bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lessons on the relationship between livestock husbandry and biodiversity from the Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE)
Authors: Riginos Corinna , Porensky Lauren M , Veblen Kari E , Odadi Wilfred O , Sensenig Ryan L , Kimuyu Duncan , Keesing Felicia , Wilkerson Marit L , Young Truman P 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Although livestock and wildlife share most of their ranges worldwide, little controlled experimental research has been done on their interactions. Since 1995 we have been manipulating the presence of cattle and large wild ungulates in a Kenyan savanna rangeland in order to better understand the nature of competition and coexistence between these two guilds of herbivores and how they affect biodiversity. In a replicated experiment in which different combinations of cattle and wild herbivores are allowed access to large-scale plots, we have been monitoring the impacts of these herbivores on vegetation, on the wild herbivores, and cattle themselves, and on a variety of other taxa. We have also been conducting experimental research to examine other ways in which livestock management in eastern Africa might affect biodiversity. These include studies on the impacts of fire, livestock corrals, and changes in tree density. This research has revealed the following patterns. (1) Cattle suppress many species of wild herbivores, presumably through competition for their shared resources. The nature of this competition, however, is contingent on rainfall and the presence of other herbivores. (2) Wild herbivores both compete with and facilitate cattle, depending on rainfall. (3) The pastoral practice of housing livestock nightly in protective corral enclosures (“bomas”) over time produces long-lived nutrient hotspots preferred by both livestock and wild herbivores. (4) Fire, frequently used by pastoralists in the past, is valuable for improving grass quality, with benefits for many species of wild herbivores. (5) Pastoral practices that reduce woody cover, including burning and boma construction, create local habitat patches that are preferred by wild herbivores, apparently for their greater anti-predator visibility. (6) Despite competition between livestock and wild herbivores, coexistence between these two guilds can be managed, and there are several positive (facilitative) pathways between livestock husbandry and wild herbivores and other biodiversity.
Users or producers of ecosystem services? A scenario exercise for integrating conservation and reindeer herding in northeast Finland
Authors: Heikkinen Hannu I , Sarkki Simo , Nuttall Mark 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Nature conservation is often seen as incompatible with pastoralism: conserved predators can cause significant harm to livestock, or livestock may conquer space from natural species. Currently, nature conservation and related policies are increasingly framed through the notion of ecosystem services, which form basis for human well-being. What are the implications of this framing in the relationships between pastoralism and conservation? To answer this question, we draw from our previous research to build four scenarios on the relationships between reindeer herding and nature conservation in northeast Finland. In the two ecosystem service, ‘user’ scenarios reindeer herders are seen to degrade nature, and thus should be controlled. In the first scenarios, reindeer herding is still compensated for its losses to predation, but in the second scenario, ‘reindeer farming’ and free grazing practises are eroded for achieving conservation objectives. If herding is viewed as a producer of ecosystem services, the herders' incentivised function would be to sustain predator populations and resemble natural species (wild forest reindeer). In our two ‘producer’ scenarios, new professions as ecosystem stewards or as ecotourism entrepreneurs emerge and herding changes from meat production priority to supporting the production of other ecosystem services. Novel solutions to conservation-pastoralism dilemmas might emerge if pastoral communities are seen as potential producers of ecosystem services. However, ‘producer-based’ conservation practises also include various uncertainties and might have negative impacts on pastoral communities' well-being, especially on the continuity of social and cultural traditions.
Expected climate change impacts on land and natural resource use in Namibia: exploring economically efficient responses
Authors: Barnes Jon I , MacGregor James , Alberts Moira 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
This paper informs policy over the efficiency of investments on Namibia's rangelands both now and under future expected climate change. It is in this setting that Namibia's pastoralist communities, communal conservancies and increasing numbers of wildlife reside, and their economic activity dominates. We bring the principles of economics to decision-making. We analyse primary land uses, livestock production and wildlife viewing tourism in three ecologically different biomes - the southern Karoo Biome, the central Savanna Biome and the northeastern Woodland Biome. We analyse how expected climate change will impact these investments to 2080. From an economic perspective, pastoralism and wildlife-based tourism developed within common property management systems can be sound investments across Namibia's communal lands. Furthermore, as climate changes, the existing economic benefits to the Namibian economy associated with pastoralism and wildlife-based tourism should be magnified, as capital-intensive commercial fenced ranching systems become less economic. Recent research indicates that adoption of good rangeland management principles involving flexible herding, economies of scale and commercially viable utilisation of invasive bush can significantly increase profits and economic returns on investment for livestock systems in Namibia. Furthermore, under conditions of expected climate change, our results indicate that income from natural resource use will be more resilient than livestock and other agricultural investments. Estimated losses in economic contribution will be highest in the agricultural sector, and in particular with commercial fenced ranching, and rainfed cropping. Climate change poses considerable challenges for pastoralists and other economic activity on Namibia's rangelands. Global climate modelling suggests that by 2080, Namibia's temperatures will have increased by some 3°C and rainfall decreased by 5% to 20%. Our results suggest that gradual change in climate over the next 70 years will see the potential national value of livestock income halved and that of tourism income reduced by one quarter. Active interventions should include shifts in livestock and rangeland policy, encouraging the adoption of more flexible and resilient systems and including efforts to make rangeland use less rigid and more able to change and adapt. Adaptation to climate change should include promotion of natural resource-based land uses such as continued expansion of the Community Based Natural Resource Management programme. Furthermore, national policy now recognises this, and implementation of the Namibia Rangeland Management Policy will provide incentives to invest in sound rangeland management.
Low rates of hepatotoxicity among Asian patients with paracetamol overdose: a review of 1024 cases
Authors: Marzilawati Abd-Rahman , Ngau Yen-Yew , Mahadeva Sanjiv 
Published: September 2012

