bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Patterns of indigenous female cattle morphometric traits variations in Uganda: Evidence for farmers’ selection to enhance agro-ecological fitness
Authors: Kabi F. , Masembe C. , Negrini R. , Muwanika V. 
Published: February 2015

SummaryGlobally, rural cattle keeping communities actively select and breed indigenous cattle to satisfy their interests and enhance adaptation to local landscapes. This study investigated how traditional systems in Uganda have shaped the morphometric population structure of indigenous cattle breeds. Ten linear morphometric traits were interrogated amongst 801 female cattle, comprising 46 Nganda (Bos indicus), 368 Ankole (B. taurus indicus) and 387 East African shorthorn zebu (EASZ,B. indicus). The study cattle were obtained evenly at random from 209 herds in their agro-ecological zones (AEZs) where they have been nurtured by traditional cattle keeping communities throughout Uganda. Age, AEZs and breed significantly influenced the variation of linear morphometric traits exhibiting a gradient of low, intermediate and high dimensions among the EASZ, Nganda and Ankole cattle, respectively. Likewise, the linear morphometric trait (Mahalanobis squared distance) diversity was significantly different exhibiting a gradient of low, intermediate and high variation between Nganda and EASZ, Ankole and Nganda, and Ankole and EASZ cattle, respectively. These findings demonstrate the role of agro-ecological fitness in the evolution of indigenous cattle morphometric population structure in Uganda. The study outcomes further provide a motivation to search for genes associated with the diverse morphometric features.
A high-throughput optomechanical retrieval method for sequence-verified clonal DNA from the NGS platform
Authors: Lee Howon , Kim Hyoki , Kim Sungsik , Ryu Taehoon , Kim Hwangbeom , Bang Duhee , Kwon Sunghoon 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWriting DNA plays a significant role in the fields of synthetic biology, functional genomics and bioengineering. DNA clones on next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have the potential to be a rich and cost-effective source of sequence-verified DNAs as a precursor for DNA writing. However, it is still very challenging to retrieve target clonal DNA from high-density NGS platforms. Here we propose an enabling technology called ‘Sniper Cloning’ that enables the precise mapping of target clone features on NGS platforms and non-contact rapid retrieval of targets for the full utilization of DNA clones. By merging the three cutting-edge technologies of NGS, DNA microarray and our pulse laser retrieval system, Sniper Cloning is a week-long process that produces 5,188 error-free synthetic DNAs in a single run of NGS with a single microarray DNA pool. We believe that this technology has potential as a universal tool for DNA writing in biological sciences.
Preserving the past in the face of a new future
Authors: Abeles Tom P. 
Published: February 2015

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is an expanded review of “Wired for Success”.

Design/methodology/approach
– This article comprises an extended book review.

Findings
– The authors do not address the critical insight of Peter Drucker that the “campus” as it exists today will exist in a new, undefined set of embodiments in the future. It also fails to consider the changing environment of and expectations for educational institutions, as competencies and other criteria not only change the very nature of education but also as “big data” can support more complex relationships for knowledge acquisition, globally.

