bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Landscape complexity and spatial scale influence the relationship between remotely sensed spectral diversity and survey‐based plant species richness
Authors: Rocchini Duccio , McGlinn Daniel , Ricotta Carlo , Neteler Markus , Wohlgemuth Thomas 
Published: April 2011

AbstractQuestions: Species rarefaction curves have long been used for estimating the expected number of species as a function of sampling effort. Nonetheless, sampling species based on standard plant inventories represents an effort‐intensive approach. Hence, rarefaction based on remotely sensed information can provide a rapid tool for identifying regions with exceptional richness and turnover. The aim of this paper is to examine (i) if the rates of spectral and species accumulation are positively correlated with one another at different spatial scales, and (ii) if the strength of this correlation differs between regions of varying landscape complexity.Location: Switzerland, Europe.Methods: The plant species data were derived from the Swiss “Biodiversity Monitoring” programme. Seven Landsat ETM+ images covering the whole study area were acquired. We applied species and spectral rarefaction for five biogeographical areas ranging from flat to mountainous zones. The relative increments (rates) of the species and spectral rarefaction curves were compared using Pearson correlation together with locally weighted scatterplot smoothing (LOWESS).Results: The biogeographic regions differed from one another in both their spectral and species diversity. The relationship between spectrally‐ and species‐derived rates of accumulation was non‐significant in simple landscapes, but we observed a significant positive correlation in complex landscapes over fine‐to‐intermediate spatial scales.Conclusions: Spectral rarefaction represents a powerful tool for measuring landscape diversity and potentially predicting species diversity at regional to global spatial scales. Based on remotely sensed information, more efficient diversity‐based monitoring programmes can be developed.
Addressing data property rights concerns and providing incentives for collaborative data pooling: the West African Vegetation Database approach
Authors: Janßen Thomas , Schmidt Marco , Dressler Stefan , Hahn Karen , Hien Mipro , Konaté Souleymane , Lykke Anne Mette , Mahamane Ali , Sambou Bienvenu , Sinsin Brice , Thiombiano Adjima , Wittig Rüdiger , Zizka Georg 
Published: April 2011

AbstractQuestion: How can quantitative data from vegetation surveys best be assembled in a large regional vegetation database? What effects have intellectual property rights concerns of individual and institutional data holders on data contribution and how can incentives to contribute data be generated?Location: West Africa, with discussion of a possible approach to dealing with property rights concerns being of wider interest.Methods: The management of data property rights in the West African Vegetation Database was developed based on consultations with institutions and scientists in five West African countries over 2 years. It was agreed in two successive Memoranda of Understanding.Results: The West African Vegetation Database addresses property rights concerns by leaving the control over data access with the data owners, and provides incentives to build a distributed research community by fostering data sharing.Conclusion: We present a potential solution to the problem of intellectual property rights issues being an impediment to data sharing and the compilation of large regional vegetation databases. The data property rights management approach implemented in the West African Vegetation Database provided incentives for the contribution of recently acquired and unpublished data. Numerous phytosociological and dendrometric vegetation surveys have been made available by institutions and individual researchers for regional‐scale analyses. The structures developed may serve as a model for regional‐scale vegetation databases in collaborative settings involving multiple data owners.
Gerontological rehabilitation nursing of older patients in acute health centre hospitals: nursing views
Authors: Elo Satu , Saarnio Reetta , Routasalo Pirkko , Isola Arja 
Published: April 2011