Abstract

Background
The metabolism of paracetamol in Asians is thought to differ from Westerners. Detailed clinical features of paracetamol -induced hepatotoxicity among Asians remains largely unreported.

Methods
A retrospective review of adult cases with paracetamol overdose over a five-year duration was performed in two of the largest public institutions in this country. Prevalence and predictive factors for hepatotoxicity were determined.

Results
Data on 1024 patients (median age 23 years, 82.0% female, ethnic groups: Malays 40.8%, Chinese 20.9% , Indian 33.2%) were obtained from January 2005 to December 2009. The median amount of paracetamol ingestion was 10.0 (IQR 5.0 - 15.0) g and the median serum paracetamol level was 274.80 (IQR 70.0 - 640.0) μmol/L at presentation. 75 (7.3%) patients developed hepatotoxicity. 23/ 55 (41.8%) patients who had ingested > 10 g of paracetamol and had a delayed (> 24 hour) administration of N-acetyl cystine (NAC) developed hepatotoxicity. No patients developed acute liver failure nor suffered any mortality (0%). Independent predictors for hepatotoxicity were identified as Malay (OR 2.22, 95% CI = 1.13-4.37) and Chinese (OR 3.26, 95% CI = 1.55-6.84) ethnicity, paracetamol dose > 10 g (OR 2.61, 95% CI = 1.53-4.46), prolonged duration of time from paracetamol ingestion to hospital presentation (> 24 hours OR 10.71, 95% CI = 3.46-33.15) and prolonged duration of time from paracetamol ingestion to NAC administration (> 24 hours OR 9.02, 95% CI = 2.97-27.45).

Conclusions
Paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity rates in a multi-ethnic Asian population was low at 7.3%. Mortality and morbidity were non-existent despite high doses of paracetamol ingestion and delayed presentations to hospital.
Can dexmedetomidine be a safe and efficacious sedative agent in post-cardiac surgery patients? a meta-analysis
Authors: Lin Yi Yun , He Bin , Chen Jian , Wang Zhi Nong 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Introduction
The aim of this study was to explore the use of dexmedetomidine as a safe and efficacious sedative agent in post-cardiac surgery patients.

