Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing CATCH, CHALICE and PECARN clinical decision rules for paediatric head injuries

Many children present to emergency departments following head injury (HI), with a small number at risk of avoidable poor outcome. Difficulty identifying such children, coupled with increased availability of cranial CT, has led to variation in practice and increased CT rates. Clinical decision rules (CDRs) have been derived for paediatric HI but there is no published comparison to assist in deciding which to implement. The content of the three of highest quality and accuracy are described and compared. Systematic reviews of paediatric HI CDRs were published in 2009 and 2011. To identify CDRs published since the most recent review, key databases were searched, selecting studies which included CDRs involving children aged 0–18 years with a history of HI. Quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies Tool, and performance evaluated by reported accuracy. Three high quality CDRs were identified: CATCH (Canadian Assessment of Tomography for Childhood Head Injury) CHALICE (Children's Head Injury Algorithm for the Prediction of Important Clinical Events) and PECARN (Paediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network). All were derived with high methodological standards but differed in key areas, including study population, outcomes and severity of HI. Each stated different predictor variables and only PECARN provided a separate algorithm for young children. CATCH and CHALICE identify children requiring CT and PECARN those who do not. All perform with high sensitivity and low specificity. PECARN is the only validated CDR, and none has undergone impact analysis. These three CDRs should undergo validation and comparison in a single population, with analysis of their impact on practice and financial implications, to aid relevant bodies in deciding which to implement.
Universities‐industry collaboration strategies: a micro‐level perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the collaboration strategies employed by collaborating small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) and university researchers for initiating and optimizing the process and outcome of R&D collaboration.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based upon a qualitative study of the total population of university departments and SMEs involved in collaborative research projects sponsored by a new governmental programme in Denmark, the aim of which was to build new R&D alliances between industry and universities.Findings – The findings show how partners choose to pursue difference short‐ or long‐term strategies to optimize the process and outcome of university‐industry (UI) collaboration. Some collaborations were thus informed by a short‐term strategy aimed at achieving immediate R&D results. However, to a high extent, many SME partners relied upon a long‐term strategy aiming at developing UI relations beyond the immediate project and practical learning. A vari.
The Impacts of Household Consumption and Options for Change

This introductory article situates the contributions that comprise this special issue within the field of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) studies. After a brief review of the policy history surrounding SCP, we organize our discussion and the subsequent collection of articles into two groups. The first suite of articles views the environmental impacts associated with household consumption from the perspectives of different consumer groups, income levels, and geographic areas. This work confirms and refines several insights that have been developing over the past several years, namely that food and beverages, mobility, housing, and energy‐using products are the most critical consumption domains from the standpoint of environmental sustainability and that higher household income leads to greater (but less than proportional) impacts. The second subset of articles analyzes the potential for mitigating these impacts through behavioral changes and innovation strategies. Although the contributions to this special issue describe several noteworthy examples of information‐ and team‐based initiatives to catalyze behavioral changes, the state of knowledge pertaining to this aspect of the consumption problem is much more inchoate. Research on the formulation and implementation of effective “change management for sustainable consumption” should be treated as an area of priority attention for industrial ecologists.
A thematic analysis of the critical factors for evaluating the public value of e-government

This paper presents a theory-driven thematic analysis of the critical factors for evaluating the public value of egovernment in Sri Lanka. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature is conducted for building a theoretic foundation on the identification of the scope of e-government, the source of public value creation, and the kind of public value. Using the qualitative data collected from Sri Lanka, thematic analysis is performed for identifying the critical factors for evaluating the public value of e-government. The analysis reveals that public information online, public services online, information and services through e-enabled counters, user orientation of public service delivery, improving organizational efficiency, openness and responsiveness, enhancing trust, ensuring confidentiality of citizens, achieving social equity, and environmental sustainability are critical factors for evaluating the public value of egovernment.
Genetic and morphological characterization of ftsB and nrdB mutants of Escherichia coli

The ftsB gene of Escherichia coli is believed to be involved in cell division. In this report, we show that plasmids containing the nrdB gene could complement the ftsB mutation, suggesting that ftsB is an allele of nrdB. We compared changes in the cell shape of isogenic nrdA, nrdB, ftsB, and pbpB strains at permissive and restrictive temperatures. Although in rich medium all strains produced filaments at the restrictive temperature, in minimal medium only a 50 to 100% increase in mean cell mass occurred in the nrdA, nrdB, and ftsB strains. The typical pbpB cell division mutant also formed long filaments at low growth rates. Visualization of nucleoid structure by fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that nucleoid segregation was affected by nrdA, nrdB, and ftsB mutations at the restrictive temperature. Measurements of beta-galactosidase activity in lambda p(sfiA::lac) lysogenic nrdA, nrdB, and ftsB mutants in rich medium at the restrictive temperature showed that filamentation in the nrdA mutant was caused by sfiA (sulA) induction, while filamentation in nrdB and ftsB mutants was sfiA independent, suggesting an SOS-independent inhibition of cell division.
An Inv/Mxi‐Spa‐like type III protein secretion system in Burkholderia pseudomallei modulates intracellular behaviour of the pathogen

