bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Extreme levels of hunting of birds in a remote village of Hainan Island, China
Authors: LIANG WEI , CAI YAN , YANG CAN-CHAO 
Published: December 2011

SummaryIn China, many bird species are generally thought to be threatened mainly, or at least partly, by hunting. However, there have been few studies of bird hunting at a local scale. Bird hunting and trade in Nanmao, a remote mountainous village of Hainan Island, China, was investigated during March–July 2003 and September–October 2005. In total, 86 households were visited, of which 43% reported that they engaged in hunting of birds while 91% of households were seen to have hunted birds or hunting tools. This indicated that hunting by village people was widespread. Most hunters were male, and were between 12 and 68 years old. A total of 78 bird species were hunted, including 2 First Class and 19 Second Class national protected species. This extreme level of hunting has changed from a more moderate subsistence hunting tradition since about 1980, when local urban markets for wild meat started to develop. We outline a strategic plan designed to conserve birds, other wildlife and their forest habitats, whilst improving the livelihoods and preserving the minority tribal traditions of the people of Nanmao forest.
Cross-Language Differences in Informational Masking of Speech by Speech: English Versus Mandarin Chinese
Authors: Wu Xihong , Yang Zhigang , Huang Ying , Chen Jing , Li Liang , Daneman Meredyth , Schneider Bruce A. 
Published: December 2011

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to determine why perceived spatial separation provides a greater release from informational masking in Chinese than English when target sentences in each of the languages are masked by other talkers speaking the same language.MethodMonolingual speakers of English and Mandarin Chinese listened to semantically anomalous sentences in their own language when 1 of 3 maskers was present (speech-spectrum noise, a 2-talker speech masker in the same language, and a 2-talker speech masker in the other language).ResultsBoth groups benefitted equally from spatial separation when the maskers were speech-spectrum noise or cross-language. Chinese listeners benefitted less from spatial separation than did English listeners when a same-language masker was used. Performance was scored in terms of the number of target words correctly identified; because Chinese target words were composed of 2 “stand-alone” morphemes, the authors also scored Chinese target words as correct when either of the morphemes was correctly identified. When this was done, Chinese and English listeners benefitted equally from spatial separation in all conditions.ConclusionThese results support a model in which release from informational masking in both monolingual English and Chinese listeners occurs because spatial separation facilitates morpheme access in both languages.
Collaborative Planning To Teach Strategies for the Language of Testing
Authors: Kumin Libby , Mason Gwendolyn 
Published: December 2011

