bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Lesion Characteristic on Remineralization and Model Sensitivity
Authors: Schäfer F. , Raven S.J. , Parr T.A.
Published: July 2018

A major criterion for assessing the value of any experimental model in scientific research is the degree of correspondence between its results and data from the real-life process it is designed to model. Intra-oral models aimed at predicting the anti-caries efficacy of toothpastes or other topical treatments should therefore be calibrated against treatments proven to be effective in a caries clinical trial.

For this to be achieved, it is necessary that a model with high sensitivity be designed, while at the same time retaining relevance to the process to be modeled. This means that the effects of the various experimental conditions and parameters of the model on its performance must be understood.

The purpose of this paper was to assess the influence of two specific factors on the performance of an in situ enamel remineralization model, which is based on human enamel slabs attached to partial dentures. The two factors are initial lesion severity and origin of enamel sample. The results indicated that initial lesion size affected whether net remineralization or net demineralization occurred during in situ treatment. Samples with an initial range of from 1500 to 2500 (ΔZ) tended more toward demineralization than did samples with ΔZ > 3500. This means that treatment groups must be well-balanced with respect to initial lesion size. Differences in initial demineralization severity between different tooth locations must also be considered so that systematic treatment bias can be avoided. The solution used in the model discussed here is based on a balanced experimental design, which allows this effect to be taken into account in the data analysis.
The Effect of Study Design on in situ Treatment of Carious Enamel Lesions
Authors: Vernon P.G. , Raven S.J. , Gilbert R.J. , Parr T.A. , Dundon K.A.
Published: July 2018

The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the influence of several factors on changes in the mineral content of carious enamel lesions treated in situ. The study involved 36 adult volunteers who used either a non-fluoride toothpaste or one of two fluoride toothpastes (1000 or 1500 ppm F). Human enamel specimens were prepared and attached to partial dentures as described previously (Schäfer, 1989) and treated in situ for between three and six weeks. The mineral content of lesions was determined by microradiography and computerized densitometry.

The factors investigated in this study included study length, frequency of treatment, trial design, patient compliance, patient diet, and previous caries experience of the patient. The effects observed were small, relative to that of the treatment, and not statistically significant (p > 0.05). However, the trends in the data were all as would be intuitively predicted. Study duration correlated positively with observed lesion mineral content. Lesions worn by panelists using a fluoride toothpaste for six weeks contained greater levels of mineral with respect to placebo than did those in panelists on a three-week study. The residual variations in the three phases of the study were found to be similar, suggesting that there is no advantage in these studies having a cross-over design. Brushing frequency also correlated positively with observed lesion mineral content, with panelists brushing three times per day with a fluoridated dentifrice having lesions with greater levels of mineral, with respect to placebo, than those brushing twice per day. Overall, no clear relationship between reported diet and changes in lesion mineral levels was apparent. However, increased frequency of sugar intake was associated with lower levels of mineral in lesions. No correlation was seen in this study between lifelong caries experience of panelists (DMFT) and observed mineral changes during the test period.
Sample Size Considerations in Designing Studies with Intra-oral Models
Authors: Stookey G.K. , Katz B.P. , Beiswanger B.B. , Dunipace A.J.
Published: July 2018

Especially during recent years, the use of pre-clinical models for predicting the efficacy of fluoride systems has assumed greater importance within the scientific community. Originally utilized primarily to screen experimental fluoride delivery systems, preclinical models are now being considered as predictors of clinical efficacy in lieu of controlled clinical caries trials. Of the various preclinical models presently available, human intra-oral models have the greatest potential for reflecting intended usage conditions and therefore may be the most meaningful models for predicting clinical efficacy. However, only with the proper consideration of numerous critical variables can studies using intra-oral models be appropriately designed to achieve the desired objectives. Clearly, these models must provide relevant information in a manner which reflects clinically established cariostatic activity and be capable of detecting established differences in the amount of cariostatic activity, i.e., dose-response effects.

Three sources of variation must be considered before an appropriate study design and sample size can be chosen. Based on fluoride uptake data from an intra-oral model with proximally-located enamel specimens, estimates of variation among subjects, within subjects, and among specimens within subjects were obtained. Multiple specimens per panelist do not affect the first two sources of variation. Thus, the number of panelists, and not the number of specimens, is of primary importance when pre-test data are used to choose the appropriate study design and calculate the required sample size.
The ICT in situ Experimental Model in Dental Research
Authors: Koulourides T. , Chien M.C.
Published: July 2018