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a serious infectious disease of humans and animals that is endemic in subtropical areas. B. pseudomallei is a facultative intracellular pathogen that may invade and survive within eukaryotic cells for prolonged periods. After internalization, the bacteria escape from endocytic vacuoles into the cytoplasm of infected cells and form membrane protrusions by inducing actin polymerization at one pole. It is believed that survival within phagocytic cells and cell‐to‐cell spread via actin protrusions is required for full virulence. We have studied the role of a putative type III protein secretion apparatus (Bsa) in the interaction between B. pseudomallei and host cells. The Bsa system is very similar to the Inv/Mxi‐Spa type III secretion systems of Salmonella and Shigella. Moreover, B. pseudomallei encodes proteins that are very similar to Salmonella and Shigella Inv/Mxi‐Spa secreted proteins required for invasion, escape from endocytic vacuoles, intercellular spread and pathogenesis. Antibodies to putative Bsa‐secreted proteins were detected in convalescent serum from a melioidosis patient, suggesting that the system is functionally expressed in vivo. B. pseudomallei mutant strains lacking components of the Bsa secretion and translocation apparatus were constructed. The mutant strains exhibited reduced replication in J774.2 murine macrophage‐like cells, an inability to escape from endocytic vacuoles and a complete absence of formation of membrane protrusions and actin tails. These findings indicate that the Bsa type III secretion system plays an essential role in modulating the intracellular behaviour of B. pseudomallei.
Sequential and spatially restricted interactions of assembly factors with an autotransporter β domain

Autotransporters are bacterial virulence factors that consist of an N-terminal extracellular (“passenger”) domain and a C-terminal β barrel domain (“β domain”) that resides in the outer membrane. Here we used an in vivo site-specific photocrosslinking approach to gain insight into the mechanism by which the β domain is integrated into the outer membrane and the relationship between β domain assembly and passenger domain secretion. We found that periplasmic chaperones and specific components of the β barrel assembly machinery (Bam) complex interact with the β domain of the Escherichia coli O157:H7 autotransporter extracellular serine protease P (EspP) in a temporally and spatially regulated fashion. Although the chaperone Skp initially interacted with the entire β domain, BamA, BamB, and BamD subsequently interacted with discrete β domain regions. BamB and BamD remained bound to the β domain longer than BamA and therefore appeared to function at a later stage of assembly. Interestingly, we obtained evidence that the completion of β domain assembly is regulated by an intrinsic checkpoint mechanism that requires the completion of passenger domain secretion. In addition to leading to a detailed model of autotransporter biogenesis, our results suggest that the lipoprotein components of the Bam complex play a direct role in the membrane integration of β barrel proteins.
Accounting for output fluctuations in manufacturing

There is a substantial body of evidence to the effect that output is more volatile than sales among manufacturing industries. Numerous explanations have been advanced to account for this excess output volatility. Some examples are pro-cyclical inventory movements induced by a stockout-avoidance motive, cost and technology shocks and decreasing marginal costs. This article assesses the contribution of these different motives to output volatility for six different manufacturing industries. Linear–quadratic models are estimated for each of the industries and then dynamic simulations are employed to determine the volatility of output when one or more of the factors are removed from the model. Technology shocks provide the most significant contribution to output volatility. The stockout-avoidance motive is also important. Cost shocks provide a very small contribution and marginal production costs are increasing at the margin and thus stabilize output. It is also shown that output volatility declines when current values of sales and material costs are assumed known rather than forecasted from prior periods’ values.
Differential Effects of Elevated Hydrostatic Pressure on Gene Expression and Protein Phosphorylation in Optic Nerve Head Astrocytes