Abstract
Language underlies learning in school settings. This paper describes a collaborative project to address the language of testing that children need to master to demonstrate their skills on statewide assessments. Two schools developed transdisciplinary teams to focus on the language of testing. School 1 focused on language skills in the area of reading for fifth graders and school 2 focused on language in the area of mathematics for children in the third through fifth grades. The methods and materials used are described in detail. Resources are provided that can be used to help children learn vocabulary and strategies needed for success on statewide assessments.
Science at Very High Angular Resolution with the Square Kilometre Array
Authors: Godfrey L. E. H. , Bignall H. , Tingay S. , Harvey-Smith L. , Kramer M. , Burke-Spolaor S. , Miller-Jones J. C. A. , Johnston-Hollitt M. , Ekers R. , Gulyaev S. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractPreliminary specifications for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) call for 25% of the total collecting area of the dish array to be located at distances greater than 180 km from the core, with a maximum baseline of at least 3000 km. The array will provide angular resolution θ ≲ 40–2 mas at 0.5–10 GHz with image sensitivity reaching ≲50 nJy beam−1in an 8-hour integration with 500-MHz bandwidth. Given these specifications, the high-angular-resolution component of the SKA will be capable of detecting brightness temperatures ≲200K with milliarcsecond-scale angular resolution. The aim of this article is to bring together in one place a discussion of the broad range of new and important high-angular-resolution science that will be enabled by the SKA, and in doing so, address the merits of long baselines as part of the SKA. We highlight the fact that high angular resolution requiring baselines greater than 1000 km provides a rich science case with projects from many areas of astrophysics, including important contributions to key SKA science.
Method for Estimating Detection Probabilities of Nonmigrant Tagged Fish: Applications for Quantifying Residualization Rates
Authors: Melnychuk Michael C. , Hausch Stephen J. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractDetection probabilities are commonly accounted for in spatial mark–recapture studies to estimate quantities of biological interest such as survival, movement, or abundance, but they generally require large numbers of tagged animals to be detected. In some studies, few tagged animals are present at a particular time; the ability to estimate detection probability despite small sample sizes during some time periods would greatly improve inferences of ecologically relevant attributes. We developed a method for estimating time‐varying detection probabilities of tagged fish at acoustic or radio receiver stations during periods in which few tagged fish are present and mark–recapture methods are thus prohibitive. We quantified how an index of detection probability varies with an environmental covariate, and then calibrated this index against mark–recapture detection probability estimates derived from detection data collected when tagged fish were abundant. With a known time series of the environmental covariate, the method generates a time series of predicted detection probabilities for each receiver station in a study. We apply the method to a case study involving steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss smolts tagged with acoustic transmitters to estimate the proportion of tagged fish residualizing in a river (i.e., remaining in freshwater instead of migrating seaward). Despite few detections of tagged fish in the months after the primary downstream migration period, we were able to estimate a residualization rate of 5% (95% confidence interval, 3–12%), which is comparable to residualization rate estimates from studies employing sampling methods that do not allow the survival and movement patterns of tagged fish to also be quantified. This method can be used in conjunction with mark–recapture survival estimation methods to better isolate probabilities of residualization and survival, which are otherwise confounded.
Prevention of liver fibrosis and liver reconstitution of DMN‐treated rat liver by transplanted EPCs
Authors: Nakamura Toru , Torimura Takuji , Iwamoto Hideki , Masuda Hiroshi , Naitou Masako , Koga Hironori , Abe Mitsuhiko , Hashimoto Osamu , Tsutsumi Victor , Ueno Takato , Sata Michio 
Published: December 2011

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (7): 717–728AbstractBackground  Using the dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) rat model of induced fibrosis, we investigated whether transfer of in vitro–expanded endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) could reconstitute liver tissue and protect against liver fibrosis.Materials and methods  Low‐density, adherent, rat bone marrow‐derived mononuclear cells were cultured for one week in medium supporting the growth of chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) receptor 4 (CXCR4)‐positive EPCs that were used for transplantation. Test rats were treated with weekly intraperitoneal injections of DMN over a period of 4 weeks. During that period, the rats were also transplanted weekly with in vivo–expanded EPCs.Results  Transplanted CXCR4‐positive expanded EPCs entered around the portal tracts, fibrous septa and hepatic sinusoids, locations at which stromal cell–derived factor 1 (SDF‐1), a ligand attracting CXCR4‐positive cells, was expressed nearby. In EPC‐transplanted rats, we observed suppression of liver fibrogenesis, reduced deposition of type I collagen and fibronectin, fewer α‐smooth muscle actin‐positive cells and lower expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β. The expression of growth factors promoting hepatic regeneration (hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor‐α (TGF‐α), epidermal growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor) was significantly increased in EPC‐transplanted rats, resulting in hepatocyte proliferation. Immunohistochemical analyses of eNOS and isolectin B4 demonstrated that the livers of EPC‐transplanted animals had markedly increased vascular density, suggesting reconstitution of sinusoidal blood vessels with endothelium. Liver function tests of transaminase, total bilirubin, total protein and albumin demonstrated that normal levels were maintained in EPC‐transplanted rats.Conclusions  EPC transplantation effectively promotes the remodelling of tissues damaged by liver fibrosis; it can also reconstitute sinusoids in chronic liver injury.
Functional impact of silencing the Helicoverpa armigera sex‐peptide receptor on female reproductive behaviour
Authors: Hanin O. , Azrielli A. , Applebaum S. W. , Rafaeli A. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractFemale Helicoverpa armigera sex pheromone production is under the control of pheromone biosynthesis‐activating neuropeptide (PBAN). After mating, females undergo suppression of sex pheromone production and enhanced oviposition as a result of the transfer of male‐derived seminal peptides. In a previous study we identified a putative H. armigera sex‐peptide receptor (HeaSP‐R) and demonstrated a significant up‐regulation in gene expression levels of this receptor in brains and pheromone glands of mated females, thereby implicating a regulatory role for sex peptide in the reproductive behaviour of H. armigera. In the present study, we show that virgin females injected with Drosophila melanogaster SP (DrmSP), in addition to inhibition of pheromone production, also exhibited a suppression of calling behaviour and a significant reduction in the gene expression levels of the PBAN‐receptor. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi) silencing of the HeaSP‐R expression by 50–60% prevented DrmSP‐suppression of pheromone production and calling behaviour. Moreover, mated, silenced females failed to increase their oviposition rates as is normally observed in mated females, and their behaviour did not differ from that of virgin females. However, sex pheromone production by mated, silenced females remained low, comparable to mated, normal females, thereby indicating the probable involvement of additional factors in the suppression of sex pheromone production after mating.
The significance of informal caregivers in information management from the perspective of heart failure patients
Authors: Hellesø Ragnhild , Eines Johannes , Fagermoen May Solveig 
Published: December 2011

