bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala spinifera: an increasing disease in young females in mainland China? Two case reports and review of five cases reported from mainland China
Authors: Wang Le , Wang Chong , Shen Yongnian , Lv Guixia , She Xiaodong , Zeng Rong , Ping Zhan , Liu Weida 
Published: January 2015

SummaryNo more than 30 cases of phaeohyphomycosis caused by Exophiala spinifera have been reported up to now in English and Chinese literature over the past half century. Here, we reported two cases of phaeohyphomycosis caused by E. spinifera and reviewed all the five cases reported from mainland China. These two involved were both young female, one patient experiencing recurrence during pregnancy and the other developing multiple‐site infections without apparent immunodeficiency. The aetiological agents were both identified as E. spinifera by molecular analysis. Oral itraconazole was proved effective enough for the first patient, while the combination of itraconazole and terbinafine was needed for the second patient. It seems that infections due to E. spiniferais increasing in China mainland nowadays, usually involving young female.
Association of tumour necrosis factor‐α polymorphism in patients with end stage renal disease
Authors: Singh Kamini , Prasad Kashi Nath , Mishra Priyanka , Singh Satyendra Kumar , Kharwar Nagendra Kumar , Prasad Narayan , Gupta Amit , Srivastava Janmejai Kumar 
Published: January 2015

AbstractAimCytokines play a critical role in the pathophysiology of end stage renal disease (ESRD). Tumour necrosis factor‐a (TNF‐α) is an important cytokine involved in initiation and progression of renal diseases. The present study evaluated the association of specific alleles/genotype of TNF‐α with chronic renal failure (CRF) and ESRD.MethodsA total of 30 CRF patients who were not on renal replacement therapy, 85 ESRD patients and 120 healthy controls were included in the study. The ESRD patients belonged to two subgroups: patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) without peritonitis (n = 50) and with peritonitis (n = 35). TNF‐α genotype (‐308 G > A) was determined by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism. Level of TNF‐α was detected in the sera of patients and healthy controls by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and also in the dialysate of patients on PD.ResultsThe genotypic distributions of TNF‐α (‐308 G > A) were significantly different between patients and controls. Homozygous A/A genotype had significant association with CRF and ESRD (P < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] = 25.02). Frequency of homozygous A/A genotype was significantly higher in all subgroups of patients than controls (CRF 40% vs control 2.5%, P = 0.001; PD 54% vs control 2.5%, P < 0.001 and PD with peritonitis 62.8% vs control 2.5%, P < 0.001). Patients with homozygous A/A genotype had significantly elevated levels of TNF‐α in the sera of patients and in the dialysate of PD patients.ConclusionsIndividuals with homozygous TNF‐α (‐308 G > A) polymorphisms has significant association with CRF and ESRD, and thus may be a predictor for development of the disease. Elevated TNF‐α may be a contributory factor.
Molecular phylogeography and ecological niche modelling of a widespread herbaceous climber, Tetrastigma hemsleyanum (Vitaceae): insights into Plio–Pleistocene range dynamics of evergreen forest in subtropical China
Authors: Wang Yi‐Han , Jiang Wei‐Mei , Comes Hans Peter , Hu Feng Sheng , Qiu Ying‐Xiong , Fu Cheng‐Xin 
Published: January 2015

Summary

Warm‐temperate evergreen (WTE) forest represents the typical vegetation type of subtropical China, but how its component species responded to past environmental change remains largely unknown. Here, we reconstruct the evolutionary history of Tetrastigma hemsleyanum, an herbaceous climber restricted to the WTE forest.

Twenty populations were genotyped using chloroplast DNA sequences and nuclear microsatellite loci to assess population structure and diversity, supplemented by phylogenetic dating, ancestral area reconstructions and ecological niche modeling (ENM) of the species distributions during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and at present.

Lineages in Southwest vs Central‐South‐East China diverged through climate/tectonic‐induced vicariance of an ancestral southern range during the early Pliocene. Long‐term stability in the Southwest contrasts with latitudinal range shifts in the Central‐South‐East region during the early‐to‐mid‐Pleistocene. Genetic and ENM data strongly suggest refugial persistence in situ at the LGM.

