bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Degenerative Left Shift as a Prognostic Tool in Cats
Authors: Burton A.G. , Harris L.A. , Owens S.D. , Jandrey K.E. 
Published: March 2014

BackgroundA degenerative left shift (DLS) is reported to be a poor prognostic indicator in dogs and cats. Limited data in dogs and no studies in cats have been published to investigate this claim.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo characterize the feline population affected by DLS and to determine if the presence and severity of DLS are associated with increased risk of euthanasia or death.AnimalsOne hundred and eight cats with DLS (cases) and 322 cats without DLS (controls) presented to the University of California, Davis Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital between April 1, 1995 and April 1, 2010.MethodsRetrospective case–control study. All cases had a CBC performed within 24 hours of presentation in which immature granulocytic precursors exceeded mature neutrophils. Controls were matched by year of presentation and primary diagnosis. Survival analysis was used to determine risk of death or euthanasia from DLS and other potential predictors of outcome.ResultsCases were more likely to die or be euthanized in hospital compared to controls (60/108 [56%] versus 107/322 [33%]). DLS was a significant predictor of death or euthanasia in hospitalized cats in both univariate and multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 1.57; 95% confidence interval, 1.13–2.18). Trend analysis showed an increasing trend in the hazard of euthanasia or death with increasing severity of DLS.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceCats with DLS are 1.57 times more likely to die or be euthanized in hospital than cats without DLS. In addition, increasing severity of DLS is associated with increased likelihood of death or euthanasia.
Introducing wood anatomical and dendrochronological aspects of herbaceous plants: applications of the Xylem Database to vegetation science
Authors: Büntgen Ulf , Psomas Achilleas , Schweingruber Fritz H. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractObjectivesAlthough more than half of the Earth's landmass is covered by non‐forest vegetation and forests only account for ca. 20%, the majority of wood anatomical and dendrochronological studies still centre on trees and their timber products of secondary meristem growth. Comprehensive assessments of the anatomy, taxonomy, physiology and dendrochronology of herbs are, however, still missing. We therefore aim to evaluate the importance of stem anatomical and dendrochronological aspects of herbaceous plants for vegetation science, and further intend to explore if species‐specific differences in xylem anatomy can be linked with patterns of life form, plant size and site ecology.LocationsNumerous extra‐tropical sites within six biogeographic regions on six continents, spanning an elevational gradient of 4400 m from sea level to the alpine zone.MethodsWe employ the Xylem Database to investigate well‐established and newly defined wood anatomical and dendrochronological traits in 3347 dicotyledonous tree, shrub and herb species from 140 families and 952 genera. The obtained site information is placed in a global context of vegetation cover.ResultsWe demonstrate that plants included in the Xylem Database broadly represent the diversity of growth forms, habitats and life histories of extra‐tropical dicots, thus validating its potential for a range of uses within vegetation science. An unexpectedly rich catalogue of xylem anatomical and dendrochronological features is found in the stems of almost all dwarf shrub and herb species, with the quantity and diversity of their characteristics being comparable to larger plants, including most tree species. Annual rings are formed independently of life form, plant size and site ecology. Secondary growth, which is an expression of plant age, defines the main principle of terrestrial angiosperm development.ConclusionsBased on a first assessment of the Xylem Database, we suggest merging the traditionally separated research communities of wood anatomy and dendrochronology (including dendroclimatology and ‐ecology), as well as expanding their joint application to all non‐forest, extra‐tropical vegetation types. Moreover, we recommend overcoming the theoretical life form separation of trees, shrubs and herbs. This conceptual advancement will likely provide annually resolved insight on the past dynamics of dry matter production and carbon allocation for many marginal vegetation zones beyond the geographic limits of forest growth, which are particularly vulnerable to environmental change. Our study may further stimulate timely efforts in comparing plant morphological and wood anatomical characteristics with phylogenetic reconstructions.
