bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors reflecting bids in procurement of bus transports
Authors: Lidestam Helene 
Published: May 2013

PurposeTo facilitate the choice of the winning bid in the public procurement of bus transports in Sweden and to make sure that the winning bid has the qualities that are requested, the placed demands are very detailed. On the other hand, the detailed demands will lead to limitations and could force the operator to use less environmentally friendly alternatives. The purpose of this paper is to identify factors regarding the buses and their properties that are commonly used in the public procurement process and analyze their level of details.Design/methodology/approachThe method is to collect and study foundations from the process of public procurement of bus transport for three years in Sweden.FindingsThe result shows the most common and relevant aspects regarding the buses and their properties that have been requested and taken into consideration when creating the final contracts. Most of the demands regarding the factors were also described in very great detail.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is done with data from three years. The demands have only been classified on two levels: detailed and non‐detailed.Practical implicationsThe results enlighten the amount of demands that are specified in the foundations for public procurement of bus transports. While these demands make the base for the contracts, they are important for the decision makers in public transports.Originality/valueThe paper shows a general overview of hard and soft demands regarding factors that have been expressed in the foundations for public procurement of bus transports for the previous three years.
An assessment of environmental awareness in an industrial city
Authors: Altaher Hossam 
Published: May 2013

PurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental awareness among students in middle and high schools in an industrial city (Yanbu, Saudi Arabia).Design/methodology/approachA survey was distributed to 279 students in three schools of the city. Both perception of different environment issues and attitude towards the environment were assessed. Different sources of information about the environment were searched. Comparison of the degree of environmental awareness according to age and gender was investigated.FindingsResults indicated girls to be more knowledgeable than boys. The results also showed that TV and internet are the most important sources of information about the environment.Practical implicationsThis study can be important in identifying the level of environmental awareness among students in an industrial city and the different factors that affect this awareness.Originality/valueTo the author's knowledge, research studies investigating the environmental awareness of school students in the industrial areas in the Middle East are very few.
A longitudinal study of HotMap web search
Authors: Hoeber Orland 
Published: May 2013

PurposeHotMap web search was designed to support exploratory search tasks by adding lightweight visual and interactive features to the commonly used list‐based representation of web search results. Although laboratory user studies are the most common method for empirically validating the utility of information visualization and information retrieval systems such as this, it is difficult to determine if such studies accurately reflect the tasks of real users. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachA longitudinal user evaluation was conducted in two phases over a ten‐week period to determine how this novel web search interface was being used and accepted in real‐world settings.FindingsAlthough the interactive features were not used as extensively as expected, there is evidence that the participants did find them useful. Participants were able to refine their queries easily, although most did so manually. Those that used the interactive exploration features were able to effectively discover potentially relevant documents buried deep in the search results list. Subjective reactions regarding the usefulness and ease‐of‐use of the system were positive, and more than half of the participants continued to use the system even after the study ended.Originality/valueAs a result of conducting this longitudinal study, the author has gained a deeper understanding of how a particular visual and interactive web search interface is being used in the real world, as well as issues associated with resistance to change. These findings may provide guidance for the design, development, and study of next generation interfaces for online information retrieval.
Endothelin ETB receptors contribute to sex differences in blood pressure elevation in angiotensin II hypertensive rats on a high‐salt diet
Authors: Kittikulsuth Wararat , Looney Stephen W , Pollock David M 
Published: May 2013

Summary

Female rats are more resistant to blood pressure increases induced by high salt (HS) intake or angiotensin (Ang) II infusion. Because endothelin ETB receptors on endothelial and epithelial cells mediate tonic vasodilation and sodium excretion, we hypothesized that ETB receptors limit the hypertensive response and renal injury induced by HS diet alone or with chronic AngII infusion (AngII/HS) in female compared with male rats.

