bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes in climate and weather extremes in the 21st century
Authors: Rummukainen Markku 
Published: February 2012

AbstractClimate and weather extremes are sporadically recurring events that may have major local or regional impacts on the society and the environment. These events are typically related to unusually high or low temperature, prolonged dry or wet conditions, heavy precipitation, or extreme winds. Extreme events are part of the overall climate and weather alongside average conditions and variability, and thus are not unexpected as such. Climate change is expected to affect not only means but also variability and extremes. Some inferences can be based on past and present observations, but analyses of especially rare events are hampered by the availability of long time series. Over time, depending on how far the on‐going global warming takes us from the present and the past climate conditions, the weather and climate statistics may well come to shift in ways that are well outside observational data. This may lead to shifts in frequency, intensity and geographical distribution of different extremes. Indeed, projected changes in some extremes over the 21st century are quite robust, such as generally increasing warm and decreasing cold extremes. Possible changes in some other aspects, for example storms, remain much more uncertain. Science‐based information both on robust findings and on relevant uncertainties on changing extremes can provide useful information for sectorial planning, disaster risk prevention and overall reduction of societal vulnerability related to climate and weather. WIREs Clim Change 2012, 3:115–129. doi: 10.1002/wcc.160This article is categorized under:

Climate Models and Modeling > Knowledge Generation with Models
Annual fish: developmental adaptations for an extreme environment
Authors: Berois Nibia , Arezo María J. , Papa Nicolás G. , Clivio Graciela A. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractAnnual fish are freshwater teleosts found in South America and Africa that are exposed to an extremely variable environment. They develop and reproduce in seasonal ponds that dry during the summer eliminating the entire adult population. Remarkably, desiccation‐resistant embryos survive in these dry ponds that hatch during the next rainy season when the ponds are recreated. Among vertebrates, they represent one of the most remarkable extremophiles. They share several features with other fish models; however, they exhibit unique traits related to their peculiar life cycle. Epiboly is temporally and spatially uncoupled from organogenesis, and the embryos can undergo reversible developmental arrests (diapauses). These attributes make them a useful model to study diverse topics in developmental biology using a comparative and evolutionary approach. In this article, different aspects related to annual fish biology, taxonomy and phylogenetic considerations, reproductive strategy, and developmental characteristics with special focus on arrests, are summarized. The current challenge is to document and determine the factors that generate such high diversity and unique adaptations of annual fish. To understand this complexity, interdisciplinary approaches are being employed taking into consideration evolutionary biology, ethology, reproductive strategies, regulation of developmental mechanisms, and senescence. WIREs Dev Biol 2012, 1:595–602. doi: 10.1002/wdev.39This article is categorized under:

Comparative Development and Evolution > Model Systems
Surgical Inflammation Induces Hepcidin Production after Abdominal Surgery
Authors: Park Kyung Hwa , Sawada Tokihiko , Kosuge Takayuki , Kita Junji , Shimoda Mitsugi , Tomosugi Naohisa , Kubota Keiichi 
Published: February 2012

AbstractBackgroundHepcidin, a key regulator of iron homeostasis, is also a marker of acute inflammation. In the present study we investigated the changes in the serum hepcidin level and correlations between hepcidin and other markers of acute inflammation during the perioperative period in patients after abdominal surgery.MethodsSerum hepcidin, hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), white blood cell (WBC) count, frequency of neutrophils, and C‐reactive protein (CRP) were measured preoperatively (Pre), and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 3, 7, and 14.ResultsIn patients undergoing gastrectomy, the median levels of hepcidin preoperatively and on POD 1, 3, 7, and 14 were 6.5, 53.1, 31.7, 15.6, and 4.0 ng/dl, respectively (p < 0.0001). The corresponding levels in colectomy patients were 8.5, 78.3, 60.1, 49.7, and 8.4 ng/dl, respectively (p = 0.0002); those in hepatectomy patients were 6.6, 16.3, 3.5, 13.4, and 3.4 ng/dl, respectively (p = 0.0022); and those in patients undergoing surgery for diffuse peritonitis were 24.8, 50.1, 43.1, 31.2, and 31.7 ng/dl, respectively (p = 0.4933). There were no significant decreases in Hb and Ht in the patients undergoing gastrectomy, colectomy, or surgery for diffuse peritonitis. The level of hepcidin was significantly correlated with the WBC count, frequency of neutrophils, and CRP level during the perioperative period for all four types of operation.ConclusionsLike other inflammatory markers, an increase in the level of hepcidin (i.e., a hepcidin storm) occurs in the acute phase after gastrectomy, colectomy, hepatectomy, and surgery for diffuse peritonitis.
Young Adults with MSUD and Their Transition to Adulthood: Psychosocial Issues
Authors: Packman Wendy , Mehta Indira , Rafie Samantha , Mehta Jayanthi , Naldi Mariana , Mooney Kim Hart 
Published: February 2012

