bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Timing of Retirement Plan Contributions and Investment Returns: The Case of Defined Benefit versus Defined Contribution
Authors: Dvorak Tomas 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
This paper examines the impact of the timing of contributions to defined benefit (DB) and defined contribution (DC) plans on investment returns. I show that net contributions to DB plans are counter-cyclical, while net contributions to DC plans are uncorrelated with the business cycle. Given the past mean reversion in equity prices, the counter-cyclicality of net contributions to DB plans means that dollar-weighted returns on DB plans are higher than the geometric average of annual returns. Therefore, using dollar-weighted returns as a measure of investment performance, the advantage of DB plans over DC plans is greater than using geometric average returns. Overall, I find that dollar-weighted returns on DB plans are more than one percentage point higher than that on DC plans.
Trends of body composition among adolescents according to maturation stage and body mass index
Authors: Castilho Silvia D. , Bento Caroline A. , Pinheiro Caroline D. , Barros-Filho Antônio A. , Cocetti Monize 
Published: June 2012

Abstract

Background: Excessive increases in percentage body fat (%BF) according to sex may pose greater risks of chronic diseases.

Objective: To evaluate trends of body composition according to sexual maturation stage and body mass index (BMI) of adolescents.

Method: Data about weight, height, lean mass, fat mass, %BF, BMI and sexual maturation of 1345 private school students (685 girls) aged from 7 to 18 years were collected in 2001 and compared with data of 1450 students (750 girls) collected in 2010 in Campinas, Brazil. χ2-test, ANOVA and logistic regression were used for statistical analyses (p<0.05).

Results: Obesity prevalence increased, and number of boys and girls with normal BMI (p=0.0183 and p=0.0041) decreased. Differences in the median values of the study variables according to time point and nutritional diagnosis were not significant, except for lean mass (p=0.0484) and height (p=0.0275) in B2 (Breast stage) and %BF (p=0.0324) in G5 (Genitalia stage).

Conclusion: Body composition did not change significantly, although overweight increased.
Das Gebot der Nächstenliebe in seinem Kontext (Lev 19,17–18): Lieben ohne Falschheit
Authors: Schenker Adrian 
Published: June 2012

Lev 19,18.34 contain the Lord’s commandment to love one’s neighbour and the foreigner »as yourself/he is like you«. In the history of interpretation most often the context was not taken into account. Rather, the explanations concentrated their attention on the meaning of the expressions »neighbour, foreigner« and »as yourself/he is like you«. The context of Lev 19,11–18 is about deceitful vengeance, that of Lev 19,33–34 about brute force against the defenceless. In this light the comparison »to love as yourself« means the impossibility to deceive one-self by cunning or to exploit one-self.
Lev 19,18.34 donnent le commandement de Yhwh d’aimer le prochain et l’étranger »comme toi-même/il est comme toi«. L’histoire de l’interprétation montre que celle-ci n’a pas souvent tenu compte du contexte. Elle s’est plutôt concentrée sur la signification des expressions »prochain, étranger«, »comme toi-même/il est comme toi«. Le contexte de Lev 19,11–18 traite de la vengeance sournoise, celui de 19,33–34 de la brutalité du plus fort. Dans cette lumière la comparaison »aimer comme toi-même« signifie l’impossibilité d’ourdir un complot contre soi-même ou de s’exploiter soi-même.
Lev 19,18.34 enthalten das Gebot Jhwhs, den Nächsten und den Fremden zu lieben »wie dich/er ist wie du«. Die Interpretationsgeschichte zeigt, dass die Deutung den Kontext meistens ausgeblendet und sich auf die Bestimmung von »Nächster, Fremder« und »wie dich/er ist wie du« konzentriert hat. Der Kontext Lev 19,11–18 handelt von arglistiger Rache, Lev 19,33–34 von Brutalität des Stärkeren. In diesem Licht bedeutet der Vergleich »lieben wie dich« die Unmöglichkeit, sich selbst zu hintergehen oder auszubeuten.
Adaptive management for competing forest goods and services under climate change
Authors: Temperli Christian , Bugmann Harald , Elkin Ché 
Published: June 2012