Methods
A systematic literature search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library and Science Citation Index until January 2012 and review of studies was conducted. Eligible studies were of randomized controlled trials or cohort studies, comparing dexmedetomidine with a placebo or an alternative sedative agent in elective cardiac surgery, using dexmedetomidine for postoperative sedation and available in full text. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction.

Results
The search identified 530 potentially relevant publications; 11 met selection criteria in this meta-analysis. Our results revealed that dexmedetomidine was associated with a shorter length of mechanical ventilation (mean difference -2.70 [-5.05, -0.35]), a lower risk of delirium (risk ratio 0.36 [0.21, 0.64]), ventricular tachycardia (risk ratio 0.27 [0.08, 0.97]) and hyperglycemia (risk ratio 0.78 [0.61, 0.99]), but may increase the risk of bradycardia (risk ratio 2.08 [1.16, 3.74]). But there was no significant difference in ICU stay, hospital stay, and morphine equivalents between the included studies. Dexmedetomidine may not increase the risk of hypotension, atrial fibrillation, postoperative nausea and vomiting, reintubation within 5 days, cardiovascular complications, postoperative infection or hospital mortality.

Conclusions
Dexmedetomidine was associated with shorter length of mechanical ventilation and lower risk of delirium following cardiac surgery. Although the risk of bradycardia was significantly higher compared with traditional sedatives, it may not increase length of hospital stay and hospital mortality. Moreover, dexmedetomidine may decrease the risk of ventricular tachycardia and hyperglycemia. Thus, dexmedetomidine could be a safe and efficacious sedative agent in cardiac surgical patients.
Regulation of Adipose Differentiation by Fructose and GluT5
Authors: Du Li , Heaney Anthony P. 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
Adipose tissue is an important metabolic organ that is crucial for whole-body insulin sensitivity and energy homeostasis. Highly refined fructose intake increases visceral adiposity although the mechanism(s) remain unclear. Differentiation of preadipocytes to mature adipocytes is a highly regulated process that is associated with characteristic sequential changes in adipocyte gene expression. We demonstrate that fructose treatment of murine 3T3-L1 cells incubated in standard differentiation medium increases adipogenesis and adipocyte-related gene expression. We further show that the key fructose transporter, GluT5, is expressed in early-stage adipocyte differentiation but is not expressed in mature adipocytes. GluT5 overexpression or knockdown increased and decreased adipocyte differentiation, respectively, and treatment of 3T3-L1 cells with a specific GluT5 inhibitor decreased adipocyte differentiation. Epidymal white adipose tissue was reduced in GluT5−/− mice compared with wild-type mice, and mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from GluT5−/− mice exhibited impaired adipocyte differentiation. Taken together, these results demonstrate that fructose and GluT5 play an important role in regulating adipose differentiation.
On Lipschitz maps and dimension
Authors: Herburt Irmina , Pol Roman 
Published: October 2012

Abstract
Maria Moszyńska and the first author suggested some natural axioms for fractal dimension functions. We discuss the independence of these axioms. In particular, using the Continuum Hypothesis, we associate to each nonempty separable metric space X a non-negative integer d(X) so that the function d is Lipschitz subinvariant, stable under finite unions, d([0; 1]n) = n, but still, for some E ⊂ [0; 1]3 we have d(E) < dimE, where dimE is the topological dimension of E.
A family of rules for the choice of the regularization parameter
in the Lavrentiev method in the case of rough estimate of the noise level of
the data
Authors: Hämarik Uno , Palm Reimo , Raus Toomas 
Published: October 2012