Pre‐Quaternary environmental changes appear to have had a persistent influence on the population genetic structure of this subtropical WTE forest species. Our findings suggest relative demographic stability of this biome in China over the last glacial–interglacial cycle, in contrast with palaeobiome reconstructions showing that this forest biome retreated to areas of today's tropical South China during the LGM.
ENERGY‐USE CHOICES AND ALLOWANCE TRADING UNDER THE PERSONAL CARBON TRADING SCHEME
Authors: FAN JIN , WANG SHANYONG , WU YANRUI , LI JUN , ZHAO DINGTAO 
Published: January 2015

AbstractCarbon emissions caused by the household sector have become a major contributor to total emissions. Personal carbon trading (PCT), although untested in practice, could potentially be a powerful tool to induce change in consumer behavior. In this paper, we present an optimization model to determine the energy use choices and allowance trading, and a market equilibrium model to obtain the total supply and demand functions of allowances and then to derive the equilibrium allowance price. It is shown that the level of allocated allowance, energy price, emission rate, and transaction costs could influence the equilibrium allowance price and traded volume. Furthermore, the allowance price is affected negatively and slightly by changes in energy prices, so the total energy price variations will be lessened relatively in the PCT scheme. To further demonstrate these relationships, numerical simulations are conducted. On the basis of the simulation results, the implications of this study are discussed and suggestions for future study are provided.
Beliefs and Testimony as Social Evidence: Epistemic Egoism, Epistemic Universalism, and Common Consent Arguments
Authors: Rollins Joshua 
Published: January 2015

AbstractUntil recently, epistemology was largely caught in the grips of an epistemically unrealisticradical epistemological individualismon which the beliefs and testimony of others were of virtually no epistemic significance. Thankfully, epistemologists have bucked the individualist trend, acknowledging that one person's belief or testimony thatPmight offer another person prima facie epistemic reasons – orsocial evidenceas I call it – to believeP. In this paper, I discuss the possibility and conditions under which beliefs and testimony act as social evidence, in particular, beliefs and testimony regarding the existence of God. Theepistemic egoistmaintains that one must possess positive reasons in favor of other people's reliability or trustworthiness before their beliefs and testimony offer prima facie social evidence. Theepistemic universalist, on the other hand, argues that the beliefs of all others are prima facie credible and should be treated accordingly. All this will set up subsequent discussion of the epistemic significance of common consent or widespread belief in God. I show how common consent arguments assume the epistemic universalist's account of the conditions under which the beliefs and testimony of others acquire reason‐giving force as social evidence.
Moore's Paradox in Thought: A Critical Survey
Authors: Williams John N. 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIt is raining but you don't believe that it is raining. Imagine silently accepting this claim. Then you believe both that it is raining and that you don't believe that it is raining. This would be an ‘absurd’ thing to believe, yet what you believe might be true. It might be raining, while at the same time, you are completely ignorant of the state of the weather. But how can it be absurd of you to believe something about yourself that might be true of you? This is Moore's paradox as it occurs in thought. Solving the paradox consists in explaining why such beliefs are absurd. I give a survey of some of the main explanations. I largely deal with explanations of the absurdity of ‘omissive’ beliefs with contents of the formp & I don't believe that pand of ‘commissive beliefs’ with contents of the formp & I believe that not‐pas well as beliefs with contents of the formp & I don't know that p.
Relativism 2: Semantic Content
Authors: Kölbel Max 
Published: January 2015