Aims and objectives.  To explore patients’ perspectives on the significance of informal carers in their information management.Background.  Being well informed is considered a prerequisite for the ability of heart failure patients to manage their lives at home. Developing knowledge about the informal caregiver’s role in patient information management is important, that is, accurate information adapted to the individual level of comprehension.Design.  A qualitative approach using in‐depth semi‐structured interviews conducted with patients was used.Methods.  Eight women and six men suffering from heart failure and with a mean age of 79·6 were interviewed. Data were collected one week after their discharge. A content analysis was performed.Results.  The informal carer’s role in information management from the patient’s perspective represents two different phenomena. The first, information ambivalence, is related to the background of the informal carer. From what patients experienced, the process of information involvement throughout their hospital stay was affected by whether or not their informal carer had a health care background. The second phenomenon, information ambivalence, is related to the relationship between the patient and the informal carer with regard to information management at home.Conclusion.  The informal carers were of great importance in the information management process because the patients relied on them so as to be able to devote their energy to managing their daily life.Relevance to clinical practice.  Patients should be assessed with regard to their information management problems and to the role of their informal carers in this process.
Increased age, high body mass index and low HDL‐C levels are related to an echolucent carotid intima–media: the METEOR study
Authors: Peters S. A. E. , Lind L. , Palmer M. K. , Grobbee D. E. , Crouse J. R , O’Leary D. H. , Evans G. W. , Raichlen J. , Bots M. L. , den Ruijter H. M. ,   on behalf of the METEOR study group
Published: December 2011

Abstract.  Peters SAE, Lind L, Palmer MK, Grobbee DE, Crouse JR III, O’Leary DH, Evans GW, Raichlen J, Bots ML, den Ruijter HM, on behalf of the METEOR study group (University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden; Keele University, Keele, UK; Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, NC, USA; Caritas Carney Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; and AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA). Increased age, high body mass index and low HDL‐C levels are related to an echolucent carotid intima–media: the METEOR study. J Intern Med 2012; 272: 257–266.Introduction.  Echolucent plaques are related to a higher cardiovascular risk. Studies to investigate the relationship between echolucency and cardiovascular risk in the early stages of atherosclerosis are limited. We studied the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and echolucency of the carotid intima–media in low‐risk individuals.Methods.  Data were analysed from the Measuring Effects on Intima‐Media Thickness: an Evaluation of Rosuvastatin (METEOR) study, a randomized placebo‐controlled trial including 984 individuals which showed that rosuvastatin attenuated the rate of change of carotid intima–media thickness (CIMT). In this post hoc analysis, duplicate baseline ultrasound images from the far wall of the left and right common carotid arteries were used for the evaluation of the echolucency of the carotid intima–media, measured by grey‐scale median (GSM) on a scale of 0–256. Low GSM values reflect echolucent, whereas high values reflect echogenic structures. The relationship between baseline GSM and cardiovascular risk factors was evaluated using linear regression models.Results.  Mean baseline GSM (± SD) was 84 ± 29. Lower GSM of the carotid intima–media was associated with older age, high body mass index (BMI) and low levels of high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) [beta −4.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) −6.50 to −2.49; beta −4.51, 95% CI −6.43 to −2.60; beta 2.45, 95% CI 0.47 to 4.42, respectively]. Common CIMT was inversely related to GSM of the carotid intima–media (beta −3.94, 95% CI −1.98 to −5.89).Conclusion.  Older age, high BMI and low levels of HDL‐C are related to echolucency of the carotid intima–media. Hence, echolucency of the carotid intima–media may be used as a marker of cardiovascular risk profile to provide more information than thickness alone.
Early‐life soy exposure and age at menarche
Authors: Adgent Margaret A. , Daniels Julie L. , Rogan Walter J. , Adair Linda , Edwards Lloyd J. , Westreich Daniel , Maisonet Mildred , Marcus Michele 
Published: December 2011