The intra-oral cariogenicity test (ICT) in situ experimental model was introduced in 1964 for the study of caries on sample enamel in the human mouth. Slabs of human or bovine enamel are mounted with a Dacron gauze cover in the acrylic flanges of prosthetic appliances. The extent of enamel demineralization or remineralization of lesions is assessed from surface microhardness measurements and microradiography of the enamel sections. The ICT model offers the potential of studying various parameters related to caries. This publication presents a typical ICT study comparing the cariogenicity of 10% sucrose solutions containing 1, 3, 10, and 30 ppm F with that of the control solution, 10% sucrose (without fluoride). The treatments were applied to the ICT as 10-minute extra-oral immersions. The results indicate: (1) a strong effect of F in decreasing demineralization of sound enamel and increasing remineralization of pre-softened enamel in the ICT; (2) pronounced resistance to a subsequent in vitro acid test; (3) pronounced F incorporation into pre-softened enamel; and (4) a characteristic acid-resistant zone, as seen in microradiographs, associated with exposure to F.

This in situ model enables one to study experimental caries with repeated testing of enamel that follows the development and/or the regression of subsurface enamel lesions, F incorporation, increased acid resistance, cariogenicity of substrates, and other parameters of caries that can be assessed under standard conditions of tooth substrate and microbial sheltering.
The in vivo Orthodontic Banding Model for Vital Teeth and the in situ Orthodontic Banding Model for Hard-tissue Slabs
Authors: Øgaard B. , Rølla G.
Published: July 2018

This paper presents the orthodontic banding model for vital teeth and the orthodontic in situ model for slabs of enamel, root surface, dentin, or other mineralized tissues such as shark enamel. The model for vital teeth is an in vivo model, since a crevice for plaque accumulation is created behind orthodontic bands on the buccal enamel surfaces of teeth in situ. Visible white-spot lesions are usually seen after a four-week banding period in the absence of fluoride. The microbiological flora developed behind the bands shows a similarity to that of natural caries. Microradiographic data show that the initial lesion is a softening of the enamel surface. Later, a subsurface lesion develops. A modification of the model has been developed for the use of slabs of mineralized tissues. In this model, slabs are mounted on a removable appliance. The slabs are covered with orthodontic banding material for plaque accumulation. Lesion development in enamel in the two model systems is almost identical. The benefit of the in vivo model is that caries development can be studied on vital teeth in young individuals. The model is independent of the patient's cooperation. No special diet is required, e.g., no sucrose rinsing. In the in situ model, slabs could be examined after one study period and then replaced for another period.
An Improved Intra-oral Enamel Demineralization Test Model for the Study of Dental Caries
Authors: Zero D.T. , Fu J. , Anne K.M. , Cassata S. , McCormack S.M. , Gwinner L.M.
Published: July 2018

The intra-oral enamel demineralization test (IEDT) was introduced by Brudevold et al. (1984). This caries model involves human subjects wearing palatal appliances each holding eight bovine enamel blocks covered by a bacterial cell layer prepared by the harvesting of cultures of Streptococcus mutans (test plaque). The original model used the iodide permeability test for assessment of the extent of demineralization of bovine enamel blocks resulting from acid production by the test plaque after dietary substrate challenge.

The IEDT model has been expanded and improved by us in the following ways: (1) Based on encouraging findings from an in vitro study (Zero et al., 1990), the surface microhardness test has been adopted to measure the extent of demineralization occurring at three sites on the enamel blocks corresponding to an area over which the effective plaque thickness is 0.5, 1.5, and 2.5 mm; (2) intra-oral pH of the test plaque is measured by means of a Beetrode miniature pH electrode at baseline, then at five, 10, 15, 30, and 45 min after the start of a test; (3) plaque samples are collected at the end of a test and analyzed for organic acid content by means of HPLC; (4) the bacterial test challenge has been expanded to include different cariogenic bacteria which are grown under various growth conditions.

The improved model has the capability of studying fundamental aspects of the caries process, namely, the relationships among dietary substrate challenge, plaque pH change, plaque organic acid profiles, microbial virulence properties, and enamel demineralization. Furthermore, the model has the potential for use in more applied research on caries-preventive agents such as fluoride.
The Comparative Sensitivity of Intra-oral, in vitro, and Animal Models in the ‘Profile’ Evaluation of Topical Fluorides
Authors: White D.J.
Published: July 2018

The development of predictive and rapid methods for the assessment of the anticaries activity of topical fluorides has been a longstanding objective of caries researchers. These methods can provide useful benefits in a number of applications, ranging from the identification of novel agents to progress into clinical testing to the regulatory screening of commercial product variations. In the latter applications, combinations of test methods (so-called profiles) are used by manufacturers to prove that changes in formulations do not alter the efficacy of the products. Historically, combinations of in vitro and animal models have been used for basic research as well as for profile testing purposes; however, in recent years, the use of intra-oral or in situ models has increased. In this paper, in vitro, animal, and in situ methods are reviewed in terms of the historical basis for their development, protocols currently used in testing, and the primary advantages and limitations of each as applied to ‘profile’ applications. Recommendations are provided concerning circumstances for the appropriate use of modern test methods in formulation screening.
Intra-oral Models for Studying De- and Remineralization in Man: Methodology and Measurement
Authors: Manning R.H. , Edgar W.M.
Published: July 2018