Developing adaptive forest management strategies is essential to maintain the provisioning of forest goods and services (FGS) under future climate change. We assessed how climate change and forest management affect forest development and FGS for a diverse case‐study landscape in Central Europe. Using a process‐based forest model (LandClim) we simulated forest dynamics and FGS under a range of climate change and management scenarios in the Black Forest, Germany, which is shaped by various management practices. We focused on the interdependencies between timber production and forest diversity, the most valued FGS in this region.We found that the conversion to more drought‐adapted forest types is required to prevent climate change‐induced forest dieback and that this conversion must be the target of any adaptive management, especially in areas where monocultures of drought‐sensitive Norway spruce (Picea abies) were promoted in the past. Forest conversion takes up to 120 years, however, with past and future adaptive management being the key drivers of timber and forest diversity provision. The conversion of drought‐sensitive conifer monocultures maintains timber production in the short term and enhances a range of forest diversity indices. Using uneven‐aged forest management that targets a drought‐adapted, diverse, and resilient species mixture, high species diversity can be combined with timber production in the long term. Yet, the promotion of mature‐stand attributes requires management restrictions. Selecting future adaptive management options thus implies the consideration of trade‐offs between forest resource use and environmental objectives, but also the exploitation of synergies between FGS that occur during forest conversion. Lastly, the large impact of past management practices on the spatial heterogeneity of forest dynamics underpins the need to assess FGS provisioning at the landscape scale.
The Effect of Financial Analysts' Strategic Behavior on Analysts' Forecast Dispersion
Authors: Liu Xiaohui Gloria , Natarajan Ramachandran 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT
Financial analysts' forecast dispersion has been used in a variety of contexts in accounting and finance studies. In this study, we provide large sample evidence on the cross-sectional determinants of forecast dispersion and examine to what extent analysts' strategic behavior biases the observed dispersion from the dispersion of unmanaged forecasts. We propose a method to estimate the dispersion bias for each sample observation. We find that observed dispersion, on average, understates dispersion of unmanaged forecasts by 53.4 percent and this downward bias varies considerably across firms. We further discuss the implications of the significant cross-sectional variation in the bias in observed dispersion for studies that rely on dispersion to estimate constructs such as consensus and information quality as well as those that use dispersion directly in research design.
Data Availability: The data are publicly available for the sources indicated.
The compressed baryonic matter experiment at FAIR
Authors: Senger Peter 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment will be one of the major scientific pillars of the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt. The goal of the CBM research program is to explore the QCD phase diagram in the region of high baryon densities using high-energy nucleus-nucleus collisions. This includes the study of the equation-of-state of nuclear matter at high densities, and the search for the deconfinement and chiral phase transitions. The CBM detector is designed to measure both bulk observables with large acceptance and rare diagnostic probes such as charmed particles and vector mesons decaying into lepton pairs.
Gaussian beam diffraction in inhomogeneous and logarithmically saturable nonlinear media
Authors: Berczynski Pawel 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
The method of paraxial complex geometrical optics (PCGO) is presented, which describes Gaussian beam (GB) diffraction and self-focusing in smoothly inhomogeneous and nonlinear saturable media of cylindrical symmetry. PCGO reduces the problem of Gaussian beam diffraction in nonlinear and inhomogeneous media to the system of the first order ordinary differential equations for the complex curvature of the wave front and for GB amplitude, which can be readily solved both analytically and numerically. As a result, PCGO radically simplifies the description of Gaussian beam diffraction in inhomogeneous and nonlinear media as compared to the numerical and analytical methods of nonlinear optics. The power of PCGO method is presented on the example of Gaussian beam evolution in logarithmically saturable medium with either focusing and defocusing refractive profile. Besides, the influence of initial curvature of the wave front on GB evolution in nonlinear saturable medium is discussed in this paper.
The chiral and deconfinement phase transitions
Authors: Xu Fukun , Huang Mei 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
By introducing the dressed Polayakov loop or dual chiral condensate as a candidate order parameter to describe the deconfinement phase transition for light flavors, we discuss the interplay between the chiral and deconfinement phase transitions, and propose the possible QCD phase diagram at finite temperature and density. We also introduce a dynamical gluodynamic model with dimension-2 gluon condensate, which can describe the color electric deconfinement as well as the color magnetic confinement.
Bianchi I in scalar and scalar-tensor cosmologies
Authors: Belinchón José 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
We study how the constants G and Λ may vary in different theoretical models (general relativity (GR) with a perfect fluid, scalar cosmological models (SM) (“quintessence”) with and without interacting scalar and matter fields and three scalar-tensor theories (STT) with a dynamical Λ) in order to explain some observational results. We apply the program outlined in section II to study the Bianchi I models, under the self-similarity hypothesis. We put special emphasis on calculating exact power-law solutions which allow us to compare the different models. In all the studied cases we conclude that the solutions are isotropic and noninflationary. We also arrive at the conclusion that in the GR model with time-varying constants, Λ vanishes while G is constant. In the SM all the solutions are massless i.e. the potential vanishes and all the interacting models are inconsistent from the thermodynamical point of view. The solutions obtained in the STT collapse to the perfect fluid one obtained in the GR model where G is a true constant and Λ vanishes as in the GR and SM frameworks.
Conformational changes in humic acids in aqueous solutions
Authors: Klučáková Martina , Kargerová Andrea , Nováčková Kristýna 
Published: June 2012