A Wavelet‐Based Adaptive Pole Assignment Method for Structural Control
Authors: Amini Fereidoun , Samani Masoud Zabihi 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis article presents a time varying wavelet‐based pole assignment (WPA) method to control seismic vibrations in multi‐degree of freedom (MDOF) structural systems. The discrete wavelet transform is used to determine the energy content over the frequency band of the response in real time. The frequency content was implemented in the Big Bang–Big Crunch algorithm to update the optimum values of the closed‐loop poles of the structural system adaptively. To calculate optimum gain matrix, a robust pole placement algorithm was used. The gain matrix is calculated online based on response characteristic in real time and must not be calculated a priori (offline) choice. The WPA is tested on a 10‐story structural system subject to several historical ground motions. It is observed that the WPA has advantages in some design problems. Numerical examples illustrate that the proposed approach reduces the displacement response of the structure in real time more than conventional linear quadratic regulator (LQR) controller.
Concurrent Construction Scheduling Simulation Algorithm
Authors: Lim Tae‐Kyung , Yi Chang‐Yong , Lee Dong‐Eun , Arditi David 
Published: March 2014

AbstractA scheduler can accelerate a construction project by setting up overlapping activities. Activities are said to be overlapping if two activities that are normally executed in sequence are performed in parallel, the successor starting before the end of the predecessor. This article presents a novel method that identifies an optimal overlap rate between critical activities to provide a time‐cost trade‐off analysis, hence reducing completion time and cost without allocating additional resources. This method is then coded into Concurrent Construction Scheduling Simulation System (C2S2) that makes use of schedule data exported from Primavera Project Planner (P6), integrates the activities’ concurrency attributes, calculates the rework probability/amount, and computes the variability in project completion time and cost by adjusting the overlap between activities. This study is of value to practitioners because C2S2 allows establishing a compressed schedule that satisfies a limited budget within a specified contract duration. The study is also of relevance to researchers because it identifies the optimal overlaps between activities expeditiously. Two test cases verify the usability and validity of the computational methods implemented in the system.
Justice and Confucianism
Authors: Cline Erin M. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis article surveys contemporary scholarship on justice and early Confucianism and builds upon recent work on justice in the Analects by examining the relationship between justice and moral self‐cultivation in the Mengzi (Mencius) and the Xunzi. It is argued that focusing on early Confucian accounts of how a sense of justice is cultivated offers insights into Confucian views of justice because it shows how remarks on justice in the Analects, Mengzi, and Xunzi are not tangential, but rather are an important part of their accounts of Confucian moral self‐cultivation.
Idealization
Authors: Elliott‐Graves Alkistis , Weisberg Michael 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis article reviews the recent literature on idealization, specifically idealization in the course of scientific modeling. We argue that idealization is not a unified concept and that there are three different types of idealization: Galilean, minimalist, and multiple models, each with its own justification. We explore the extent to which idealization is a permanent feature of scientific representation and discuss its implications for debates about scientific realism.
Medical Paternalism – Part 1
Authors: Groll Daniel 
Published: March 2014

AbstractMedical clinicians – doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners etc. – are charged to act for the good of their patients. But not all ways of acting for a patient's good are on par: some are paternalistic; others are not. What does it mean to act paternalistically, both in general and specifically in a medical context? And when, if ever, is it permissible for a clinician to act paternalistically?This paper deals with the first question, with a special focus on paternalism in medicine. While it is easy to give a rough characterization of paternalism (i.e. acting for another's good against that person's will), it is surprisingly difficult to provide a unified account of the myriad of actions that seem to count as paternalistic. After surveying four accounts of paternalism, I argue that two – what I call the authority and beneficence accounts – are the strongest on offer. According to the authority account, a clinician acts paternalistically when, for her patient's good, she usurps his decision‐making authority. According to the beneficence account, a clinician acts paternalistically when, for her patient's good, she acts only or overrindingly out of concern for his good. I show how the difference between these accounts matters (in part) for how we should think about the nature of surrogate decision making in medicine. I argue that there are reasons – albeit hardly decisive – to prefer the beneficence account to the authority account. I conclude by considering whether attempts by clinicians to rationally persuade their patients to pursue a particular course of action should be thought of as paternalistic.