A wide range of different methodologies and measurement techniques has been employed in laboratories around the world for the study of de- and remineralization of enamel and dentin in intra-oral systems. These different approaches are summarized and discussed in relation to the nature of the different research questions to be studied by means of the intra-oral model.
Demineralization and Remineralization Evaluation Techniques—Added Considerations
Authors: White D.J. , Faller R.V. , Bowman W.D.
Published: July 2018

Methods used for the analysis of tooth de- and remineralization include techniques with various degrees of sophistication and quantitative capabilities, ranging from direct measures of mineral gain/loss (e.g., microradiography) to indirect measures (e.g., iodide permeability) of changes in tooth mineral properties. In all instances, the capabilities of methods for accurate determination of changes in tooth mineral properties are affected by procedures used in the preparation of specimens for analysis, the magnitude of change taking place in the test (vs. the detection limits of the techniques), and protocols for specimen analysis. In specific instances, such as in the case of dentin, unique specimen-handling and analysis procedures must be used to prevent artifacts. The choice of techniques for the assessment of de- and remineralization depends strongly upon study protocols and laboratory capabilities; however, ‘quantitative’ measures of mineral gain and loss are possible only if direct chemical or radiographic techniques are used. Either radiographic, cross-sectioned microhardness or polarized light can be used for the determination of lesion depth. Porosity, light-scattering, and surface microhardness are indirect techniques which complement direct measures of mineral gain and loss. Whatever methods are used in the analysis of de- and remineralization, researchers must take care to differentiate accurately among the quantitative capabilities of techniques used in analysis.
Reanalysis of Halstead's Biological Intelligence Factor Matrix
Authors: Russell Elbert W.
Published: July 2018

A recent study by Russell did not duplicate Halstead's factors of biological intelligence. As an approach to understanding this finding, Hal-stead's original correlation matrix was subjected to the same orthogonal principal components analysis used in Russell's study as well as an orthogonal and an oblique factor analysis using communalities. All of Halstead's factors appeared in these analyses. The failure to duplicate Halstead's work was evidently not due to use of different factoring methods. In a second analysis which reduced the number of Halstead's variables to the number used by Russell, one of Halstead's factors (P) did not appear. This factor represented tests measuring the visual threshold, and so it appears to be primarily a perceptual factor.
Reliability among Physical Therapists in Diagnosis and Treatment of Gait Deviations in Hemiplegics
Authors: Goodkin Robert , Diller Leonard
Published: July 2018

A questionnaire study and an observational study were conducted to investigate reliability among physical therapists in diagnosing and treating gait deviations in hemiplegics. In Study 1, groups of 3 therapists independently filled out questionnaires on each of 10 patients to determine the extent to which therapists agree on deviations to be treated and on treatment approach. In Study 2, raters observed gait training classes and independently scored the frequency of a variety of ongoing therapist responses and the frequency of specified gait deviations being treated in the patients. The aims of this study were to determine whether observers agreed on frequencies of therapist and patient responses, to assess quantitatively whether different therapists differ in their treatment approaches, and to determine whether some of the observed therapists produce greater changes in frequency of gait deviations than others. The results of Study 1 suggested rather poor agreement among therapists as to the major gait deviations to be treated and the preferred approaches to treatment of the individuals observed. Study 2 indicated high agreement among raters scoring both therapist and patient responses and suggested differences in observed treatment approaches and differences in degree of change produced by different therapists. Results, observations, and the need for further research were discussed.
Concomitants of Multiple Sensory Defect
Authors: Hutton W. Oran , Talkington Larry W. , Altman Reuben
Published: July 2018

A group of 108 retarded individuals possessing multiple handicaps in the auditory and visual areas were compared with a matched sample of non-handicapped on some 18 behavioral variables. A number of significant differences on particular variables supported a hypothesis of marked deficiency in responsiveness to others.
Ranking of Apparent Area for Different Shapes of Equal Area
Authors: Martinez Nahum , Dawson William E.
Published: July 2018

36 figures of equal area but different form made up six form classes: triangles, quadrilaterals, polygons, ellipses, stars and irregular figures. 24 students presented with each set one at a time were asked to rank the figures from largest to smallest in perceived area. Next these Ss ranked sets including figures from the different shape classes, the sets being formed on the basis of ranks in the first task. Kendall's W and Friedman's χr2 were significant for rankings within all sets suggesting consistent and differentiated influences of form on apparent area. Significant negative correlations between figure perimeter and ranks of estimated area in Exp. 1 and their absence in Exp. 2 suggested perimeter is related to apparent area with only certain sets of figures.
Effect of Oral Cues on Visualized Instruction
Authors: Dwyer Francis M.
Published: July 2018