Originality/value
– This review provokes and challenges the readers to challenge their own and the authors’ thoughts of what could and how education would evolve in light of the discomfort of many with current models and outcomes.
Effects of shrub encroachment on the anuran community in periodically flooded grasslands of the largest Neotropical wetland
Authors: Dorado‐Rodrigues Tainá Figueras , Layme Viviane Maria Guedes , Silva Fernando Henrique Barbosa , Nunes da Cunha Cátia , Strüssmann Christine 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIn many parts of the world, replacement of natural grasslands by woody plants has resulted in a decrease of pasture areas and in habitat loss for a variety of animal species, including amphibians. Wetlands are especially susceptible to invasive plants, both native and exotic, but the effects of such invasions on animal assemblages remain poorly understood. Here, we present information on the impact of selected environmental variables, especially coverage by the native shrub Combretum laxum Jacq., on the structure of an anuran assemblage in the Pantanal, a huge flood‐pulsed South American wetland. Anurans were surveyed during the rainy season in 17 plots, which differed in extent of C. laxum coverage, leaf litter volume, soil moisture and distance to permanently wet areas. Effects of these environmental variables on the species number, relative abundance and composition of the anuran assemblage were evaluated using multivariate statistical analyses. We captured 1203 anurans, of 21 species from four families. Both the number of species and the relative abundance of anurans were lower in plots with greater C. laxum coverage, which also influenced anuran species composition. Number of species was highest in plots located closest to permanently wet areas, which provide protection from desiccation and other resources during the Pantanal dry season, and so could be considered source areas of anurans. While many anuran species were negatively affected by the homogenization of the landscape caused by shrub encroachment, some seemed to be favoured in such circumstances. For these, dense shrub encroachment into natural grasslands may provide safer migratory routes to permanently wet habitats. Thus, at the mesoscale, a mosaic of areas with different levels of coverage by C. laxum (shrub islands) may aid anuran assemblages in the Pantanal wetlands, facilitating the maintenance of higher beta and gamma diversity.
Clinical predictive factors of sildenafil response: a penile hemodynamic study
Authors: Elhanbly S. M. , Elkholy A. A.‐M. , Alghobary M. , Abou Al‐Ghar M. 
Published: February 2015

SummaryPhosphodiestrase‐5 inhibitors are an important line of treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED). To detect the clinical and hemodynamic predictors of sildenafil response, we conducted this study on 124 Egyptian men with ED. All patients were evaluated by thorough history and clinical assessment with measurement of the abridged international index of erectile function‐5 (IIEF‐5) score. All patients were then subjected to intracavernosal injection (ICI) of trimix and pharmaco‐penile duplex ultrasonography (PPDU). Patients were then classified into sildenafil responders and non‐responders after six consecutive doses of 100 mg sildenafil. On doing the binary logistic stepwise regression analysis, only ED duration, IIEF‐5 score, and response to ICI were the significant independent predictors of sildenafil response. These three parameters together correctly predicted the sildenafil response by 81.5% (p value <0.001). With the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis, the cut‐off value of ED duration was 2.5 years and it was 14 for the IIEF‐5 score. These findings indicate that ED duration, the IIEF‐5 score and response to ICI are more significant predictors of sildenafil response than the more expensive and time‐consuming PPDU testing.
Impact of diabetes on eye care service needs: the National Indigenous Eye Health Survey
Authors: Tapp Robyn J , Boudville Andrea I , Abouzeid Marian , Anjou Mitchell D , Taylor Hugh R 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackgroundTo assess the proportion of Australian Indigenous adults who require eye care services (separately among those with and without diabetes) and determine implications for eye care service planning.DesignThe National Indigenous Eye Health Survey (NIEHS) was a population‐based study of 30 randomly selected geographical areas.ParticipantsThe NIEHS included 1189 Indigenous adults aged 40–80 years.MethodsA standardized eye examination was performed.Main Outcome MeasureThe number requiring eye care services by diabetes status.ResultsThose with diabetes were older (median 53 years) than those without diabetes (median age 50 years), P < 0.001. The total estimated population‐based need for annual eye care in the NIEHS population was 52% (n = 615), and of those 72% were people with diabetes. Among those with diabetes, 29% required further primary referral for diabetic retinopathy, 12% for cataract, 1% for trachomatous trichiasis and 5% for uncorrected distance refractive error. Among those without diabetes 13% required further primary referral for cataract, 0% for trachomatous trichiasis and 5% for uncorrected distance refractive error.ConclusionThis study has shown that among Indigenous adults, those with diabetes form 72% of those requiring an eye examination in any year. A key strategy to close the gap for vision for Australia's Indigenous population is to ensure those with diabetes undergo annual eye screening, have clearly defined care pathways and receive timely treatment. Establishing care pathways for those who have diabetes would also improve access to eye care services for others in the community.
Visualizing eggs of Nesidiocoris tenuis (Heteroptera: Miridae) embedded in tomato plant tissues
Authors: Rozenberg Tamir , Shaltiel‐Harpaz Liora , Coll Moshe 
Published: February 2015