Abstract.
We consider the Lavrentiev method for the regularization of
linear ill-posed problems with noisy data. Classical rules for the
choice of the regularization parameter that use the noise level work
well for almost exact noise level information, they fail in the case of
the underestimated noise level and give a much larger error than the error by
the optimal parameter in the case of the overestimated noise level.
Heuristic rules that do not use the noise level give often good results
but can not guarantee the convergence. We propose a general family of
parameter choice rules, which give good results also in the case of
many times under- or overestimated noise level. This family combines
heuristic rules and quasi-optimal rules that use the noise level. The
quasi-optimality is proved for a sub-family of rules. The advantages of the
new rules are demonstrated in extensive numerical experiments.
Deliberative Democracy and Punishment
Authors: Greiff Pablo de 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
This paper contests the traditional division of labor that confines theories of punishment to the domain of moral, or at the most, legal, theories, as if punishment did not pose a challenge to political theories as well. It is thus also an attempt to clarify the relationship between moral and political theory. After pointing out that despite the recent surge in interest in different aspects of deliberative democracy, its theorists have been silent on the question of punishment, the paper argues, concretely, that this is a silence that does not serve them well, and that can be made up by establishing links between a deliberative theory of democracy and a modified expressionist theory of punishment.
Background Television in the Homes of US Children
Authors: Lapierre Matthew A. , Piotrowski Jessica Taylor , Linebarger Deborah L. 
Published: October 2012

OBJECTIVE:
US parents were surveyed to determine the amount of background television that their children are exposed to as well as to isolate demographic factors associated with increased exposure to background television. After this, we ask how certain home media practices are linked to children’s background television exposure.

METHODS:
US parents/caregivers (N = 1454) with 1 child between the ages of 8 months and 8 years participated in this study. A nationally representative telephone survey was conducted. Parents were asked to report on their child’s exposure to background television via a 24-hour time diary. Parents were also asked to report relevant home media behaviors related to their child: bedroom television ownership, number of televisions in the home, and how often a television was on in the home.

RESULTS:
The average US child was exposed to 232.2 minutes of background television on a typical day. With the use of multiple regression analysis, we found that younger children and African American children were exposed to more background television. Leaving the television on while no one is viewing and children’s bedroom television ownership were associated with increased background television exposure.

CONCLUSIONS:
Although recent research has shown the negative consequences associated with background television, this study provides the first nationally representative estimates of that exposure. The amount of exposure for the average child is startling. This study offers practitioners potential pathways to reduce exposure.
Beneficial Effects of Hormone Replacement Therapy on Periodontitis Are Vitamin D Associated
Authors: Jönsson Daniel , Aggarwal Prerna , Nilsson Bengt‐Olof , Demmer Ryan T. 
Published: October 2012

Background: Possible synergism between female sex hormones and vitamin D on periodontitis pathology has not been assessed. Here, the authors investigate effects of estrogen, progesterone, and vitamin D on periodontitis in a population‐based sample and use cell studies to explore mechanistic explanations of the population‐based findings.Methods: The epidemiologic analysis uses cross‐sectional data from the continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001 to 2004. The cross sections include 1,230 women aged 40 to 85 years who received a periodontal examination, responded to questions regarding hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and provided a blood sample for serum vitamin D assessments. For mechanistic cell culture studies, human monocytes were cultured with or without lipopolysaccharide (LPS), estradiol, progesterone, and/or 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D3; and transcriptional activity of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐1β, B lymphocyte chemoattractant (BLC), and regulated on activation normal T‐cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) was assessed.Results: HRT use (versus none) was associated with higher attachment levels and more teeth only among participants who were vitamin D sufficient (>20 ng/mL). The odds ratio for having moderate/severe periodontitis among users of HRT versus participants who did not use HRT was 0.69 among participants who were vitamin D sufficient and 1.19 in participants who were vitamin D deficient. LPS‐induced IL‐6, IL‐1β, and BLC expression was attenuated in human monocytes treated with estrogen and progesterone. Downregulation of IL‐6 expression by estrogen and progesterone was potentiated when vitamin D was included. LPS‐induced IL‐6 and RANTES expression was decreased, and BLC expression was totally reversed, by vitamin D treatment.Conclusions: The association between HRT and clinical periodontal measures was strongest among women with high vitamin D levels. This association is plausibly mediated via an anti‐inflammatory transcriptional mechanism.
The Audit of Fair Values and Other Estimates: The Effects of Underlying Environmental, Task, and Auditor-Specific Factors
Authors: Bratten Brian , Gaynor Lisa Milici , McDaniel Linda , Montague Norma R. , Sierra Gregory E. 
Published: September 2012