To measure the effectiveness with which 3 methods of presenting visualized instruction facilitated Ss' achievement when prior to receiving their instructional treatments Ss were told precisely the type of information they needed to perform successfully on the criterial measures, each S received a pretest, participated in his respective visualized instructional treatment, and received 4 individual criterial tests. Analyses indicated that, when Ss are instructed as to the type of information they should obtain from an instructional presentation: (a) the need for visualizing the content is diminished and (b) the use of questions to focus Ss' attention on essential learning cues in the visuals is not an effective instructional technique for improving achievement.
Neurological, Neuropsychological and Behavioral Aspects of Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome: A Case
Authors: Logue Patrick E. , Platzek Denna , Hutzell Robert , Robinson Bryan
Published: July 2018

Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome is a rare phenomenon consisting of motor tics, vocal utterances, and in some cases coprolalic behavior. Whether the etiology is psychological or organic is a point of continuing debate. In this case study of a 12-yr.-old boy, both neurological and psychological assessment data are presented in detail. A number of deficiencies were found, especially in higher level cognitive activities, suggesting chronic diffuse organic impairment. The cross-cultural similarity of symptoms and the organic signs found in case studies such as this one suggest CNS etiology in the initial stages of the syndrome. However, considering the multi-step developmental aspects of the problem, a shaping process into the final high-rate coprolalic verbalizations due to selective environmental contingencies could be hypothesized.
Greater Repetition of Errors under Performance Compared to Observation in Multiple-Choice Human Learning1
Authors: Marx Melvin H. , Witter David W. , Farbry John
Published: July 2018

Errors made during performance in three consecutive, multiple-choice learning sessions were repeated more frequently than errors made during observation of the same task, replicating an earlier result.
Eye Movements during Rod-and-Frame Performance
Authors: Haley G. A.
Published: July 2018

Corneally-reflected horizontal eye movements of 8 field-dependent and 8 field-independent Ss were examined during 6 trials on the rod-and-frame task, each trial being divided into viewing and decision (rod adjustment) periods. Neither average point of looking nor variability of looking (as a measure of perceptual scanning) was related to task error. The results were seen as supporting a distinction between field articulation and perceptual scanning as discrete attention styles.
Effects of Positive, Neutral, and Negative Experiences with an Audience on Social Facilitation in Children
Authors: Clark Norma J. , Fouts Gregory T.
Published: July 2018

The purpose of this study was to test the prediction that social facilitation (improvement in performance on a simple task in the presence of a female E) occurs when an audience is associated with either positive or negative experiences. 30 preschool boys and 30 preschool girls performed a simple pulling task in the presence and absence of the E associated with either positive, neutral, or negative experiences. A decrease in social facilitation when the audience was associated with positive experiences was observed and was interpreted as evidence that an audience may reduce, rather than induce, motivation.
Fear in Bureaucracy: Comparing Public and Private Sector Workers’ Expectations of Punishment
Authors: Jung Jiwon , Bozeman Barry , Gaughan Monica
Published: July 2018

When employees fear punishment for taking initiative, organizations are likely to be less effective and, equally important, such fear extracts a human toll, often contributing to a variety of manifestations of unhappiness including diminished health. We focus on two different types of fears of punishment, fear of being punished for presenting new ideas and for bending organizational rules. Employing Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing data from 1,189 participants in the 2015 survey of National Administrative Studies Project Citizen, we test hypotheses about possible differences in fear of punishment according to sector (government vs. business), general risk propensity, views about coworkers, job clarity, gender, and whether respondents are members of an underrepresented racial or ethnic minority. Using nested robust regression models, we find that the two different types of fear of punishment are predicted by different variables. Sector has no bearing on fear of punishment for presenting new ideas but is a major predictor of differences in fear of bending the rules, with government employees being more fearful. While gender has no significant effects, being a racial minority is closely related to fear of presenting new ideas. Having a negative view of one’s fellow workers, particularly one’s supervisor, is associated with greater fear of punishment from both rule bending and presenting new ideas. Those with a clear organization mission and job clarity are less likely to be afraid of punishment for proposing innovative ideas but not necessarily for bending rules. We suggest that the results have implications for managerial practice and human resource reform.
Does Accounting Conservatism Make Good News Forecasts More Credible and Bad News Forecasts Less Alarming?
Authors: D’Augusta Carlo
Published: July 2018