AbstractIn the pair of articles of which this is the second, I present a set of problems and philosophical proposals that have in recent years been associated with the term ‘relativism’. These problems are related to the question of how we should represent thought and speech about certain topics. The main issue is whether we should model such mental states or linguistic acts as involving representational contents that are absolutely correct or incorrect, or whether, alternatively, their correctness should be thought of as varying with some (more or less surprising) factor.In the first article, ‘Relativism 1: Representational Content’, I discussed the general issue of relativism about representational content. I argued for the conciliatory view that both relativist and absolutist conceptions of representational content can be legitimate.In the present continuation, I look in more detail at a special case of the general issue, namely the question of whethersemantic contents, i.e. the contents assigned to linguistic utterances in the semantics of natural language, should be construed in an absolutist or in a relativist way.
Perceived Maternal Autonomy Support and Early Adolescent Emotion Regulation: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Brenning Katrijn , Soenens Bart , Van Petegem Stijn , Vansteenkiste Maarten 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThis study investigated longitudinal associations between perceived maternal autonomy‐supportive parenting and early adolescents' use of three emotion regulation (ER) styles: emotional integration, suppressive regulation, and dysregulation. We tested whether perceived maternal autonomy support predicted changes in ER and whether these ER styles, in turn, related to changes in adjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms, self‐esteem). Participants (N = 311, mean age at Time 1 = 12.04) reported on perceived maternal autonomy support, their ER styles, and adjustment at two moments in time, spanning a one‐year interval. Cross‐lagged analyses showed that perceived maternal autonomy support predicted increases in emotional integration and decreases in suppressive regulation. By contrast, emotional dysregulation predicted decreases in perceived autonomy‐supportive parenting. Further, increases in emotional integration were predictive of increases in self‐esteem, and decreases in suppressive regulation were predictive of decreases in depressive symptoms. Together, the results show that early adolescents' perception of their mothers as autonomy‐supportive is associated with increases in adaptive ER strategies and subsequent adjustment.
Reinterpreting EU Air Transport Deregulation: A Disaggregated Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Traffic in Europe, 1990–2009
Authors: Suau‐Sanchez Pere , Burghouwt Guillaume , Fageda Xavier 
Published: January 2015

AbstractThis paper analyses the spatial distribution of seat capacity in the EU from 1990 to 2009 and sheds light on the contrasting results in the literature. It contributes to the debate on the deregulation and whether the rise of hub‐and‐spoke networks and the success of low‐cost carriers lead to concentration or deconcentration. We use the Gini index and its decomposition to evaluate the contribution of airport subgroups and airline networks to the overall concentration of seat capacity. We conclude that, overall, seat capacity follows a spatial deconcentration pattern. While intra‐EU seat capacity became more spatially deconcentrated, extra‐EU seat capacity concentrated. However, our results do not support the general view that network carriers tend to increase concentration levels and low‐cost carriers to decrease them, leading us to a reinterpretation of the impacts of air transport deregulation. The results show the increasing importance of foreign carriers and new strategies such as hub‐bypassing.
Comparison of patient intake of ticagrelor, prasugrel, or clopidogrel on restoring platelet function by donor platelets
Authors: Scharbert Gisela , Wetzel Leonore , Schrottmaier Waltraud C. , Kral Julia B. , Weber Thomas , Assinger Alice 
Published: January 2015

BackgroundBleeding complications are a common side effect in patients under dual antiplatelet (anti‐PLT) therapy. PLT transfusion provides a treatment option for these patients. However it is currently unclear if, and to what extent, P2Y12 inhibitors influence PLT function of donor PLTs and if patients taking these medications are likely to benefit from PLT transfusions.Study Design and MethodsWe investigated the effect of blood and plasma of clopidogrel‐, prasugrel‐, and ticagrelor‐treated patients on PLT function of blood from healthy volunteers in flow cytometry, light transmission aggregometry, and multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA).ResultsOur results demonstrate that clopidogrel had no and prasugrel had only mild effects on donor PLT function, but the reversible P2Y12 inhibitor ticagrelor completely abolished adenosine diphosphate‐mediated PLT activation in all assays tested. We further show that ticagrelor itself and not elevated adenosine concentrations in patient plasma were responsible for the observed effects. Moreover, we show that a modified MEA assay could provide a simple and rapid tool to allow determination of whether patients are likely to benefit from PLT transfusions.ConclusionOur results provide novel insights into potential differences between the P2Y12 inhibitors on donor PLT function in an in vitro setting, which may provide implications for future PLT transfusion strategies in these patients.
Implementation of Evidence‐Based Practice in Relation to a Clinical Nursing Ladder System: A National Survey in Taiwan
Authors: Weng Yi‐Hao , Chen Chiehfeng , Kuo Ken N. , Yang Chun‐Yuh , Lo Heng‐Lien , Chen Kee‐Hsin , Chiu Ya‐Wen 
Published: January 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundAlthough evidence‐based practice (EBP) has been widely investigated, few studies have investigated its correlation with a clinical nursing ladder system. The current national study evaluates whether EBP implementation has been incorporated into the clinical ladder system.MethodsA cross‐sectional questionnaire survey was conducted nationwide of registered nurses among regional hospitals of Taiwan in January to April 2011. Subjects were categorized into beginning nurses (N1 and N2) and advanced nurses (N3 and N4) by the clinical ladder system. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to adjust for possible confounding demographic factors.ResultsValid postal questionnaires were collected from 4,206 nurses, including 2,028 N1, 1,595 N2, 412 N3, and 171 N4 nurses. Advanced nurses were more aware of EBP than beginning nurses (p < 0.001; 90.7% vs. 78.0%). In addition, advanced nurses were more likely to hold positive beliefs about and attitudes toward EBP (p < 0.001) and possessed more sufficient knowledge of and skills in EBP (p < 0.001). Furthermore, they more often implemented EBP principles (p < 0.001) and accessed online evidence‐based retrieval databases (p < 0.001). The most common motivation for using online databases was self‐learning for advanced nurses and positional promotion for beginning nurses. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed advanced nurses were more aware of EBP, had higher knowledge and skills of EBP, and more often implemented EBP than beginning nurses.Linking Evidence to ActionThe awareness of, beliefs in, attitudes toward, knowledge of, skills in, and behaviors of EBP among advanced nurses were better than those among beginning nurses. The data indicate that a clinical ladder system can serve as a useful means to enhance EBP implementation.
On the Abelianization of a Torsion Free Crystallographic Group
Authors: Mohd Idrus Nor'ashiqin , Sarmin Nor Haniza , Mat Hassim Hazzirah Izzati , Masri Rohaidah 
Published: January 2015