A 4 week HS diet (4% NaCl) did not significantly change blood pressure (measured by telemetry) in either male or female Sprague‐Dawley rats. Administration of the ETB receptor antagonist A‐192621 (1, 3 and 10 mg/kg per day in food) during HS feeding caused a dose‐dependent increase in blood pressure in both sexes.

In AngII/HS rats, males had a larger increase in blood pressure than females. The increase in blood pressure produced by ETB receptor blockade in male AngII/HS rats was not significant. However, A‐192621 treatment resulted in a significant further increase in blood pressure in female AngII/HS rats. Male rats had consistently higher protein excretion rates before and during AngII/HS, but this was not significantly affected by ETB receptor blockade in either sex.

In conclusion, ETB receptors play a significantly greater beneficial role in protecting female compared with male rats against AngII‐induced hypertension and may contribute to the sex differences in AngII‐induced hypertension.
Delivering Flagship Projects in an Era of Regulatory Capitalism: State‐led Privatization and the London Olympics 2012
Authors: Raco Mike 
Published: May 2013

AbstractMuch of the urban studies literature on the London Olympics has focused on its social legacies and the top‐down nature of policy agendas. This article explores one element that has been less well covered — the contractual dynamics and delivery networks that have shaped infrastructure provision. Drawing on interviews and freedom of information requests, this article explores the mechanisms involved in the project's delivery and their implications for broader understandings of urban politics and policymaking. It assesses contemporary writings on regulatory capitalism, public–private networks and new contractual spaces to frame the empirical discussion. This article argues that the London Olympic model has been characterized by the prioritization of delivery over representative democracy. Democratic imperatives, such as those around sustainability and employment rights, have been institutionally re‐placed and converted into contractual requirements on firms. This form of state‐led privatization of the development process represents a new, and for some, potentially more effective mode of governance than those offered by traditional systems of regulation and management.
Thinking generations
Authors: White Jonathan 
Published: May 2013

AbstractOften, and increasingly, social and political life is narrated using the concept of generation. This article looks at contemporary expressions of ‘generationalism’ in British public life. It identifies the salient themes which emerge, links these to the social and political contexts in which these ideas are produced, and examines the points where they are vulnerable to critique. Bridging science and normativity, the generational view offers a convenient master‐narrative for a variety of political orientations – yet one whose democratic credentials are doubtful.
Guanxi, social capital theory and beyond: toward a globalized social science
Authors: Qi Xiaoying 
Published: May 2013

AbstractWestern theoretical traditions can benefit from systematic engagement with non‐Western concepts: This is shown through an analysis of the Chinese concept guanxi. After considering the general nature of guanxi, including its possible association with corrupt practices and its particular cultural characteristics, the paper goes on to identify the elements of its general form which have universal representation. The possibility of conceiving guanxi as a variant form of social capital is explored. This shows the way in which both the expressive and instrumentalized forms of guanxi indicate otherwise neglected aspects of social and economic relationships not always recognized and addressed by analogous terms current in social theory but which are none the less important for its advancement.
Putting Bourdieu to work for class analysis: reflections on some recent contributions
Authors: Flemmen Magne 
Published: May 2013