Effect of Bovine Follicular Fluid on Reactive Oxygen Species and Glutathione in Oocytes, Apoptosis and Apoptosis‐related Gene Expression ofIn vitro‐Produced Blastocysts
Authors: Park S‐H , Cho H‐S , Yu I‐J 
Published: March 2014

ContentsThe reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during thein vitromaturation of oocytes affect oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development. Bovine follicular fluid (bFF) has an effective antioxidant capacity. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of supplementing oocyte maturation media withbFFfrom different size classes (3–8 and 9–13 mm) on the glutathione (GSH) and ROS levels of oocytes. Embryonic development and apoptosis, as well as the relative abundance of INFτ, BAX, BCL2 and HSP70 transcripts in blastocysts, were also monitored. Oocytes collected from ovaries were matured in TCM‐199 with FBS (control) and 10% 3–8 mm (M), 9–13 mm (L) or a mixture of 3–8 mm and 9–13 mm (M + L)bFF. Glutathione and ROS levels in oocytes after 24 h were assessed by Cell Tracker Blue CMF2HC and DCHFDA staining, respectively. Apoptosis in day‐8 blastocysts was assessed by TUNEL staining. The relative abundance of BAX, BCL2, HSP70 and INFτtranscripts was assessed using quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The GSH level was significantly higher in the L group compared to the other groups (p < 0.05), while the ROS levels in the M group were significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.05). The apoptosis levels of blastocysts in the FBS group were significantly higher than those in the M + L group (p < 0.05), although the embryonic development did not differ between the groups. The HSP70 and INFτexpression levels in group M were significantly greater than in the controls (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in BAX expression between the groups. Supplementation withbFFfrom various sizes of follicles into the maturation medium was capable of supporting oocyte cytoplasmic maturation by decreasing the ROS. Moreover,bFFsubsequently affected antioxidative gene expression, increasing HSP70 and INFτexpressions.
Addition of Cholesterol‐Loaded Cyclodextrins to the Thawing Extender: Effects on Boar Sperm Quality
Authors: Tomás C , Gómez‐Fernández J , Gómez‐Izquierdo E , Mocé E , de Mercado E 
Published: March 2014

ContentsThe aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect that the addition of cholesterol‐loaded cyclodextrins (CLC) to the thawing extender has on the quality of frozen‐thawed boar sperm. Pooled semen (n = 5) from three boars was used for the experiments. The semen was cryopreserved with an egg‐yolk‐based extender, it was diluted after thawing in Beltsville thawing solution (BTS) supplemented with different concentrations ofCLC(0, 12.5, 25, 50 or 100 mg/500 × 106sperm), and these samples were incubated at 37°C for 150 min. The following parameters of sperm quality were evaluated 30 and 150 min after incubation: sperm with intact plasma membrane (SIPM; %), sperm with normal acrosomal ridge (NAR; %), total motile sperm (TMS; %), progressively motile sperm (PMS; %) and kinetic parameters. BothSIPMandNARincreased (p < 0.05) when the thawing extender was supplemented with 12.5, 25 and 50 mgCLC/500 × 106sperm. Nevertheless, motility decreased (p < 0.05) when the concentration ofCLCexceeded 12.5 mgCLC/500 × 106sperm. In conclusion, our results suggest that the supplementation of thawing extenders withCLCimproves sperm viability and reduces acrosome damage after freezing/thawing.
An Enduring Somatic Threat Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Due to Acute Life‐Threatening Medical Events
Authors: Edmondson Donald 
Published: March 2014

AbstractPosttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in 12–25% of survivors of acute life‐threatening medical events such as heart attack, stroke, and cancer, and is associated with recurrence of cardiac events and mortality in heart attack survivors. This article reviews the current state of knowledge about PTSD after such events, and proposes an Enduring Somatic Threat (EST) model of PTSD due to acute life‐threatening medical events to address underappreciated differences between PTSD due to past, discrete/external traumatic events (such as combat) and PTSD due to acute manifestations of chronic disease that are enduring/internal in nature (such as heart attack and stroke). The differences include the external versus internal/somatic source of the threat, the past versus present/future temporal focus of threatening cognitions, the different types and consequences of avoidance behavior, and the different character and consequences of hyperarousal. Although important differences between the two types of PTSD exist, the EST model proposes that the underlying fear of mortality maintains PTSD symptoms due to both discrete/external and ongoing/somatic events. Finally, this article offers a research agenda for testing the EST model, with a particular focus on areas that may improve cardiovascular prognosis and health behaviors in survivors of heart attack and stroke.