SummaryAdgent MA, Daniels JL, Rogan WJ, Adair L, Edwards LJ, Westreich D, Maisonet M, Marcus M. Early‐life soy exposure and age at menarche. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2012; 26: 163–175.This study examines the timing of menarche in relation to infant‐feeding methods, specifically addressing the potential effects of soy isoflavone exposure through soy‐based infant feeding. Subjects were participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Mothers were enrolled during pregnancy and their children have been followed prospectively. Early‐life feeding regimes, categorised as primarily breast, early formula, early soy and late soy, were defined using infant‐feeding questionnaires administered during infancy. For this analysis, age at menarche was assessed using questionnaires administered approximately annually between ages 8 and 14.5. Eligible subjects were limited to term, singleton, White females. We used Kaplan–Meier survival curves and Cox proportional hazards models to assess age at menarche and risk of menarche over the study period.The present analysis included 2920 girls. Approximately 2% of mothers reported that soy products were introduced into the infant diet at or before 4 months of age (early soy). The median age at menarche [interquartile range (IQR)] in the study sample was 153 months [144–163], approximately 12.8 years. The median age at menarche among early soy‐fed girls was 149 months (12.4 years) [IQR, 140–159]. Compared with girls fed non‐soy‐based infant formula or milk (early formula), early soy‐fed girls were at 25% higher risk of menarche throughout the course of follow‐up (hazard ratio 1.25 [95% confidence interval 0.92, 1.71]). Our results also suggest that girls fed soy products in early infancy may have an increased risk of menarche specifically in early adolescence. These findings may be the observable manifestation of mild endocrine‐disrupting effects of soy isoflavone exposure. However, our study is limited by few soy‐exposed subjects and is not designed to assess biological mechanisms. Because soy formula use is common in some populations, this subtle association with menarche warrants more in‐depth evaluation in future studies.
HLA‐DRB1, ‐DQA1 and ‐DQB1 Alleles and Haplotypes in First‐Generation Pakistani Immigrants in Norway
Authors: Rønningen K. S. , Yap S. E. , Brandal K. , Stormyr A. , Lie B. A. , Rasmussen T. , Stray‐Pedersen B. , Akselsen H. E. 
Published: December 2011

AbstractHuman leucocyte antigen (HLA) polymorphisms among immigrants from Pakistan have not been well investigated. Immigration to Norway started in the late 1960s for working purposes. From 1975, immigration was mainly for marriages and family reunion. When recruiting couples for a birth cohort study, we ended up with 65.5% of the 374 parents genotyped being closely related. This was also reflected in that 21% of newborns were homozygotes for their DRB1‐DQA1‐DQB1 genotype. For being able to study HLA class II genes frequencies among unrelated individuals, we had to exclude 195 of the parents from data analysis. High‐resolution typing for the DRB1 locus, low/intermediate for the DQA1 locus and resolution genotyping for the DQB1 locus were performed in all the 179 parents and their newborns from the Punjab province of Pakistan. We identified 25 DRB1, nine DQA1 and 14 DRB1 alleles in the 179 unrelated parents included in our analysis. The most frequent alleles were DRB1*03:01:01 (15.9%) and DRB1*07:01:01 (15.9%), DQA1*01:03 (22.1%) and DQB1*02:01:01 (26.0%). Forty‐one haplotypes were identified, including DRB1*13:02:01‐DQA1*01:02‐DQB1*06:03:01, not earlier reported. Supported by the few earlier reports on Pakistani groups living in Pakistan, it appears that alleles found among those living in Norway are of Indo‐European or mixed ethnic origin. This study provides the first comprehensive report of HLA class II alleles and haplotypes in Norwegian Pakistani immigrants. When the unrelated parents were compared with all parents genotyped, there were, however, no significant differences in allele frequencies, confirming that consanguineous marriages are usual in Pakistan.
Penile frenuloplasty: a simple and effective treatment for frenular pain or scarring
Authors: Dockray Judith , Finlayson Alexander , Muir Gordon H. 
Published: December 2011