I investigate whether conservatism in financial statements helps investors to interpret the information revealed through voluntary disclosure, specifically earnings guidance. Research shows that investor reaction to guidance is affected by two issues. First, managers’ incentives to please the market cause positive guidance to lack credibility. This makes investors underreact initially to good news forecasts. Second, the same incentives cause negative guidance to raise investor uncertainty amid mounting concerns that the bad news disclosure is incomplete and more bad news will soon follow. This makes investors overreact initially to bad news forecasts. I argue that conservatism can increase the credibility of good news forecasts by subjecting good news to stronger verification requirements before being recognized in future reports. Consistent with this argument, I find that, when conservatism is higher, positive forecast news is associated with (a) a more positive initial response and (b) a less positive subsequent drift. I also argue that conservatism, by reassuring investors that the recognition of bad news in periodic reports has been complete and timely, can mitigate the surge in uncertainty that follows negative guidance and contain investor overreaction. Consistent with this argument, I also find that, when conservatism is higher, negative forecast news is associated with (a) a less negative initial response, (b) a less positive subsequent correction, and (c) a smaller increase in investor uncertainty.
Mind-Mapping Migration: Understanding the Deeper Contours of a Contentious Debate
Authors: Groody Daniel G
Published: July 2018

This article discusses the issue of migration from various vantage points: political, economic, linguistic, legal, philosophical, and ethical. It is shown that although migration touches upon many areas of human life, it is in reality a straightforward issue. It is basically about human beings in search for a more dignified life. The author critiques the operative dualisms that characterize the migration debate, in doing so undermining the dehumanizing thinking that gives birth to such rhetoric, and suggests an approach to the issue that fosters a transformation rooted in authentic human and spiritual development.
Critical Reflection on Our Responses to the Syrian Crisis: Attitudes, Labels, and a Parable
Authors: Accad Nadia Khouri
Published: July 2018

This article takes a look at our responses to the Syrian refugee crisis in Lebanon from the “micro” – or grassroots – level. Specifically, it examines how our attitudes and approaches, as responders, affect the lived experience of others during this extraordinarily sensitive time of displacement. Three areas of reflection are discussed: the reductionist approach to identity, the pathologizing of those who go through suffering, and finally the exploration of a biblical understanding of integration, by looking at the parable of the workers in the vineyard ((Mt 20:1-16). In such a dynamic, restorative, and Christ-like community, both those “workers” who arrived early and those who arrived late are equally valued.
A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews of palliative care patients’ views on corneal donation and the timing of its discussion
Authors: Walker Lucy , Neoh Karen , Gilkes Hazel , Rayment Clare
Published: July 2018

Background:

Corneal transplantation can lead to sight restoration, but globally there is a donor shortage. Many palliative care patients can donate their corneas but think they are ineligible due to comorbidities. Healthcare professionals are reluctant to broach the topic, but studies have shown that relatives would be upset if they were not offered this chance. There is no existing research involving patients.

Aim:

To understand the views and feelings of patients in palliative care settings towards corneal donation and explore their opinions regarding the timing of its discussion.

Design:

This is an exploratory study based at one UK palliative care unit. A census sampling method was used. Nine participants took part in semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis was undertaken.

Results:

Themes found included altruistic motivation and the value of sight. Family views were important, but the influence on final decisions varied. The timing of discussion relative to the illness trajectory was important; patients want to be able to engage fully in conversations and had concerns about not being able to think clearly when closer to death. Participants also associated discussion of donation as an indication of a poor prognosis. Patients prefer face-to-face discussions with someone whom they had a close rapport. Many had misconceptions about eligibility.

Conclusion:

This is the first study to engage directly with palliative care patients and to establish their views on the timing of corneal donation discussions. Patients are willing to discuss donation, and further exploration of patient views in this area should be undertaken.
Rheumatic manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases: A study from the Middle East
Authors: Hammoudeh Mohammed , Elsayed Eman , Al-Kaabi Saad , Sharma Manik , Elbadri Mohamed , Chandra Prem , Abu Nahia Niveen , Hammoudeh Samer
Published: July 2018

Objective

To examine the prevalence of rheumatic manifestations among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods

This prospective study enrolled patients with IBD in whom the diagnosis and extent of IBD were confirmed by colonoscopy and histopathology. Patients were interviewed and examined by a rheumatologist. A complete rheumatological examination, X-rays of the lumbosacral and sacroiliac joints and HLA-B27 blood tests were performed.

Results

A total of 127 adult patients were recruited: 46 (36.2%) with Crohn’s disease (CD) and 81 (63.8%) with ulcerative colitis (UC). Rheumatic manifestations of any type were present in 57.5% (73 of 127 patients) with no significant differences between CD and UC. Peripheral manifestations were present in 43.3% (55 of 127 patients), four patients (3.1%) had axial arthritis alone and 14 patients (11.0%) had both types. Among those with peripheral manifestations, five patients (7.2%) had type 1 arthritis (pauciarticular) and one patient (1.4%) had type 2 arthritis (polyarticular). A higher proportion of patients with CD had axial manifestations with or without peripheral manifestations (eight of 46; 17.4%) compared with patients with UC (10 of 81; 12.3%), but no difference was observed in patients with peripheral manifestations alone.

