) and Quercus (oak). Akaike information criterion weights identified the best model(s) for describing the relationship between each population and driver. The relative importance of these drivers was then assessed by the ability of each model to predict the observed population biomass dynamics. We also measured the change in goodness‐of‐fit of each model over time.

We found that models of intra‐ and interspecific plant interactions described the plant population dynamics better than temperature‐ or N‐dependent population growth models over the 5000‐year study period. The best‐fitting models were constant over time for pine, alder and oak. However, the plant–N availability and plant–temperature models provided a progressively better fit to the birch data when temperatures rose and N availability declined, suggesting increasing importance of these abiotic factors coincident with changing conditions.

Synthesis. Multiple mechanistic models were applied to palaeoecological data to infer the most likely processes driving millennial‐scale plant biomass dynamics in a woodland ecosystem. Direct plant interactions provided a better explanation for population biomass dynamics than growing season temperature or N availability over the full study period. The relative importance of all drivers we assessed here varied by species and – in the case of birch – over time in response to warming and reduced N availability.
An Overview of Regular Dialysis Treatment in Japan (as of 31 December 2012)
Authors: Nakai Shigeru , Hanafusa Norio , Masakane Ikuto , Taniguchi Masatomo , Hamano Takayuki , Shoji Tetsuo , Hasegawa Takeshi , Itami Noritomo , Yamagata Kunihiro , Shinoda Toshio , Kazama Junichiro James , Watanabe Yuzo , Shigematsu Takashi , Marubayashi Seiji , Morita Osamu , Wada Atsushi , Hashimoto Seiji , Suzuki Kazuyuki , Nakamoto Hidetomo , Kimata Naoki , Wakai Kenji , Fujii Naohiko , Ogata Satoshi , Tsuchida Kenji , Nishi Hiroshi , Iseki Kunitoshi , Tsubakihara Yoshiharu 
Published: December 2014

AbstractA nationwide statistical survey of 4279 dialysis facilities was conducted at the end of 2012, among which 4238 responded (99.0%). The number of new dialysis patients was 38 055 in 2012. Since 2008, the number of new dialysis patients has remained almost the same without any marked increase or decrease. The number of dialysis patients who died in 2012 was 30 710; a slight decrease from 2011 (30 743). The dialysis patient population has been growing every year in Japan; it was 310 007 at the end of 2012, which exceeded 310 000 for the first time. The number of dialysis patients per million at the end of 2012 was 2431.2. The crude death rate of dialysis patients in 2012 was 10.0%, a slight decrease from that in 2011 (10.2%). The mean age of new dialysis patients was 68.5 years and the mean age of the entire dialysis patient population was 66.9 years. The most common primary cause of renal failure among new dialysis patients was diabetic nephropathy (44.2%). The actual number of new dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy has been approximately 16 000 for the last few years. Diabetic nephropathy was also the most common primary disease among the entire dialysis patient population (37.1%), followed by chronic glomerulonephritis (33.6%). The percentage of dialysis patients with diabetic nephropathy has been continuously increasing, whereas not only the percentage but also the actual number of dialysis patients with chronic glomerulonephritis has decreased. The number of patients who underwent hemodiafiltration (HDF) at the end of 2012 was 21 725, a marked increase from that in 2011 (14 115). In particular, the number of patients who underwent on‐line HDF increased threefold from 4890 in 2011 to 14 069 in 2012. From the results of the facility survey, the number of patients who underwent peritoneal dialysis (PD) was 9514 and that of patients who did not undergo PD despite having a PD catheter in the abdominal cavity was 347. From the results of the patient survey, among the PD patients, 1932 also underwent another dialysis method using extracorporeal circulation, such as hemodialysis (HD) and HDF. The number of patients who underwent HD at home in 2012 was 393, a marked increase from that in 2011 (327).
Alginate‐Based Emulsion Template Containing High Oil Loading Stabilized by Nonionic Surfactants
Authors: Ong Wan‐Ding , Tey Beng‐Ti , Quek Siew Young , Tang Siah‐Ying , Chan Eng‐Seng 
Published: December 2014

AbstractOil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsion‐gel systems containing high oil payloads are of increasing interest for food applications because of the reduction in encapsulation cost, consumption frequency or volume of food products. This study shows a facile approach to prepare stable alginate‐based O/W emulsions at high oil loading using a mixture of nonionic surfactants (Tween 80 and Span 20) as a template to form gelled‐emulsions. The synergistic effects of alginate and surfactants on the O/W emulsion properties were evaluated in terms of oil droplet size and emulsion stability. At 2% (w/v) of alginate and 1% (w/v) of surfactants, the size distribution of oil droplets was narrow and monomodal, even at an oil loading of 70% (v/v). The emulsions formed were stable against phase separation. The oil droplet size could be further reduced to below 1 μm using a high‐shear homogenizer. The emulsions formed could be easily molded and gelled into solids of different shapes via ionic gelation. The findings of this study create possible avenues for applications in food industries.
Efficacy and safety of pregabalin in patients with neuropathic cancer pain undergoing morphine therapy
Authors: Dou Zhi , Jiang Zongbin , Zhong Jincai 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAimTo evaluate the efficacy and the safety of pregabalin (PGB)‐morphine combination for the treatment of neuropathic cancer pain (NCP).MethodsIn this double‐blind, randomized, placebo (PL)‐controlled crossover study, 40 cancer patients with severe NCP were randomized into two groups (20 per group): PGB‐PL and PL‐PGB. Patients in the PGB‐PL group received PGB plus oral morphine in phase I, and PL plus oral morphine in phase II. The treatment sequence for the PL‐PGB group was PL plus oral morphine in phase I, and PGB plus oral morphine in phase II. These 2‐week treatment periods were separated by a 1‐week washout period. The primary outcome measure was the decrements in morphine dose; secondary outcomes included quantitative assessments of sleep (rated according to the Medical Outcomes Study Sleep Scale), the Constipation Assessment Scale and adverse effects.ResultsThe mean minimal effective dose of morphine was 184.4 ± 69.9 mg/day in the period of PGB treatments, which was significantly lower than that of PL‐controls (228.7 ± 66.9 mg/day; P < 0.001) and baseline (247.5 ± 80.0 mg/day; P < 0.001). Compared with PL, PGB resulted in a significant sleep improvement as measured by sleep disturbance, sleep quantity, and sleep problems index (P < 0.001), as well as a Constipation Assessment Scale reduction (P < 0.001). PGB resulted in a higher frequency of dry mouth and somnolence than PL (P < 0.05).ConclusionPGB enhances the efficacy of oral morphine and reduces dose‐related adverse reactions. The PGB‐morphine combination is an effective approach to controlling NCP.