elo s., saarnio r., routasalo p. & Isola a. (2012) Gerontological rehabilitation nursing of older patients in acute health centre hospitals: nursing views. International Journal of Older People Nursing7, 46–56  doi: 10.1111/j.1748‐3743.2011.00277.xAim.  The aim was to describe gerontological rehabilitation nursing in an acute hospital setting from nursing staff’s points of view.Background.  In the model of gerontological rehabilitation nursing, older people are active operators in their own rehabilitation process. It is the task of nursing staff, together with the patient, their relatives and a multiprofessional team, to support the patient’s commitment to the rehabilitation goal.Methods.  In this study, a cross‐sectional design was used. Registered Nurses (RNs) and Practical Nurses (PNs) (n = 367) from four different hospitals responded to the questionnaire. Data analysis was carried out with spss using descriptive statistics.Results.  The majority of nursing staff (66%) considered that older rehabilitation patients thought that rehabilitation was activity undertaken by physiotherapists aimed at improving patients’ functional abilities. The wards in question have well‐functioning rehabilitation teams. The rehabilitation of older patients is a goal‐oriented activity. Despite this, not everyone was aware of the goals. Essential patient care and promotion of rehabilitation were well attended to by nurses. Emotional support was emphasised in maintaining the motivation of older people.Conclusions.  Because RNs and PNs, unlike other professionals, see older rehabilitation patients 24 hours a day and are able to assess their possibilities of coping independently with essential tasks, nursing staff could have an active role in the rehabilitation team. The education of nursing staff must focus on boosting self‐esteem and teaching independent decision‐making in promoting the rehabilitation of older persons and the assessment of their progress.Implications for practice.  Nurse managers must arrange further education for nurses in promoting the rehabilitation of older persons. Nurse managers must also arrange time for the multiprofessional team to discuss and agree joint rehabilitation goals.
‘Finding home’: a grounded theory on how older people ‘find home’ in long‐term care settings
Authors: Cooney Adeline 
Published: April 2011

cooney a. (2011) ‘Finding home’: a grounded theory on how older people ‘find home’ in long‐term care settings. International Journal of Older People Nursing7, 188–199   doi: 10.1111/j.1748‐3743.2011.00278.xBackground.  A link between residents ‘feeling at home’ in long‐term care facilities and ‘quality of life’ is emerging in the literature. Few studies, however, have focused on what helps residents to find a home in long‐term care settings. This study aimed to fill this gap.Aim.  This study aimed to understand older peoples’ perceptions of ‘being at home’ in long‐term care settings and the factors that influence these perceptions.Design.  Grounded theory guided the study design. Residents (n = 61) living in public or private long‐term care settings were interviewed using unstructured interviews.Findings.  Four categories were identified as critical to finding a home in long‐term care settings: ‘continuity’, ‘preserving personal identity’, ‘belonging’ and ‘being active and working’. ‘Finding Home’ was conceptualised as the core category. The potential to ‘find home’ was influenced by mediating and facilitating/constraining factors.Conclusions.  The Theory of Finding Home was generated from the data. This theory describes the factors critical to ‘finding home’ in long‐term care settings.Implications for practice.  The Theory of Finding Home gives insight into what matters to older people living in long‐term care settings. Strategies to help generate a feeling of home in long‐term care settings are shared.
Application of high‐resolution melting curve analysis for typing of fowl adenoviruses in field cases of inclusion body hepatitis
Authors: Steer PA , O'Rourke D , Ghorashi SA , Noormohammadi AH 
Published: April 2011

Objective  Fowl adenoviruses (FAdVs) cause inclusion body hepatitis (IBH) in chickens. In this study, clinical cases of IBH from Australian broiler flocks were screened for the presence and genotype of FAdVs.Methods  Twenty‐six IBH cases from commercial poultry farms were screened. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) coupled with high‐resolution melt (HRM) curve analysis (PCR/HRM genotyping) was used to determine the presence and genotype of FAdVs. For comparison, field isolates were also assessed by virus microneutralisation and nucleotide sequence analysis of the hexon loop 1 (Hex L1) gene. PCR detection of chicken anaemia virus (CAV) and infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) was also employed.Results  FAdV‐8b and FAdV‐11 were identified in 13 cases each. In one case, FAdV‐1 was also identified. Cross‐neutralisation was observed between the FAdV‐11 field strain and the reference FAdV‐2 and 11 antisera, a result also seen with the type 2 and 11 reference FAdVs. Field strains 1 and 8b were neutralised only by their respective type antisera. The FAdV‐8b field strain was identical to the Australian FAdV vaccine strain (type 8b) in the Hex L1 region. The Hex L1 sequence of the FAdV‐11 field strain had the highest identity to FAdV‐11 (93.2%) and FAdV‐2 (92.7%) reference strains. In the five cases tested for CAV and IBDV, neither virus was detected. The evidence suggested the presence of sufficient antibodies against CAV and IBD in the parent flocks and there was no indication of immunosuppression caused by these viruses.Conclusion  These results indicate that PCR/HRM genotyping is a reliable diagnostic method for FAdV identification and is more rapid than virus neutralisation and direct sequence analysis. Furthermore, they suggest that IBH in Australian broiler flocks is a primary disease resulting from two alternative FAdV strains from different species.
Carriage of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus by veterinarians in Australia
Authors: Jordan D , Simon J , Fury S , Moss S , Giffard P , Maiwald M , Southwell P , Barton MD , Axon JE , Morris SG , Trott DJ 
Published: April 2011