1.1 Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) Elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most important risk factor in POAG. Typically affecting older adults, in POAG the IOP exceeds the level that is tolerated by that individual’s optic nerve head (ONH). However, many individuals with clinical ocular hypertension do not exhibit glaucomatous changes in the optic disk; whereas, some individuals will develop glaucomatous changes at clinically normal IOP levels. These clinical findings indicate that individual variability in susceptibility of the ONH to IOP is an important factor in glaucomatous optic neuropathy. However, the molecular and cellular factors that may underlie variability in susceptibility of the ONH to elevated IOP have not been elucidated. The target of the mechanical stress generated by elevated IOP is the lamina cribrosa in the ONH (Bellezza et al., 2003). In the glaucomatous ONH, compression, stretching, and remodeling of the cribriform plates of the lamina cribrosa occur. In many POAG patients, these elevated IOP related changes result in remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), altering the quantity and composition of several ECM macromolecules that significantly affect the biomechanical properties of the tissue supporting the nerve fibers (Hernandez, 2000; Bellezza et al., 2003). Alterations of ECM components of the ONH in glaucoma perhaps sets the stage for further optic nerve damage from IOP during the progression of the disease.
Politics, Policy, and the Motivations for Advocacy in Nonprofit Reproductive Health and Family Planning Providers

Despite the important symbolic and substantive benefits of political activity by nonprofit organizations, recent evidence suggests that a relatively limited number of charities actively advocate. The existing literature on nonprofit advocacy adequately explains why so few charities are actively political; however, it fails to illuminate the reasons why some individual charities choose to advocate despite documented constraints. This article offers an alternative to existing explanations for nonprofit advocacy that focuses on the causes for, and the constraints on, this behavior. It suggests that nonprofit organizations are more likely to be politically active when public policies restrict their ability to deliver core services, and when the probability of success is highest because of the presence of political allies. Analyses of advocacy behavior in more than 450 501(c)(3) organizations suggest that these factors persist as motivators of political activity even after controlling for the dominant constraints suggested in the literature.
Advances in Wireless Power Coils: The key element in a wireless power charging system

Wireless power technology is a rapidly growing field. Many well-established semiconductor manufacturing companies have entered the field and added a new category to their product tree, but wireless power also has allowed new firms to introduce innovative end products into the market. The key element in wireless power charging systems is the wireless power coil; Wuth Elektronik (WE) has given its wireless power coil a proprietary name-the wireless power charging coil (WPCC). WE has been very successful in representing itself as one of the leading coil manufacturers and is being recognized by designers at various semiconductor companies as their first choice for coils.
Facilitating Successful Failures

Approximately 80,000 businesses fail each year in the United States. This article presents an original empirical study of over 400 business restructuring professionals focused on a critical, arguably contributing factor to these failures - the conduct of boards of directors and management. Anecdotal evidence suggests that management of distressed companies often bury their heads in the sand until it is too late to remedy the companies’ problems, a phenomenon commonly called “ostrich syndrome. ” The data confirm this behavior, show a prevalent use of loss framing, and suggest trends consistent with prospect theory. The article draws on these data and behavioral economics to examine the genesis and contours of this problem. It then discusses potential changes to applicable law and introduces a new “meet and confer” process for encouraging timely restructuring negotiations. The meet and confer process is designed to promote meaningful changes in management conduct and to facilitate more “successful failures. ” Policymakers should adopt regulations fostering that mentality, rather than rewarding fear or ignorance in the face of failure.
Two weeks of reduced activity decreases leg lean mass and induces "anabolic resistance" of myofibrillar protein synthesis in healthy elderly.

BACKGROUND Alterations in muscle protein metabolism underlie age-related muscle atrophy. During periods of muscle disuse, muscle protein synthesis is blunted, and muscle atrophy occurs in young and old. The impact of a short reduction in physical activity on muscle protein metabolism in older adults is unknown. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of 14 days of reduced daily steps on fasted and fed-state rates of myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) to provide insight into the mechanisms for changes in muscle mass and markers of metabolic health. METHODS Before and after 14 days of reduced daily step-count, 10 healthy older adults (age, 72 ± 1 y) underwent measures of insulin sensitivity, muscle strength, physical function, and body composition. Using a primed constant infusion of L-[ring-(13)C6]phenylalanine with serial muscle biopsies, basal, postabsorptive, and postprandial rates of MPS were determined before and after the 14-day intervention. RESULTS Daily step-count was reduced by approximately 76% to 1413 ± 110 steps per day. Leg fat-free mass was reduced by approximately 3.9% (P < .001). Postabsorptive insulin resistance was increased by approximately 12%, and postprandial insulin sensitivity was reduced by approximately 43% after step reduction (P < .005). Concentrations of TNF-α and C-reactive protein were increased by approximately 12 and 25%, respectively, after step reduction (P < .05). Postprandial rates of MPS were reduced by approximately 26% after the intervention (P = .028), with no difference in postabsorptive rates. CONCLUSION The present study demonstrates that 14 days of reduced steps in older adults induces small but measurable reductions in muscle mass that appear to be underpinned by reductions in postprandial MPS and are accompanied by impairments in insulin sensitivity and systemic inflammatory markers and postprandial MPS.
The Changing Relations of Production: Union Derecognition in the UK Magazine Industry