Implicit Consistency Processes in Social Cognition: Explicit‐Implicit Discrepancies Across Systems of Evaluation
Authors: Shoda Tonya M. , McConnell Allen R. , Rydell Robert J. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractWhat happens when our automatic evaluations conflict with our attitudes that we can reflect on and articulate? In this paper, we review some processes by which explicit implicit evaluative discrepancies (EIEDs) arise and can impact our thoughts, feelings, and behavior, using a dual‐systems perspective on attitudes to explain the psychological processes underlying these evaluative inconsistencies. EIEDs emerge when differential positive and negative evaluations toward attitude objects reside in systems of knowledge governed by language and reasoning (i.e., explicit evaluations) and systems of knowledge that are association‐based (i.e., implicit evaluations). We discuss factors that produce EIEDs, including the influence of extrapersonal associations on attitudes, temporal, and qualitative differences in encountering attitude‐relevant information, and the differential influence of processing goals. Finally, we discuss consequences of holding EIEDs, including their impact on behaviors toward attitude objects, enhanced elaboration and scrutiny of social information, motivated reasoning, errant affective forecasting, and self‐regulatory success and failure.
Positive Emotion Differentiation: A Functional Approach
Authors: Shiota Michelle N. , Neufeld Samantha L. , Danvers Alexander F. , Osborne Elizabeth A. , Sng Oliver , Yee Claire I. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractWhile positive emotion can be conceptualized broadly as a response to the potential for reward, the environment offers different kinds of rewards, and these are best approached in somewhat different ways. A functional approach to positive emotion differentiation distinguishes among several different types of rewards with strong implications for adaptive fitness and posits the existence of “discrete” positive emotions that promote an adaptive response to each reward. A taxonomy of eight positive emotions, dubbed the “PANACEAS” taxonomy based on an acronym of the first letter of each of the eight constructs, is presented as an example of this approach. Positive emotion constructs defined through functional analyses are useful for guiding empirical research, especially for identifying prototypical eliciting stimuli, and generating hypotheses about the implications of different positive emotions for a variety of outcomes. Research findings are reviewed that support the importance of positive emotion differentiation in understanding the effects of positive emotions on cognition, physiology, and behavior. Advantages of the functional approach are discussed, as well as implications of the approach for evaluating major theories of the structure of emotion.
Decreased immunoglobulin G levels after living‐donor liver transplantation is a risk factor for bacterial infection and sepsis
Authors: Yoshizumi T. , Shirabe K. , Ikegami T. , Yamashita N. , Mano Y. , Yoshiya S. , Matono R. , Harimoto N. , Uchiyama H. , Toshima T. , Maehara Y. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractBackgroundSeveral studies have suggested an association between post‐transplant immunoglobulin (Ig) levels and the development of infection in solid organ transplantation. We therefore conducted exploratory analyses of potential factors associated with bacterial infection/sepsis after living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT).MethodsBlood samples from 177 recipients who received primary LDLT between September 1999 and November 2011 were available for study. Hypogammaglobulinemia was defined as having at least 1 IgG level <650 mg/dL within 7 days after LDLT. Risk factors for developing post‐transplant bacterial infection and sepsis within 3 months after LDLT were analyzed.ResultsFifty (28.2%) recipients experienced bacterial infection within 3 months of LDLT. Eighty‐four (47.5%) recipients had hypogammaglobulinemia, although no recipients had hypogammaglobulinemia before LDLT. Hypogammaglobulinemia, undergoing hepaticojejunostomy, and portal pressure at closure >15 mmHg were independent risk factors for developing bacterial infection within 3 months of LDLT (P < 0.0001 P = 0.0008, and P = 0.011, respectively). The odds ratio (OR) and confidence interval (CI) for hypogammaglobulinemia were 4.79 and 2.27–10.7, respectively. Twenty‐four (13.6%) recipients developed bacterial sepsis within 3 months. Hypogammaglobulinemia, operative time >14 h, model for end‐stage liver disease score >15, and no mycophenolate mofetil use were independent risk factors for developing bacterial sepsis (P = 0.009, P = 0.001, P = 0.003, and P = 0.005, respectively). The OR and CI for hypogammaglobulinemia were 3.83 and 1.38–12.0, respectively.ConclusionsHypogammaglobulinemia within 7 days of LDLT was a significant risk factor for post‐transplant bacterial infection and sepsis.