Conclusions

Rheumatic manifestations in patients with IBD in Qatar are more prevalent than in other regions of the world. Peripheral manifestations were more prevalent than axial.
Dissemination of cfr-mediated linezolid resistance among Staphylococcus species isolated from a teaching hospital in Beijing, China
Authors: Jian Jiyong , Chen Liang , Xie Zeqiang , Zhang Man
Published: July 2018

Objective

The aim of the present study was to report the dissemination of cfr and fexA genes mediated by linezolid resistance among Staphylococcus species.

Methods

Three methicillin-resistant staphylococci that were collected from a teaching hospital in Beijing were identified as linezolid-resistant. These three staphylococci were Staphylococcus aureus, S. haemolyticus, and S. cohnii. Mutations in domain V of 23S ribosomal RNA, ribosomal proteins, and the cfr, fexA, and optrA genes were analysed.

Results

The three isolates had no mutations of 23S ribosomal RNA, but showed mutations in the cfr and fexA genes. Mutations in the gene for ribosomal protein L3, which resulted in the amino acid exchanges Gly108Glu, Ser158Phe, and Asp159Tyr, were identified in S. cohnii X4535.

Conclusions

This is the first report of the cfr gene in clinical linezolid-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus isolated from Beijing. L3 mutations coupled with the cfr and fexA genes may act synergistically. Potential transmissibility of this agent, even without prior exposure to linezolid, may have serious epidemiological repercussions.
Endovascular treatment of primary mycotic aortic aneurysms: a 7-year single-center experience
Authors: Luo Yudong , Zhu Jiechang , Dai Xiangchen , Fan Hailun , Feng Zhou , Zhang Yiwei , Hu Fanguo
Published: July 2018

Objective

This study was performed to assess the efficacy and outcome of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for treatment of primary mycotic aortic aneurysms (PMAAs).

Methods

Fourteen consecutive patients who presented with PMAA from April 2010 to July 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinical data were recorded, and late infection-related complications and long-term survival were assessed.

Results

The aneurysms were located in the abdominal aorta in 10 patients and in the left common iliac artery in 4 patients. Positive microbial cultures were found in 12 patients, including Salmonella species in 11 and Streptococcus in 1. The remaining two patients had negative culture results. Ten patients received preoperative antibiotics before elective EVAR for 7 ± 9 days after admission. Four patients who underwent emergent EVAR due to ruptured aneurysms were given their first dose of antibiotics before EVAR. Three patients underwent surgical drainage, and six underwent percutaneous drainage within 30 days after EVAR. No death occurred within 30 days of the initial procedure. The mean follow-up was 34.8 (range, 3–84 months). One patient underwent re-intervention to resolve obstruction of the iliac/femoral artery 5 months postoperatively. Relapse of infection occurred in six patients (42.8%) during follow-up; infection-related death occurred in three of these patients. The other patients recovered with either conversion to open radical surgery or medical therapy. The actuarial 7-year survival after EVAR was 75.7%.

Conclusions

EVAR and aggressive antibiotic therapy might be suitable for PMAAs. Favorable results may be typical for infection caused by Salmonella.
Effects of Moringa oleifera leaf powder on metabolic syndrome induced in male Wistar rats: a preliminary study
Authors: López Marisa , Ríos-Silva Mónica , Huerta Miguel , Cárdenas Yolitzy , Bricio-Barrios Jaime Alberto , Díaz-Reval María Irene , Urzúa Zorayda , Huerta-Trujillo Miguel , López-Quezada Karla , Trujillo Xóchitl
Published: July 2018

Objective

To evaluate the preventive effects of Moringa oleifera on metabolic syndrome (MS) in male Wistar rats.

Methods

MS was induced by feeding rats a high-fat diet and drinking water containing 10% fructose for 6 weeks. In the preventive group, M. oleifera was orally administered for 3 weeks prior to the induction of MS, while in the treatment group, M. oleifera was administered for 3 weeks after the onset of MS. The treatment groups were compared with a control group of untreated rats with induced MS. Fasting glucose, oral glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, total cholesterol, triglycerides, abdominal circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were measured before and after MS induction and/or M. oleifera treatment.

Results

After the induction of MS, the control group had higher fasting glucose levels than the preventive group. No significant differences were observed in insulin tolerance, oral glucose tolerance, cholesterol, triglycerides, abdominal circumference, or systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Compared with untreated controls, rats in the treatment group had significantly improved glucose tolerance, triglycerides, and abdominal circumference.