AbstractConformational changes in humic acids in two different aqueous solutions (NaCl and NaOH) are studied by means of high resolution ultrasound spectrometry. The method is based on the measurement of parameters of ultrasonic waves propagating through the sample. The attenuation describes the decay of the amplitude of the ultrasonic wave with the distance travelled. The velocity is the speed of this wave and is related to the wavelength and the frequency of oscillation of the deformation. It is determined by the density and elasticity of the sample, which is strongly influenced by the molecular arrangement. The minimal velocity of ultrasound was observed at 1 g dm−3 for lignitic humic acids and at 0.5 g dm−3 for IHSS Leonardite standard. The values of compressibility as computed are almost constant up to humic acids’ content corresponding to the minimum velocity of ultrasound and then decrease with the increase in concentration. This shows that the organisation of particles in diluted and concentrated humic acids sols is different. The decrease in compressibility points to the formation of a more rigid structure, which could lead to the decrease in humic acids’ binding ability. It was confirmed that the method employed was very sensitive and could be utilised as an indicator of conformational changes in humic acids in solutions with varying concentrations.
Endometrial stromal sarcoma: A review of the literature
Authors: Puliyath Geetha , Nair M Krishnan 
Published: June 2012

AbstractEndometrial stromal sarcomas are rare malignant tumors of the uterus, and most of the information available in literature is based on small series or case reports. A proper preoperative diagnosis is difficult and in most cases the diagnosis is confirmed after hysterectomy for a presumed benign disease. Endometrial sampling, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging can provide diagnostic clues. Total hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy is the main line of management and for early disease complete cure is a reality. Ovarian conservation may be possible in young women with early stage disease and the role of lymphadenectomy is controversial. Adjuvant hormone therapy in the form of progesterone, gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues, and aromatase inhibitors are found to be effective in preventing recurrences. Hormone therapy, radiotherapy and surgical excision of the metastasis are recommended for recurrences.
Cervical cancer in India and HPV vaccination
Authors: Kaarthigeyan K 
Published: June 2012

AbstractCervical cancer, mainly caused by Human Papillomavirus infection, is the leading cancer in Indian women and the second most common cancer in women worldwide. Though there are several methods of prevention of cervical cancer, prevention by vaccination is emerging as the most effective option, with the availability of two vaccines. Several studies have been published examining the vaccine′s efficacy, immunogenicity and safety. Questions and controversy remain regarding mandatory vaccination, need for booster doses and cost-effectiveness, particularly in the Indian context.
Glutamine: A novel approach to chemotherapy-induced toxicity
Authors: Gaurav Kumar , Goel R.K. , Shukla Mridula , Pandey Manoj 
Published: June 2012