AbstractNesidiocoris tenuis (Heteroptera: Miridae) is a predator of some major pests of Solanaceae crops, yet it is scarcely used in biological control because it also feeds on plants and may damage crops. The study of N. tenuis biology may promote the ability to use it as a biological control agent. Because N. tenuis, like some other insect taxa, oviposits into plant tissues, its eggs are hard to detect. This limits our ability to study N. tenuis – plant interactions. We therefore looked for a staining method for plant‐embedded eggs, which will allow their detection within tomato plants, a common host of N. tenuis. We first used lactophenol solution with acid fuchsin to stain eggs inside tomato foliage. Because of the high toxicity of lactophenol, we later substituted lactophenol with a lactoglycerol solution, which was found to be similarly efficient. Five minutes immersion in the staining solution at 80°C followed by a two‐minute soak in hot water made the eggs stain deep red, while the foliage became transparent and was stained weak red. Eggs within leaves were easily visible under 10–30× magnification with sub‐stage lighting; top‐lighting was needed for the detection of eggs embedded in less‐transparent tissues such as stems. This rapid staining method improves the ability to study some important biological aspects of N. tenuis, such as its fecundity. Also, the elimination of phenol made the method cheaper and safer to use. Finally, this method may be adapted for other arthropod–plant systems.
Deviant typicality: gender equality issues in a trade union that should be different from others
Authors: Dean Deborah 
Published: February 2015

AbstractA union possesses characteristics research indicates makes gender equality activity likely, yet it acts like most unions in its limited, variable engagement with women's interests. Studies of the union 1997–2010 enable consideration of Dickens's three‐pronged approach to equality action and develop Heery's conclusions on influences on union behaviour.
EXPERIENCES OF RECIPIENTS AND LIVING DONORS THE FIRST THREE DAYS AFTER KIDNEY TRANSPLANTATION
Authors: Bertelsen Kathrine Hainer , Rasmussen Katrine , Ludvigsen Mette Spliid , Finderup Jeanette 
Published: February 2015

SUMMARYBackgroundLiving donor transplantation is described as a stressful and complex process for both recipients and donors. Few studies have described the experiences of recipients and donors in the first three post‐operative days after living kidney transplantation.ObjectivesTo explore how recipients and living donors experienced the first three post‐operative days after kidney transplantation.DesignA qualitative phenomenological‐hermeneutic framework was used to uncover the meaning of lived experiences through interpretation of transcribed interviews.ParticipantsSeven dyads of kidney recipients and donors admitted at a Danish university hospital were included from September 2013 to November 2013.ApproachFourteen semi‐structured qualitative interviews were analysed using Malterud's principles of systematic text condensation.FindingsRecipients and donors both experienced post‐operative discomfort, though not the same. Both recipients and donors expressed that it gave them peace of mind to be able to follow each other at close hand sharing the same room during the post‐operative period. All recipients saw receiving a kidney as a huge gift; donating a kidney gave donors a feeling of satisfaction.ConclusionThe first three post‐operative days were characterised by different types of post‐operative discomfort and caring needs. Recipients and donors all experienced benefits from staying in the same room during hospitalisation. All patients in this study were related; this may have influenced their experiences, choices and opinions.
Older Women With Intellectual Disabilities: Overcoming Barriers to Autonomy
Authors: Strnadová Iva , Evans David 
Published: February 2015