AbstractMaple Syrup Urine Disease (MSUD) is an autosomal recessive condition with an incidence of 1 in 185,000 births worldwide. Regardless of the type of MSUD, treatment includes immediate and lifelong dietary restriction of isoleucine, leucine and valine. There is little known about the psychosocial impact of MSUD on the developmental milestones of emerging adulthood. We used a qualitative case study approach to explore the human experiences of MSUD on young adults (n = 8) and parents (n = 8). All participants were administered a semi‐structured, qualitative interview as well as quantitative measures. Six core themes emerged: 1) lifelong strain of dietary management; 2) social isolation from peers and impact on dating; 3) impact of MSUD on academics and employment; 4) medical experiences and transition to adult care; 5) impact on family functioning; and 6) positive effects and growth. The results of this investigation highlight and expand awareness of the psychological and social needs of young adults with MSUD. This study calls for a collaborative, multidisciplinary effort in the treatment of these patients and their families.
An inertia ‘paradox’ for incompressible stratified Euler fluids
Authors: Camassa R. , Chen S. , Falqui G. , Ortenzi G. , Pedroni M. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThe interplay between incompressibility and stratification can lead to non-conservation of horizontal momentum in the dynamics of a stably stratified incompressible Euler fluid filling an infinite horizontal channel between rigid upper and lower plates. Lack of conservation occurs even though in this configuration only vertical external forces act on the system. This apparent paradox was seemingly first noticed by Benjamin (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 165, 1986, pp. 445–474) in his classification of the invariants by symmetry groups with the Hamiltonian structure of the Euler equations in two-dimensional settings, but it appears to have been largely ignored since. By working directly with the motion equations, the paradox is shown here to be a consequence of the rigid lid constraint coupling through incompressibility with the infinite inertia of the far ends of the channel, assumed to be at rest in hydrostatic equilibrium. Accordingly, when inertia is removed by eliminating the stratification, or, remarkably, by using the Boussinesq approximation of uniform density for the inertia terms, horizontal momentum conservation is recovered. This interplay between constraints, action at a distance by incompressibility, and inertia is illustrated by layer-averaged exact results, two-layer long-wave models, and direct numerical simulations of the incompressible Euler equations with smooth stratification.
On sloshing modes in a circular tank
Authors: Faltinsen Odd M. , Timokha Alexander N. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractEmploying the multipole-type functions given by Faltinsen & Timokha (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 665, 2010, pp. 457–479), we derive a Trefftz-type representation of the velocity potential for the liquid sloshing problem in a two-dimensional circular tank. This representation defines a continuation of the velocity potential into the ‘air’ area confined by the ‘dry’ tank surface. Its usage facilitates an effective approximation of the natural sloshing modes for all tank fillings.
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF TORSION POINTS MODULO PRIMES
Authors: CHEN YEN-MEI J. , KUAN YEN-LIANG 
Published: February 2012

AbstractLet $\Bbb A$ be a commutative algebraic group defined over a number field K. For a prime ℘ in K where $\Bbb A$ has good reduction, let N℘,n be the number of n-torsion points of the reduction of $\Bbb A$ modulo ℘ where n is a positive integer. When $\Bbb A$ is of dimension one and n is relatively prime to a fixed finite set of primes depending on $\Bbb A_{/K}$, we determine the average values of N℘,n as the prime ℘ varies. This average value as a function of n always agrees with a divisor function.
PARTIAL ORDERS ON SEMIGROUPS OF PARTIAL TRANSFORMATIONS WITH RESTRICTED RANGE
Authors: SANGKHANAN KRITSADA , SANWONG JINTANA 
Published: February 2012