Conclusions

M. oleifera treatment attenuates MS in Wistar rats.
Prognostic significance of solitary lymph node metastasis in patients with stages IA2 to IIA cervical carcinoma
Authors: Dai Yi-Fang , Xu Mu , Zhong Li-Ying , Xie Xiao-Yan , Liu Zhao-Dong , Yan Ming-Xing , Yi Huan , Lin Dan-Mei
Published: July 2018

Objective

To investigate the prognostic significance of and risk factors for solitary lymph node metastasis (SLNM) of patients with cervical carcinoma.

Methods

Clinical data from patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stages IA2 to IIA cervical carcinoma who underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy between January 2003 and December 2010 were analysed retrospectively. Histopathological analysis was used to identify SLNM. Long-term survival and risk factors associated with SLNM were analysed.

Results

The study enrolled 302 patients with cervical cancer: 48 with SLNM (SLNM group) and 254 patients with no lymph node metastases (nLNM group). FIGO stage, tumour grade, depth of tumour invasion, uterine body involvement, parametrial involvement and lymphovascular invasion differed significantly between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis revealed that FIGO stage, depth of tumour invasion and lymphovascular invasion were independent factors associated with SLNM. The 5-year survival rates of the SLNM and nLNM groups were 54.2% and 87.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified SLNM as an independent factor affecting survival.

Conclusions

The occurrence of just one solitary lymph node metastasis significantly worsened the prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma compared with patients without lymph node metastases.
Political airs: From monitoring to attuned sensing air pollution
Authors: Calvillo Nerea
Published: July 2018

In Madrid, as in many European cities, air pollution is known about and made accountable through techno-scientific monitoring processes based on data, and the toxicity of the air is defined through epidemiological studies and made political through policy. In 2009, Madrid’s City Council changed the location of its air quality monitoring stations without notice, reducing the average pollution of the city and therefore provoking a public scandal. This scandal challenged the monitoring process, as the data that used to be the evidence of pollution could not be relied on anymore. To identify the characteristics of some of the diverse forms of public’s participation that emerged, I route theories of environmental sensing from STS and feminist theory through the notion of attuned sensing. Reading environmental sensing through processes of attunement expands the ways in which toxicity can be sensed outside of quantitative data. This mode of sensing recognizes how the different spontaneous attunements to and with air pollution and the scandal acknowledged Madrid’s chemical infrastructure, rendering visible qualitative conditions of toxicity. This mode of sensing politicized the toxicity of the air not through management or policy making, nor only through established forms environmental activism, but through contagion and accumulation of the different forms of public participation. All together, they made air pollution a matter of public concern. They also redistributed the actors, practices and objects that make the toxicity not only knowable, but also accountable, and most importantly, they opened up spaces for citizen intervention.
Getting to Zero Deaths on Ohio’s Low-Volume Roads
Authors: Beale Victoria F. , Troyer Derek , Chock Alejandro , Hopwood Cory , McNeill Mike
Published: July 2018

Ohio faces the challenge, as do many other states, of how to utilize Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funding to improve safety on its low-volume roadways while meeting the data-driven safety funding requirements of the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act. Low-volume roads present unique challenges because data is rarely available and other factors, such as roadway ownership, affect the implementation of safety countermeasures on this system. Beginning in 2014, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) created a township safety signage grant program designed to address the issues with utilizing HSIP funding on low-volume roadways. The grant program’s goal was to drive down the number of fatalities, serious injuries, and overall crashes occurring on Ohio’s low-volume roads. ODOT took into consideration overriding issues regarding low-volume roads in how it structured the grant program. ODOT also utilized the direction from its Strategic Highway Safety Plan in choosing a safety countermeasure which met the needs of its roadway departure and intersection crash trends. The program has been actively engaged in by Ohio townships and now has a large enough amount of post-safety countermeasure installation data available to quantify its initial success. This paper presents the successful results by highlighting the human capital and comprehensive societal benefit/cost analyses for the first 24 townships with 12 months of post-grant completion crash data.
Comprehensive Assessment of Temporal Treatments in Crash Prediction Models
Authors: Gill Gurdiljot Singh , Cheng Wen , Zhou Jiao , Jia Xudong
Published: July 2018