This article examines the motives and strategies of employers in implementing derecognition, the union response to this, and effect on wages and conditions, union-management relations and union membership and organisation. In particular the author analyses the circumstances in which a large number of employers have chosen such a ‘radical’ method to re-order the employment relationship.
Predictors of prolonged mechanical ventilation in a cohort of 5123 cardiac surgical patients

Background Prolonged mechanical ventilation (PMV) after heart surgery is associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality. Methods In this prospective observational cohort study the aim was to assess PMV predictors and its impact on ICU, hospital length of stay and survival in cardiac surgical patients admitted to our eight-bed ICU from January 2000 to December 2006. All perioperative patient variables were put into an electronic database. Five thousand one hundred and twenty-three patients were divided into two cohorts: early extubation, undergoing a successful extubation for 12 h or less, and delayed extubation, needing a mechanical ventilation for more than 12 h. Results A logistic regression model identified the following as PMV predictors: age more than 65 years [odds ratio (OR), 1.296; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.017–1.069; P = 0.016], chronic renal failure (OR, 1.571; 95% CI, 1.566–2.466; P = 0.011), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 1.453; 95% CI, 1.695–2.454; P = 0.006), redo surgery (OR, 2.010; 95% CI, 1.389– 2.114; P = 0.001), emergency surgery (OR, 1.622; 95% CI, 1.515–2.494; P = 0.016), New York Heart Association/Canadian Cardiovascular Society class higher than 2 (OR, 1.491; 95% CI, 1.704–2.321; P = 0.001), left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% or less (OR, 2.125; 95% CI, 1.379–1.991; P = 0.000), red blood cell (OR, 5.430; 95% CI, 3.636–8.130; P = 0.000) and fresh frozen plasma transfusion units more than four (OR, 3.019; 95% CI, 1.808–5.050; P = 0.000) and cardiopulmonary bypass time more than 77 min (OR, 2.030; 95% CI, 1.248–2.174; P = 0.002). Early extubation group patients showed a higher probability of being discharged from ICU to cardiac surgical ward (log-rank = 1108.951; P = 0.000) and from cardiac to rehabilitation ward (log-rank = 598.005; P = 0.000) and higher hospital survival (log-rank = 53.215; P = 0.000). Conclusion This review allowed us to assess predictors, helping us to identify ‘a priori’ patients more likely to undergo PMV.
Penicillin-binding proteins in Clostridium perfringens

The penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) of Clostridium perfringens were studied. Six PBPs ranging in molecular weight from approximately 42,000 to 100,000 were detected in the cytoplasmic membrane. The relative affinities of the PBPs for 16 beta-lactam antibiotics were determined. Most of the drug saturated PBP 3 and 4 at concentrations equal to their minimal inhibitory concentrations, suggesting that these PBPs are the killing targets for beta-lactams. Mecillinam showed unique properties; it had a higher affinity for PBP 5 than for other PBPs, and it was the only agent tested which caused inhibition of growth without saturating PBP 4. Interestingly, all beta-lactam antibiotics tested induced filament formation despite having different binding patterns to the PBPs of C. perfringens.
Bilaminar techniques for the treatment of recession-type defects. A comparative clinical study.

OBJECTIVES Complete root coverage is the primary objective to be accomplished when treating gingival recessions in patients with aesthetic demands. Furthermore, in order to satisfy patient demands fully, root coverage should be accomplished by soft tissue, the thickness and colour of which should not be distinguishable from those of adjacent soft tissue. The aim of the present split-mouth study was to compare the treatment outcome of two surgical approaches of the bilaminar procedure in terms of (i) root coverage and (ii) aesthetic appearance of the surgically treated sites. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifteen young systemically and periodontally healthy subjects with two recession-type defects of similar depth affecting contralateral teeth in the aesthetic zone of the maxilla were enrolled in the study. All recessions fall into Miller class I or II. Randomization for test and control treatment was performed by coin toss immediately prior to surgery. All defects were treated with a bilaminar surgical technique: differences between test and control sites resided in the size, thickness and positioning of the connective tissue graft. The clinical re-evaluation was made 1 year after surgery. RESULTS The two bilaminar techniques resulted in a high percentage of root coverage (97.3% in the test and 94.7% in the control group) and complete root coverage (gingival margin at the cemento-enamel junction (CEJ)) (86.7% in the test and 80% in the control teeth), with no statistically significant difference between them. Conversely, better aesthetic outcome and post-operative course were indicated by the patients for test compared to control sites. CONCLUSIONS The proposed modification of the bilaminar technique improved the aesthetic outcome. The reduced size and minimal thickness of connective tissue graft, together with its positioning apical to the CEJ, facilitated graft coverage by means of the coronally advanced flap.