A torsion free crystallographic group, which is also known as a Bieberbach group is a generalization of free abelian groups. It is an extension of a lattice group by a finite point group. The study of n-dimensional crystallographic group had been done by many researchers over a hundred years ago. A Bieberbach group has been characterized as a fundamental group of compact, connected, flat Riemannian manifolds. In this paper, we characterize Bieberbach groups with trivial center as exactly those with finite abelianizations. The abelianization of a Bieberbach group is shown to be finite if the center of the group is trivial.
Thermal Properties of Oil Palm Shell Lightweight Concrete with Different Mix Designs
Authors: Serri Eravan , Othuman Mydin Md Azree , Suleiman Mohd Zailan 
Published: January 2015

Nowadays, the utilization of Oil Palm Shell (OPS) as lightweight aggregate in concrete especially in the structure application has become prevalent. As an industrial waste product, Oil Palm Shell (OPS) possibly will be the alternative material to be employed in the construction industry. With its advantage as heat resistant material, this study will focus on the potential of OPS as lightweight aggregate with regard to the optimum content of OPS for thermal insulating material. A total of 15 mixes were prepared and tested with 3 different cement/sand ratios (1.7, 1.8, 1.9) and 5 different cement contents (300, 350, 400, 450, 500 kg/m³). The result of this study show that the highest sand used will produced good workability but increased thermal conductivity of mix value. The test result indicates that the thermal conductivity and insulation criterion is substantially improved with the volume use of OPS and strong relationship between thermal conductivity and unit weight is obtained. The measured thermal conductivity value range from 0.54W/mC to 1.1 W/mC. The ideal value for semi structure insulation material establish by RILEM only achieve for mix that used cement content 400 kg/m³ and below, which thermal conductivity is 0.75 W/mC below.
Trip Generation at Fast–Food Restaurants in Johor Bahru, Malaysia
Authors: Ahmed Ishtiaque , Abdulameer Ahmed , Che Puan Othman , Minhans Anil 
Published: January 2015

Trip Generation rates are important for transportation engineers and planners in the Travel Demand Forecasting process as well as for Traffic Impact Studies. Trip generation by a given land use type depends on one or more factors based on the socio-economic characteristics. The Institute of Transport Engineers (ITE) publishes and updates trip generation rates for different land use types at an interval of 2-3 years. In Malaysia, the Ministry of Public Works publishes trip generation information and the latest edition was published in 2010. Both of these documents recommend that the published trip rates be verified with local data, if possible. Different researches have been conducted in the developed countries but very rare in Malaysia. This study developed trip generation rates at fast-food restaurants in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. Ten fast-food locations were studied in detail. Trip rates were related to the number of parking spaces and gross floor area. However, the trip rates did not depend on the Number of Seats in the restaurants. The trip rates found in this study were lower than the ITE Trip Generation and higher than the Malaysia Trip Generation Manuals.
Data Analysis by Combining the Modified K-Means and Imperialist Competitive Algorithm
Authors: Babrdelbonb Mohammad , Mohd Hashim Siti Zaiton Mohd Hashim , Bazin Nor Erne Nazira 
Published: January 2015