AbstractRecent developments in class analysis, particularly associated with so‐called ‘cultural class analysis’; have seen the works of Pierre Bourdieu take centre stage. Apart from the general influence of ‘habitus’ and ‘cultural capital’, some scholars have tried to reconstruct class analysis with concepts drawn from Bourdieu. This involves a theoretical reorientation, away from the conventional concerns of class analysis with property and market relations, towards an emphasis on the multiple forms of capital. Despite the significant potential of these developments, such a reorientation dismisses or neglects the relations of power and domination founded in the economic institutions of capitalism as a crucial element of what class is. Through a critique of some recent attempts by British authors to develop a ‘Bourdieusian’ class theory, the paper reasserts the centrality of the relations of power and domination that used to be the domain of class analysis. The paper suggests some elements central to a reworked class analysis that benefits from the power of Bourdieu's ideas while retaining a perspective on the fundamentals of class relations in capitalism.
Government effectiveness and support for democracy
Authors: Magalhães Pedro C. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractDiffuse support for democracy, as captured in mass surveys, tends to be treated as impervious to regime performance. Such a finding is often presented as confirmation of the basic distinction between ‘diffuse’ and ‘specific’ support as proposed by David Easton. This study argues that this line of argument stems from an incomplete reading of important aspects of Easton's theorisation about the relationship between system outputs and diffuse support. Using multilevel models, evidence from more than 100 surveys in close to 80 countries, and different measures of democratic support, it is shown that government effectiveness is the strongest macro‐level predictor of such support. In democratic regimes, government effectiveness, understood as the quality of policy‐making formulation and implementation, is linked to higher levels of support for democracy. Furthermore, in non‐democracies, effectiveness and support for democracy are, under some model specifications, negatively related.
The potential of distance‐based thresholds and character‐basedDNAbarcoding for defining problematic taxonomic entities byCO1 andND1
Authors: Bergmann T. , Rach J. , Damm S. , DeSalle R. , Schierwater B. , Hadrys H. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractThe mitochondrialCO1 gene (cytochromecoxidaseI) is a widely accepted metazoan barcode region. In insects, the mitochondrialNADHdehydrogenase subunit 1 (ND1) gene region has proved to be another suitable marker especially for the identification of lower level taxonomic entities such as populations and sister species. To evaluate the potential of distance‐based thresholds and character‐basedDNAbarcoding for the identification of problematic species‐rich taxa, both markers,CO1 andND1, were used as test parameters in odonates. We sequenced and compared gene fragments ofCO1 andND1 for 271 odonate individuals representing 51 species, 22 genera and eight families. Our data suggests that (i) the combination of theCO1 andND1 fragment forms a better identifier than a single region alone; and (ii) the character‐based approach provides higher resolution than the distance‐based method inOdonata especially in closely related taxonomic entities.
A fracture prevention service reduces further fractures two years after incident minimal trauma fracture
Authors: Van der Kallen John , Giles Michelle , Cooper Kerry , Gill Kerry , Parker Vicki , Tembo Agness , Major Gabor , Ross Linda , Carter Jan 
Published: May 2013

AbstractAimTo evaluate the impact of a fracture prevention clinic service on initiation of treatment, continuing treatment and subsequent minimal trauma fractures (MTF).MethodParticipants were people aged 50 and over, with a minimal trauma fracture presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) in a large tertiary referral hospital in New South Wales, Australia, between February 2007 and March 2009. A cohort of patients who attended a Fracture Prevention Clinic (clinic group) were compared with a cohort who did not attend the clinic (non‐clinic group). A telephone questionnaire was conducted with participants or their carers between December 2010 and April 2011 at least 12 months post‐fracture presentation. Questionnaire items included demographics, fracture types, osteoporosis treatment, recurrent fractures and smoking and dietary habits. Data were compared using chi‐squared test for categorical variables and Student's t‐test or Mann–Whitney U‐test for continuous variables.ResultsTwo hundred and fourteen clinic attendees and 220 non‐clinic attendees were surveyed between 12 and 40 months (mean 24 months) post‐initial fracture. New fracture rates were lower in the clinic group (5.1%) than the non‐clinic group (16.4%, P < 0.001). Treatment rates for bone fragility were higher in the clinic group (81.3%) than in the non‐clinic group (54.1%, P < 0.001) with 66.8% of the clinic group and 34.1% of the non‐clinic group on a bisphosphonate or strontium ranelate at the time of the survey (P < 0.001).ConclusionPatients managed by a fracture prevention clinic service following a MTF have fewer new fractures and are more likely to be on treatment for bone fragility.
DRD4 and TH gene polymorphisms are associated with activity, impulsivity and inattention in Siberian Husky dogs
Authors: Wan Michele , Hejjas Krisztina , Ronai Zsolt , Elek Zsuzsanna , Sasvari‐Szekely Maria , Champagne Frances A. , Miklósi Ádám , Kubinyi Enikő 
Published: May 2013