SUMMARY
The rising prominence of fair values and other estimates (FVOEs) to financial reporting increases their significance to the audit. Based on inspections that report numerous deficiencies, the PCAOB is concerned that auditors are not sufficiently prepared for the challenges faced in evaluating fair value measurements. In this paper, we first analyze the possible sources for observed practice deficiencies by evaluating extant archival and experimental research. To organize our discussion, we rely on an established theoretical research framework that examines auditor judgment through an analysis of three critical and interactive factors of the judgment process—the environment, the task, and the person (Bonner 2008). We believe that the framework is particularly useful in understanding judgments related to the audits of FVOEs, given that these areas have unique environmental and task factors such that addressing auditor characteristics alone to improve audit quality is likely to be insufficient. Second, considering the PCAOB-identified practice areas with direct implications for the audits of FVOEs, we develop and present future research lines of inquiry that take into account the important interactions among the three framework factors. We believe empirical evidence within these lines will help identify potential sources of, and remedies for, observed audit deficiencies.
Institutional Shareholders' Investment Horizons and Tax Avoidance
Authors: Khurana Inder K. , Moser William J. 
Published: September 2012

ABSTRACT:
We investigate whether the level of ownership by institutional shareholders with a long-term horizon is associated with firms' tax avoidance activities. In theory, tax avoidance increases firm value through tax savings; however, institutions with long-term investment horizons are likely to discourage tax avoidance activities if such activities encourage managerial opportunism and reduce transparency. Using a sample of firms with institutional ownership data from 1995–2008, we find less tax avoidance in firms held by long-term institutional shareholders. Probing further, we find these results are generally driven by poorly governed firms. Overall, our results highlight the role of certain types of institutional shareholders in affecting a firm's tax avoidance behavior.
Professional curiosity engaged in policy sociology
Authors: Ptáčková Kateřina 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
The article focuses on the methodological specifics of qualitative sociological studies commissioned by public administration authorities (“the client”) which aim to provide solutions to specific problems defined by the client. In conducting this kind of study, the researcher is expected not only to describe and understand the existing state of affairs but also to provide a set of recommendations for amending it. The research terrain is not defined by the sociologist herself but basically by the client. This situation reveals a series of methodological and epistemological issues. The article discusses some of them and proposes that the research strategy of heuristic investigation may be an answer to the associated dilemmas. The author argues that the correct use of reflexive methodology can help the researcher to overcome the limits imposed on the research by the client’s presence and even make the apparent disadvantages work for her.
School culture at risk of political and methodological expropriation
Authors: Kaščák Ondrej , Pupala Branislav , Lukšík Ivan , Lemešová Miroslava 
Published: September 2012

Abstract
The aim of this article is to problematize the concept of school culture both as a concept and as a subject of investigation. It deals with the historical roots of this concept and the fact that it is shrinking—a consequence of the managerial imperatives of effectiveness and accountability in education. School culture, in relation to the quality of schools and the quality of education, has become the subject of audits, arrived at through a developed network of standardisation in education, testing and evaluation. The methodology of evaluation currently lending particular substance to school culture, however, generates different methodological perspectives on investigating school culture and thus research is becoming an instrument of political power. In the research it is then necessary to either abandon the concept of school culture or to free it from spinning round the cycle of evaluation/self-evaluation—a change in school culture—improving the “quality of the school”—a new evaluation/self-evaluation. One way to do this is to employ ethnographic approaches in research into schools and to understand school culture as a system of texts.