Study Type – Therapy (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Frenuloplasty, using common plastic surgical techniques for scar lengthening, is a commonly performed operation amongst urologists for isolated frenular pathology. However, there is very little data in the urological literature regarding either technique or assessment. The only other published study was a questionnaire follow‐up with a 23% response rate and the technique used was not clarified. Other studies describe expensive, rarely used procedures and are hampered by small patient numbers or short‐term follow‐up only.Our study validates the common practice of using plastic surgical techniques for scar lengthening. We have 100% clinical short‐term follow‐up (3 months) and 91% long‐term follow‐up (up to 10 years) showing high patient satisfaction scores and low complication and re‐operation rates. This provides an evidence base from which to counsel patients who are keen for foreskin sparing surgery for frenular pathology.The extra addition of our grading system allows patients to be risk‐stratified as to the risk of re‐operation depending on their status at presentation and underlying pathology.OBJECTIVE
To assess the long‐term patient satisfaction and outcomes for penile frenuloplasty when offered as an alternative to circumcision for frenular pain and/or scarring.
PATIENTS AND METHODS
Data was prospectively collected over 10 years, for a total of 106 men.
The nature of the frenular problem was graded.
Techniques of V‐Y plasty, Z‐plasty or a combination of the two were used.
All patients were reviewed at 3 months and contacted via questionnaire ≥1 year after surgery. The questionnaire assessed satisfaction, cosmetic appearance, pain on intercourse, need for subsequent surgery and if they would recommend the procedure to a friend.
RESULTS
Follow‐up was 100% (106/106) at 3 months and 91% (96/106) ≥1 year.
Patient satisfaction and cosmesis scores both averaged 8.9/10.
Need for subsequent circumcision was 8% (9/96).
There were minor complications (bruising/infection/partial dehiscence) in 8% (9/96) of patients.
97% (84/87) of patients would recommend the procedure to a friend.
CONCLUSIONS
Penile frenuloplasty is a safe alternative to circumcision.
There are high patient satisfaction rates after surgery.
Low numbers of patients require a completion circumcision after penile frenuloplasty.
Early markers of adult obesity: a review
Authors: Brisbois T. D. , Farmer A. P. , McCargar L. J. 
Published: December 2011

SummaryThe purpose of this review was to evaluate factors in early childhood (≤5 years of age) that are the most significant predictors of the development of obesity in adulthood. Factors of interest included exposures/insults in the prenatal period, infancy and early childhood, as well as other socio‐demographic variables such as socioeconomic status (SES) or birth place that could impact all three time periods. An extensive electronic and systematic search initially resulted in 8,880 citations, after duplicates were removed. Specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were set, and following two screening processes, 135 studies were retained for detailed abstraction and analysis. A total of 42 variables were associated with obesity in adulthood; however, of these, only seven variables may be considered as potential early markers of obesity based on the reported associations. Possible early markers of obesity included maternal smoking and maternal weight gain during pregnancy. Probable early markers of obesity included maternal body mass index, childhood growth patterns (early rapid growth and early adiposity rebound), childhood obesity and father's employment (a proxy measure for SES in many studies). Health promotion programmes/agencies should consider these factors as reasonable targets to reduce the risk of adult obesity.