SummaryBoth dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) exon 3 and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) intron 4 repeat polymorphisms have been linked to activity and impulsivity in German Shepherd dogs (GSDs). However, the results in GSDs may not be generalisable to other breeds, as allelic frequencies vary markedly among breeds. We selected the Siberian Husky for further study, because it is highly divergent from most dog breeds, including the GSD. The study sample consisted of 145 racing Siberian Huskies from Europe and North America. We found that this breed possesses seven DRD4 length variants, two to five more variants than found in other breeds. Among them was the longest known allele, previously described only in wolves. Short alleles of the DRD4 and TH repeat polymorphisms were associated with higher levels of activity, impulsivity and inattention. Siberian Huskies possessing at least one short allele of the DRD4 polymorphism displayed greater activity in a behavioural test battery than did those with two long alleles. However, the behavioural test was brief and may not have registered variation in behaviour across time and situations. Owners also completed the Dog‐Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Rating Scale (Dog‐ADHD RS), a more general measure of activity and attention. Siberian Huskies from Europe with two short alleles of the TH polymorphism received higher ratings of inattention on the Dog‐ADHD RS than did those with the long allele. Investigation of the joint effect of DRD4 and TH showed that dogs possessing long alleles at both sites were scored as less active–impulsive than were others. Our results are aligned with previous studies showing that DRD4 and TH polymorphisms are associated with activity–impulsivity related traits in dogs. However, the prevalence of variants of these genes differs across breeds, and the functional role of specific variants is unclear.
Prenatal Metanephrogenesis of The Camel: Morphological Evidence of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Interaction
Authors: Osman A.‐H. K. , Farouk S. M. , Eidaroos H. , Abbott L. C. , Ahmed A. A. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryThe present investigation examined histogenesis of epithelial, stromal and angiogenic elements of the prenatal camel permanent or metanephric kidney. The primitive metanephros was first observed at the 13‐mm crown vertebral rump length (CVRL) stage as an ovoid structure composed of a centrally located epithelial ureteric bud and peripheral circumscribed masses of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. The first morphological evidence of glomerulogenesis was observed at the 28‐mm CVRL stage. Developing renal corpuscles became obvious at the 35‐mm CVRL stage. At the 60‐mm CVRL stage, the epithelial renal pelvis gave rise to tubular branches that extended towards the cortical zone. These branches represented the presumptive collecting ducts. Differentiation of renal tubules into the proximal and distal convoluted tubules was observed at the 95‐mm CVRL stage. At the 130‐mm CVRL stage, the renal medulla was clearly delineated into medullary pyramids, which in association with the corresponding cortical caps formed the morphological basis of the renal lobar formation. A gradual nephrogenic decline was noticed from the 940‐mm CVRL on; however, the process of nephrogenesis persisted throughout all the studied foetal stages.
The experience of pregnant women with a body mass index >30 kg/m2 of their encounters with healthcare professionals
Authors: Lindhardt Christina L. , Rubak Sune , Mogensen Ole , Lamont Ronald F. , Joergensen Jan Stener 
Published: May 2013

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the experience of women with a pre‐pregnant BMI >30 kg/m2, in their encounters with healthcare professionals during pregnancy.DesignQualitative study using a phenomenological methodology approach.SettingFace‐to‐face interviews with pregnant women in their own home who were referred from their general practitioner to specialist antenatal follow‐up at their local hospital.SampleSixteen women with pre‐pregnant BMI >30 kg/m2.MethodsQualitative in‐depth interviews. Participant's experiences of their encounters with health care professionals were recorded verbatim, transcribed and analysed using a phenomenological approach.ResultsTwo main themes were identified, an accusatorial response from healthcare professionals and a lack of advice and helpful information on how being obese and pregnant might affect the women's health and that of their child.ConclusionsPregnant women with obesity may experience prejudice from healthcare professionals. These women felt they were treated with a lack of respect, an accusatorial response, and the feeling that information which could have been helpful was not forthcoming. Communication between obese pregnant woman and healthcare professionals appears to be lacking. Improved training in communication skills, less judgemental behaviour and better dissemination of information from healthcare professionals working with pregnant women with obesity are needed.
Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound and MRI in the prenatal diagnosis of placenta accreta
Authors: Maher Mohammad A. , Abdelaziz Ahmed , Bazeed Mohamed F. 
Published: May 2013