This study conducted a comprehensive comparison of temporal treatments employed in crash prediction models. Nine groups of methodological approaches based on different ways of addressing temporal correlations, including the newly proposed time adjacency matrix, were developed. Moreover, three types of models were developed for each group in terms of spatial dependency. Finally, ten different assessment criteria were utilized for the evaluation purpose. All models and performance-checking criteria applied to 8 years of county-level crash counts in California. The modeling results illustrated that the space–time models consistently enhanced the precision associated with the intercepts. The serial and spatial correlations also appeared to be statistically significant. In terms of model complexity, the models with spatial correlations outperformed the ones without considering spatially structured heterogeneity, and the models accounting for the temporal dependency revealed more benefits compared with those without temporal treatments. The opposite trends were found by prediction-pertinent criteria based on the aggregation results, even though the first-order autoregressive process space–time models with spatiotemporal interaction claimed the first place of prediction in most cases. The correlation analysis among all ten criteria illustrated that the efficiency in reducing the effective number of parameters tended to have larger impacts on the value of deviance information criterion than did the mean deviance, which demonstrated the statistically significant correlations with all other prediction-related measures.
Use of Bivariate Dirichlet Process Mixture Spatial Model to Estimate Active Transportation-Related Crash Counts
Authors: Cheng Wen , Gill Gurdiljot Singh , Vo Tom , Zhou Jiao , Sakrani Taha
Published: July 2018

The current paper presents the comprehensive analysis of a bivariate Dirichlet process mixture spatial model for estimation of pedestrian and bicycle crash counts. This study focuses on active transportation at traffic analysis zone (TAZ) level by developing a semi-parametric model that accounts for the unobserved heterogeneity by combining the strengths of bivariate specification for correlation among crash modes; spatial random effects for the impact of neighboring TAZs; and Dirichlet process mixture for random intercept. Three alternate models, one Dirichlet and two parametric, are also developed for comparison based on different criteria. Bicycle and pedestrian crashes are observed to share three influential variables: the positive correlation of K12 student enrollment; the bike-lane density; and the percentage of arterial roads. The heterogeneity error term demonstrates the presence of statistically significant correlation among the bicycle and pedestrian crashes, whereas the spatial random effect term indicates the absence of a significant correlation for the area under focus. The Dirichlet models are consistently superior to non-Dirichlet ones under all evaluation criteria. Moreover, the Dirichlet models exhibit the capability to identify latent distinct subpopulations and suggest that the normal assumption of intercept associated with traditional parametric models does not hold true for the TAZ-level crash dataset of the current study.
Automated Validation and Interpolation of Long-Duration Bicycle Counting Data
Authors: Beitel David , McNee Spencer , McLaughlin Fraser , Miranda-Moreno Luis F.
Published: July 2018

Bicycle flow data is crucial for transportation agencies to evaluate and improve cycling infrastructure. Average annual daily bicyclists (AADB) is commonly used in research and practice as a metric for cycling studies such as ridership analysis, infrastructure planning, and injury risk. AADB is estimated by averaging the daily cyclist totals measured throughout the year using a long-term automated bicycle counter, or by using long-term bicycle counting data to extrapolate data from a short-term counting site. Extrapolation of a short-term bicycle counting site requires an accurate and complete set of daily factors from a group of references: long-term bicycle counters. In practice, validation of reference data is done manually, an exercise that is time-consuming but crucial as significant error can be introduced into AADB extrapolation if reference data are not validated. This paper proposes an automated method to validate long-term bicycle count data and interpolate anomalous portions of data. As part of this work, the methods are validated using a relatively large dataset of automated bicycle counts. For validation of our approach, data anomalies are created artificially in a way that removes data (first trial), or reduces counts to 25% or 40% of the measured bicycle counts (second and third trials), for 6 hours, 12 hours, and full days. Of the more than 100 generated anomalies, the validation process flagged approximately 90% in the first and second trials and 80% in the third trial. The average absolute relative error of the interpolated daily values was approximately 10% for all three trials.
Towards a Reliability-Based Pavement Design using Response Surface Methods
Authors: Dinegdae Yared , Onifade Ibrahim , Birgisson Bjorn , Lytton Robert , Little Dallas
Published: July 2018

Reliability has been incorporated in many pavement design procedures to account for the effects of inputs variabilities and uncertainties on predicted performance. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) mechanistic empirical pavement design guide (MEPDG) computes the reliability of pavement sections with the assumption that the variability of predicted distresses follows normal distribution. This approach does not account for the systematic contribution of each design input variability on the overall output variance. This paper evaluates a two-component reliability analysis methodology for pavement application. The two-component reliability analysis methodology uses a response surface method (RSM) for a surrogate model generation and the first order reliability method (FORM) for reliability computation. Three different response surface methods (central composite, Box–Behnken and Doehlert designs) were implemented and statistically verified for their suitability for surrogate model generation. The two-component reliability analysis methodology was further utilized for the generation of partial safety factors for the development of a load and resistance factor design (LRFD) procedure for pavement applications. Field pavement sections with a wide range in design inputs and target reliabilities were used to evaluate the proposed reliability analysis methodology. The results have shown that the three RSM can be used effectively for pavement reliability problems.