Data Clustering is one of the most used methods of data mining. The k-means Clustering Approach is one of the main algorithms in the literature of Pattern Recognition and Data Machine Learning which it very popular because of its simple application and high operational speed. But some obstacles such as the adherence of results to initial cluster centers or the risk of getting trapped into local optimality hinders its performance. In this paper, inspired by the Imperialist Competitive Algorithm based on the k-means method, a new approach is developed, in which cluster centers are selected and computed appropriately. The Imperialist Competitive Algorithm (ICA) is a method in the field of evolutionary computations, trying to find the optimum solution for diverse optimization problems. The underlying traits of this algorithm are taken from the evolutionary process of social, economic and political development of countries so that by partly mathematical modeling of this process some operators are obtained in regular algorithmic forms. The investigated results of the suggested approach over using standard data sets and comparing it with alternative methods in the literature reveals out that the proposed algorithm outperforms the k-means algorithm and other candidate algorithms in the pool.
Ciri Morfologi, Fisiko-Kimia dan Kerintangan Dua Titisan Padi Kemandulan Jantan Sitoplasma (CMS) Baru
Authors: Sunian Elixon , Jamal Mohd. Solihen , Ramli Asfaliza , Omar Othman , Hashim Habibbudin , Misman Siti Norsuha , Mohd Saad Maisarah 
Published: January 2015

CMS (cytoplasmic male sterile) line is one of the most important hybrid parents in hybrid rice production technology using Three-Line systems. Test-crosses for selection of candidate local maintainer lines were conducted using 24 rice varieties and two CMS-WA (wild abortive) lines IR78374A/B and 1A/B. The F1 of the two combinations, namely IR78374A/P519 and 1A/MR243 had less than 10% spikelet fertility (6.4 and 7.2%, respectively), indicated that P519 and MR243 are partially maintainers and could be used for the development of new locally adapted CMS lines. As a results, two CMS lines, namely 0025A/B and 0047A/B were generated after 5 to 6 successive backcrossing of IR78374A with P519 and 1A with MR243. The CMS 0025A/B and 0047A/B lines had maturation age which is comparable to other commonly grown inbred varieties. The percentage of stigma exertion rate for CMS 0025A/B and 0047A/B were 17.9 and 21.3%, respectively, lower than that of IR78374A/B (43.2%). Both showed poor out-crossing rate. CMS 0025A/B and 0047A/B are classified as long and slender grain. They had intermediate amylose content. Their gel consistency was hard, comparable to that of MR263 (medium). CMS 0025A/B and 0047A/B lines were also moderately resistant to foliar blast disease and brown planthopper infestation.
Building Energy Consumption in Malaysia: An Overview
Authors: Hassan J. S. , Zin R. M. , Abd Majid M. Z. , Balubaid S. , Hainin M. R. 
Published: January 2015

Buildings consume up to 40% of the total global energy. By the year 2030, the consumption is expected to increase to 50%. In Malaysia, buildings consume a total of 48% of the electricity generated in the country. Commercial buildings consume up to 38,645 Giga watts (GWh) while Residential buildings consume 24,709 Gwh. Demand for electricity in the country is expected to rise from 91,539 GWh in the year 2007 to 108,732 GWh in 2011. By the year 2020, the energy demand in Malaysia is expected to reach 116 Million tons of oil equivalents (Mtoe). Carbon dioxide (CO2) emission in the country has increased by 221% ,which lists the nation at 26th among the top 30 greenhouse gas emitters in the world. Literature studies indicate more than 50% of this energy is used in buildings for occupants comfort (air conditioning and refrigeration). Energy consumptions by residential occupants can be minimized if energy usage is considered. This paper aimed at reviewing some literatures on energy consumption in the residential buildings in Malaysia and suggests ways of improving the energy usage by the occupants.