AbstractWomen with intellectual disabilities often experience limitations to their autonomy despite the enactment of international treaties, such as United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the World Health Organization's Active Ageing: A Policy Framework. The authors examined the perception of autonomy experienced by 55 older women with intellectual disabilities resident in New South Wales (Australia) and Czech Republic (Europe). The aim was to identify factors both limiting and contributing to a perception of autonomy held by older‐aged women with intellectual disabilities. The women were recruited via support groups, employment agencies for persons with disabilities, day centers, sheltered workshops, self‐advocacy groups, and nongovernmental organizations. The women were interviewed and the data from the interviews were analyzed following a grounded theory approach. The study identified two factors with potential to limit autonomy of women with intellectual disabilities: (1) intra‐individual factors (e.g., health issues); and (2) environmental factors (e.g., living arrangements, finances). Drawing on responses from the women, the authors propose factors that may have a potential to strengthen autonomy among these women. The implications of the findings were reviewed and it is suggested that families and service providers should be made aware of ways to support autonomy of older women with intellectual disabilities.
Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell‐derived hepatocytes express tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 4 and follistatin
Authors: Xin Jiaojiao , Ding Wenchao , Hao Shaorui , Jiang Longyan , Zhou Qian , Wu Tianzhou , Shi Dongyan , Cao Hongcui , Li Lanjuan , Li Jun 
Published: February 2015

AbstractBackground & AimsHuman bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (hBMSC) transplantation is expected to become an alternative regenerative technique for liver diseases. However, the mechanism by which hBMSCs differentiate into hepatocytes is still unclear. The aim of this study was to establish the specific characteristics of hBMSC‐derived hepatocytes (hBMSC‐Heps) for future clinical applications.MethodsPotential hBMSC‐Hep biomarkers were screened using cytokine arrays. Significant biomarkers were then validated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in vitro and in an in vivo xenotransplantation model in fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) pigs.ResultsAfter 20 days of differentiation, the expression levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases 4 (TIMP‐4) and follistatin (FST) in functional hBMSC‐Heps were significantly increased, whereas those of activin A, osteoprotegerin and platelet‐derived growth factor α polypeptide (PDGF‐A) were significantly decreased. The high levels of TIMP‐4 and FST were validated by ELISA in hBMSC‐Heps grown in differentiation medium. The in vivo xenotransplantation model in FHF pigs showed that the serum levels of TIMP‐4 and FST were significantly increased 6 h after hBMSC transplantation and reached their highest levels at 24 and 48 h, respectively, after hBMSC transplantation. Immunohistochemistry confirmed that TIMP‐4 and FST were expressed in cultured hBMSC‐Heps and in implanted hBMSC‐Heps in pig livers.ConclusionsThe transdifferentiation of hBMSCs into hepatocytes is associated with the expression of TIMP‐4 and FST. TIMP‐4 and FST represent potential novel biomarkers for the characterisation of hBMSC‐Heps and may be useful for future clinical applications.
Supersymmetry, shape invariance and the solubility of the hypergeometric equation
Authors: Das Ashok K. , Kalauni Pushpa 
Published: February 2015