AbstractTreatment of cancer is associated with short- and long-term side-effects. Cancer produces a state of glutamine deficiency, which is further aggravated by toxic effects of chemotherapeutic agents leading to increased tolerance of tumor to chemotherapy as well as reduced tolerance of normal tissues to the side-effects of chemotherapy. This article reviews the possible role of glutamine supplementation in reducing the serious adverse events in patients treated with anticancer drugs. The literature related to the possible role of glutamine in humans with cancer and the supportive evidence from animal studies was reviewed. Searches were made and the literature was retrieved using PUBMED, MEDLINE, COCHRANE LIBRARY, CENAHL and EMBASE, with a greater emphasis on the recent advances and clinical trials. Glutamine supplementation was found to protect against radiation-induced mucositis, anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity and paclitaxel-related myalgias/arthralgias. Glutamine may prevent neurotoxicity of paclitaxel, cisplatin, oxaplatin bortezomib and lenolidamide, and is beneficial in the reduction of the dose-limiting gastrointestinal toxic effects of irinotecan and 5-FU-induced mucositis and stomatitis. Dietary glutamine reduces the severity of the immunosuppressive effect induced by methotrexate and improves the immune status of rats recovering from chemotherapy. In patients with acute myeloid leukemia requiring parenteral nutrition, glycyl-glutamine supplementation could hasten neutrophil recovery after intensive myelosuppressive chemotherapy. Current data supports the usefulness of glutamine supplementation in reducing complications of chemotherapy; however, paucity of clinical trials weakens the clear interpretation of these findings.
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in chronic areca nut chewing Indian women: Case series and review of literature
Authors: Muttagi Sidramesh Shivanand , Chaturvedi Pankaj , Gaikwad Rohith , Singh Bikramjit , Pawar Prashant 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is an important public health problem in India. Several risk factors such as tobacco, human papilloma virus, alcohol, areca nut usage have been extensively studied as causative agents. Though Areca nut chewing is known cause of oral cancer, its association with hypopharynx cancer has not been previously reported. Since areca nut is mostly consumed along with tobacco, it is uncommon to find patients who consume the areca nut alone. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective case series of ten women who presented to us with HNSCC with history of chewing of areca nut alone for several years. We have excluded all those cases where areca nut was consumed along with tobacco in any form. The data were prospectively collected with regard to clinical parameters, duration and frequency of areca nut usage, the socio-economic status and education level. Results: All ten females had varying degree of submucous fibrosis and coexisting squamous cell carcinoma either in the oral cavity or hypopharynx. Submucous fibrosis was characterized by burning mouth, unhealthy oral mucosa, buried third molars, trismus, poor oral hygiene, etc. The disease presented in an advanced stage in majority of the cases. All patients were unaware of areca nut′s deleterious effects. Conclusion: Areca nut chewing is an important risk factor for HNSCC in females. Despite plethora of information, little importance is given to areca nut control in cancer prevention campaigns in India.
Gemcitabine and cisplatin-based combination chemotherapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: An Indian experience
Authors: Pande Shripad B , Doval D C , Pavithran K , Sharma J B , Shirali Rashmi , Jena A 
Published: June 2012