AbstractLet X be any set and P(X) the set of all partial transformations defined on X, that is, all functions α:A→B where A,B are subsets of X. Then P(X) is a semigroup under composition. Let Y be a subset of X. Recently, Fernandes and Sanwong defined PT(X,Y )={α∈P(X):Xα⊆Y } and defined I(X,Y ) to be the set of all injective transformations in PT(X,Y ) . Hence PT(X,Y ) and I(X,Y ) are subsemigroups of P(X) . In this paper, we study properties of the so-called natural partial order ≤ on PT(X,Y ) and I(X,Y ) in terms of domains, images and kernels, compare ≤ with the subset order, characterise the meet and join of these two orders, then find elements of PT(X,Y ) and I(X,Y ) which are compatible. Also, the minimal and maximal elements are described.
ON LATTICES OF RADICALS IN THE CLASS OF ALL FINITE GROUPS
Authors: KREMPA JAN , MALINOWSKA IZABELA AGATA 
Published: February 2012

AbstractLattices of radicals have been extensively studied, for example in the class of associative rings, leading to some interesting results. In this paper we investigate the latticeLof all radicals in the class of all finite groups. We also consider some of its important sublattices. In particular, we prove that the latticeLis closed to being modular, the latticeLhof all hereditary radicals is a Boolean algebra, and there exists a natural, useful projection of the latticeLontoLh.
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL LAW: WIELDING THE SWORD OF UNIVERSAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE?
Authors: Stephen Christopher 
Published: February 2012

AbstractWriting 62 years ago, Georg Schwarzenberger posited that international criminal law did not exist. As long as some States, those larger or more powerful, were held to a different standard, or, in fact, not held to account at all, it was premature to speak of such a thing. For Schwarzenberger, international criminal law was a misnomer withoutuniversalcriminal justice. This article considers whether that same criticism can be made of international criminal law today. Indeed, it asks whether this is a realistic expectation in the first place. The recently concluded Review Conference of the International Criminal Court in Kampala, Uganda is seen as an ideal juncture at which to do so. This article analyses what is meant by the term international criminal law and then selects two models; the International Criminal Court and the exercise of universal jurisdiction, to gauge the success, or failure, of international criminal law in satisfying Schwarzenberger's criterion.
A survey on dairy heifer farm management practices in a Western-European plainland, the French Pays de la Loire region
Authors: LE COZLER Y. , RECOURSÉ O. , GANCHE E. , GIRAUD D. , DANEL J. , BERTIN M. , BRUNSCHWIG P. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYDespite practical information and applied results from numerous experimental studies and/or field observations, there is a persistent gap between scientific recommendations and on-farm reality. There are numerous published reports on the impact of dairy heifer herd management conditions on short-term, medium-term and long-term performances, but few studies on actual dairy heifer herd management practices – particularly in France. In an attempt to address this shortfall, a survey was conducted in 2010 on 449 herds located in the second largest dairy production region, the Pays de la Loire region (Western France). Economic-related aspects of heifer farming were not addressed. The essentially qualitative survey information was collected by 107 independent agricultural technologists. A quantitative analysis based on a small set of the most representative key production criteria was also conducted on a representative sub-sample of 286 herds. Mean herd size, at 46·6 cows per farm, and milk production, at 7953 kg milk/cow/lactation, were close to French national averages (47·3 cows per farm and 8109 kg milk/cow/lactation). The survey covered nine core themes and confirmed an all-round lack of precise monitoring on animal growth, as reported in earlier studies performed outside France. Most of the farmers surveyed considered animal weight a useful indicator for estimating growth performance. However, very few actually weighed their animals, despite the fact that 0·80 of the farmers surveyed aimed to calve their heifers before 30 months of age, with 0·55 of them setting a minimum calving weight target of at least 610 kg. Mean calf age at weaning was 2·9 months, but in practice this was >3·5 months in 0·31 of cases. Although farmers differ on certain practices, common core foci emerged: weight or age targets for pre-determined growth and development stages (at weaning or at service), recycling non-marketable milk for feeding young calves, essentially visual oestrus detection methods, and others. Based on the farmers’ declarations, the estimated time spent rearing a heifer from birth to calving ranges from 12 to 15 h per animal, with most farmers spending an estimated 0–2 h/day rearing their heifers. While almost two-thirds of farmers stated that rearing heifers was a necessity, 0·36 of this survey population claimed they enjoyed the work, whereas 0·02 of the farmers felt the work was purely a chore. Mirroring the conclusions from other countries, dairy heifer herd performances could be improved through better animal monitoring and management.
Provision of undergraduate otorhinolaryngology teaching within General Medical Council approved UK medical schools: what is current practice?
Authors: Khan M M , Saeed S R 
Published: February 2012