Objective  To estimate the prevalence of carriage of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) among Australian veterinarians.Methods  Individuals attending veterinary conferences in Australia in 2009 were recruited to provide nasal swabs and complete a questionnaire about their professional activities. Swabs were processed by standard methods for detecting MRSA and questionnaire responses were used to group veterinarians according to their areas of major work emphasis (species and practice type). Prevalence was estimated for each of these grouping and contingency tables and regression tree analysis used to explain the variation in MRSA carriage.Results  Among the 771 respondents ‘industry and government veterinarians’ (controls) had the lowest prevalence of MRSA carriage at 0.9%. Veterinarians with horses as a major area of work emphasis had a prevalence of 11.8% (13‐fold that of controls) and those whose only major emphasis was horses had a prevalence of 21.4% (23‐fold that of controls). Veterinarians with dogs and cats as a major activity had a 4.9% prevalence (5‐fold that of controls). Prevalence rates for other major activities (pigs, dairy and beef cattle, avian and wildlife) were also increased, but were estimated from smaller numbers of respondents. Regression tree analysis clearly isolated equine veterinarians and dog and cat practitioners as groups at increased risk of carriage of MRSA.Conclusion  Carriage of MRSA is a notable occupational health issue for veterinarians in clinical practice in Australia, particularly those who work with horses.
Expression of human endogenous retrovirus K is stimulated by ultraviolet radiation in melanoma
Authors: Schanab Oliver , Humer Johannes , Gleiss Andreas , Mikula Mario , Sturlan Sanda , Grunt Susanne , Okamoto Ichiro , Muster Thomas , Pehamberger Hubert , Waltenberger Andrea 
Published: April 2011

SummaryHuman endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) represent a cellular reservoir of potentially pathogenic retroviral genes. A growing body of evidence indicates that the activation of endogenous retroviral sequences might be involved in the transformation of melanocytes. In this study, we investigated the effects of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on the expression of human endogenous retrovirus type K (HERV‐K) in melanoma cells and non‐melanoma cells in vitro. Solely in melanoma cell lines, irradiation with UVB (200 mJ/cm2) resulted in a significant transcriptional activation of the retroviral pol gene as well as in an enhanced expression of the retroviral envelope protein (env). In addition, UVB treatment induced the production of retroviral particles in the supernatants of melanoma cell lines. These data indicate that HERV‐K expression can be activated by UVB irradiation and suggest an involvement of HERV‐K in UVR‐related melanoma pathogenesis.
Muscarinic Receptor Binding of Imidafenacin in the Human Bladder Mucosa and Detrusor and Parotid Gland
Authors: SEKI Masanao , OGODA Masaki , KURAOKA Shiori , OTSUKA Atsushi , OZONO Seiichiro , TAKEDA Masayuki , MASUYAMA Keisuke , ARAKI Isao , YAMADA Shizuo 
Published: April 2011