Abstract
Background: Gemcitabine, an anti-metabolite, has some activity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in terms of responses and median survival. Aims: To analyze our experience with the use of gemcitabine in combination with cisplatin in HCC with respect to response, toxicity and survival. Materials and Methods: We studied the records of patients of HCC treated from January 2000 to December 2005 with gemcitabine and cisplatin, and found 24 of them to be evaluable for response, toxicity and survival. Results: Of 24 patients receiving three or more cycles of chemotherapy, six (25%) had a partial response and an additional 12 (50%) had stable disease. The median overall survival (OS) was 7.5 months (95% confidence interval, 4.5-10.5 months) and 1-year survival was 18%. Grade 3 and 4 anemia, thrombocytopenia and neutropenia were observed in, respectively, 17, 17 and 33% patients. The most frequent non-hematologic toxicities were nausea and vomiting and peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: We report a partial response rate of 25% with stable disease in an additional 50% to three or more cycles of chemotherapy with gemcitabine and cisplatin, with a median OS of 7.5 months (95% confidence interval, 4.5-10.5) and acceptable toxicity profile from our single-center retrospective study of 24 patients of HCC. We trust that, in HCC, gemcitabine is a good drug to be the foundation to build the chemotherapeutic or targeted agents′ combinations on.
Uncommon cause of recurrent infections
Authors: Deotare Uday R , Patel Pranav D , Parikh Rohan P , Bhagat Eva A 
Published: June 2012

AbstractWe descibe the case of a girl of Indian origin who presented with recurrent infections. The only abnormality detected in the armoury of the immune system was consistent neutropenia. Mutation analysis revealed ELA2 (neutrophil elastase) gene mutation that has been associated with severe congenital neutropenia phenotype. Patient was treated with the granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) as prevention of infectious manifestations along with appropriate measure to curb secondary complications. She showed poor response to the G-CSF during stringent surveillance. After being on treatment for 1 year, she developed acute myelogenous leukemia as inherit complication of this disease.
Phase behaviors of diblock copolymer/nanorod composites under oscillatory shear flow
Authors: He Linli , Li Shiben , Zhang Linxi 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe phase behaviors of lamellar diblock copolymers (DBCPs) melts and lamellar DBCPs/nanorods (NRs) composites subjected to oscillatory shear flow, have been investigated using dissipative particle dynamics. The oscillatory shear is a quite common shearing mode used in experiments and manufacturing processes. The rich lamellar (LAM) reorientation and morphological transition of systems strongly depend on the shear amplitude and shear frequency. At very low frequency, the amplitude‐induced phase behaviors of DBCPs melts or DBCPs/NRs composites are quite similar to those subjected to a steady shear. For DBCPs/NRs case, we control NRs concentration low 15% to preserve LAM morphology in the nanocomposites, and simultaneously consider both types of selective and nonselective NRs. Our aim is to compare the different inductions on DBCPs melts or nanocomposites caused by shear amplitude and frequency, and observe how the NRs are oriented and dispersed in phase‐separated copolymers matrix while under oscillatory shear, and how the presence of selective/nonselective NRs affects the shear‐induced LAM reorientations and rheological properties of systems. Our results show the NRs orientation not only directly depend on the imposed shear flow but also is interfered by the alignment of shear‐stretched copolymer molecules. The shear viscosity decreases with the frequency decreases, also influenced by the NRs concentration and surface property. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013
Synthesis of sulfonated polynaphthalene, polyanthracene, and polypyrene as strong solid acids via oxidative coupling polymerization
Authors: Tanemura Kiyoshi , Suzuki Tsuneo , Horaguchi Takaaki 
Published: June 2012

AbstractOxidative coupling polymerization of naphthalene, anthracene, and pyrene with FeCl3 in nitrobenzene under nitrogen gave polynaphthalene (PNP), polyanthracene (PAT), and polypyrene (PPR) in good yields, respectively. PNP, PAT, and PPR were transformed into sulfonated PNP (S‐PNP), S‐PAT, and S‐PPR by the treatment with chlorosulfonic acid in dichloromethane at 25°C for 24 h under nitrogen, respectively. The activities of S‐PPR were higher than those of S‐PNP and S‐PAT. For the hydrolysis of cyclohexyl acetate and oleyl acetate in water, activities of S‐PPR, S‐PAT, and S‐PNP were considerably higher than those of the other conventional solid acids. Rate constants of S‐PPR were 2.8 and 11.7 times larger than those of the sulfonated condensed polynuclear aromatic (S‐COPNA(PR)) resin (PR = pyrene) for the hydrolysis of cyclohexyl acetate and oleyl acetate, respectively. S‐PPR, S‐PAT, and S‐PNP were reused without significant loss of activities. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013