AbstractObjectives:Despite longstanding concern, provision of undergraduate ENT teaching has not improved in response to the aims of the UK General Medical Council's initiativeTomorrow's Doctors. Previous studies have demonstrated poor representation of ENT within the undergraduate curriculum. We aimed to identify current practice in order to establish undergraduate ENT experience across UK medical schools, a timely endeavour in light of the General Medical Council's new 2011–2013 education strategy.Method:Questionnaires were sent to ENT consultants, medical school deans and students. All schools with a clinical curriculum were anonymously represented. Our outcome measures were the provision of mandatory or optional ENT placements, and their duration and content.Results:A compulsory ENT placement was available to over half (53 per cent) of the students. Ten of the 26 participating schools did not offer an ENT attachment. The mean mandatory placement was 8 days. Overall, 38 per cent of students reported a satisfactory compulsory ENT placement. Most ENT consultants questioned considered that newly qualified doctors were not proficient in managing common ENT problems that did not require specialist referral.Conclusions:Little improvement in the provision of undergraduate ENT teaching was demonstrated. An increase in the proportion of students undertaking ENT training is necessary. Time and curriculum constraints on medical schools mean that optimisation of available resources is required.
Auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with borderline personality disorder are similar to those in schizophrenia
Authors: Slotema C. W. , Daalman K. , Blom J. D. , Diederen K. M. , Hoek H. W. , Sommer I. E. C. 
Published: February 2012

BackgroundAuditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD) are frequently claimed to be brief, less severe and qualitatively different from those in schizophrenia, hence the term ‘pseudohallucinations’. AVH in BPD may be more similar to those experienced by healthy individuals, who experience AVH in a lower frequency and with a more positive content than AVH in schizophrenia. In this study the phenomenology of AVH in BPD patients was compared to that in schizophrenia and to AVH experienced by non-patients.MethodIn a cross-sectional setting, the phenomenological characteristics of AVH in 38 BPD patients were compared to those in 51 patients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder and to AVH of 66 non-patients, using the Psychotic Symptom Rating Scales (PSYRATS).ResultsBPD patients experienced AVH for a mean duration of 18 years, with a mean frequency of at least daily lasting several minutes or more. The ensuing distress was high. No differences in the phenomenological characteristics of AVH were revealed among patients diagnosed with BPD and those with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorder, except for ‘disruption of life’, which was higher in the latter group. Compared to non-patients experiencing AVH, BPD patients had higher scores on almost all items.ConclusionsAVH in BPD patients are phenomenologically similar to those in schizophrenia, and different from those in healthy individuals. As AVH in patients with BPD fulfil the criteria of hallucinations proper, we prefer the term AVH over ‘pseudohallucinations’, so as to prevent trivialization and to promote adequate diagnosis and treatment.
Ultraproducts of measure preserving actions and graph combinatorics
Authors: CONLEY CLINTON T. , KECHRIS ALEXANDER S. , TUCKER-DROB ROBIN D. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractUltraproducts of measure preserving actions of countable groups are used to study the graph combinatorics associated with such actions, including chromatic, independence and matching numbers. Applications are also given to the theory of random colorings of Cayley graphs and sofic actions and equivalence relations.
Social Commitment Robots and Dementia
Authors: Roger Kerstin , Guse Lorna , Mordoch Elaine , Osterreicher Angela 
Published: February 2012