AbstractObjectiveTo analyze the value of ultrasound followed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in doubtful cases for antenatal detection of placenta accreta.DesignA prospective observational study.SettingHospital in the southern region, Saudi Arabia.SamplePatients with a low‐lying placenta or placenta previa.MethodsThe placentas of all included cases were scanned in a systematic fashion using both gray‐scale and color Doppler (transabdominal and transvaginal).Main outcome measuresExplicit ultrasound criteria for placenta accreta were carefully applied, and any case with two or more criteria was labeled as highly suspicious. If only one criterion was detected, then the case was labeled as suspicious and MRI was applied.ResultsFive hundred and seventy seven women had a diagnosis of low‐lying placenta or placenta previa. Of these, 42 had placenta accreta confirmed after delivery by pathological examination, and 39 of these were diagnosed prenatally. Ultrasound accurately predicted placenta accreta in 33 of 39 of women and correctly ruled out placenta accreta in 512 of 514 without placenta accreta (sensitivity 95.1% and specificity 95.5%). Twenty (20) women underwent MRI because of suspicion of placenta accreta by ultrasonography. MRI accurately predicted placenta accreta in six of 20 cases and correctly ruled out placenta accreta in 10 of 20 cases (sensitivity 85.7% and specificity 76.9%).ConclusionPlacenta accreta can be successfully detected prenatally using ultrasound. MRI can provide additional information in doubtful cases.
Natural history of acute upper GI bleeding due to tumours: short‐term success and long‐term recurrence with or without endoscopic therapy
Authors: Sheibani S. , Kim J. J. , Chen B. , Park S. , Saberi B. , Keyashian K. , Buxbaum J. , Laine L. 
Published: May 2013

SummaryBackgroundScant information is available regarding patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) from tumours.AimTo determine the presentation, endoscopic findings, treatment and outcomes in patients with UGIB from malignant tumours and identify risk factors associated with rebleeding.MethodsConsecutive patients who were hospitalised with haematemesis, melena or haematochezia and underwent upper endoscopy were identified retrospectively by reviewing an endoscopy database. Patients with UGIB due to biopsy‐proven malignant tumours were studied.ResultsTumours were the source of bleeding in 106 (5%) of 2,166 patients with UGIB. Tumours were oesophageal in 17 (16%), gastric in 77 (73%) and duodenal in 12 (11%). At presentation, 84 (79%) did not have known cancer previously, and 79 (75%) had metastatic disease. Seventy‐seven (73%) received transfusions at index hospitalisation. At endoscopy, 32 (30%) had active bleeding (31 oozing, 1 spurting). Among actively bleeding patients, haemostasis was achieved in 12 (86%) of 14 receiving endoscopic therapy and all 18 not receiving endoscopic treatment. Hospitalisation for rebleeding occurred in 50 (49%) of 103 at a median of 30 days (3–885). On multivariate analysis, age ≤60 years (OR = 2.49, 95% CI 1.06–5.81) and haemodynamic instability (OR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.08–5.46) were associated with rebleeding.ConclusionsPatients presenting with tumour‐associated UGIB have substantial blood loss, with three‐quarters requiring transfusion at presentation. Initial haemostasis occurs in almost all patients, with or without endoscopic therapy, but rebleeding requiring repeat hospitalisation occurs in approximately half the patients and is more common in patients who are ≤60 years of age and have haemodynamic instability at presentation.