Objectives: The current study aimed to characterize comparatively the binding of imidafenacin to muscarinic receptors in the human bladder mucosa and detrusor muscle and parotid gland.Methods: The muscarinic receptor in homogenates of human tissues (bladder mucosa and detrusor muscle and parotid gland) was measured using a radioligand binding assay with [N‐methyl‐3H]scopolamine methyl chloride ([3H]NMS).Results: Imidafenacin competed with [3H]NMS for binding sites in the bladder mucosa and detrusor muscle and parotid gland, and its affinity was significantly (2.6–8.7 times) higher than that of oxybutynin. Also, the affinity of imidafenacin for muscarinic receptors was approximately two‐fold higher in the parotid gland than bladder tissue. The affinity of imidafenacin in the mucosa was similar to that in the detrusor muscle, suggesting that this agent exhibits therapeutic effects by blocking muscarinic receptors in the mucosa as well as detrusor muscle. Scatchard analysis revealed that imidafenacin increased significantly (approximately four‐fold) Kd values for [3H]NMS binding in the human detrusor muscle and parotid gland, with little effect on Bmax values. This observation indicates that imidafenacin binds to the muscarinic receptors in human tissues in a competitive and reversible manner.Conclusion: Imidafenacin binds to muscarinic receptors in the human bladder mucosa and detrusor muscle and parotid gland with high affinity. This agent was considered to exhibit therapeutic effects on the lower urinary tract symptoms due to an overactive bladder by blocking muscarinic receptors in the urothelium as well as detrusor muscle.
Trading Behavior, Performance, and Stock Preference of Foreigners, Local Institutions, and Individual Investors: Evidence from the Korean Stock Market*
Authors: Bae Sung C. , Min Jae Hoon , Jung Sunbong 
Published: April 2011

AbstractWe examine the trading behavior and performance of foreigners, local institutions, and individual investors in the Korean stock market. The key research issue is whether the commonly‐documented information disadvantage of foreign investors translates into their underperformance relative to local institutional and individual investors. Our results show the opposite, that the stocks foreigners buy significantly outperform the stocks they sell in terms of both stock returns and operating profitability, leading to the significant outperformance of foreigners’ trading strategies over those of local investors. Our results provide strong evidence that the superior performance of foreigners is attributed to their ability to discern between company stocks with good versus bad, at least short‐term, prospects. Our findings on the trading behavior of investors in the Korean market are, in general, consistent with those for other markets documented in the published literature. Foreigners behave like short‐term momentum traders pursuing a growth strategy. Local institutions also trade like momentum traders but tend to buy value stocks. In contrast, individual investors trade like contrarians who buy past losers and sell past winners. Our findings show that foreigners prefer large‐cap stocks with high dividends. In sharp contrast, individual investors have a strong preference for small‐cap, high‐leverage, low dividend paying stocks, whereas local institutions tend to buy small‐cap, low leveraged stocks.
Dividend Policy and Elimination of Double Taxation of Dividends*
Authors: Kao Lanfeng , Chen Anlin 
Published: April 2011

AbstractTaiwan eliminated double taxation of dividends in 1999, and allowed firms to repurchase stocks from July 2000. Taiwanese firms tend to pay dividends as opposed to repurchasing stock, even with zero tax on capital gains, and firms pay larger dividends after the elimination of double taxation of dividends. The relation between dividends and director ownership has been reinforced by the elimination of double taxation of dividends. The relation between dividends and the elimination of double taxation of dividends has also been reinforced by director ownership as stockholders receive more tax credits from dividends following the elimination of double taxation of dividends and directors act to protect stockholders’ interests.
Physical activity during leisure time and quality of life in a Spanish cohort: SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) Project
Authors: Sanchez-Villegas Almudena , Ara Ignacio , Dierssen Trinidad , de la Fuente Carmen , Ruano Cristina , Martínez-González Miguel A 
Published: April 2011