It has been shown earlier [D. Bazeia and A. K. Das, Phys. Lett. B 715, 256 (2012)] that the solubility of the Legendre and the associated Legendre equations can be understood as a consequence of an underlying supersymmetry and shape invariance. We have extended this result to the hypergeometric equation. Since the hypergeometric equation as well as the hypergeometric function reduce to various orthogonal polynomials, this study shows that the solubility of all such systems can also be understood as a consequence of an underlying supersymmetry and shape invariance. Our analysis leads naturally to closed form expressions (Rodrigues' formula) for the orthogonal polynomials.
Comparison of Wave Packets Associated with Extratropical Transition and Winter Cyclones
Authors: Torn Ryan D. , Hakim Gregory J. 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Differences in the development of wave packets associated with midlatitude cyclones and the extratropical transition (ET) of tropical cyclones in the western North Pacific (WNP) and Atlantic basins are diagnosed observationally by compositing Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) data over a 32-yr period and applying the null hypothesis of no difference in the development, structure, propagation, or downstream extent. While the development of midlatitude cyclones during the fall (August–October) and winter (November–March) amplifies a preexisting wave packet moving through the midlatitude storm track, ET is associated with the quasi-stationary amplification of the midlatitude flow. The ET cases involving the interaction of the decaying TC with a preexisting midlatitude trough are associated with a greater downstream amplitude and longer-lasting downstream response than ET cases that do not involve the interaction with a trough. In the WNP, ET wave packets have greater amplitude than those associated with winter midlatitude cyclones, but are similar to those associated with fall midlatitude cyclones. Moreover, ET events are associated with larger wavelengths and a statistically significant meridional wind anomaly farther downstream. By contrast, ET wave packets in the Atlantic basin have less amplitude and do not reach as far downstream as wave packets associated with fall and winter cyclones. WNP ET is characterized by larger integrated moisture flux convergence and, thus, latent heat release relative to its midlatitude counterpart, while Atlantic basin ET has smaller moisture flux convergence compared to midlatitude cyclones, which could explain why Atlantic ET is associated with less-amplified wave packets.
Organo-bentonites with improved cetyltrimethylammonium contents
Authors: Kooli F. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractOrgano-bentonites were prepared using a bentonite and an aqueous cetyltrimethylammonium hydroxide solution. The ratio of the surfactant (in mmoles) to the cation exchange capacity varied from 0.5 to 20, with 20 being the highest ratio ever reported in the literature. At high surfactant to cation exchange capacity ratios, the interlayer spacing increased to 3.75 nm due to the formation of a paraffin-type bilayer of surfactant cations, which was shown to be mainly in gauche conformations using solid state 13C CP/NMR. When the exchange reaction was carried out in a methanol-water mixture, the expansion of the organo-bentonites depended on the concentration of methanol (% by volume). The decomposition temperatures of the organic cations depended on the basal spacing of the organo-bentonites, and in situ X-ray diffraction revealed that the basal spacing of our organo-bentonites was stable up to 210°C. Above this temperature, the basal spacing shrunk to 1.47 nm due to decomposition of the surfactants.
Improvement of brightness of kaolin by superconducting magnetic separation and characterization of the impurities
Authors: Li Y. , Jiang H. , Zhang W. , Xu L. 
Published: February 2015

AbstractIn the present study, changes of iron content, brightness, particle size, mineralogy and paramagnetic properties of kaolins before and after superconducting high gradient magnetic separation (SHGMS) were investigated. The Fe2O3 contents of the feed decreased by 56% after 3.5T SHGMS with 1# steel wool, but higher magnetic intensity to 5.5T did not remove additional iron. The ISO brightness of the kaolin sample after SHGMS was improved from 56.9% to 76.7%. The D50 value of the magnetic rejects was 35% larger compared to the feed. Large particles might block the micro-pores in the steel wool matrix. Compared to the feed, the dark or red impurities significantly decreased in the non-magnetic product. Paramagnetic species in the kaolin sample were sensitive to SHGMS. The resonances at g = ~2.0 and g = 4.0 decreased significantly in the concentrate compared to the feed in the ESR spectra. Iron components in the non-magnetic product were more likely to be non-paramagnetic. The results are useful for understanding the SHGMS in kaolin treatment, and might be a guide for optimizing process parameters.
Online auction-based relay selection for cooperative communication in CR networks
Authors: Jing Tao , Zhang Fan , Cheng Wei , Huo Yan , Cheng Xiuzhen 
Published: February 2015

Abstract
Cognitive radio and cooperative communication are two new network technologies. So, the combination of these two new technologies is a novel solution to solve the problem of spectrum scarcity. Two main challenges exist in the integration of cognitive radio and cooperative communication. First, there is a lack of incentives for the participating wireless devices to serve as relay nodes. Second, there is not an effective relay selection policy. In this paper, we propose an online auction-based relay selection scheme for cooperative communication in cognitive radio (CR) networks. Specifically, we design an auction scheme through adopting stopping theory. The proposed scheme ensures that the primary user (PU) can effectively select a CR relay to transmit its packets in a given time bound. In addition, we have analytically proven the truthfulness and the individual rationality of our online auction scheme. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the proposed relay selection scheme can always successfully and efficiently select a proper relay for a PU and can achieve a higher cooperative communication throughput compared with the conventional schemes.