RÉSUMÉEn 2010, 500 000 Canadiens étaient atteint d’une maladie liée à une démence. On estime que le nombre des malades va doubler en environ 25 ans. Pour cause de ce groupe démographique croissant, la démence de plus en plus (le plus souvent causée par la maladie d’Alzheimer) exercera un impact significatif sur notre communauté vieillissante et ses soignants. La démence est associée à des comportements difficiles tels que l’agitation, l’errance et l’agression. Les prestataires de soins doivent trouver des stratégies novatrices afin de faciliter la qualité de vie pour cette population; d’ailleurs, de telles stratégies doivent valoriser l’individu. Les robots socialement engagés – conçu spécifiquement à la communication et aux fins thérapeutiques – fournir un moyen d’atteindre cet objectif. Cet article décrit une étude dans laquelle Paro (un bébé phoque robotique) a été utilisé dans le cadre d’un programme de formation d’été pour étudiants. Les conclusions préliminaires suggèrent que l’integration des robots socialement engagés peuvent se révéler comme utiles cliniquement en milieux de soins de longue durée.
Modelling interrupted time series to evaluate prevention and control of infection in healthcare
Authors: GEBSKI V. , ELLINGSON K. , EDWARDS J. , JERNIGAN J. , KLEINBAUM D. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYThe most common methods for evaluating interventions to reduce the rate of newStaphylococcus aureus(MRSA) infections in hospitals use segmented regression or interrupted time-series analysis. We describe approaches to evaluating interventions introduced in different healthcare units at different times. We compare fitting a segmented Poisson regression in each hospital unit with pooling the individual estimates by inverse variance. An extension of this approach to accommodate potential heterogeneity allows estimates to be calculated from a single statistical model: a ‘stacked’ model. It can be used to ascertain whether transmission rates before the intervention have the same slope in all units, whether the immediate impact of the intervention is the same in all units, and whether transmission rates have the same slope after the intervention. The methods are illustrated by analyses of data from a study at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Both approaches yielded consistent results. Where feasible, a model adjusting for the unit effect should be fitted, or if there is heterogeneity, an analysis incorporating a random effect for units may be appropriate.
An outbreak ofSalmonellaInfantis gastroenteritis in a residential aged care facility associated with thickened fluids
Authors: NAJJAR Z. , FURLONG C. , STEPHENS N. , SHADBOLT C. , MAYWOOD P. , CONATY S. , HOGG G. 
Published: February 2012

SUMMARYTwenty-two confirmed cases ofSalmonellaInfantis were identified in 70 residents of high-level care areas of a residential aged care facility in Sydney in April 2010 during an outbreak of gastroenteritis. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify a possible cause. Consuming a soft diet, puréed diet, or thickened fluid were each independently associated with illness. A logistic regression showed consumption of thickened fluid to be the only significant exposure associated with illness (adjusted odds ratio 11·8, 95% confidence interval 1·9–75·9). It was postulated that the thickened fluid had been contaminated by chicken mince, a sample of which also culturedS. Infantis. This finding reinforces the need to educate food-handlers on the risk of potential cross-contamination; it also highlights the need to consider all dietary components, such as thickened fluids, as potential vehicles for transmission in an outbreak.
Organic label as an identifier of environmentally related quality: A consumer choice experiment on beef in Italy
Authors: Zanoli R. , Scarpa R. , Napolitano F. , Piasentier E. , Naspetti S. , Bruschi V. 
Published: February 2012

AbstractThis paper uses a hypothetical choice experiment to investigate Italian consumer preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for organic, conventional and genetically modified (GM)-fed beef, utilizing intrinsic, search cues (price, color and visible fat) and extrinsic, credence cues. Data are gathered from three different locations in northern, central and southern Italy using a sequential Bayesian approach. Results showed that consumers attach higher value to organic meat. WTP for GM-fed beef, which is not yet sold in Italy, is well below current conventional beef prices. Organic beef is attractive to consumers because it is associated with higher animal welfare standards and environment-related issues (food miles and biodiversity preservation). No differences are found in marginal WTP estimates by gender, age, education, being a parent or having a higher level of knowledge about organic production. Ethical/environmental issues (credence cues) appear to be more relevant in explaining variation in WTP for organic beef than ordinary product characteristics (search cues).