BackgroundLeisure-time physical activity (LTPA) has been associated with better mental and physical health particularly in cross-sectional studies.PurposeTo longitudinally assess the association between LTPA, changes in LTPA and health-related quality of life (HRQL).MethodsCross-sectional and prospective analysis of the Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra Project, a dynamic cohort study. Information is gathered through mailed questionnaires biannually since 1999. A validated LTPA questionnaire was used to assess LTPA level at baseline. Changes in LTPA were ascertained at 2 and 4 years of follow-up. HRQL was assessed at 4 and 8 years of follow-up with a validated Spanish version of the SF-36 Health Survey. Multivariate regression coefficients, means and their 95% CIs for each of the eight domains of the SF-36 according to quintiles of baseline LTPA and changes in LTPA over time were calculated using generalised linear models.ResultsAt 4 years of follow-up, mean scores for upper quintiles of LTPA (second to highest quintile) of physical functioning, general health, vitality, social functioning and mental health were significantly higher than the mean score obtained for participants with the lowest level of LTPA (first quintile). In general, and independent of previous scores in SF-36 survey, the maintenance or the increase in LTPA levels during follow-up was associated with better scores in HRQL after 8 years of follow-up, especially for mental domains.ConclusionThese findings provide support for an association between LTPA, long-term changes in LTPA and several aspects of HRQL (especially in relation to mental domains) extending previous cross-sectional findings.
Islamic Banking in Kazakhstan Law
Authors: Maggs Peter B. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractKazakhstan has adopted legislation designed to facilitate Islamic banking, and at least one Islamic bank has started operations in Kazakhstan. Islamic banking is based upon traditional Islamic law, which forbids the taking of interest, the making of profit without risk, and profiting from "sinful" businesses such as pornography. The legislation in Kazakhstan forbids such activities for Islamic banks and also requires each Islamic bank to have an independent "Council on the principles of Islamic finance" to rule on bank policies and specific transactions. Islamic banking practices use complex combinations of transactions, each permitted by Islamic law, to mimic common conventional banking transactions, such as loans bearing fixed interest rates and repayable on a fixed date. Stable income and manageable principal obligations from credit-worthy borrowers can ensure that a bank will receive high ratings from leading international credit rating agencies and, thus, can satisfy the requirements of Kazakhstan's bank regulators.
The formal difference between Islamic banking transactions and the conventional transactions that they mimic could lead to differing treatment for taxation. To provide a level playing field, Kazakhstan has amended its Tax Code to provide for equal treatment of economically equivalent Islamic and conventional banking transactions. Adjustments have also been made to bankruptcy legislation, reflecting the unavailability of deposit insurance for Islamic banks and the special nature of investment deposits in Islamic banks.
There are controversies among Islamic law scholars as to whether or not various practices used to mimic conventional banking transactions are unlawful because they violate the spirit of Islamic law. This creates what is called "Sharia risk", the risk that a transaction will be found unlawful after it has been concluded, with consequences highly unfavorable for a party.
Nationalism and Politics of the Past: The Cases of Kosovo and Abkhazia
Authors: Harzl Benedikt C. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBoth Kosovo and Abkhazia have been riven by violent conflicts which developed to full-scale wars in the 1990s. The central cause to both conflicts was the emergence of strong nationalist movements on all participating sides with a program calling not only for ethnic dominance of one group, but for ethnic homogeneity as such. This article will focus on the symbolic aspect in both cases through which fears, loyalties as well as mass hostilities were produced and reproduced by invoking past historical events. The aim of this article is to provide the reader with evidence that ethnic conflicts—and the humaniarian catastrophes which they cause—are not natural disasters but, rather, man-made and follow the mechanism of politicizing the present through lenses of the past.
Steinernema phyllophagae n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from Florida, USA
Authors: Buss Eileen , Nguyen Khuong 
Published: April 2011

AbstractA new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema phyllophagae n. sp., was isolated from a white grub (Phyllophaga sp.) in a live oak (Quercus virginiana) nursery. The new species is characterised by morphometrics of the infective Sjuvenile (IJ) with body length 1289 (1133-1395) μm, distance from anterior end to the excretory pore 99 (84-120) μm, tail 89 (77-109) μm, ratio a = 31 (27.6-35.5), H% = 57 (51-60) and E% = 110 (70-139). The pattern of the lateral field of IJ of the new species is 2, 5, 6, 8, 6, 2. The male of the first generation can be recognised by the length and shape of the spicule and gubernaculum, position of the excretory pore, D% = 75 (68-80), and GS% = 71 (61-77). The female can be recognised by the vulva having low epiptygma and by the presence of several papilla-like structures near the tail tip. Steinernema phyllophagae n. sp. differs further from other species of Steinernema by characteristics of ITS and D2D3 regions of rDNA.