Comparison of long‐term and short‐term administration of itraconazole for primary antifungal prophylaxis in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a multicenter, randomized, open‐label trial
Authors: Lin R. , Xu X. , Li Y. , Sun J. , Fan Z. , Jiang Q. , Huang F. , Zhou H. , Nie D. , Guo Z. , Mao Y. , Xiao Y. , Liu Q. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractBackgroundThe optimal agents and duration of primary antifungal prophylaxis in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) remain a matter of discussion.ObjectiveOur objective was to compare the efficacy and safety of long‐term and short‐term administration of itraconazole (ITCZ) for primary antifungal prophylaxis in allo‐HSCT recipients.MethodsThis multicenter, randomized, open‐label pilot study was performed in 4 transplant centers in China. Recipients of allo‐HSCT without a history of invasive fungal disease (IFD) were randomly assigned to the long‐term or the short‐term arm. Randomization was carried out by a center computer system. Intravenous ITCZ was given to the patients in both study arms with a loading dose of 400 mg/day for 2 days followed by 200 mg/day until day +14 or when the white blood cell count was >1.0 × 109/L, and then switched to oral ITCZ solution; prophylaxis was continued until day +30 post transplantation in the short‐term arm or until day +90 in the long‐term arm. The trough serum concentrations of ITCZ also were measured. The primary study endpoint was the incidence of IFD (proven, probable, and possible) within day +90 post transplantation.ResultsA total of 128 recipients were enrolled in this study; 59 of them were randomized to the long‐term arm and 62 were randomized to the short‐term arm, forming the modified intent‐to‐treat (mITT) set. The incidence of IFD within day +90, the primary endpoint, was not significantly different between the 2 arms for the mITT set (6.78% in the long‐term arm vs. 6.45% in the short‐term arm, P = 0.94), or for the per‐protocol set (6.90% in the long‐term arm vs. 6.67% in the short‐term arm, P = 0.96). From day +30 to day +90, the incidence of IFD was 0% and 6.45%, respectively, in the patients with long‐term and short‐term prophylaxis for the mITT set (P = 0.11). The mean trough serum concentrations of ITCZ was maintained at >500 ng/mL throughout administration. The incidences of withdrawal because of drug‐related adverse events in patients with long‐term and short‐term prophylaxis were 6.78% and 0%, respectively (P = 0.05).ConclusionsLong‐term and short‐term administration of ITCZ both seemed effective in preventing IFD in recipients of allo‐HSCT. Further study with large sample size should be performed to evaluate this result. ITCZ shows the same pharmacokinetics in recipients of allo‐HSCT as in non‐recipients.
Efficacy of the Novel Topical Antimicrobial Agent PXL150 in a Mouse Model of Surgical Site Infections
Authors: Håkansson Joakim , Björn Camilla , Lindgren Kerstin , Sjöström Emma , Sjöstrand Veronika , Mahlapuu Margit 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial peptides have recently emerged as a promising new group to be evaluated in the therapeutic intervention of infectious diseases. This study evaluated the anti-infectious effect of the short, synthetic, broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide PXL150 in a mouse model of staphylococcal surgical site infections. We found that administration of PXL150, formulated in an aqueous solution or in a hydroxypropyl cellulose gel, significantly reduced the bacterial counts in the wound compared with placebo treatment, warranting further investigations of the potential of this peptide as a novel local treatment of microbial infections.